DISPLAY UNIT

The present invention relates to a display unit for retail products and in particular, to a display unit for retail products removably attached to a merchandising strip.

Conventionally, the majority of products offered for sale in retail outlets have been displayed on permanent shelving or stands, which may be provided with tags or labels to indicate the name and price of the displayed item. It has become common to see retail outlets increasing the number and variety of products on display by using additional stand-alone racks, or hooks mounted on the shelving upon which products can be hung. An example of the latter is the merchandising strip, for example the Clip Strip ^® , which is a length of material (usually plastic) with clips or hooks at regular intervals, upon which retail products can be hung. The merchandising strip is usually hung from a shelf and can display a number of products, arranged vertically down the strip, without obscuring the products already being displayed on the shelf.

It has been desired to make a new display unit for retail products, which provides information about the products being displayed and which has high visibility to the consumer, even when the products have been removed.

According to the invention there is provided: a display unit for retail products comprising: a back panel; two side panels extending from opposed side edges of the back panel so as to define a channel therebetween; and one or more attachment means for, in use, removably attaching retail products to a panel of the display unit, within the channel between the side panels. The channel provides a defined space for the products to be hung in, while the side panels restrict the movement of the retail products so that they can remain displayed in an orderly way. The provision of side panels extending from the back panel makes the unit highly visible to consumers approaching from either side of the unit, and can attract their attention, even from a relatively long distance. This is particularly useful, for example, in supermarkets where products are displayed on shelving in long aisles and the display unit is visible to the consumer along the whole length of the aisle.

Advantageously, the display unit remains highly visible even when all of the products have been removed from it. This is beneficial to shop assistants, who are able to monitor stock more easily since it is clear where products should be displayed and therefore when the products need replacing.

Preferably, the channel is elongate and the attachment means comprises a merchandising strip removably mounted within the elongate channel. It is already common to display retail products on merchandising strips and the existing merchandising strips with the products attached can simply be mounted within the channel of the display unit. Once the products are removed, the merchandising strip can be easily replaced with a fully stocked strip.

Preferably, the display unit further comprises a top panel extending from the upper edge of the back panel. This provides the display unit with a panel for displaying information about the product, such as the brand and price, which will not be obscured by the products.

Preferably, one or more of the panels is printed with product information. This may be, for example, marketing material or nutritional information, which attracts the attention of the consumer.

Preferably, the display unit further comprises means for mounting the display unit. The unit may be provided, for example, with a hook or adhesive pad to facilitate mounting of the panel on a wall or shelf. The type of mounting means provided will partly depend on the weight of the products to be displayed.

The panels of the display unit may be formed from sheet material, such as plastic or cardboard. Preferably, the panels are formed from a single sheet of plastics material. Such display units can be easily and cheaply manufactured, and efficiently transported for assembly in the retail outlet.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the panels of a display unit according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a view from the back of the unit of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a view from the side of the unit of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 shows a view from above of the unit of Figures 1 to 3; and

Figure 5 shows the display unit of Figures 1 to 4 with a merchandising strip mounted within the channel.

The display unit 2 of Figures 1 to 5 comprises an elongate rectangular back panel 4 and first 6 and second 8 side panels extending from the opposing elongate edges of the back panel 4 to form an elongate channel, which, when the unit is mounted for use, runs substantially vertically. The side panels 6,8 are the same length as the back panel 4 and substantially rectangular in shape, with curved outer corners 10. The back 4 and side 6,8 panels are formed from a single sheet of plastics material and score lines 12 are provided along the elongate edges of the back panel 4 to allow the side panels 6,8 to be bent away from the back panel to form a three dimensional unit, as shown in Figure 1. The side panels 6,8 are folded upwards from their flat position by approximately 90°. All three panels are provided with product information (not shown), which is printed directly onto the plastic. Examples of the printed information include marketing slogans or nutritional information. The back panel is printed with instructions to refill the display unit, which will become visible once all of the retail products have been removed from the unit.

A top panel 14 extends from the upper edge of the back panel 4 and a sticker (not shown) printed with the brand name and logo of the product to be mounted in the unit 2 is applied to the panel. The top panel 14 is slightly wider than the back panel 4 and its shape comprises a substantially rectangular portion 16 with slightly rounded corners. The upper edge of the rectangular portion 16 comprises a straight portion at either side, extending approximately one third of the length of the upper edge, and an outwardly curving arc portion 18, which extends between the straight portions.

The back panel 4 is provided with two pairs of elongate slots 20, one pair at the top of the back panel and the other pair approximately two thirds of the way down the panel. Cable ties may be passed through the slots in order to mount the display unit on a shelf, or wall, or other support structure.

As shown in Figure 5, a merchandising strip 30 may be hung in the elongate channel between the side panels 6,8 by means of an S-shaped hook 32, one end of which hooks through a hole in the centre of the lower edge of the top panel 14 and the other end of which passes through a hole at the top end of the merchandising strip 30. The merchandising strip 30 is a conventional merchandising strip, such as a Clip Strip ^® , which are readily available. A number of retail packages (not shown) may be hung from hooks

34 on the merchandising strip 30, in the conventional manner, so that they can be easily removed.

The display unit 2 is assembled for use by folding the plastic sheet along the score lines to form a channel between the side panels 6,8. A merchandising strip 30, from which the retail packages are already hung, is mounted within the channel by hanging it from the hook 32. The display unit may then be mounted on a stand or shelf by tying cable ties through the slots.

It will be appreciated that, while in the embodiment described, the retail products are removably attached to the merchandising strip, the back panel of the display unit could alternatively incorporate means for attaching the retail products directly to the panel, such as hooks, or tags of the type found on merchandising strips.

While in the embodiment described, the display unit is intended to be mounted on a shelving unit by means of cable ties tied through the slots in the back panel, it will be appreciated that the display unit can be mounted in other ways and that the method of mounting will depend on the structure to which it is mounted. For example, the unit could be mounted to a shelf or wall by means of one or more adhesive pads, or the unit could be hung from a hook provided on the support structure.

While in the embodiment described, the display unit is formed from a sheet of plastic, it will be appreciated that other materials, such as cardboard sheet, are also suitable.

It will be appreciated that the shape and dimensions of the display unit can be varied, depending on the retail products to be displayed. Furthermore, the angle between the side panels and the back panel can be varied depending on the directions from which the information needs to be seen by the consumer.

The information provided on the panels may be varied as desired and may be printed directly on the panels, as in the described embodiments, or may be provided separately on stickers, or films to be adhered to the panels in the retail outlet.