Retail acrylic display shelf are widely used in supermarkets for refrigerated/frozen display cases, beverage shelves, and other scenarios. The core technology is to automatically sort goods by their own weight, achieving first-in, first-out (FIFO) inventory management, significantly reducing labor and waste, while improving display and shopping experience. Currently, large chain stores and convenience stores have a high adoption rate, and small and medium-sized supermarkets are gradually following suit.

Core Application Scenarios

Refrigerated/Frozen Display Cases: Upright beverage display cases, air curtain cases, and multi-door freezers are the most common applications, suitable for bottled and canned beverages and boxed dairy products. After a customer takes a product from the front row, the back rows automatically slide forward, reducing the number of times the freezer doors need to be opened and reducing energy consumption.
Ambient Temperature Shelving: Primarily used for neatly packaged goods such as daily necessities, snacks, and grains, improving display fullness and product exposure. Suitable for high-traffic areas such as main aisles and endcaps in supermarkets.

Back Warehouse and Replenishment Area: Flow racks with gravity-flow mechanisms are used for warehousing, supporting first-in, first-out (FIFO) and accelerating replenishment efficiency, especially suitable for products with sensitive shelf lives.

Problems and Solutions in Actual Use: Jamming and Stalling: Insufficient product weight (<60g), improper slide slope (3°-5° optimal), dust accumulation or damage to rollers, and unreasonable divider design can easily cause jamming. Solutions: Select products of appropriate weight, regularly clean and lubricate rollers, choose slides with adjustable slope and easily replaceable rollers, and optimize the divider structure.

Limited adaptability: Irregularly shaped packaging, flexible packaging, or excessively heavy goods (such as large oil drums) are prone to obstruction during sliding. Solution: Customize dedicated slides and dividers, or combine with traditional shelves.

Maintenance and replacement costs: Some aluminum alloy slide rollers require complete replacement after damage, resulting in high after-sales costs. Solution: Prioritize the procurement of modular products with individually replaceable rollers/ball bearings to reduce long-term maintenance costs.

The application of gravity-fed refrigerated display cases in supermarkets has shifted from "optional" to "essential," making them particularly suitable for retail scenarios that prioritize efficiency and customer experience. Large-scale validation by major chains shows that investment costs can be recovered within 1-2 years. Smaller supermarkets can start with high-traffic refrigerated display cases and endcaps, gradually expanding their offerings to balance costs and profits.