To win on the digital shelf, you need a clear, data-backed understanding of your performance, which is why we are excited to introduce the Walmart.com Conversion Scorecard, a new, data-rich report powered by 1WorldSync Retail E-Commerce Analytics.

What is the Walmart.com Conversion Scorecard?

The Walmart.com Conversion Scorecard is designed to give you a data-backed snapshot of how your listings stack up across key performance areas that matter most: content quality and coverage, review strength, and product discoverability.

The report, available for free to Walmart suppliers*, quantifies the impact of your product content, measuring it against eight critical areas proven to influence conversion rates and sales. Your personalized scorecard doesn’t just give you a grade; it identifies clear and actionable areas for improvement across your entire Walmart portfolio, allowing you to focus your resources where they will have the greatest impact.

The 8 Critical Areas We Measure

Our scorecard analyzes your products based on a combination of Walmart’s own recommendations and our proprietary insights, derived from observations of top-ranking products.

• Number of Reviews: Are you meeting Walmart’s recommended minimum of 20 reviews? Sufficient review volume is crucial for building shopper trust.
• Avg Rating: A high rating is a powerful driver of search ranking and conversion. We measure your products against the 4.5-star average rating that top-performing items consistently achieve.
• Count of Pics: Visuals sell. Top products average 5-6 photos, and we track whether your listings meet this critical threshold for a comprehensive visual experience.
• Short Desc Word Count: Does your short description fall within Walmart’s “sweet spot” of 40-100 words to capture attention and provide essential details quickly?
• Long Desc Word Count: Are you providing enough detail? Walmart recommends 3-4 bullet points at a minimum, with 6 being the ideal for a thorough, informative description.
• Missing Rich Media: Are you leveraging rich media? We assess your use of below-the-fold content against top competitors in your category to identify opportunities for more immersive experiences.
• SEO Performance: How easily can shoppers find you? We measure your SEO performance to ensure you are ranking at or above the Best Seller Rank percentile in your category.
• Price Differential: Pricing inconsistency can erode trust and hurt sales. We flag any products with a price that is 35% greater or less than the average price across all stores.

A Vital Part of Your Analytics Toolkit

The Walmart.com Conversion Scorecard is a key component of our comprehensive Retail E-Commerce Analytics solution. 1WorldSync and Syndigo are here to help your business move beyond basic monitoring and unlock sales growth by optimizing keywords and search ranking, ensuring store-level item and in-stock compliance, and gaining a crucial edge with competitive intelligence.

Ready to see how your products score? Connect with our team today to learn more about the Walmart.com Conversion Scorecard.

*Report may not be available for all categories on Walmart.com; contact us regarding availability for your brand.

The post Introducing the Walmart.com Conversion Scorecard appeared first on 1WorldSync.

Getting product content right –– from creation to distribution –– is absolutely essential to your content strategy and the overall success of your business. Whether you’re in marketing, e-commerce, or a master data manager, PIM is a strategic investment that is foundational to the longevity of your brand: revenue growth, efficiency gains, and a competitive advantage that puts you above the rest.

The Cost of Inaccurate Data

In the omnichannel retail context, products don’t sell themselves; it’s the product content that converts. From initial discovery and awareness to education, product comparison, and everything in between, product content is the element that engages shoppers, excites them, and ultimately turns them into customers. Get product content wrong on any level, and you’re losing sales and customer loyalty.

In the updated version of the Product Content Benchmark Report (Full report forthcoming! You can find the 2024 edition of the Product Content Benchmark Report here.), 91% of consumers agree that high-quality content makes them more confident to buy. Furthermore, in both 2024 and 2025, “quality of product information” is the #1 factor after price when ranking what influences online shoppers to finalize a purchase. 

Keeping data up-to-date and valid is crucial to maintaining efficient, accurate product content. The real-world impact of inaccurate, incomplete data can paralyze your momentum and irreparably impact your business:

• Lost sales due to missing or incomplete product content. Consumers can spot low-quality content from a mile away. Research indicates that more than 80 percent of consumers expect seamless, consistent content experiences across all interactions with a particular product or brand. When the digital shelf allows shoppers to compare across multiple sites, consistent, accurate, up-to-date content is paramount. A lack of quality content or inconsistencies across platforms erode customer trust, resulting in lost sales.
• Higher return rates from inaccurate or inconsistent product descriptions. Nearly half of all product returns are due to misleading or inaccurate product or feature descriptions. Accurate content sets consumer expectations and minimizes return rates, reducing associated revenue loss.
• Compliance penalties due to regulatory inaccuracies. Non-compliance with GDSN and GS1 standards can result in substantial fines, as well as penalties that remove content and hinder discoverability and sales. When brands miss the mark on labeling, nutritional, or regional requirements, the consequences can be costly.
• Time and productivity loss from manual content fixes and data duplication. Manually managing content is all-consuming. Even the most meticulous team is likely to miss vital corrections and make errors in data entry or content editing. Furthermore, once your catalog reaches a certain volume, manual data and content management become logistically impossible, and the cost of hiring a team to handle your content updates eats into profits.

These costly issues are the natural result of inaccurate, inefficient product data management. But they are avoidable with the right PIM tools. The first step in presenting the need for a PIM system to leadership is to address the pain points that matter most. Numbers matter to every organization. Highlighting the cost of low-quality, inaccurate, and inconsistent data –– and the very real threat that poses to your organization –– is central to building a business case for a PIM system.

Presenting PIM as an Engine for Growth

PIM isn’t merely a convenience tool, nor is it used solely for content accuracy. The right PIM system is a catalyst for expansion and growth. The automated nature of PIM solutions accelerates new product launches and channel updates, enabling brands to achieve a faster time to market –– a critical factor in gaining a competitive advantage. These systems empower organizations to efficiently support new retailers, regions, or D2C strategies, building agility into content workflows.

In addition to this agility, PIM systems enhance the customer experience, increasing conversions. They enable uniform product stories across digital and physical shelves. The rich, consistent product content improves buyer confidence, boosting sales today and in the long term.

Ultimately, PIM isn’t just about data governance. It enables agility, scalability, and creates space for innovation, empowering brands of all sizes to grow and thrive. This is the perspective shift data managers need to focus on when presenting PIM adoption: it’s about more than data; it’s about the future success of the business.

Create a Clear ROI Projection with Realistic Metrics

Decision-makers want to know how implementing a PIM system will affect your bottom line. Provide quantifiable benefits to leadership as you present your case. Include these quantifiable benefits in your presentation:

• Time saved per SKU or product team member
• Reduction in error-related returns and support tickets
• Increased sales attributed to improved product content or faster product launches
• Improved time-to-launch cycles
• Faster onboarding of new products or vendors
• Scalability opportunities

PIM platforms drive growth, revenue, and efficiency. Emphasizing the long-term benefits of these tools will be critical in making the case for implementing a PIM system in your organization.

Use a 12 to 24-month horizon to forecast ROI, then break down that ROI into tangible savings and gains. Show where the business will see those savings and how each department will benefit from the time, money, talent, and energy returns. Align your presentation with CFO pain points and expectations: keep it conservative, clear, and backed by data.

Reinforce the Business Need with an End-to-End Solution

Your business needs a PIM system, and choosing the right platform and partner will be instrumental in your success. Your presentation must include a straightforward, powerful solution that leadership can take action on.

As the parent company of 1WorldSync, Syndigo offers a best-in-class, enterprise-grade Product Information Management (PIM) solution designed to create a single source of truth for your data. Recognized as a leader by top industry analysts, Syndigo’s cloud-native platform excels at helping global brands:

• Centralize and Govern Data: Unify product, supplier, and location data in one place with AI-driven validation and customizable compliance rules to ensure accuracy across all systems.
• Accelerate Time to Market: Eliminate bottlenecks with automated, collaborative workflows and AI-powered content enrichment that streamline product launches.
• Scale Globally: Seamlessly expand into new channels, regions, and markets with a flexible, multi-domain Master Data Management (MDM) foundation.
• Drive Growth and Efficiency: Reduce operational costs, improve data quality, and gain deep insights with built-in analytics to optimize your entire commerce ecosystem.

Together, Syndigo and 1WorldSync provide an unmatched, end-to-end solution. By combining Syndigo’s powerful PIM and MDM capabilities with 1WorldSync’s unparalleled content syndication network—including the world’s largest GDSN data pool—brands can manage their product information from creation to consumption with complete confidence. This integrated approach ensures your product content is not only accurate and governed internally but is also delivered efficiently and correctly to every retailer and marketplace.

Conclusion

Businesses shouldn’t view a PIM system as an operational cost; it’s an efficiency driver in every sense of the word. As you build the business case for a PIM system, help facilitate this shift in thinking by assessing the actual cost of data quality gaps. Data doesn’t lie, and for leadership, it’s the most compelling evidence for the long-term, strategic benefits of employing a quality PIM system for your organization.

 Syndigo and 1WorldSync are here to help your business with complete product content and data solutions. From creation to disbursement and every aspect of information management, we have the tools and expertise to ensure you’re both optimizing and maximizing every piece of data.

 Connect with our team to explore how our scalable PIM solutions can boost your efficiency, revenue, and growth starting today.

The post How to Build the Business Case for a PIM System appeared first on 1WorldSync.

This practical guide offers a step-by-step transition plan to help you move from traditional UPC barcodes to advanced 2D barcodes, including best practices, common pitfalls (and how to avoid them), and success stories from industry leaders who have already taken the leap.

Short on time? Watch Link Manager expert and Product Manager Daniel Specker talk about the importance of 2D barcodes and how 1WorldSync is preparing users for the 2027 2D Barcode Sunrise.

Understanding the Value of 2D Barcodes

Today’s shopper demands access to product content: 75% of shoppers will switch to a brand that provides more in-depth product content beyond what’s required or provided on the physical label.

In 1WorldSync’s 2024 Product Content Benchmark report, 64% of shoppers have scanned a QR code on a product while shopping in store, a 10 point increase (54%) from the year before. And while the 2025 Product Content Benchmark report is still in the works, it’s worth noting that 73% of shoppers, a 19 point increase from 2023, stated that they have scanned a QR code while shopping in store.

2D barcodes go beyond the traditional UPC barcode, surpassing UPCs with the volume of information they can carry and communicate to the consumer. Information such as:

• Expiration dates 
• Batch and lot numbers
• Relevant links
• Product details, including certifications, allergens, and sourcing
• High-quality imagery 
• How-to or lifestyle use videos

Packing design and product information draw in shoppers and help them form an initial impression of the item and the brand. However, the addition of 2D barcodes further enhances your content strategy by maximizing the impact of consumer touchpoints with your product. QR codes virtually eliminate the content constraints of physical packaging, expanding what can be conveyed to the user with just one click. This new frontier of content disbursement allows brands to include any relevant information to engage consumers during in-store shopping as well as post-purchase.

In addition to the practical engagement and marketing benefits of these codes, GS1 is rolling out a 2027 2D barcode sunrise, and retailers must prepare. The time to transition to 2D barcodes is now.

Step-by-Step 2D Barcode Transition Plan

A successful 2D barcode roll-out is an organization-wide endeavor. All teams must be on the same page, working with the same information, timelines, and goals, to ensure a seamless transition. Below, we outline the steps for your organization to implement conversion-driving 2D barcodes that engage consumers, maximize your content, and increase conversions both in-store and out.

Step 1: Assemble the Right Internal Team

Shifting from UPCs to 2D barcodes doesn’t happen overnight, and it can’t happen unless the right team comes together to make it happen. As with any successful CPG product content rollout, transitioning to 2D barcodes requires cross-functional collaboration: your marketing, master data, supply chain, packaging, and legal teams must work together to see the project through.

Like any other major campaign, assign a project lead and create a timeline. Starting with the right internal team will set the foundation for a successful transition.

Step 2: Assess Your Current State

Before determining how to specifically improve and enhance your content strategy with QR codes, evaluate the current state of things. Take an inventory of current SKUs and packaging types. Review existing barcode and data management systems. Identify gaps in your current capabilities. Are your systems serving your brand?

1WorldSync provides CPG-specific product content solutions that ensure data accuracy, consistency, and transparency across all products and touchpoints, creating a seamless omnichannel content experience that helps you sell more. As the world’s largest data pool provider, our platform helps CPG retailers of all sizes optimize product content to increase conversions –– and retention. Reach out to our team to learn more.

Brands will see the best results with their 2D barcode transitions when they have the right platform, backing, and support for their present and future content needs.

Step 3: Understand the Technical Requirements

Your barcode content must meet GS1 standards, and their Sunrise 2027 initiative is driving the CPG industry toward the adoption of 2D barcodes.

These regulatory requirements are one reason why choosing the right product content management partner is so crucial. Work closely with your provider to ensure your barcodes meet all content standards so you aren’t penalized with fines or missing content.

Step 4: Update Your Product Information Management (PIM) Systems

Data quality and consistency are the cornerstone of a conversion-driving product content strategy. Consumers expect seamless content experiences everywhere they interact with your brand or products. CPG product content that is incomplete, outdated, or riddled with errors raises a red flag, prompting shoppers to turn to the competition. Employing the right product information management system for CPG retail needs helps ensure that all data is structured, up-to-date, and consistent.

Collaborating with a provider like 1WorldSync enables brands to implement PIM systems that optimize product content from creation to distribution, providing a comprehensive omnichannel content experience.

Step 5: Redesign the Packaging

Most CPG packaging will need a design refresh to accommodate the 2D code (Which makes getting ahead of the 2027 Sunrise all the more important!). Not only must your packaging include functional space for a code, but your design team must position it so that consumers will see it and scan it.

Designing a QR code that shoppers will scan is central to effective packaging redesign. Here are a few tips for code and packaging design that compel consumers to scan your 2D barcodes:

• Make it stand out from other elements with white space and contrasting colors
• Garner trust by including your logo in the code
• Place actionable text next to the code

Maintaining brand aesthetics and consistency must go hand-in-hand with scannability when transitioning to 2D barcodes.

Step 6: Pilot and Test the Codes

Once your content is dialed in, you’ve implemented a robust PIM system, and your packaging redesign is complete, it’s time to pilot and test your codes. Run a limited pilot with SKUs, retailers, or regions. Gather performance data and consumer feedback, then use that information to adjust your content as necessary.

Step 7: Scale the 2D Barcode Rollout

Finally, it’s time for the official rollout. As with any element of your business, scalability is essential for product content strategy.

As your brand grows, so does the complexity of managing product information. Your content management platform should evolve with your brand and its changing needs. Whether you’re expanding into new markets, adding new product lines, or entering different retail partnerships, your PIM system should adjust without missing a beat. 1WorldSync offers high-level scalability and flexibility, allowing you to update your content and 2D barcodes simultaneously with a single click.

Best Practices for a Successful 2D Barcode Transition

The guide above provides straightforward, step-by-step instructions for a successful transition to 2D barcodes. Implementing the following best practices helps the rollout go as smoothly and predictably as possible:

• Start early to avoid bottlenecks and to meet 2027 Sunrise deadlines. Give your teams plenty of time to on-ramp the barcode transition, accounting for potential hiccups during the process.
• Align with GS1 guidelines from day one. Working with a partner like 1WorldSync ensures compliance at every step so your content is always active and reaching consumers.
• Keep cross-functional teams informed and engaged so everyone is up to speed, on the same page, and working toward the same goals.
• Use clear KPIs to measure success. 1WorldSync’s Link Manager capabilities help users learn what links are performing well, where people are scanning from (region, device, software), and more.

Common QR Code Pitfalls to Avoid

Understanding where many companies fall short on 2D barcode adoption can help CPG brands avoid the common pitfalls associated with transitioning from traditional UPCs. Be aware of:

• Making assumptions about GS1 compliance. QR codes and the embedded content must adhere to these strict standards, or brands will face fines and penalties.
• Failing to test new codes. Testing 2D codes before a full-scale rollout ensures you get the code design, packaging design, and content right the first time.
• Creating information silos. Instant communication and data sharing are crucial for a successful, cost-effective, and time-efficient 2D barcode transition.

Industry Success Stories

The following are just a few of some of our favorite success stories of brands already using QR codes to engage consumers in creative, brand-building ways.

1. Vital Farms Pasture-Raised Eggs

Vital Farms goes beyond ethical food production by offering transparency directly on their egg cartons. The 2D barcode invites customers to scan and view a live stream of the pasture where the eggs originated. This real-time window into their ethical farming practices reinforces trust and aligns with their mission of providing humane and sustainable products.

2. La Colombe Draft Latte

La Colombe’s 2D barcodes are designed for customers who crave details. By scanning the code on a can of Draft Latte, consumers can access product information, including the coffee’s sourcing, brewing process and unique features.

3. Organic Valley Milk

With a 2D barcode that leads to the “Where Does Your Milk Come From” page, Organic Valley offers an interactive map and vlog series showcasing the farms behind their products. Customers can connect directly with the brand’s story and farming practices.

Choosing 1WorldSync for a Smooth 2D Barcode Transition 

Adopting 2D barcodes across your CPG product lines is not only helpful in meeting consumer demand, introducing new products, and increasing conversions, but it will also become mandatory according to GS1 standards in 2027. 1WorldSync has the tools and support to help you make a seamless transition.

Our centralized PIM system and GS1-compliant data syndication ensure every product content detail is accounted for. With scalable solutions for brands of all sizes and the largest data pool out there, we have the tools and expertise you need for all your product content needs, 2D barcodes included.

Take the first step today to leverage the resources of 1WorldSync for your CPG product content needs. Contact our team to learn more.

The post Navigating the Transition to 2D Barcodes: A Practical Guide for CPG Brands appeared first on 1WorldSync.

In the video discussion below, 1WorldSync’s CMO, TJ Waldorf, and Chief Strategy Officer, Randy Mercer, explore why this strategic shift is critical for navigating modern commerce trends such as the growing focus on retail media and the 2027 2D barcode sunrise.

Why Disjointed Tools Cost More Than You Think

When teams work in silos, the impact on the business can extend far beyond simple miscommunication. The reliance on separate, disconnected point solutions for different tasks introduces significant and often unmeasured costs. As Randy Mercer notes in the video, this approach creates several core business challenges:

• Lack of visibility across teams, making a cohesive strategy nearly impossible.
• Wasted budget spent on multiple, overlapping software subscriptions.
• Immense operational inefficiency as the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.

The Critical Link Between Retail Media and Your PDP

Brands are investing heavily in retail media to get their products in front of searching consumers. However, that investment is compromised if the destination—the product detail page (PDP)—doesn’t convert. Driving traffic with a compelling ad is only half the battle. If the product content on the PDP is inconsistent, incomplete, or unengaging, the customer will leave, and the ad spend is wasted. A unified content platform ensures that the content powering your PDPs is as compelling as the ads that lead to them.

Getting Ahead of the 2027 2D Barcode Sunrise

The upcoming 2027 sunrise for 2D barcodes at the point-of-sale represents a massive shift in the physical retail experience. Consumers will be able to scan a single code on a package to get everything from nutritional information and reviews to recipes and sourcing details. This demands a dynamic, centralized, and trustworthy source of product data. Brands that prepare now by unifying their content will be ready to deliver these rich experiences, while those operating in silos may struggle to keep up.

From Silos to Synergy: Introducing the 1WorldSync Commerce Suite

The solution to these challenges is to break down the walls between departments and their tools. 1WorldSync Commerce Suite is designed to do just that, providing a complete, all-in-one platform for Sales, Marketing, E-Commerce, and Master Data teams. By creating a single source of truth for all product content, businesses can eliminate inefficiencies, maximize their retail media ROI, and prepare for the future of commerce.

Ready to unify your product content strategy?

Learn more about 1WorldSync Commerce Suite.

Join our live webinar on August 6th at 11:00 am ET to see it in action.

The post Unifying Your Content Strategy for the Future of Product Content appeared first on 1WorldSync.

Laura’s Gourmet: More Than Granola

Laura’s Gourmet began with a single, beloved granola recipe, evolving from a side gig into Chef Laura Briscoe’s primary focus. As the business expanded to three food product lines, Laura’s vision also grew to include innovative kitchen tools—a significant step outside her brand’s original category. This diversification brought challenges: managing an increasingly complex product portfolio, ensuring brand consistency with a new marketing director and a full brand refresh on the horizon, and effectively reaching new, untapped markets for her kitchenware. 

Laura needed a solution that could centralize her product content, make it easily shareable, and provide high-quality visuals without the exorbitant costs and poor support she’d experienced with other data pool providers. 

“I’m getting ready to release a product that is outside of what people know of my brand,” Laura explained. “Once we have everything in inventory and loaded, that’s the kind of thing I want to easily publish.”

Growing the Business with 1WorldSync’s Commerce Suite

As Laura’s Gourmet expanded, Laura sought robust solutions to manage a growing portfolio of product content. Using 1WorldSync for item syndication and data management quickly highlighted the platform’s broader strategic capabilities. Features accessible through the 1WorldSync Commerce Suite, in particular, offered Laura a powerful toolkit to streamline operations and elevate her brand’s presence.

Digital Catalog emerged as a prospective “game changer” for Laura and her new marketing director. She anticipates it will serve as a vital central repository, ensuring her team can “pull the most current, accurate content for all materials” and easily publish information for any customer, moving away from scattered files and printed materials.

For updating her product imagery to upgrade her brand’s presence on digital shelves, 1WorldSync’s Image Capture services provided impressive results. “Images are great— everything was nice and within the frames,” Laura noted, a significant improvement over experiences with other providers.

For brands of all sizes, 1WorldSync’s Image Capture services deliver a wide range of affordable, e-commerce-ready visuals. We offer a full suite of options, including GS1 product image sets, CGI and 3D models, 360-degree spin photography, Mobile Ready Hero Images, and more. All of our photography adheres to the GS1 US Standards Initiative, providing the compliant, accurate information needed to showcase your CPG and foodservice products from our studio to your landing pages.

These capabilities—combined with the potential for E-Commerce Rich Content to ensure her brand is “better than a really well kept secret,”—empower Laura’s Gourmet. She can effectively manage diverse product information, control her brand narrative with high-quality visuals, and strategically reach new market segments for both her food products and kitchenware.

Defining Success

For Laura’s Gourmet, partnering with 1WorldSync has provided not just tools, but a distinct competitive advantage and a sense of confidence. “1WorldSync is providing a lot of value and goes out of their way to support my business,” Laura states, emphasizing the affordability and comprehensive nature of the service compared to per-item charges from others. This value is a cornerstone of the Commerce Suite offering, designed to provide SMBs with everything they need to get started and scale.

The responsiveness and proactive nature of 1WorldSync support also stand out. “It’s nice to know that other people, who are your partners, have the same sense of urgency that you do,” Laura remarks, also noting how the team actively suggests new opportunities. This partnership approach is deeply valued: “I feel like 1WorldSync approaches each of its customers as a partner in their success.”

“1WorldSync approaches each of its customers as a partner in their success. With a 1WorldSync Commerce Suite subscription, you’re getting a lot of value. If you put any of 1WorldSync’s competition in front of me, it would be an easy decision to go with 1WorldSync every time.” 

Looking ahead, Laura feels prepared for industry evolutions like the 2D barcode sunrise, thanks to insights gained from 1WorldSync User Groups. Her positive experience with Image Capture and excitement for the Digital Catalog signal a future where Laura’s Gourmet can efficiently manage its expanding product lines and brand refresh with confidence.

Conclusion

Laura’s Gourmet successfully navigated the challenges of product diversification and brand expansion by leveraging key capabilities within 1WorldSync’s Commerce Suite, from centralizing content with the Digital Catalog to enhancing her brand with high-quality Image Capture. Her story is a testament to how integrated solutions, coupled with responsive support, can prepare businesses not only for current demands but also for future industry shifts like the 2D barcode sunrise. If you’re looking to streamline your product content management, ensure brand consistency, and unlock new growth opportunities with confidence, 1WorldSync offers the comprehensive toolkit and partnership you need.

Explore how 1WorldSync Commerce Suite can become your partner in success: Visit the Commerce Suite landing page.

The post Emerging Brand Spotlight: Laura’s Gourmet Fuels Growth with 1WorldSync appeared first on 1WorldSync.

The Modern Foodservice Landscape

When we talk about foodservice data, we are referring to the comprehensive set of product information required by the industry. This includes, but is not limited to, detailed nutritional facts, ingredient lists, allergen disclosures, sourcing information, traceability data, logistics, and pricing, all of which must be shared accurately between manufacturers, distributors, and operators.

Today’s foodservice environment is marked by the demand for data accuracy, transparency, and communication –– both by consumers and between brands and trading partners. These data challenges, combined with supply chain pressures, disrupt foodservice data management, putting brands and retailers at a competitive disadvantage.

The growing importance of digital menus, nutrition data, sourcing and traceability information, allergen disclosures, and compliance has reshaped data demands across every stage of the foodservice supply chain. An increased reliance on centralized product data across manufacturers, distributors, and operators requires solutions for end-to-end data management that ensure data accuracy throughout the supply chain.

Why is Data Accuracy Critical in Foodservice?

The increased demand for more product information, especially when it comes to food safety, is no longer a “nice-to-have” but a “need-to-have.”

Inaccuracies in foodservice data erode confidence across the supply chain. Common challenges in foodservice data management include:

• Data silos between manufacturers, distributors, and operators
• Inconsistent content and data standards.
• Frequent updates (e.g., new packaging, reformulations) that must be tracked and communicated
• Ensuring accurate, consistent, up-to-date allergen and nutritional information 
• Difficulty aligning product data with e-commerce, POS systems, and digital ordering platforms

From basic compliance to food safety, quality data is non-negotiable. Fewer errors and inconsistencies in product data translate to fewer errors in orders, resulting in a faster time to market, more accurate forecasting, and a better customer experience when end users –– from individual customers to commercial clients –– get the right product information.

What Are the Best Practices for Managing Foodservice Data?

Centralized, standardized, and automated data management not only enhances product data but also streamlines the foodservice supply chain. Because data and content quality matter for every product and every listing at every step of the supply chain, brands must prioritize data accuracy. The best ways to streamline data and ensure quality include:

• Adopting a single source of truth for product data and content 
• Automating foodservice product data updates and syndication 
• Ensuring cross-functional team alignment 

Implementing a data management system helps foodservice organizations keep their data in one place, update and distribute it seamlessly and consistently, and help maintain data unity among their teams.

How 1WorldSync Enables Accurate and Streamlined Foodservice Data Management

Foodservice brands, manufacturers, and distributors face unique challenges (and opportunities) with the increasing demand for data accuracy and transparency. By partnering with 1WorldSync, businesses can take full advantage of their product data to engage more, sell more, and take hold of market share.

1WorldSync’s platform provides foodservice-specific capabilities to ensure your data is accurate, complete, transparent, and up-to-date everywhere you sell. This includes:

• Content Syndication –  Validate and publish your content to a global network of recipients instantly through 1WorldSync’s leading GDSN data pool and SaaS platform.

• Leading Foodservice Photography – Whether you sell boxed, raw, or fully prepared food, get impactful, high-quality GS1-compliant imagery within your desired budget and timeline.

• Product Information Management – Integrate with your ERP and manage cross-departmental workflows with our Product Information Management (PIM) tool.

• Digital Asset Management – Manually updating and managing content wastes time and leaves room for errors that erode trust and increase costs. Our Digital Asset Management tool works in tandem with our content services to ensure that accurate content is placed in the correct location, empowering you to manage, upload, and tailor your assets for a wide range of digital scenarios. You’ll both reduce workloads and increase the speed and accuracy of your product updates.

Learn more about 1WorldSync Commerce Suite, our all-in-one solution to unify your product content strategy across multiple teams.

Real World Success: The Seaboard Foods Case Study 

Headquartered in Oklahoma, Seaboard Foods is the second-largest pork producer in the U.S. The company partnered with 1WorldSync to position itself as an industry leader capable of meeting the evolving demands of retail and global commerce. 

Seaboard Food’s goals: 

• Better optimize product content processes 
• Reduce manual, time-consuming data capture workflows 
• Meet changing retailer data requirements

1WorldSync provided the following solutions: 

• Image Capture – 1WorldSync’s product photography and imagery services provided Seaboard Foods with affordable, e-commerce-ready product images, including 360-degree spin imagery, hero images, and compliant image sets.
• GDSN Syndication – Our data pool offers the flexibility in JSON, XML, and API formatting required to meet the needs of companies and their global trading partners, seamlessly and automatically. This enabled Seaboard Foods to expand its customer base while ensuring accurate and reliable product content in every market.
• Data Loading & Maintenance (DLM) – Our DLM service enables brand partners like Seaboard Foods to focus on the core functions of their business by taking care of their product information and synchronization processes. Our team of data experts formats, loads, and publishes brand product data quickly and accurately, increasing the efficiency of data syndication to retailer trading partners.

The results: 

• Accelerated data review readiness, product information publication, and retailer syndication by reducing the data loading process to one day
  
• Reached 100% USDA and GS1-compliant product packaging representation
  
• Increased efficiencies to just 2.5 months to complete the image capture and upload project, resulting in significant time savings

Here’s what Leah Saragusa, Labeling Compliance & Digital Content Manager, Seaboard Foods, had to say about their partnership with 1WorldSync: 

“Having 1WorldSync upload our cooked-and-plated product lifestyle images was not only a huge time savings for us but also provided our trading partners with the imaging they required in a way that was efficient, effective, and met GS1 standards… What Seaboard looks for from 1WorldSync is that full-service, integrated, one-stop shop to work with as a partner to find those gaps, solve them, and get our manual processes validated and perfected, to where I can get accurate product data and images syndicated to Seaboard’s many trading partners.”

Conclusion

To win new retail partnerships and compete effectively in this market, a mastery of your data is crucial. This means viewing your current data processes not as a static system, but as a dynamic asset that needs strategic oversight. The data management platform you choose is therefore a critical strategic decision, foundational to ensuring accuracy and quality across your entire operation. 1WorldSync is designed to be that strategic advantage.

Partner with 1WorldSync to simplify your foodservice data management and stay ahead. Connect with our team today to learn more about our full-service data solutions that empower foodservice professionals with the right tools to move their organizations forward.

The post Ensuring Data Accuracy Across the Foodservice Supply Chain appeared first on 1WorldSync.

For brands and retailers, aligning product content and data practices with such distinct, new rules is vital for ensuring uninterrupted sales and maintaining the confidence of their customers. 

Fortunately, navigating these obligations and achieving compliance can be approached with clarity and assurance. This article breaks down the product content implications of the My Health My Data Act—examining its core components, identifying who it affects, and outlining how your business can confidently stay compliant.

What is the My Health My Data Act?

The My Health My Data Act is a privacy policy enacted in 2023 in Washington state granting consumers significant control over their personal health data. The act requires companies to obtain explicit consent before collecting, sharing, or selling any information related to a person’s physical or mental health, including data gathered from wearables, non-HIPAA telehealth services, and certain retail purchases.

The MHMD Act gives consumers the right to access, delete, and restrict use of their health data. Although the act is specific to Washington state, it applies to all businesses operating there, including global e-commerce sites that can be viewed within state lines and retailers syndicating or displaying digital health-related content. Any company doing business in Washington or targeting products or services to Washington residents must comply with the MHMD Act.

MHMD Focus on Consumer Health Data

Unlike HIPAA, which primarily covers medical records, the MHMD Act protects a broader range of health data collected by various means. The following health and wellness products and services can be affected by the act:

• Fitness trackers, accessories, and related apps
• Wellness apps
• Medications (including OTC medications)
• First aid supplies and equipment
• Reproductive or sexual health products, including gender affirming products
• Biometric and wearable tech data
• Electronics geared toward or focused on health (e.g., earbuds with mention of a hearing aid apparatus)
• Data related to seeking health care services, including information about individual health conditions, interventions, medications, bodily functions, symptoms, and diagnoses
• GPS equipment providing location data, including data that could reasonably indicate a consumer’s attempt to acquire or receive health services or supplies
• Toiletries with medical claims (e.g., clinical deodorants, medicated mouthwash)
• Diet-related foods (e.g., Keto-compliant food items)
• Creams and lotions for skin conditions (eczema creams are being categorized as health-protected items)
• Other retail purchases that might indicate physical or mental health information

The products and services affected by the act are far-reaching. Because the net is cast so far and wide, retailers must meticulously manage their content and consumer consent to remain compliant.

How MHMD Compliance Requirements May Impact Product Content

The MHMD Act maintains strict consent requirements. Companies must obtain clear, opt-in consent from individuals before collecting or sharing any consumer health data. They must provide  accessible privacy policies, so shoppers can know exactly what they agree to when purchasing a product. Sellers must also provide mechanisms for data access and deletion at the consumer’s discretion. Selling consumer health data of any kind is heavily restricted and requires explicit authorization from the individual.

So, how do these data privacy rules specifically impact e-commerce product pages? The connection between these data privacy rules and e-commerce product pages lies in the complex, often behind-the-scenes, technologies that help drive the online shopping experience. While retailers own some of these systems, many PDPs also integrate third-party technologies to function smoothly. If any of these components collect shopper data through cookies or similar means in a manner that violates the MHMD Act—especially concerning health-related information—the retailer can be held accountable. 

Such accountability extends beyond direct legal consequences. In addition to legal and financial penalties, ignoring or overlooking the regulations of the MHMD Act can result in the removal of digital content from retailer sites, creating major issues for brands.

Product content is the linchpin of e-commerce and omnichannel sales. 1WorldSync’s 2024 Consumer Product Content Benchmark Report found that 8 in 10 customers choose not to buy products because of poor quality or the lack of availability of product content. When your product content is taken down, consumers grow wary of the quality of your products and the trustworthiness of your brand. Missing content will lead to reputational damage, a disrupted consumer experience, and lost trust and sales that are difficult to overcome in a competitive retail space where every touchpoint brings consumers closer to—or away from––purchase.

Homedics showcases their Saunazen Portable Steam Sauna rich media digital content With 1WorldSync, Homedics can publish to retailers knowing their information is compliant with MHMD.

1WorldSync Rich Content Syndication 

Data privacy matters––and not only for the consumer. At 1WorldSync, our Rich Content solution, which is featured on thousands of retailer sites around the globe, operates without cookies. 1WorldSync Rich Content Syndication facilitates compliance with My Health My Data for all healthcare digital content syndicated via our Rich Content solution.

Moreover, our global standards for data privacy and protection are consistent with those of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), and the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) for Canada.

We know trust is earned, not at the point of sale, but throughout the buyer’s journey. The same is true of brands and retailers and their content partners. 1WorldSync prioritizes the client experience with full-service content management solutions, including a robust data protection policy that keeps consumer information private.

How 1WorldSync Supports Brands and Retailers in the My Health My Data Act

Compliance with the MHMD Act is essential, which means sellers must partner with a compliant provider. Transitioning to 1WorldSync ensures the uninterrupted display of rich content that engages and converts shoppers. 1WorldSync is trusted by retailers to syndicate fully compliant, rich inline content. In using 1WorldSync, brands are avoiding takedown of digital marketing content on a massive number of health products and verticals on retailers due to noncompliance of other rich online providers.

When you partner with 1WorldSync, you get:

• Assurance of uninterrupted rich content delivery
• Protection of brand integrity and retailer trust
• Peace of mind through proactive, built-in compliance protocols
• End-to-end data governance for health-focused retail ecosystems

Our content management solutions help brands and retailers create and publish accurate and engaging content to increase conversions. Equally important, we ensure your compliance with the MHMD Act so your content is consistent, accurate, and active everywhere you sell, in Washington state and everywhere else you’re reaching consumers. 

When seamlessly publishing inline rich media content with 1WorldSync, Vicks stays compliant with MHMD.

Final Takeaways for Brands and Retailers

The MHMD Act has vastly reshaped how retailers selling in Washington––including online retailers––handle customer data. Health product brands and retailers must understand the nuances of this law or face the consequences of fines, penalties, and lost sales.

Compliance isn’t optional; it’s essential. 1WorldSync is the reliable content partner you need to ensure your product content remains visible, accurate, and fully compliant. Reach out today to learn more about how 1WorldSync’s range of tools and solutions can enhance your content strategy starting now. Have any further questions? Learn more at our 1WorldSync Community!

Legal Disclaimer: This blog post provides general information and commentary on the My Health My Data Act and its potential implications for retailers. It is not intended as, and should not be relied upon for, legal advice. Each business’s circumstances are unique, and compliance with data privacy laws requires careful consideration of specific facts. We strongly recommend consulting with your legal team or a privacy attorney to ensure your business’s full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

The post What Retailers Need to Know about the My Health My Data Act appeared first on 1WorldSync.

Success in Instacart: Using High-Quality Product Data

Instacart is known as a leading e-commerce platform for grocery; however, Instacart goes beyond grocery, partnering with retailers in categories like beauty, home, electronics, and more. Today, Instacart works with over 1,800 retail banners across North America, representing more than 85,000 individual stores and counting. Some of the largest Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands are already publishing their product data to Instacart. They understand the value of having their product content on the Instacart digital shelf and how it will benefit their brand and strengthen their market presence in the industry.

Instacart’s partnership with 1WorldSync is a new and trusted way for brands to submit content directly to Instacart. Furthermore, it’s a big step forward in making content sharing easier and more seamless.

Five Key Ways High-Quality Data Makes a Difference

This enhanced ease of sharing sets the stage for brands to provide the rich, detailed information that truly powers the Instacart experience. To understand precisely how high-quality product data translates into success on the platform for both brands and customers, hear directly from Iman in the video below:

The insights Iman shared powerfully demonstrate that success on Instacart is deeply intertwined with the quality of your product data. Moving beyond just submission, it’s the accuracy, completeness, and richness of this information that genuinely enhances the experience for shoppers and elevates brand performance. To further underscore these critical elements Iman discussed, here are the five key ways high-quality data makes a difference:

1. Accurate and comprehensive product information helps empower customer choice. This ensures that shoppers find exactly what they’re looking for and with confidence in what they’re buying.
2. Great data boosts discoverability. With detailed attributes, Instacart can power more relevant search results and help customers discover new items that they might love.
3. Strong product data helps ensure order accuracy. In a fulfillment model like Instacart’s, it’s very critical to have complete and accurate data to reduce picking errors, which improves the overall customer experience.
4. Instacart helps brands meet compliance standards. Fulfill display requirements for safety and regulatory compliance.
5. Rich product data maximizes promotional impact. It enables more targeted advertising and helps run more effective personalized marketing campaigns.

What Ensures a Successful Product Listing in Instacart? 

Having established the critical role that high-quality product data plays in achieving success on Instacart, next we’ll explore the specific, actionable best practices that can help you build listings that truly perform.

Ensuring your product information is not only complete but also presented according to Instacart’s standards is key. In the video below, Iman outlines exactly what Instacart looks for in a successful product listing, offering key insights into data accuracy, product naming conventions, attribute completeness, and the standards for compelling imagery that create a positive customer experience.

As highlighted in the video above, here are the four key methods to successfully listing your product on Instacart:

1. Accurate, transparent data. Ensure that the product information that’s being listed on storefronts is not misleading in any way to avoid a poor customer experience.
2. Product naming. When submitting the brand name and product name, they are submitted as two separate fields. In the back end, these two separate fields are combined to create one product title. To avoid repetition, make sure the brand name is not in the product name field as well.
3. Comprehensive attributes. Provide all attributes that exist in your product. For example, if your product is gluten-free or peanut-free, please provide this additional information.
4. Great product images go a long way. Include all sides of your package to create a comprehensive listing for Instacart customers, and ensure that all the images that you’re submitting are sharp and not blurry.

Getting Your Products Uploaded to Instacart With 1WorldSync

For brands looking to effortlessly connect and share rich product information directly with Instacart, ensuring your product content meets their specific requirements is crucial. 1WorldSync’s Item Management solution simplifies this process.

Ever wondered which attributes Instacart ingests or if your current product information is sufficient? The 1WorldSync platform provides clear visibility. Within each item, and even in bulk, you can easily identify Instacart’s data needs using our innovative “Playlist” feature. A Playlist is a grouping of attributes and associated validations that can be used to change the view of the Item Management screen and help you understand what a recipient is looking for. 

Watch the following video clip to learn more about the Playlist feature, its validation tool, and how these simple steps can kickstart your Instacart product upload process.

Not yet using our Item Management solution? Contact us today to learn more and get started with seamless Instacart integration!

1WorldSync AI: Effortless Nutritional Data Entry for Instacart

At 1WorldSync, we understand that populating extensive product information—such as detailed nutritional facts for Instacart—can seem daunting. You might worry, “What if I miss something or make a mistake with such a long list of attributes?” We’ve got you covered.

Instead of manually typing out every single nutritional value, you can simply:

1. Hit “Upload NFP” (Nutritional Fact Panel) 
2. Choose a clear image of your product’s nutritional facts

Our system then gets to work, intelligently processing the image to assemble and translate that visual information into structured attribute terms. Once you confirm the preparation state, you’ll see the relevant attribute fields automatically populated.

This AI-driven process provides a significant head start, saving you valuable time and reducing the risk of manual errors. Of course, you retain full control. You can easily review, interact with, and verify the auto-filled data to ensure complete accuracy. It’s a powerful way to instantly associate all those crucial nutritional values with their correct attributes.

While our technology offers a major efficiency boost, always remember to be conscious of and adhere to any relevant style guides to ensure full compliance and optimization for the Instacart platform.

Navigating Retailer-Specific Content: A Deep Dive into Instacart Product Titles

One common challenge in managing product content across multiple channels is adhering to the unique requirements of each retailer. A prime example of this, and a crucial point for success on Instacart, is how product titles are structured.

Understanding Instacart’s Title Logic: Avoid the Dreaded Duplicate

Instacart receives the brand name and the product name as two separate fields. Its system then combines these in the back end to create the final product title displayed to shoppers.

The critical advice from Iman at Instacart here is: “To avoid repetition, make sure the brand name is not in the product name field as well.” She gave a clear example: if you’re selling “Oreos” cookies, submit the brand name as “Oreos.” However, if you also include “Oreos” within your product name field, you’ll end up with a redundant title like “Oreo Oreo cookies” on the Instacart storefront. This not only looks unprofessional but can also negatively impact searchability and the customer experience.

The 1WorldSync Solution: Tailored Content for Each Recipient

So, how do you manage this when many of your other retail partners might actually prefer or require the brand name within the main product description or title field? This is where the flexibility of the 1WorldSync platform shines, as Kara demonstrated in the video below:

As Kara illustrated, the 1WorldSync platform allows you to efficiently address these differing requirements. You can maintain your standard product title for the majority of your retail partners while simultaneously creating a unique, Instacart-compliant version. This specific title is then precisely targeted and sent only to Instacart using their recipient identifier (like their name or GLN [Global Location Number]). This ensures your product listings are optimized for each channel, preventing issues like title duplication on Instacart while meeting the needs of other retailers.

Conclusion

Throughout this recap, we’ve explored key strategies for enhancing your product visibility on Instacart, from understanding the critical role of high-quality data to leveraging 1WorldSync’s tools for seamless content submission and adherence to specific platform requirements. To continue building on these insights and ensure you’re maximizing your impact:

• Dive deeper into product requirements for Instacart on the Instacart Trading Partner landing page.
  
• Watch the entire webinar on-demand here to learn more about the Instacart API and further tips and tricks to Instacart product content success. 

The post Webinar Recap: How You Can Enhance Your Product Visibility on Instacart with 1WorldSync appeared first on 1WorldSync.

Today, 1WorldSync officially unveiled Commerce Suite — an industry-first offering designed to help cross-functional teams more efficiently orchestrate their product content strategies across omnichannel commerce.

With a Commerce Suite subscription, brands and manufacturers gain access to the very best of the 1WorldSync platform, from tools that enable seamless item setup and syndication, to applications and services that facilitate in-store sales and digital shelf success. (You’ll find a handy list of all that’s included at the end of this post.)

Earlier this year, we rolled out Commerce Suite to a select group of 1WorldSync customers. A recurring theme we’ve heard again and again: Teams that touch product content and data have to use too many vendors and tools. This often leads to data and content managed by siloed teams — master data, sales, marketing, e-commerce — resulting in duplicative processes that cause costly inaccuracies, slower time to market and sub-optimal shopper conversion rates. 

Commerce Suite brings these disparate processes and systems together, enabling brands and manufacturers to reduce overall costs by consolidating tools and vendors all onto one platform in one subscription. The subscription not only helps teams tackle the type of vendor overload that’s likely giving your IT and finance leadership headaches, its use across an organization can drastically improve the quality of product content, the speed it takes to produce content, and the ability of teams to optimize their content and sales growth via a powerful suite of analytics tools.

Many customers, like Chef Laura Briscoe, founder and owner of Laura’s Gourmet, are already finding value in the new capabilities added to their subscription – namely, leveraging Commerce Suite’s Digital Catalog capabilities for sales collateral and the complementary product photography service at 1WorldSync’s studio.

“1WorldSync approaches each of its customers as a partner in their success,” said Briscoe. “With a 1WorldSync Commerce Suite subscription, you’re getting a lot of value. If you put 1WorldSync and their competitors on the table in front of me, it would be an easy decision to go with 1WorldSync.”

Why Commerce Suite?

Every facet of commerce is powered by product content. A few results from our annual Product Content Benchmark report tell that story with clarity:

• 86% of shoppers say that they expect a brand’s product content experience to be seamless and consistent wherever they interact with that brand – in-store, online, via mobile, etc. That’s especially relevant considering that the majority of shoppers (89%) interact with a product in more than one location or website.
• 73% of shoppers say they often do not complete a purchase due to poor product content or due to the simple lack of product content.
• Nearly half of online shoppers (48%) say high-quality rich content  (including product multimedia such as videos, 360-degree images, Augmented Reality (AR), lifestyle imagery, etc) has persuaded them to purchase something they initially didn’t think they wanted or needed.

Perhaps these stats aren’t too surprising – we’re all consumers ourselves, after all. But as a B2C commerce professional, you know just how difficult it is to execute effective and consistent content strategies at scale, everywhere commerce happens.

From supply chain data and detailed product attributes to marketing copy and e-commerce rich content, getting a product to market and then winning in that market is a complex, ever-changing juggling act.

Our goal is to make the act easier to pull off.  

1WorldSync has transformed a lot over the past several years, and in many ways, Commerce Suite is a culmination of our evolution from the world’s go-to data pool to an end-to-end platform for product content creation, management and delivery.  

We intentionally designed Commerce Suite to be a useful platform for brands and manufacturers both large and small. That’s because industry hot-topics like the fast-approaching 2D Barcode Sunrise 2027 and the explosion of retail media are agnostic to brand awareness and market share. In both scenarios, the companies that leverage product content to improve consumer experiences on the package and on the PDP will be positioned to convert more shoppers and reach revenue goals.

What’s Included in a Commerce Suite Subscription?

As Chef Laura stated above, Commerce Suite is packed with value.  For instance, we’re pretty sure this is the only SaaS subscription on the planet that also includes complementary professional photography shoots. (Feel free to call us out on that one!) 

With that, here’s a quick summary of what’s inside a Commerce Suite subscription*: 

• Manage and syndicate core content: Unlimited users and connections to 1WorldSync’s core platform for item management and syndication via the world’s leading commerce network.
• Create Digital Catalogs to level-up (and speed up) your sales collateral: Using your validated and up-to-date item content, create custom-branded sales assets and product catalogs in minutes.
• Capture standards-compliant CPG and foodservice photography: Ship up to 10 products per year to our state-of-the-art Chicago studio and receive high-quality, e-commerce-ready image sets. 
• Create and publish conversion-driving rich content to PDPs: Rich content (often called enhanced, below-the-fold, or A+ content) dramatically increases e-commerce PDP conversion rates. Our inline rich content creator helps you craft engaging layouts and syndicate to thousands of e-commerce sites worldwide.  
• Create and manage 2D Barcodes: Prepare for the 2D Barcode Sunrise and create POS-compliant codes for your product packages. Links can be redirected at any time to your preferred consumer experience.  Use Commerce Suite to create and publish high-impact PDPs as endpoints for your codes. 
• Rich Content & Retail E-Commerce Analytics:  Optimize your content and uncover missed revenue opportunities. Access reports for rich content engagement, price change tracking and out-of-stock status, e-commerce search performance and keyword rankings, and more. 
• Coming Soon: User-Generated Content. Stay tuned for details.  

*Subscriptions are offered in three tiers based on your size and needs. Contact us to learn more. 

Already a 1WorldSync Customer?

If you’re already a 1WorldSync customer and want access to Commerce Suite, contact your account manager or reach out to us. We’ll make sure you have access to the right plan for your teams and the resources to succeed.

Don’t own one of the processes or functions included in Commerce Suite? Share with your counterparts in marketing, sales and e-commerce and let them know what they’re missing! 

Unify your product content strategy — learn more about 1WorldSync Commerce Suite.

The post Platform Spotlight: Introducing 1WorldSync Commerce Suite appeared first on 1WorldSync.

Visual storytelling plays a critical role in conveying brand values, including sustainability and environmental consciousness. Quality product photography is essential for authentically communicating sustainability, from eco-friendly packaging to responsible sourcing—and 1WorldSync, a global partner in CPG product content, is leading the way. Our photography solutions empower brands with the tools to engage and win over eco-conscious consumers.

Does Sustainability Actually Sell?

When brands use the word “sustainability” in their content strategies, they often use it as a marketing tool. But sustainability is more than a buzzword. True sustainability within CPG retail translates to long-term sales and revenue balanced with a priority on environmental responsibility. But when it comes down to purchase, does sustainability sway consumers?

A recent study by McKinsey and NielsenIQ found that nearly 80 percent of consumers claim a sustainable lifestyle is important to them. The research determined that consumers are increasingly shifting their spending toward products with sustainability values on their packaging. Products making ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)-related claims averaged 28 percent cumulative growth over the past five years, versus 20 percent for products making no such claims.

Consumers care about sustainability. CPG brands that want to win and maintain market share must shape their marketing and content strategies accordingly.

A quick recap of the numbers:

• 80 percent of shoppers say sustainability is important
• Brands highlighting sustainability claims grew 28 percent over five years
• Brands that excluded ESG claims from their packaging and product content only grew by roughly 20 percent

Why Product Photography Matters for Sustainable Branding

Sustainable branding matters, as does brand authenticity. Consumers have the digital shelf at their fingertips, as well as an endless pool of brand and retailer data. They know when brands are sincere and when brands are bending the truth or greenwashing to make a sale.

To convey authenticity, product photography could be the most effective tool in your box. Consumers demand transparency. Visuals drive perception; what consumers see on the PDP or a retailer’s page shapes their beliefs about a brand or product. And because first impressions are often digital—though e-commerce listings or rich content––it’s crucial that brands prioritize quality product imagery.

Authentic Visual Storytelling: How to Highlight Sustainability Through Imagery

The McKinsey/NielsenIQ study found that combining ESG claims conveyed greater authenticity. On average, products with multiple claims across the six ESG classification themes grew more quickly than other products: in nearly 80 percent of the categories, the data showed a positive correlation between the growth rate and the number of distinct types of sustainability-related claims a product made. Quality, complete product imagery sets allow you to tell the whole story of your products, including their various ESG claims, sustainability certifications, and other ways brands prioritize environmental responsibility.

A picture is worth a thousand words; it’s a cliché for a reason. Images tell your story. And when done right, product imagery sells. Below are a few specific ways your images can authentically highlight sustainability to increase CPG conversions both online and in-store.

1. Recyclable & Eco-Friendly Packaging

Product photography is more than showcasing the product. Capturing sustainable packaging is equally vital to selling to today’s eco-conscious consumers. Close-up shots showcasing sustainable packaging materials (like kraft papers, bioplastics, and minimal packaging) and clear labeling (e.g., “100 percent recyclable” or “plastic-free”) help shoppers see your commitment to sustainability.

2. Natural & Organic Ingredients

Sustainability extends to environmental responsibility and how materials and production practices affect the user. Ingredient-focused photography spotlights purity, safety, and resource responsibility.

3. Lifestyle & Contextual Photography

Product package photography can easily communicate the factual information shoppers are looking for. But product images in the context of lifestyle photography tell the story of your brand and invite shoppers to imagine themselves within that narrative.

Show products being used within eco-conscious and sustainable lifestyle contexts. For example, stage a shoot in a natural setting or with elements from nature, in minimalist home settings, etc. The setting of your photographs and the props used in your shoots emphasize your alignment with consumer values of sustainability and responsibility.

Brand Showcase: Beyond Laundry

High-quality images enable customers to view key product details that help ensure their purchases align with their values. Beyond Laundry (Kleen Test Products Corporation), a 1WorldSync partner, uses clear imagery of their packaging to display their commitment to sustainability. To further their messaging, Beyond Laundry uses strategic, rich product content below the fold to highlight important sustainable ingredients and outline user instructions. These informative—though still visually enticing—images minimize customer confusion and expand your brand’s storytelling capabilities, making it easier for customers to make informed purchasing decisions.

1WorldSync’s Rich Content Capabilities

Rich product content empowers brands to engage––and convert––shoppers, including complete CPG imagery sets that allow consumers to see your product from every angle. High-impact media answers consumer questions before they ask them:

• How does this product compare with similar items from competing brands?
• How do you use this product?
• What does this product look like in use?
• What are the product specs?
• What are the FAQs other shoppers have?
• Can I see this product from all angles?

Rich content is often the difference in making a sale or losing it; it enhances every aspect of the content experience through:

• Product videos 
• 360-degree spin imagery 
• Detailed product specs and dimensions with comparisons to competing products 
• 3D and augmented reality (AR) product views 
• Hot spot images with cross-selling

Rich content and digital imagery improve customer engagement without increasing a brand’s environmental footprint like traditional marketing methods. 1WorldSync’s product photography and imagery services provide brands with affordable, e-commerce-ready product images, including:

• GS1 product image sets
• CGI and 3D models
• 360-degree spin product photography
• Mobile Ready Hero Images, and more

Product photography and imagery empower companies to scale their content without increasing their environmental impact. We give your organization the tools to create e-commerce rich content spreads, including quality product imagery, and the syndication and analytics capabilities to ensure that content converts.

How CPG Brands Can Partner with 1WorldSync for Sustainable Visual Content

Product photography will either convert shoppers or drive them to your competition. Our research has found that nearly two-thirds of consumers say poor product photography or too few images will cause them to leave a PDP. 1WorldSync provides full-service product imagery and content solutions, including asset creation, syndication, content health analysis, and more, to help brands maintain consistency and authenticity across all channels where they sell.

Sustainable storytelling is the way forward, not only for CPG brands but for all of retail. Quality product photography empowers brands to present environmental consciousness and sustainability efforts visually. When you partner with 1WorldSync for product imagery and content solutions, you can turn sustainability into a visual asset, not just a message. Contact us today to learn more about the role of photography in sustainable branding and how our team can help.

The post The Role of Product Photography in Sustainable Branding for CPG Companies appeared first on 1WorldSync.