Merchandising Trends Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

JANUARY 2011 03 Executive Summary 04 Introduction 05 Merchandising Activity 13 Merchandising Effectiveness 15 Merchandising Tactics 17 Trends to Watch 19 Conclusions 21 Resources

1 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Creative Merchandising Critical to CPG and Retail Success in 2011

The new year creates an opportunity to review product and retail strategies with a view toward continuous improvement. Nowhere is this more relevant or important than in merchandising strategies.

While experts are still writing their post mortems on the 2010 holiday season, it is clear that consumer spending exhibited a strength not seen since 2006. What remains to be determined, however, is whether the holidays represented a one time splurge from shoppers with “frugal fatigue” or a genuine uptick in attitudes and behaviors that will carry over into the new year. It is also unclear whether gift purchasing activity will translate into increased sales of traditional consumer packaged goods, such as grocery, health or beauty aid items.

SymphonyIRI anticipates shoppers will remain conservative in their purchasing habits, but evolve their definition of “value” slowly away from the almost singular focus on price that has shaped behavior for the past three years. The new focus will be one that integrates other factors, such as ingredients to support increased health & wellness, packaging and convenience.

The challenges for those leading merchandising efforts are multifold. They must determine which shopper segments are motivated by which types of merchandising activities, typically a combination of price, feature and display activities. Within each segment, they must gauge which products generate the greatest sales volume lift from each type of support. They must evaluate which merchandising strategies achieve the greatest benefit within their category and/or channel. And, they must understand the interplay between merchandising strategies for national brands and private label brands.

Critical to the future success of CPG and retail companies alike will be weaning shoppers off price-related merchandising. In 2009, price-only merchandising activity increased across 79 percent of CPG categories, a figure that has moderated to the still-too-high 53 percent in 2010. Going forward, managers must rely on innovative merchandising strategies focused on a mix of feature, display and price to gain the optimum balance between attracting shoppers to the product and earning the margins necessary to sustain and grow the brand.

An important component of addressing merchandising, pricing and other CPG and retail challenges will be to attend SymphonyIRI Group’s 2011 Summit Conference, with the theme of “Gaining the Competitive Edge.” Among the keynote speakers in place are Gary Hamel, author of “Leading the Revolution” and “Competing for the Future,” Mark Zandi, chief economist, Moody’s Analytics; and Salman Amin, executive vice president, Global Sales and Marketing, PepsiCo. The conference will take place at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, March 28-30, 2011. Early bird registration is now available and offers attendees $300 off the regular price, an excellent example of well-crafted merchandising!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Robert I. Tomei President, Consumer & Shopper Insights

2 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Executive Summary: Turning Insights Into Action

Insight Action

 After accelerating sharply in 2009, merchandising  Consistently balance promotional efforts with activity growth slowed in the past year; still, everyday value-oriented programs that are merchandising support is escalating across a consistently aligned with partner goals/objectives majority of CPG categories and tactics as well as the needs of key target consumers

 In stark contrast to pre-recession trends, grocers  Leverage technological advances that allow for have stepped up display activity during the past micro-level shopper marketing and enable year marketers to reach key consumer segments with a “less is more” approach

 The ranks of the categories seeing the biggest  Carefully evaluate price elasticity of demand jump in merchandising activity are well- across key categories and brands, and leverage represented by products related to home-based this knowledge to create highly targeted eating rituals; price-only actions are becoming everyday and promotional strategies that reflect more prevalent across many of these categories consumers’ evolving definition of value and affordability

 Volume lift from merchandising support has  Maximize impact of merchandising efforts with declined across more than half of CPG categories; strategies tightly targeted against key shopper this decline is fairly consistent across CPG and high-priority segments at the market and channels store level

 Private label receives lower-than-average  Retailers should enhance the relevance and merchandising support across a majority of CPG, positioning of merchandising programs across and support declined across nearly half of private key private label categories and brands with label categories during the past year solutions-based programs and/or co-branded and multi-tier programs targeted against key shopper segments

3 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Introduction

Early in the recession, as CPG prices CPG marketers are playing a very With conservative purchase behaviors escalated and consumers adopted important role in consumers’ lives today. expected to persist and inflation predicted increasingly aggressive strategies for From eating and drinking to health and to escalate in 2011, the time for CPG finding the best value for their CPG dollar, home care, packaged goods products marketers to understand what is driving CPG retailers and manufacturers honed allow consumers to save money and time and inhibiting lift among key consumer and their value image with stepped-up on a wide range of daily essentials. target groups is now. promotional and merchandising activity. Today’s consumers are looking for all of This issue of Times & Trends explores It was a fairly marked shift from previous these things and more. More means current and emerging merchandising years, when clean-floor policies, all part of value. trends that CPG marketers have embraced the quest to create an enhanced shopping during the past few years in an effort to experience for consumers, were To provide value, marketers are relying on satisfy consumers’ rapidly changing eradicating display space and intensifying merchandising. In the past year, definition of value. merchandising competition. merchandising support has increased across a majority of CPG categories, and In the coming years, these strategies must Today, that enhanced shopping experience increases cut across CPG channels. But, become highly segmented tools that are is very much a different phenomenon. average lift achieved from these efforts has measured and monitored from a variety of Providing an enhanced shopping slipped across more than 50% of viewpoints to enable real-time adjustments experience is all about delivering against categories, and overall CPG unit sales that are reflective of the changing needs consumers’ complex and evolving increased less than 1% for the year. and wants of key consumer and target definition of value. As difficult as this task segments. is, achieving this goal translates to substantial growth opportunity for CPG marketers.

4 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Merchandising Activity: Total CPG

2007 Increasing Declining 2008 50% 54%57% 2009 51% 39% 2010 46% 53% 56% 38% 62% 59% 59% 68% 33% 79% 78% 30%

13% 12% 54% 11%10% 47% 44% 38% 41% 41% 32% 0% 0% 0% 0% 21% 22%

0-29.9% 30-49.9% 50-69.9% 70%+ 2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010

% Volume, Any Merchandising FDMx Grocery Drug

Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010 and Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010 versus same period prior year, and calendar year 2007-2008 same period prior year and calendar year 2008-2009 versus prior year

% of CPG Categories % of CPG Categories by Merchandising Activity Level, 2007-2010 with Increasing/Declining Merchandising Activity

Across grocery, drug and mass channels accelerated sharply. During this channel. Still, 56% of CPG categories are merchandise channels, about 43% of CPG difficult economic time, nearly 80% of CPG seeing merchandising support climb within volume is sold with merchandising support categories experienced stepped up the grocery channel. (defined as displays, feature ads, feature merchandising support. and display combined and price reduction On average, 70% of CPG categories sell only). Increases were evidenced across CPG more than 30% of their volume with channels, but were particularly strong in merchandising support. This is a sharp In today’s marketplace, which is heavily grocery. At that time, grocers were fighting increase, nearly 10 points, over a four year marked by caution and frugality, it is no to stem multi-year share losses and to time period. The shift serves to surprise that merchandising activity has fortify their image vis-à-vis value versus underscore the intensity that exists within increased during the past several years. competing channels, particularly the CPG market today--the intensity with During this time, merchandising has, in supercenters. which consumers are courting value, and fact, been a critical component of CPG the intensity with which CPG marketers are marketer efforts to attract and retain During the past year, as the escalation of competing for valuable share of wallet and market share and stimulate purchase merchandising support moderated, grocery associated market share. behavior. channel shifts were more significant versus industry average and versus the drug In 2009, merchandising support across grocery, drug and mass merchandise

5 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Merchandising Activity: Grocery Channel

2.7% 2.4% 2.2% 1.3% 1.6% 1.5% 0.9% 1.2% 1.2% 0.7% 0.5% 0.7% 0.4% 0.1%

-0.4% -0.8% -0.7% -0.7% -1.2% -1.9%

Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Quad Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10Wk 11Wk 12 Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10Wk 11Wk 12 2009 2010

Source: SymphonyIRI In-Store Solutions Group Perimeter View YTD Through 11/28/2010

Average Number of Grocery Channel Displays per Store per Week % Change versus Prior Year by Quad Week

Grocery display trends have been erratic Point Note: SymphonyIRI In-Store Solutions Group Change vs but generally positive during much of 2010, Perimeter View measures UPCs displayed in the following eight areas: Prior Year and, for the most part, growth has been • Lobby Salty Snacks 12.2 (0.1) stronger versus year ago trends. • Front End Cap • Back End Cap +0.1 Crackers 9.2 • All Other End Cap This growth underscores ongoing efforts by Cookies 8.9 +0.2 • Perimeter grocers to enhance their value image and • In Aisle Carb. Beverages 8.1 (0.1) protect and grow share across key grocery • Seasonal/Promotional Aisle • Shipper Wine 7.7 +0.1 categories. Illustrated in SymphonyIRI’s Non-Choc. August 2010 issue of Times & Trends, In the foreseeable future, consumers will 7.3 0.0 Candy grocers were able to stem multi-year share hold tight to their conservative attitudes Choc. Candy 6.4 +0.1 losses in 2009, and continued to protect and behaviors and cross channel Bread & Rolls 6.1 0.0 that share in 2010, though the channel did competition will remain intense. Snack not build additional share during that time. 5.9 Nuts/Seeds +0.1 Still, consumers’ appetite for a simple and SS Bot. Juices 5.5 (0.1) Rather, cross channel competition for “clean” shopping experience is strong. Source: SymphonyIRI In-Store Solutions Group share of consumer spending has heated Perimeter View YTD Through 11/28/2010 Discussed later in this report, technology up and efforts to elevate the value profile has made smart and effective Average Number of Displays are building momentum across CPG merchandising strategies not only possible, Per Store per Week: Grocery Channel channels. but easier than ever.

6 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Merchandising Activity: Total CPG

2009 frozen/refrigerated poultry climbed 1.9 points, and shelf-stable seafood and 2010 pasta each rose 1.8 points during the same 79% 78% 70% 69% period. 64% 62% 56% 49% 52% 53% Each of the other merchandising tactics analyzed in this report experienced a sharp de-escalation in merchandising support growth trends in 2009. Still, on average, growth is occurring across a majority of Feature & Display Feature Price Only Any Display Merchandising CPG categories.

Undoubtedly, continued focus on Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010 and same period prior year merchandising support is the result of CPG % of Categories with Increased Merchandising Activity marketers’ quest to answer consumers’ By Merchandising Tactic unwavering search for value and Food, Drug & Mass Channels (Excluding Walmart) affordability. Though the recession has officially ended, consumers are holding Despite a deceleration in merchandising feature-only support. For instance, 37% of firm to their conservative ways. Discussed activity, nearly two-thirds of CPG vitamin volume is sold in this manner, as is in SymphonyIRI’s August 2010 issue of categories saw increased merchandising about one-third of hair coloring and eye Times & Trends, nearly half of consumers support in the past year. To be detailed and facial cosmetics. chose their most recent grocery retailer later in this report, categories related to because that retailer offered low prices on home-based food rituals are well- A number of categories related to home- desired items. represented among the ranks of the most based eating rituals also achieve a sizable heavily merchandised categories. share of volume with feature-only support. With many consumers still struggling to About one-quarter of ice cream/sherbet make ends meet and inflation expected to After escalating more slowly in 2009 and refrigerated salad/coleslaw volume, for increase in 2011, the drive for value and versus other merchandising tactics instance, are attributed to feature-only affordability will remain strong in the analyzed in this report, growth in feature- actions. coming year. This trend will leave CPG only support led the way in 2010, climbing marketers in the throws of a struggle to among two-thirds of CPG categories. Feature-only support is clearly on the rise protect and grow share without in each of these CPG departments. undermining margin and profitability goals. Health and beauty care products are Vitamins volume sold with feature-only prevalent among the ranks of products support increased by 3.4 points in 2010. receiving the most volume with Blades increased by 3.0 points,

7 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Merchandising Activity: Most Active Categories

The ranks of the most heavily Point Change merchandised CPG categories are well- vs Prior Year represented by discretionary categories. Carbonated Beverages 74% 0.7

At the top of the list is carbonated Chocolate Candy 64% (0.7) beverages. The carbonated soft drinks Salty Snacks 63% 2.2 market, long a highly competitive sector of the CPG industry, achieves about three- Sports Drinks 62% 1.6 quarters of its volume with merchandising Batteries 61% 3.1 support. A majority of this support, 27%, Bottled Water (0.1) takes the form of combined feature and 60%

display activity, though price-only actions Crackers 60% 0.9 grew faster than other tactics during the Ice Cream/Sherbet 57% (0.6) past year. Frozen Pizza 57% 2.6 The batteries category experienced a Mexican Foods 57% 0.9 sizable jump in merchandising support Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010; Among top 100 categories during 2010, achieving nearly two-thirds of volume with support during the past year. Top 10 Categories by Merchandising Activity Level Merchandising was stepped up across Food, Drug & Mass Channels (Excluding Walmart) each of the tactics analyzed in this report, % Volume, Any Merchandising with the greatest increase coming in price- only actions. These actions, combined pizza. This shift in consumer behavior, Snack marketers are leveraging with a strong and growing presence of and retailer efforts to elevate their image of merchandising as a means of attracting private label, contributed to an average low-cost providers of key CPG solutions those consumers who may otherwise not price per volume slide of more than 7% for makes use of feature-based merchandising visit the snack aisle due to efforts to the category during this time period. activity to support the category quite eliminate non-essential spending. As seen logical. During the past year, volume lift in the frozen pizza category, retailers are The frozen pizza category also from feature only and feature with display leveraging this tactic to highlight the value experienced a significant jump in support has been commendable, at 164% and affordability that they offer in the merchandising support during the past and 385%, respectively. category. Also as seen in the frozen pizza year. The increase was due to stepped up category, volume lift from feature with use of frozen pizza as a feature, both alone The salty snacks category also display support in salty snacks has been and with display support. experienced a sizable jump in substantial, at 274%. merchandising support during the past The frozen pizza category has year, mostly from stepped-up focus on demonstrated strong growth during the feature with display support. past few years, as consumers have been seeking lower-cost alternatives to dine-out

8 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Merchandising Activity: Category Trends

Shelf Stable Seafood 5.4 Milk -13.9

Dog Food 4.5 Butter -9.2

Vitamins 4.1 Fz Breakfast Food -4.6

Eye Cosmetics 3.6 Breakfast Meats -4.5

Rfg Bread Dough/Biscuits 3.3 Natural Cheese -3.3

Vegetables 3.2 Rfg Fresh Eggs -2.8

Cat Food 3.2 Sugar -2.8

Batteries 3.1 Processed Cheese -2.6

Pasta 3.1 Ref Salad/Coleslaw -2.3

Tomato Products 3.0 Rtd Tea/Coffee -2.1

Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010 versus same period prior year

CPG Categories with the Largest Increases/Decreases in Merchandising Activity Level Food, Drug & Mass Channels (Excluding Walmart) % Volume, Any Merchandising: Point Change vs Prior Year

A majority of CPG categories experienced little increase in feature with display Those categories that saw merchandising stepped-up merchandising support during support. Meanwhile, volume sold with support decline, in general, saw only small the past year. Across a range of CPG price-only and feature-only tactics slides. On average across grocery, drug categories these increases were rather increased 1.8 and 1.7 points, respectively. and mass merchandise channels, substantial. Many of those categories This shift is certainly logical, as it is quite merchandising activity slipped only slightly experiencing the highest jump in difficult to efficiently display categories during this time period, down 0.4 points merchandising support are key requiring refrigeration or freezer-based versus the same period in 2009. Certainly, battlegrounds in the quest for share of merchandising. some exceptions experienced larger cuts. consumer spending. The vitamins category also experienced Nearly all of the categories experiencing an For instance, several meal ingredient and slight declines in volume sold with easing of merchandising support saw cuts meal component categories have been display-only support. Discussed earlier in in price-only actions. Five of these more heavily merchandised in recent this report, vitamins experienced a sizable categories are dairy categories which had months. Increases are occurring across jump in volume sold with combined feature been slashing prices earlier in the tactics with few exceptions. and display merchandising support as recession in attempt to drive demand. This retailers look to attract shoppers to their price-cutting trend may have ended during The refrigerated bread dough/biscuits stores with powerful money-saving offers the past year. category, for instance, experienced a small on this strong-performing healthcare decline in display-only actions, and very category.

9 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Merchandising Activity: Category Trends- Health & Beauty

Healthcare Beauty/Personal Care

62% 57% Vitamins Diapers 47% 29%

34% 50% Cold/Allergy/Sinus Tablets Soap 27% 40%

32% 46% Internal Analgesics Toothpaste 22% 50%

26% 40% Gastrointestinal Tablets Sanitary Napkins/Tampons 21% 31%

24% 36% First Aid Accessories Skin Care 22% 23% Drug Food

Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010. Top five categories in each department, ranked by dollar sales, FDMx

% Volume, Any Merchandising Among Leading Health & Beauty Care Categories Drug vs Grocery Channel

Drug channel share of healthcare and Across a majority of the top five categories The five largest healthcare categories beauty care products is sizable, at 60% in each of these departments, receive average to above-average and 42%, respectively. For years, though, merchandising support is above average merchandising support in the grocery these departments have been at the heart and on the rise. Internal analgesics is a channel. Vitamins and first aid accessories of a share battle between drug and grocery notable exception; support in this category each saw merchandising support grow in channel retailers. In this environment of slid across each of the tactics detailed in the past year despite an average decline in frugality and self-reliance, where this report. the department. consumers are playing an increased role in satisfying their health and beauty care Merchandising support for health and Within the beauty department, toothpaste needs in the home rather than in a beauty care products within the grocery and soap are merchandised much more professional’s office, the battle for share of channel is also fairly strong. In the heavily versus the department as a whole. these categories remains fierce. channel, 22% of healthcare volume and And, while skin care merchandising 29% of beauty care volume is sold with support is currently slightly below average, As a result, merchandising support across merchandising support. Within the this past year saw percent of skin care health and beauty care products is fairly channel, on average, though, volume sold with merchandising support high. In drug stores, an average 31% of merchandising trends have been largely increase almost two points, driven by healthcare volume and 39% of beauty care flat in the past year. increases in feature-only, display-only and volume is sold with merchandising support. price-only actions.

10 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Merchandising Activity: Category Trends- Meal Ingredients and Components

Price Only 65% Any Merchandising 60% 60%

44% 41%

30%

Center Store Frozen Foods Fresh/Perishable

Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010

% of Categories with Increased Merchandising Activity Among Fresh/Perishable, Frozen Foods and Center Store Categories Grocery Channel

With consumers fully-entrenched in home- An increase in the prevalence of feature- Detailed in SymphonyIRI’s November 2010 based eating rituals and conservative only tactics is visible in key frozen and issue of Times & Trends, the allure of purchase behaviors, CPG marketers are fresh/perishable departments. Discussed price-related merchandising actions is well-aware of the importance of protecting earlier in this report, this logical trend quite strong in today’s competitive CPG and growing share across food and results from retailer efforts to build and environment. And, as upward pressure on beverage categories. As a result, fortify their image as a low-cost provider of commodity and list prices intensifies, merchandising in support of these everyday food and beverage solutions. driving retail prices northward, this categories is on the rise. Key meal ingredient and meal component temptation will increase. categories, including refrigerated bread In the center of the store, merchandising dough/biscuits, frozen seafood and frozen CPG marketers beware: the industry must increased across 65% of categories in the pizza are illustrative of this trend. break out of the vicious cycle of excessive past year. Food and beverage categories, promotional activity. Pricing strategies including shelf-stable seafood, pasta and Price-only actions also continue to gain must be rewired. Those marketers who canned/bottled vegetables, are prevalent steam across key food and beverage carefully develop and monitor their pricing among those center store categories departments, In frozen foods and strategies to ensure a solid balance seeing the largest boost in volume sold fresh/perishable, for instance, price-only between offering value and protecting with merchandising support, at +5.3 points, actions increased across 44% and 30% of margin will be best positioned for growth in +3.1 points and +3.0 points, respectively. categories, respectively. the coming months and years. Increases occurred across tactics.

11 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Merchandising Activity: Category Trends- Private Label

2009 68% 69% 2010 61% 60% 61% 61% 57% 58% 57% 53%

Feature & Display Feature Price Only Any Display

*Note: Based on % volume, any merchandising for total category versus private label Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010 and same period prior year

% of Categories w/ Private Label Merchandising Activity Below Average* By Merchandising Tactic Food, Drug & Mass Channels (Excluding Walmart)

It is a time of significant opportunity for categories. And, in 46% of categories, retailers offering private label CPG merchandising activity has declined during solutions. Detailed in extensive private the past year. 46% label research published by SymphonyIRI 38% throughout 2010, these products have Many shoppers have become more open played an important role in helping to trying and buying private label products consumers to save money in difficult during the course of the economic economic conditions while simultaneously downturn. CPG marketers must work to bolstering performance for private label address this opportunity. marketers by alleviating downward Private Label Total Category pressure on margin. For private label marketers, merchandising these products aggressively and accurately It is a time when retailers and private label will help to raise the bar on private label to manufacturers should be prominently the next level. For national brand Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010. showcasing their products across marketers, increased prevalence and % CPG Categories promotional platforms. Quite the contrary precision of merchandising efforts with Reduced Merchandising holds true, though. In general, private increases the likelihood that they will Activity label receives lower-than-average support protect and grow share of their key across nearly two-thirds of CPG products and brands.

12 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Merchandising Effectiveness: Total CPG

2009 2009 2010 2010

41% 40% 58% 56% 57% 55% 56% 34% 35% 52%

20% 20%

4% 5%

0-49.9% 50-99.9% 100-149.9% 150+% FDMx Grocery Drug

Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010 and Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010 and same period prior year same period prior year

% of CPG Categories % of CPG Categories by Average Merchandising Lift, 2009 & 2010 with Reduced Merchandising Lift, 2009 & 2010

Despite consumers’ intent focus on saving markedly within grocery versus competing to buy. In fact, these strategies oft times money and related “sale shopping” fervor, channels, and the change was not in a appeal to only a very finite segment of the average merchandising lift changed very positive direction. market. little during the past year. In 2010, categories receiving merchandising At the total CPG level and across grocery, Still, this time of change, when some support experienced average lift of 88% in drug and mass merchandise channels, consumers are sticking with frugal 2010, only a slight increase versus the average depth of discount has remained shopping behaviors and others are 85% lift achieved the prior year. largely unchanged during the past year. reverting to more free-spending ways, is a Still, the degree to which merchandising time of opportunity for CPG marketers. Certainly, some categories are known to activity is motivating consumers to buy has achieve much higher lift than others, often decreased slightly during this timeframe. Detailed in SymphonyIRI’s recent Point of due to the nature of the product, ease of View, titled “Blunt Force Trauma: When storage, and/or frequency of use. Some of CPG marketers must work to understand Average Execution is Just That,” now is the these categories will be explored later in this trend. What is working well? What is time to invest in aggressive, carefully this report. not working well? What categories/brands planned shopper-centric segmentation are performing well? What strategies. As consumers continue to re- The largest shift in average merchandising categories/brands are under-performing? evaluate their attitudes and associated lift occurred in the grocery channel. Within shopping behaviors, the deployment of grocery, average lift from merchandising In any given channel, market or category, such strategies has the potential to build support slipped in 55% of CPG categories. the answers are likely to be unique, simply shopper loyalty and create long-term While this is on par with performance because market dynamics are so varied. revenue and share lift. within other CPG channels, the trend One-size-fits-all strategies are no longer an versus 2009 performance changed more effective means of motivating consumers

13 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Merchandising Effectiveness: Leading Categories

% Volume w/ Any Change in % Inc in % Volume Increase w/ Any Merch. Support Merch. Volume w/ Merch

Paper Towels 220% 53.2% +9.2

Toilet Tissue 210% 52.0% +6.6

Shelf Stable Seafood 190% 44.7% +23.4

Breakfast Meats 182% 52.2% (11.6)

Frankfurters 174% 53.3% +4.0

Cold Cereal 164% 50.3% +0.5

Baking Mixes 160% 49.2% (6.0)

Shortening & Oil 156% 47.9% +20.3

Coffee 152% 49.7% +4.1

Chocolate Candy 152% 64.1% (14.6)

Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010 versus same period prior year

Top 10 CPG Categories by Merchandising Lift Food, Drug & Mass (Excluding Walmart) 2010

Mentioned earlier in this report, select merchandising support are categories tied are reducing and/or eliminating categories tend to achieve particularly closely to consumers’ home-based eating discretionary purchases. Price-related strong lift with merchandising support. Not rituals. But, even in some of these key actions, on the other hand, have served to surprisingly, these categories tend to categories, merchandising lift has fallen level the playing field and make indulgence capture a large percentage of their annual during the past year, a critical issue which just a bit more “justifiable.” volume sales with merchandising support. was addressed earlier in this report. Shortening & oil, on the other hand, has Last year’s ranks of categories achieving For instance, lift within the chocolate candy seen a substantial boost in the impact of the highest volume lift from merchandising category fell nearly 15 points in 2010. In merchandising support. In 2010, this support illustrates the fact that lift tends to the category, lift fell across all measured category sold just under half of its volume be heavily influenced by nature of the tactics, except price-only. This category with merchandising support and achieved product, storability and/or frequency of has experienced price increases during the lift of more than 150% from merchandising product use. past few years, which certainly has not efforts. While lift increased across tactics, helped to stimulate increased demand feature with display support and price-only In 2010, many of those categories during a time when consumers actions brought the strongest results. achieving the highest lift from

14 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Merchandising Tactics: Prevalence & Effectiveness

% of Categories with at Least 10% of % of Categories Achieving at Volume with Tactic Least 100% Lift with Tactic

Price Only 85% Price Only 1%

Feature 39% Feature 47%

Display 35% Display 28%

Feature & Display 7% Feature & Display 85%

Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010

Merchandising Activity & Lift by Tactic Food, Drug & Mass Channels (Excluding Walmart) 2010

In 2010, 85% of CPG categories saw lift of shopping during the past several years. in-tune with the effects of pricing strategy more than 100% with display actions They are planning ahead, and circulars are on consumer attitude and behavior. backed by feature support, and 47% of helping them to make more informed categories achieved these results with decisions about what to buy and where to CPG marketers must take the time to feature-only support. Still, use of these buy it. understand the price elasticity of demand tactics remains fairly low. Only 7% and across key categories/brands and use that 39% of categories, respectively, achieved In contrast, 85% of CPG categories knowledge not only in the development of greater than 10% of volume sales with the achieved at least 10% of their volume with promotional strategies, but also when support of feature-based merchandising. price-only merchandising support despite creating their everyday pricing strategies. the fact that lift from such actions is And, they must do so at a very micro-level. Feature support, with or without display relatively low. Just 1% of categories saw A consumer-centric approach to pricing, actions, has clearly demonstrated a more lift of more than 100% from price-only whether everyday or promotional, is much favorable consumer response versus other efforts in the past year. more likely versus broadly-targeted tactics merchandising tactics during the past year. to deliver an effective value proposition Addressed frequently in SymphonyIRI With price sensitivity quite high and poised that will entice shoppers to buy and still reports, consumers have adopted a much to remain that way for the foreseeable deliver against corporate and partner more deliberate approach to grocery future, CPG marketers must be very goals.

15 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Merchandising Tactics: Top Categories- Effectiveness

Feature & Display Feature Only Display Only Price Only

SS Seafood 1,204% SS Seafood 341% SS Seafood 235% Breakfast Meats 105%

Paper Towels 680% Shortening & Oil 268% Toilet Tissue 206% Frankfurters 102%

Toilet Tissue 678% Baking Mixes 257% Chocolate Candy 182% Chocolate Candy 95%

Shortening & Oil 675% Paper Towels 242% Can./Bot. Fruit 181% Fz/Rfg Poultry 94%

Cold Cereal 674% Breakfast Meats 238% Cold Cereal 174% Fz Seafood 83%

Source: SymphonyIRI InfoScan Reviews™; 52 weeks ending 10/31/2010; Among top 100 CPG categories

Categories Achieving the Highest Lift by Merchandising Tactic

Despite difficult economic conditions and Stock-up categories, such as paper towels In the coming months, consumers are associated conservative consumer and toilet tissues, also respond well to expected to remain fully entrenched in attitudes and behaviors, response to merchandising support. In fact, across conservative behaviors. Self-reliant and promotional support remains strong. Many three of the tactics studied for this report, home-based rituals, from health and consumers, in fact, are stocking up on key lift in each of these categories is greater beauty care to eating in and pet care, will CPG needs during promotional periods in than 150%. Lift is lower, yet still quite remain prevalent. As such, categories order to save money over time. respectable, when price-only actions are catering to these trends will continue to taken. When temporary price cuts are play a key role in CPG marketers’ growth Discussed earlier in this report, the ranks made with no additional support, paper strategies. Those marketers who deliver of those categories responding most towels and toilet tissue see volume their strategies with a micro-level focus and favorably to merchandising support are increase 72% and 74%, respectively. the utmost precision will be well-positioned illustrative of consumers’ at-home and to protect and grow share across key from-home food rituals. consumer and target markets.

16 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Trends to Watch

Several trends will continue to heavily influence the future of in-store marketing, Printed Coupons from the Internet 58% but two trends will play a formative role in On-Pack Promotions: On-Line & Text 47% the future of this field. Paperless Coupon Sent to Loyalty Card 36%

Shopper Marketing iPhone Apps 35% Printable Shopping List from Website 33% SymphonyIRI’s May 2010 issue of Times & Kiosks 30% Trends is wholly dedicated to the topic of shopper marketing. A complex topic, Mobile Coupons 30% shopper marketing is centered on the Scannable QR Codes 21% notion that tomorrow’s most effective Touch-Screen Digital Signs 18% marketing programs will begin with a 360° view of the shopper. And, that shopper GPS-Based Location Services 14% perspective will be at the individual level, Source: In-Store Marketing Institute, Shopper Marketing Trends Report 2011 rather than aggregate level. Prevalent “Digital Shopper-Marketing” Tactics as % Responding Companies Employing the Tactic To make this happen, the CPG industry

must shift its quest for marketing prowess Technology recent study by the In-Store Marketing into high gear. The information necessary Institute reveals that 58% of companies to understand shoppers at this intimate Technology will be a major influencer of are using the Internet to provide printable level already exists. Going forward, the shopper marketing in the coming months coupons, while about one-third are challenge is to harness that information, and years. It will impact the shopper in the embracing paperless coupons that can be cultivate it into knowledge, and use that home, in the store, and everywhere in sent to loyalty cards and/or mobile knowledge to develop and execute between. coupons. programs that drive not only purchase

behavior, but also true shopper loyalty. Technology is also informing CPG Certainly, coupons are just the tip of the marketers. From mobile apps to social iceberg. Technology already runs broad "Shopper marketing has been around networks, CPG marketers are learning and deep in the world of CPG marketing. for a long time with other names. more about what consumers want and Going forward, technology will advance, What's changing are the technology what will influence shoppers to buy. adoption will grow, and the world of CPG platforms that allow people to marketing will continue to evolve. communicate with each other and Adoption is occurring rapidly and across a marketers to communicate with their wide range of technology platforms. A consumers and shoppers.”

Robert Tomei President, Consumer & Shopper Marketing SymphonyIRI Group

17 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Conclusions: CPG Manufacturers

Manufacturers seeking to maximize opportunity within the new, emerging retail environment should consider the following action items:

 Identify new growth opportunities and threats

- Understand price elasticity of demand across key categories/brands and leverage that knowledge to develop and refine everyday and promotional pricing strategies

- Evaluate merchandising activity and lift across your brands versus total category and competitors across key retail partners to identify gaps

- Carefully monitor changing consumer dynamics to identify opportunities to build trial and/or repeat purchase through cross-merchandising of relevant parallel categories/brands

- Collaborate with key retailer partners to identify and test new marketing vehicles/tactics within the store environment, and across traditional and new media

 Work with key accounts to develop strategies that address market and store level shopping patterns and needs

- Continually re-evaluate pricing and merchandising initiatives to ensure alignment with partner goals/objectives as well as needs of key target consumers

- Focus on highly targeted, solutions-based merchandising programs that deliver against the needs and wants of key shopper segments at the market and/or store level

 Continually measure and monitor pricing and merchandising executions and impact

- Monitor store-level merchandising performance and retail execution among key retail partners and adjust mid-path, as warranted

- Carefully test all pricing and merchandising initiatives at a micro level prior to roll out and then closely monitor impact of roll out

18 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Conclusions: CPG Retailers

Retailers seeking to maximize opportunity within the new, emerging retail environment should consider the following action items:

 Identify new growth opportunities and threats

- Understand price elasticity of demand across key categories and leverage that knowledge to develop and refine everyday and promotional pricing strategies

- Continually evaluate response to merchandising initiatives vis-à-vis store sales, share of sales and consumer satisfaction, particularly across high-response categories

- Carefully monitor changing consumer dynamics to identify opportunities to build share and loyalty by cross-merchandising of relevant parallel categories/products

- Test new in-store marketing vehicles/tactics and assess consumer response versus traditional techniques

 Work with key manufacturer partners to develop strategies that address market and store level shopping patterns and needs

- Build cross-merchandising/cross-promotional programs that make parallel products easier to locate/access

- Focus on highly targeted, solutions-based merchandising programs that deliver against the needs and wants of key shopper segments at the market and/or store level

 Continually measure and monitor pricing and merchandising executions and impact

- Monitor merchandising programs at the store level for planned versus actual performance and adjust mid-path, as warranted

- Carefully test all pricing and merchandising initiatives at a micro level prior to roll out and then closely monitor impact of roll out

19 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

Resources

To gain insight into opportunities that exist to leverage unique and actionable content about consumers and shoppers, and analytical solutions and platforms that drive more effective and efficient shopper marketing, contact your SymphonyIRI client service representative regarding custom analyses leveraging the following resources:

SymphonyIRI Shopper Marketing SymphonyIRI’s Shopper Marketing Suite is a holistic Suite™ solution that combines advanced, proprietary, and proven modeling techniques with practical business application that allows you to define and implement your shopper strategies.

SymphonyIRI Loyalty SymphonyIRI’s Loyalty Advantage™ is the best solution for Advantage™ shopper marketing programs with comprehensive decision- specific insights based on basket and customer-level detail and incorporating the industry-leading segmentations of SymphonyIRI’s Shopper Marketing Suite™.

SymphonyIRI Shopper Insights Shopper Insights Advantage™ Powered by SymphonyIRI Advantage™ Liquid Data™ is SymphonyIRI’s transformational tool for creating actionable consumer and shopper insights.

SymphonyIRI ShopperSights™ ShopperSights™ provides marketers the most powerful and innovative shopper segmentation and targeting solution for unprecedented optimization of promotion, media, distribution, and retail-specific marketing and sales programs.

SymphonyIRI Digital Media Digital Media Solutions is a Consumer & Shopper Insights Solutions solution, providing manufacturers and retailers the ability to target digital media more effectively and efficiently, and quantify the effects of online advertising.

20 Merchandising Trends: Achieving Differentiation with a Shopper-Centric Approach

FOR MORE INFORMATION Please contact Susan Viamari at [email protected] with questions or comments about this report.

About SymphonyIRI Group SymphonyIRI Group, formerly named Information Resources, Inc. (“IRI”), is the global leader in innovative solutions and services for driving revenue and profit growth in CPG, retail and healthcare companies. SymphonyIRI offers two families of solutions: Core IRI solutions for market measurement and Symphony Advantage solutions for enabling new growth opportunities in marketing, sales, shopper marketing and category management. SymphonyIRI solutions uniquely combine content, analytics and technology to deliver maximum impact. SymphonyIRI helps companies create, plan and execute forward-looking, shopper-centric strategies across every level of the organization. For more information, visit www.SymphonyIRI.com.

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