It’s February 14, and there’s no mistaking the romance in the air. To celebrate this season of hearts and flowers, C-Store thought it apt to look at special relationships being created in the retail world. By pairing up complementary items, retailers are finding they can inspire their shoppers to fall for new products, or remind them about items they may have once loved and lost, all the while achieving those important incremental sales

perfect partners

Customers grabbing a bottle of wine to take to friends may well be looking for an additional top-up gift, and boxed mints fits the bill. Siting the two together makes it easy for shoppers at Nisa Local Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire

perfect partners

Cat food is a regular purchase for pet owners, but by placing treat items nearby, customers may well be tempted to spoil kitty a little. Sunder Sandher has been using this simple trick at his Londis in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

Perfect partners

Bagged leaves and rounds of lettuce are often found alongside fellow salad companions. But Budgens Wixams in Bedfordshire also puts a few tubs of potato salad and coleslaw close at hand to up basket spend

Perfect partners

Croft Stores in Silverstone, Northamptonshire, ensures that its gondola end is packed full of soft drinks and crisps, which go hand in hand for Big Night In occasions and parties. Pair the two up and watch your sales soar

Perfect partners

Having bought all the ingredients for a mean chilli con carne, the last thing your customers want is to be without a tin opener. Vic Grewal displays the handy gadgets next to cans at his Simply Fresh store in Thames Ditton, Surrey

Perfect partners

Beef jerky is arguably the perfect savoury snack to accompany a few cans of cold beer. 
At Malcolm’s Kwiksave in Birmingham, staff have racked up impressive impulse sales simply 
by attaching a parasite unit of these tasty morsels to the shelves of top-selling beer multipacks. 
It ensures plenty of customers purchase the two together and takes up very little extra space

Perfect partners

Spar has taken product partnering to a new level, creating an entire bay of Italian items, from garlic bread and pasta to pizza and beer like this example at Penwortham in Lancashire

Perfect partners

Some jars can be a nightmare to open, particularly for the elderly, so merchandising
an opening tool alongside your groceries 
can work out to everyone’s benefit

Perfect partners

Who could resist a chocolate treat while flicking through a favourite mag? Suresh Patel tests will power by placing tablets alongside magazines at Premier Upholland, Lancashire

Perfect partners

Kitchen roll is a shopping list staple, while sink strainers are unlikely to get a look-in. Putting the two together captures consumers’ attention when hygiene is on their minds

Perfect partners

Yogurt need not be thought of purely as a 
take-home item. Adding a spoon tray turns it into a food to go, giving customers another way to enjoy their dairy snack

Perfect partners

By displaying gift bags alongside the spirits section, Brownlies of Biggar in Edinburgh is inspiring its customers to think of the alcohol section as a solution for their gifting dilemmas. The handy bags hanging right next to the bottles provide shoppers with all they need to create the perfect present for those who enjoy a tipple, and encourages them to trade up at the same time