Here’s the uncomfortable truth from this year’s shopper, retailer and category conference: brands aren’t losing because they lack insight. They’re losing because they can’t execute brilliantly using the right insight.

While some brands have been perfecting their next 200-slide category deck, private label stole £250M last year – specifically at the premium end.

The Real Battlefield

GLP-1s are reshaping grocery baskets right now. Five percent of UK shoppers are reportedly already on Ozempic or Mounjaro – more than those adopting a vegan diet – requiring high-protein, low-calorie diets. US data shows 6% basket decline within six months of starting. This isn’t a trend to watch. It’s already changing what shoppers buy, how much they spend, and which brands win their trust on health claims.

Shoppers aren’t confused – they’re overwhelmed. Hip Pop discovered gut health brands lead with bacteria counts and science, assuming education drives conversion for all brands in this space. Wrong. Their winning insight? Shoppers didn’t need information straight off the bat. They needed permission to feel good without complexity. Using feeling-first, growth followed.

Retail media is failing at execution. Barilla’s “enjoy pasta with pasta sauce” retail online banner seemed intuitive. Reality? Shoppers clicked, landed on multiple sauce options, clicked again, added to cart, then navigated back twice to their original search. When your €2 product is part of an €80 basket, friction kills conversion.

Heineken learned this lesson in hospitality. They had brilliant category data, compelling insights, and a perfect serve solution that guaranteed quality every time. But their local publicans – facing impossible pressure, wearing every hat from cleaner to accountant – had one question: “What’s it going to do for my till?” Charts didn’t work. Tables didn’t work. A simple video showing their Smart Dispense system installed in a day, saving money on line cleans while delivering perfect pints? That worked. The insight was always there. The accessible execution unlocked it.

What Actually Drives Growth

Midcounties Co-op asks thousands of members every month what matters. Their discovery: shoppers remember a reward far more than a discount on their receipt. Emotional ROI beats financial ROI. When shoppers feel seen – understood in their specific context and moment – lifetime value grows.

But most brands build strategies for “shoppers” instead of understanding the person in the aisle. Price is still #1, but health is now #2. Young shoppers worry about rent and food. Older shoppers worry about energy. The struggling shopper is actually more brand-loyal – when brands earn it through relevance, not just promotions.

Where Jellybean Changes the game

We close the insight-action gap.

Working with Jellybean means:

Precision on what matters – finding your top priorities from the 100 possibilities and executing them relentlessly

Shopper truth, not assumptions – acting on behavioural insights that reveal why people choose, not just what they buy

Execution that scales – from Tesco’s category team to independent retailers to the shopper choosing in three seconds. Brilliant execution is what’s needed.

The insight and strategy in your deck is worthless unless it’s turned into meaningful action you can help your customers to implement brilliantly and your shopper understands in three seconds and it converts? That’s where growth lives.

That’s what Jellybean builds with you.

Brilliant campaigns built by food and drink obsessives.

Insights and examples drawn from The Retailer, Shopper & Category Conference, London, 12 February 2026. Featuring speakers from Barilla, Hip Pop, Heineken, Midcounties Co-operative, Kraft Heinz, Boots, Currys, AO, Coca-Cola, Brand Nudge, Worldpanel by Numerator and Elior.

 

Neil Brenson
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