The Till Point: 7 Display Ideas to Make Your Most Valuable Metre Sell More

The till point is the hardest-working metre in any Irish shop. Every customer stops there. Most of them wait there. And in a busy convenience store, forecourt or café, that wait is the last chance to add one more item to the basket. Yet in too many independents the counter is a clutter of lighters, charity boxes and last Christmas's leftovers. Here is how to make it earn its keep.

Till point display ideas: start with what belongs there

The best till-point lines are small, light, impulse-driven and carry a healthy margin. Think confectionery, gift cards, greeting cards, phone accessories, batteries, local treats and seasonal gifts. One small add-on in every tenth basket adds up to real money over a year.

What does not belong: bulky items, anything that needs explaining, and slow lines you are trying to clear. The counter is premium space – treat it like an end-of-aisle in a multiple.

1. Go up, not out

Counter space is limited, so build height. A tiered or rotating countertop display can hold several faces of product on a footprint smaller than a sheet of A3. Shoppers turn a spinner themselves – it is one of the few displays people actually play with while they queue.

2. One message per display

A counter unit that sells "a bit of everything" sells nothing. Give each display one job – a single brand, one category or one seasonal theme. A branded wooden counter display unit (CDU) also tells the shopper the product is worth a second look.

3. Change it with the calendar

Irish retail runs on seasons: back to school in August, Halloween, the long run into Christmas, Communion and Confirmation season, then summer. A counter that looks the same in March as it did in December is invisible to your regulars. Plan four or five changeovers a year and keep the units, not the stock.

Counter displays we've built – and what they teach

Some of our favourite counter work is for Irish and UK food brands that need to win a place beside somebody else's till. Space there is fought over, so every unit has to earn it in seconds.

The lesson from every one of them: the header board sells from across the shop; the tray sells up close. Get both right and the unit pays for its spot.

Ideas from the ESPOSIT workshop

ESPOSIT, the Italian manufacturer we represent, uses wood for seasonal counter pieces too – gift boxes and trays that work as a display at Christmas, then go home with the customer as the packaging.

For toy and gift brands, its project for Lilliputiens shows how display, hooks and logo panel can arrive as one flat-pack kit instead of coming from three suppliers – with the logo designed into the structure rather than bolted on.

4. Price it clearly – it is the law

Impulse buys die when the shopper has to ask "how much is that?". Irish consumer law also requires prices to be displayed clearly, and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) carries out unannounced inspections. Build a price holder or chalk strip into your counter display so every line has a visible price.

5. Keep the queue side clear

Customers should be able to reach the counter, pay and leave without knocking anything over. Keep displays to the customer's side of the till, below eye-line with the cashier, and leave a clear space to put down a basket.

6. Plan for the vape and nicotine display ban

The Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill 2026 proposes to ban the display of vapes and nicotine products at the point of sale in mixed retail outlets, and to ban their advertising in shops. It had passed the Dáil by summer 2026 and still has to complete its passage, so no start date is set yet. If vapes currently take up prime counter space, now is the time to plan what replaces them. A closed back-counter unit for regulated products, and a fresh impulse display in front, is a sensible switch.

7. Alcohol behind the till? Check the rules

If you hold an off-licence, alcohol behind the counter must be out of reach and out of sight of customers, with no advertising. Our guide to alcohol display rules for Irish shops explains the options.

The three-second test

Stand where your customer stands at the till. In three seconds, can you tell what the display is selling, what it costs and how to grab one? If not, cut the range, raise the hero product and add a clear price.

Measure before you buy

• Depth from the customer edge of the counter to the till screen.
• Height to the cashier's eye-line – stay below it.
• Room for baskets, bags and the card machine.
• A power point, if you want a lit or digital unit.

FAQ

What sells best at the till point?

Small, light, high-margin lines that need no explanation: confectionery, cards, gift cards, phone accessories, local treats and seasonal gifts.

How often should I change my counter display?

At least with each season – four or five times a year. Reusable wooden units make that a stock change, not a new purchase.

Can you brand a counter display with our logo?

Yes. We can engrave or print your logo on most wooden counter displays. Get in touch for a quote.

Should a supplier brand our counter display?

It can be a good deal. Many food and drink brands fund branded wooden units to secure a listing. Agree up front who owns the unit and what else can go on it.