Most supermarket advertising conversations focus on what happens at the shelf.
But by the time shoppers reach an aisle, many of the most important influences have already begun.
The first few seconds of a store visit represent one of the most valuable moments in the entire shopper journey.
It is the point where consumers transition from everyday life into a purchasing environment. They are orientating themselves, thinking about their shopping mission and preparing to make dozens of decisions over the course of their visit. For brands, this creates a unique opportunity. Before shoppers compare products. Before they enter category aisles. Before they decide what ends up in their basket. This is why Front of Store advertising has become such an important part of modern Retail Media strategies.
Most supermarket advertising conversations focus on what happens at the shelf. But by the time shoppers reach an aisle, many of the most important influences have already begun.
The first few seconds of a store visit represent one of the most valuable moments in the entire shopper journey. It is the point where consumers transition from everyday life into a purchasing environment - orientating themselves, thinking about their shopping mission, and preparing to make dozens of decisions over the course of their visit.
For brands, this creates a unique opportunity:
This is why Front of Store advertising has become such an important part of modern Retail Media strategies.
Every supermarket shopper has a different mission:
What all shoppers have in common is that they enter through the same place: the entrance.
Unlike category-specific advertising, Front of Store media reaches every shopper regardless of what they plan to buy. Research shows that around 70% of visits from potential category buyers result in no spend within that category (Source: i2c, 2018). Reaching shoppers before category journeys begin gives brands an opportunity to influence consumers who may never visit the aisle where their products are located.
That makes it one of the few moments in the retail environment where brands can influence all potential category buyers before purchase decisions begin.
Front of Store locations occupy a unique position within the shopper journey, sitting at the intersection between awareness and purchase. For advertisers, this means they can perform two roles simultaneously.
Build attention
Front of Store screens help reinforce brand awareness, increase familiarity and keep brands mentally available.
Influence intention
By appearing before category decisions are made, they can also help shape consideration and influence future purchase behaviour.
This combination of attention and intention is what makes supermarket DOOH such a powerful Retail Media channel.
One of the challenges facing brands is that shoppers don't visit every aisle. Not every supermarket trip includes every category, and many potential buyers may never reach the part of the store where a brand's products are located.
Front of Store media solves this challenge by reaching shoppers before category journeys diverge. Rather than waiting for consumers to arrive at a shelf, brands can influence consideration at the beginning of the shopping trip.
This gives supermarket DOOH a role that extends beyond simple point-of-sale advertising - it becomes a tool for shaping decisions throughout the visit.
Digital screens are particularly effective within supermarket environments because they combine the impact of physical presence with the flexibility of digital advertising. Supermarket DOOH delivers:
Unlike many digital channels, supermarket DOOH exists within the shopper journey itself - it becomes part of the environment rather than competing against it.
Independent supermarket research found that supermarket DOOH delivered a 14% faster time to first fixation, a 53% higher share of attention on shelf, and a 4.3 percentage point increase in brand choice (Source: Shoppercentric Supermarket Research 2023). By building awareness at the entrance, brands are more likely to be noticed and chosen when shoppers later reach the shelf.
For this reason, Front of Store screens can be particularly effective for:
One of the most important jobs of Front of Store advertising is priming.
Priming occurs when exposure to a brand increases the likelihood that consumers will notice, remember or consider it later. A shopper who sees a brand at the store entrance may become more likely to:
This is one of the reasons supermarket advertising can influence behaviour without needing to appear directly beside the product itself. The goal is not simply to drive an immediate reaction - the goal is to make the brand easier to choose later.
Research from the Moments of Truth study by Bauer Media Outdoor, JCDecaux and Posterscope also found that contextually relevant DOOH messaging delivers a 17% uplift in advertising effectiveness, reinforcing the importance of reaching shoppers with relevant creative at key moments in their journey.
The first 10 seconds of a store visit are rarely the first time a shopper encounters a brand. Consumers move through multiple environments before entering a supermarket. They may:
Each touchpoint contributes to the next. This is why Streets to Store planning has become increasingly important. By connecting broader OOH activity with supermarket DOOH, brands can reinforce messages throughout the shopper journey and create greater consistency between awareness and purchase.
Much of today's Retail Media conversation focuses on online channels. Retailer websites, ecommerce platforms and audience targeting all play an important role.
However, physical Retail Media remains hugely influential. Supermarkets provide something digital channels cannot always replicate: attention within a real-world purchasing environment. Consumers are present. They are shopping. They are making decisions.
This is why Front of Store supermarket DOOH continues to play an important role within the wider Retail Media ecosystem.
The first few seconds of a store visit combine three things that advertisers value most:
Reach
Every shopper passes through the entrance.
Attention
Consumers are highly engaged as they begin their shopping journey.
Retail proximity
Advertising appears close to where purchasing decisions will ultimately happen.
Together, these factors make Front of Store one of the most influential moments available to brands looking to connect awareness with action.
Bauer Media Outdoor operates the UK's largest digital supermarket network across Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons.
Our Front of Store screens help brands connect attention and intention at one of the most influential moments in the shopper journey. Whether you're launching a product, supporting a Retail Media strategy or looking to influence shoppers closer to purchase, supermarket DOOH can help create stronger connections between brand building and commercial outcomes.
Get in touch to learn more.
Out of Home is a tried and trusted method for reaching large and diverse audiences and the new wave of DOOH formats has expanded our network's offering - enabling you to amplify your brand's message with data-driven campaigns.
Our position as market leaders ensures that we can provide expert guidance on choosing the right formats, locations and environments to deliver tangible results. Fill out the form to start your OOH advertising journey with Bauer Media Outdoor.
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Supermarkets are one of the most influential advertising environments available to brands.
Every week, millions of consumers enter stores ready to make decisions, compare products and complete purchases. Some arrive with detailed shopping lists. Others arrive with broad intentions and make decisions as they go.
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