In the cereals category this week the two highest promoters were Sainsbury and Safeway, with a promoted to non-promoted sku ratio of 28%. The average ratio is just 18%.
The results are interesting for a number of reasons. The average out of stock in the area for normal product is just over 14%, and for promotions just over 20%. So when we find, as we did this week in cereals, that Somerfield had an average of 32.61% of its promoted products with so little on the shelf that it was out of stock, or at risk, you can see some stores had few cereal offers for their regular peak times customer. Fortunately for these customers, Somerfield also had just about the lowest percentage of skus on promotion.
The accolades this week go to Morrisons on promotions, with an average of just 3.7% out of stock or at risk, but this retailer also collects the wooden spoon for worst non-promotional availability.
In another complete role reversal, Somerfield's worst promotion availability so far recorded, at 32.61%, is counter balanced by the fact it came out top for normal stock.
In terms of overall efficiency of supply, however, we look at the amount of the facing that is neither over, nor under stocked, and makes the best use of the available space. Here Safeway comes bottom for both promotion and non-promoted stock.
As a reminder, stores with the least efficient use of space would find it easiest to improve their availability, provided, of course, that the facings are not under so much pressure that only more space would help.


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