Does Kneipp's category vision still match customer needs?

Kneipp is known for high-quality natural care products and is keen to grow as a category leader. But how can Kneipp best present its products in the drugstore? Should the body lotion be among other brands of body lotion? Or is a "sustainable" shelf more customer-friendly? Blauw investigated whether the shelf vision developed years ago still matches customer needs today.

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Challenge

Shopper research through focus groups

For this study, we held three different focus groups, consisting of six shoppers each. The shoppers were people with diverse shopping needs, but they all had an affinity for buying personal care products. We selected the participants primarily based on various stores where they buy their products, known as shopping channels. For example, one focus group bought their products at Kruidvat or Etos and another online and at upscale channels.

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Vision

Identifying customer needs through natural grouping

We gave the shoppers a natural grouping assignment. On the table were various personal care products. Participants were instructed to categorize the products as they saw fit. For example, we gave them various shower & bath products and categorized them based on attributes they felt matched. In dividing them, we saw several possibilities, such as:

Bath products versus shower products
Different brands
Natural versus non-natural products
Cheap versus expensive
Packaging type: tubes versus vials

There were many possible options. What all participants ended up choosing says something about how they view products. It says something about what they consider important or not and what they do or do not need. For that reason, we also asked about their reasoning behind the classification. Those answers gave interesting insights for Kneipp's vision. Clear differences between the groups of shoppers also emerged.

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Solution

Shelf evaluation and deepdive brand Kneipp

In addition, during the shopper research, we asked participants in which store they buy certain personal care products and why. Why don't they buy it somewhere else? What is their motivation? What are the barriers that stop them from buying elsewhere?

We also showed pictures of existing as well as new shelves in drugstores. What do the participants think of these shelves? What do they notice? We received a full evaluation.

Finally, we made a deep dive into the brand. We asked participants what they think of when they think of the Kneipp brand. What words and associations come up? The answers say something about how participants view the brand.

Needs differences among channel shoppers

Because we had divided the participants by shopping channel (Kruidvat, Rituals, etc.), it was very pleasant for the Kneipp staff to listen to them. We immediately noticed the differences between people who buy from different channels. We noticed what they find important as well as why they each buy their care products somewhere else.

Result

Is Kneipp's shelf vision still relevant?

After the research, we were able to understand the entire category as well as Kneipp's role in its market sector. We processed all results in a clear report. During a workshop with Kneipp employees, we used the results to formulate a number of points for the shelf vision. In this way, Kneipp immediately discovered whether its vision from a number of years ago is still relevant today or whether it could better sharpen the vision. Kneipp can now further develop its own shelf vision and use it to have a good and convincing conversation with retailers.

Additional results from shopper research

The main purpose of the shopper research was to examine Kneipp's shelf vision. But during the focus groups, participants also commented on specific packaging of Kneipp products. That additional feedback was taken to heart by Kneipp, and so the brand immediately set to work redesigning this packaging to better meet the needs of their target audience.

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