The Role of Non-Technological Innovations in Services: The Case of Food Retailing

A growing proportion of innovation, especially in consumer-based industries, is linked to both aesthetic and symbolic components, yet there is still wide uncertainty as to how consumers respond to the design of products and whether their product choices are consistent across product categories. We draw attention to instances whereby less technology-intensive initiatives can convey innovation in services industries. The focus is on the case of Eataly, a food retailer in which, it is argued, non-technological innovations have shaped the firm’s core values and triggered consumer interest towards a supermarket where, besides physical goods, experience has become the object of transaction. By emphasizing the importance for retailers of focusing not only on single products, but also on other dimensions of the firm’s organization, we intend to contribute to the literature that explores changing facets of innovation in service industries