MiscellaneaPot-Pourri

GDO: assortment strategies and category management

Strategie per assortimento vini GDO

How large-scale retail chains build their wine offerings: balance between big brands and more refined choices, localism and customization. Pietro Rocchelli tells us about it.

There is a misconception still circulating in the industry: that supermarkets select wines based on price, focusing only on commercial labels and easy products. The reality is much more multifaceted. Building a wine assortment in large-scale retail is a Delicate balancing act between trade margins, sign identity, consumer needs and commercial strategies. Each bottle is not there by accident.

How many wines, which wines?

The first problem is the selection. The average consumer does not feel like choosing among a thousand references. He wants clarity. Signs know this and in recent years have refined the segmentation. It is not just a matter of dividing between entry-level and premium wines, but of Create more targeted purchasing paths. On the one hand, a solid base of recognizable big names that provide security. On the other, an increasingly careful selection of value-added labels.: organic, native grape varieties, sustainable projects, limited territorial production.

According to Circana data, 2024 confirmed a decline in volume (-3.4%), but the substantial resilience in value (+0.8%) suggests that the real battle is shifting from quantity to quality. Signs are rewarding wines with a clear identity, capable of justifying a higher price.

The common trunk and local roots

While it is true that in each store we find a core of common references, it is equally true that there is a growing trend toward local customization. The most attentive chains are modulating assortments by region, city and even neighborhood. A supermarket in Milan will have a different selection than one in Bari or Turin.

This push for localism is not only a response to consumer tastes, but also a way to differentiate themselves from the competition. Personalization increases loyalty and reinforces the perception of a studied assortment, not a generic one.

The risk of over-referencing

GDO wine assortment

Is having a wide choice an advantage? Only to a certain extent. Too many products create confusion and slowing sales. The U.S. model, which focuses on leaner but targeted assortments, is also inspiring Italian retailers.

The basic mistake is to think that more labels equals more sales opportunities. On the contrary, simplify the offer and giving more space to selected products can bring better results. The real crux is finding the right balance: giving variety without dispersing the customer’s attention.

Conclusion: the GDO as a director, not just a showcase

The wine assortment in large retailers is not a list of labels placed on the shelf without criteria, but is the result of a precise positioning strategy. Selection is never neutral: it drives tastes, determines market perception and can influence the growth of entire product categories. Signs have understood this, and increasingly we will see assortments built with a clearer and more sophisticated logic, capable of intercepting a changing demand.

RELATED ARTICLES

What you think about this post?