Why retailers cannot afford to ignore door drops

The mood at the recent Door drop Media Congress in Brussels was strikingly upbeat. Far from being swept aside by digital channels, evidence presented by researchers and industry leaders confirmed what many retailers have already rediscovered: door drops marketing remains one of the most powerful, proven and persuasive tools in retail media strategies.

Lidl’s Dutch experiment: drop the flyer, lose the shopper

The Lidl leaflet study in the Netherlands offers the clearest demonstration — covered here and updated in Brussels by researcher Arjen van Lin. When Lidl withdrew its flyers in Utrecht, grocery expenditure fell by 8.5% over twelve months. Once reinstated, expenditure rebounded, rising 6.2%. The real surprise lay with a competing hard discounter: after Lidl’s reinstatement, its rival recorded a 10.3% increase in grocery expenditure. Few marketing experiments provide such a controlled, data-rich view of what happens when leaflets disappear and return.

Belgian research brought further weight to the congress. Jozefien Piersoul (NielsenIQ) presented figures showing that 87% of Belgians browse a leaflet, with 67% doing so weekly. Readership climbs sharply when consumers take on household purchasing responsibility — precisely the stage of life when shopping choices harden and loyalty matters most.

Digital vs print: search or browse?

Piersoul also drew a distinction between digital vs print leaflets. Digital formats are largely search-oriented, supporting consumers who know what they are looking for. Printed leaflets, by contrast, encourage browsing and stimulate awareness, placing products and offers in front of shoppers who may not be actively searching but remain open to discovery. That difference between intent and inspiration is central to the effectiveness of print advertising.

Attention is the critical currency. As discussed in a dedicated article, leaflets achieve levels of consumer attention print vs digital unmatched by most online formats. Nearly a quarter of consumers spend two to five minutes reading a leaflet, while more than one in ten devote over ten minutes. In a world of thumb-stopping scrolls, this is marketing gold.

Retailers return to the letterbox

Retailers are taking note. Mark Davies, Managing Director of Whistl and President of ELMA, set out European perspectives on leaflet advertising, pointing to a consistent pattern. In the UK, brands such as Specsavers, Sky and the Co-op abandoned door drops only to return — in some cases extending from regional campaigns to full national coverage. In Germany, chains including Fressnapf, Kik, Mäc Geiz and Woolworth halted distribution but soon reversed course. Globus Baumarkt has gone further, increasing its use of door drops. The message is clear: retailers returning to leaflets is no coincidence — when performance falters, they return to the letterbox.

The Brussels event was not about nostalgia. It showcased the resilience and relevance of a medium that continues to shape grocery retail advertising in Europe. In an era when retail media dominates boardroom conversations, the unassuming door drop continues to do what it has always done: reach households, command attention, and drive sales. Retailers can experiment at the margins, but the conclusion is inescapable. Ignore the leaflet at your peril.