By Magda Purice

Copyright thediplomat

The energy and resource price crisis at the beginning of 2022 was also the starting point of the wave of price promotions with increasingly high discount levels offered either by suppliers, retailers, or both. Then, the disruptions created by the war triggered by Russia in Ukraine amplified inflation and kept it high.

Many suppliers internalized part of the cost increases and continued to offer price promotions, and large retail chains, without exception, developed extensive loyalty campaigns based on price reduction schemes and / or hundreds or even thousands of products included in promotions with high discounts. This is part of the history of the last three and a half years in the consumer goods industry.

What is relevant for the current moment is that the above-described conduct of FMCG and Food Retail operators in the recent past has generated high expectations for the near future. Obviously, the authorities have counted on the fact that, once again, suppliers and retailers will assume part of the price increases induced by the increase in excise duties and VAT rates, without asking themselves if there are still resources. But consumers also expect the same thing after August 1.

Despite some reluctance shown by some segments of shoppers in price promotions and their discount levels, most have sufficient, if not high, confidence (details are HERE and HERE) and adhere to the offers coming from suppliers and / or retailers. A quick scan of the market analyses that we have published since the beginning of this year reveals the high level of sales achieved within the framework of price promotions in some large product categories, as shown in the table below.

And also from the market analyses published over the last few years, we can see the alert pace of launching new products, with superior features or just new versions, healthier and/or more environmentally friendly products. Habit creates expectations especially for brands oriented towards the new.

The expectations mentioned above can be classified as certainties for the period to come. A period marked, however, in addition to these consumer expectations, by a lot of uncertainties for the business community in FMCG, Food Retail and related fields, about which I wrote, briefly, in the preamble to the theme of the 2025 edition of the Retail Club.

At the Retail Club, in the conference “Navigând prin necunoscut”, we choose to talk about the certainties assumed by leading companies, strong brands and resilient and agile organizations, certainties whose summation offers their business partners a more solid ground for building their own business plans.

A total of 17 personalities from the consumer goods industry have confirmed their participation as speakers at this year’s edition of the Retail Club, and they are presented on the dedicated page of the event’s website, www.clubrh.ro.

The event enjoys the support of 48 emblematic companies and brands for the FMCG and Food Retail field, also presented on the Retail Club website.

The 12th edition of the Retail Club does not offer an infallible compass for navigating the unknown, but it does offer participants the opportunity to find the necessary landmarks for their own orientation in the business field. The Retail Club conference is designed for all operators in FMCG, Food Retail and related fields who are open to dialogue, to the exchange of ideas and information, to the sharing of work options and development visions. Here, professionals in the consumer goods industry share information, experience, ideas and inspire each other for a clearer orientation of business directions in an environment with many unknowns.

In Poiana Braşov, between October 1 and 3, 2024, Piaţa and its partners are preparing another 48 hours of content of the highest value, he same quality business networking and the recognized friendly vibe of the community created by the Retail Club.