WALKER, MI - A trend is on the rise in the retail sector as chains try to meet the consumer demand for “easier, faster, better,” and Meijer is upping its stakes in the race by expanding its pilot curbside service program.

MLive reports that Meijer is adding eight stores to the list of locations that offer the grocery service, located in both Michigan and Ohio.

With the option of up to 60,000 products to choose from, the program allows consumers to select the products they want to order and shedule a pick up time online, with no service fee within the first 30 days the option is launched. Orders can be placed up to three days in advance, can be picked up within as little as an hour for shopping lists of 12 items or less, and is an additional $4.95 per order when the service fee kicks in.

"Our interest is to move expansion along as fast as reasonable," Michael Ross, Vice President of Digital Shopping and Customer Marketing for the chain, told MLive, reporting that current plans include looking at even more sites to roll out the program in its 222 stores.

Currently, the chain has a presence that spans six states, including:

• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Wisconsin

Other retail chains are also beginning to see promising return for their investment in integrating online grocery shopping and curbside pickup.

As we previously reported, Walmart recently announced that it, too, was adding curbside pickup to its online grocery offering after having seen it positively received in pilot locations.

Are we seeing a change in the produce landscape of the retail circuit? Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to follow all trends influencing the produce industry.

Meijer