Summer Sales Surge: Shelf Appeal Tips for Canadian CPG Brands

• June 5, 2025
• Topics:
  • Boost Summer Sales
  • CPG Market
  • CPG Trends

Summer is among the most critical seasons for many Canadian CPG brands, especially in beverages, snacks, grilling essentials, and fresh foods. But your shelf presence has to work even harder when shoppers are moving fast — in a summer mindset, thinking about vacations, patios, and BBQs.

The challenge isn’t about building bigger displays but smarter shelf appeal that grabs attention and instantly drives conversion.

1. Brighten Up the Palette

Summer shoppers are attracted to light, vibrant, fresh visuals reflecting the season’s energy. To capture this essence, it’s essential to ensure your packaging pops with seasonal colours, such as yellows, blues, and greens. Additionally, shelf tags that evoke summertime fun—like “Perfect for BBQs” or “Stay Cool This Summer”—can enhance the shopping experience. Highlighting limited-time flavours that tie into the season, such as tropical fruits or refreshing blends, can also entice customers. Even small tweaks in the presentation can effectively make a product feel “seasonal,” creating a sense of urgency and excitement among consumers, even if the items are available year-round.

2. Emphasize Portability and Convenience

During the summer, consumers look for convenience, especially for grab-and-go options. Key features that draw attention include:

• Easy transport for activities like picnics, road trips, and beach outings.
• Resealable packaging for freshness.
• Portion control to make sharing at outdoor events simple.

Highlight these benefits clearly on the packaging or with shelf signs. In the warmer months, convenience is a major selling point!

3. Optimize Eye-Level Placement

Eye level is “buy-level” year-round, but it’s even more crucial in summer. Shoppers are distracted — thinking about long weekends, not studying every shelf.

Work with your retail partners to ensure:

• Key SKUs are stocked at optimal sightlines.
• Summer promotional SKUs aren’t buried below or above the action.

A slight placement shift can massively influence your sell-through.

4. Connect to Summer Occasions

Summer isn’t a season; it’s a series of moments: BBQs, camping trips, pool parties.

Tie your shelf presence to these occasions by:

• Suggesting bundle ideas (“Perfect Pairings for BBQ Nights!”).
• Cross-merchandising with complementary products (e.g., chips near summer salsas, iced teas near grilling meats).
• Using occasion-based messaging to make the shopper’s life easier.

5. Don’t Underestimate Restocking Frequency

Summer promotions frequently bring a surge in demand that brands often don’t anticipate. When shelves are empty, it’s hard to make sales.

Here are some strategies to consider:

• Boost your restocking frequency.
• Keep a close eye on inventory levels—consider real-time checks or shelf audits if you have the tools.
• Be ready to move products between busy and less busy stores as needed.

Winning the Summer Shelf.

Shelf appeal isn’t about flashy gimmicks. It’s about understanding the summer mindset: fast, relaxed, event-driven, and spontaneous.

Canadian CPG brands embracing these merchandising fundamentals will move faster, sell more, and create stronger brand memories that last long after summer.

Because when the sun is shining, shoppers are scanning—make sure your brand shines, too. For more information about preparing your brand to drive more retail sales this summer, visit www.marketsupport.ca.