Royal Canin Nutritional Information

Royal Canin Nutritional Information

Key Points to Remember: Selected Basic Merchandising Concepts in the Veterinary Clinic

In a veterinary clinic, the organization of the food storage shelves should help clients understand the nutritional goals, highlight all exclusive veterinary diets, and facilitate management by the clinic’s staff. (© Royal Canin).

The goal of merchandising is to grow sales to clients. In quality terms, merchandising should also:

• Improve the client’s impression of the clinic

A sober, discreet and rational presentation of the products is a significant benchmark for owners that expect personalized advice.

• Underscore the difference between a clinic and a retailer

Owners expect the veterinary clinic to differentiate itself from other dog food outlets by offering highend specialist products.

• Recruit new clients

Whatever the reason for the consultation, nutritional recommendations are always welcome. They are especially appreciated:
- When the patient is a very young puppy, a puppy at the end of growth or a dog that starts to show signs of aging.
- When the reason for consultation must entail a nutritional prescription, like obesity or neutering.
- During routine visits: Health Nutrition helps accentuate the food’s preventive role and increases visits to the clinic.

• Reassure owners and develop their loyalty

All communication tools should focus on the major arguments: a well nourished animal is healthy and a good diet has a positive effect on the animal’s longevity. Samples or small trial packs encourage the owner to try a food without risk.

Goals of Retail Space and Shelf Organization

If the clinic's staff has a key role in providing nutritional advice, the products' placement in the shelves should help owners understand the indications. The four keys points are:
- The species
- The aim: Preserving the health of the dog, preventing selected specific risks or adapting to a specific pathological state
- The brands
- The segmentation criteria by brand: Age, size, breed, lifestyle, etc.

It is preferable for the owner to have ready access to brochures that convey the veterinarian's instructions. (© M. Lechardoy. With kind permission of T. Hazan.).

Ideally, the space should be organized in such a way that owners are led to buy a new supply of food for their dog, and even to buy new products for the dog that they have not seen before (e.g., chewing bars for dental hygiene).