Cannabis Menus Are Failing Consumers: New Research from Dispensary Insight Group Shows the Disconnect

Cannabis Menus Are Failing Consumers: New Research from Dispensary Insight Group Shows the Disconnect.

New research from the Dispensary Insight Group, or D I G, highlights a growing gap between what customers want and what cannabis menus are delivering. Canadian cannabis consumers have evolved. But the way products are merchandised in dispensaries hasn’t kept up.

This research highlights a gap that may be costing the industry trust, sales, and long-term growth.

“THC and price aren’t enough anymore,” says Scott Peris, founder of D I G. “Even the average consumer has deeper demands than that. Just because they’re not saying it in the dispensary doesn’t mean they don’t feel it.”

So, what does the data tell us? D I G surveyed hundreds of cannabis consumers across Canada, and the numbers speak volumes: 94% of consumers express energy needs beyond “indica, sativa, hybrid.” 48% are more likely to purchase an edible made with real fruit. 71% have sweetener preferences that include low sugar, no sugar, or natural sweetener. 32% say craft is a key purchase driver. And menus including quality cues like Live Rosin reduce consumer fixation on THC by up to 50%.

But in most stores, this data isn’t reflected. Menus still default to THC and price, forcing consumers into choices that don’t reflect their values or needs. “They’re stuck in THC tunnel vision,” Peris says. “Not because they want to be, but because menus aren’t giving them better options.”

This leads to the real cost of a bad menu. While technology and automation are often the go-to solutions to improve processes, the problem is bigger than that. It’s about how the entire retail experience is grounded in the first thing a customer sees: the menu.

Peris adds, “Menus are not just a list of products. They’re the primary tool for information transfer. They connect the customer to the product, the budtender to the story, and the brand to the experience.”

When menus are wrong, vague, or overly simplistic, it erodes trust and excitement. That’s why retailers like Lake City Cannabis are pushing for more intentional merchandising.

“There’s so much customization available but it doesn’t have to lead to analysis paralysis,” says Ryan Roch, founder of Lake City. “Budtenders can still build great menus that speak to consumers clearly and spark better conversations.”

Roch points to things like premium tip labels for pre-rolls and flavor badges for infused products: “Someone sees ‘premium tip’ and immediately goes, ‘That’s the one I want.’ Or they ask, ‘What’s that mean?’ and now you’ve got a conversation, not just a transaction. You see something called ‘Tiger Blood’ and you add a simple ‘fruit’ badge — now it makes sense. That’s how you turn a curious customer into a confident one.”

Dispensaries can do better, and consumers know it. For consumers to walk out of a dispensary satisfied, they need to see themselves reflected in the merchandising — in flavor, in quality, in the subtle details that say “this product was made for you.” And right now, too many menus fall short.

“If you’re still only showing THC and price, you’re not just underserving your customer, you’re training them to care less,” Peris says. “That’s bad for everyone.”

While platforms like BudSense and Budvue are helping dispensaries implement richer, more dynamic menus, the call to action is industry-wide. It’s time to start treating cannabis menus not as a formality, but as the foundation for dispensary operations, trust, education, and long-term customer loyalty.

Dispensary Insight Group is a cannabis research and strategy organization focused on understanding real-world consumer behavior and helping brands and retailers align with what customers actually want, not just what the data says on paper.

For more information, visit:

https://www.mybudsense.com/

https://www.dispensaryinsightgroup.com/