Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making decisions related to medications or health products.
Creating a well-structured pharmacy planogram is both an art and a science. In the competitive retail pharmacy world, a strategic planogram drives sales, improves customer experience, enhances inventory control, and strengthens compliance with regulatory standards. This master guide will teach you how to create an effective planogram, using proven merchandising techniques, category management principles, and data-driven decisions.
Whether managing a chain pharmacy or an independent drugstore, mastering pharmacy space planning is critical to long-term success.
What is a Pharmacy Planogram?
A pharmacy planogram (also called a POG) is a visual diagram or schematic that designates the placement of products on shelves and fixtures within a pharmacy retail space. It maps out how categories like over-the-counter (OTC) medicine, skincare, personal care items, vitamins, and prescription-related goods should be arranged to maximize visibility and performance.
Planograms assure that product adjacencies make logical sense to shoppers, promote high-margin items, and optimize traffic flow. In pharmacies, where customers often seek assistance or deal with sensitive needs, an effective planogram must also support easy navigation and accessibility.
Why a Planogram is Essential in Pharmacy Merchandising
1. Sales Optimization: A well-executed planogram helps prioritize bestsellers and place them at eye level or high-traffic zones. With optimized product positioning, pharmacies can increase impulse purchases and upsell complementary products, such as putting vitamin C supplements near cold remedies.
2. Inventory Management: Planograms help control stock levels and rotation. Retailers can quickly identify which SKUs underperform and which shelves require restocking.
3. Consistency Across Locations: A standardized planogram uniformity across chain pharmacies’ stores, making it easier to manage promotions and train staff.
4. Regulatory Compliance: Adherence to safety and legal standards is critical in pharmacy merchandising. Planograms help verify that restricted medications are placed appropriately and privacy is respected.
Steps to Create an Effective Pharmacy Shelf Display
1. Analyze Store Layout and Shopper Flow
Before sketching a planogram, analyze your store's layout. Consider the entrance point, counter locations, pharmacy desk, and natural shopper flow. High-demand products should be placed within easy reach, while low-priority items can be placed in corners or lower shelves.
2. Segment by Product Categories
Organize shelves based on core pharmacy categories:
- Over-the-Counter Medicines (OTC)
- First Aid Supplies
- Vitamins and Supplements
- Personal Hygiene and Skincare
- Children’s Health
- Medical Devices (thermometers, blood pressure monitors)
Use clear signage to support navigation and consider color coding for shelf strips to highlight category blocks.
3. Apply the Eye-Level Merchandising Rule
In pharmacy merchandising, eye-level is buy-level. Prime shelf space (usually between 1.2 to 1.6 meters from the ground) should feature high-margin and high-demand items. The top and bottom shelves can be used for overflow or less essential products.
4. Integrate Data-Driven Category Management
Use sales data, market trends, and customer preferences to determine the best SKU placement. Software like PlanoHero can simplify this step, offering automated planogram creation based on real-time analytics.
5. Consider Seasonal and Promotional Displays
Dedicate endcaps and freestanding fixtures for seasonal items such as flu kits in winter or allergy products in spring. Temporary planograms for promotions should be strategically placed to drive attention.
6. Include Private Label and Cross-Merchandising
Feature your pharmacy’s private-label items following brand-name alternatives to encourage value-based purchasing. Cross-merchandising (e.g., positioning lip balm near cold remedies) increases basket size.
Planogram Design Best Practices for Pharmacy Merchandising
Use Visual Hierarchies
Signage, color blocking, or shelf talkers can create visual breaks between categories. Products can also be grouped vertically by brand and horizontally by size or price.
- Implement Zoning for Enhanced Navigation
- Assign each pharmacy section a specific zone:
- Front: Seasonal displays, wellness products
- Mid-store: High-frequency OTC items
- Rear: Prescription services and consultations
- Make certain of ADA Compliance and Accessibility
Establish that all customers, including those with disabilities, can comfortably reach and read shelf labels. Avoid clutter and keep aisles wide.
Test and Iterate
A pharmacy shelf display is not a one-time setup. Monitor performance, gather staff and customer feedback, and refine layouts regularly. Planogram compliance audits verifies that your merchandising strategy is executed correctly.
Automated planogram tools are indispensable for modern pharmacy retailing. Services like PlanoHero offer intuitive interfaces for designing pharmacy shelf layouts, generating planograms from data, and managing store-specific variations at scale. From real-time analytics to compliance tracking, these tools save time and enhance merchandising accuracy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Pharmacy Retail Layout
Ignoring Shopper Behavior Data: Relying on intuition alone can lead to poor layout decisions.
- Overloading Shelves: Cramming too many SKUs per shelf overwhelms shoppers.
- Neglecting Bottom and Top Shelf Opportunities: While less visible, these areas are perfect for value items and bulk packs.
- Lack of Staff Training: If employees don’t understand the planogram, execution suffers.
- Not Using Planogram Software Tools: Manual designs are time-consuming and error-prone.
An effective pharmacy shelving plan isn’t just about aesthetic organization; it’s a powerful retail merchandising tool that drives performance, enhances customer experience, and confirms operational efficiency. Whether you’re updating a single shelf or revamping an entire pharmacy department, follow these best practices to build a smart, data-backed layout that delivers results.
Use shopper insights, planogram software, and strategic placement principles to elevate your retail pharmacy’s shelf management. The time and effort invested in your pharmacy shelf display
will pay off through increased sales, better inventory turnover, and improved shopper satisfaction.
