What Will the First Pandemic Super Bowl Mean for Food Retail?

As the first ever pandemic-era Super Bowl approaches, speculation is building about what products will be a hit with consumers, and how well food retailers will do. A new NielsenIQ report helps to answer those questions.

The game, scheduled for Feb. 7, already has experienced significant change when it comes to who will advertise and who will sit this one out. Not only that, but food retailers are improvising and innovating. For example, Stop & Shop said it has teamed with Procter & Gamble to launch a homegating experience for customers to get ready for the game — an experience that features celebrity chefs and other promos.

As the NielsenIQ report put it, “though many consumers are watching their wallets due to economic worries, there are pockets of consumers who are using that occasional or regular splurge at the grocery store on premium products as a way of “treating themselves” during lockdown periods. Consider promoting special, premium products for these consumers — whose budgets might additionally be freed up by hosting smaller Super Bowl parties this year.”

It’s not only price that promises to drive consumers as the Super Bowl approaches. Health concerns matter, too.

“Though chicken wings remain a Super Bowl fan favorite, many consumers are interested in eating healthier not only to combat the ‘COVID-15’ — the inevitable pounds we’ve all put on during the pandemic — but to strengthen their immune systems,” the report found. “Consider promoting products like avocados, a popular item during the Super Bowl last year (+34.2%), or multigrain (+6.5%) and vegetable-based salty snacks (+10.5%). Different varieties of hard seltzer, a massive winner in last year’s Super Bowl with a 253% increase in sales, could also be considered for promotion — like light versions with less caloric and/or alcohol content.”

It might be too late for many food retailers to plan big promotional efforts tied to the game, but the report’s findings and guidance also point to larger trends in the food retail world for 2021.

“With the pandemic still in its peak in the U.S., safety for the community around us is still paramount,” the report said. “To help protect our loved ones while they’re consuming their favorite salty snacks, manufacturers and retailers should consider promoting single-serve and disposable products. That will prevent any risk associated with community hands reaching into the same bowl of chips. Variety packs of salty snacks saw a 13.5% increase in sales during the lead up to last year’s Super Bowl compared with the previous year. This year, manufacturers should heavily promote their single-serve variety packs to not only cater to trends but also to safety.”