- Order Smart – Ordering smart is key to reducing perishable shrinkage. Department and store managers need to understand their own customers buying habits, stock on hand, order in progress and projected sales as a guide to the amount of stock they will need to order. AirFlo displays are flexible to help you manage your floor inventory on our merchandising equipment.
- Coding Storage Cooler – A coded storage cooler will ensure that products are displayed on a first-in, first-out basis. Department supervisors and managers must ensure that codes are adhered to on a daily basis. Perishable shrinkage needs to be on the checklist of store managers as they conduct their stores throughout the day. Merchandising systems that make it easy to rotate product ensures maximum profitability.
- Smart Display Space Allocation – In an attempt to capture attention, many store & department managers prefer large/massive displays of fresh produce. While this may seem like a smart idea in the short-term, if not properly managed, it could lead to product spoiling. Example; freshly displayed red peppers are attractive to look at and be tempting to customers. However, piling new peppers on top of old products will shorten the life of new and old products. Managers therefore need find a balance between wanting to entice customers whilst maximizing their products shelf life. Creating the illusion of a full display by utilizing the appropriate fillers & dummies are one of the many ways merchandising displays can accomplish this.
- Correct Handling – The vast majority of shrinkage in a perishable department is the result of incorrect product handling. The following are strategies for improving handling procedures: Good receiving policies and procedures / Strict cooler and display rotation policy / Reduce price as soon as possibly on product that are close to expiring. Another way to minimize labor in handling products is using self facing merchandising display equipment.
- Refrigeration and Storage – The majority of perishable goods should be stored in a temperature controlled environment. Refrigeration has to be checked on a daily basis in your cooler and refrigerated display cases to ensure that temperatures are maintained at an acceptable level. Although refrigeration slows down the growth of food spoilage bacteria, we must ensure that coolers, storage areas and refrigerated display cases are regularly cleaned and sanitized to kill any bacteria and to prevent cross contamination. AirFlo's display fixtures that are made of anodized aluminum helps to maintain temperatures and due to the anodization process they will not chip, flake or peel.