Shops and people will be connected to each other more than ever in the store of the future, according to research by food and grocery expert IGD.

The report commissioned by Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) and written by IGD, predicts that shoppers will demand more personalisation, expecting communication, promotions and deals to be tailored to their individual values and needs; and social media and online forums will grow in importance as shoppers seek advice and reviews before purchasing.

It also predicts that technology such as smartphones and ’intelligent trolleys’ will enable stores to satisfy the desire for personalisation as people walk around the store; sustainability will become more important as shoppers expect fully transparent supply chains, demanding information about provenance and traceability, and environmental and social impact; stores and products will communicate this information on-shelf, on-pack and online through smartphones; and online generally will grow in prominence. Not only will online shopping continue to grow faster than the consumer goods market as a whole, but it will also form part of the wider store experience with some shoppers purchasing online and picking up in-store.

The findings are based on extensive desk research, interviews with people across the industry and IGD’s monthly shopper research.