Meijer has opened a new 159,000-square-foot supercenter in Plymouth Township, Michigan, adding another large physical store to its growing network at a time when much of the grocery industry is investing heavily in online shopping and smaller formats.
The new store, which opened in Southeast Michigan, is Meijer’s 130th store in Michigan. It brings together a full supermarket operation with fresh produce, deli and meat departments, national brands and Meijer’s own grocery products, alongside the wider general merchandise offer for which the retailer is known.
For Meijer, the opening is more than another addition to its store estate. The retailer is continuing to use the supercenter as a one-stop shopping model, allowing customers to buy food, household goods and other products during the same visit.
That model is becoming increasingly important as supermarkets compete not only with traditional grocery chains but also with warehouse clubs, discounters and online retailers.
The new store also includes Meijer’s mPerks loyalty programme, allowing shoppers to earn rewards and access savings on purchases and fuel.
“Physical stores are still important when they offer customers more than simply a place to buy groceries,” says Riad Beladi, ISN analyst. “The size of this Meijer store shows that there is still confidence in the one-stop shopping model when a retailer can combine food, value and convenience.”
The move also highlights a difference between the US and some European grocery markets. While European retailers have increasingly experimented with compact supermarkets and convenience formats, some American operators continue to see value in large stores that combine grocery with general merchandise.
Meijer’s latest opening therefore provides another indication that the supermarket store is not disappearing. Instead, retailers are continuing to change what the physical supermarket is expected to provide.
For customers, the attraction is simple: fewer shopping trips and more products under one roof.
For retailers, the challenge is making a very large store productive enough to justify the investment while keeping prices competitive across both food and general merchandise.
Meijer is betting that the supercenter still has a future.
