Campbell sees success in gravity stocking system

CAMDEN, N.J. Campbell is expanding its innovative gravity-feed shelving system to 1,200 Wal-Mart stores nationwide. The “gravity-feed” shelving has been installed at hundreds of retail locations since 2002 and works to move product from the back of the shelf forward, while providing a cleaner presentation.

Some skeptics had claimed the display system would be too labor-intensive for sellers, but analysts at Campbell say the company has seen sales boosts since it initially installed the systems six years ago.

“It’s driven by where we put the system and what the customer base is,” said Joe Ruiz, director of merchandising strategies for Campbell. “We’ve seen lifts [as high as] 5 percent to 8 percent [and as low as] 1 percent to 3 percent.”

By the company’s end of fiscal year on July 31, the gravity-feed system will be in place at 23,000 locations.

Campbell has also made the system available to rivals through retailers. At one Port Washington, N.Y., Stop & Shop, for example, Progresso soups occupy gravity-feed shelf space near Campbell soups.