5 challenges facing today's bakeries: stand out from your competitors!

Although bakery is culturally more developed in certain countries, it is nonetheless booming in many parts of the world. The appeal and consumption of bakery/pastry products is constantly growing, in line with the growing need to consume locally, in local shops.

As bakers, you face increasingly fierce competition. In France, it's (almost) possible to say that every neighborhood has at least one baker. The increase in the number of outlets selling bread is all the more significant given the growing number of store concepts based around the bakery. From now on, bakeries can be artisanal, part of chains or franchises, sold via networks of bakery terminals, or upgraded from industrial bakeries.

Taking your competitors into account and understanding their offering is essential if you are to stand out from the crowd.

On average, a European consumes 59 kg of bread a year. This figure has been falling for several years. However, it is also giving way to new consumer habits. While the traditional activity of a bakery is the sale of bread, the diversity of the range offered in your store has certainly evolved with your customers' buying habits.

We don't all eat the same bread, but the demand is there!

Pastries, chocolates, snacks, confectionery... these are just some of the products on sale that get your customers used to making purchases other than their daily bread. They also enable you to stand out from the crowd, so your first challenge will be to renew yourself.

Take the time to rethink your offer like a restaurant owner with his menu. You benefit from a commercial activity with a high degree of seasonality linked to holidays and the seasons. But your customers also consume differently throughout the week (between the working week and the weekend) and even within the same day (pastries in the morning, sandwiches at lunchtime, snacks in the afternoon, snacks in the evening...) Developing your offer by relying on these moments allows you to increase sales opportunities.

Surprise your customers with ephemeral, new, revisited products. Innovate in taste and form. This is also a way of promoting your know-how. A product doesn't work? You'll test another that may become your bakery's next signature product!

Keep your customers informed with labeling that highlights your offer and new products. You'll ensure their visibility thanks to differentiating labeling that will make them want to try and therefore buy. You can, for example, opt for colorful card labels that will stand out from the rest of your labeling. Or simply affix a pictogram or the words "new", "promotion" or "product of the month" next to the product concerned.

As we've already mentioned, the return to "traditional", "homemade" and "artisanal" is more than just a consumer trend. Here's a second major challenge: proposing an offer based on the quality and originality of products, but also on the conviction that they are transparent in terms of traceability, and healthier than industrial products.. More and more consumers are tired of the monotony of standardized mass-market products.

73% of consumers are attracted to products with authentic recipes or production methods *.

An international study conducted in 40 countries shows that 72% of customers appreciate bakeries where they can see the baker's oven or laboratory*. And 73% of consumers feel attracted to products with authentic recipes or production methods*. Your customers need to know you and your products! Give them the opportunity to be convinced by your offer and your manufacturing methods.

An original idea for communicating with your customers? Create labels displaying the recipe for one of your products, or the perfect bread and food pairing to guide your customers in their purchases.

Baguette price labelProduct quality plays an important role, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of a healthy, wellness diet. They are at the heart of your customers' concerns and represent your 3rd challenge. Take advantage of them and meet their expectations:

Have you tried gluten-free breads for intolerant people?

Have you tried making "lighter" treats by reducing the sugar in certain recipes for diabetics or people who are just being careful?

Furthermore, the question of allergens is an important one, as their display is mandatory in many countries for the safety of your customers. Did you know that certain labeling solutions enable you to comply with current regulations and write all this information legibly and professionally directly onto your price labels? A solution like Edikio offers price label creation software that includes a tool for displaying allergens in text and/or pictogramsas well as a library of images for all your other organic/gluten/homemade references...

In recent years, consumer habits have undergone radical change. However, the bakery remains a local business that customers like to visit. To maintain this advantage, developing new distribution channels is a real challenge if you want to stand out from the crowd, retain existing customers and attract new ones..

• Presence on social networks,
• Click & Collect,
• Deliveries

You may have taken advantage of the health crisis to develop and test some of these services. Now you need to make them your own to maximize their impact on your sales. Aesthetics are very important in the bakery business. The quality of the product, its production, the craftsman's know-how - aesthetics also reflect the image of a well-kept business. The image of your brand and the beauty of your products are points that you can easily enhance online, on social networks thanks to beautiful photos. Make the most of it, and you'll be able to engage customers in discussion or promote yourself in a different way.

Today's customers no longer want to be seen as passive consumers. When they push open the door of your bakery, they're looking for an experience, a new product or simply a pleasant time. The final challenge for your sector is therefore tooptimize the customer experience at your point of sale.

More and more bakeries and patisseries are equipping themselves to offer their customers these additional services that customers love so much:

• a comfortable tearoom area where you can enjoy bakery specialities on the spot;
• a range of hot drinks and pressed juices;
• free Wi-Fi access ;

So.., you make your bakery a real place to live. It encourages your customers to (re)come to your store, to feel at home, to stay and consume more or more regularly. You can also create the ambience that suits you and offer a unique experience:

• Highlight your brand image with a layout and furnishings that reflect your image,
• Propose the right offer for your customers and their needs and consumption habits
• Ensure the visibility of your offer by opting for a professional, harmonious display of all your products and services. You can add elements such as your logo, special typography...

Founded in 1997 by Michel Galloyer, Le Grenier à Pain has over thirty stores in France and abroad. Since 2015, the chain has integrated the Edikio all-in-one solution in several of its bakeries to create and print price labels directly at the point of sale.

From now on their labelling :

• Assure an identical customer experience at all the brand's points of sale
• Showcases what each bakery has to offer thanks to personalized labels with a harmonious look
• Allows significant time savings for bakery staff, thanks to the speed and ease with which it can be set up.