Fresh produce has been at the heart of Ocado’s strong and sustained sales growth but focusing on shoppers’ perceptions of freshness is key to the online retailer’s continued success.
That’s according to Ocado trading manager Martha Springham, who spoke to FPJ editor Fred Searle following her headline interview at FPJ’s flagship event Festival of Fresh in June.
Spingham stresses the importance of making consumers understand shopping for fresh produce online doesn’t mean they will get a lower-grade product.
“The biggest challenge when you shop online is that you lose a lot of your senses,” she says, pointing out that you can’t touch or smell the product, and the image on screen is only a representation of what you will receive.
However, not having to display fresh produce in a store is also a big advantage for Ocado, Springham says, because in theory the retailer is able to completely control its cold chain, making its fruit and vegetables that bit fresher.
She also speaks about using a “suite of different tools” on the Ocado web shop to bring products to life for customers.
And she says Ocado gives more visibility to fresh produce brands than other UK supermarkets, favouring labels with a story to tell and a new mission for shoppers.
