With the curtains closing on the summer season, people are quickly shifting gears as we move into the season of education. While it may not look the same for everyone – some students are in school buildings, some are online, and some are participating in a mixture of both – one thing stands true above the rest…packed lunches are BACK!
The back-to-school grocery list will surely have classic favorites like deli meats, granola bars, juices, and even special “treats” like pudding cups. With today’s emphasis on healthier school lunches, making sure students have their daily intake of things like calcium, essential vitamins, fiber and potassium is a top priority.
Packing a healthy lunch starts with vegetables. Fresh vegetables like mushrooms, cucumbers, peppers and carrots all make for excellent lunch items. Add them in slices or blanket a hearty lunch sandwich – either way, they’re a great addition. While pre-packed fresh vegetables are convenient for shoppers, stocking the typically shrink-wrapped packages can be difficult for grocers concerned with damaging the plastic wrapping. To avoid potential package tears and maximize product visibility, many retailers are turning to Retail Space Solutions and their newest pusher tray system, SpaceGrid® OpenView, as a solution in the produce section.
With SpaceGrid OpenView, Retail Space Solutions has created a product that displays an organized vegetable selection that’s easy to navigate, which is just what store staff and shoppers are looking for. SpaceGrid OpenView is the industry’s first lens-free pusher tray system, allowing shoppers to see what looks like free-standing products, which makes for a clean and highly visible display. OpenView replaces the clear plastic front lens typical of a pusher system with patent-pending flexible rubber gates, which when paired with easily adjusted side walls, holds products securely in place at the front of the shelf. A built-in baffle directs cold air through the products and increases product shelf life.
Another emerging staple of the packed lunch are snacks loaded with protein. A blend of nuts, seeds, dried fruits and the occasional chocolate for sweet-tooth satisfaction, is a perfect lunch filler that provides students a snack without the junk-food label. These snacks are now near the top of the back-to-school grocery list. That means keeping these areas well-stocked with equal organization requires a shelving operation that keeps it all in line. Enter SpaceGrid® II on Magna-Bar™, which adds the function and benefits of a pusher display to virtually any peg wall and creates an organized environment that helps keep consumers shopping at a pace they’re looking for.
The SpaceGrid II on Magna-Bar is adaptable, easily maintained and maximizes wall space, all while keeping products front facing and ready for picking. SpaceGrid II on Magna-Bar replaces peg displays with secure pusher trays that mount directly to existing peg walls. With the push trays in place, the displays virtual condition themselves. False out-of-stocks and the package damage related to pegs are eliminated. Stocking and restocking of products are more efficient, and the time it takes to rotate products is decreased. Trays are easily adjustable to accommodate several different package size dimensions.
Whether lunches are being eaten in a cafeteria or at the kitchen table, ensuring children are consuming the right vitamins and nutrients is essential. With clean and organized product displays, those making the lunches can shop efficiently, effectively and on their own time. And that’s important, because who knows, the grocery store might be the closest thing to a recess some adults will get today