Morrisons scraps the mist machines that lauded fresh food message
Morrisons has binned the in-store machines that doused fruit and vegetables with mist.
Initially introduced by ousted chief executive Dalton Philips (pictured), the machines were part of a wider ploy to establish the supermarket as value-led, with a focus on fresh food, and differentiate itself from the rest of the ‘Big Four’.
They rolled out to 300 stores as part of a revamp to bring fresh fruit, vegetables and meats to the fore. This was supported with a series of marketing campaigns highlighting Morrisons’ ‘Market Street’ proposition.
However, the retailer is understood to have told managers that the machines will be removed from the stores where they were installed in the coming weeks.
Philips had championed the mist machines. In an analyst call following its most recent trading results (13 January) it reiterated that there were no immediate plans to remove them despite ongoing criticism that the machines made the supermarket look too upmarket and were driving people to discounters like Aldi and Lidl.
A Morrisons spokesperson said in a statement: “This move is about going back to basics, using simpler refrigeration techniques and Morrisons traditional strengths in fresh food management, to ensure that our vegetables stay fresh.”
According to Kantar Worldpanel, Morrisons recorded better than exected sales for the 12 weeks to 1 February, with sales down by just 0.4 per cent.