Edwin Booth

Chairman & CEO of E H Booth & Co Ltd and member of the ISF Advisory Board

The future of food distribution in the UK

Customers are and will continue to be anxious, seeking reassurance that the food that they buy is safe, healthy and from a trusted source. In the aftermath of Brexit, there is an opportunity for Government to collaborate with food industries and farming to create a framework for increased food production throughout the United Kingdom and to work with agriculturists to promote the acquisition of up to date sustainable farming skills and encourage new entrants into the industry.

Consumers are going to be more aware and conscious than ever before with social media fuelling opinions and desire. Food retailers will need to understand how they make customers feel not only through the use of technology and NPS platforms, but by engaging in conversation on all communication platforms including face to face in physical stores. Front line workers will have more responsibility for running “their business” and successful retailers will clearly articulate their purpose to everyone throughout their enterprise to enable good decisions to be made in real time. This, however, will require a great deal of trust. I believe that trust is one of the most valuable elements in business and when it works organisations thrive and colleagues feel valued.

In my personal purpose there is a line that reads, “There is no such thing as a dull person”. At Booths I describe empowerment as “legitimising common sense”. After 3 weeks of facing into Covid-19 this simple sentiment has accelerated our responses and points the way to how we will serve customers in the future. The quality and clarity of leadership will be paramount in the future in order that workers can give their best to both company and customers, whether they are in the physical space, on the ‘phone or interacting on line. Remote working and the use of modern video technologies has enabled our business to run at a high pace despite there only being a team of some 12 people physically attending our Central Office. This has been particularly important for colleagues whose childcare arrangements have been adversely impacted by the current situation and it is impressive just how effective everybody has been able to be despite juggling both home and business responsibilities. It has not been a smooth ride for those having to maintain a physical presence either in distribution centres, manufacturing areas and the stores. Distancing and safety routines have made many tasks more difficult and the attitude with which colleagues have carried out their daily tasks has been heart-warming.

The future of food retailing will be fast paced and fulfilling for those who are prepared to learn how their customers live and what is important to them. Their needs and wants will change by the day and savvy grocers will stimulate desire through a combination of optimising human interaction, product innovations and a sense of place both physical and virtual.

Overarching everything will be the need for customers to feel loved. Family and friends are going to mean more to all of us and communities will be rebuilt with a keener awareness of local values. Globalism will not die but should become a way of understanding diversity as opposed to a means by which to direct wealth to the few. A sharing of value will save mankind, greater wealth in fewer hands will not.