Morrisons overhauls data strategy for marketing boost

UK retailer Morrisons is aiming to cosy up to its suppliers by handing over more data from its customer loyalty scheme, as well as operational information such as sales, forecasting, stock and range information to pave the way for more effective marketing activity.

The supermarket group is rolling out the new strategy this month following a successful pilot, which detailed sales and supply chain performance data. This is intended to help Morrisons and its suppliers be more reactive by boosting availability, reducing waste, and improving marketing performance so that “the right product is at the right place, at the right time”, it said.

It is also offering the chance to share data from its loyalty scheme, More, following requests from suppliers, who said it would assist planning and more customer-focused ranging.

The scheme was launched from the ashes of the Match & More programme in 2016 and is one of the stingiest reward programmes on the market. Morrisons customers have to spend £1,000 to receive a £5 voucher; Boots Advantage Card holders would earn £100 for the same spend.

Meanwhile the company is also launching a new set of customer analytics supported by IRI, dubbed Morrisons Edge, that will provide buyers and suppliers with Morrisons basket data and shopper information, along with market information.

Other measures being introduced including planning promotions further in advance with suppliers, changing internal structures to bring the supply chain and buying teams closer together, and boosting the capacity of its own-brand team to speed up NPD.

Group commercial director Andy Atkinson said the retailer had “big plans” for the year and aimed to grow profitably with its suppliers. He added: “We’ve said we want to be simpler to work with – and all of these improvements will help buyers to spend more time with suppliers to work on long term initiatives to unlock mutual growth.”