CAEM Blog: Modular Shelving, Shopfitting Trends & Sustainable Retail Solutions

M25 Modular Gondola Shelving: More Facings, Wider Aisles, Smoother Sales for Every Retail Format

Written by CAEM Blog | May 17, 2025 12:52:40 PM

Introduction

In retail, the magic happens when you squeeze more facings, more products, and more shopper comfort out of every square foot. With margin pressures and shopper expectations higher than ever, store space is the new gold. This is exactly why leading retailers across food, convenience, pharmacy, and specialty sectors are switching to the CAEM M25 Modular Gondola. Think: more product, better sightlines, easier planograms, and higher sales per meter—without expanding your footprint.

M25 Modular Gondola: The New Standard for Merchandising Density

M25 is engineered for real-world retail: super-precise 25mm shelf adjustment lets you tune facings right down to the last millimeter. An ultra-low 10cm base and thin 25mm shelf profile open up entire extra levels of display. Pair this with a smart hinging epos rail and the option for central back panels, and you unlock novel ways to grow your sales floor—on your existing sales floor.

Central vs Frontal Back Panels: How You Gain Real Store Space

  • Frontal Back Panel (classic system) uses bases/brackets from 30 to 80cm. You get the shelf depth you select, but your floor area is determined by that same number.

  • Central Back Panel (M25 innovation) moves the shelf 3cm inside each upright, letting you use shallower bases/brackets (27, 37, 47... up to 77cm) for the SAME shelf depth as traditional. This instantly slims each gondola by 6cm—making aisles 6cm wider OR letting you add more gondola runs in the same space. Customer comfort and store profit, together at last.

Real world: A 40cm-deep shelf sits on a 37cm base—so your aisles can each grow, improving the customer journey or enabling new hot zones and impulse ends.

Technical Highlights Retailers Notice

  • Upright: 25mm slot pitch—infinitely finer shelf positioning for micro-planogramming

  • Base: Only 10cm tall, freeing up 6cm or more of prime display space right above the floor

  • Shelf: 25mm thick—lets you set tighter vertical drops, plus hinging epos really “stretches” usable facings

  • Back Panels: Frontal or central (choose what fits your layout or conversion program)

  • Brackets: Matched sizes for every planogram twist; max out flexibility by zone or season

  • Epos Ticket Edge: Hinging, meaning you display product up to (almost) touching the upper shelf, nothing is hidden, nothing is wasted

Where M25 Delivers: Sector-By-Sector Value

1. Supermarkets and Hypermarkets

Challenge: More products packed into tight, competitive formats; mid-run changes; high traffic at peak.
How M25 Wins:

  • Cram in extra shelf levels (“one more drop” means dozens more SKUs per aisle)

  • Planograms stay flexible—move shelves up or down by a single product’s height

  • Wider aisles reduce trolley jams, flow stays smooth at peak footfall

  • More products visible at eye/hand level thanks to the low base

2. Convenience Stores, C-Stores, Forecourts

Challenge: Short dwell time, mountains of impulse, less vertical space.
How M25 Wins:

  • 25mm pitch = never waste vertical millimeters, so every planogram can be crowded but clear

  • More shelf levels mean more snack ranges, meal deals, and grab-and-go right by the door

  • Tighter aisles made wider, enhancing quick missions and basket building

  • Low base is easy to clean around, always looks sharp

3. Pharmacies & Health Stores

Challenge: Prescription and OTC, huge SKUs, regulatory display needs, hygiene.
How M25 Wins:

  • Set exact shelf heights for cosmetics, vials, or tall OTC displays without wasted headroom

  • Central back panel = more aisle between fixtures for privacy and accessibility

  • Hygiene-first: fewer dust-collecting base areas, easy-mop access

  • Boosts total facings for high-value categories and quick-to-rotate lines

4. Discount, Bazar, Value Retail

Challenge: Massive range, budget fixture changes, new planograms every season.
How M25 Wins:

  • Add an extra shelf per bay—so every fresh buy-slot stays profitable

  • Strong but slim: handle heavy stock without thick, space-wasting steel

  • Slide shelves and ticket rails as your stock turns—max resale, zero dead space

5. DIY, Hardware, Pet, and Electronics

Challenge: Heavy items, odd sizing, seasonal swings.
How M25 Wins:

  • High load ratings guarantee you can use extra drops even for tools or electronics

  • Tighter shelf slots let you fine-tune every display, even as SKUs change

  • Slim shelves don’t hide accessories or replacements—everything’s shoppable

6. Fashion, Sports, Homeware

Challenge: Range turn, visual merchandising, maximizing seasonal peaks.
How M25 Wins:

  • Tighten shelf heights for folded goods or shoes; expand for seasonal displays instantly

  • Central-back means rounders and gondolas fit more per aisle, plus easier cross-selling

  • Lower base enhances product view from across the store—builds window-to-shelf conversion

Merchandising Power That Sells More, Labor-Smart

  • More shelf levels mean more facings—grow basket size with no expansion

  • Finer increments = more rigid planograms, easier compliance, fewer walkarounds for staff

  • Set shelf-to-shelf spacing to the millimeter; display single-serve, impulse, or premium SKUs “just so”

  • Ultra-low base and ultra-slim shelf stack means more product is in the optimal sales zone: eye and hand level

  • Labor-saving: less time spent adjusting and cleaning, more time selling

Technical Specs Retailers Rely On

  • Suspended shelves (even load): 605kg (30cm) to 261kg (80cm), widths up to 100cm; 100-160kg per width

  • Bases: 147kg (shallow) to 292kg (deep) per base

  • Total bay capacity: 552kg – 752kg (according to config & depth)

  • Widths: 66cm, 80cm, 100cm standard

  • Brackets & bases: All depths from 27cm to 80cm, to suit every zone

Why Choose CAEM M25? Real Retailer Advantages

  • One extra shelf per gondola? Yes, for real. Boosts facings and sales density – competitive advantage you can measure

  • Wider aisles, better shopper experience – more traffic, fewer bottlenecks, higher dwell

  • Micro-planogramming – ultra-flexible, works for premium, discount, every range

  • Low base = higher first shelf: Stock is more visible and more accessible, especially impulse and high-turn lines

  • Hinging epos rail: Merch facing is perfectly visible, shelves can be stacked tight—with zero wasted clearance

  • Premium build, Italian design: Durable, futureproof, locally available spares and add-ons

Conclusion: Grow Sales, Not Just Shelving

The CAEM M25 Modular Gondola Shelving is how smart retailers squeeze more value from every meter. From tight city c-stores to powerhouse supermarkets, M25 delivers tangible, easy-to-measure uplifts in facings, aisle quality, and shopper flow—plus labor savings your ops managers will love. Retail is detail: choose the system that multiplies the space you already own.

For full technical specs, merchandising advice or to book a store survey:

  • caem.net/en/m25-shelving-system?hsLang=en

  • caem.co.uk/m25-shelving-solution

  • caem.co.uk/blog/news-2/m25-modular-gondola-shelving-optimizing-retail-space-with-precision-and-flexibility-413

Technical data verified against the official CAEM dataset at date of writing.