LoyaltyOne recently took a deep dive into incentive programs and what exactly attracted millennials to them. Their study found that the majority, falling into a range of 18-29 years old, identified in-store experience as a top factor when it came to joining grocery-store reward programs. These in-store experiences also seem to go hand-in-hand with health and nutrition.
Traditionally grocers have relied on price discounts and fuel rewards as a staple in their loyalty program, but findings from LoayltyOne’s recent report may have them thinking differently. The report drew from 1,034 U.S. consumers who were asked what benefits they found most valuable in their loyalty program. An overall 69% indicated that an “expert session” with a nutritionist or chef would drive them to shop with a particular grocer and an overwhelming 89% of millennials responded the same.
In addition to offering more of these types of in-store experiences, Fred Thompson, retail practice leader for LoyaltyOne, told IncentiveMag.com, "Customers are looking for grocery stores to expand their healthy choice options, and this is an excellent time for grocers to retool and refresh their loyalty strategy to incorporate more health and wellness benefits, while decreasing their reliance on static, published rewards."
One such grocer may come to mind when thinking of health, nutrition and customer engagement. We wrote last month about Whole Foods Market taking a leap into loyalty for the first time with their Whole Foods Market Rewards program. For a company that has already shown it’s strong customer engagement, especially with millennials, hosting "Twitter Chat Sessions" with customers online, food photography classes in-store, cooking classes, etc., we look forward to seeing how America’s Healthiest Grocery Store will take their "health statement" into the rewards and incentives programs space.
