Basket analysis emerges as a key growth strategy for cannabis industry

Basket analysis is a common tool in traditional retail and is a key strategy for the cannabis industry.

By examining products consumers buy together during their visit, cannabis retailers and producers are gaining insights that go far beyond the total sales.

Basket data can help cannabis businesses understand transfer preferences, optimize store layouts and predict the next wave of consumer demand.

New lenses of marijuana buying habits

Basket analysis tracks the combination of final finished products at the core.

Analysis of basket attachments released in the newly released MJBIZFACTBOOK shows that cannabis buyers tend to make single purchases, while consumers who eat food usually add drinks or vapes to their baskets.

An analysis of Western countries using data from cannabis industry analysis companies’ headphones in 2025 found that 67% of cannabis buyers only bought flowers, while 45% of food buyers only bought food.

Beverage buyers often buy with food instead of just buying drinks.

This information sheds light on consumer loyalty and experimentation and provides snapshots of how shoppers approach retailer shelves.

Basket analysis allows operators to see whether customers are building a consistent model or moving towards diversity.

For example, one who buys the same brand with every visit signs loyalty, while another who mixes spending with multiple injectable products proposes a more exploratory approach.

These two models are important for inventory planning and promotions.

Impact on cannabis retail strategy

For cannabis retailers, basket analytics is a tool to improve sales and improve customer experience.

If the data suggests that vape cartridges are often purchased with the esophagus, retailers can design product placement to encourage such connections.

Bundle promotions can be centered around the most common combinations, increasing the size and profit margins of the basket.

The data also helps identify gaps. If pre-rolls rarely appear in mixed baskets, it may indicate that they are considered independent purchases, requiring a different commodity strategy.

Likewise, if the concentrate is always associated with certain accessories, cannabis retailers can stock up and display these items together, which improves convenience and increases surcharges.

As profit margins throughout the cannabis industry remain tight, the ability to turn existing streams into larger basket sizes is a powerful leverage.

Retailers also use basket data to create targeted loyalty programs, suggesting supplemental products at checkout, and even making e-commerce recommendations.

Average basket sizes vary

The average basket size in cannabis retail industry not only varies greatly among retailers, but also varies in the state market as a spending on regulations, product availability and consumer habits.

In new markets like New York and New Jersey, limited product categories and higher prices often lead to larger average baskets.

Mature markets like Colorado and Oregon, with intense competition and wide choices, often see smaller baskets as consumers make more frequent low-priced purchases.

Tax policies, purchase restrictions and local preferences further impact spending patterns, highlighting how state-level rules make significant differences in average shopper spending at business offices.

Producer attention

The producers also closely monitor basket analysis. Knowing that certain categories will naturally be combined can inform product development and brand development.

If the data shows that the consumer has linked both at the retail office, the beverage manufacturer can decide to work with the edible company.

Strains that sell well with injected products can be sold through cross promotions.

This information is especially valuable in crowded markets with limited shelf space.

If a brand can prove that its products reliably increase the value of the customer basket, it has the leverage of retail buyers.

Producers who not only know their sales but how they can adapt to a wider shopping journey will have an advantage when competing for placement.

Evolving consumer behavior

Basket analysis also reveals how cannabis consumers have evolved over time.

Early stages of marijuana legalization,,,,, Many shoppers buy a familiar product, usually a flower.

As the market matures, the basket has diversified.

Consumers prefer to mix forms, whether adding drinks to social occasions or for healthy topical beverages.

This shift highlights the broader story of cannabis retail: Loyalty to product types often outweighs loyalty to brands.

Basket analysis captures reality in real time, showing how consumers prioritize experience, convenience, and usability.

As new formats enter the market, data will continue to highlight adoption and potential growth categories.

The secret to the growth of the cannabis industry

In a more data-driven future, basket analytics is becoming the standard part of the cannabis operator toolkit.

It can help retailers fine-tune operations and provide producers with clearer consumer behavior.

Most importantly, it provides a bridge between the original sales data and the nuanced choices consumers make when standing at the counter or scrolling online menus.

In industries defined by rapid change, basket analysis provides rare clarity.

It not only shows what people are buying, but also shows that their perception of marijuana is part of their lifestyle.

For companies willing to act on these insights, it may prove to be one of the most valuable tools for growth.

You can contact Andrew Long at andrew.long@mjbizdaily.com.