So many businesses in food manufacturing and retail want to be shopper-led, but when the pressure is on, products, numbers and monthly targets can quickly take over.
In this episode, I’m joined by Sue Tiller, Co-Founder of The Growth Factors, to explore how category management can keep the shopper at the heart of decision-making and why the role is about far more than data.
We talk about how category has evolved, the balance between commercial priorities and bringing an objective perspective, and why the strongest category professionals combine analytical thinking with storytelling and influence.
Sue shares why understanding your stakeholders is so important, how to turn data into insight people can actually use, and why asking “so what?” should be part of every category conversation.
We also explore the growing role of AI. While it can help process information and save time, it can’t replace critical thinking, interpretation or the human understanding needed to turn information into meaningful insight.
Above all, this episode is a reminder of category’s unique role as the voice of the shopper, helping businesses make better decisions by keeping real people at the centre.
