Selling Fresh Processed Produce Behind Glass: A Closed Case? The Effect of Doors on Fresh Processed Produce Sales

Literature shows that doors can significantly increase the energy efficiency of refrigerated cases and decrease freeze damage and spoilage of fresh processed produce products. A potential drawback to energy and shrink savings is a potential loss in sales and increased labor costs associated with doors on refrigerated display cases. This thesis examines the effect of installing doors on display cases containing fresh processed produce on weekly sales. Through the use of a difference-in-difference model, matching treatment stores to control groups and using statistical and geographic matching, the weekly effect of doors on sales is estimated.

Previous research suggested that cases containing other products experienced no change in sales after the installation of doors. The estimated effects of doors on refrigerated cases containing fresh processed produce are statistically insignificant, negative and represent a 1 to 9 percent loss in sales.

Burkel,Travis_Thesis_Final_2015.pdf (1.36 MB)

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