Retailer Engagement, Stock Projection and Loyalty Programme Promotion in FMCG General Trade: A Field-Based Study of ITC Limited’s Personal Care Products Business

Retail execution in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) depends on the coordination of product availability, outlet coverage, retailer communication and channel relationships. This field-based study examines retailer engagement, stock projection and loyalty-programme promotion in ITC Limited’s Personal Care Products business, drawing on the activities and records described in the researcher’s On-the-Job Training (OJT) report. The purpose is to interpret how regular retailer contact can support market information collection, stock planning, programme communication and sales-team coordination. The study follows a descriptive, exploratory approach based on internship fieldwork, retailer interactions, discussions with sales personnel and the outlet-coverage and activity figures recorded in the report. The OJT document records 1,200 outlets visited, an average of 25 outlets covered per day, five products/brands covered, 12 retailers providing stock projections, 10 retailers engaged with the PACE programme, four recorded stock-related issues and 20 instances of major retailer feedback. These figures describe reported field activity; the report does not provide a sufficiently detailed outlet-level dataset to calculate conversion rates, sales revenue, product-wise performance or the effect of loyalty-programme participation on sales. The findings indicate the practical value of systematic retailer visits, structured stock information, consistent communication and follow-up. They also highlight a need to distinguish activity counts from commercial outcomes and to maintain standardised records of retailer requirements, product availability and subsequent orders. As the study is based on a short internship and descriptive records rather than a random sample or controlled design, its observations are context-specific and cannot establish causal relationships or represent ITC’s wider retail network