How Grocery Stores Can Influence Shoppers Where It Matters Most
September 2, 2025
Across markets, rising prices and shifting consumer expectations have reshaped the grocery landscape. Shoppers are making more conscious choices, evaluating what’s worth their time, attention, and money. For grocery retailers and FMCG brands, this is both a wake-up call and an opportunity: to redefine how communication works in-store and how it drives measurable business outcomes.
At Visual Art, we believe the future of grocery is local, physical, and connected. While e-commerce has grown, most of the grocery spend still happens in-store. It’s where shopping lists meet spontaneous decisions, and where buying choices are made in real time. To succeed in this environment, brands need to connect, convince, and convert, right at the shelf.
In-store isn’t just a channel. It’s the moment of truth.
Even as consumers tighten their budgets, in-store shopping continues to dominate the grocery journey. Shoppers say they prefer brick-and-mortar stores for discovery, inspiration, and value. They come to the store looking for what’s familiar but leave with what’s new, what’s on offer, or what catches their eye.
- Many consumers are actively avoiding impulse purchases, but nearly 30% still make them regularly.
- Around 60% say deals and discounts on the shelf influence their purchasing decisions.
- And almost 50% admit they’re more likely to try new products in-store than online.
This confirms that physical stores remain a high-impact media environment. But to capitalise on it, brands need more than presence; they need precision.
From display to decision: What smart digital signage can do
Digital signage in grocery isn’t about screens for the sake of screens. It’s about performance. With Visual Art’s digital signage software and IXM platform, brands can deliver the right message, in the right context, at the right time. Whether its surfacing real-time promotions, adapting content based on time of day or store location, or driving seasonal product awareness, we ensure signage doesn’t just broadcast, it converts.
And the results are clear: products supported by Point-of-Sale media see faster recognition, greater recall, and higher sales lift.
Creativity drives performance. Strategy makes it stick.
What cuts through the clutter in a busy supermarket? Not volume. Not novelty. Meaning. That’s why our work always starts with strategic insight and brand goals, not just screen specs. Through design, storytelling and behavioural understanding, we translate strategy into in-store content that drives impact.
Because when it comes to shopper decisions, aesthetics matter. Context matters. And above all, relevance matters.
The smartphone is the new shopping companion
Globally, shoppers are increasingly using mobile devices while shopping, scanning QR codes, searching for reviews, comparing prices. This dual-screen behaviour creates a critical opportunity for retailers: to bridge personal and physical touchpoints seamlessly.
Visual Art’s digital signage solutions are designed to complement the mobile experience, not compete with it. This means your content can trigger mobile engagement, encourage conversion, and even extend the conversation beyond the store.
Five ways to elevate in-store impact
Modernise the shelf edge
Move beyond outdated paper signage with digital, real-time platforms that respond to context, timing, and shopper behaviour.
Communicate value with relevance
Go beyond price points. Use dynamic content to build trust, highlight product benefits, and reinforce why your offer matters.
Turn in-store media into brand-building tools
High-traffic zones become powerful storytelling spaces when creativity meets strategic placement.
Connect with today’s shopper journeys
Design messaging that complements mobile usage and supports decision-making—before, during, and after the store visit.
Scale consistency across every location
A unified digital network ensures a seamless brand experience, from flagship stores to local formats, across all markets.
The opportunity
In-store experiences remain the most powerful lever for influence in grocery. At Visual Art, we design in-store journeys that drive real results. From strategy and content creation to execution and measurement, we help grocery stores turn digital signage into a seamless part of the customer journey.
Reach out to our Global Head of Design Studio, Pelle Mets Höök, today to learn more
Monthly Newsletter: Signage Spotlight
We publish Signage Spotlight, your go-to monthly newsletter designed to guide you through the dynamic world of digital signage.
Whether you’re a marketing professional or a business leader, our curated content aims to inform, inspire, and elevate your digital signage projects.
