You are the Marketing Director of a national grocery retailer, Toysan, which is an established and high profile brand. Your organisation recorded on 26 March 2020 that, South Africa entered uncharted territory as a countrywide lockdown came into effect. Prior to the lockdown, your grocery network recorded an increased volume of shoppers looking to stock up on essentials. At the same time, the volume of grocery retail related conversation on various social media platforms increased, spiking around key government announcements related to the lockdown and the start of the lockdown.

Prior to the lockdown, Toysan used to maintain a 20% share of the South African grocery retail market, and this figure had been stable for several years. But, as a result of the lockdown, over the past four months, the market share has dropped to 18%, the lowest ever since. Your grocery retail also reflects the same drop in ratio for sales.

Background Issues:

Toysan is a South African retailer who has been in South Africa for 30 years

Historically, customers have shown a strong degree of loyalty to the brand

The company has a reputation of reliability

You control a centralised database of all sales made nationally through your retail outlets, but information is limited and includes only name, address and tel. # of the purchaser and the items purchased normally purchased.

The Board has set you an objective of regaining a 20% market share for your retail, and maintaining it for the next five years. You are required:

QUESTION 2

Using the results of the environmental scan, develop a marketing plan that will allow grocery retailer regain its 20% market share and maintain its competitive advantage.(70 marks)