A quick excursion to the neighborhood supermarket reveals a plethora of linguistic and non-linguistic signs that we all consciously and subconsciously interpret and make use of in our browsing/shopping experience. Food packaging, displays and design of space all ultimately aim for and contribute to maximizing the possibility of the products landing into the shopping cart/basket. This presentation is a draft of one of an assignment I worked on in 2016 as a semiotics student at the Department of Semiotics, University of Tartu, Estonia. If you find this presentation interesting and/or useful, please like and leave a comment. It will encourage me to share more content here with all of you.

1. Signs in a
supermarket
Autumn 2016
Ecosemiotics
Dipti Kotwal
October 01, 2016
Dept. of Semiotics
University of Tartu
Estonia

2. Shelf to billing via basket
Ergonomic modification of the usual shape of the
basket to make it user friendly. This particular shape
orients the weight of the shopped items outwards,
slightly away from the body so the shopper does not
have to lean to one side when carrying it around. The
inner curve ensures easy movement when walking,
without the basket grazing against the leg.

3. — wearing connotative colors
— wearing iconic colors
— being quickly selectable
— being grouped together with others of its kind
— not being prepacked in fixed quantities
— wearing the right texture
— bearing the use-by-date stamp conspicuously
— being at the right eye-level
— being in a sloped display
Products & produce
prepare to make it into the shopper’s basket by

4. Wearing connotative colors
Eggs from free-range hens.
The color of the carton encodes
grass, freshness, outdoors and
natural surroundings

5. Wearing connotative colors
Eggs with omega-3 fatty acids that are
supposed to promote a healthy heart. The
color of the carton may or may not have
been inspired by the English expression
“in the pink of health”

6. Wearing iconic colors
Palette of the package
includes iconic colors picked directly
from the main ingredients,
offering a representational ‘preview’
of the contents

7. Wearing iconic colors
Palette of the package includes
iconic colors picked directly
from main ingredients,
offering a color-based
visual amplification
of the product inside

8. Being quickly selectable
Ready-to-eat gourmet meals
in shelves that enable
on-the-go selection
for the buyer in a hurry

9. Being grouped together with others of its kind
Citrus fruits displayed together
for easy comparison and choice

10. Being grouped together with others of its kind
Apple and pear varieties displayed together
for easy comparison and choice;
both belong to the family Rosaceae

11. Being grouped together with others of its kind
Large-sized vegetables displayed together;
this helps prevent the displayed veggies
from damaging other smaller veggies
and may also help the shopper
manage basket/cart space better

12. Not being prepacked in fixed quantities
Bulk bins allow for buying items
in desired non-standard quantities.
Transparency of the bins
renders labeling unnecessary

13. Wearing the right texture
It has become a norm
for products in trending categories
such as ‘organic’, ‘natural’, ‘artisanal’, etc.
to be packed in dull, matte-finish textures.
The graphics in such categories
may make use of muted, neutral colors

14. Wearing the right texture
It has become a norm
for products in trending categories
such as ‘organic’, ‘natural’, ‘artisanal’, etc.
to be packed in dull, matte-finish textures.
The graphics in such categories
may make use of muted, neutral colors.
Additionally, Khaki or paper packaging
are also opted for by many brands
to convey ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘handmade’.

15. Bearing the use-by-date stamp conspicuously
An easy-to-find use-by date is convenient
for the buyer when shopping; in case of
products with a short shelf life, this also
acts as a reminder every time it is
consumed. In the supermarket, a readily
visible expiry date may also ensure
minimum handling of the item

16. Being at the right eye-level
The pack height of cold cuts necessitates
that the package graphics be printed on the
top than the sides. The product and
graphics will therefore be visible only
when these products are placed on shelves
that go below the shoppers’ eye-level

17. Being in a sloped display
(shelf with a slope)
A top shelf is suitable for small, lightweight
items that are not awkwardly shaped and
can be easily picked up. A sloped top shelf
helps the items to slide forward after the
first one in the row is picked up: the next
buyer can pick something from this display
effortlessly.

18. Thank
You
Dipti Kotwal
October 01, 2016
Dept. of Semiotics
University of Tartu
Estonia