30
JULY/ AUGUST
By Lisa Stott
Best Practices for Your Dairy Counter DAIRY COUNTER MANAGEMENT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT FOR THE CONSUMER AS IT IS FOR THE RETAILER. We need to remember that “perception is reality.” If a consumer selects a dairy product that is expired, an opinion is quickly formed about the store, and there is a good chance the consumer will never return to shop there again. This also applies to damaged product or bags that leak. The dairy section has to be clean and attractive, for consumers to shop in your stores. Assortment plays a big role. You need to understand who your customers are and what they are looking for when they visit your store. Provide them with the right product assortment to fill their needs, which will include some typical grocery items and some impulse purchases such as single serve drinks or portion-pack cheeses. Finally, retailers are sometimes challenged with making sure they optimize their dairy counter shelf space, ensuring proper order and inventory management. Several best practices can help retailers and their employees ensure the best management of dairy counters to maximize sales.
Shelf Space Flow and Management • Place impulse items at the beginning of the traffic flow. • Value added items should be placed in the centre of the fridge (at eye level), as this is the prime area. Consumers spend most of their time in this section. • Place high volume items at the bottom. This will ensure that consumers see the impulse and value added products first. • Allocate more space for products with greater sales, and less space for products with low sales. • Adapt the size of your dairy counter according to the total sales of the store. • Make sure to analyze your sales in order to optimize your product assortment while respecting your space (share of shelf) commitment with your vendor. Order Management • Order products with longer shelf life once a week instead of twice. This will minimize the risk of having products with multiple expiry dates to manage. • Regularly review and validate your order with your