Product deletion: a critical overview and empirical insight into this process

With organisations as diverse as Heinz, Kraft, Polygram and Sony reducing the scope of their product portfolios, it appears that the issue of product deletion is currently exercising managerial minds. Those keen to pursue their interest in this area will find a concise body of work spanning nearly six decades. However, missing from this work is an understanding of the recurring tactical, strategic and cultural variables involved in deletion decision-making. This research sought to alleviate this shortcoming through conducting an in-depth literature review and considering the deletion experiences of three world-renowned organisations. The results of this exploratory study provide an initial insight into the core product deletion variables, providing managers and academics with valuable up-to-date information on this contemporary subject matter.