Assortment Rationalization Checklist

1. Define the category role

Before reviewing individual SKUs, clarify what the category needs to accomplish for the shopper and the store proposition.

2. Map useful choice

List the shopper needs, subcategories, formats, brands, private-label roles, price tiers, pack sizes, and variants the range is intended to cover.

3. Identify duplication

Look for items that serve substantially the same need, tier, size, format, or proposition without clearly extending choice.

4. Protect strategic items

Do not rely only on simple volume rankings. Some products may support opening price, premium credibility, key shopper missions, brand relationships, or category completeness.

5. Test the shelf consequence

Ask what happens to facings, capacity, adjacency, navigation, and availability if an item is added or removed.

6. Plan transition risk

Review inventory, supplier, contractual, system, communication, and store-execution implications before final decisions.

General information only. This guide is management information, not legal, antitrust, accounting, tax, food-safety, or regulated financial advice. Specific projects may require specialist review.