Distribution companies print a strategic turn to their business after the coronavirus. 5 trends mark the way for companies in the sector, which draw a roadmap to adapt to a new consumption model after the pandemic. From solutions to buy without interacting with other people to elbow levers that allow you to open the doors.

They also promote the consumption of healthy and sustainable products, the online channel and the delivered as well as the takeaway food segments and convenience supermarkets, according to the report 5 Retail Trends, prepared by the Spanish Association of Manufacturers and Distributors (Aecoc).

The coronavirus has caused society to change its way of relating but also of consuming. It does not matter if it is Spain or China, innovative retail solutions try to create an environment adapted to the situation caused by the pandemic. 

An example of this is the case of the Lotte department store in South Korea, which has launched a call service called Shop Alone, which is aimed at those customers who do not want anyone to approach them to avoid contagionor. In this way, these customers will not be offered help if they are hanging the Shop Alone sign that is available near the information desks.

For its part, the US group Kroger has launched a kit to test for the coronavirus at home. The product is approved by the US regulatory authorities (the FDA) and the company aims to process up to 60.000 tests a week. 

In this line, a Finnish company has launched levers for users to open the door of supermarket refrigerators with their elbow instead of using their hand. Or, in New Zealand, New World has made available to its users some bags to make purchases for families in need, which will soon be available to other companies as well.

Decathlon has also diversified its business in collaboration with Cyclofix and has done so to manage repairs and problems of bicycles and scooters in Lyon and Paris. 

Sustainability and fresh products are becoming more and more important. The coronavirus crisis has highlighted the importance of proximity shopping, especially in the fresh produce segment. The report also recalls the Aldi case, which has A system called Nutri-Score is in place in Switzerland that scores private label products based on their nutritional qualities to offer more transparency to its customers.

Another example is a supermarket in the UK that has tried putting the highest sugar breakfast cereals on the top shelf of the supermarket as a test against obesity. Spar moves in this direction and, in the Austrian market, it eliminated more than 1.000 tons of sugar and palm oil from its products.

Meanwhile, Lild has increased the presence of locally sourced products in Bulgaria from small and local suppliers which, in three weeks, generated sales of 1,1 million euros.

Food chains have become aware of the importance of online sales and the delivered. As confirmed by the Aecoc report, digitization is increasingly important for distribution chains. For example, the Schwarz group, owner of Lidl, has bought one of the largest ecommerce in Germany. And the food giant Walmart closed a deal with the Canadian e-commerce platform Shopify.

Alliances have been formed in the distribution sector with companies from delivered. If the Glovo case and its agreement with Carrefour, the Dia group were two examples in the Spanish market, Aldi signed an agreement with Deliveroo in Dublin. In a further step, WhatsApp has launched a digital payments platform in Brazil following in the footsteps of WeChat in China.

The diversification goes the thing also arrives at the service and the commercial proposal, points Aecoc. Walmart is testing a store of self check out, following the trend and style of Amazon Go. The South African company, Pick n Pay has announced a reduction in the prices of basic necessities.

In Holland, Spar has diversified its commitment with the launch of Spar City Small, aimed at a young urban audience, with an offer adapted to each moment of the day and a great boost to prepared food. But it also launched Spar mini mobile, an individual store format of 18 square meters that offers a new solution to ensure social distance due to the pandemic. Also the Dutch chain Albert Heijn will roll out 100 salad bars in the store to enhance its convenience offering.