Effective retail displays and visual merchandising play an important role in the success of brick-and-mortar stores, including those selling food. When a store’s food display is not eye-catching, it can miss its potential to attract customers. The right props and food items can help create an eye-catching food product display. They also can influence how the product is perceived by consumers, particularly if it is a higher-priced item.
Color
A food display must be visually appealing to attract attention and generate sales. The right colors will help create a striking contrast with the rest of the products on the shelf and stand out from competitors. It’s also important that a display match the product it houses. If the two are cohesive, consumers can connect the brand to the item. To add visual appeal, try using analogous or complementary color harmonies. Similar harmonies use adjacent colors on the color wheel, such as yellow and orange bell peppers or tomatoes and radishes. Complementary connections use opposites on the color wheel, such as red and purple or green and blue. These harmonies create a vibrant effect and can make your produce department Instagram-worthy.
Lighting
Visually appealing hot food displays are a great way to stimulate consumers’ shopping behavior, increasing sales. Creative product displays can also increase customer loyalty, as they will associate a specific brand with the store or restaurant. When merchandising food, the display’s color, shape and size of props, lighting and signage are all important factors. However, when a show has too many elements or is too large, it can overwhelm the customer and make them walk away empty-handed. When choosing colors for your display, it’s important to remember the mood you want to set and the type of customer you are trying to attract. Cool colors like blue and green can instill peace and wellness, while warm colors like red, orange, and yellow evoke vitality and excitement. To appeal to health-conscious customers, consider using natural dyes and adding greenery to the display to reinforce this message.
Texture
Food that is presented in a way that is visually appealing draws in customers and encourages them to interact with the product. However, the texture of your collection is equally important and can be even more effective than color. For example, a food display incorporating various flavors and textures can stimulate more than just sight; it may also invoke a sense of smell or touch. Another way to combine texture into your display is by pairing different products. For example, merchandising pasta and premium olive oil with fresh basil, garlic, and vine-ripe tomatoes can create an eye-catching design that combines monochromatic colors and different textures. It is important to remember that your retail food displays should always have a clear message or theme. Superfluous decorations can distract customers from the message you want to convey, and a clear label ensures that your product is easily recognizable. Aim to balance the number of products on the display and its size.
Shape
The shape of your display is just as important as the color or texture. The presentation must accentuate the food it houses and create a balanced visual that draws shoppers in. It means the display should be large enough to hold all your desired products but not so big that it overshadows them. The perception of abundance is another key component of a visually appealing food display. Piles of ripe produce reaching skyward, neatly partitioned bins and straight-edged stacks all give shoppers the impression that there are many options. A well-designed product display will also encourage consumers to spend more money. Organizing complementary products side-by-side can help increase sales by promoting cross-selling opportunities. For example, you might place pasta and premium olive oil together in a refrigerated case or pair a jar of high-end mayonnaise with a box of fresh bread. It is also helpful to arrange best-selling products in attractive positions as this can increase the likelihood that customers will purchase them again.
