Display

Display

A display is any product placement that gives your brand extra visibility beyond the normal shelf. It is usually tied to a time window, a message, or a promotion, and it is meant to trigger a choice now, not later.

Also known as: secondary placement, in-store display, promotional display.

What a display is in FMCG

In FMCG, “display” typically means secondary placement, something outside the regular planogram shelf that gets noticed without the shopper hunting for it. Think of it as borrowed attention, you are using prime store real estate for a short period to push a product, a bundle, or a seasonal message.

Displays matter because the main shelf is crowded and predictable. A display gives you a chance to change the shopping path, catch impulse, and remind people why your product exists, especially when the shopper did not come in looking for it.

Across retail and off trade, displays are often about volume, visibility, and clean execution. In HoReCa and on trade, “display” can be smaller and more brand-led, like a back bar feature, a branded fridge, or a menu insert that nudges the next order. In travel retail, it is usually about theatre and fast comprehension, travellers move quickly, the message has to land in seconds.

Common types of displays

• Endcap, the end of an aisle, usually the highest traffic spot you can buy
• Pallet display, a full or half pallet on the floor, built for bulk and speed
• Floorstand, a branded cardboard or metal stand placed in the aisle or near a category
• Checkout placement, small formats or last minute add ons near the tills
• Shelf feature, extra signposting or blocks on the main shelf to stand out
• Dump bin, a big bin for impulse grabs, often seasonal or promo priced
• Fridge or cooler placement (for beverages), branded cold space, door stickers, shelf strips, or a dedicated section
• Window or entrance placement, front of store impact, “see it before you even enter”
• Shop in shop style feature, a mini zone that looks like a small store inside the store

What makes a display “good”

• Visible location that matches the shopper flow
• Correct products, correct pack sizes, correct variants
• Correct pricing that matches the agreed promo and shelf labels
• Correct POS materials, clean, readable, and actually present
• Enough stock to last, so it does not die on day two
• Clear time window, start date, end date, and what happens after

Display planning vs execution

Planning usually sits with trade marketing and KAMs. They decide the “why” and the “where”, the message, the products, the POSM, and the deal with the retailer, including timing and any constraints like space, safety, or store rules.

Execution sits with the field team. They show up, build it, fix it, and keep it alive, often across dozens or hundreds of locations where reality varies by store manager, backroom space, and what arrived on the truck.

Proof and consistency matter because displays are fragile. If five stores execute it perfectly and fifteen stores do a different version, nobody can learn what worked, and the retailer starts to treat the next request as noise. A simple shared pack, for example a one page brief plus photos of the intended setup, helps the field team and keeps everyone aligned.

A simple example

A spring seasonal display is planned for KitKat multipacks and Pepsi zero sugar. The goal is simple, make both easy to grab for a weekend shop, with a clear promo window and a setup that looks the same in every store.

Trade marketing picks the hero SKUs and builds the basic “kit”, a header card, price flashes, and a short setup guide with photos. The KAM agrees placement with the retailer, an endcap in larger stores, a dump bin near the entrance in smaller stores, and fridge or cooler placement for Pepsi where cold space is available.

Before rollout, the field team gets the plan and the materials in one place, so there is no guessing in store. Reps also check that the right units actually shipped, because a perfect plan is useless if the backroom only has the wrong variants.

In week one, reps visit the stores, confirm the agreed space is free, then build the display and place the POS materials cleanly. They check the pricing is correct on the shelf edge labels, and that the products are loaded exactly as agreed, not whatever was easiest to find.

A few days later, they revisit key locations to refill, straighten, and replace damaged POS materials. Near the end of the time window, they either remove the display or transition remaining stock back to the normal shelf, depending on what was agreed with the retailer.

Common mistakes

• The display ends up in the wrong location, so it is technically “there” but nobody sees it.
• The wrong SKUs get loaded, so shoppers meet a confusing mix instead of the intended hero products.
• The POSM is missing, so the display looks like random stock, not a planned feature.
• There is no stock plan, so the display empties out and stays empty.
• Instructions are unclear, so every store builds a different version and nobody can compare outcomes.
• Maintenance is forgotten, so the display gets messy, damaged, or quietly removed by staff.