LEADERSHIP
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W hen buying groceries , many people don ’ t think about how their favourite fizzy drink or snack got on the shelves . Yet behind every supermarket shelf and freezer door , there is a competitive market that may determine what you buy long before you get to the grocery aisle .
In today ’ s retail market , the number of branded or private label products may be climbing rapidly but shelf space is shrinking at an equal pace . Many food and beverage companies may also have to pay so-called ‘ slotting fees ’ for prime positions on the shelves . The hidden war for grocery shelf space is heating up so it ’ s time to ask : how are the winners getting it right ?
Drawing upon customer insights and data analytics , Martin Smethurst , Managing Director of EMEA at Trax , says that consumer packaged goods ( CPG ) companies are increasingly looking to combine retail and technology to deliver a next-generation retail experience .
“ CPG companies send products to retail shops every single day of the week , sometimes even several times a day , but they often have no idea what their shelf looks like ,” explains Smethurst . “ How their shelf looks really dictates how much they ’ re going to sell – this is where tech-
“ I think that the coming together of e-commerce and retail is accelerating . It ’ s all about improving the experience ”
— Martin Smethurst , Managing Director of EMEA at Trax
AUGUST 2018