Shelving and Product Placement

Full-service supermarket chain stores; megamarkets or hypermarkets; specialty boutique supermarkets and neighborhood, ethnic single-unit grocery stores; and convenience stores mediate the availability and access to, as well as contribute to the awareness of, foodstuffs, beverages, and consumable products within a given community. Numerous strategies for selling these items are employed, including shelving designs, product placement, viability or perishability, pricing and sales history, and in-house or manufacturer’s promotional strategies. This entry focuses on shelving design and product placement as a means of influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions and includes a discussion of expanding such influence to children.