The holiday season is right around the corner, but your shoppers are worried about more than dry turkey and overcooked stuffing.

A whopping 86% of US adults name the cost of groceries as a source of stress in their lives, according to the latest research. In fact, the cost of groceries ranks higher than any other financial stressor, and it’s impacting shopper behavior.

This isn’t breaking news to food retailers. Inflation was one of the hottest topics at this year’s IDDBA show, with presenters from every corner of the industry exploring consumer sentiment about rising prices. We captured a few key takeaways to help food retailers better prepare for the holidays with merchandising that captures the attention of inflation-wary shoppers.

How Can Food Retailers Appeal to Budget-Conscious Shoppers This Holiday Season?

There’s no doubt that shoppers are feeling the squeeze in everyday expenses. At the same time, the holiday season brings a whole new set of budget worries—hosting parties, cooking big meals and, of course, buying gifts.

Merchandising is the key to boosting basket ring despite inflation and economic uncertainty.

Your merchandising strategy is an opportunity to show shoppers that your store can meet them where they are and bring value at any budget, earning loyalty—and return visits. Plus, the right food retail merchandising tactics can position your store as a destination for time-pressed shoppers to get recipe ideas, quick meal solutions and even small indulgences.

Display Affordable Indulgences to Inspire Impulse Buys

Even when budgets are tight, your shoppers still want a little treat. The data reflects this, with 97% of shoppers reporting they treat themselves with food purchases. Your merchandising strategy should make it easy for shoppers to find small indulgences without the big price tag.

Here’s How to Try It in Your Store:

Create a destination of affordable indulgences—think single servings of baked goods, gourmet deli items and specialty cheeses. Your display case sets the stage for your merchandising, so choose a case that elevates shopper experience.

Elevate your product displays with the PF-R Multi-Deck Self-Service Case, designed to highlight items that offer a sense of everyday luxury. This refrigerated case provides an ideal foundation for showcasing everything from fresh deli and bakery to beverage and beyond. With three case heights and multiple lengths to choose from, you can create a truly customized presentation. An array of exterior finishes, including paint, stainless steel, laminate and wood, allows you to match your brand’s aesthetic and build a display that truly stands out.

During the holidays, shoppers are often pressed for time, so offering a dedicated case for accessible, easy-to-grab treats lets shoppers know they can depend on your store for a quick pick-me-up, or even a small hostess gift.

Show Shoppers How to Get the Most Value

For your shoppers, the idea of value goes beyond price (although price is a major component). If your merchandising helps shoppers discover deals and smart ways to save, it shows your customers that you understand their needs. Show shoppers how they can save time and money with fresh deli items, family-sized meal solutions and prepared desserts.

Here’s How to Try It in Your Store:

Incorporate signage into your merchandising that tells shoppers how they can use your offerings to stretch their dollars. For example, remind shoppers that they can get exactly the amount of pre-cut fruits and veggies they need for recipes or charcuterie boards at your fresh salad bar with no waste, no prep and no stress.

Here’s the catch: make sure your salad bar looks clean and enticing to showcase value. Otherwise, you could lose out on loyalty. The MBI All-Metal Island Food Bar serves as the perfect foundation for your foodservice merchandising. It’s highly configurable, with options for hot wells, cold wells and soup. Plus, you can choose exterior cladding options, add dispensers and configure your bar to match your store’s layout, look and feel.

If you showcase how your shoppers can save time and money with your products, you’re building trust and paving the way for loyalty.

Turn Viral Food Trends Into In-Store Sales

During the holidays, people are especially tuned in to social media for crowd-pleasing recipes and stunning presentation ideas. Even during periods of high inflation, ⅔ of shoppers say that social media has inspired them to buy a food item. When a new flavor trend or budget-friendly recipe hack gains momentum on Instagram or TikTok, make it easy for shoppers to find the ingredients to try it out themselves and those shoppers will keep coming back.

Here’s How to Try It in Your Store:

Capitalize on the latest food trends by gathering everything shoppers need for a viral recipe in one end-cap case. To do this effectively, you need a flexible merchandising strategy and an agile display case. That’s because it’s difficult to predict exactly what will go viral, but you want to be ready when the next food craze hits.

The HS Self-Service Single Deck is the perfect flexible solution for creating quick displays based on trendy items. Choose the self-contained model (that uses environmentally friendly R-290 refrigerant) for a plug-and-play case that’s easy to move around the store. Customize your case with an open or closed base and optional dry shelves above the case for even more merchandising flexibility.

Viral food trends offer a way for your store to connect with shoppers and inspire them to build their baskets. Keep an eye on social media and keep your merchandising flexible to drive traffic to your store.

---

This collection of merchandising tips and tricks is inspired by data and trends from this year’s IDDBA show, where the biggest names in food retail shared actionable insights and industry observations. We combined the show’s most prominent themes with our own merchandising expertise to deliver these helpful recommendations.

After all, Hillphoenix wrote the book on food retail merchandising. In 1934, we became the authority on successful food marketing when we published “Modern Food Merchandising.” The book was so useful, we published 5 editions—and we’ve been providing merchandising insights to entice shoppers and boost basket ring ever since.

Stay up-to-date on the latest merchandising trends by exploring Merchandising Matters, our one-stop resource hub for all things food merchandising. You’ll find pictures to inspire you, short videos to help you set the stage for success, trend reports and so much more.

Don’t forget to follow Merchandising Matters on LinkedIn so you don’t miss a thing!