Shelf-ready packaging

These retailers often want to have items shipped from their distribution centers to the stores in unit loads and bulk boxes: these can be stocked without handling of the merchandise.

The purpose of corrugated shipping containers is to put case goods directly onto shelves and stocking locations without individually handling the unit packs or primary packages.

Retailers often require products to come in retail-ready packaging to reduce stocking costs by saving labor expenses.

Ready-to-go display stands and end caps are put in the retail sales location by forklift trucks without assembly or manual handling of unit packs.

This includes pallet size, bar code format and placement, RFID tags, strength of corrugated shipping containers etc.

Regional coordination in Europe has produced an agreement on common functional requirements for the design of SRP.

The Efficient Consumer Response (ECR), Europe Working Group, has published "Shelf Ready Packaging" to help standardize programs.

Significant efforts and investments are usually made in improving aisle efficiency for consumers, ensuring consistent demand for suitable retail-ready products from physical outlets.

Carrots on display in returnable plastic bins
Warehouse club store; consumers pick most items directly from pallets, not shelves
Display stand at the end of aisle, delivered to the store ready-to-place
Cleaning product placed on shelf in SRP trays; upper parts of boxes removed
Cans of cookies in corrugated display boxes on pallet at warehouse club store