According to a piece in National Mortgage News, the sales of smart phones are expected to surpass sales of standard computers this year. Therefore, retailers are taking advantage and developing smart phone applications to reach their consumers. The ultimate goal is to equip shoppers with product information and purchasing power in the palm of their hand. Without skipping a beat, grocery stores across America are revamping and creating personalized mobile apps for their shopper.

Leading supermarkets across the country are giving shoppers apps that provide tools for shopping and information specific to their local store. Hy-Vee launched their mobile app last month to provide shoppers access to weekly ads, coupons, shopping list functions, recipes and even find items while in the store. Winn-Dixie’s app could replace the hand-written shopping list and helps consumers locate the closest Winn-Dixie store, view advertisements and learn about local sales promotions. Giant Eagle’s app lets shoppers enjoy similar tools for shopping and also check fuel discount balances.

Food companies are adding supermarket functions to their apps as well. With a sponsorship from ConAgra, Phil Lempert, the Supermarket Guru, launched a smart phone app for consumers called “Smarter Shopping with Phil Lempert”. The app includes Lempert’s Tip of the Week to give consumers ideas for shopping and saving money. The app’s Smart Substitutes function offers tips for making food substitutions in recipes for general health, allergies or weight control.

Be sure to check your local grocery retailer’s website to see if they have a smart phone app that may help make shopping easier – or at least more high-tech!

Green is the hot color this year…it’s on the best dressed list! No, we’re not talking about fashion trends or red carpet best and worst lists…we’re dishing about the hot new diet trends for 2012, and green is the way to dress your plate this year. Pollock Communications huddled with the nation’s top nutrition experts to identify the top 2012 nutrition trends for consumers and food companies. The survey of more than 200 RDs revealed five nutrition trends that will make news and affect your choices in the coming year:

1. Go Green & Add Some Spice!
Unprocessed, natural foods will be the biggest consumer nutrition trend in 2012
Most RDs (72%) predict that consumers will continue to demand more local, organic, sustainable, fresh, minimally processed foods. With consumers returning to the table and cooking at home, they will become more aware of where their food is coming from and what it contains. RDs also agree (46%) that simplifying the ingredient list, (39%) sodium reduction and (37%) eliminating high fructose corn syrup, will play key roles in dietary modifications in the coming year. In addition, consumers will look to spice things up with exotic and ethnically diverse flavors and cuisines.

2. Diet Trifecta: Vitamins, Minerals & Fiber!
Eat more antioxidants and phytonutrients…and get more fiber
Of the 204 responses, almost all RDs (96%) emphasize more antioxidants and phytonutrients in the diet, and many (59%) say consumers need more vitamins and minerals. While most agree that consumers are already consuming enough protein, carbohydrates and fats, RDs say Americans are lacking sufficient amounts of fiber from whole grains and fruits and vegetables.

3. ‘Tis the Season!
Seasonal and local fruits and vegetables rise to the top
Almost all RDs (94%) agree that in the coming year there will be a bigger push for Americans to consume more fruits and vegetables. Eating seasonal and local plant based foods that are organically grown will be a big trend in the coming year, as well.

4. How Low Can You Go?
Go low with trans and saturated fat, sugar and sodium
The majority of RDs (78%) name trans fats as the most harmful nutrient in the diet, followed by added sugars (68%), saturated fat (58%) and sodium (52%). In 2012, we will see a greater emphasis on reducing these food ingredients.

5. Make Your Plate Look Like MyPlate!
Use USDA’s MyPlate as your guide
Many (69%) RDs are using MyPlate to counsel patients and it will continue to play a role in diet recommendations through 2012. MyPlate recommends half the plate consist of vegetables and fruit, with the other half made up mostly of whole grains and a small portion of lean protein.

When it comes to diet and nutrition, RDs know best. So go green and spice it up with exotic flavors for a fun and healthful 2012.

The new 2011 American Pantry Survey results were released last month. According to the Deloitte/Harrison Group annual American Pantry Survey, consumers are researching brands and prices before they go shopping rather than making on-the-spot decisions in the store. The results show that 90% of shoppers know what they are buying before they arrive at a store and 83% have a set of brands in mind that they will consider.

Not only do shoppers know what they want in advance, they report that they are more confident in their shopping habits than they were a year ago. The results show that:
• 75% of survey respondents assert that that they are smarter shoppers than they were a year ago
• 86% believe they are getting more precise in what they buy
• 80% say they have become more efficient at getting in and out of the store

“Shoppers today expect to get a deal on the products they purchase. With this mindset, it is critical that consumer products companies take measures to enhance brand loyalty by connecting early and often with key audiences in environments outside of the store,” says Pat Conroy, Vice Chairman, Deloitte LLP and consumer products sector leader in a post on the Deloitte website. Brands can take heed by communicating with shoppers through channels outside of the store in addition to their traditional shopper marketing tactics.

Consumers have come to expect sales and discounts before they enter the supermarket. Modern day technology has enhanced consumer’s ability to plan shopping trips in advance. Supermarkets build customer loyalty by sending sales information and coupons via e-mail, smart phone apps and websites like Living Social and Groupon. Consumers are smarter because of the many tools at their disposal. Gone are the days when the daily Sunday newspaper was the only source for coupons outside of the store!

Attention shoppers! Supermarket dietitians have created tips and tools to help families prepare a great tasting, healthy Thanksgiving feast. Check out these delicious resources:

• A&P Family of Supermarkets dietitian Jacqueline Gomes, RD, MBA, provided an autumn inspired Thanksgiving feast with five recipes that use popular fall foods. Check out her meal by clicking here.
• Giant Eagle is providing consumers with a glimpse inside a dietitian’s Thanksgiving created with the new MyPlate guidelines. Click here for the complete menu, which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.
• ShopRite’s Culinary Workshop chefs are providing expert advice to home cooks this Thanksgiving, which was started in 2008, as a resource for customers seeking help, recipes and home-cooking tips. To talk live with a ShopRite Culinary Workshop Chef Instructor, customers can call the grocer’s Customer Care Center at 1-800-ShopRite (746-7748) and request the “Chef on Call.”

There are also many articles on the best ways to include cranberries as more than just a side. This article posted on the Bellingham Herald’s website has some great tips for preparing cranberries this season: Cranberry season is here: Fresh is best so stock up on bags of the ruby-red jewels.

Check out the PCI Health Buzz for Check Out with Lara Flanagan!

Pollock Communications proudly works with the Cranberry Institute – an organization dedicated to supporting research and increasing the awareness about the health benefits of cranberries. In an effort to provide readers with the most-up-to-date scientific information, the Cranberry Institute has launched a Cranberry Health Research Library. The research library provides complete references and scientific abstracts from human, animal, in–vitro and reviews in the following areas:

• Cranberry and Human Health Research Reviews
• Urinary Tract Health and Antibacterial Benefits
• Cardiovascular Health and Anti-Inflammatory Benefits
• Glycemic Response and Type II Diabetes
• Drug Interactions
• Oncology/Anti-Cancer

Click here to visit the Cranberry Health Research Library

Consumers have an insatiable appetite for information about health and wellness. And, fortunately, consumers are listening to the best sources for better-for-you guidance: Registered Dietitians (RD).  It’s no surprise since the ADA “Nutrition and You: Trends” survey reported back in 2008 that 78% of consumers consider dietitians to be the most credible source of nutrition information.

It’s good news that consumers are listening to RDs for health and wellness guidance, but it isn’t in the dietitian’s office that consumers form their eating habits.  Consumers are now looking to the RD in the supermarket to help guide them through the aisles at their local grocery store and to help them make their purchase decisions!

According to the 2009 Grocery Manufacturers Association consumer survey, 62% of shoppers listed nutritional and other health information as a key purchase decision.  A National Grocers’ Association survey also found that 77% of shoppers would like for their store to offer in-store dietitian services.  Supermarkets have taken note, and are hiring RDs to conduct supermarket tours, cooking demos, and develop monthly health newsletters and FSI’s to reach customers.

According to the article Dietitians in Supermarkets: The New Age of Nutrition, written by Hy-Vee Dietitian Greta Farley, “Supermarkets started to hire dietitians about ten years ago when they realized there is a connection between consumer supermarket shopping and healthy food choices. Many customers do not know what to look for in a healthy food item when they go grocery shopping. Customers need someone credible who can answer these questions when they are in the store.”

Supermarket RDs are an excellent way to reach consumers when they make their purchase decisions, to guide them to making healthier choices for themselves and their families.  So next time you head to the market, see if you can find tips and services by the Supermarket RD to help you have a healthier grocery experience!

PCI Health Buzz for Check Out with Lara Flanagan!