Challenge: As an ongoing strategic partner to The Hershey Company, Plan-it provided consumer-based insights and solutions to help Hershey build the brand within several of its key retail partners.

Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of and opportunities within varied retail environments where Hershey products are sold.

Solution: A range of techniques have been utilized across retailers to understand the customer shopping experience and decision-making process, including assessing the branding, shelf placement, design, flow, signage, and merchandising within stores.

Result: Plan-it’s recommendations have resulted in customer-centric changes to the way Hershey products are sold within multiple major U.S. retailers, such as CVS, Stop & Shop, Giant Food Stores, and AAFES (Army Air Force Exchange Services). These changes not only improved shopper perceptions, the customer experience, and sales at each retailer but also helped Hershey meet its aggressive strategic growth goals. Through an in-depth understanding of customer motivations, behaviors, and needs, Plan-it has been able to guide The Hershey Company in developing a 365-day approach, covering Everyday confection purchases as well as Seasonal purchases, from each touch-point in the in-store environment (checkout, gondola, displays, seasonal area, secondary pay points).