Why would I pay for grocery analytics when retailer data is free?

Maybe you don’t need to? Many small businesses, with a tiny product range and only one or two salespeople, may find grocery analytics unnecessary. There’s no point paying for something you don’t need, just because leading brands do it.

It’s important, however, to distinguish between data and analytics. Many retailers provide their suppliers with some trading data free of charge; some of the largest grocers supply a huge amount of data, enabling very detailed analysis.

But data, without appropriate tools and methods is of no inherent value.

Data is fuel for analysis, insight and action. It can transform an organisation from guesswork to accurate planning, execution and correction – if used well. The question, therefore, should be:

“How can I make the most of freely available retailer data?”

or

“What data can I collect from UK supermarkets as a supplier?“