Supermarket Shelving – 5 Important Points to Consider

The design and layout of your supermarket shelving is one of the most important elements of opening a new supermarket or revamping an existing one. Cleverly designed shelving layouts can help your products fly off the shelves and encourage your customers to spend more.

Here are 5 points to consider when planning your supermarket shelving.

1. Space – The size of your supermarket dictates the amount of space you have available to work with. The shelving you select should showcase your merchandise without overwhelming your space. Gondola shelving is best avoided if your store is small because it is large and bulky. You can meet the same needs with smaller, lighter options such as Slatwalls.
    
2. Type of products stocked – The type of products you stock will directly influence the type of supermarket shelving that you choose. Attention needs to be paid to the type of display material to use in conjunction with your products. For example, it’s not a good idea to place items with protruding or sharp edges onto wooden shelving as it could get scratched and damaged.
    
3. Weight – The weight of your products is another important factor to consider when deciding on your choice of supermarket shelving. The shelving needs to have the capacity to support the weight of the type of products you’re intending to stock.

• For heavy products, we recommend using steel shelving that has shorter shelves as these are more capable of supporting larger weights. Gondola shelving units, end caps and wall units are a practical choice and can also help form the framework of your store’s layout.
• Lighter products can be displayed on a slatwall fitted with floating shelves. It’s easy to set up, doesn’t take up too much space, and can either be installed on shop walls or be free-standing.

4. Types of shelving – Supermarket shelving requirements vary according to the products you have to display:

• Products best paired with garment racks, slatwalls, tables and grid walls:

  Canned goods, food items, cleaning products etc – best paired with gondola shelving

  Electronic appliances - This type of product is best displayed using slatwalls and rolling carts.

  Alcohol - Gondola shelving is ideal for displaying alcohol since it can accommodate large quantities and different sized products, displaying all variations effectively.

5. Plan for the future – Trends come and go. You may find your shelving needs change in the future to accommodate different products which may be stocked. We recommend you make use of adjustable supermarket shelving options that can adapt to your current inventory. Shelving that is easily movable is also beneficial if you’re considering future expansion.

For more information relating to the supermarket shelving options we provide, click into the category boxes below. If you need any assistance with a full fit-out, then please don’t hesitate to contact the experts at SI Retail.