Just Causes

More than ever, consumers expect, and grocers strive to provide, corporate responsibility initiatives.

- Bridget Goldschmidt

Whether it’s feeding the needy, fighting a dread disease, making the earth a cleaner place, lending a hand to America’s heroes or helping the survivors of a cataclysmic event, cause marketing is on full display in America’s supermarkets, along with bagged apples, canned peas and quartered chickens.

The reason for this, according to one expert observer, is because of grocers’ unique connection with their shoppers.

“Perhaps more than any other type of retailer, food retailers have frequent, long-term relationships with consumers, and the opportunity to build strong bonds with the communities in which they operate,” says David Hessekiel, founder and president of the Rye, N.Y.-based Cause Marketing Forum, which provides businesses and nonprofit organizations with the information and connections they need to form alliances. “While some stores stand out in terms of special services, in many cases food retailers are dealing with commodity products. Cause marketing programs that generate positive associations can be extremely valuable to food retailers.”

That value shouldn’t just translate into increased sales to consumers. “In addition, food retailers have large numbers of employees and high employee turnover,” Hessekiel notes. “Cause marketing programs that enhance job satisfaction and pride in being associated with a retailer can be highly valuable to food retailers.”