Supermarket Promotional Strategies: What’s Hot and What’s Not

Food retailing is a highly competitive industry characterized by extensive use of a variety of promotional activities designed to realize profit, volume or patronage-related objectives. This research examines consumer perceptions of the relative importance of various promotions which super-marketers have historically employed. The study shows that consumers do discriminate among different promotional techniques, and further that chain executives’ forecasts of the use of promotions may be at variance with the relative importance attached by consumers. The study also indicated the existence of relationships between importance ratings and various consumer descriptors. Results emphasize the importance of considering consumer perceptions in the establishment of promotional objectives, the planning of promotional strategies, and the use of individual promotional vehicles.