‘Consumers are in control’: Online buzz changing US retail landscape, says NCA president

By Oliver Nieburg

- Last updated on GMT

NCA president: Engaged and socially aware consumers prompt rethink in US stores
NCA president: Engaged and socially aware consumers prompt rethink in US stores

Related tags Confectionery President of the united states Nca Us

Online conversations are rapidly altering the retail landscape and how people shop for confections, according to the president of the National Confectioners Association.

John H. Downs, Jr, president & CEO of the NCA, told ConfectioneryNews: “The retail environment is changing given the fact that the consumer landscape is changing. Consumers are in control - there’s no doubt about that.”

Rolling dialogue

He said consumers now got information from a plethora of sources due to breakthroughs in technology that had created conversations everywhere.

There are over 500m tweets per day, 157 m active users on Facebook in the US & Canada alone and microblogging sites such as Tumblr are offering alternative perspective to mainstream news, changing consumer perceptions and empowering them to influence the retail landscape.

Multi-channel approach

shoppers buy across category - credit NCA
Credit:NCA

Thomas Joyce, vice president of global customer & industry affairs at Hershey said: “It’s an omni-channel approach and they [the retailers] weren’t there five-years ago.”

Retailers today have aisles or entire stores dedicated to natural and organic products that were previously not present. Many specialty retailers such as Whole Foods are strongly engaged on social media and have sway among tech-savvy consumers.

Online confections sales are also in growth. According to an NCA survey, 30% of US shoppers say they buy candy online, up from 24% in 2014. The majority say they purchase  online to buy specialty candy that is only available on the internet.

Natural & organic

We asked Downs which products he expected to see more of at the NCA’s Sweets and Snacks Expo in May.

“Gourmet, natural and organic products – I think you’ll see more in that category as it relates to what’s happening in the business.”

Although natural claims have been on the decline in the US, 22% of all new food products launched in the country from Jan. 1, 2013 to July 31, 2014 made a “natural” claim, according to Datamonitor’s Consumer’s Product Launch Analytics database.

In its latest T for Trends webinar,​ Cargill said Millennials – the generation of people aged 15-35 accounted for a third of the global population and were having a big impact on what's happening in food. It said that this group spent a lot of time online and were very socially engaged making it important for confectioners to have clear and transparent ingredients labels and to use ethically-sourced ingredients such as certified cocoa.

Adapting to empowered consumers

“It’s really a dynamic retail landscape that we all face, but we believe the confectionery category is really unique, special and different – it’s something people enjoy, “​ said Downs.

Hershey’s Joyce continued: “Like John said the consumer is in charge and the retailers have to adapt and change. People are telling us it’s not going to be a slow process.”

Confectioners themselves are already adapting. For example, online conversations on perceived dangers of GMOs and artificial colors and flavors have led to reformulation by major US confectioners.

Hershey plans to remove GMOs​ from Hershey’s milk chocolate and Kisses by the end of the year and Nestlé USA has also committed to replacing artificial colors and flavors​ with naturally-derived versions by year-end.

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образ зверя, Откровение 13,14 и 15

Posted by yhwh,

образ зверя, Откровение 13,14 и 15
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bx1QE0A8C5ODS2JEYTZfZng5a3c&authuser=0

NCA under scrutiny

Off the shelf' devices
Used by unknowledgeable. Select helpful contributors by confidence trickery - abuse - discard/destroy. Perpetual abuse of the long term persistent, e.g. the contribution of Church serving God, familiar with NCA abuse, causes ineffective operation by in- fight & non co-operation.

Example 1: Device: "do..ing" (D-O (Code: death – Zero meaning life) by heavy persecution presented as the alternative. Regularly told me by NCA as standard dupe device, unconscious of their execution of my Father.
Suggestion: scientific support.

Used by Royal government loyal agents.
"Oh dear, I'm sorry, I've been a fool". Excuse for Masonic shut down of Government activity.
Suggestion: Downgrade the dupe & actual fool both.

Devices are: (1) experience based strategy from a source in authority (2) NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), scientific social manipulation for the intelligence community.

Example: NLP, "intelligence" community, fronting with a word associated with mental ability raises trust.
Example: experience based strategy, execution of a low level temporary employee, to dispose with risk of idle speech, & bury the blame for anti-criminal activism with the death.

Subversion (Sabotage): Hindrance, breakdown of morale, time & resource to stop or slow undesired activity. Also used to disassociate in low levels by officers, from surveillance through rank. Sometimes used to please an enemy of the victim for gain at high abuse levels.
Extra sensory perception (Necromancy) Precognition, retro-cognition, clairvoyance, telepathy. Every agency seeks out what is well known to some, to be reliable spiritual help. Usually tested with a university study.

Execution
Difficult to over emphasise the importance of blood for blood killing. Past has shown the only way to quickly end this selfish behaviour. Murderers along our way can be irresponsibly left on the streets.
Suggestion: execute / dismiss.

Device: multiple tag-team type murderers, each claiming small responsibility. Surviving team continues through many innocent victims, perhaps more than their number. Each fully guilty of murder or dangerous.
Suggestion: Extend death of NCA & local guilty for child abuse/murder to death for innocent murder. Intensified & coercive, to help preserve the life of their victims.

Execution: Usually takes the form of Radiating favourite foods or digestive system to induce bowel cancer, taking about 12 months. Particle technology is employed also to weaken & even stop hearts.
Particle physics: Advances in nano particle technology are kept secret. Devices usually fit within working components of another device.
Incompetence
Do anything you want or do anything productive? - own discretion
Example: perk/whim culture. Men in the pub & or seeking sexual arousal, squandering time & money. Bungled work daily carried out half drunk & pubs a known haunt for NCA away from home.
Suggestion: Dismissal

Example 1: Helpful member of the community recruited. Flattered to encourage, but also to highlight to mutual enemies. Puppeteered & praised for every success. NCA persecute/execute on behalf of the enemy appearing relatively innocent & friendly.
Suggestion: Earn wages, protect public, seek suited employment.
Example 2: Agency required to work isolated for secrecy. Power linked in parallel rather than series, powerful cells having own discretion & promise of operational safety. REQUIRING: responsible, just, sound minded & wise. ENCOURAGING: Arrogance, irresponsibility, vindication, selfish injustice, perk/scive seeking, guilt subverting false emotive
Suggestion: recruitment personality profiling. Test ordering for dangerous employees. No promotion for those failing justice, orders.
Example 3: A building desired intact following precision destruction of surroundings. Safe zone established too close resulting in near destruction of desired site.
Suggestion: moderated oppression policy

Pointlessness of the NCA: Organised criminal activities adopted in secrecy, so thoroughly that the agency presents a much bigger risk to the public than those they are supposed to hinder. Also preventing an effective police alternative by their existence. Paramilitary & cold, lower agents carry out bloody & vile orders.
Suggestion: eradicate old management type.

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