Sponsored By

General merchandise cleans up at retail

In a category that covers so much, new household and paper goods stand out

Holly Petre, Assistant Digital Editor

January 28, 2020

5 Slides
GM-cleaning-products-gallery.jpg
Among the new items in this roundup is a cleaner sponge that lets the user know when it’s time to replace it.AndreyPopov/iStock/Getty Images Plus

While online retail is undeniably capturing an ever-increasing share of the general merchandise category, there is still a market in brick-and-mortar stores for products that reinvigorate the category.

General merchandise covers a wide range of products in a supermarket, often items that seem to have no connection. From motor oil to cleaning tools to kitchen storage, the category has everything. Cleaning supplies dominate the category, with new products like organic laundry detergent and “smart” sponges that indicate when it’s time to be changed. Paper goods are also always in demand, including Charmin’s new Forever Roll toilet paper and anti-viral tissues from Kleenex that actively work to fight cold and flu germs.

While paper goods and cleaning supplies may not seem like the most exciting departments of the store, “cleaner” formulas and improvements in textures, scents and ease of use can draw customers to retailer’s general merchandise sets.

Here are some of the latest new products in the general merchandise category.

About the Author

Holly Petre

Holly Petre

Assistant Digital Editor

Holly Petre is a content producer and assistant digital editor as well as the host of Nation’s Restaurant News’ podcast, Extra Serving, and producer for Informa Restaurant and Food Groups other three podcasts, One On One by Food Management, Off the Shelf with SN and In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn. Holly holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Sculpture, fibers and Material Studies and Ceramics from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A native New Yorker, Holly enjoys her place on staff as the resident pop-culture expert and millennial with a sassy attitude and great sense of style.

Holly Petre’s work on Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality often covers marketing and trends, either aimed-at or examined-through the millennial mindset. Holly is responsible for introducing TikTok and Twitch to NRN and RH readers as well as explaining terms like “Karen” to staff and readers alike. She also spends her time on staff trying not to make every headline a pun.

Holly Petre hasn’t spoken at any events or on panels, but she is readily available with a killer shoe wardrobe and several witty quips.

See more from Holly Petre
Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News

You May Also Like

Read more

The front of a CVS store with the 5 things logo in the upper right corner.
Grocery Operations
5 things: Is CVS starting to crumble?5 things: Is CVS starting to crumble?
A red sale tag on a grocery store shelf.
Grocery Trends & Data
Report: 86% of shoppers are frustrated about grocery shoppingReport: 86% of shoppers are frustrated about grocery shopping
Kroger and Albertsons storefronts
Mergers & Acquisitions
Kroger and Albertsons: Traditional grocers will continue ‘downward slide’ without mergerKroger and Albertsons: Traditional grocers will continue ‘downward slide’ without merger
Rows of cargo containers stacked up at a port.
Food Accessibility
Port strike ends as two sides reach tentative dealPort strike ends as two sides reach tentative deal
The front of a Safeway store with a Safeway sign.
Grocery Operations
Safeway, Albertsons, Vons settle price overcharges, false weight advertising complaint for nearly $4MSafeway, Albertsons, Vons settle price overcharges, false weight advertising complaint for nearly $4M