Iceland has announced a major visual overhaul for all of its UK supermarkets, designed to make shopping easier from the moment customers enter the store.
Supersized Signs for Easy Navigation
The frozen food specialist is installing what it calls "supersized" 3D hanging signs in every single Iceland and Food Warehouse store across the country. These large, branded signs, depicting popular food items like back bacon, are being suspended from ceilings or placed in high-impact locations within aisles.
The initiative, which began rollout recently, is a collaboration with Leeds-based retail media consultancy Gig Retail, a partnership formed in May 2025. Iceland Retail Media stated the giant signs are intended to make featured products "rise above the competition and command attention from the moment shoppers walk in."
Industry Reaction to the Retail Shift
The move has drawn commentary from retail design experts and shoppers alike. Rich Ford, creative director of Sherlock Studio, praised the approach, saying it aligns with out-of-home advertising trends that play with scale. "These are fun, inventive, refreshingly different and quite artistic," he noted, calling it a "simple but innovative use of retail media."
Some shoppers have welcomed the change, with one commenting online that the signs are useful for "wayfinding," acting as beacon brands for a product category. However, the strategy contrasts with actions by some rivals; one observer pointed out that Sainsbury's has been removing similar ceiling-hung signs in stores like its Kiln Lane branch, finding customers' eyelines often don't venture upwards.
A Move to Cut Through Supermarket Clutter
The overarching goal for Iceland appears to be cutting through the typical supermarket environment. One response to the news highlighted that supermarkets have long been a "quagmire of visual noise," expressing hope that Iceland's move starts a trend towards more pleasant and intuitive store layouts.
As a key player competing with Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons, Tesco, and Sainsbury's, Iceland's nationwide implementation of these eye-catching 3D installations marks a significant investment in in-store media and customer experience. The change is now live in stores across cities including Birmingham and is set to be a fixture in all its UK locations.
