Merchandising with Mars Wrigley Confectionery – Academy in Action follow-up

In February, Sean Thacker from category partner Mars Wrigley Confectionery, joined Wendy Knight at her shop in Gosport to look at how she can improve her merchandising. Three months on, we look at the benefits that she has achieved from the advice given.

IAA Advice

• Plan for future opportunities and the arrival of summer tourists
• Remove slow-sellers from the till and keep counter stands stocked
• Walk your shop as a customer and share ideas at monthly meetings

The Results 

Following Sean’s visit, we have moved our reduced section from the till and decluttered the rest of the area, including our Tic Tac stand. We also found that baby food and pet food are both slow sellers for us. We have reduced our range and this has given us the space to introduce a Polish foods section. Ahead of the tourist season, we’ve also created a barbecue display, and our overall sales have been up 20% since the visit.

Partner Advice

Sean Thacker
Field Sales Representative
Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK

"Wendy has made some great changes and I am delighted she has seen such positive results. By continuing to share ideas with staff and walk round her shop like a customer, I am sure she will see further increases."