Your Produce Displays Are Costing You Sales — Here’s How to Fix Them

Image by LemonTree

Produce is one of the first departments shoppers encounter and a major factor in how they evaluate freshness, quality, and value throughout the entire store. But poorly designed or maintained displays can quietly chip away at customer trust, lower average basket sizes, and send shoppers to your competitors.

If your produce department isn’t delivering the sales it should, your produce displays may be the reason. The good news? A few focused changes can make a noticeable difference.

Understand the Psychology of the Produce Shopper

Shoppers make fast, subconscious judgments the moment they walk into the produce section. They’re looking for colour, abundance, and organization. If the display feels chaotic, sparse, or inconsistent, the customer often assumes the same about the rest of your store.

Studies have shown that attractive, well-stocked produce displays increase dwell time, which directly impacts sales. Conversely, empty spots, bruised items, and disorganized signage signal neglect — and shoppers respond by reducing their purchases or skipping certain items altogether.

Fix #1: Prioritize Visual Impact

Colour blocking is a simple but powerful tool. Grouping fruits and vegetables by colour draws the eye and creates a sense of abundance, even when inventory is lean. For example, stacking bright red tomatoes next to deep green cucumbers and sunny yellow peppers creates a visually balanced, high-impact section that draws foot traffic.

Lighting also plays a major role. Dim or uneven lighting can make even the freshest produce look unappealing. Invest in targeted, bright lighting that enhances the natural colours of your fruits and vegetables without creating harsh shadows or hot spots.

Fix #2: Focus on Freshness and Rotation

Make sure your team is trained to cull and rotate produce frequently throughout the day, not just in the morning. Use the “first in, first out” method, but also take it a step further by training staff to spot visual signs of deterioration and remove problem items before they impact overall perception.

Also, don’t overcrowd. While abundance is important, overstocking can lead to faster spoilage and discourage shoppers from reaching items placed too deeply in a bin.

Fix #3: Simplify the Shopping Experience

Confusing or cluttered displays frustrate shoppers. Keep your layout intuitive and easy to navigate. Use clear, consistent signage that highlights key attributes like “locally grown,” “organic,” or “on sale.” Avoid handwritten signs unless they’re professionally done and legible from a distance.

Grouping produce by type, use, or recipe inspiration can also increase engagement. For example, placing limes, avocados, tomatoes, and cilantro together with signage for “fresh guacamole” offers a subtle nudge that encourages cross-selling and increases basket size.

Fix #4: Use Data to Guide Display Decisions

Sales data tells a story. Use it to inform how you allocate space and spotlight certain items. If a particular fruit sells well on weekends, give it prominent placement during peak traffic times. If certain vegetables trend during holidays or in certain seasons, make sure they’re easy to find and supported by strong visual displays.

Incorporating real-time or weekly feedback from front-line staff can also help. They often spot trends or issues with customer behaviour that don’t show up in the numbers.

Fix #5: Treat Displays as Living Elements

Your produce displays aren’t static. They need ongoing attention. Train your staff to think of displays as active selling tools rather than just places to restock items. Encourage pride in presentation and give employees the autonomy to make minor adjustments based on customer flow or stock availability.

Even small changes, such as rearranging a tiered display for better visibility or swapping in fresher stock mid-day, can impact how customers interact with your produce section.

The Bottom Line

Every part of your store contributes to the customer experience, but produce carries more weight than most. By investing time and attention into how your displays look, function, and flow, you can create an inviting environment that drives both traffic and sales.