A MARKETING MIX: WHOLE FOODS UK

SOLUTION PREVIEW

Introduction

Whole Foods Market UK refers to the American health food supermarket brand that has gained national popularity within the UK borders. It operates seven stores in the United Kingdom as of March 2020 (Whole Foods UK, 2021). The supermarket specialises in organic selections and products that are free from preservatives, artificial colourings, and flavours and meet standards set by Food and Drug Administration.  The company also introduced standards for the humane case for animals that are used in brand’s products. Besides, the organisation is known for its corporate social responsibility, as it is committed to decreasing litter by offering deposable plastic bags to its consumers (Whole Foods UK, 2021). The firm successfully employs a wide range of strategic approaches to emphasise the benefits of its business and products and enhance sales. The brand aims at engaging clients through the implementation of organisation’s marketing mix elements. The purpose of this portfolio is to critically analyse the Whole Food UK’s positioning strategy, explain four marketing mix elements, as well as assess the effectiveness of its marketing efforts.

Positioning of Whole Foods UK

According to the Porter’s Generic Strategies, Whole Foods UK pursues the differentiation strategy to position itself in the market. The company delivers high quality products and services to its customers (Kotler et al., 2019). The company invests in development and innovation in order to stand apart from the competitors. More specifically, Whole Foods UK pays special attention to delivering innovative products to its customers, such as meat substitutes, while committing to improving their quality and taste. The brand also ensures that its employees are customer-friendly and well-trained to provide service excellence, as consumers always want to know that they can speak to employees who can willingly help them in case any issues arise (Cox, 2020). Such HRM (Human Resource Management) strategy focused on enhancing customer service by training the employees presents a differentiating factor for the company setting the brand apart from other supermarket brands (Bailey et al., 2018). Since there are other health foods supermarkets in the UK, such as Earth Natural Foods or Planet Organic, that provide similar products, consumers are likely to make their shopping decision based on the customer service that these companies offer. The matter is that 65% of the UK consumers claim that they are loyal shoppers, which is why keeping them retained is of paramount importance for health foods industry (Wordbank, n.d.). This illustrates that the Bargaining Power of Buyers, according to the Porter’s Five Forces Strategy, is particularly important for the Whole Foods to consider when enhancing its positioning and performance in the UK market (Chaffey and Ellis-Chadwick, 2019). Implementing the differentiation strategy by providing customised services helps Whole Foods UK gain a stronger customer retention. Education of employees as well as fostering appropriate organisational culture are essential contributors to maintenance of superior customer service. Therefore, investing in training the personnel is the right strategy, as it would address both technical and personal components of the job. As a result, Whole Foods’ staff members are knowledgeable about the services and products as well as embrace a positive attitude towards serving other people.

A Brief Overview of 7Ps of the Whole Foods UK

7Ps of the Marketing Mix refer to the critical business areas that service companies like the Whole Foods should take into consideration when developing their strategy aimed at target customers attraction. 7Ps cover such aspects as Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Processes, and Physical Evidence (Kotler et al., 2019). A brief overview of the 7Ps of the Whole Foods is provided below. Whole Foods UK offers the organic products that meet Food and Drug Administration standards for food quality. The brand is preoccupied with the organisation’s environmental impact and therefore opts for recycled plastic bags. The brand relies on the premium price strategy, as it provides its customers with superior quality of products and services. The company tends to heavily invest in development of physical stores rather than online store. Whole Foods UK also uses a wide range of promotion strategies ranging from public relations to advertising. The company concentrates on hiring the right employees who make the products, who bring them to the consumers as well as who directly communicate with clients (Cox, 2020, p. 73). Such a holistic approach allows the company building a positive image and customer loyalty.

Every brand’s store seeks to offer whatever the consumers require at any point of time. In such a way, the main priority for the firm is to maintain an efficient distribution system in order to avoid products’ scarcity (Cox, 2020, p. 74). Importantly, organic products require special shipment and delivery and have to meet strict quality standards. In order to offer excellent customer experience, the brand should ensure the effective work of salesmen and product placement (Kaydos, W., 2020, n.p.). The company also gives a paramount importance to product packaging, branding, and even decor in the stores. Instead of simply focusing on organic products the firm delivers, careful attention is also paid to the way sales representatives and personnel dress and behave (Kotler et al., 2019, n.p.). The organisation uses an effective strategic approach to physically portray the brand, thereby increasing sales and positively impact consumers. The next parts of the paper give an account of the four Ps (Product, Place, Promotion, and Price) in a greater detail.

How Four of the Marketing Mix P’s are Used to Reinforce Positioning

Product

The Whole Foods UK offers a wide range of products, so that clients will not have an urge to opt for unhealthy alternatives. More specifically, the company takes into account vegetarian and other dietary considerations and addresses the needs of price-conscious customers (Whole Foods UK, 2021). What is particularly important, the firm provides the customers with products of premium quality. All products do not contain artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. Due to heavy focus on the products of high quality, Whole Foods UK often refuses to sell foods that can be commonly found in other supermarkets. For instance, the company does not offer sugary sodas that are strongly associated with childhood obesity (Kim and Lim, 2019). The firm also has its own label named 365 Everyday Value, which is presented in all physical stores along with other healthy foods brands (Whole Foods UK, 2021). People who are concerned with their eating behaviors and have special dietary preferences benefit from the company’s product lines (Cox, 2020). The following marketing mix element helps the company to effectively differentiate itself from other…