How to Read a Planogram: Tips for Decoding Retail Planograms

Article Updated: 5/21/2026

Quick TL;DR: A planogram is read by using its visual views, product labels, fixture details, and SKU lists to understand exactly where each product belongs, how many facings it gets, and how the display should be assembled. Store teams use these details to execute shelves accurately and maintain planogram compliance.

If you work in retail, you’re likely aware of what a planogram is. Planograms are more than just diagrams; they are a blueprint for your retail merchandising strategy. They tell you what products to place where, how many units to stock and how to arrange them visually. 

All retail departments need to understand planograms—including merchandising, marketing, finance and store operations. But planograms can only be effective if store associates and others involved in planogram execution understand how to read them.

When done correctly, executing a planogram is like building a Lego kit with clear instructions to guide you through the entire process. Visual and data elements in the planogram help you read it with ease.

Ready to learn how to read a retail planogram? Let’s get started!

What’s included with a planogram?

Planograms are one deliverable in a packet of materials that guides in-store execution of visual merchandising strategies and tactics. These deliverables work together as instructions for setting the shelves in a retail store. 

The planogram packet often includes multiple PDFs, such as the front view with product images, product view with labels, fixture view, and SKU listing. (Source.)

Planogram Packet Item	What It Shows	Why It Matters for Store Execution
Front View With Product Images	A visual view of where products belong on shelves, displays, or fixtures, typically using product images, brand visuals, and shelf placement.	Helps store teams understand the intended visual layout, product orientation, brand presentation, and number of facings for each product.
Product View With Labels	A product-focused view without images that uses labels to show details such as category, subcategory, UPC, brand, product status, or other attributes.	Makes it easier to organize products, compare relationships, identify key items, and highlight new, discontinued, promotional, seasonal, or best-selling products.
Fixture View	A view of the fixture structure without products, including gondolas, racks, pegboards, slat walls, coolers, base decks, sidewalls, shelves, or pushers.	Shows store teams how the fixture should be assembled before products are placed, including shelf count, shelf height, and merchandising capacity.
SKU Listing	A list of all products included in the planogram, usually organized by shelf, position, or placement order.	Gives store teams a checklist to confirm that every product is present, placed correctly, and accounted for during planogram execution.
Facings Information	The number of times a specific product faces the customer on the shelf.	Helps teams set the correct shelf presence for each item and avoid overfilling, underfilling, or misrepresenting product space.
Product Image Data	Product images used in the planogram to represent packaging, brand, and product type.	Helps teams recognize products visually, but image data must stay current because packaging may change over time.

1 – Front view with product images

This view is what most people associate with planograms. It highlights product placement on shelves and displays, typically using a visual representation of the product type and brand. It allows people executing the planogram to see the visual appeal and variety of the products, as well as their alignment and orientation.

This view also shows the number of times a particular product on the shelf faces the consumer. This is known as the number of facings. For example, the far left segment of the bottom shelf shows four products with two facings (green boxes added to highlight this example). The other three  products on that shelf only have one facing.  

Teams involved in planogram execution must be aware of any packaging changes. Sometimes the product image may not match exactly what the planogram displays. To ensure up-to-date product images, mature planogram software will include methods to easily update image data.  

2 – Product view with labels

The product view with labels is one of the most important views in a planogram. It allows you to see products in your assortment without images, making it easier to focus on their attributes and relationships. 

In high-quality planogram software, labels are configurable to include specific information about each product, such as category, subcategory, UPC or other data to help organize and group the products. 

Certain products may be highlighted with colors or patterns. Highlighting brings attention to new products, discontinued products, best sellers, promotional items, seasonal items or other features. The highlighting in the example above is simply the “brand blocking,” or how much space each brand represents in the category.

3 – Fixture view

                (Slat over shelves)

This view displays the details of the fixtures without any products for the given planogram. Broadly, fixtures are the structures that hold products, such as gondolas, racks, pegboards, slat walls or coolers. Some planograms also include base decks, cooler sidewalls or pushers to ensure accurate merchandising capacity for a particular fixture or shelf. Accurate fixtures in planograms make it easier for field teams to follow the plan and avoid overcrowding or gaps.

The fixture view shows how the pieces of the fixture should be assembled, for example, to verify the number and height of the shelves. This helps field workers adjust the shelves before they place the products on them, allowing them to create a neat display that fits all products and matches the planogram.

4 – SKU listing

This view lists all the products in the planogram in order of their shelf and position. It provides a quick checklist to ensure accuracy and completeness of the product placement. (Source.)

What does the SKU listing show?

SKU Listing Field	What It Means	Why It Matters
UPC Barcode	The unique product code printed on the product barcode.	Links the product to its data, pricing, and identification information.
Brand	The name of the company or manufacturer that produces the product.	Helps teams identify, group, and organize products by manufacturer or brand family.
Description	A summary that identifies the product.	Gives store teams a readable product reference when checking shelf placement or confirming the correct item.
Size	The measurement of the product’s dimensions, volume, or package quantity.	Shows how much product is in the package and helps determine how much shelf space the item occupies.
Unit of Measure UoM	The unit used to express product size, such as inches, ounces, grams, milliliters, or another standard measurement.	Helps teams compare products consistently and understand size or volume differences across the assortment.
Number of Facings NoF	The number of product fronts allocated for the product on the shelf.	Defines how many units are displayed from left to right and how much visibility the product receives.
Number of Units NoU	The number of units stocked for the product on the shelf.	Helps determine how much product is available for sale and how often it may need to be replenished.
Merchandise Style Merch	A product catalog attribute that reflects how a product is packaged, such as unit, pack, tray, case, display, or pallet.	Helps teams understand the selling or display format. For example, soda may be sold as a single can, six-pack, or 24-count case.

Now that you’ve heard the basics of how to read a planogram, you can use this valuable tool to enhance your retail space. By following the planogram instructions, retailers can create a more appealing and profitable retail space and ensure consistency across locations.

Want more insights on retail store execution?

To learn more about reading planograms or to get a demo of our planogram software, contact the MerchLogix team today.
For more information on visual merchandising and space planning, read our blogs on how to make a planogram and planogram compliance.

Article Sources:

1. MIT: Planogram Optimization in Support of Small Format Retail Inventory Management
2. Purdue University: Visual Merchandising Handbook