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Chain Drug Review - Online Search Attributes Need Expansion
Chain Drug Review - Online Search Attributes Need Expansion
COVID-19 invoked a collective emphasis on health and wellness among Americans, causing
shoppers to pay more attention to the products that they’re putting into and on their bodies.
The majority of shoppers consider health and wellness issues and needs when shopping,
whether they’re looking for foods that fit new lifestyles, shopping for nontoxic products, or
avoiding specific ingredients. This segment of the market is growing fast, and it is projected
to grow almost 15% — from $175 billion to $203 billion — between now and 2023.
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Shoppers aren’t searching for CPG items based on brand; they’re searching by attribute. In
fact, according to a 2020 IBM and NRF research study, over 70% of shoppers are looking for
specific attributes that are important to them when choosing a brand. Consumers are
demanding more product transparency than ever before and want to know that the products
they are purchasing will meet their needs.
The hidden issue that many retailers and manufacturers are encountering is their on-
package claims and attribute search data does not holistically reflect all of the benefits a
product actually provides. For example, a product that is marketed as “keto-friendly” could
also qualify as low calorie, low carb, etc. — yet those attributes are not tagged to the product
page or labeled on its packaging. In order to close the gaps on these missed opportunities,
retailers and manufacturers need to expand their online search attributes and further develop
their on-package product claims, respectively — which will also maximize shoppers’
perception of a wider assortment of health-centric products.
For over half of Americans, the most important food attributes include heart healthy, low
sugar, high protein and low sodium. And 19% of households are treating various ailments
through diets such as gluten free, heart healthy, etc. This “food as medicine” approach grew
in popularity throughout the pandemic and is still influencing shoppers as they continue to
prioritize their health and longevity amid the vaccine rollout.
Building on this sentiment of maintaining health, COVID-19 fueled a rise in the development
of in-store retail clinics, and 18% of households visited an in-store clinic in the past six
months as shoppers began to redefine drug stores as a health hub. Although the majority
(62%) of households received vaccinations at in-store clinics, 3% households who visited an
in-store clinic received diet counseling, presenting an opportunity to acquaint shoppers with
the benefits associated with in-store clinics and redefine the drug channel as a health and
wellness hub.
All in all, health and wellness is no longer a niche market, and consumers’ growing notion
towards retailer and product transparency will continue to shape the CPG industry. As
omnichannel shopping continues to accelerate, so will shoppers’ familiarity with searching for
products by attribute or benefit both in-store and online.
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