5 things: Can Whole Foods hang on to the upmarket shopper?

Whole Foods is responding to consumer price sensitivity by increasing promotions and making its private label goods more affordable. This indicates a shift in the upmarket grocery shopper's behavior, with some customers now choosing to spend their money at Walmart instead. Walmart has been targeting higher-income shoppers by improving its store displays and launching a new private label line. However, former Walmart U.S. CEO Bill Simon believes that Walmart may struggle to retain this demographic due to inflation. In Massachusetts, consumers are experiencing a significant surge in grocery prices, which is impacting affordability and forcing households to adjust their purchasing habits. The absence of a powerful supermarket chain in the region exacerbates the situation. Meanwhile, supermarkets and restaurants are converging, with many traditional grocery retailers attending the National Restaurant Show and vendors catering to both retail and restaurant establishments. Finally, in the grocery delivery business, some workers are using bots to gain an advantage, allowing them to automatically refresh screens and secure more orders. [Extracted from the article]