Creating a big night display in store is a proven way to drive up sales by catering for a specific customer need. Displays that feature crisps, chocolate, soft drinks, snacks and even evening meals allow customers to quickly grab several items and go.

But uprooting an existing display in favour of a big night in feature is a big step, particularly if you don’t know specifically where to start. Here is our simple guide to starting a big night in feature:

• Choose an amount of shelf space that works for you. Bay Bashir, Belle Vue Convenience Store, says: “We have a 1m display with three shelves where we stock crisps, chocolate, soft drinks and alcohol.” His store is 800sq ft.
• Look at your EPoS data to find out what your bestsellers are, then stock them 1m-1.4m high on the display.

Soft drinks:

• Use formats that work for sharing. Simon Harrison, wholesale director at Coca-Cola Enterprises says: “4x330ml family packs of soft drinks are ideal for sharing.” Nigel Paine, commercial director for out of home at Britvic, says although the majority of sales in convenience will be 500ml and 600ml bottles and 330ml cans, 2l bottles are vital for sharing.1 in 4 shoppers say they spend more on products for big night in events
• Offer a range of flavours. Paine says: “Offering just cola meets just 40% of the customers’ needs. Offering cola, water, a juice drink, flavoured carbonates and energy drinks keeps 80% of your customers happy.”

Crisps & Snacks

• Sharing bags represent value, especially if they are price-marked. Matt Goddard, field sales director at PepsiCo, says: “sixty-one per-cent of shoppers say knowing a shop sells PMPs makes them more likely to visit. Nearly one in three sharing bags are purchased in impulse.”

Confectionery:

• Bitesize and sharing bags are the key formats for big night in confectionery sales. Susan Nash, trade communications manager for Mondelez, says: “Split chocolate and candy bags on the fixture and group candy in two sub categories: traditional and family favourites.” Traditional products include Maynards Wine Gums, Fox’s Glacier Mints and Bassetts Jelly Babies, while Maynards Pastilles and Haribo are family favourites.
• Smaller stores can use Mars Slender Glenda PoS (pictured) next to their snacks to conserve space. Bep Dhaliwal, trade communications manager for Mars Chocolate, says: “We often see stores with too many lines; rationalisation of your range is key.”

Look to the future

• Update the offers and products regularly. “If you keep the same products there for two or three weeks, customers will stop looking at it so change it around and keep it fresh,” says Bashir.