In this article, learn about:
How retail-ready packaging enhances sales
How to make retail-ready packaging easy
Walmart’s requirements for RRP
Retail-Ready Packaging (RRP)
Retail-Ready Packaging (RRP) was pioneered by Walmart in the mid-2000s as a way of streamlining shipments for in-store display. Since then, the general concept of RRP has been picked up by other major brick-and-mortar retailers, and Walmart has developed a sophisticated suite of similar practices.
RRP comes in many forms and differs from one retailer to another. For example, corrugated boxes are more suitable for large retailers, while smaller shops and grocery stores are better off folding cartons.
RRP is most common in the confectionery, food, and beverage industries, promoting the take-and-go shopping spirit. Nevertheless, it is still used in some over-the-counter pharma and beauty product shops.
RRP and the Secondary Packaging Guide
Retail-Ready Packaging at Walmart is broken down into three main sections in the Secondary Packaging Guide:
PDQ Displays
Shelf Ready Packaging
Walmart Fixtures
PDQ Displays are Pretty Darn Quick displays that Walmart associates can unload from the truck and place directly on the sales floor. Some categories, like grocery, can have large PDQ displays used at a regular cadence. Many PDQ displays are seasonal items expected to sell in volume for a short period of the calendar year.
In the Secondary Packaging Guide, “Walmart Fixtures” refers to the shelving, signage, endcaps, and other materials used to display products in store.
Shelf Ready Packaging (SRP)
Shelf Ready Packaging, like PDQ displays, is a Walmart initiative designed to help create a seamless process from shipment to shelf to Walmart customer. Whereas PDQ displays are for whole pallet-sized loads to go directly onto the store floor, SRPs are packaged bundles of items that go onto shelves.
SRPs are designed to create universal principles for packaging items that are not easily conducive to stacking on shelves.
The Five Easies
To make packaging shelf-ready, suppliers should follow the standard requirements, known as the Walmart SRP 5 easies.
The five easies are simply the qualities that every effective RRP should have. These include:
Easy to identify
Easy to open
Easy to stock
Easy to shop
Easy to dispose
Easy to Identify
The first step is to make the products easily identifiable. Doing so helps minimize the amount of time it takes to look for them in stores. Also, the store staff must locate the goods as fast as possible, wasting no time, so they may restock the shelves without making errors.
In particular, it's essential for goods coming into the store in bulk to be identifiable. Additionally, suppliers should design their own products so that it's eye-catching and directly in front of customers.
Secondary packaging should have visible product specifications, with all the information printed on the outside. We recommend that the supplier prints this information on at least two sides of the box or carton with details like the product name, brand, and barcode. In addition, suppliers should have the product pictures printed on the carton or package.
Related Reading: Walmart’s Secondary Packaging Guide – Supply Chain Standards
Easy to Open
SRP is all about ease and speed. With easy-to-open packaging, store employees can stock products more easily on shelves and ensure they're visible to customers.
Packaging formats with hoods and trays are the easiest to open in-store. To make the opening point easy and fast to locate, it should have holes for the fingers on the side and front panels. Additionally, it should have clear, visual, easy-to-follow instructions.
The packaging should also be secured so that the store staff doesn't need to use a knife or carton cutter to tear the perforation. It should also be packaged to be accessible with bare hands, reducing the chances of accidental injuries. No tape should cover the perforation. Also, there should be no strapping around the carton or box.
The simpler it is to open the boxes, the faster stores can replenish the shelves and keep products in stock.
Easy to Stock
After opening the boxes, SRP units should be easy to transfer to the shelves in just a single step. Hence, the packaging must be stable.
SRP also entails merchandising goods in units that can quickly be reassembled. That way, SRP increases efficiency for retailers and means stores can prioritize displays for those specific brands. It all boils down to getting the merchandise to consumers in the shortest time possible, which ultimately benefits the shopper.
Easy to Shop
Packaging shifts the focus away from retailers to shoppers. Packaging that gives customers easy access as well, is much more likely to sell, which is also the retailer’s goal. The product description should be clear for shoppers to see. Additionally, its units of measure should be visible.
Can a consumer easily remove the product from the shelf and return it? That should be the case, and it should happen without damage to the packaging.
One way to achieve this “easy” is through PDQ packaging. PDQ packaging consists of a small, lightweight rack or bin displayed in popular aisles or even at the check-out counter.
While consumers are waiting in line or ambling through the aisles, PDQ packaging makes it easy for them to pick an item up and usually results in them adding it to their cart without putting too much thought into it.
Easy to Dispose of and Recycle
Shelf-ready packaging should allow easy dismantling and separation for recycling or disposal. When the time comes, the process should be swift, simple, and require minimal labor. One or two people should be able to flatten or fold the packaging in preparation for transporting it for recycling.
Retail displays intended for reuse should be easy to fold to save space. Tearing packaging is not recommended as a means of disposal. Businesses should strive to dispose of as minimal packaging materials as possible to minimize the negative impact on the environment.
The Five Easies in the Supply Chain
Walmart provides suppliers with a visual aid in understanding at which point in the supply chain each of the five easies applies, but it can also apply to other retailers as well:
The way to approach retail-ready packaging is by working closely with retailers. It ensures suppliers get to know what the retailer requires in the packaging. That's because while general standards will always apply, every customer (retailer) has unique requirements and specifications regarding factors such as shelf dimensions and warehouse systems.
With RRP, retailers can approach the supplier’s brand positively. It lowers their labor costs, sets more employees free, and allows staff to focus their energies on serving customers. What's more, well-executed RRP boosts sales.
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