The grocery business is all about connecting consumers with the quality foods they desire, but the right marketing tactics can play a big role in determining:
- Where consumers shop (between grocery stores and take-out options).
- How much consumers are willing to spend
- Which products consumers select
In this guide, we break down marketing do’s and don’ts that will help set your strategy on the right path to differentiate your brand, develop innovative new products, and build market share in a grocery market that is more dynamic than ever.
The Importance of Grocery Store Marketing Tactics
Every shopping trip involves hundreds of rapid decisions in an environment where visual cues, product quality, and brand perception all work together to shape what ends up in the basket. Effective grocery marketing must both guide shoppers toward specific products and set the tone for how customers experience the store brand as a whole. Strong shelf presentation, clear value signals, and thoughtful product placement help shoppers navigate crowded categories and form quick judgments.
These same cues influence how customers perceive the store’s private-label offerings. When shoppers consistently encounter well-presented, reliable products, the store brand itself grows stronger, creating a reinforcing cycle: a trusted brand encourages trial of new items, and premium products deepen that trust.
This interplay between product reputation and store identity is one of the most powerful tools in grocery retail. When executed well, the right marketing tactics drive sales for individual SKUs while deepening brand loyalty with a shopping experience that feels intuitive and rewarding.
One: Do Treat Shelf-Appeal as a Foundational Purchasing Consideration
We explore a diverse range of grocery store marketing strategies below, but every strategy should stay rooted in the fundamentals: the appeal of quality, well-presented food on the store shelf.
Shoppers make decisions in seconds (8 on average), and the visual impression a product creates in that moment often determines whether it gets ignored, noticed, considered, or taken home. Color, clarity, structural design, visibility of the food itself, and functional cues like seals or compartments all contribute to how customers interpret freshness, quality, and value at a glance.
Strong shelf appeal helps break through crowded categories, challenges existing brand loyalties, and signals that a product is worth a closer look. For retailers, understanding the science of shelf-appeal can help optimize these visual and functional elements to directly support stronger in-store performance across both third-party brands and private-label lines.
Two: Don’t Cede Market Share for Grab-and-Go Food
Grocery marketing needs to focus on competing for the customer dollars of not only other grocers, but also convenience stores, fast food, and restaurant takeout. Today’s shoppers expect fresh, ready-to-eat choices that fit into busy schedules, and they’re increasingly willing to buy those items wherever they find the right mix of quality and convenience. That’s why the grab-and-go market is booming.
Prepared foods, snack kits, and fresh meal solutions offer grocers an opportunity to meet the same craving for immediacy while differentiating on freshness, ingredients, and value. When grocers invest in thoughtful merchandising for these categories, they can reclaim occasions that might otherwise default to c-stores, food delivery, or drive-throughs.
Three: Do Consider Tools to Help Shoppers Plan Their Purchases
Many grocery trips don’t start in the store, but on a home grocery list or mobile phone browsing session. Research from Chief/Marketer notes that:
- 74% of shoppers create a shopping list
- 44% estimate their total basket cost before they ever pick up a cart
Retailers who align their marketing strategy with this pre-trip mindset can influence decisions earlier, shape expectations, and drive shoppers toward specific categories or products. Digital browsing tools, recipe planners, cost estimators, and clear online product information all help shoppers feel more organized and confident heading into the store.
Four: Don’t Neglect the Importance of Placement
Not every customer moves methodically up and down every aisle. Many shoppers stick to familiar paths, focus on the perimeter for fresh items, or head directly to the categories that fit their household routines.
Strategic product positioning helps bridge the gap between how customers intend to shop and what retailers want them to discover:
- Perimeter categories can highlight freshness and convenience.
- Cross-category groupings can introduce new meal ideas.
- Secondary placements like seasonal displays, endcaps, or “new item” sections allow products to be reframed and resurfaced in ways that invite attention.
These touchpoints give retailers more opportunities to intercept predictable shopping patterns and create not only sales possibilities, but exciting moments of discovery for customers. Marketing for unplanned purchases is important for targeting a core aspect of grocery shopper budgeting; research reported by USC shows that consumers leave about $11 free in each trip’s grocery budget to keep room for unexpected purchases.
Treating product placement as a powerful marketing lever rather than a SKU categorization exercise can help support new product launches, highlight private-label brands, and make customers feel like they are receiving a tailored retail experience.
Five: Do Integrate Digital Experience in Your Grocery Marketing Strategy
Digital touchpoints now shape nearly every stage of the grocery journey, from early planning to final purchase. Shoppers browse weekly promotions, compare prices, assemble preliminary baskets, and map out meals long before they reach the store. Research from The Food Industry Association and NielsenIQ shows that 90% of grocery shoppers now shop both online and in-store.
Retailers who build a cohesive digital layer into their marketing strategy can meet shoppers where those decisions actually begin. Online ordering platforms, mobile apps, and digital circulars give customers a clearer sense of availability and cost.
Increasingly, AI-powered features like personalized promotions, smart search, suggested pairings, and automated shopping lists will create new opportunities for more curated experiences that mirror the one-to-one guidance shoppers expect from a well-run physical store.
Six: Don’t Forget Tried and True Tactics Like Loyalty Clubs and Coupons
Even as digital tools evolve, traditional promotions remain some of the most reliable drivers of grocery purchasing behavior. Loyalty programs, coupons, and targeted discounts continue to shape how shoppers choose brands, decide where to shop, and build their grocery lists.
- Research from Bond Loyalty Report shows that four out of five consumers are more likely to recommend brands with good loyalty programs, while almost 75% will modify their spending to maximize benefits.
- SuperMarket News reported on research from Associated Wholesale Grocers that shows shoppers who use a coupon are more likely to buy that item again (even without a coupon).
These tactics work because they speak directly to value and habit. Loyalty clubs reward repeat visits and create a sense of belonging within the store’s ecosystem. Coupons (whether printed, loaded onto an app, or surfaced during checkout) provide clear, immediate incentives that influence product trial and help shoppers stretch their budgets.
Seven: Do Promote Sustainable Practices
Sustainability has become a core consideration for many shoppers, influencing not only what they buy but where they choose to shop. Customers increasingly look for signals that retailers are reducing waste, sourcing responsibly, and supporting packaging choices that align with their environmental values. This includes everything from recyclable or recycled materials to visible efforts to minimize single-use plastics and improve overall store efficiency.
Survey research shows that shoppers not only evaluate sustainability, but are willing to pay more for eco-friendly choices. PwC reports that 80% of consumers will pay a price premium of almost 10% for sustainable products and packaging.
Eight: Don’t Neglect the Importance of Packaging
Packaging plays an outsized role in how shoppers judge both individual products and the store brands behind them. According to research by Ipsos, 72% of consumers believe that packaging design plays a role in their purchase decision. For private-label lines, especially, packaging becomes a stand-in for quality: clear visibility of the food reinforces freshness, thoughtful structural design signals care, and reliable functionality builds trust with every purchase.
Retailers also benefit from packaging that adapts easily across categories: containers that work for sweet treats, grab-and-go items, and fresh deli offerings help streamline operations while keeping presentation strong. When shoppers can see the product clearly, open it easily, and rely on it to keep food protected, they’re more willing to try new items and explore the store’s broader assortment.
Sustainability has become part of this equation as well. Many retailers now leverage packaging that supports environmental goals without compromising clarity or performance. For example, Lacerta’s ReCERTA™ line (which incorporates post-consumer recycled content into PET packaging) shows how grocers can meet shoppers’ sustainability expectations within a proven, versatile format.
Nine: Do Keep Up with New Grocery Trends
Consumer preferences shift fast, and retailers who stay plugged into emerging food trends have a significant advantage (both in shaping product mix and in positioning store brands as modern and responsive to shopper tastes). Whether it’s the continued rise of grab-and-go, growing interest in international snacks, or demand for high-protein and health-forward options, customers are actively seeking foods that reflect how they eat today.
Staying current without chasing every novelty requires a nuanced understanding of the deeper currents driving these trends. Convenience, value, global flavors, wellness, and bolder taste profiles all signal what shoppers expect to find on shelves. Grocers who anticipate these shifts can curate assortments that feel relevant, differentiate their private-label offerings, and capture categories where national brands may be slower to respond.
Ten: Don’t Let Your Grocery Store Marketing Tactics Become Stale
Shoppers respond to excitement and novelty. When the store looks the same week after week, it becomes easier for customers to tune out both new products and core categories. Seasonal rotations, limited-time displays, themed assortments, and special-event promotions signal that the store is paying attention to what people want right now.
Fresh merchandising gives products new contexts and helps customers discover items they might otherwise overlook. Even small changes in how items are grouped or presented can create the sense of a more intentional, more current shopping experience. This principle applies to custom packaging for new product development as well: when products are introduced or refreshed with packaging that highlights freshness, improves visibility, or aligns with emerging trends, it reinforces the feeling that the store is evolving alongside its customers.
Learn More About Custom Packaging for Dynamic Grocery Store Marketing
From boosting shelf appeal to supporting new product launches, the right packaging can help retailers create a more engaging, responsive in-store experience.
If you’re exploring fresh ways to highlight seasonal items, expand private-label offerings, or improve the presentation of ready-to-eat foods, our team can help you identify solutions that fit your goals.
If you’re seeking custom or stock packaging for your next marketing push, get in touch with us to learn how we can support your next product concept from design through production.
