- Insights
What are the best practices for a product launch?
- Reading time: 7 min
Summer has arrived with its share of new products in hypermarkets. As every year, our French team followed 5 product launch and the observation remains the same: beyond the presence, the quality of execution on the shelf is essential for a successful launch. Many products still do not emerge because of a low number of facings or a location outside the hot zone!
What are the indicators to follow for a product launch?
Discover our key indicators on the 5 product launch surveyed this year:
Thanks to its wide range, Barilla Al Bronzo was the most outstanding product launch, with an average of almost 10 facings and at least one facing in the hot zone in 88% of cases. The range is present in 1/4 of the shops, just like Heineken Silver. Another advantage for Barilla Al Bronzo, Heineken Silver and V Energy is that the colour of the innovation product stands out from the usual brand colours, which helps them to stand out on the shelf!
For a product launch, it is not always easy to duplicate facings and create a block with a single reference or format. Kinder Duo has only one facing in 31% of cases and is not located in a hot zone in a quarter of cases.
The new biscuit however, benefits from Ferrero’s strike force with some nice POSM in a few shops, including kakemonos, front panels, floor stickers or even spotlights! V Energy and Heineken Silver were more often accompanied by POSM, mainly kakemonos for the former and displays and shelf-stoppers for the latter.
Product launch depending on the retailer
Another lesson from our study is that some retailers promote product launch more than others! Carrefour is the retailer that best promotes product launch in all of its shops, with an average of 97% for the five product launch surveyed.
In terms of quality of execution, Cora is the best performer, with product launch benefiting from more facings than at the other retailers, located in hot zones in 86% of cases and accompanied by POS advertising in 60% of cases!
