Is Your Brand
Winning
at Shelf?

Rate your brand's shelf performance in 15 minutes. The 9-point Shelf Audit Checklist gives CPG brand leaders a structured framework before it shows up in the sales data.

Used by VP Marketing and Brand Directors at mid-market CPG brands

9 Audit Criteria
15 Min To Complete
4 Scoring Tiers
Free Always
What's Inside

9 Questions Every CPG
Brand Leader Should Answer

Most CPG brands have never done a structured shelf audit. They rely on gut feel, quarterly sales data, or buyer feedback — all lagging indicators. This checklist gives you a systematic framework to evaluate shelf performance right now.

01

First Impression at 5 Feet

Can you identify your brand before you get close? Does it stand out from category noise?

02

Color Blocking

Does your brand create a strong visual block across facings? Does it hold up under retail lighting?

03

Hierarchy of Information

Can a shopper understand what it is, why to care, and why to choose it - in 2 seconds?

04

Brand Distinctiveness

Does your brand signal it belongs in the category while still standing apart from competitors?

05

Competitive Set Performance

Compared to your 2 closest competitors, who wins the 3-second attention test?

06

SKU-to-SKU Consistency

If you have multiple SKUs, does the family look like a family on shelf?

07

Secondary Touchpoints

Are shelf talkers, off-shelf displays, or secondary placements working for your brand?

08

Packaging Condition

Are products stocked, faced, and in good condition? Execution undermines even great design.

09

Price Point Communication

Does your packaging support the price point you're asking shoppers to pay?

The Scoring Guide

Score Your Brand.
Know Where You Stand.

Score each of the 9 criteria 1–5. Add up your total (max 45). Here's what your number means.

36–45
Shelf Leader
Best-in-class. The shelf is working hard for you. Find the remaining gaps before a competitor does.
25–35
Strong but Exposed
Performing well but with identifiable vulnerabilities. At least 2–3 scores are dragging your average.
16–24
At Risk
Not winning at shelf, even if your sales data doesn't show it yet. The gap between promise and aisle reality is widening.
9–15
Shelf Crisis
Your brand is invisible or confusing at shelf. A strategic rebrand or packaging refresh is a business necessity.
Who This Is For

Built for CPG Brand Leaders
Who Take Shelf Seriously

Primary User
VP Marketing /
Brand Director
You own the brand at retail. You feel the shelf pressure every quarter. This checklist turns gut instinct into a structured scorecard you can act on and share with your team.
Also Valuable For
CMO /
VP Brand
You set the vision. Use this to benchmark how well the brand vision is translating to actual shelf performance and whether you have a strategy problem or an execution problem.
Frequently Used By
Category /
Shopper Marketing
You brief the buyer every quarter. This gives you data not just opinions about how your brand performs in the set. Walk into the buyer review with a score, not a feeling.
Jim Cusson
About the Author
Jim Cusson
President, Theory House

Jim has spent his career at the intersection of brand strategy and retail performance. As President of Theory House, a retail branding agency for mid-market CPG brands, he has led brand transformations across food, beverage, personal care, and household categories.

Theory House builds brands that win where it counts: in the aisle, on the shelf, and in the cart.

Follow Jim on LinkedIn →

Coming Soon: KASPER by TheoryNXT — the industry's first AI Commerce Graph for CPG brands.  Follow Jim on LinkedIn to be first to know →

Ready to Talk
About What You Find?

If your audit reveals gaps you want to close, Theory House can help. Book a 15-minute Shelf Strategy Call — no pitch, just an honest conversation.