After the launch of its Swift convenience stores in 2021, Iceland is expanding the chain with four locations in London. With the pandemic and cost of living crisis impacting people’s shopping behaviours, supermarkets are switching up their formats to meet demands for convenience and affordability.

It’s a bleak time for UK consumers as they face rising food costs, as well as skyrocketing petrol, energy bills, tax, and mortgage payments. How can brands innovate, inspire, and demonstrate real value with a long-term view of sustainability in order to weather the storm?

Aldi has launched its first checkout-free store, joining the likes of Amazon Fresh and Tesco GetGo. After finishing their shopping, people can simply leave without visiting a checkout – the shift to smart pay responds to shoppers’ desire for convenience by removing the friction and saving them time.

With over a third of Australians actively reducing their meat consumption, the nation has become a major point of interest for plant-based food producers. At the same time, COVID-19 has ramped up interest in localised food networks. So, how can brands tap into these shifting eating behaviours?