Assortment: definition, rules, differences by network

Assortment is one of the most structuring levers in commerce, but also one of the most misunderstood. Behind this term lies a different reality depending on whether you work in grocery retail (GMS), specialized retail (GSS), the on-trade sector (CHR), or institutional catering (RHF). Imposed product or simple recommendation? Total freedom or strict framework? Local selection or integrated strategy? Depending on the network, the rules of the game change… sometimes radically.

For a brand, understanding these mechanisms is essential: it conditions your ability to negotiate, execute your action plans, and gain visibility at the point of sale. For a store, it is what guarantees a consistent offering, adapted to customer needs and aligned with the banner's positioning.

In this article, you will discover what an assortment really is, the differences between core, mandatory, and optional assortments, and above all, how these concepts concretely apply to each universe: GMS, GSS, CHR, and RHF.

Assortment: Definition

For a point of sale, the assortment is the complete range of products it chooses to stock and offer to its customers.

For a brand, the assortment is the set of products offered for sale. More specifically, when talking about assortment for a brand, it refers to the set of products offered for sale in a specific point of sale or group of points of sale.

In other words, it is the global choice of references available for sale to a customer, which varies according to the store's strategy, surface size, price positioning, seasonality, or local demand.

To better understand how assortments are constructed, we invite you to read our article on nested assortments (gigognité).

What is the Core Assortment?

The core assortment (assortiment principal) refers to the set of main references in a category that the banner wishes to find in the majority of its network's stores.

It is a recommended foundation, built to guarantee:

• a consistent offering,

• sufficient coverage of shopper needs,

• a balance between different brands and segments.

This assortment comes from category management and merchandising work, and represents the backbone of the store's offering. It can vary according to the size of the point of sale, its format, or its customer profile, but it remains the base of what the banner considers essential to cover a category.

What is a Mandatory Assortment?

The mandatory assortment corresponds to the references that the store must imperatively inventory, because they have been:

• contractually negotiated at headquarters,

• imposed by retailer agreements,

• or included in a mandated assortment plan.

This is a commercial obligation that stores must comply with. It is therefore a contractual or commercial obligation, unlike the general assortment, which is more of a store choice.

The mandatory assortment is often used to:

• secure the presence of partner brands,

• harmonize the offering across company-owned stores,

• guarantee the visibility of best-sellers or strategic innovations.

In other words, the mandatory assortment is an imposed or negotiated offering, constituting the minimum number of references that must be present.

What is an Optional Assortment?

The optional assortment corresponds to all the references that the point of sale chooses to inventory freely, in addition to the mandatory assortment negotiated with suppliers or headquarters. This is also referred to as