There is no doubt, the way we shop has changed.
No longer do we save it all for the weekly shop, engaging in the battle of your well chosen items being slung down the checkout faster than a speeding bullet as you struggle to keep up with the packing before leaving the store feeling like you’ve just had a full workout. We do things differently now and retailers are reassessing the opportunity to connect with consumers and shoppers in a different way – particularly in high street and grocery retail.
Research released by Tesco Media1 in January 2026 reveals the range of different moods and mindsets during the shopper journey – seven of them to be precise. Are we surprised? Probably not. However with 46% of consumer buyers in an ‘emotive’ mindset, shoppers are open to inspiration which is good news for retailers particularly in FMCG as signals opportunity for inspiration and exploration. But as we’re human, we naturally switch between function and emotion during a shopping trip – as many as 2.5 times on average. This means even the most focused shopper is open to influence.
It’s long been understood the way we are buying has changed and therefore so has the role of messaging along the route of ‘sofa to store’. The consumer’s multi channel approach to discovering new products involves both on and offline. Traditional retail has relied on a certain amount of brand knowledge prior to those conversion points on shelf. We’re now discovering around 45% of ‘new new’ brands and products as we shop – prompted by strong retail-based messages in every form possible at those points of sale.
Should we be focusing on the feelgood in physical retail?
Let’s face it, unless we really enjoy the grocery shop or plan a jaunt round to add to the wardrobe, it can be stressful and build anxiety so we can avoid it if we wish by buying on line. For grocery shops only around 11% are completed on line.2 Shoppers prefer to visit these stores in person as self selection and choice is important.
For clothing and shoes, around a third prefer online meaning there is still over 60% who want to experience retail in person. Shoes are a tricky purchase; you often need to try on unless you know the brand, size and fit will work – this is usually coming from a previous in person retail experience. As you can imagine there are now apps to help you try on shoes and complete this process too.
83%3 of consumers now typically research online before they buy in store. We know 70%4 of all sales in the UK are from physical stores telling us there is a distinct advantage to getting our retail spaces right. Shoppers still want to go in store to touch, feel and experience the goods on offer so let’s make those spaces worth the visit.
Is there a commercial reason to improve retail spaces and messaging?
Absolutely – yes! Whilst online can compensate for bricks and mortar retail with the average online conversion of 2-3%,5 24/7 access and no limitations on how many see your online store, when we weigh up the fact we are far more committed when we walk into a physical store, physical retail has a commercially viable reason to exist. Physical retail can boast 20-40% conversion and its far higher for grocery. We tend to spend 31% more in store than online as we’re walking in intending to spend.
Improving the retail experience is a commercial win-win according to Mintel6. Adding ‘mood boosting’ features, with potential to drive impulse purchases, such as celebrating locally produced or sourced goods, promoting scratch cooking or nostalgic themes, can all strengthen emotional resonance, echoing the Tesco Media Retail research findings.
Considering how shopping has the potential to either boost or lower your mood, having spaces and features in stores could unlock buying potential. 41% of those who shop online do so as it’s ‘better for their mood’ rather than stepping foot in store – and knowing the additional conversion which is possible in store, adding a ‘mood boost’ feature, 48% of shoppers feel this would make stressful spaces more appealing. This rises to 63% amongst those who actively avoid in store due to how it affects their mood.
What is a ‘mood boosting’ feature?
Now we’re more convinced about the link between greater rates of sale and shopper mood, what does this mean for traditional store layout and merchandising? The generally held research view is allocating budget and investing towards mood boost features is a good call.
A great example is Holland & Barrett and how they have focused on ‘Sleep & Calm’.
This taps into the emotional shopper need state with clear functional cues – helping the shopper shop the fixture effectively and efficiently by linking product use.
Research shows going a step further and linking to day parts (e.g. morning energy boost) would appeal to the relevance shoppers want according to Mintel. Retailers have an opportunity to meet unmet consumer needs in these situations, leveraging more opportunities to sell.
Immersing the shopper
50%7 of shoppers say any in store visibility prompts them to buy – a powerful push to invest in store messaging. Linking this to the digital, blended experience shoppers are choosing is even better when a further 36% of us are prompted to buy from both on and offline interactions.
We can all recall the bad shopping trips – equally the ones where we’re delighted, entertained, engaged are remembered and retold. Retailers who can connect the experiences online and offline seamlessly through messaging includes reassessing how we use the retail space – and where investment might come from to address fixtures and spaces in stores.
And this is where many retailers stall.
Investment and any new line items of spend in the current climate is a tricky one to approach… unless you flip this question to understand how your supply chain could already hold the answer to unlock savings which are likely to be hiding in plain sight. Let’s take print as an example.
The spend in majority of retailers on areas such as print and digital POS can be easily overlooked, particularly if the overall spend stays roughly in line. But do you understand what your supply chain is really selling to you? When was the last time you reviewed this area of spend? How is your business regulating and monitoring spend?
Hiding in plain sight
With savings running into the £millions for some companies when areas like print is reviewed, organisations who may have not paid attention to these perceived smaller spends relative to other channels, are able to unravel their print spend, re-direct funds for new projects and of course, realise all important savings.
This should prompt us to review, revise and regulate our marketing spend. With the ability to now track real-time spend analytics, supplier performance tracking, and compliance monitoring, retailers can identify pricing anomalies, price drift, and consolidation opportunities fast.
Review, revise, regulate
Simple to say and straightforward to do. With ways to make the savings stick, every retailer should consider what budget is hiding in plain sight in their marketing budgets, how they can unlock this and wonder why they waited so long.
Find out more about how we help retailers like Lidl and Vision Express review, revise and regulate marketing procurement spend.
