DESTINATION RETAIL AN SLR GUIDE TO BECOMING A ‘DESTINATION STORE’ WHY IT MATTERS... AND HOW TO DO IT.
OCTOBER 2020 HOME DELIVERY / FOOD-TO-GO / DIFFERENTIATED RANGE / LOCAL SOURCING / SUSTAINABILITY / TECH
BECOMING A ‘DESTINATION STORE’ IT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT TO GIVE YOUR SHOPPERS AS MANY REASONS AS POSSIBLE TO CHOOSE YOUR STORE OVER A COMPETITOR’S. IN THIS HANDBOOK, WE DISCUSS WHY BECOMING A DESTINATION STORE MATTERS MORE THAN EVER – AND EXPLAIN HOW YOU CAN DO IT. BY ANTONY BEGLEY, PUBLISHER, SLR.
I
t has long been said that change is the only constant in the
much of a leap of the imagination to realise that when the
local retailing game, but nobody could have predicted the
pandemic does finally begin to recede – as it surely must – the
impact that the last six or seven months have had on our
landscape will have changed forever. And what will your store
sector. As far back as a year or two ago we had been discussing
look like on that day?
how becoming a ‘destination store’ was critical to the long term
The nature of lockdown and what we’ve learned in the past
success of independent retailing, but the coronavirus pandemic
half year tells us that convenience stores will be unusually
has arguably changed the retail landscape beyond recognition
successful for at least another few months, possible another six
and for ever. It has also dramatically altered what we think a
months, maybe even a year. That’s a long time to be enjoying
convenience store is and what it does.
inflated revenues and profits, but the big question is: what will
It has been a truly horrendous year for our nation, as it has
you do with that time and that extra money?
been for most nations, but the convenience retailing sector is
This time in our lives represents a once-in-a-lifetime
one of the few industries to have seen a commercial benefit from
opportunity to build a long-term, sustainable strategy that will
the pandemic. It’s just the way things have panned out but never
see us safe another decade or two. Standing still is not an
before in living memory has the local retailing sector been so
option. It’s time to accept that tomorrow’s customers will be
important to the very fabric of every community across Scotland.
spoilt for choice in so many ways. The challenge is to become a
That’s why stores have been in huge growth and it’s nothing to
true destination store that offers customers as many reasons to
be ashamed of or embarrassed about.
visit as possible. Products and services and solutions that they
The role that local retail has played under lockdown is
can’t easily find anywhere else in your area. That may mean all
nothing short of heroic and, perhaps for the first time, our sector
sorts of things – and we discuss many of them in this Handbook
is finally receiving the recognition and respect it deserves.
– but this destination store challenge is a living beast that will
But the pandemic has also thrown a new light on what the
change quickly and regularly over time. What customers want
role of the convenience channel is, and we have also seen huge
tomorrow won’t be the same as what they want the following
scale blurring of previously well-established boundaries. The
day. But by committing to becoming a destination store you will
demarcation lines between retail, foodservice and online retail
already have built an attitude, a frame of mind that prepares
are, if not obliterated, at least smudged out of all recognition.
you for the need for relentless and constant change, always
We are all competing with everyone all of the time. So what does
adapting and improving your offer and always responding to
that mean for local retailers?
customer demand.
Lots of things, probably, but it unquestionably means that
Ultimately, a destination store is nothing more than a frame
the traditional convenience retailing model is no longer fit for
of mind. Don’t get attached to what you’ve always done or even
purpose moving forward. Competing on price and promotions
what’s working for you now. Develop a commitment and passion
with a similar if not identical product and service range is no
for understanding your customers and anticipating what they will
longer a sustainable strategy. Evolution is the way forward,
want next – then give them it. You won’t get it right every time,
revolution is a distinct possibility.
but your customers will respect you for trying.
With so many retailers and hospitality providers chasing every pound coin in every consumer’s pocket, it doesn’t take
2
It’s not easy, of course, or everyone would be doing it. But everyone isn’t.
INTRODUCTION
DESTINATION RETAIL
4 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP:
6 GAME CHANGER:
10 GAME CHANGER:
THE FUTURE IS NOW, SAYS
HOME DELIVERY
FOOD-TO-GO
12 GAME CHANGER:
20 GAME CHANGER:
24 GAME CHANGER:
TECH
SUSTAINABILITY
DIFFERENTIATED RANGE
SNAPPY SHOPPER MD MARK STEVEN
8 Partner: Snappy Shopper
34 Partner: Premier
14 Partner: PayPoint
36 Partner: Londis
16 Partner: Henderson Technology
38 Partner: Budgens
18 Partner: MHouse Solutions
40 Partner: Costcutter
22 Partner: Tomra Collections UK
42 Partner: United Wholesale (Scotland)
26 Partner: Nordic Spirit
44 Partner: Bestway
28 Partner: Tetley
46 Partner: Certas
30 Partner: Tennent’s
48 Partner: Healthy Living Partnership
32 Partner: Bobby’s
DESTINATION RETAIL
CONTENTS
3
THE FUTURE IS NOW
CORONAVIRUS HAS RESULTED IN MANY OF SCOTLAND’S MOST PROGRESSIVE RETAILERS FAST-TRACKING THEIR STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING MORE DIFFERENTIATED, PROFITABLE AND FUTURE-PROOFED BUSINESSES, SAYS SNAPPY SHOPPER MANAGING DIRECTOR MARK STEVEN.
4
he last six or seven months have been a time
T
HEROIC ROLE
unlike any of us working in the local retailing
There’s no escaping the fact that the coronavirus
industry today have ever known in our lifetimes.
pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed everything,
distressing for our country, our communities and
and possibly forever. There’s no question that
our customers in so many ways. But in times of
shopper behaviour has changed beyond recognition
great need, one positive that we can take from this
and, in tandem with that, local retailers have also had
whole very sorry episode is the often heroic way that
to adapt and evolve just as rapidly.
convenience retailers have risen to the challenge of
has
been
catastrophic
and
highly
There is a very significant possibility that local
keeping their local communities functioning and safe.
retailing as a sector will never be the same again –
The role that local retailers have played during the
but the key question for retailers here is: do you see
last six or seven months cannot be over-stated.
this enforced evolution as a major threat, or do you
It is entirely fitting, then, that the sector has
see it as an exciting new opportunity? That’s the key
benefitted from increased sales and profits during the
question that this SLR Handbook is addressing.
pandemic as a consequence of being the lynchpins
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP / DESTINATION RETAIL
DESTINATION RETAIL
for communities across Scotland.
DESTINATION STORES What does all this have to do with destination retail? The answer is… everything. I’ve worked in the sector for a long time and we’ve been talking about becoming ‘destination stores’ for years. We have long recognised the need to give shoppers unique and powerful reasons to use our stores, rather than a competitor’s – but coronavirus has accelerated that discussion and it’s arguably never been more
“The vital question to ask yourself is: what can I do to help ensure that shoppers have more reasons to use my store, rather than someone else’s?”
important to be thinking about how you can become some great ideas on ‘how’ you can transform your
a destination store than it is today. As we contemplate the ‘new normal’ and what
store into a true destination store. The vital question
local retailing will look like in three months, six months
to ask yourself is: what can I do to help ensure that
or a year, we know that it will look very different to
shoppers have as many reasons as possible to use
how it looked in January this year.
my store, rather than someone else’s?
Competition has never been fiercer and the line
The answers to that question will vary from store
between convenience retailing and online retailing
to store, community to community, but there are
has been blurred, just as the line between retail and
some clear general principles that you can follow,
foodservice has been blurred.
many of them outlined in this Handbook. From my
In some respects, retailers are competing with
own point of view, home delivery is a fundamental ‘must have’ service for all local progressive retailers
everyone, all of the time these days.
moving forward. The benefits can be, and often
ACCELERATED PROGRESS
are, game-changing as you will discover inside. But
The fact remains that the pandemic has served to
there are many ways you can build a differentiated
accelerate the evolution of the local retailing sector.
product and service offering that help you deepen
It’s perhaps a stretch to say that it has almost created
your relationship with your local community. There
a revolution, but it’s not that much of a stretch.
are lots of things you can become ‘famous for’ in
Who could have predicted a year ago, for instance,
your area. Great food-to-go, your sustainability
that about two-thirds of local retailers would be doing
credentials, slick tech solutions, amazing community
home delivery of some sort by now? The rate of
engagement work, locally sourced products – the list
change has been nothing short of phenomenal and
goes on and on.
convenience retailers are to be commended for how
At the heart of destination retail, however, is
quickly they have both realised the need to change
a very simple concept: offer something different to
and gone about making it happen.
what’s already available in your area. That can mean
Similarly, retailers have been just as quick to
‘new’ or it can mean ‘better than anyone else does
adopt many new tech solutions, new ranges, new
it’. But every time you add a new range, or launch
merchandising solutions, new digital strategies and
a new service, or find a new way of engaging with
so much more. When the going gets tough, the local
your community, you set yourself apart from your
retailing channel gets going, that much is clear.
competitors.
THE ‘HOW’ OF DESTINATION RETAIL
to come and retailers that choose to stand still are
It’s all well and good realising that the world is
likely to end up going backwards, but retailers that
changing and retail needs to change with it, but the
adapt quickly and well to the ‘new normal’ will be the
question of ‘how’ is the one that many retailers may
ones that give themselves the best chance of a long
find challenging. Thankfully, this Handbook offers
and profitable future.
DESTINATION RETAIL
The tough times are set to remain for a long time
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP / DESTINATION RETAIL
5
HOME DELIVERY IN TERMS OF GENUINE GAME-CHANGERS, HOME DELIVERY IS ARGUABLY THE KING OF THEM ALL. CAN YOU THINK OF ANY OTHER SERVICES YOU COULD ADD TO YOUR STORE THAT COULD DOUBLE YOUR TURNOVER OVERNIGHT?
I
t wasn’t that long ago that home delivery was little more than an interesting concept that many retailers had thought about, but few had actually implemented. ACS figures show that only one in 10 retailers offered any form of home delivery service in 2019. Fast forward to lockdown and that figure had rocketed to around two-thirds of retailers; convenience stores are currently making
around 600,000 deliveries a week in total. That growth was initially driven by consumer demand, but retailers who embraced home delivery early soon discovered that the service was transformational. SLR spoke to a few of them to hear their stories...
THEIR STORY:
week in home delivery sales. And that’s £10k extra
“Home delivery has been nothing short of a game-
in both stores! That equated at the peak to an extra
changer for us in the two stores. It’s unbelievable,
£80k a month in sales.
really. We introduced home delivery way before
”The basket spend for home delivery is also
coronavirus, as it was something we thought had
extraordinary. Barrassie’s average home delivery
potential to grow both businesses. We went with
basket spend is £43 and in Doonfoot it’s £34. We
Snappy Shopper and launched it in Barrassie,
do around 70 a day for Barrassie and 35 a day at
where it was doing really well. We were aiming to
Doonfoot. There are extra costs, of course. We have
add around £3k a week to the sales. Then Covid-19
three drivers at Barrassie, all people on furlough or
Ross McPherson
happened so we added the service at Doonfoot too
who have been made redundant, so that’s quite a
& Mandi Duncan
and were soon doing about an additional £10k a
nice story too. And in Doonfoot we have two students.
RETAILERS
All of them have been trained in licensing to ensure
STORES
they can properly check IDs on any orders with age-
Day-Today Doon-
restricted products.
foot & Day-Today
“We charge £3 for delivery and it’s opened up
Barrassie
a whole new world for us. We do a lot of leafleting so we’re getting orders from three and four miles
£20K
away, customers who would never have used us
a week extra sales
before. They’ve got stores closer to them but I guess they like the convenience of having their shopping
100+
delivered to their door for them. And we don’t hike
deliveries per day
prices, so they’re paying the same as they would if they came to the store, which will hopefully keep
£43
them using the service.
basket spend
”We see this as a long-term strategy. We introduced it way before Covid-19 and I think we will retain a lot of our new home delivery customers. We’re not kidding ourselves on. Lots of people will go back to using supermarkets once this is all over, but I think we’ll retain quite a few of them.
6
DESTINATION RETAIL / GAME CHANGERS
DESTINATION RETAIL
THEIR STORY: “We’ve been doing home delivery for a while now. We’d been talking to Snappy Shopper since last June but it took until earlier this year to actually get round to implementing it. We launched it initially as a free delivery service because it
RETAILERS:
felt like the right thing to do under the circumstances, but it became so popular
Natalie & Martin
so quickly that we needed to start
Lightfoot
charging; some customers were ordering three and four times a day. We introduced
HIS STORY:
the delivery fee and we were afraid we’d
“The store has been trading well up during
Londis Solo
lose a lot of our customers but, as far as
the pandemic, as many have been, but
Convenience,
we can tell, we didn’t lose a single one.
the store-to-door side of the business is
STORE:
Baillieston
60+ deliveries per day
£35 basket spend
“We’ve also seen the basket spend
absolutely flying. We probably average
rocket. When it was free delivery the
between 40 and 50 deliveries a day and
figure was around £26. With a charge, the
the basket spend is around £45. It’s pretty
spend rose to £35. I guess customers are
incredible really.
just getting everything they need in one
RETAILER:
go so that they don’t have to pay twice.
Avtar Sidhu
“Monday to Thursday we average
at SLR’s #ThinkSmart event years ago,
25 to 35 deliveries a day. Weekends are
STORE:
higher; we can do 60 or 70 on Saturdays.
Budgens,
was something the convenience sector
Kenilworth
could really get hold of, but I suppose
“We use the Snappy Shopper app. It’s nice and clean and easy to use for both shoppers and retailers. I looked at other
50+
options but when you use third-party
deliveries per day
delivery companies you’re automatically slashing your margin or overcharging
£45
customers. We were keen to keep in-store
basket spend
actually. I always thought home delivery
coronavirus has simply accelerated that process. The solutions from companies like Snappy Shopper make home delivery a commercially viable option for retailers. “These days we treat home delivery as a separate division of the company.
pricing on the app because our customers
We have four people who are dedicated
know how much things cost, and wouldn’t
to the home delivery side and we have
have responded well to paying inflated
one full-time driver and one part-time
prices to have them delivered. Snappy
driver. It’s quite a lot of work to make
Shopper lets us keep our prices just as
home delivery work well and to offer
they are in-store.
your shoppers a brilliant service, but the
“After Covid-19, I think we will retain
DESTINATION RETAIL
“We use Snappy Shopper and it works really well. We first heard of them
rewards more than outweigh that effort.
most of our home delivery customers.
“I believe home delivery is here to
So many customers are now used to
stay. We didn’t get involved in home
ordering their food from the fast food
delivery just because of coronavirus. We
outlets that it feels quite natural for them
saw it as a real, long-term solution to
to then order their alcohol, soft drinks
grow the business. We’re getting orders
and confectionery from us at the same
from 10 and 15 miles away and as long
time. I don’t think that will change when
as we keep offering a great range at good
lockdown ends because the ‘want it now’
prices there’s no reason why they would
mentality is now firmly ingrained.”
stop ordering in the longer term.”
DESTINATION RETAIL / GAME CHANGERS
7
snappyshopper
£
FOOD-TO-GO CORONAVIRUS MAY HAVE SLOWED PROGRESS DOWN A LITTLE, BUT FOOD-TO-GO REMAINS A VITAL ELEMENT OF MOST DESTINATION STORES WITH THE CONTINUED BLURRING OF THE RETAIL AND FOODSERVICE BOUNDARY.
F
ood-to-go has blossomed in convenience retailing over the
Lomond Wholesale or Cuisine de France will provide everything
last year or so and while the Covid pandemic may have
a retailer needs – from equipment to ingredients – all the way
slammed the brakes on further immediate growth, there’s
down to standalone solutions like Chicago Town and Rollover.
little doubt that food-to-go is a key long term opportunity for any retailer looking to build a true destination store.
And it’s not all about hot food. The spectacular growth of brands like Costa, F’Real, Tango Ice Blast, Squishee and Fwip
The lines between retail and foodservice have never been
tells its own story as retailers embrace premium products offering
more blurred with everyone doing everything, or so it can
premium margins and helping them offer shoppers more and
appear. The growth of online retail (in all its guises) and home
more reasons to choose their store over anyone else’s.
delivery has only served to muddy the waters even further.
Like many concepts highlighted in this Handbook, food-to-go
Most symbol groups these days see a strong food-to-offer
definitely requires a little more effort and energy to implement
as fundamental, with the vast majority of refits, upgrades or new
well but if retailers can get the offer right and execute it to a
builds featuring dedicated food-to-go areas of the store, many
consistently high standard, that extra effort will be well rewarded
presented in the now familiar ‘store within a store’ format.
in terms of increased footfall, sales and margins.
The options for retailers are extensive, ranging from fully comprehensive all in one solutions where a single supplier like
Here we look at some case studies of retailers who have placed food-to-go at the heart of their offer...
RETAILER:
Ice Blast and Rollover as well as a
Anand Cheema
bespoke Millions Megamix unit, the first time this machine has ever been
STORE:
implemented in this format. We also
Spar Maggie Wood’s Loan, Falkirk
have the first Fwip machine in a Spar store in Scotland. Footfall and
HIS STORY:
sales and also deliver solid margins.
“When we opened the store recently,
“We didn’t skimp on the hot food
we had a full GIS survey done so we
element of the store either. A £16k
had a really good understanding
Manitowoc fully automatic six-shelf
of the demographics of the local area. Food-to-go was always
oven sits next to a Merrychef oven, the same one you would
going to be at the heart of the store’s offer, and I’m delighted at
find in a Subway. Everything is pre-programmed to ensure
how we’ve managed to incorporate it into the layout. We have
we get consistent results and it makes it easier for staff. We
a food-to-go island right in the middle of the store, which really
recruited a team specifically to prepare the hot food. The training
sets the tone. It puts food-to-go at the heart of the business,
is pretty complicated but we wanted them to be able to execute
quite literally.
everything perfectly because delivering perfectly cooked product
“We were also focused on ensuring it is a high margin store so we have lots of premium offerings, especially within the island. We have F’Real, Costa, Tropical Ice slush, Tango
10
will be the key to driving repeat sales. “The kitchen team also produces a range of sandwiches, baguettes and so on, all hand-made fresh in-store.
DESTINATION RETAIL / GAME CHANGERS
DESTINATION RETAIL
RETAILER: Walter Bryson
STORE: David Bryson & Sons, Prestwick
HIS STORY: “Food-to-go is utterly central to our store these days and it’s what makes us a destination store in Prestwick – and we must be doing it reasonably well as we won the Food-to-go Retailer of
RETAILER:
the Year Award at last year’s SLR Rewards!
Scott Graham
”The business is now 118 years old and we’ve had to learn to adapt to evolving consumer tastes over all those years. One
STORE:
of the biggest shifts in recent years was the massive growth
McLeish’s, Inverurie
in food-to-go. We started out testing the water with a variety of options but now we’re more of a food-to-go outlet with a
HIS STORY:
convenience store attached. With the constantly rising costs of
“I only recently renewed a 10-year lease on the store, so it was
business coupled with rocketing demand for hot and cold food-
the perfect time to look at a full refit to incorporate a lot of the
to-go, and with margins of 60% and upwards, it’s the perfect
ideas and concepts I’d been picking up over the last few years
solution.
during visits to other stores. The general strategy for the refit
“So we added a new large-scale Stone Willy’s serve-over
actually came from reading a cover story in SLR on ’30 being
counter offering an enormous range of hot and cold food-to-
the new 20’. The idea was that – with costs rising left, right and
go and that quickly grew sales by over 30%. We also added
centre – retailers now had to be looking to make 30% margins
additional chilled food-to-go space to let us merchandise an
and not the 20% that was industry standard at the time.
extensive range of freshly made hot and cold premium lines
”The store has been doing well in lockdown, up about 40% on pre-Covid sales so that was another reason to step it up
including hot and cold filled rolls, baguettes, pasta pots and hot pizza wraps.
another gear or two. High margin food-to-go has always been at
“We also have a full range of high-margin complementary
the heart of our offer, it’s really what made us a destination store
products to boost footfall, basket spend and profit including
in the local area in the first place.
slush, Tango Ice Blast machines and a second Costa coffee
“The ‘30 is the new 20’ strategy manifests itself in many ways.
machine.
Lower margin lines and categories were either de-prioritised
“To make the new food-to-go offer much more visible to
or removed altogether. We added a lot of new higher margin
customers from outside, the main wall was replaced with an
products like F’Real and Skwishee, we’ve expanded the food-to-
enormous plate glass window that lets passers-by (and fuel
go section from 4m to 6m, we’ve upgraded our coffee machine
customers) see the food-to-go counter. It’s hard to miss from
and we’ve added a lot of new dessert options like waffles and
outside the store. As well as the growth in sales, we’ve also seen
scooping ice cream and so on.
overall margins in the store increase significantly too.”
“The scooping ice cream has gone crazy. We went with a company called Stew and Drew from Lossiemouth, to keep it local and to have a product that no one else in Inverurie was selling. I had never done ice cream before, so I had no idea what to do but they guided me through the process and it has been a massive hit. Skwishee is also doing really well. The rest of the store has been well shopped too, so it’s definitely so far so good.“
DESTINATION RETAIL
DESTINATION RETAIL / GAME CHANGERS
11
TECH TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN SLOWLY REVOLUTIONISING CONVENIENCE RETAIL OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT CORONAVIRUS HAS HELPED THE SECTOR HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HARD AS RETAILERS BEGIN TO EMBRACE ALL SORTS OF TECH LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
A
12
round five years ago, SLR
money to invest, we will probably never
in-roads into this huge but very diverse
started to see that technology
know. But the fact remains that tech now
and disjointed industry.
was beginning to change the
plays a big part in convenience retail and,
way that convenience retail worked. Much
now that it’s here, we will probably only
DELIVERY
of it was ‘back end’ at the time, but the
see adoption rates increase.
The biggest clear tech benefactors of
influence of tech was slowly beginning
Historically, low rates of tech adoption
the pandemic have been the companies
to creep into the customer-facing side of
in convenience stem from the fact that
proving solutions for the related home
the business. That’s why we launched
most of the solutions on offer were tech-
delivery, click and collect and scan-
our annual tech-focused #ThinkSmart
driven,
convenience-driven.
and-go opportunity. For companies like
event. In all honesty, the tech revolution
There were some great tech solutions
Snappy Shopper and Jisp, the pandemic
didn’t happen quite as quickly as we’d
out there but the people providing them
has been nothing short of transformative.
anticipated, for all sorts of reasons, but
didn’t
convenience
ACS data suggests only about 10% of
coronavirus has changed all that in the
retailing works. In short, it’s been proven
local retailers offered home delivery of
space of six months.
that having a brilliant tech solution is not
any sort last year. Within a few months of
Whether it’s because retailers are
enough on its own. You also need people
lockdown, that figure was closer to two-
having to find solutions to the ‘new normal’
on board who understand the sector. Only
thirds of retailers.
or whether it’s because trading has been
when you have both of these elements in
The
so good that many retailers have some
place can you really think about making
approached
and
not
understand
how
TECH / GAME CHANGER
smartest the
companies
have
tech/convenience
DESTINATION RETAIL
EPOS
APIs or more complex models, will be
in
The original in-store technology, Epos is
a feature on convenience retail 2.0 and
them
now largely ubiquitous. Do you remember
nothing Epos suppliers can do will change
bit.
back in the day when so many retailers
that. It’s potentially the Epos companies
Understanding convenience was the
argued that they didn’t need an Epos
willing to be most flexible who will see
major challenge.
system to know what stock they had,
scope for big growth in the near future.
challenge
by
recruiting
senior
management
teams
well
convenience
retail.
Teaching
the
technology
was
the
versed easy
Where they lead, many followed. Retailers now have a huge choice of
what to order and how much money they were making? It wasn’t that long ago.
SELF-SCAN
solutions for home delivery from bespoke
The world has moved on, however,
Self-scan in its various guises – through
‘all in one’ solutions like those above to
and Epos systems have too – or at least
apps, standalone tills or some hybrid
working with delivery giants like Uber
some of them have. The challenges that
solutions – will grow in importance. Many
Eats and Deliveroo – and everything in
lie ahead in a tech-based convenience
local retailers had mixed responses to
between.
retail market are, however, potentially
adding them in but, as they become
The solutions available are getting
enormous. With so many retailers keen to
universal in supermarkets and widespread
slicker and more comprehensive by the
embrace new tech solutions from apps to
in convenience, many retailers might wish
week. The only decision left is who to go
self-serve tills, more and more emphasis
to revisit the idea as a convenient solution
with. As with all newish tech solutions, the
will be shifted onto how well your current
to speeding up transaction times while
most effective way of pushing the agenda
Epos system (and provider) works with
also offering a way to reduce overheads.
is simply to choose the best solution
new third-party tech solutions. Many
Many customers don’t like self-scan tills
you can find and running with it hard. It
Epos providers are extremely reluctant
– but a lot do. Giving your shoppers the
may not be what you hoped but you will
to embrace integrations with third-party
option could be a great way of becoming
learn a lot in the process and your next
suppliers – but that position surely has
a destination store for time-pressed
choice is likely to be made from a more
to evolve because intransigent Epos
customers keen to get in an out as quickly
informed position. You’re on the ladder
suppliers are likely to lose customers if
as possible.
and progressing. All you have to do now
they are seen to be standing in the way
is keep climbing upwards and learning
of progress.
along the way.
Integrations, whether through simple
THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT With customers well versed in using apps for everything these days, it’s no surprise that there’s an increasing amount of apps that retailers can take advantage off to achieve all sorts of ends and goals. You can manage product waste with the Too Good To Go app, you can take advantage of a wide range of loyalty apps, you can allow customers to pre-order coffee using an app, you can host weekly quizzes just for your customers on an app, you can even ‘gamify’ your DRS machine with an app that adds a little fun and competition into recycling. There is an app for pretty much everything – and customers are hungry for these solutions. Embrace technology quickly and you will see your reach and influence grow – and that will ultimately convert into bigger footfall, sales and profits.
DESTINATION RETAIL
TECH / GAME CHANGER
13
ADDED VALUE SERVICES HELP RETAILERS BECOME DESTINATION STORES OFFERING CUSTOMERS MORE ADDED VALUE SERVICES IS A GREAT WAY OF DRIVING FOOTFALL AND ENSURING YOUR STORE IS A TRUE DESTINATION STORE, SAYS BEN FORD, THE NEW RETAIL SERVICES DIRECTOR AT PAYPOINT.
L
ike many people, I’ve always known exactly where my local
With frequent news of bank branches closing, internal ATMs
convenience store is, but only ever used it for the occasional
are popular with shoppers and, our research shows, increase
pint of milk or loaf of bread. However, my appreciation of
customer spend by 4.7% over stores with external cash
the work that convenience retailers do and the benefits they provide has grown massively in the past few months. I joined PayPoint in the newly-created role of Retail Services Director and it’s been a real eye-opener. Week by week, I’m
machines. Finally, our PayPoint One EPoS platform empowers convenience stores to become even more efficient and profitable.
learning all the innovative ways that retailers are running their
The platform is available in a range of packages. PayPoint
businesses and providing valuable services to local communities.
One EPoS Core system integrates point-of-sale technology with
PayPoint’s contribution to these successes is really pleasing
bill payments and integrated card transactions and offers many
to me and it will be my role to strengthen that proposition even
benefits, including the ability to view sales reports on-the-go
further, and help retailers maximise footfall into their stores.
via the free PayPoint One app (available on iOS and Android),
One of the ways I will do that is by helping our retailers
printing off shelf-edge labels, setting up promotions and special
create ‘destination’ stores, offering so much more than just the
offers, and viewing product margin analysis, in addition to
products on their shelves.
receiving a free cash drawer.
An example is PayPoint’s Collect+ network. It’s the UK’s
With the PayPoint One EPoS Pro package, retailers also
leading parcel service, with over 8,000 outlets and carrier
get multiple supplier integrations, real-time stock management
partners including eBay, Amazon, Yodel, FedEx and DHL. It’s
and the opportunity to control inventory remotely via their
growing too, with volumes of parcels going through the network
smartphone, removing the need of being tied to the till.
increasing 12.7% in the past year.
With the recent increase in customer card payments, having
What’s more, with a TrustPilot score of 4.6 out of 5, Collect+
an integrated solution with competitive rates is a key benefit
is a service people love. It also attracts new customers. Our
of PayPoint One. Our latest PIN pad technology comes with
research shows 53% of Collect+ users are new to store, and
contactless payments accepting Apple Pay, Samsung Pay
40% of purchase other items during their visit.
and Google Pay payments at a competitive rate you perhaps
ATMs are another of our services I’ll look to grow over the next 12 months.
wouldn’t expect. We also offer retailers the chance to make PCI compliance quick and easy with an exclusive PCI Portal.
We have managed a network of self-fill, internal ATMs for
Now is the time to see how PayPoint can benefit your
more than 15 years, and work with over 4,000 locations across
business, as we are running a promotion for existing PayPoint
the UK. PayPoint ATMs enable retailers to earn commission on
One users to trial an upgraded package for three months at no
every cash withdrawal, and recycle their cash rather than having
additional cost, including set-up, training and ongoing customer
to bank it, thereby avoiding banking charges – it’s a double win!
support.
Find out more at www.paypoint.com/EPOS
14
ADDED VALUE SERVICES / PAYPOINT
DESTINATION RETAIL
Free EPoS Upgrade Trial Includes free mobile app
up Save
to *
! 0 6 2 £
‘Try before you buy’ with a free 3 month trial Take advantage of our risk free limited offer to upgrade to PayPoint One EPoS. If it’s not for you, simply switch back to your original subscription.
Find out more today at www.paypoint.com/epos or call 01707 600 605 *Saving based on EPoS Pro for 3 months at £30.75 per week vs. Base at £10.25 per week. Promotion open 1.9.20 to 31.10.20. Requires new term commitment. If Retailer doesn’t downgrade before end of trial period, upgraded package continues. PayPoint hardware subject to terms. Booker EPoS link requires a non-refundable setup payment. Full promotion terms & conditions can be found at www.paypoint.com/terms. App Store is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
EDGEPoS is an Award Winning EPOS system designed by Henderson Technology. Alongside the EDGEPoS retail system, Henderson Technology has launched various innovative bolt on products that meet the demands of both retailers and customers. In 2018, they launched their hybrid Self-Checkout option. This was designed with the convenience and forecourt retailer in mind. It simply bolts on to one of your existing EDGEPoS cashier tills and is switched into Self-Checkout mode when it is not being used by the cashier. It is a simple, cost effective way of offering Self Serve in store; and unlike other Self-Checkout options does not take up any additional floor space.
“We estimated that it would save us an average of 10 man hours per week, and on average we have saved around 12-15 man hours per week. We simply separate the promotion stock on a Thursday when the delivery comes in, and the Sunday evening staff put these out before they close the store on a Sunday. It has made a huge difference.” “The ESELs are super efficient,” Dale continues, “They have made the shop more profitable and they have given us better peace of mind, ensuring that customer complaints about wrong pricing have been stamped out completely.”
Henderson Technology also recently launched the first SelfCheckout to be integrated with BP systems, allowing BP sites to offer Self-Checkout onsite. They have also piloted this innovative product for Texaco sites and can now offer Self-Checkout to both BP and Texaco sites who use EDGEPoS.
EDGEPoS ESELS In 2019, Henderson Technology launched EDGEPoS Electronic Shelf Edge Labels. Samuel Smyth from EUROSPAR Ballymoney saw an immediate benefit when he introduced them instore.
EDGEPoS integrates seamlessly with apps like Gander
Mobile App Integrations
ESELs on display at SPAR Loughbrikland
“We have a promotion changeover every three weeks. This used to take us a total of two working days to complete all stock and SEL swop outs. This now takes 15 minutes.” “One of the biggest differences I have noticed is the change in the staff attitude to promotion changes. They actually look forward to them now. The extra time allows us to focus on our stock and it has actually allowed us to change how we operate in certain areas, with the implementation of suggested ordering across the store.” He adds, “On average we save around 20 staff hours per week. These staff are utilised more effectively instore, with seven tills to man – this resource is invaluable.” Dale Beckett, co-owner of Manor Retail Group, installed EDGEPoS Electronic Shelf Edge Labels onsite in March 2020. He said, “We made the decision after researching the product and speaking to other retailers who are using the ESELs onsite. We expected to see an increase in margin of approximately 0.6%, and this figure has been met in SPAR, Loughbrickland.”
Alongside these products, Henderson Technology have lunched their Mobile App Kit. In 2019, Henderson Technology launched their integration with Gander, an award winning App that connects the shopper to reduced food in their area. It is integrated with the EDGEPoS system and updates in real-time, so the shopper is never more than one swipe away from saving money on their favourite foods. There are now over 60,000 downloads of the Gander App nationwide. Darren Nickels, Retail Technology Operations Director at Henderson Technology, said “We are extremely proud of all our innovative products, alongside the EDGEPoS retail system. EDGEPoS is celebrating it’s tenth birthday in 2020 and we have now over 600 EDGEPoS installs globally. Over the past ten years EDGEPoS has continued to develop by responding to retailer requests and market research in order to integrate innovative third party offerings. This allows Henderson Technology to offer a cost effective way of supplying an award winning EPOS system which can include Self-Checkout, ESELs, Scan & Go App, PreOrder and Pre-Pay Food to Go and Grocery App; and the 2019 Mobile App of the Year, Gander, which shows in real time an individual store’s reduced items to their community of shoppers in their area. We couldn’t be prouder.”
Visit henderson.technology to learn more Call: +44 (0)28 9094 1900 or email: sales@henderson.technology
Security, operational efficiency and business development within your store.
Control pricing, product and reporting across multiple locations.
A reliable new and innovative offering to the convenience and fuel market for Self-Checkout.
Innovational integrations with many third party Apps. Connect with your customers.
Learn more about our EPOS products at henderson.technology/edgepos
Keep your shelves talking with EDGEPoS ESELs The EDGEPoS Electronic Shelf Edge Label (ESEL) System is a tool used by retailers to display specific product pricing on shelves. Electronic display modules are fixed to the front edge of the retail shelving. Accurate pricing Shelf edge influence Enhance your shopper experience Increase margin instantly Utilise assistant hours in different areas of the store Reduce wrong pricing customer complaints Instant promotion changeovers and price changes
Speak with an EPOS expert at henderson.technology/esels
Helping you to make an extra 3% Gross Profit Ease of use
Simple to use touch screen till software
Backoffice admin software
Cigarette Gantry integration
Indepth reporting and analysis
Touch screen handheld device to control the shop from the shopfloor
Supplier Data links with all major Wholesalers
Credit Card integration
Weekly health check reports to guide you to improve your sales and margin.
Access to background database with over 100,000 products
Benefits of MPos ✓ Built around a retailer, not a computer user ✓ Simple to use till, powerful admin tools ✓ Built from retailers perspective ✓ Reduces labour by downloading products, price changes, invoices and promotions
✓ Reduces labour by allowing one click order generation and one click invoice downloads - easily shave off 10 hours of work per store
✓ Increased control on stock; all stock deliveries downloaded and all stock adjustments emailed to the owner; NO stock is unaccounted for
✓ Emails store performance to the user with real actionable data once a week rather than stats heavy reports that overwhelm the user
✓ Based in Scotland with excellent support and training program
✓ Easy to use Hand Held terminal to control the store from shop floor ✓ Integration with Credit Card terminals, Zapper, Cigarette Gantry, Loyalty Schemes and more ✓ Developed and supported by people that know the retail trade
So How much Could our System make for you? We can demonstrate a 3% uplift in Gross Profit in using our system.
£5,000 £10,000 £15,000 £20,000 £25,000
£7,800 Current Weekly Turnover Extra profit per annum
£15,600 £23,400 £31,200 £39,000
Even a Single Lane system can more than pay for itself in the first 4 months!
MHouse, 349 Shields Road, Motherwell, ML1 2LD
Tel: 0800 242 5360 email sales@mhousesolutions.com
MPOS: MADE BY RETAILERS FOR RETAILERS WITH 30 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE AS RETAILERS, THE TEAM AT MPOS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT TAKES TO CREATE AN EPOS SYSTEM THAT DELIVERS EVERYTHING RETAILERS NEED TO BECOME DESTINATION STORES AND MAXIMISE SALES AND PROFITS, SAYS MD FAISAL SATTAR.
T
echnology revolutionised our dated,
of admin time per store. We then email all
labour-intensive systems. Running
adjustments to the owner to ensure no stock
a store required the owner to be
is unaccounted for.
at the helm at all times to ensure it was
Another very useful feature is the
running efficiently. On top of that, staff fraud was
becoming
an
increasingly
optimised
common
pricing.
Our
system
is
designed to ensure whatever you sell is
predicament. Regardless of an owner’s attempts
sold at the best price possible. In the
to prime his store for absolute efficiency, human
case that the suggested retail price is
error was an element they would always struggle
raised at the supplier’s side and you
to tackle. As retailers for 30 years ourselves,
get new stock in, the system notifies you
we know this as well as anyone. We felt this
about the discrepancy in prices and allows you
pain and decided to act upon it ourselves
to create new shelf edge labels, automatically
as we felt the existing players were monopolising
changing the price for the old stock as well. We found this
the market and providing half-hearted solutions at massive
process to be extremely inefficient and time-consuming, where
premiums. So we decided to go back to the drawing board in
you would previously have to manually peel off the old labels
2009, and here we are now, with over 700 stores adopting our
and add new ones on top. Now, it is all done with the click of a
system. By utilising a methodology that we have developed,
button.
‘The MPOS Method’, they can now squeeze every bit of profit that would legally be possible.
We have also added another tool in the mix: a handheld terminal that allows you to make changes on the shop floor, on
The first step was to build a system built around the retailer.
the go.
Someone who is not tech-savvy. So we crested MPOS, a
One of the greatest features though is our health check
system by retailers, for retailers. Equipped with powerful admin
reports. These reports give a 360-degree view of your
tools and features, dressed in the simplicity of riding a bike.
store performance and allow you to zero in on any trends or
The system is designed to reduce the inefficient, time
discrepancies. This actionable data is the fundamental platform
consuming, labour-intensive nature of running a store, marred
that allows you to truly optimise your store. We have nine reports
by human error. We achieve this by automating 90% of the
that range from an audit trail report, all the way to top sellers,
regular processes such as downloading products, uploading
over rings, and wastage reports. This kind of information can
invoices and promotions, changing prices, etc. We have
tell you which product to stock more or less of, whether store
introduced an innovative stock control method that accounts for
placements require adjustment, and even if a staff member is
all your stock, saving huge amounts of time performing stock
being shady with his transactions.
checks and creating purchase orders. This is done through a
These are just some of the many features that MPOS offers,
system we have developed that allows you to pre-set inventory
and the best part about us is that we listen to our customers’
volumes for particular products. Once the stock depletes to that
feedback and develop new features for their problems. With the
level, the system sends you a prompt allowing you to send an
MPOS Method that is provided to all our customers, a minimum
automated purchase order to any one of our supplier links, and
of 3% increase in profits is just the tip of the iceberg. At MPOS
have that invoice sent directly to the system which updates the
you get the best features with the best after-sales service,
stock accordingly. This feature alone can save up to 10 hours
anywhere.
DESTINATION RETAIL
TECHNOLOGY / MPOS
19
SUSTAINABILITY THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY IS ONLY GOING TO GROW IN FUTURE BUT THERE IS A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY NOW FOR LOCAL RETAILERS KEEN TO EMBRACE THE CHALLENGE TO STEAL A MARCH ON THE COMPETITION, BECOMING ‘FAMOUS’ IN THEIR LOCAL AREA FOR THEIR APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY.
about it to an increasingly receptive audience seems like pushing at an open door. With every new generation that comes through, that challenge / opportunity will increase in scale and depth. The time to take our responsibilities to the planet and, closer to home, to the very communities we serve, is now. All local retailers are at heart community retailers and with that role comes responsibility. Saving the planet starts on our doorsteps, in our own communities. Fortunately, there’s a lot that retailers can do immediately, and much of it for free, the reduce their impact on the planet and start developing even closer bonds with the local communities they serve. Here are a few examples...
DEPOSIT RETURN SCHEME There were many valid objections presented to a DRS in Scotland but the reality is that it’s coming and it’s coming relatively soon. There is still much work to be done on establishing the framework for how the DRS will operate, but the one thing we know for sure is that it is coming and very probably on 1 July 2022. As alluded to above, there are two options to approaching
S
ustainability is a complex and challenging topic, not least
DRS in the local retailing environment: grudgingly live with it
because it means different things to different people.
and do the bare minimum required to remain compliant or take
Until relatively recently, sustainability also suffered from
the time to think about how you could embrace it positively and
something of an identity crisis. Many local retailers viewed it
turn it to your advantage in-store. The first approach is one that
simply as an obstacle to overcome or a problem to solve, rather
many retailers will undoubtedly adopt, but the latter approach
than viewing it as what it is, and what it must be: a valuable
offers a bigger potential reward not only in terms of commercial
opportunity.
impact but also in terms of how you present your store to your
The worldwide drive to reducing our impact on the planet
20
community.
isn’t going anywhere. The likes of David Attenborough and Greta
The lure of potentially being able to turn a perceived negative
Thunberg did a remarkable job last year in driving sustainability
into a positive is surely attractive to many. If you must get an
to the top of the political agenda and raising mass consciousness
expensive, space-hungry DRS machine, then why not make it
of the role that we all have to play in looking after the planet a lot
work as hard for you as possible? Go early to steal a march on
better than we have been doing in the last few decades.
the competition and shout about it in-store and on social media.
As always with big challenges like this, there are those that
Rope in local newspapers, radio and TV – whose appetite for
will do the bare minimum to stay legal – but there are also plenty
positive environmental stories knows no bounds. Go early and
of entrepreneurs willing to stand up and use sustainability as
go hard.
a core plank in their strategy to become destination stores.
Then you could use DRS as a platform to build a brand new
Enthusiastically embracing sustainability and then shouting
sustainability-focused ethos for your business. The number
GAME CHANGER / SUSTAINABILITY
DESTINATION RETAIL
of people whose buying decisions are informed by
STEP IT UP
whether or not you are serious about sustainability
With the quick and easy wins out the way, it’s time to
getting bigger. The multiples can’t do what you can,
start thinking about more fundamental changes you
they can’t embed sustainability into every aspect of
could make to your business. Could you introduce
their business quickly. It’s not practical. But you can.
more loose produce to reduce the amount of plastic
QUICK WINS
packaging that flows through your store? Could you start delisting products that don’t meet your criteria
One of the easiest ways of improving how your store
because of non-recyclable packaging, too much
is perceived in terms of sustainability in your local
packaging or some other environmental no-no?
community is by understanding what you already do
When you bring in a replacement product, let your
- and then sharing that. Do any of your customers
shoppers know what you’ve done and why you’ve
know that you already recycle all your plastic and
done it.
cardboard packaging? Have you told them? Do any
Could you stock more local produce, minimising
of your customers know that you already recycle all
food miles? Or increase the amount of sustainably-
your food waste? Have you told them?
produced lines you carry? Is there more you could
Do any of your shoppers know that you use low
do on single-use plastic bags? Double the fee and
energy LED lighting and motion-sensitive lighting
donate it all to a local charity, for instance? Could
in stock areas to minimise electricity consumption?
you switch the coffee cups you use to cups that are
Do your shoppers know your refrigeration is ultra-
compostable or more easily recyclable?
efficient? The list of things that you probably already
Once you start on the sustainability journey in
do is extensive, so why not sit down for half an hour
earnest, plenty of opportunities will open up for you.
one day, write them all down then knock together
Your customers and staff will thank you for the effort
some in-store POS and plan a Facebook campaign
and you will likely have a more sustainable business
listing them one by one, culminating in a ‘wrap
in every sense.
up’ post showing that you take your sustainability responsibilities to your local community very seriously indeed. And it won’t have cost you a penny.
PIGGYBACK ON SUPPLIERS Another area where local retailers can secure quick PR wins is by piggybacking on all the work that the major suppliers and wholesalers are doing on sustainability issues. Practically every supplier you deal with has reformatted their packaging and reworked their ingredients list to reduce their impact on the planet. There is plenty of scope here for retailers to amplify that messaging by simply sharing what you learn from suppliers and in trade press with your own personal customer audience. Hardly a day goes by without a big supplier announcing an eco-win. If you stock their products, copy and paste a few lines from the article and lift the photo and you have a ready-made good news story for your Facebook page. That will help let shoppers know that you are always thinking about sustainability issues and it will make them feel comfortable using your store. Again, all it costs is a little time.
DESTINATION RETAIL
GAME CHANGER / SUSTAINABILITY
21
THREE WAYS THAT IMPROVING A STORE’S ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS CAN CREATE A DESTINATION STORE WORKING ON ENHANCING YOUR STORE’S ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS IS A GREAT, LONG-TERM WAY OF GROWING YOUR REPUTATION IN YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND IN BECOMING THE STORE OF CHOICE FOR MORE SHOPPERS. BY MARK BRILL, UK VP SALES AND MARKETING FOR TOMRA COLLECTION SOLUTIONS
T
he concept of a destination store has undoubtedly changed during this year. With huge shifts in shopping habits due to Covid-19, there is now an opportunity to rethink exactly
what retailers can do to stand out against competitors. A lot of research over the past few months has pointed to sustainability and ethical issues growing in importance as part of consumers’ purchasing decisions. The direction of travel is clear: research by McKinsey highlighted that 44% of shoppers are now more mindful of where they spend their money compared to before the pandemic. With sustainability and ethical retailing such a far-reaching topic, where should retailers focus their valuable time and energy? Recent research by YouGov identifies two areas where consumers would like to see action from retailers over the coming years: environmental factors (70% of consumers) and ethical issues, such as treating staff fairly (56%). Bearing this in mind, what simple and meaningful steps can retailers take that will position the store as a destination for shoppers, whilst delivering value for the business?
1. STOCK LOCAL FOOD AND PRODUCTS THAT CATER FOR DIFFERENT DIETS (E.G. VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS)
could also be an untapped opportunity to gain an edge against
Consumers are increasingly looking to shop more locally and
to £331m (Nielsen), with frozen growing ahead of chilled, so
understand the provenance of their food. Stocking products
consider making freezer space work harder and bringing in
such as eggs, milk or vegetables from the local area is a great
more vegetarian customers.
way to give a store a point of difference, as well as reducing the With vegans and vegetarians predicted to make up a quarter
2. BUILD ON YOUR COMMUNITY’S INTEREST IN SUSTAINABILITY
of the UK population by 2025 (The Vegan Society), catering
Shoppers have different reasons for engaging with sustainability.
for vegetarians and flexitarians is increasingly essential. It
For some, it is all about helping their local community, while
environmental impact of longer supply chains.
22
competitors. The meat alternatives category is growing +21%
SUSTAINABILITY / TOMRA COLLECTION SOLUTIONS
DESTINATION RETAIL
others are driven by protecting the planet and its wildlife. For
and clean. In other deposit return markets, most people shop
retailers this means not only focussing on the environmental
where they recycle, so this is not only a way of driving footfall
side of their store, but also on people and community.
to store but also of increasing basket spend. Within a deposit
This does not have to be complex. It could simply be having
return scheme, there is also usually the option for shoppers
a community noticeboard to advertise activities such as litter
to donate their deposits to charity: a powerful way to connect
picks, or perhaps raising money for a local charity that is close to
environmental benefits to the local community.
the community’s heart. It could also mean ensuring that retailers
To start preparing for DRS, retailers should consider
communicate how they look after store staff’s safety and
whether they plan to automate returns via a reverse vending
wellbeing (something that has become particularly important
machine (RVM), or if they will accept returns manually. The main
since the pandemic).
consideration here will be how many drinks retailers sell during
3. TAKE STEPS TO MAKE RECYCLING EASIER
an average week and whether shoppers will value a faster returns process via an RVM.
Plastic waste is a growing concern for consumers and a new poll by Populus found that two in three Scots are worried about an increase in plastic waste following lockdown. Offering a great
Visit tomra.com/uk for more information.
Hear what retailers have to say about how creating a great recycling experience can benefit a store: “Our shop is at the heart of the village community and sustainability is very important to our customers. We had a reverse vending machine for a few months’ trial and found it to be popular with our shoppers – especially children, who take a real interest in recycling. We look forward to the deposit return scheme in 2022 and see it as a great opportunity to do something good for the planet, as well as something which can help us to attract more shoppers.” [ Graham Watson – owner of Watson’s Grocers, Moniaive. ]
recycling experience is an impactful way to make a store a destination within the community. This is especially relevant as Scotland is preparing to change the way it recycles – the deposit return scheme (DRS) is planned to go live in July 2022, with the aim of decreasing litter and increasing recycling rates. In this scheme, consumers will pay a deposit on top of their drink, retailers will collect empty drinks containers for recycling and pay the deposit back. DRS is a great opportunity to attract consumers to store by offering them a first-class recycling experience. This means creating a process which is quick, easy,
DESTINATION RETAIL
“Our pilot with a TOMRA reverse vending machine was positive. The machine was easy to install and easy for my customers to use. It was a good way for them to become more aware of the deposit return scheme (DRS) and recycling in Scotland. For DRS to be successful, the community has to back it, and within a few days I could see my shoppers were really engaging with the machine.”
[ Ferhan Ashiq, owner Day-Today Prestonpans Village Store, East Lothian. ]
SUSTAINABILITY / TOMRA COLLECTION SOLUTIONS
23
DIFFERENTIATED PRODUCT & SERVICE RANGE WHY SHOULD A CUSTOMER CHOOSE YOUR STORE OVER A COMPETITION’S? ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS IS A DIFFERENTIATED PRODUCT AND SERVICE RANGE THAT GIVES YOUR CUSTOMERS AND PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS A UNIQUE (IN YOUR AREA) OFFERING.
T
he obvious question you have to ask yourself
store over a competitor’s. So what does your store
when building a destination store is: why
offer that shoppers can’t easily find elsewhere in
should shoppers come to my store instead of
your local area? This Handbook offers a wide variety
someone else’s, be that another convenience store,
of suggestions for creating a destination store, but
a supermarket or discounter or, increasingly, another
focusing on building a unique range is possibly the
foodservice outlet? What are you famous for in your
quickest and easiest way to build USPs into your
local area?
offer, to give shoppers more and more reasons to
You have the convenient location, the long opening hours and the friendly staff – but what
The list of options available is endless and
else can help you stand out from the crowd in an
will depend on your store’s location, customer
increasingly busy marketplace? One of the crucial
demographic and a whole host of other factors, but
answers to that question is a differentiated product
there are plenty of ways to enhance your offer easily
and service range. If the days of competing with
and quickly – and then shout about it in-store and on
everyone else on price and promotions on broadly
social media.
the same range of products and services weren’t dead, then the coronavirus pandemic is doing its best to end them.
24
choose you and not someone else.
Here are a few options you could consider...
LOCAL SOURCING
With so many retailers to choose from these days
Locally, regionally and nationally sourced products
– bricks and mortar and online – customers are spoilt
have long been used successfully by convenience
for choose and need strong reasons to choose your
retailers to drive footfall and sales, as well as support
DESTINATION RETAIL / GAME CHANGERS / PRODUCT & SERVICE RANGE
DESTINATION RETAIL
the local community. However, coronavirus has
new shoppers to your door. Parents with kids who
served to significantly grow interest in locally and
are lactose intolerant will visit your store if you offer
regionally produced products. Consumers, it seems,
a range of rice, nut or soya milks – and while they’re
are keener than ever to buy local and use local
are there, they are likely to do a wider shop with you.
retailers and local producers.
The same applies to all free-from ranges as
This creates a very important opportunity for local
well as vegan and vegetarian products. The ranges
retailers keen to truly embrace local sourcing and use
available now mean you can offer everything from
it as a point of difference in their stores. In can be a
vegan ready meals to gluten-free bread, from dairy-
tricky a business working with small local producers
free yoghurts to veggie sausage rolls.
with all sorts of practical challenges around issues
Focusing on specialist diets needn’t take up too
like delivery, labelling, barcoding, shelf life and cost
much space in-store but some decent POS and
but that shouldn’t put anyone off. Working harder is
signage and a little campaign on social media could
part of the new normal.
help bring a whole new set of shoppers to your door
Get famous for local products however and a world of opportunity can open up – and it will bring with it a range of other benefits including enhancing
if they simply assumed you wouldn’t have ranges like this.
your sustainability credentials (fewer food miles) and
AMERICAN CANDY
growing your community engagement strategy (by
This one has been around a little while now, but big
directly supporting the local economy).
ranges of US candy are now relatively easy to source from most major wholesalers and they offer a quick
DRINKS
and easy way to introduce an exciting new gondola
With alcohol sales in convenience exceptionally
end or subsection of the main confectionery fixture. If
strong for the last six or seven months, there’s a
your store sees a lot of school kids, it can be a great
further opportunity to grow the category by offering
way of attracting attention and growing footfall, sales
consumers something over and above the core range
and profits.
of big brand beers, wines, spirits, ciders and RTDs. That could be as simple as developing a specialist
NEW SERVICES
range of very high end whiskies (as Anand Cheema
Understanding your local community well is the key to
has done in his new store in Falkirk), it could be by
introducing new services and solutions that perhaps
building a huge range of spirits that customers won’t
aren’t a traditional c-store offering. We’ve seen
find anywhere else in the area (as Ross Macpherson
external laundry units, reverse vending machines,
has done as his Day-Today stores in Ayrshire) or it
clothes pressing services, customer WiFi and phone
could be by stocking a range of local craft beers or
charging points, soft play areas for kids and more.
spirits (as many retailers have done).
Ask yourself what could your community do with that
Unusual, handmade, premium spirits and beers
you can provide, what would benefit your customers
command higher prices and can often deliver higher
and give them reasons to come to your store more
margins, as well as helping your store stand out.
often. You might surprise yourself.
And while you’re at it, it’s worth keeping an eye on the growing low- and no-alcohol products that are
GO WILD
available. That market is in growth and you may find
If you really want to make a splash and a name for
that there is demand for it in your area as consumers
yourself, then think out the box. Racetrack Ibrox in
try to keep a lid on their lockdown alcohol intake.
Glasgow introduced liquid nitrogen ice cream, over 60 flavours of slush, a wall of vaping products,
SPECIALIST DIETS
a beer cave and a Havana cigar humidor. The
Catering for shoppers with specialist diets, whether
old convenience retailing model is fast becoming
that’s because of specific intolerances or simply
obsolete. What could your store look like in the
through personal choice, is a fantastic way of bringing
future?
DESTINATION RETAIL
DESTINATION RETAIL / GAME CHANGERS / PRODUCT & SERVICE RANGE
25
NEVER MISS
A MOMENT
NO SMOKE, NO VAPOUR
6.50
RRP
£
THE NORDIC WAY TO NICOTINE
*
FOR 20 POUCHES
This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive substance. *RRP effective 8th July 2020. You are, of course, at all times free to sell JTI’s products at whatever price you choose
NEVER MISS A MOMENT WITH NORDIC SPIRIT OFFERING YOUR SHOPPERS A STRONG RANGE OF NICOTINE REPLACEMENT OPTIONS IS A GREAT WAY OF BECOMING A DESTINATION STORE AND NORDIC SPIRIT, THE UK’S NUMBER ONE BRAND, IS THE PERFECT SOLUTION.
WHAT IS NORDIC SPIRIT? Nordic Spirit is a 100% tobacco-free nicotine pouch that offers a discreet and convenient alternative for when smoking or vaping
TOP TIPS
might not be possible. Available to purchase in three flavours
KNOWLEDGE IS KING
(Mint, Bergamot Wildberry, and Elderflower) and currently
} Having up-to-date knowledge and keeping up with trends
available in two strengths (6mg and 9mg), each pouch contains
in the category is key.
a blend of plant-based fibres, flavourings and nicotine which,
} Customers will look to their retailers to advise them
together with a small gum-base, fit comfortably under the top or
on new, innovative products like tobacco-free nicotine
bottom lip for up to one hour. Each can includes 20 tobacco-free
pouches, and will have questions. So retailers must
nicotine pouches and has an RSP of £6.50*.
be knowledgeable about the category and the different brands they stock, in order to maximise sales.
WHY STOCK IT?
} Once a customer trusts a retailer, they are more likely
Nordic Spirit presents a huge profit opportunity for retailers as
to return, which allows retailers to profit in this growing
the demand for alternative nicotine products continues to grow.
category.
Originally developed in Sweden, where it has rapidly grown in popularity since its launch in 2018, the 100% tobacco-free
PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
nicotine pouches offer existing adult smokers and vapers even
} Through stocking a full, wide range and maintaining good availability, retailers can provide a successful alternative
more choice.
nicotine offering to their customers.
*Retailers are of course free to sell JTI products at whatever price they choose.
} Stocking price marked packs can also make purchasing decisions easer for shoppers, and therefore help drive sales. } Price remains a key factor for customers when choosing where to shop, so retailers should look to remain competitive by selling at the RSP or below* to help drive sales.
DISPLAY } 100% tobacco-free nicotine products, such as JTI’s Nordic Spirit, should be placed in a prominent countertop display to help existing adult smokers and vapers understand the } } } }
Nordic Spirit is the leading tobacco-free nicotine pouch brand in Scotland, with an 89.4% market share Nordic Spirit has been the fastest growing tobacco-free nicotine pouch brand in Scotland over the last 10 months Currently, 73.6% of tobacco-free nicotine pouch sales in Scotland come through the convenience channel The tobacco-free nicotine pouch category in the UK is growing and is now worth £380,410 a month, which equates to approximately £4.6m a year
DESTINATION RETAIL
category and give them a chance to ask retailers about the product. } Dynamic displays, POS and countertop display units will help drive visibility of the products for existing adult smokers and vapers.
NICOTINE POUCHES / NORDIC SPIRIT / JTI
27
BENEFITTING FROM THE APPEAL OF TEA THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO HAVE SEEN TEA IN HUGE DEMAND AND A SHIFT TO LOCAL SHOPPING LOOKS SET TO HELP DRIVE CONVENIENCE LONG INTO THE FUTURE.
I
t’s been a challenging and unpredictable time for retailers
WHAT BEST TO STOCK
and tea has been among many products in great demand.
Tea shoppers like brands and if they know you don’t stock what
Although the surge in demand as lockdown was imposed has
they want they will try elsewhere.
eased, the shift to shopping more locally has seen tea sales remain steady in convenience.
THE APPEAL OF TEA The rush on tea is an encouraging sign of its popularity and the beverage offers plenty of benefits which present opportunities
Think about what types of tea will suit your customers best. A green and fruit & herbal offering plus an essential decaf to complement everyday black is a good place to start. Try to site companion products close by, or secondary site tea with items that go well with tea occasions.
for sales.
SIZE, VALUE AND SHOPPER LOYALTY
} Sourced from natural ingredients and naturally low in
With more people opting to shop locally, the type of packs they
caffeine, tea fits well with the desire for a healthier lifestyle,
are looking for is changing too. Smaller pack sizes of 40s and
something very much front of mind
80s continue to do well for local stores, but larger packs sizes
} It can help contribute to our daily fluid intake } There’s something for everyone, with many different flavours and formats, both hot and cold } Tea shoppers are good for sales, often bringing larger basket sales with companion items like biscuits, milk, or breakfast products.
like 160s and even 240s are fast becoming essential stocks. The offer of a safe place to shop combined with assurance of value will be increasingly important to maintain customer loyalty. Price-marked packs and packs with extra free will grow in importance in the battle for customer retention].
REACHING CUSTOMERS
CURRENT TRENDS
Throughout the most challenging times Tetley has continued to
Kantar figures show that the numbers buying tea and the spend
support the brand with its Now We’re Talking television ads and
per buyer have both gone up and Tetley still has the largest
a series on online campaigns.
number of buyers and the greatest household penetration.
Tetley is changing the way that it interacts and engages
Everyday black teas still dominate sales, but shoppers are
as a brand; new ways of reaching out to different groups and
adding different teas into their selection which is particularly
engaging with them to create desire for tea and drive sales will
benefitting sales in ‘healthy’ sectors like decaf and fruit & herbal.
be incorporated into its plans going forward.
Another area of interest is Cold Infusions, which are dropped
With more social media followers than any other tea brand,
into cold water to perk it up with a fruity burst of flavour. Great for
digital marketing has a prominent role in Tetley’s marketing,
warmer day sales and on-the-go hydration.
supported with traditional advertising and sampling.
DESTINATION RETAIL
TEA / TETLEY
29
ÂŁ53m
*
brand on a van *Retail sales value 2017 made up of Bobby's brand & exclusive products
To place an order or open an account contact Shaun Spendlow: shaun.spendlow@bobbysfoods.co.uk 07483120450
Turn your lifeline shoppers into lifelong shoppers Costcutter Long Buckby
CALL
US!
01904 232
505
Independent retailers have been the lifeline for new shoppers through the Coronavirus uncrisis. iqueCostcutter will help you turn these custlifeline omer shoppers into lifelong shoppers.
insights
Unrivalled BDM support for your business
Come Unique shopper insight and to drive your sales
JOIN
US!
01904 232
505
meet the team f Sector leading marketing and business support to reach more & shoppers Let us
show Modern, contemporary store brand to attract and retain shoppers you our stores
n Highly competitive price and great rebate of up to 6%
Comprehensive COVID-19 safety and community support guidance
_
Amazing range, including Co-op Own Brand products
and meet the team and let us show you our stores. Y Come www.freshstart.costcutter.co.uk
THRIVE WITH COSTCUTTER COSTCUTTER’S UNIQUE ‘DRIVE FIVE TO THRIVE’ BUSINESS PROGRAMME HELPS RETAILERS STAY ON TOP OF THE LATEST TRENDS AND PROVIDE AN OFFER IN LINE WITH CURRENT SHOPPER DEMANDS, SAYS GROUP MARKETING DIRECTOR SEAN RUSSELL.
O
ur
purpose
is
to
help
Uber Eats launching last year. For
independent retailers thrive
areas not covered by Uber Eats we
and to support the vital role
have provided guidance to retailers to
they play in their local communities.
set up local delivery services, this shift
Our retailers have attracted many new
in online shopping to provide last-mile
shoppers recently as more shoppers
delivery solutions seen through the
discovered the benefits of shopping
pandemic is an area we will continue
locally during lockdown. We are now
to support.
accelerating plans to further support
Our latest financial results from
our retailers by helping them convert
2019 revealed a 10% growth in sales
shoppers who have used their stores as a lifeline, into lifelong
overall, driven by the growth our independent retailers have
loyal customers.
experienced by putting their shoppers at the heart of their
At the heart of our plans is our unique Shopper First: Drive
business.
Five to Thrive business growth programme. Available exclusively
Retailers who have participated in our Shopper First
to Costcutter Supermarkets Group retailers, it provides in-depth
programme have seen a minimum of 20% sales growth,
shopper insights and data to help tailor every aspect of the store
demonstrating our clear commitment to help independent
to reflect changing shopper needs – from range and missions,
retailers thrive.
to store development and design.
Access to the Co-op Own Brand is a major highlight within
The significant investment we have made into our field
our range. With over 2,000 products, this has been a proven
team over the past two years enables us to offer the best levels
driver of increased footfall, basket spend, and sales increase
of support across the sector. This has proved pivotal during
across our stores. Our recent shopper survey* told us loud
COVID-19 and continues to be key in helping retailers maximise
and clear that Co-op Own Brand, particularly fresh products,
the benefits of our Shopper First programme, especially as they
are a major draw withsales growing at a faster rate than any
look to adapt their stores and offer in response to COVID-19 and
other category. There is great trust in the brand and quality of
prepare to trade through the recession. Alongside this we are
the products, which is ensuring shoppers keep coming back to
continuing to invest and build upon the innovative marketing and
Costcutter stores. There also continues to be clear demand for
business solutions we have in place, helping our independent
vegetarian, vegan and free-from options which will continue to
retailers reach more shoppers.
be a major focus for our retailers.
With hygiene and safety paramount in the minds of shoppers
We also invest heavily in marketing support, from traditional
today, we will also continue to update and share with our
leaflets to social media and innovative mobile marketing
independent retailers, comprehensive and appropriate guidance
solutions, helping our retailers engage with their shoppers and
to help them keep their staff and shoppers safe. We’ll also look to
maximise their sales.
share and build upon the best practice guidance we developed across a range of services, such as last mile delivery, to further help independent retailers to support their local communities. Last-mile delivery was already a key area of focus us for us prior to the pandemic, with our sector-first partnership with
We reward our retailers’ loyalty with excellent rebates of up to 6%, and some of the best commercial terms in the sector. As a result, we have been attracting some of the best store owners in the sector to join and grow their business with Costcutter Supermarkets Group.
* The Costcutter Supermarkets Group (CSG) survey, designed to understand more about changes in shopper behaviour as a result of the pandemic, heard from more than 1,000 shoppers through the Group’s database and outreach on social media.
DESTINATION RETAIL
SYMBOL GROUPS / COSTCUTTER
35
Welcome to our new app!
Remember to Scan into the depot
You will receive app only offers
Try out some of our new features! Best Cash & Carry
2020
Wholesale (Scotland)
- Order for Delivery - Make a Shopping List - Scan and Go!
- Scan into the Depot
- Access Promotional Brochures & News
- POR Calculator - Symbol Group info - Drop Shipment contacts - View Planograms - Access Category Advice - Order Uniforms - Order POS
- View Depot Informaton
Brought to you by
WINNER The Shoppers’ Favourite Convenience Fascia
THE SHOPPERS’ FAVOURITE Convenience Fascia 2020 THE SHOPPERS’ FAVOURITE Convenience Fascia for Beers, Wines & Spirits 2020 THE SHOPPERS’ FAVOURITE Symbol Group 2020
MORE FOOTFALL MORE CASH PROFIT It’s absolutely free to join us!
• NEW 5% Spend & Save discount starting October • Free delivery at cash and carry prices • Free store layout plans & merchandising support • Free fascia and window imagery • Free POS and personalised leaflets “Premier has transformed my business with their latest thinking which has grown footfall, sales and profits” Justin Whittaker, MJs Premier, Royton
MEGA DEALS
FOOD TO GO
SOCIAL MEDIA
• Enhanced fresh range available • Food to Go solutions available
EURO SHOPPER
DISCOVER THE CHOICE
FA R M F R E S H
Become a part of the Number 1 Symbol Group
Call us today! 01933 371246
Terms and conditions apply.
DESTINATION PROFIT WITH PREMIER PREMIER IS THE UK’S BIGGEST SYMBOL GROUP AND HAS EXPERIENCED 18 YEARS OF GROWTH BY HELPING RETAILERS FOCUS ON PROVIDING THE PERFECT RANGLE FOR THEIR STORE, HELPING THEM BECOME TRUE DESTINATION STORES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
choice of products to suit their individual store. This includes: Discover The Choice, our award
}
winning range of own-brand chilled range that include ready meals, pizzas and cooked meats. Farm Fresh, our own-brand fruit and
}
veg range. }
Euro Shopper, Booker’s exclusive
}
Happy Shopper, the mid-tier option.
value own-brand.
This is complemented by working closely with branded suppliers to ensure the best choice for shoppers.
P
remier is the UK’s number one
Backed by Booker, the UK’s leading
symbol group with over 3,450
food & drink wholesaler, Premier retailers
stores nationwide.
The group
can take advantage of delivery at cash &
is committed to delivering more profits
carry prices, as well as having the ease
for retailers and a better shopping
and convenience of shopping at any
experience for consumers. Premier
Booker branch. ‘Spend & Save,’ where
was delighted to be voted Favourite
retailers can save up to 5% on their non-
Convenience
tobacco purchases, is also popular with
Fascia,
Favourite
Convenience Fascia for Beers, Wines & Spirits and Favourite
Premier members as this delivers real savings. Premier does
Symbol Group by shoppers at this year’s Convenience Awards
not have any membership or joining fees and installs the fascia
which were held at the end of last month.
and imagery for free. A wide range of additional services such as
Premier continues to advertise on TV. Premier is advertised
energy savings, free Epos and central billing are also available
every day, which will be seen over 100 million times annually.
that have been created to add value and keep operating costs
The TV advert features Premier’s famous Mega Deal promotions
low for Premier members.
along with retailers to emphasise the local aspect of Premier
The group continues to go from strength to strength and
Store. As well as this, retailers also benefit from a full promotional
its relentless focus in increasing choice, lowering prices and
programme covering all categories of fresh, frozen, grocery and
improving service has helped Premier members deliver fantastic
impulse to ensure great value for shoppers to drive footfall into
convenience stores.
stores. This leading promotional package, along with own-label and price-mark-packs, really drives the value message to help Premier retailers grow their business.
To find out about becoming a destination store with Premier, call 01933 371246
Premier works hard to ensure that retailers have the best
DESTINATION RETAIL
SYMBOL GROUPS / PREMIER
39
Join Londis today and watch your profits grow
“
We have been with Londis for over 19 years and their support and expertise has been invaluable to us. I would recommend them to anyone.
�
Call us on 0808 178 8644 or visit joinlondis.co.uk * Terms and Conditions apply.
- 00% Cost Free model - Earn up to 5% discount* - Award winning Own Brand & Fresh range - Dedicated Forecourt Development Team
Walter Bryson David Bryson & Sons, Prestwick Visit the Londis 360 virtual tour at : http://360.skyeyeplus.co.uk/files/LondisTriangle/
FOCUS ON FOOTFALL DRIVES SALES AND PROFITS BECOMING A DESTINATION STORE IS EASIER THAN EVER WITH LONDIS THANKS TO ITS MAJOR FOCUS ON EXISTING AND EMERGING FOOTFALL-DRIVING CATEGORIES, HELPING YOU DELIVER MORE SALES AND MORE CASH PROFIT.
THE BENEFITS OF THE LONDIS OFFER INCLUDE: } Free Membership } Competitive cost of goods } Fantastic promotional package with strong retailer margins } Free Promotion Leaflets and store point of sale support } Spend & Save discounts of up to 5%* } Award winning own brand ranges; Discover the Choice and Euro Shopper
L
} A best in class online
ondis is part of Booker Group, the UK’s
offer creating a destination store experience
web ordering system
leading food and drink wholesaler. With
for shoppers as well as helping retailers to
(Londis Webshop)
over 1,900 members, Londis works in
make more cash profit. It is the focus on areas
partnership with its independent retailers to
of growth that help Londis stand out from
Merchandising and
provide local communities with all they need in
the competition in today’s rapidly expanding
Store Development
a convenience store.
convenience market.
Teams
} Dedicated
Backed by Booker Group, Londis has
Londis operate a zero cost model and is a
delivered on a number of benefits and
flexible symbol partner that has a fully delivered
delivering all your
opportunities for our retailers such as great
service and support package to suit all. Londis
ambient, fresh and
value prices, exclusive products and improved
also supports retailers with award winning
frozen together
quality to help them drive footfall and make
ranges, an extensive fresh offer with over 2,000
more cash profit.
lines and a fantastic promotional package
Londis has a focus on supporting new
} Tri Temperature fleet
} Free Membership of the ACS
offering minimum PORs of 20% on core deals.
footfall driving categories as such as chilled,
With smart planning, local area knowledge,
food-to-go (especially the eat now mission),
range optimisation and the symbol groups
meal solutions and also the latest trends like
Merchandising, Range, Store Development
health and habit forming foods, free-from,
and Supply Chain teams we are committed to
premium spirits and American candy. Londis
helping our customers Make More and Save
has also recently launched a Dessert Bar
More to support them in growing their business.
Terms and conditions apply.
To join Londis or to find out more, call 0808 1788644 or visit www.joinlondis.co.uk
DESTINATION RETAIL
SYMBOL GROUPS / LONDIS
41
UNITED FOR BETTER PROFITS “Since moving to Budgens our turnover has doubled, and our margins have improved.” Goran Raven, Budgens Abridge
At Budgens our team support you all the way. With our Regional Development Managers, fresh food team and expert marketing advice your store will be up and running with growing profits in no time. Which is why in the HIM 2019 symbol track report Budgens had the highest “likely to recommend” score of all symbol groups*.
Join us now!
call 0808 178 8644 or visit joinbudgens.co.uk
*HIM symbol track 2019
The Shoppers’ Favourite Convenience Retailer For Healthier Choices 2019
The Shoppers’ Favourite Forecourt Retailer 2019
BUDGENS SET FOR TAKE OFF IN SCOTLAND BUDGENS IS THE UK’S OLDEST GROCERY SYMBOL RETAILER AND IS NOW BRINGING ITS HUGELY RESPECTED OFFER NORTH OF THE BORDER, OFFERING RETAILERS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME DESTINATION STORES.
B
udgens, the award winning symbol brand, is poised
In addition to this package, this year it has been more important
for take off in Scotland with new national distribution
than ever that we continue to help retailers meet the demands
capability. Budgens is the UK’s oldest grocery symbol
of changing shopping patterns.
retailer and is well respected for its focus on serving local
} Value: Shoppers are increasingly focussed on value. This
communities. Budgens’ strength has always been the breadth
has been supported with five outstanding “Big deals” along
of its fresh and chilled food, which is complemented by an
with a 52 week programme of frozen and chilled meal deals
extensive range of ambient grocery.
and a strong in store presentation of promotional offers and
It is a great source of pride to us that in the 2019 Symbol
value ranges. In the 2019 HIM symbol track report Budgens
Track report, HIM recorded that Budgens had the highest
promotional offer came top of all symbol groups for shopper
“likelihood to recommend” score of all symbol groups.
relevancy for both retailers and shoppers.
Budgens proposition is now available for both neighbourhood stores and forecourts between 1,000 and 5,000 sq ft.
} Range: Budgens has always offered a wide range of grocery products which has greatly benefited our retailers enabling them to respond quickly to changing shopping patterns.
OUR MODEL OFFERS:
} Chilled & Prepared foods: Budgens has added additional
} An industry leading rebate scheme; payment is four-weekly to improve cash flow.
meal solutions, including vegetarian and vegan options to its Discover the Choice range. We have developed our chilled
} No joining fees, weekly fees or charges.
ranges to meet the needs of retailers – longer shelf lives
} Low RSPs and WSPs and our ‘Smart Savings’ scheme
and smaller pack sizes optimise availability and minimise
provides access to utilities, financial and operational services
wastage. DTC products have won 6 Local Shop Q Awards
at group rates.
and the brand was recognised by The Grocer as one of the
} 75% purchase requirement provides the freedom to enhance your offer with locally sourced specialist products.
top ten fastest growing food & drink brands. } Food to Go: To meet shopper demand, we have expanded
} A promotional package with deep consumer price cuts and an average POR of over 20%.
our hot ranges and greatly improved our lunch time range. This now includes healthier “low cal” options and a choice
} Up to six day multi-temperature deliveries plus emergency top-up at your local Booker branch.
of two price points for meal deals. To meet shopper needs in the fast growing “treat” sector, we have introduced new
} Free marketing support including personalised shopper
bakery ranges, iced drinks and a desserts counter.
leaflets, promotional and seasonal point of sale, plus social media support with locally targeted advertising.
The Budgens team is now looking to work with progressive
} Own brands including Euro Shopper and Happy Shopper, with minimum PORs of 30%, our mid-tier Discover the
independent retailers in Scotland who are looking to improve their store appeal and profitability.
Choice range and our premium Discover the Taste range. } Freedom to choose your shop fitter and select from over 40 EPOS providers.
DESTINATION RETAIL
To discuss joining Budgens, call 0808 178 8644
SYMBOL GROUPS / BUDGENS
43
Join the
UK’s fastest growing
Symbol Group!
362 retailers already made the switch to best-one last year
No
surcharges
Earn up to 5%
‘My Rewards’ discount*
Extensive fresh delivered range
Store investment available*
There’s a reason we’re called best-one Act now and join today! Call us on
01738 646 666
Or visit our website - www.best-one.co.uk
JOIN THE UK’S FASTEST GROWING SYMBOL GROUP! THINKING OF ADDING VALUE TO YOUR BUSINESS, SERVE YOUR CONSUMERS’ NEEDS AND ATTRACT NEW ONES? THEN JOIN BEST-ONE!
W
ith everyday low pricing,
considers actual sales, the size of
monthly
consumer
the store and local demographics.
promotions to rival the
New members benefit from a six-
multiples, an award-winning own-label
week period of ‘hyper-care’ where
range of over 400 SKU’s and your
BDMs visit weekly to ensure the
own personal business development
transition to Best-one is as smooth
manager, it’s no wonder over 350
as possible. A Best-one retailer
retailers made the switch to best-one
will also have access to more than
in the last year. The symbol group has
300 direct-to-store suppliers on
over 2,200 stores nationwide and is the
Bestway
UK’s fastest growing Symbol Group,
terms.
giving retailers the scale and expertise
} Promotions:
Wholesale
negotiated
Members
receive
to compete with multiple retailers and
over 20 shopper deals every
discounters.
month, with case allocations to
Best-one prides itself on being
ensure
availability
throughout
the most supportive brand in the
the
convenience store sector and says it is
personalised
rapidly becoming the symbol of choice,
drive footfall and loyalty among
given the value, range and affordability it offers.
promotional store
period, leaflets
and to
shoppers. Best-one delivers promotions across licensed,
A reward programme means members are able to earn up to
impulse, chilled and grocery.
5% rebate on their purchases through My Rewards, which can
} Store development: With a variety of store formats available,
be re-invested in store development, ideal to help retailers build
Best-one says it works with members to deliver the best
true destination stories.
possible solution for each community. From simple food-togo solutions to full serve-over meal counters and premium
BEST-ONE BENEFITS
coffee stations, the company can help remodel, refit and
Retailers can access a range of benefits under the Best-one
revitalise a store. Its new store refit standards have been
fascia, including:
installed into more than 100 stores, in a total investment
} Personalised approach: Bestway recognises that ‘one size
worth £2.7m.
doesn’t fit all’, which is why the company has doubled the
} Market-leading range: Best-one’s award-winning own label
number of BDMs it employs to work with retailers in recent
range offers retailers more than 400 quality products for
times. Each Best-one member has their own dedicated BDM
a value price, covering all the major categories, it says.
who draws up a joint business plan with them, designed
This provides up to a 30% average POR, while delivering
to help drive sales and profit for each store. This plan
increased value to shoppers via price-marked packs.
For more information or to join, call 0208 453 8353 or visit www.best-one.co.uk
DESTINATION RETAIL
SYMBOL GROUPS / BESTWAY
45
Global partners with
Two Iconic Brands Back Together
Contact
0345 456 6300
Ready to go the distance?
gulfoil.co.uk/retail
For merchandising advice and FREE display aids please contact
0131 343 7602 remember. ..
FROZEN IS AS GOO AS FRESH! D