Planogram

A planogram is a practical map of how a shelf should look. It shows which products go where, how many facings each one gets, and how the whole category should stay consistent from store to store.

Also known as: shelf plan, shelf layout, shelf blueprint.

What a planogram is

A planogram is a blueprint for the base shelf, the “normal” place where the category lives every day. It tells you the intended order, the intended blocks, and the intended space allocation, so the shelf does not become a freestyle collage after a busy weekend.

In FMCG reality, a planogram is how you protect shelf space and facings once you have fought to win them. It connects the commercial agreement to the physical shelf, so your assortment is not just listed in a system, it is actually visible.

It also makes execution repeatable. When the category looks the same across stores, you can spot problems faster, train new reps quicker, and stop arguing about whether the shelf is “fine”.

What a planogram usually defines

• Product placement

• Facings

• Shelf levels

• Block structure (brand/category)

• Shelf labels

• Space for promos

• Retailer-specific constraints

• Implementation notes

Who uses planograms, and when

Category teams and trade marketing typically create the planogram logic, what should be on shelf, in what order, and why. KAMs care because shelf space and assortment are part of the customer agreement, and the shelf is where that agreement either shows up or disappears.

Merchandisers and field reps care because they are the ones turning the plan into reality. They use it during resets, store openings, and routine maintenance visits, especially when the shelf is messy and you need a clear “this is what good looks like”.

Planograms change when something changes in the category, a new SKU is listed, an old one is delisted, seasonality hits, packaging changes, or the retailer does a category reset. They also change when a retailer changes store formats, fixtures, or rules, because a hypermarket shelf and a small convenience shelf are different beasts.

Planogram vs display

A planogram is the base shelf, the everyday layout you want maintained. It is about shelf space, facings, and a predictable structure, so shoppers can find what they came for, and your products actually show.

A display is extra visibility beyond the normal shelf, an end cap, a floor stack, a promo island, a secondary placement. Displays can be powerful, but they are temporary, and they do not fix a weak base shelf, you usually need both.

A simple example

A retailer lists a new SKU in a growing subcategory, and the category manager updates the planogram to make room. The update reduces one slower SKU by a facing and shifts the block so the new item sits next to the closest alternatives.

Trade marketing shares the latest planogram file along with a short note on priorities, what must be implemented, and what can be flexible. The KAM aligns it with the customer, especially if the new layout changes blocks or impacts another brand’s space.

The field team gets the planogram before the reset week, often as a PDF or inside a slide deck, so it is easy to open on the way to the store. On the reset visit, the merchandiser rebuilds the shelf to match the new layout, checks shelf labels, and makes sure the shelf levels match the intended placement.

After the reset, the job is not “done”. The next visits are about maintenance, keeping facings from shrinking, keeping the block from drifting, and fixing the usual chaos caused by out of stocks, store staff shortcuts, and last-minute promos.

When the season changes or the promo period ends, the shelf can drift again. The planogram becomes the reference point to pull it back, so the shelf stays close to the agreed layout through the cycle.

Common mistakes

• Teams ignore store format differences, then act surprised when a compact store cannot match a hypermarket planogram.

• Teams add too much detail with no priorities, so field people cannot tell what is mandatory and what is “nice to have”.

• Teams do not share the latest version, so different people implement different layouts and everyone loses time arguing.

• Teams give no time for reset, so the planogram exists, but nobody can realistically rebuild the shelf during a rushed visit.

• Teams forget labels, so even if products are placed correctly, the shelf looks sloppy and shoppers cannot navigate it.

• Teams do no follow up maintenance, so the shelf drifts back within days and the planogram becomes a file nobody trusts.