The Week In Retail Issue 35

RETAIL

THE WEEK IN

SLR REWARDS

UMAR’S A FUTURE STAR

UMAR MAJID: YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR

FESTIVE GUIDANCE TOUGHENED ALDI UPS LOCAL SOURCING ANTE SHOPPERS PLAN FESTIVE BLOWOUT

COVID-19

LONDON IN TIERS

CAPITAL ENTERS TIER 3

STORE PROFILE

LOWDHAM GETS A SPAR

NEW STORE AND FORECOURT IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

+ IT’S TIME FOR MORE IRN-BRU SNOWMAN! Commercial Partner:

Brought to you by:

Issue 35 Wednesday 16th December 2020

R o f Y ENERg F F U T S L A E E R H T ENERGY IS GROWING 6 X FASTER THAN SOFT DRINKS

FLAVOURS NOW ACCOUNT FOR 30% OF MAINSTREAM ENERGY PRODUCTS*

NEARLY 1 IN 2 SOFT DRINKS SOLD IS AN ENERGY DRINK*

FLAVOURED ENERGY IS GROWING FASTER THAN ORIGINAL ENERGY*

MERCHANDISE CHILLED, NEXT TO OTHER SLIM CAN ENERGY PRODUCTS! *1: IRI MARKETPLACE, VALUE SALES, MAT TO 19/04/2020, TOTAL SCOTLAND. *2: IRI MARKETPLACE, PPL & AVERAGE MARGINS, MAT TO 19/04/2020, SCOTLAND CONVENIENCE *3: IRI MARKETPLACE, VALUE ESALES, DRINK NOW, MAT TO 19/04/2020, SCOTLAND SYMBOLS & INDEPENDENTS. *4: IRI MARKETPLACE, VALUE SALES, MAINSTREAM DRINK NOW ENERGY EXCL. ORIGINAL, MAT TO 19/04/2020, TOTAL COVERAGE

THE WEEK IN RETAIL

EDITOR’S COMMENT SHARE YOUR NEWS AND VIEWS WITH ME AT ABEGLEY@55NORTH.COM

THE SLR REWARDS: A CELEBRATION OF THE ENTIRE SECTOR Friday night saw the first ever running of the SLR Rewards in virtual format. It wasn’t how we wanted to do it – we much prefer the good old fashioned knees-up that we’ve been having for the best part of 20 years. Remember that time when you used to be able to go to industry events, meet actual people, drink draught beer and generally just enjoy the banter about what’s been going in the industry?

Anyway, virtual it had to be and virtual it was.

As it turns out, it went pretty well and, judging by the viewing figures – we’re up to well over 700 views now – the format proved pretty popular with a lot of people. I suppose sitting at home in your PJs with a bottle of something in hand has its upsides.

Most of all it was great to just see so many industry colleagues joining in and, while it’s no match for the real thing, it was certainly a

pleasant way to begin drawing the curtain on a year that will be remembered long into the future as nothing less than a shocker.

But it also gave us the chance to celebrate not just the winners and shortlisted retailers, but every single member of this absolutely outstanding industry sector. A sector that has owned 2020 – and for all the right reasons. There isn’t a community across Scotland, or across the rest of the UK for that matter, that doesn’t owe a massive debt of gratitude to its local retailers.

When the going got tough, and it absolutely got tougher than it has ever been, the sector that came out fighting, pivoting, innovating, caring, sharing, working every hour and generally just being awesome was the local retailing sector.

To every local retailer reading this, we salute you. And may 2021 see you cement your position as the consumer’s new favourite place to shop.

ANTONYBEGLEY ANTONYBEGLEY ANTONYBEGLEY

ANTONY BEGLEY, EDITOR

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 3

Two Iconic Brands Back Together Ready to go the distance?

Contact your local Area Manager

Call 0345 456 6300 gulfoil.co.uk/retail

CONTENTS

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK

6

11 THIS WEEK’S NEWS IN BRIEF

12 SLR REWARDS

STORE PROFILE: SPAR LOWDHAM

Nisa retailers Dan Brown and Umar Majid were among the winners at Friday’s SLR Rewards 2020, the first time the event has been virtually.

McColl’s gets a boost from Morrisons Daily and the UK Government rejects calls for a shopworker protection law.

Car dealers team up with Blakemore Trade Partners to open a brand new Spar store and forecourt.

8 COVID-19 UPDATE

29 SUSTAINABILITY

27 OPINION: HOME DELIVERY

19 SLR PRODUCTS OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2020

RETAILERS, HAVE YOUR SAY BY VOTING FOR YOUR PICKS OF THE YEAR.

23 RESEARCH: FESTIVE SPENDING

A FIFTH OF SHOPPERS PLAN TO SPEND MORE ON FESTIVE FOOD THIS CHRISTMAS.

TWITTER.COM/SLRMAG

SEVERAL MAJOR COMPANIES ANNOUNCE NEW GREEN INITIATIVES.

DELIVERY COULD BE A GAME CHANGER

31 LOCAL SOURCING: ALDI SCOTLAND

KAM MEDIA’S DAVID REES THINKS HOME

FOR SUPPLIERS.

THE DISCOUNTER SHARPENS ITS FOCUS

39 OUT THE BOX: BISON GRASS GIN

ON LOCALLY SOURCED PRODUCTS.

35 PICKS OF THE WEEK

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/SLRMAG

IT’S A WORLD FIRST, APPARENTLY.

41 BEFORE YOU GO...

WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 5

NEWS DIGEST

THIS WEEK’S NEWS FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/

FALKIRK BANKING The Co-op in Denny, Falkirk, has launched a OneBanks kiosk in-store giving customers

CONVENIENCE

MORRISONS DAILY STORES BOOST McCOLL’S

and businesses access to any bank or building society, free

A STRONG PERFORMANCE FROM ITS MORRISONS DAILY FORMAT

of charge. The staffed kiosk

HELPED DRIVE A 12% RISE IN LIKE-FOR-LIKE SALES FOR McCOLL’S

is the town’s first face-to-face

IN 2020.

banking facility in more than two years.

PAYZONE BUS DEAL Payzone has secured a longterm contract with National Express Bus to provide transport ticketing services to customers in the West Midlands, who are now able to purchase tickets using the NX mTicket app at selected

The increase, reported as part of the convenience chain’s trading update for the year ended 29 November, is a significant improvement on 2019’s flat (0%) figure. It was further buoyed by BWS, fresh food and tobacco sales.

With the convenience sector surging during the pandemic, McColl’s saw a 2.3% rise in revenues to £1.25bn.

This was partly offset by 179 store closures during the year as the business shifted its focus to the larger, more profitable Morrisons Daily stores.

Earnings before tax is expected to be between £29m and £30m, a drop from £32.1m in 2019. McColl’s put this down to margin pressures brought on by changes in shopping behaviour during the pandemic which led to an altered product mix, resulting in a squeeze on POR.

Payzone stores as part of a wider roll out.

CO-OP REFILLS Central England Co-op is trialling a new concept that allows customers to fill their own containers with food. The retailer has teamed up with Suma Wholefoods to create its first-ever zero waste refill station in its £3m flagship concept store in Lichfield.

Customers will be able to use the new feature for a range of products including oats, porridge, rice and dried fruit.

ONE-O-ONE DONATES £14K One-O-One Convenience Stores has donated over £14,000 to Radio Clyde Cash For Kids, just two months after the charity teamed-up with the retail chain. Retail Area Business Manager Jim Harper (pictured) handed over a cheque for £14,225 to the charity outside One-O-One’s Castlemilk store.

Harper said there were many more cheques to come over the course of the year-long partnership.

He added: “We are delighted with the engagement of our teams who are going way above and beyond in their determination to help all kids this Christmas around our trading areas of Glasgow, South Lanarkshire and Edinburgh.”

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NEWS DIGEST

THIS WEEK’S NEWS FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/

LEGISLATION

UK GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO EXTEND PROTECTION – AGAIN

MÜLLER PLANS DIGITAL TAKEOVER

THE UK GOVERNMENT HAS ONCE AGAIN REJECTED

CALLS FOR A BILL TO OFFER GREATER PROTECTION TO

Müller is partnering with Asda to engage shoppers digitally instore and online in a year-long deal that includes digital in-store take-overs, online activations and Müller static POS creative.

SHOPWORKERS.

Minister of State for Crime and Policing Kit Malthouse has told the House of Commons that the government remains unconvinced that there is a case for introducing a specific offence of assaulting a shopworker.

Alex Norris MP’s Assaults on Retail Workers (Offences) Bill was scheduled for its second reading in the House of Commons in September but the government objected to it progressing and the bill is now delayed until 8 January 2021.

Shopworkers trade union has now collected more than 90,000 signatures for its parliamentary petition to demand new legislation to protect shopworkers, edging closer to the 100,000 signatures the union believes is necessary to ensure the issue is debated at the House of Commons.

Six former postmasters have been formally acquitted after they were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting.

The accusations followed the introduction of the Horizon IT system to post office branches, which was later shown to have wrongly flagged-up shortfalls in cash.

The Post Office chose not to oppose appeals from the defendants, who received convictions between 2003 and 2013.

The government is set to hold its own Horizon inquiry next year.

TECH SOLUTIONS

POSTMASTERS CLEARED IN HORIZON CASE

Stores will see multiple screens above the yogurt aisle showing the latest Müller Corner TV advert which will be regularly updated to also feature core brands like Müllerlight and Müller Rice.

Seen in 35 stores across England, Scotland and Wales, the takeover launched at the end of November.

In addition, Asda Wakefield has larger screens and changing imagery which currently highlight the variety of Müller Corner variants available.

On www.asda.com, the partnership allows full page marketing takeovers and targeted shopper advertising. Performance will be analysed and then tweaked throughout 2021 to maximise potential.

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NEWS SPECIAL

COVID-19 UPDATE FOR ALL THE LATEST CORONAVIRUS NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/

NE’ER DAY PRESSURE The Scottish Government is being urged by trade union

SCOTTISH VACCINATION PROGRAMME KICKS OFF

Usdaw to make progress on

THE FIRST COVID VACCINATIONS IN SCOTLAND WERE GIVEN THIS

a Ne’er Day shop closures

WEEK WITH A 90-YEAR-OLD FORMER CARER THE FIRST TO RECEIVE

consultation. The union

A DOSE.

welcomed calls from the Scottish Parliament’s Petitions Committee today to advance the consultation on large stores closing on New Year’s Day.

WEETABIX MEAL DEAL Weetabix has partnered with Food4Heroes to ensure that 1,000 people in need in Northamptonshire can tuck into a three-course meal on Christmas Day. The company

Scotland kicked-off its coronavirus vaccination programme this week, beginning in care homes. A 90-yearold former carer received the first dose of the new vaccine.

Annie Innes worked as a carer for over 14 years and has been living at the Abercorn House care home in Hamilton for six months.

Staff from NHS Lanarkshire administered vaccines to 52 residents as the roll-out of the vaccination programme continued.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “It

has been a challenge to get the Pfizer vaccine into care homes because of transport and storage requirements but I am delighted to see Mrs Innes become the first care home resident to receive her vaccine and I wish her many more years of good health.

“Vaccines give us a vital additional layer of protection we haven’t had until now. As more vaccines become available over the coming months we will be able to continue to extend the roll-out, but initially we are focussing on residents in care homes.”

has donated the money to help Food4Heroes deliver meals to those in need this Christmas.

FOOTFALL GROWS New figures from retail specialist Springboard have shown that retail footfall across all UK retail destinations climbed by 19.5% last week from the previous seven day period. The data shows there were respective uplifts of 26.3%, 21.1% and 9% in shopping centres, high streets and retail parks.

BUSINESSES FACE COVID SPOT CHECKS A technology-driven field services company called Engage Services is working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to carry out Covidsecure spot check visits to business premises across England, Wales and Scotland. Agents will carry out the checks to establish that businesses have taken the necessary steps to make their premises Covid-secure and implemented measures to reduce

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the transmission of coronavirus to protect workers, visitors and customers.

Engage Services spot check support officers will assist the HSE by speaking with the responsible person in each business to check the Covid-secure measures they have in place. Using HSE’s comprehensive guidelines they will also provide businesses with basic guidance and advice.

NEWS SPECIAL

COVID-19 UPDATE FOR ALL THE LATEST CORONAVIRUS NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/

LONDON ENTERS TIER 3

MASKED CHRISTMAS? The World Health Organisation has urged Europeans to wear masks during family gatherings

THE CAPITAL, ALONG WITH MOST OF ESSEX AND PARTS OF

at Christmas. It said Europe

HERTFORDSHIRE, MOVE INTO ENGLAND’S HIGH TIER AS INFECTIONS

was at “high risk” of a new

RISE.

wave of coronavirus infections in the early part of 2021,

London, most of Essex and parts of Hertfordshire moved into Tier 3 at just after midnight last night, putting around 34 million people into the highest tier in England.

A new variant of coronavirus has been identified that “may be associated” with the faster spread in southern England, according to Health Secretary Matt Hancock Pubs and restaurants in tier three must close except for takeaway and

delivery, and sports fans cannot attend events in stadiums. Indoor entertainment venues must remain shut.

Hancock told a Downing Street briefing that action had to be taken immediately, before the next scheduled review of England’s three-tier system today, to slow “sharp, exponential rises” in infection, adding that in some areas the virus was doubling around every seven days.

as transmission of the virus remained high.

MCCOLL’S GOES UBER McColl’s has announced a partnership with Uber Eats to offer home delivery from over 400 stores across the UK. A range of 500 daily essentials will be available on-demand via the Uber Eats app. McColl’s

TOUGHER GUIDANCE ISSUED FOR SCOTLAND The Scottish government is stiffening up its Christmas guidance with people being urged to not stay overnight in another house unless it is unavoidable.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the safest way to spend Christmas was “unequivocally” to stay within your own household and your own home.

Any interaction with other households should be outdoors but those who feel it is essential to visit another household indoors should limit the time they spend together.

The current limit on no more than eight people from three households meeting indoors in Scotland will remain in place with coronavirus rates lower in Scotland than other parts of the UK. Those forming a ‘bubble’ have also been advised to only meet people in it for one day, if possible, and Sturgeon also recommended against travel from areas with a high prevalence of coronavirus to parts of the country with a lower prevalence.

expects to have 135 stores on the app before Christmas, with 400 live by the end of March.

DEPOSITS CRASH England’s lockdown has caused a 22% drop in business deposits, says the Post Office.

Personal cash deposits remained relatively stable at Post Offices in November compared with October, but business cash deposits fell 22%, largely because of England’s lockdown, according to the latest Post Office Cash Tracker.

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INDUSTRY AWARDS

SLR REWARDS 2020 WINNERS ANNOUNCED

DAN AND UMAR LEAD THE WAY AT THE SLR REWARDS 2020 NISA RETAILERS DAN BROWN AND UMAR MAJID WERE AMONG THE WINNERS AT FRIDAY’S SLR

M

REWARDS 2020, THE FIRST TIME THE EVENT HAS BEEN HELD VIRTUALLY.

usselburgh Nisa retailer Dan Brown has been named Scottish Local Retailer of the Year at the SLR Rewards 2020, sponsored by St Pierre Group – just a year after claiming the Young Retailer of the Year crown.

It was a successful night for Dan, the youngest SGF President in history, as he collected two category awards as well as the ultimate prize, including Food-To-Go Retailer of the Year and Scottish Brands Retailer of the Year. For good measure, Dan and his team also collected a Highly Commended award in the Fresh, Chilled & Frozen Retailer of the Year category.

Bellshill Nisa retailer Umar Majid claimed the freshly vacated Young Retailer of the Year crown for his efforts in revitalising the store his father Abdul has owned for decades with the introduction of a new Baba’s Kitchen food-to-go concept that has seen sales and profits flourish.

Ibrox Premier retailer Shamly Sud and her family also enjoyed a highly successful evening, picking up the Forecourt Retailer of the Year, Best Refit of the Year and ThinkSmart Innovation awards for their show-stopping Racetrack Autoport Services store.

Booker CEO Charles Wilson was honoured on the night with a Special Recognition Award after announcing his imminent retirement in September. Charles’ legacy in this industry is unrivalled with the judges hailing him as “one of the most successful businessmen in the UK in any industry” and recognising how he had achieved all of this with “humility and compassion”.

In an industry replete with Covid Heroes, SLR highlighted two individuals and rewarded them with Covid Hero Awards for their exceptional contributions to their local communities during the pandemic. Linda Williams of Premier Broadway Convenience Store in Edinburgh was recognised for her innovative and hugely beneficial Covid Hardship Fun concept that saw around £10,000 handed out to members of her local community who were in urgent need of a little help. Sean Boyd, a Snappy Shopper delivery driver at Family Choice Hamilton, was also recognised for the work he did during coronavirus, effectively turning his delivery job into an outreach service, helping hundreds of vulnerable local people when they really needed the support.

To see the full list of winners, click here.

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 11

STORE PROFILE

SPAR LOWDHAM DUNCAN & LISA BETTS

12 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 35 / WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020

STORE PROFILE

SPAR LOWDHAM DUNCAN & LISA BETTS

LOWDHAM GETS A SHINY NEW SPAR STORE CAR DEALERSHIP OWNERS DUNCAN AND LISA BETTS HAVE TEAMED UP WITH BLAKEMORE

D

TRADE PARTNERS TO OPEN A BRAND NEW SPAR STORE AND FORECOURT IN THE NOTTINGHAMSHIRE VILLAGE OF LOWDHAM.

uncan and Lisa Betts have operated a car dealership in the village of Lowdham, between Nottingham and Southwell, for nearly 20 years and have now ventured into convenience retailing for the first time with the opening of a new Spar store last month.

The couple decided to invest in a massive project to convert their old workshop into their dealership showroom and their old showroom into a 2,000sq ft Spar store with a Gulf-branded forecourt.

The project took only five weeks to complete, and Duncan and Lisa have invested a total of £300,000 into the site, which includes coinvestment of £60,000 from Blakemore Trade Partners.

“We have worked in this area for 20 years and we knew there was a great opportunity for convenience,” says Duncan. “We always had a kiosk and a forecourt on the site, but we were really keen to create something special. Spar is a well-known trusted brand and has a fantastic range of bespoke and everyday products. We are thrilled to see all our plans delivered and through a pandemic. It has been a total leap of faith, but we are very confident of the future.

“Lowdham is an affluent village and there is a big demand for quality fresh produce. Our store

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 13

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.

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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

STORE PROFILE

SPAR LOWDHAM DUNCAN & LISA BETTS

and forecourt are in a great position to supply both core range and high-end products to serve the need of all our customers.”

The store features a new County Bridge fresh meat range and an extensive selection of chilled meals together with a bespoke licensed section.

A Daily Deli, Costa Coffee and F’real Milkshakes have been added. The home delivery app Snappy Shopper is also available to local customers.

The refit was undertaken by Blakemore Design & Shopfitting and included a massive electrical upgrade. The site includes a large parking area

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 15

FIZZ UP YOUR SALES YOUR SALES

GREAT TASTE, QUALITY AND VALUE FANTASTIC RANGE OF BEST-SELLING FLAVOURS

STORE PROFILE

SPAR LOWDHAM DUNCAN & LISA BETTS

with 20 parking spaces and a community space for hire, something which is currently missing from the local area. “When things get back to normal, we hope the store will become a local hub with plentiful car parking, in order for our customers to linger and use the facilities without car parking pressure,” says Betts.

The fuel side of the business has also undergone a makeover with four new pumps added together with Gulf branding. The site also boasts air and water facilities. Electric charging is being considered for the future.

“Since opening on 3 November, there has been a great reaction from shoppers,” said Oliver Walters, Business Development Manager at

Blakemore Trade Partners. BTP’s Store Cluster strategy which is aimed at helping retailers differentiate their stores for different locations and markets is built on customer insight and is ensuring that the investment made by Duncan and Lisa is really delivering on what customers want and need. Together with the new Spar store and Gulf forecourt, social media advertising and the contacts Duncan and Lisa have acquired over the years from their dealership, we have no doubt this is going to be a huge success for them. The first two weeks of trading have been great. Lisa and Duncan are very brave to embark on this new project – especially during a pandemic, and we look forward to supporting them every step of the way.”

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Up to

Circa

Additional Weekly Revenue

New Weekly Transactions

£10k

400

£26

+400

Sell

Full

Average Spend

at on-shelf prices

New Customers

Tech Training & Support

INNOVATION

SLR PRODUCT OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2020 NPD

TIME RUNNING OUT TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE NPD OF 2020 AS VOTED FOR BY RETAILERS HAVE YOUR SAY IN CHOOSING THE SLR PRODUCTS OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2020

BY VOTING FOR YOUR PICKS OF THE YEAR.

T

he Week In Retail and SLR are recognising the invaluable role that brands play in generating excitement in-store and on social media with a constant stream of NPD in the new SLR Products of the Year Awards 2020.

The Awards provide retailers with the chance to recognise the many new products launched this year that helped them drive excitement, footfall, sales and profits.

Every new product that wins will be chosen by the people that matter most: local retailers themselves. So have your say by voting now. It will only take a couple of minutes at the most and will mean a great deal to the manufacturers and brands on the shortlist.

VOT HER E E!

Once the votes have been cast, the winners will be announced in a special supplement as part of the January 2021 issue of SLR and will also be featured in a special edition of The Week In Retail in January.

All winning and shortlisted products can carry the SLR Products of the Year Awards 2020 winner or shortlisted logo on-pack and in their marketing materials – thereby helping drive further sales in the future in local retailing outlets across the country.

So please do get involved and have your say by voting now!

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 19

Thousands of convenience retailers now stock IQOS and HEETS in the UK. A few of our leading sellers explain what it means to them…

IM RA N K H A N O F C L I F TO N O FF- LIC ENC E, BRISTO L

“Selling IQOS and HEETS has been great for our business as more people look to switch to heated tobacco. I’d recommend other retailers stock IQOS, especially as it’s the closest alternative.”

MA RIA S H A R M A O F L EX IES , BRISTO L

“When we first heard about heated tobacco, we went online to do research and the first site that popped up was IQOS, so we were keen to give it a try. Once customers understood its benefits, more switched to IQOS from cigarettes.

Because we’re an IQOS reseller, people who are actively seeking out where they can get their hands on the device can see our store listed.

This means that we are gaining new customers all the time too.”

S H A HID H U SSA I N O F UNITE D S UP E RM ARK E T, BRISTOL

“Stocking IQOS has definitely brought new customers into the store, particularly people looking to move away from smoking real cigarettes. I sell IQOS the same way I sell tobacco – it comes in packs of 20 and my regulars come in a couple of times a week to grab a pack.”

IQOS IS THE NUMBER ONE HEATED TOBACCO PRODUCT IN THE UK. 1 RETAIL VALUE SHARE OF IQOS HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY YEAR-ON-YEAR. 2 OVER 16 MILLION USERS IN MORE THAN 60 COUNTRIES. 3

S I D S ID H U O F ST J O H NS BUD GE NS , WARWIC KS H IRE

“We’ve had an extremely strong couple of months of sales on IQOS and HEETS. We stock seven varieties of HEETS at the RRP of £5 and this is a bonus for us.

Shoppers perceive this as good value for money and tend to buy as they would traditional tobacco, one pack at a time. This means we have more footfall into store and generally more basket spend – approximately 60% will go on to buy something else.”

NOT A VAPE. NOT A CIGARETTE.

Important information: IQOS is not risk-free. It delivers nicotine, which is addictive. Not for sale to persons under the age of 18. 1. Nielsen data as of September 2020, which encapsulates “smoke-free” product categories - heated tobacco (hardware and consumables) and IQOS (Device and HEETS) specifically - in multiple grocers and General Trade in retail. IQOS and HEETS surpassed the products of PML’s nearest competitor in June, 2020. 2. PMI Third-Quarter Earnings.

Market share of HEETS calculated as a percentage of total cigarettes and HEETS sales in the UK (as of September 30, 2020). 3. PMI Third Quarter Results, as of October 20, 2020

Important information: IQOS is not risk-free. It delivers nicotine, which is addictive.

Not for sale to persons under the age of 18.

Home for

Christmas #holidaysarecoming Thank you to all our customers and wishing everyone a safe, happy holiday season.

To find out more email connect@ccep.com or call 0808 1 000 000 Š 2020 The Coca-Cola Company. All rights reserved. COCA-COLA, COCA-COLA ZERO and DIET COKE are registered trade marks of The Coca-Cola Company.

RESEARCH

FESTIVE SPENDING FESTIVE SPENDING

BRITS PLAN TO DIG DEEP AFTER STRESSFUL YEAR

F

NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS AROUND A FIFTH OF SHOPPERS PLAN TO SPEND MORE ON FESTIVE FOOD THIS CHRISTMAS AFTER A YEAR TO FORGET.

or many, this Christmas won’t be the typical get together with the wider family, or travelling to reunite with loved ones – but after nine months of intermittent lockdown, a quarter of UK households (24%) are committed to making sure that this year will be the perfect Christmas with over half (53%) seeing food and drink as the core of that perfect Christmas.

New research by European bakery specialists St Pierre, the European bakery expert, revealed that 27% of UK homes believe that this year’s festive menu is more important this year than ever before and one in five households (19%) are planning to spend more on food this festive season. Of those planning to spend more, 47% are doing so because of “the challenges of 2020” and 51% are spending more on food because they need “something to look forward to”.

More than one in 10 shoppers will spend up to £100 per head more on food this year, despite 34% of respondents revealing that they were worried about Christmas because of financial constraints this year.

On a positive note for local retailers, lockdown has reignited a passion for food for many (29%) – with a quarter (24%) admitting that food is more fun now and 38% feeling more confident in the kitchen as a result. That might go some way to explaining why 43% of the UK’s home cooks are genuinely “looking forward” to cooking over Christmas.

So, what should UK retailers be stocking up on?

1. BRITISH FAVOURITES Turkey remains top of the menu, with 64% keeping it on the shopping list. Pigs in blankets are also popular with 60% of

households planning to indulge this year. Stuffing (60%), gravy (65%) and Yorkshire pudding (51%) complete the wish list for Christmas dinners.

2. CHRISTMAS MARKET INSPIRATION With more than half the country (51%) usually attending Christmas markets, around 11% will be taking inspiration from traditional market menus, 9% will be replicating the Christmas market experience and 8% will be serving Christmas hot dogs. Mulled wine is also a key winter tradition, for a quarter of Brits (24%)

3. BOXING DAY OCCASION Boxing Day has become a food event in and of itself, with almost one in five (18%) opting for a curry, using the Christmas leftovers. What’s more, a whopping 53% look forward to the leftover sandwich each year

4. EUROPEAN BAKERY Tasty European treats have also become firm favourites on the UK Christmas menu. One in seven of us (15%) will enjoy Panettone this year, a further 18% will get stuck into some Stollen, while 19% will devour croissants and 23% will plump for sweet pastries.

5. CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST Christmas morning looks different on breakfast tables across Britain, but the research reveals a few firm favourites, including the classic breakfast sandwich (21%), the full cooked breakfast (18%) and ever-reliable cereal (26%).

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 23

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HOME DELIVERY

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verything we might have thought we knew about retail at this time last year probably deserves a rethink as we head towards Christmas 2020. There are many shoppers who are no longer using the big grocery retailers at all.

The level of disappointment with the supermarkets translated into shoppers calling on their local convenience store even more than usual.

But to meet safety concerns and fulfil broader shopping requirements, local independents have had to take on the challenge of home delivery to a greater extent than ever before. I would argue that this is a game-changer not just for retailers but for all those who supply them too.

Home deliveries from convenience stores are not new. Some stores already had quite structured processes in place before lockdown, but what is new is the level of demand.

Delivery customers typically spend more and shop more categories than other shoppers; this is the really significant change.

For these reasons, we can be sure that changed shopping patterns have

created new business for many local stores. They are driving growth in products and product categories not normally considered key for convenience – across all three meal occasions, scratch cooking, big nights in and family dining.

Lockdowns have been devastating for the hospitality trade but have boosted the take-home market for alcohol and on top of this, we have surging grocery food sales with more meals being eaten in the home.

The question for suppliers is, are you trying to service the convenience channel with the right product range and maximum levels of availability bearing in mind all the changes that have taken place? Can you do any more to save time for retail staff? Are you maintaining good availability through wholesalers, so that store owners are spared the time of having to source alternatives elsewhere? Are pack sizes consistent and consistently priced?

Are products easy for staff to pick and pack? Do you have good availability of product through the convenience supply chain for consumers who want to trade up at Christmas, but are either

unable or unwilling to use the major supermarkets?

Do you also have an offer (or offers) that would ensure that consumers can get value at their local shop, both now and in the future?

Are there any other forms of support you can provide? Where retailers are needing to purchase delivery vehicles and/or new hardware is there an opportunity to assist them through brand sponsorship perhaps?

Delivery from c-stores is here to stay and store owners have had to adapt to survive. Are suppliers adapting too?

Convenience stores are no longer the last resort but the first place people turn to, and it would be a big mistake for suppliers not to see the opportunity in this.

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 27

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SUSTAINABILITY

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SUSTAINABILITY RISES UP THE AGENDA SUSTAINABILITY CONTINUES TO BE AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT FOR SUPPLIERS WITH SEVERAL MAJOR COMPANIES ANNOUNCING NEW INITIATIVES RECENTLY.

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Ferrero has announced that it has become a member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and will be taking part in the New Plastics Economy (NPEC) initiative as well as joining the 4evergreen alliance as part of its commitment to have 100% of its packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

Ferrero joins a group of leading businesses from across the entire plastics value chain in NPEC, all committed to a common vision of a circular economy for plastic, in which it never becomes waste or pollution.

The 4evergreen alliance aims to boost the contribution of fibre-based packaging in a circular and sustainable economy that minimises climate and environmental impact.

Aldi is rolling out cardboard packaging across its entire beef steak range in all 95 Scottish stores, saving approximately 80 tonnes of plastic a year in Scotland. The cardboard packaging is recyclable, once the protective film has been removed, and is sourced from sustainably-managed forests.

Last month, Aldi rolled out flow-wrap packaging across its entire Glen Lochy block cheddar range, reducing plastic waste by 50% to save an estimated 13 tonnes of plastic a year in Scotland. This follows the supermarket’s pledge to remove two billion single items of plastic by 2025, halving the volume used in that time.

BOOTS Boots & No.7 have launched a new recycling initiative encouraging customers to bring back hard-to-recycle health, beauty and wellness empties.

Since its launch in September, the scheme has already seen 104,235 products deposited, representing over 1,150 kg of plastic. The initiative has seen over 30,000 customers signing up to take part in the scheme that allows customers to recycle their empty containers, even those from brands not stocked at Boots. Customers receive £5 worth of Boots Advantage Card Points when five products are deposited.

The scheme is currently available in 50 stores across the UK.

BIRD’S EYE Birds Eye is taking a step closer to achieving its sustainability targets by moving to recyclable packaging on its Natural Vegetable products. As part of a phased approach across December 2020 and the start of 2021, the update will remove 379 tonnes of plastic and will be a step towards ensuring all of the brand’s vegetable lines have recyclable packaging.

The update will see new recyclable materials and components replace existing packaging, across all Natural Veg products whilst also reducing excess packaging by reducing the size of the bags but keeping the same amount of vegetables. The recyclable packaging will launch into stores from mid-December.

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 29

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LOCAL SOURCING

DISCOUNTER STEPS UP SCOTTISH FOCUS ALDI

ALDI STEPS UP LOCAL SOURCING FOCUS IN SCOTLAND ALDI IS INCREASING ITS FOCUS ON LOCAL SOURCED PRODUCTS IN SCOTLAND WITH A WAVE OF NEW

T

ACTIVITY TO LURE CUSTOMERS AND SUPPORT SCOTTISH PRODUCERS.

he discounters have long had a firm focus on locally, regionally and nationally sourced products – particularly in Scotland where provenance is of great interest to shoppers – but Aldi is raising its game with a wave of new initiatives designed to highlight to shoppers the extensive range of Scottish products available in its 95 stores in Scotland.

A new campaign sees the retailer focus on its Christmas range for 2020 which includes a star-studded line up of award-winning Scottish produce, from Specially Selected Aberdeen Angus Steak to Chilli & Ginger Infused Scottish Salmon.

2020 has been a good year for Aldi’s Scottish food and drink range, achieving 24 accolades from a variety of renowned Scottish and UK food and drinks awards, which celebrate the quality of local supermarket produce.

Aldi is letting its customer know that the festive period is the perfect time to enjoy some of Aldi’s best Scottish food and drink products.

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director at Aldi Scotland said: “This year we thank all of our local suppliers who have worked tirelessly throughout an extremely challenging year to produce and deliver the best food and drink products Scotland has to offer. I hope our customers across Scotland have a great Christmas and thoroughly enjoy Aldi’s array of festive drinks, meals and treats.”

The company also announced that it is rolling out cardboard packaging across its entire beef steak range in all

95 Scottish stores. The new packaging is being introduced on all 12 of the supermarket’s beef steak products from this month and will save approximately 80 tonnes of plastic a

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 31

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LOCAL SOURCING

DISCOUNTER STEPS UP SCOTTISH FOCUS ALDI

year in Scotland. Aldi is the biggest retailer of Scottish origin beef [Kantar Worldpanel, 6 Sep 2020].

The move follows a successful trial in stores across parts of Wales, as well as the North West and South East of England. The cardboard packaging is recyclable, once the protective film has been removed, and is sourced from sustainably-managed forests.

Aldi is the biggest retailer of Scottish origin beef and regularly tops NFU Scotland’s ‘shelf watch’ surveys, which means customers are guaranteed to find the highest quality, locally sourced meat all year round at Aldi stores in Scotland.

Last month, Aldi rolled out flow wrap packaging across its entire Glen Lochy block cheddar range, reducing plastic waste by 50% to save an estimated 13 tonnes of plastic a year in Scotland.

Finally, the company has teamed up with three top Scottish chefs to inspire people to try its range of Scotch

Galloway Beef joints this Christmas by showing customers how to re-create restaurant quality festive feasts using each of the joints from the comfort of their own home.

Each joint is being showcased in three video recipe guides created by renowned chefs Chris Walker, owner of the Selkirk Arms Hotel in Kirkcudbright; 2019 Masterchef finalist Jilly McCord; and Craig Wilson, owner of Eat on the Green in Aberdeenshire.

The videos will premiere on Aldi Scotland’s Facebook page this weekend.

Based in Dumfries & Galloway – the home of the Galloway breed – chef Chris Walker (pictured) has developed a recipe using the Scotch Galloway Beef Sirloin Joint, which he serves with a hazelnut, mushroom and mustard crust and a mushroom and Port wine jus.

Nicolson concluded: “Scotch Galloway Beef is of the highest quality, and we wanted to show customers exactly how some of Scotland’s top chefs would cook it this Christmas.”

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 33

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FOR THE INFORMATION OF TOBACCO TRADERS ONLY

NPD AND MEDIA

PICKS OF THE WEEK TO GET YOUR PRODUCT LISTED PLEASE CONTACT RAITKEN@55NORTH.COM

GUINNESS BACK ON TV AFTER 10 YEARS’ ABSENCE Guinness has launched its first TV ad in GB for Guinness Draught in cans in over a decade. It debuted on Monday and helps build momentum ahead of the festive season and will be supported by a wider campaign, which also leverages video-ondemand, out-of-home, social & radio touch points.

MCCOY’S UNVEILS FIRE PIT RANGE KP Snacks is launching a new McCoy’s Fire Pit

GALAXY GETS A NEW LOOK AND LINE-UP

range featuring three products inspired by open

Mars Wrigley UK has heralded a new era for

fire cooking. The range includes Flame Roasted

Galaxy with a bold new look and the launch of

Peri Peri, Flame Smoked Chorizo, and Flame

Galaxy Orange Block and Galaxy Fusions. The

Scorched BBQ Ribs in multipack and grab bag

new design packs officially roll out from the end

formats with a £1 PMP option also available.

of this month across the entire portfolio. Galaxy

The range will be supported with a £2m

Orange Block will be available in large block,

investment in a multimedia campaign in 2021.

PMP and single from March 2021 while Galaxy

RSPs: £1.70 / 89p / £ 1PMP

Fusions will be available in late 2021.

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 35

STOCK UP NOW

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IRN-BRU ENERGY

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launched in new, larger

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Strawberry Cheesecake and

500ml cans in January in

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Jacob’s has unveiled what it’s

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spring 2021 campaign with

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WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 37

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NOW THAT’S A GOOD IDEA…

OUT THE BOX BISON GRASS GIN

THE LATEST TWIST IN GIN JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT WE’D RUN OUT FLAVOURS FOR GIN, A CHESHIRE DISTILLER HAS CREATED THE WORLD’S FIRST BISON GRASS GIN.

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? Bison Grass Gin.

BISON GRASS, AS IN ŻUBRÓWKA VODKA BISON GRASS? Precisely. Just when you thought that distillers across the globe had run out of flavours for new gins, Three Wrens in Cholmondeley, Cheshire has launched a gin flavoured with a rare grass usually used to flavour vodka in Poland.

berries, home-grown apple mint, lemon mint, fresh lime, grains of paradise and five other carefully selected botanicals, apparently. Then it is macerated in the finished gin slowly in order to impart more of the flavour, before the finished spirit is filtered and bottled at a respectable 41.5% ABV. Too much information?

A LITTLE. WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

A common misconception. Myth has it that the aromatic herb grows exclusively in Poland’s ancient Bialowieza Forest.

Turns out it grows in Cheshire as well.

It has aromas of “fresh hay and lemongrass” with “a rich hit of juniper on the palate and a long, smooth and herbaceous finish”. Each bottle comes with a strand of bison grass in it for authenticity, very much like Żubrówka in fact.

IN THE WILD?

WHAT’S NICK SAYING?

No, in Three Wrens master distiller Nick Wadeson’s garden. He’s been growing it secretly since spring. Fully organic, the rare sweetgrass – proper name ‘Hierochloe odorata’ – has been propagated and replanted along the way to ensure 100% sustainability.

“We’re delighted that Three Wrens Bison Grass Gin received a Gold medal in the recent Gin Masters 2020 competition. It offers a truly unique flavour experience, particularly as the key botanical has been so carefully grown and nurtured at our own distillery.”

HOW DOES HE ADD IT TO HIS GIN?

HOW MUCH IS IT AND WHERE DO I GET IT?

The bison grass is vapour infused and distilled with rich Tuscan juniper

£38.50 for a 70cl bottle, available from Three Wrens.

ISN’T BISON GRASS ONLY GROWN IN POLAND?

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 39

BEFORE YOU GO...

RETAIL RANDOMS BLACK FRIDAY / RESPONSIBLE DRINKING

BLACK FRIDAY: SLIPPERS, CONSOLES AND VIRGINS The jury is definitely out on this whole Black Friday palaver. There’s plenty data to suggest that it’s a bit of a con in the first place: much of what gets touted as “outrageous Black Friday deals” is actually more expensive, or the same price as, deals already available from retailers prior to the annual festival of reckless consumption.

But we were intrigued by a release from an e-commerce data platform called Optiseller which ran data on exactly what shoppers bought on Black Friday, or the Black Friday fortnight as it’s rapidly becoming. Over 35,000 online retailers in over 40 countries use Optiseller, so they see a fair bit of data.

Apparently the gist of Black Friday

can be summed up as follows: slippers, consoles and online virgins.

This was a bumper year for Black Friday with US online sales of $9bn (a 22% increase on 2019) and it appears that all we wanted for Christmas is a comfy pair of slippers and an Xbox or PS5. Clothes in general and fancy clothes like party frocks and designer heels took a tanking. No parties to go to, no point in getting dressed up for working from home.

Having said that, loungewear and leisurewear, including tracksuits, were through the roof. Oh to be a fly on wall in the UK’s households this Christmas.

The other big trend was a huge spike in shoppers who were shopping online for the first time – which, by implication, suggests that local retailers might do well to get their online game in order to help capitalise on all these new folk getting comfy with online ordering.

DRINK RESPONSIBLY THIS CHRISTMAS, FOLKS

Diageo is taking its responsible drinking comms seriously this Christmas as it adds new on-pack guidance for consumers to its bottles of Smirnoff, Gordon’s Gin, Baileys and Captain Morgan. This makes Diageo the first alcohol company in the UK to introduce a voluntary health warning, which will direct consumers to DRINKiQ.com, a global resource which

aims to give consumers the knowledge and tools to make informed choices around alcohol.

And like it says, drinking responsibly is all about finding the right balance, something that can be quite tricky at the end of a long night of lockdown in front of the telly watching I’m A Celebrity.

WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 35 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 41

R o f Y ENERg F F U T S L A E E R H T th the i w k n i r d y g r e n e e n i u e r f b f a n r i f o high c e t s a t e l b a b i r indesc

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