Fresh merchandising: how to display fruit and vegetables so they sell themselves
In the fruit and vegetable section, the first few seconds decide everything. Before a shopper even grabs a trolley, their eyes are already scanning the shelves. If they see juicy oranges, neatly stacked cucumbers, and a pyramid of bright tomatoes, their hand instinctively reaches for the basket. Conversely, wilted lettuce leaves, dull apples, or a chaotic layout can put them off — even if the prices are attractive.
The fresh zone is not just a shelf of produce, but a display of mood. Here, everything matters: colour combinations, cleanliness, temperature, lighting, even scent. A well-designed layout not only makes the products look visually appetising but also shapes shopper behaviour — guiding, suggesting, and encouraging them to buy more than they had planned.
In this article, we’ll explore how to turn the fruit and vegetable section into a powerful sales tool: from the basic principles of zoning to techniques that create a sense of abundance and trigger impulse purchases.
Fruit and vegetables are a category that requires a special approach from the merchandiser. Here, it’s impossible to simply place the products on display and forget about them for a week: freshness, appearance, and appeal change literally by the hour.
Specifics of working with fruit and vegetables
Fresh produce has a limited storage life, and this directly affects sales. Even a single wilted bunch of greens or an overripe piece of fruit can spoil the overall impression of the entire display. That’s why regular rotation and the removal of products that have lost their appearance are essential in the fresh section.
Short shelf life and daily control
Temperature and humidity affect not only the shelf life but also the appearance of fresh produce. Dried-out lettuce or condensation on berries reduces product appeal and increases the risk of write-offs. That’s why it is crucial to properly adjust equipment and monitor climate parameters.
Sensitivity to storage conditions
Shoppers perceive freshness primarily with their eyes. Clean, shiny, brightly coloured produce creates the desire to buy — even if it wasn’t on the shopping list. Lighting, colour combinations, and correct placement all play a major role here.
Visual appeal
In the fruit and vegetable section, an emotional connection with the products is often formed: fruit and vegetables are associated with freshness, health, and the comfort of home. Skilled merchandising strengthens these associations and stimulates purchasing.
Shopper psychology
Proper display in the fresh zone is a combination of aesthetics and functionality. It should be convenient for the shopper, beneficial for the business, and compliant with storage requirements.
Basic principles of display
Divide the space into logical zones: fruit, vegetables, greens, seasonal offers. This helps shoppers navigate more quickly and makes the section look visually structured. It is logical to arrange product groups in a way that allows the shopper to follow a “route” without unnecessary movement.
Zoning
Bright colour contrasts work like a magnet for the eyes. Red tomatoes next to green cucumbers, yellow lemons alongside purple aubergines. At the same time, it is important to avoid visual chaos: colours should be arranged so that the gaze flows smoothly across the display rather than “stumbling.”
Colour accents
Empty slots and half-empty baskets give the impression of poor assortment. Even with a limited quantity of goods, the display should look full — which can be achieved through the right choice of containers, angled positioning, and use of height.
The principle of abundance
The fresh zone is the face of the store, which means any traces of dirt, waste, or damaged produce are unacceptable. Clean containers, neat presentation, and the absence of foreign objects strengthen trust in product quality.
Cleanliness and order
The classic rule of “first in, first out” (FIFO) applies especially strictly in the fresh category. Older stock is placed at the front, with fresher products at the back. This reduces write-offs and ensures the shelf always holds items with the longest possible shelf life.
Product rotation
In the fruit and vegetable section, equipment plays no less of a role than the products themselves. The choice of fixtures and solutions affects not only the convenience of display but also how fresh the shopper perceives the produce to be.
Working with equipment and space
The starting point is the choice of shelving and counters. Open constructions, accessible from several sides, allow customers to approach the produce freely and examine it without unnecessary barriers. Mobile modules are convenient as they can be rearranged to create new shopper flow scenarios, adapting the sales floor to seasonal accents or promotions.
Lighting is one of the key tools in fresh merchandising. Warm light enhances the natural colours of fruit and vegetables, making them appear more visually appetising. Directional lighting can highlight specific product groups, draw attention to seasonal items, or showcase new arrivals. At the same time, it is important to avoid overexposure, which distorts colour or makes produce look artificial.
Even the best-designed display loses its meaning if storage conditions are compromised. Greens wilt, berries collect condensation, and citrus fruit loses its firmness. That is why effective fresh merchandising always relies on precise refrigeration settings and regular equipment checks.
Well-chosen and properly adjusted equipment transforms the fruit and vegetable section into a space where products are not just stored but showcased at their best. The shopper sees produce as fresh, accessible, and easy to choose — and that directly influences their purchase decision.
In the fresh produce section, shoppers primarily “buy with their eyes.” That’s why visual marketing here is not an addition but the foundation of sales.
Visual marketing in fresh
Even with a limited assortment, it is possible to create the feeling of a wide choice. Proper display in “piles,” filling containers to the brim, and using large baskets or crates made of natural materials all enhance the desire to buy. Empty trays, on the other hand, send the signal: “there is no choice.”
The impression of variety
An autumn corner with pumpkins and bright leaves, a winter accent with mandarins and spruce branches, summer berries in wicker baskets — such techniques instantly create a mood and link the purchase to a specific time of year. This works both on emotion and on the perception of freshness.
Seasonal displays
Not all of the assortment should sit on the same visual level. More expensive, rare, or innovative products benefit from being highlighted with lighting, decorative elements, or a separate module. Shoppers are more likely to notice a product if it is visually “set apart.”
Focus on premium items
Excessive decoration and overly bright price tags can work against sales: the gaze scatters, and the shopper tires of visual noise. The best guideline is when the design complements the product rather than overshadows it.
Clean visual field
Visual marketing in fresh is about highlighting the strengths of the produce so that it looks as fresh and appetising as possible, while maintaining harmony in the space.
Improvisation works only when creating seasonal accents. The main display must be based on a clear plan — a planogram. This is a scheme of product placement that takes into account the assortment, turnover, seasonality, and shopper habits.
Planograms for the fresh category
Planograms are particularly important because the assortment here is highly dynamic. Today the section may feature fresh strawberries, tomorrow they’ll be replaced by plums, and a week later the persimmon season begins. A well-designed planogram helps adapt the display without chaos: maintaining zoning logic, preventing products from being lost in the “shadow” of others, and properly allocating space between fast-moving and premium items.
Special attention is given to “hot zones” — the places where shoppers’ eyes linger first. These include the entrance to the section, central modules, and end displays. It makes sense to place new products, seasonal hits, or high-margin items here.
Automating planogram management makes fresh merchandising more controllable. For example, in Greenshelf you can create a planogram for a specific store, taking into account its layout and assortment, and then monitor compliance through photo reports. The system automatically compares the display against the standard, highlights discrepancies, and helps make quick adjustments.
This approach reduces the influence of the human factor, speeds up display updates, and ensures consistent standards across all stores in the chain.
The fruit and vegetable section is ideal for cross-selling: the shopper is already focused on choosing fresh products, and this is the perfect place to suggest a fitting addition.
Stimulating impulse and complementary sales
New potatoes displayed next to dill and sour cream immediately suggest a simple and tasty side dish. Bananas paired with yoghurt and muesli create a ready-made idea for a quick breakfast. And lemons combined with ginger and honey become a kit for a warming winter tea. Such combinations work better than any advertisement: they save time, inspire purchases, and build the habit of returning for convenient ready-made solutions.
Seasonal offers are even more powerful. In summer, you can set up a “picnic zone” with berries, fruit, containers, and cooling packs. In winter, add nuts, dried fruit, and honey to create a display for cosy evenings at home. These mix zones create ready-made scenarios and stimulate impulse purchases.
Complementary products should be perceived as part of one set: matching baskets, consistent price tags, or a single expressive POS element help the shopper understand that these items belong together.
With the right approach, the fresh zone stops being just a place to buy fruit and vegetables and turns into a space of ideas — where the shopper leaves not only with products but also with a ready-made solution for the table.
Even in the brightest and neatest fruit and vegetable sections, mistakes occur that undermine the work of merchandisers. These errors are not always obvious, but they directly affect the perception of quality and sales volumes.
Display mistakes that reduce sales
When there is too much produce, it quickly loses its appearance: fruit at the bottom gets bruised, leafy greens overheat. Empty baskets create the opposite effect — giving the shopper the impression that the selection is poor or the product is unpopular. The optimal solution is moderate fullness, with neat arrangement and regular replenishment.
Overfilled or empty trays
If produce that has lost its freshness remains on display, shoppers take it as a signal that quality is not being monitored. It only takes seeing wilted lettuce or spoiled apples once for them to walk past the section on their next visit. That’s why the principle of “first in, first out” must always be followed — with no compromises.
Irregular assortment updates
Different fruits and vegetables require different storage conditions. For example, apples release ethylene, which accelerates the ripening and spoilage of greens, broccoli, or cucumbers. Improper placement not only damages the produce but also creates visual disorder.
Mixing incompatible products
Lighting that is too bright distorts the natural colours of produce, while a cold tone gives it a “plastic” appearance. Ideally, lighting should be warm and directional, emphasising the natural colours and texture.
Poorly planned lighting
When a display is crowded with bright price tags, promo posters, and mismatched POS elements, shoppers stop noticing the products themselves. Good merchandising is about balance: the design should enhance the appeal of the produce, not compete with it for attention.
Visual noise
In winter, shoppers expect mandarins and persimmons; in summer — berries and fresh herbs. If seasonal favourites are missing from the section, emotional engagement decreases. Seasonal products should be presented vividly and highlighted as the key theme of the display.
Ignoring seasonality
Worn-out baskets, rusty shelves, leftover stickers from past promotions, cracked pallets — all of these visually reduce the perceived value of the produce, even if it is fresh. Shoppers see packaging and equipment as part of the product, and if the “packaging” looks poor, their trust in the goods decreases.
Untidy containers and equipment
Fruit and vegetable merchandising is not just about neatly arranged produce. It is a system where every detail works towards the result: from layout and lighting to temperature and product pairing. The fresh zone creates the shopper’s first impression of the store, sets the emotional tone, and can become a growth driver for sales.
Conclusion
Proper display not only helps preserve the freshness of produce but also stimulates purchases — including impulse buys. Systematic work with planograms, careful attention to seasonality, and smart use of cross-selling turn the section into a space that sells on its own.
For the retailer, fresh is a zone of constant focus. For the shopper, it is a signal that this store cares about quality and comfort. And when these two perspectives align, both sides benefit: the business sees sales growth, while the shopper enjoys the experience of buying fresh and beautiful products.
Tilda Publishing