Short Case

Layout of Delhaize De Leeuw supermarket in Ouderghem,

Belgium
The Delhaize Group operates over 400 retail outlets in Belgium, of which
there are around 100 local Delhaize De Leeuw supermarkets Delhaize
supermarkets compete !oth !" choices of location, which are convenient for
fre#uent shoppers, and !" the #ualit" of the products and service To remain
profita!le ever" Delhaize manager must ma$imize the revenue and
contri!ution per s#uare metre !ut must also minimize the costs of operating
the store, in terms of material handling and checkout productivit", for e$ample
The %uderghem supermarket has a somewhat unusual la"out, having two
entr" points and two e$it points &n common with most supermarket designs,
the checkouts are positioned near the outside wall, !ut during most of the da"
onl" a few are used 'ewspapers are sold near the checkout #ueues, so that
customers can catch up with the news while waiting (heckout operators face
into the store, towards the #ueue, to emphasize the need to work #uickl"
when there is a #ueue The store has 10 checkouts ) a ver" large num!er for
a store of onl" 1*00 s#uare metres This is !ecause there is a large peak of
sales in the earl" evening, and long #ueues at the checkout would !e
unaccepta!le
Delhaize uses relativel" wide aisles !etween the shelves, to ensure good
flows of trolle"s, !ut this has !een at the e$pense of reduced shelf space
which would allow a wider range of products to !e stocked The actual
location of all the products is a critical decision, directl" affecting the
convenience to customers, their level of spontaneous purchases, and the
costs of filling the shelves The overall la"out of the supermarket has
separate, clearl" marked self+service areas for packaged food, drinks, fruit
and vegeta!les, and household items The served delicatessen area ,which
sells products with a!ove+average margins- is positioned centrall" so that
most shoppers must pass it The displa"s of fruit and vegeta!les are located
ad.acent to the main entrance, as a signal of freshness and wholesomeness,
providing an attractive and welcoming point of entr"
/igh+turnover, 0essential1, known+value items such as rice, pasta, sugar and
oil are positioned centrall" and visi!l", so that the" are eas" to find 2rofita!le,
fast+moving items are displa"ed at e"e level, !oth to help the customer and to
make restocking easier for the emplo"ees (onversel", low+margin and low+
turnover items are placed low down Bulk" or heav" products, such as packs
of !eer, are located near the storage area to facilitate restocking 3rozen
foods are located at the ends of aisles, near the checkouts, so that the" can
!e purchased last &n some supermarkets, these positions are onl" used for
promotions, as customers move slower around the ends of aisles and the
goods on displa" can !e seen from most directions
Questions
1 4hat is the !asic la"out t"pe used !" this supermarket5
2 6re the o!.ectives in designing a supermarket la"out !roadl" similar to the
o!.ectives in designing a high+variet" manufacturing operation5 &f not,
what is the difference5