Cracking the Assortment Conundrum [INFOGRAPHIC]

There’s no doubt that the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) landscape has grown evermore complicated. For example, fast-paced lifestyles are inspiring shoppers to make fewer trips than they did in the past. According to Nielsen Homescan data, there have been 1.02 fewer trips per shopper on an annual basis than a year ago, and that means retailers and manufacturers have fewer chances to capture consumers’ attention as they stroll the aisles.

In turn, we saw FMCG players boost the on-shelf inventory of categories like dairy, frozen foods, grocery, household care and personal care between 2013 and 2017 in hopes of standing out in the store—a move that failed to increase sales to the degree they likely expected.

But the reality is that while trips per consumer are down, the latest Nielsen Category Shopping Fundamentals study found that 60% of consumers’ FMCG decisions are still made in store.

So how can you capitalize on these key pockets of opportunity? The infographic below lays out four foundational tips that retailers and manufacturers can use to fine-tune assortment strategies and better optimize space on the shelf.