Traditional business models won?t work, grocers warned
The business models used by grocers today 'won't work tomorrow' because the next generation of shoppers say they will shun the traditional trip to the supermarket to do their weekly shop in favour of the internet.

This was the message this morning from industry research body IGD at its 2006 Convention in London where it unveiled its latest research along with technology company EDS, entitled Tomorrow's Shopping World.

The study surveyed 1,000 teenagers aged 13 to 19 and adult shoppers aged 25 to 40. It found that only 31 per cent of respondents expected to buy all their goods at supermarkets.

However, more than half of both groups questioned said that they would use online stores for food and grocery shopping.

In a speech at today's conference, IGD chief executive Joanne Denny-Finch said that the changes in shopping habits over the next 10 years provided the grocery industry with a 'golden opportunity' to increase sales.

However, she added: 'The business model of today won't work tomorrow, but the opportunities are there - the best opportunities for a generation. Are you going to take them?'

The survey also found that 62 per cent of adults and 65 per cent of teenagers wanted to use self-scanning systems at checkouts.

Rather bizarrely 16 per cent of teenagers and 12 per cent of adults said they were keen to see sat-nav systems fitted to supermarket trollies.

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