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False out-of-stocks

November 30, 2021

Winning the False Out-of-Stock Challenge

False out-of-stocks in the frozen section are costly for the grocer and agonizing for the customer. We’ve all experienced it; misplaced items, packages jammed in back, shelves that appear empty. All of these creates the illusion that something is missing.

To add another factor to the equation, the popularity of frozen foods is surging. According to the American Frozen Food Institute (FFI), frozen food sales dollars rose 21% from 2020 to 2021. That means a lot more customers are making their way to the frozen food aisles.

A big contributor to this surge is home cooking. As more and more consumers are preparing meals at home, they’re also discovering the quality and convenience frozen food provides.

But an increase in traffic also makes keeping freezer shelves stocked a big challenge for grocers. However, there are simple solutions that can create the appearance of more organized, well-stocked shelves without heavy lifting from staff.

Let’s start here. Traditional shelves in freezer cases are utilitarian at best. They do their job but provide little to no actual help in organizing products. Take the frozen produce section for example. Floppy bags of all shapes and sizes lack the structure to stand up on their own. So, stockers are left to stack these bags on top of one another on the wire shelves.

In this shelf configuration and as customers browse the aisle trying to check off their grocery list, they can’t easily distinguish between the frozen peas and the frozen corn. Shoppers may rifle through the different stacks only to pick up, set down and misplace items in the process. This is one of the leading causes of false-out-of-stock issues, as well as preventable and costly shrinkage.

One of the most cost-effective and simple solutions for combatting false-out-of-stocks is investing in organization for freezer shelves. Retail Space Solutions offers pusher systems that work seamlessly with any freezer case. These expandable and durable trays provide much needed organization for bagged frozen produce, frozen meals, and other popular items, which allows packages to stand up and be easily stocked, seen and selected. SpaceGrid® HiGlide™ pusher trays even support larger, heavier bagged items to effortlessly stand up in the freezer case.

Pusher systems also make it easy for the customer to place unwanted items back in the appropriate spot, avoiding the probability of false-out-of-stocks and eventual shrinkage. Keep your peas in their place and your customers and bottom line happy.

Learn more about the full line of pusher display systems available from Retail Space Solutions by calling 800-279-5291 or by visiting retailspacesolutions.com.