CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The retail landscape continues to change and the places where people make purchases are more varied than ever before. As category leaders, Wrigley and Mars Chocolate, two business units of Mars, Inc., have a joint vision of better meeting shoppers’ needs at all the places they check out, whether the front end, pharmacy or online. The companies are bringing their decades of impulse leadership and new global shopper insights to partner with retailers to implement forward-thinking merchandising recommendations, improve the shopping experience and drive growth.
Driving Impulse Across Transaction Zones
Wrigley and Mars Chocolate are taking a fresh look at where shoppers purchase goods and services, calling them collectively “transaction zones.” The front end remains critical and the largest impulse area of the store, but shoppers are also checking out via other transaction zones, including the pharmacy, café, on their mobile phones and via “buy online, pick-up in store” models. As shopping continues to evolve, retailers and manufacturers must increase conversion of impulse items across all transaction zones, regardless of channel.
The companies are collaborating with retailers to optimize merchandising at the front end in ways that can be applied across transaction zones. They have updated their merchandising recommendations to include new variables that are transaction zone agnostic like macro trends (such as the increase in snacking), size and growth of category, and exciting new research around shopper need states.
“It’s no secret that people don’t shop like they used to, and the traditional mix of impulse items in transaction zones needs to better meet consumer needs,” said Kurt Laufer, Vice President of US sales for Wrigley. “By tapping into our deep understanding of the shopper and taking a hard look at what items are performing and why, we believe our strategies can help our retail partners capture valuable impulse sales.”
Merchandising to Better Meet Shopper Needs
Wrigley and Mars Chocolate have conducted extensive global research into the emotional journey people make during their shopping experience and have identified a consistent element: checkout is the emotional low point of the shopping journey, no matter where or how you pay.
Retailers can help shoppers overcome this low point and capture more impulse purchases by merchandising to better satisfy three key shopper mindsets or need states:
- Refresh: Shopping can be stressful and tiring, so shoppers look to refresh or recharge themselves once the job is done. Items fulfilling the Refresh need state, like gum, mints, beverages and snacks, should occupy 51 percent of total space.
- Reward: Shoppers often seek a treat or reward, like chocolate and non-chocolate candy, after the “chore” of shopping. Items fulfilling the Reward need state should occupy 39 percent of total space.
- Remind: It is helpful for shoppers to find items they forgot to add to their lists, like batteries and lip balm, in the transaction zone. Items fulfilling the Remind need should occupy about 10 percent of total space.
These guidelines are based on national averages across channels, and Wrigley and Mars Chocolate are working with retailers on customized solutions.
“We’ve found that satisfying these three distinct shopper mindsets is key to promoting conversion for categories like chocolate, gum, mints and candy,” adds Tim LeBel, Vice President of Sales, Mars Chocolate North America. “Mars Chocolate and Wrigley are working with retailers across channels to ensure current and future check out choices satisfy their shoppers’ needs during checkout and drive impulse purchases.”
About Mars, Incorporated
In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars’ first roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the objective of creating a “mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders” – this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 75,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.
Mars brands include: Petcare – PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, BANFIELD® Pet Hospital, CESAR®, SHEBA®, DREAMIES® and NUTRO®; Chocolate – M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Wrigley – DOUBLEMINT®, EXTRA®, ORBIT® and 5™ chewing gums, SKITTLES® and STARBURST® candies, and ALTOIDS® and LIFESAVERS® mints. Food – UNCLE BEN’S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS®, SEEDS OF CHANGE® and ROYCO®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience – COCOAVIA® and WISDOM PANEL®.
For more information, please visit www.mars.com. Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, youtube.com/mars, linkedin.com/company/mars.
