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Run a controlled two-store placement test with POS data to prove lift, then use that result to negotiate expansion.
90 percent
of grocery transactions in the United States
$2,000
per store per month depending on chain and category
$3
per unit
$5,000
including production
Mondelēz reported sales lift after partnering with Albertsons to deploy incrementality measurement for in-store retail media campaigns, according to Marketing Dive. The collaboration validated the direct connection between physical shelf placement, promotional signage, and transaction data at the point of sale.
The program tested whether specific in-store media placements—endcaps, shelf talkers, and aisle displays—drove incremental purchases beyond baseline sales. Albertsons provided transaction-level data that isolated shoppers exposed to the in-store media from control groups who were not. Mondelēz used the results to shift budget toward placements that generated measurable lift and away from positions that did not.
This works because most CPG brands place product without knowing which placements convert. Retail media has been a digital-first discipline, but the in-store environment generates 90 percent of grocery transactions in the United States. Incrementality measurement closes the loop: it separates correlation from causation by comparing exposed and unexposed cohorts within the same store network. When a brand can prove that a specific endcap drove X percent more unit sales than the baseline, it earns leverage in placement negotiations and justifies higher spend.
The mechanism is transportable. A smaller physical-product brand cannot command Albertsons data infrastructure, but it can run the same test at modest scale. Approach a regional grocer or specialty retail chain and propose a controlled placement test. Choose two comparable stores. In Store A, secure a promotional endcap or shelf talker for four weeks. In Store B, maintain standard shelf placement with no additional signage. Track SKU-level sales data from the retailer's point-of-sale system for both locations. Calculate the difference in units moved per store visit. If Store A shows a 15 percent lift, you have a documented case for expanded placement. Offer to share the anonymized results with the retailer; they gain proof that your product converts premium space into margin.
Cost: endcap rental ranges from $500 to $2,000 per store per month depending on chain and category. Shelf talker printing runs $1 to $3 per unit. A two-store, four-week test costs under $5,000 including production. The return is a repeatable playbook and negotiating leverage for the next 20 stores. Document the lift percentage, the store type, the placement format, and the category context. Use that one-pager to pitch other retailers in the same tier.
The broader pattern: physical retail is adopting closed-loop attribution that was previously exclusive to digital channels. Brands that measure incrementality at the shelf level will outbid competitors who rely on gross sales figures. The next move is to layer incrementality testing into every new retail relationship before committing to volume orders or slotting fees.
Pitch a regional grocer on a two-store endcap test with shared POS data to prove your product converts premium placement into measurable lift.
For the operator
Deploy incrementality testing across comparable store pairs before scaling slotting spend, and build a lift matrix by placement type to guide negotiation.
For the house
Require suppliers to provide documented incrementality results from prior retail tests when evaluating premium placement requests or co-op marketing proposals.
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