
The knowledge that retailers and especially food retailers have around their customers and their behaviours has been a topic of interest and concern for decades. The small independent corner shop of old and the localism of buying are historical illustrations of the role of knowledge and information. Recent decades though have seen the rise of multiple retailers, mass retailing and changed consumer and retailer dynamics. The sense of localism and knowledge of consumers at the store level waned, although aggregate data remains important for operations.
This growth of chain retailers was enabled, amongst other things, by the harnessing of technology. As this has developed, and not only in consumer-facing practices such as loyalty cards, so the ability to identify and store data on individual customers has returned. Much of the use of this data (as far as is known) takes the form of personal transactions, often via the loyalty scheme. As mobile phones and apps have emerged, so such instant result schemes and knowledge have proliferated.
At a macro level there is an increasing interest from governments and public health bodies in the role of retailers in public health. This has been seen through restrictions on cigarettes, alcohol and various foods. Such restrictions have taken different forms (taxation, levies on product content, advertising bands, minimum unit pricing are amongst the examples) and have become a battleground politically and legally. This is often viewed as a contrast between the “nanny state” and marketized unhealthy environments and practices. To that extent I have argued before that retail are “social engineers”.
With colleagues from Finland, our recently published article takes a different approach, building on some of our previous work. It takes the concept of transformative food retailing and presents a framework for its development and understanding.

The starting point is that retailers, rather than being seen as the problem in health, could increasingly be developing their role to assist consumers. By sharing data and understanding with consumers, and reflecting the broader trends in technology, data and consumer activity, personalised solutions for individuals can aid their behaviour changes for good.
This potential has been around for some time, and there are small scale trials and programmes, often linking a range of commercial and other datasets to help individuals. So much more though can be done and retailers can be at the forefront of this. The start of this is understanding the practicalities. We hope our paper (Open Access so can be downloaded here) helps.
Reference
Hannu Saarijärvi, Leigh Sparks, Elina Närvänen, Maijaliisa Erkkola, Mikael Fogelholm & Jaakko Nevalainen (2023) From transactions to transformations: exploring transformative food retailing, The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, DOI: 10.1080/09593969.2023.2213423
Abstract
Food retailing is undergoing a major restructuring process that is altering its boundaries, service provision and operations. Digitalisation and other technological advances are shifting the focus from products to services, from offline to online and from physical to virtual. Simultaneously, initiatives such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are exerting pressure on food retailers to address contemporary global challenges, such as promoting healthy and sustainable consumption and production. However, these areas not only challenge food retailers but also provide opportunities for facilitating favourable dietary changes that benefit consumers, companies and society at large. This study introduces transformative food retailing as a construct that shifts attention to the reconfigured role of food retailing and its potential. We identify the shaping forces and characteristics of transformative food retailing and discuss the implications for consumers, food retailers and society at large. This paper is among the first to define and conceptualise food retail as transformative and, as a result, sets a platform for future scholarly research and practice to uncover the full potential of food retailing in serving both consumers and society.