THE EMOTIONAL COMPONENT OF CONSUMER DELIGHT: THE CHALLENGE OF THE SUPERNOSSO FOOD RETAIL GROUP IN THE DIGITAL AGE.

Dilemma: This teaching case raises a fundamental question: Are the current company’s marketing strategies able to sustain its growth, or should it consider focusing on digital transformation? Educational objective: To empower students in debating complex issues, proposing alternatives for the company’s future and considering business strategy, digital transformation, and consumer behavior. Background: The data collection for the case comprised an in-depth interview with the group’s vice president and documentary analysis based on news and information about the retail group on the Internet and social networks. The results indicated that the usage of heuristics, such as anchoring, significantly impacts consumer choices. Main topic: The marketing strategies of a food retail company, Grupo Supernosso, in Belo Horizonte (MG), Brazil, from the perspective of Consumer Behavior. It uses the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Theory of Heuristics as its theoretical bases. The case investigates how the company’s actions can influence consumers’ purchasing decisions, such as the organization of products on the shelves and the architecture of the stores. Audience: Undergraduate and postgraduate marketing students and training programs for marketing and management executives. Originality/value: This study offers opportunities for learning and debate about the future impacts on businesses, considering that the competitive edge is based on the emotional components of the consumer experience. The case stimulates critical reflection on innovative alternatives for sustaining the company in the face of emerging digital disruptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]