Simbe Launches Inaugural Simbe Index, Revealing How Shoppers Buy and Stores Respond During Key Retail Moments

New in-store benchmark unveils how store performance and consumer behavior intersect during critical seasonal and holiday moments

SAN FRANCISCO, April 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Simbe, the global leader in shelf digitization and store intelligence, today announced the launch of the Simbe Index, the first retail insight engine that illuminates how retailers maintain on-shelf availability during cultural moments that matter most to shoppers.

The Simbe Index is powered by Simbe's Store Intelligence™ platform, which captures and synthesizes over 45 billion shelf photos around the world. This data shows how purchasing behavior and in-store execution evolve during peak retail moments, reflecting what shoppers encounter inside physical stores, where the majority of retail transactions still occur. This first release analyzes the 14-day window before Easter and Passover crossovers in 2025 and 2026.

"Retail performance comes to life on the shelf, where delivering the right product, at the right place, at the right time defines the shopper experience," said Caitlin Allen, Senior Vice President of Market at Simbe. "As retailers navigate supply chain volatility, labor challenges, and rising shopper expectations, the need for accurate, shelf-level data continues to grow. The Simbe Index gives retailers a real-time view on how shopping decisions play out on the shelf, so they can execute with confidence when it matters most."

Making Retail Moments Measurable
This first Simbe Index release examined the two-week period around Easter and Passover in 2025 and 2026, and found two distinct phases: The first occurred as shoppers began preparing well ahead of holiday gatherings; the second concentrated in the final 72-hour surge, when trips and purchase decisions became more time-sensitive.

Out-of-stock (OOS) rates rose significantly during the holiday period, as shoppers were 119% more likely to encounter unavailable items than in the two preceding weeks each year. The data reveals that average OOS levels more than doubled from a pre-holiday baseline of 3.8% to 8.3% during the holiday surge. Yet where retailers invested in smarter replenishment, the results were striking — in floral, stores' restock rates of 42.3% cut OOS by more than half year-over-year.

• Egg Season: 2026 demand for this holiday staple peaked two days earlier than the previous year, creating a 131% surge over the normal baseline.
   
• Protein Main Dish: As shopper preferences shifted toward chicken in 2026, the category saw a 150% jump in out-of-stock pressure compared to typical periods. 
   
• Holiday Brunch: As brunch traditions expanded to include plant-based milks and cottage cheese, the holiday window drove these categories 141% above their typical baseline.
   

A Recurring Benchmark for Physical Retail
The Simbe Index will be released quarterly as an industry benchmark alongside major cultural and retail moments, including back-to-school and the winter holidays. Each release will track how retailers align shelves with shopper expectations.

For a deeper look at the data, including category-level trends and shopper behavior insights, please visit HERE.

About the Simbe Index
The Simbe Index is powered by data from Simbe's Store Intelligence™ platform. It analyzes shelf conditions across major retailers to reveal how consumer demand, product availability, and store execution intersect during key retail moments. Designed for industry leaders and everyday shoppers alike, the Simbe Index provides a consistent view of in-store execution and the shopper experience.

About Simbe
Simbe is the global leader in retail shelf digitization. Its Store Intelligence™ platform combines advanced computer vision, AI, and automation to give retailers real-time visibility into every shelf, product, and store. Deployed across 10 countries and trusted by retailers across nearly a dozen sectors, Simbe empowers organizations to scale intelligent automation, improve operational precision, and elevate both associate and shopper experiences.

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SOURCE Simbe Robotics