2022 is going to be an interesting year, especially for small CPG businesses. But, not all of the trends are positive, so it’s important to understand the landscape going forward.
By paying attention to CPG trends, tracking retail analytics for different CPG terms, and adjusting your focus, you can use this information to grow your brand.
Read on to learn more about current and projected trends for the CPG industry, so you can set yourself up for success in the coming year.
Latest Trends in Consumer Goods Industry
The consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry has faced both highs and lows in recent years. This includes a number of internal and external factors that influence the demand of consumer goods and directly impact businesses’ bottom line. Even CPG packaging has undergone a massive shift recently.
Here are the top 8 trends to keep an eye on in 2022:
- 1. Supply Chain Problems
Supply Chain Problems
Unfortunately, one of the biggest things impacting CPG business this year is a slew of supply chain problems. First and foremost, the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic has decimated the workforce and caused staffing issues at most shipping companies. Second, inflation and gasoline prices have caused supply chain costs to increase for businesses across the globe. Lastly, many shipping companies are still trying to make up for the issues of 2021, so newer shipments are being set aside to fulfill older ones. Altogether, this means you should forecast for delays throughout the year.
- 2. Stronger Reliance on Analytics
Stronger Reliance on Analytics
The adoption of analytics tracking programs has been somewhat slow in the CPG industry. However, the past few years have shown a remarkable increase in company leaders who understand the value of retail data. By using category and product-level data, many small CPG brands have gained traction and moved into the medium spaces faster than ever. They’ve also managed to defeat or acquire their competition in record time. That’s why it’s vital to establish KPIs to track your success or uncover areas in need of improvement in a good analytics program in 2022.
- 3. Health and Sustainability Take Over
Health and Sustainability Take Over
Consumers have been slowly driving this trend for years, but the health and wellness market has never been stronger than it is today. Companies that offer ethically-sourced products and healthy goods are starting to take more market share than ever. However, meeting the needs of the modern wellness consumer requires first understanding the shifting market. Whether they’re migrating to clean label living or switching to non-dairy milk brands, you can use the power of data to track trends and target the right markets with health and wellness products or focus on marketing your sustainable items.
- 4. Cook At-Home Food Services Makes Gains
Cook At-Home Food Services Makes Gains
Though restaurants have taken a big hit in recent years, consumers still want to find easier ways to eat. This means that companies that offer ready-made meals or meal kits are seeing tremendous growth. Luckily, for CPG manufactures in the food and beverage space, expanding into this market isn’t impossible. You can create your own kits or work with other companies to build out a subscription model. This will let you shift focus or supplement your sales while expanding your reach. This is also one of the biggest food and beverage industry trends for 2022.
- 5. Brick-and-Mortar Stores Focus on Customer Safety
Brick-and-Mortar Stores Focus on Customer Safety
With COVID continuing to be a factor in 2022, brick-and-mortar retail stores have worked to improve their focus on customer safety and health. Unfortunately, this does make it more difficult for small CPG brands to get their products noticed on store shelves or end-cap displays. This means you’ll need to focus on the best product assortment you have and rely less on in-person experiences to promote them. Using retail data along with trending product alerts, you can invest wisely and make the most out of the situation.
- 6. Online Grocery Shopping Continues to Grow
Online Grocery Shopping Continues to Grow
Though brick-and-mortar shopping is down, consumers still want to buy the products at their local chain. Luckily, online shopping has become more ubiquitous, so customers can still buy your products. Focusing on working with the chains and delivery services to get products featured online has become vital. This is particularly important for small CPG manufacturers because it lessens the effect of using end-caps to promote new products. However, it can also weaken the big brands’ visual impact on the shelves, opening the door to take some market share.
- 7. eCommerce CPG Brands Set the Tone
eCommerce CPG Brands Set the Tone
The past two years have seen an explosion of growth for digital-first brands who could adjust to the new market needs more quickly than other brands. While this doesn’t signify the death of the traditional model, it does provide new leaders to follow and learn from. Small CPG brands will need to pay attention to the competition and remember that online brands are now as important to battle as the traditional big players in the market.
- 8. Focus on Omnichannel
Focus on Omnichannel
Now, more than ever, small CPG brands can’t afford to all of their eggs in one basket. Omnichannel sales and marketing will continue to be key for small brands to find prospective customers and grow their brands. For marketing, they need to use a mix of in-person, online, and digital ads and organic materials to get attention. For sales, the traditional retail play works but can be supplemented by wholesaling to eCommerce companies or offering your own online direct-to-consumer sales. This will open as many avenues as possible to match consumer buying patterns., find a niche, and grow your brand.
Byzzer Can Help You Compete
Having tons of data is only helpful if you can analyze it, digest it, and turn it into actionable goals. Byzzer by NielsenIQ has all the tools necessary to help your business understand your customer’s tastes and preferences, including how they change over time.
With our comprehensive reports, you can have all the right data at your fingertips, including breakdowns and insights to help you understand what it all means. We can even help with education around CPG data and analytics.
