Struggling with snack aisle sales

I manage a small grocery store in Michigan and I’ve hit a wall with my snack aisle. It seems like every week I’m staring at bags of chips and granola bars past their sell-by dates, and it’s frustrating to watch my profits vanish. Honestly, I try to keep a variety to please everyone, but maybe I’m offering too many options?

Last month, I even decided to do a little experiment by displaying some popular items more prominently but still saw minimal change in sales. Is there something I'm missing? Are there specific products or brands you swear by that really fly off the shelves? Also, I’m curious if running a sale or promotion could really move the needle, or if that just leads to more waste at the end of the day. Any advice or insights would be a lifesaver!

Totally get it, been there. Most small stores overdo SKUs and end up with slow-moving specialty bags. Quick checklist to get you out of the hole.

Why this is happening

• Too many choices, wrong pack sizes, low visibility for true sellers. In convenience retail recently single-serve snacks, jerky sticks, and protein-forward bars have been the reliable movers, while large "trendy" bags often sit.
• Pareto usually applies, around 20% of SKUs drive 80% of sales, so trim the tail.

Product ideas that sell fast

• Single-serve chips and popcorn
• Beef/pepperoni jerky sticks and snack sticks
• Protein/granola bars in popular brands
• Nuts and trail mixes in grab-and-go packs
• Candy singles and gum at register
• Frozen breakfast sandwiches for mornings if you have a freezer Margins and pricing
• Aim for roughly 40-60% margin on counter/impulse snacks, 30-40% on standard bagged snacks.
• Keep a clear $1-$2 impulse tier and a $2-$4 grab-and-go tier.

Three things to do this week

• Inventory triage: run sales for last 90 days, cut the bottom 30% of SKUs that barely sell. Reduce order quantities for niche items.
• Move and promote expiring inventory: create an endcap clearance with 20-40% off or bundle deals like mix-and-match 2 for $3. Bundles sell and clear stock faster than single discounts.
• Reset and test a focused planogram: give your top 10 SKUs extra facings, add shelf-talkers or small signs, and cross-merch with drinks/coffee. Try free samples during a busy hour for one high-margin item. If you do promotions, keep them short and targeted. Promotions that are too long just bring temporary volume and more returns. Rotate fast, measure, and stick with what sells. You’ll get the sell-through back in a couple of weeks if you prune aggressively and push your top sellers.