Exhibit 33.6 Some FMCG departments and categories.
Categories are groups of
products that meet similar needs. Departments are groups of categories that
meet related needs. And the store is a collection of departments.
Exhibit 33.6
provides examples of some FMCG departments and categories.
Consumer needs can be defined broadly such as
“hair care”, or more precisely such as “cleaning hair”. A broader need is met
by a super category (e.g., hair care category), which essentially is a group of
related categories (e.g., shampoo, conditioner, hair colour). Categories
comprise of sub-categories or segments (e.g., anti-dandruff shampoos).
Marketers need to be careful that they do not define
categories too narrowly. For example, a definition such as “yeast-based
spreads”, where a single brand commands 90% share of category, is unlikely to capture
the market dynamics. The category should be defined such that it reflects the
needs of the consumers, not merely the form of the product.
For retailers, their categories are central to their
identity, and should be framed based on the needs and behaviours of their
target shoppers. By and large, for established retailers, this task has already
been performed, though, as markets evolve and innovative new products get launched, the
category definitions may need to be tweaked and updated.
