The Week In Retail Issue 23

RETAIL

THE WEEK IN

COVID SECOND WAVE

LEARN FROM THE PAST

JAMES LOWMAN TALKS SECOND WAVE

PRODUCT NEWS

SWINGING BACK TO THE UK

GROLSCH BACK WITH A BANG SHOPWORKER PROTECTION

NOT PART OF THE JOB GOVERNMENT TO BACK PROTECTION BILL

ASDA TRIALS CONVENIENCE NEW LOCKDOWN RULES RECYCLE WEEK

+ VAPING UP 12.6% AFTER MENTHOL BAN Commercial Partner:

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Issue 23 Wednesday 23rd September 2020

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THE WEEK IN RETAIL

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RETAILER PROTECTION: A TALE OF TWO GOVERNMENTS The last six months have seen everyone and their granny falling over themselves to praise the local retailing sector. Retail staff were even anointed with the hallowed ‘key worker’ status, so vital were they to the functioning of society during the pandemic.

Yet when it quite rightly gets pointed out that abuse of shopworkers has rocketed during lockdown and it might be an idea to offer these vital key workers a little much needed support and protection, the response from the UK Government was basically a sympathetic shrug of the shoulders.

Only days after that official response, however, Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government announced that they plan to back Edinburgh South MSP Daniel Johnson’s Shopworker Protection Bill. This may have been pure coincidence, but given the ongoing face-off between Nicola and Boris, it does smack a little of political point-scoring.

The move is a very welcome development for local retailers in Scotland. The Scottish Government has a long history of ‘progressive’ legislation that seems to get rushed through with

little thought for the consequences at the coal face of convenience stores across the country. In its desire to be ‘first’ with legislation like the tobacco display ban and DRS, for instance, the Scottish Government has often found itself at odds with the local retailing sector who invariably have to pick up the pieces, communicate the new legislation to often baffled customers and then ask their staff to police it in-store, all with close to zero support from the Government.

In fact, it doesn’t require much of a leap of the imagination to see how this strategy has actually contributed to the problem of shopworker abuse.

So it’s pleasing to finally have the prospect of a bit of ‘progressive’ legislation that actually works in our sector’s favour. How many other sectors do you know where by simply doing your job you can be reasonably confident that at some point you’ll be abused verbally or physically?

There’s still a long way to go on Johnson’s Bill but with the backing of the Scottish Government, there’s a strong possibility it will make it into law and store staff across Scotland will finally be able to feel that they are no longer the forgotten heroes.

ANTONYBEGLEY ANTONYBEGLEY ANTONYBEGLEY

ANTONY BEGLEY, EDITOR

WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 23 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 3

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CONTENTS

WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 23 WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK

6

10 THIS WEEK’S NEWS IN BRIEF

OPINION: JAMES LOWMAN

RETAIL CRIME IN A DIS-UNITED KINGDOM

Asda targets the convenience market and Usdaw wants an online sales tax to fund a cut in business rates.

The ACS boss offers some timely advice on how retailers can cope with a second wave of coronavirus.

The UK’s various administrations have very different views on how to clamp down on in-store violence.

8 COVID-19 UPDATE

A ROUND-UP OF THE LATEST CORONAVIRUS-RELATED NEWS.

16 PRODUCT NEWS: GROLSCH

12

18 CATEGORY UPDATE: VAPING

23 PICKS OF THE WEEK

NEW DATA SHOWS THE VAPING CATEGORY

24 SUSTAINABILITY: RECYCLE WEEK

IN DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH FOR THE 12

WEEKS AFTER THE MENTHOL BAN.

WHAT ARE SOFT DRINKS PRODUCERS DOING TO SAVE THE PLANET?

ASAHI UK IS BRINGING THE LAGER WITH

20 OUT THE BOX: MOTION DISPLAY

25 BEFORE YOU GO...

THE FAMOUS SWING-TOP LID BACK TO

COST-EFFECTIVE DIGITAL SHELF-EDGE

RETAILER’S SHELVES.

TWITTER.COM/SLRMAG

STRIPS THAT CAN GROW SALES BY 66%.

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/SLRMAG

MORE EYE-CATCHING DIGITAL SIGNAGE, THIS TIME FOR A FIRM CALLED EGGSLUT.

WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK

WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 23 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 5

NEWS DIGEST

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

CO-OP DELIVERS The Co-op has reported a four-fold increase in online food orders in the half year to 4 July, fuelled by the coronavirus pandemic. The retailer is

SUPERMARKETS

ASDA TARGETS CONVENIENCE MARKET WITH NEW FORMAT

aiming to provide online home

ASDA IS ENTERING THE CONVENIENCE MARKET THROUGH A TRIAL

delivery and click & collect

WITH FORECOURT OPERATOR EG GROUP AND IS TRIALLING B&Q

from over 650 of its stores by

CONCESSIONS IN-STORE.

the end of this year.

SHRINKRWAP SHRUNK Waitrose is accelerating its plans to stop using singleuse plastic by ending the use of shrinkwrap on all of its own label multipack tinned grocery products. The majority of multibuy cans will now be available loose, with the exception of tuna and

Asda is targeting the UK convenience market with the launch of a new format in partnership with forecourt specialist EG Group.

The trial of ‘Asda On The Move’ will initially roll out at three forecourts in Ashby, Leamore and Primley in the Midlands.

The supermarket is also collaborating on an in-store concept with B&Q offering customers a compact B&Q ‘shop within a shop’ within superstores.

The moves follow the launch of the supermarket’s partnership with Uber Eats in July, which has now been expanded to 25 stores.

tomatoes, which will move to a recyclable card sleeve.

PORTMAN CHAIR The Portman Group has appointed Philip Rycroft as its new Chair. He replaces Sir Martin Narey, who stepped down in November 2019. A civil servant for over 30 years, Rycroft was most recently the Permeant Secretary to the Department for Exiting the EU. His private sector experience includes a stint as an adviser to Scottish & Newcastle.

PRODUCTION OF £2 AND 2P COINS HALTED The Royal Mint has announced that it will cease to produce new 2p or £2 coins for the next decade, although production could return if needed.

The move is the result of the build-up of a ‘coin mountain’ as demand for the coins has dropped significantly, in sharp contrast to the demand for banknotes which has grown.

These coins have not been needed because lots of old coins were returned to circulation when the 12-sided £1

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coin was launched in March 2017 and shoppers rushed to send the old format pound coins back to the bank in the six month window available.

The issue was revealed in a report on the future of cash by the National Audit Office warning it could become harder to access by those who rely on it.

Ten years ago, cash was used in six out of 10 transactions but by 2019 it was only being used in less than three in 10 purchases.

NEWS DIGEST

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

BUSINESS RATES

USDAW: FUND BUSINESS RATES CUT WITH ONLINE SALES TAX

FREEZE FIGHT Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, has hailed the efforts of low-paid key

RETAIL TRADE UNION USDAW HAS URGED HM TREASURY TO

workers during the coronavirus

IMPLEMENT AN ONLINE SALES TAX TO FUND A CUT IN BUSINESS

pandemic and says her party

RATES FOR BRICKS AND MORTAR RETAILERS.

will fight any attempt to freeze minimum wage rates. The

Shopworkers trade union Usdaw has responded this week to an HM Treasury consultation on the current business rates system by asking the Government to implement an online sales tax that would fund a cut in business rates and create a level playing field between online and bricks and mortar retail.

Coronavirus has accelerated a shift to online sales, which now account for a record high of 30.7% of all retail sales.

Usdaw General Secretary Paddy Lillis said: “Usdaw urges the

Government to tackle the growing and excessive competitive imbalance between high street stores and online retail before it’s too late. Business rates have long been a burden on the retail sector and have contributed massively to store closures and job losses, while at the same time stifling growth and investment.

“If the Government wants our High Streets to survive and thrive, it should be working to level the playing field between online and bricks and mortar retail.”

statement was in response to the Low Pay Commission warning that planned rises may be ‘unaffordable‘ for employers in a recession.

CONFEX TWC TIE-UP Wholesale buying group Confex has partnered with data and digital specialists TWC to launch a new reporting service that will provide unique insights to both Confex’ members

POST OFFICE CONSULTATION KICKS OFF The Post Office has launched a 12-week consultation asking how Postmasters and commercial partners who operate multiple branches want to be involved in the development and execution of business decisions.

The consultation will include in-depth discussions followed by a survey of over 8,000 Postmasters on options such as establishing regional or thematic forums that could advise and influence business decisions.

A separate survey and qualitative discussions will take place with all its commercial partners.

and suppliers to help them understand market influences and monetise opportunities from the group’s sales data.

ICELAND TRIAL Iceland has teamed up with offlicence chain Bargain Booze to launch dedicated Bargain Booze sections in three of its The Food Warehouse stores.

Amanda Jones, Post Office Retail and Franchise Network Director, said: “This consultation is part of our efforts to reset our relationship with Postmasters.”

The partnership will more than double the size of the BWS offer in these stores, taking total SKU count to over 1,000 products.

WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 23 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 7

NEWS SPECIAL

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

app Ubamarket has found

FOOD-TO-GO ‘TO DECLINE BY £6BN’ THIS YEAR

that safety is a key driver for

NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS THE FOOD-TO-GO MARKET WILL TAKE A

shoppers today with 50% of

BEATING THIS YEAR, BUT WILL RECOVER BY 2022.

SAFETY FIRST New research from retail

Brits not having used cash at all since the start of lockdown and have relied exclusively on card and contactless payments. Additionally, 43% want their shopping experience to require as little human interaction as possible.

VAT CHALLENGE Businesses that deferred paying their VAT bills should be allowed to spread their repayments into the middle of next year, says tax adviser Blick Rothenberg. HMRC are now reminding businesses that repayments must be made by

The UK food-to-go market is set to decline by £6bn in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the new Lumina Intelligence UK Food-to-go Market Report 2020 Update. However, the report forecasts that turnover of the food-to-go market will recover to close to its 2019 level by the end of 2022.

The UK food-to-go market experienced a decade of growth

through the 2010s with Lumina Intelligence valuing the market at £21.3bn in 2019, a growth of +2.4%.

However, the catastrophic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is set to wipe £6bn off the market value in 2020. This equates to a decline of 29%, taking the market value to £15bn.

The average number of food-togo visits per consumer per month has dropped 25% year-on-year with lunch the most impacted daypart with a fall in frequency of 37%.

Despite a significant reduction in value this year, the food-to-go market is set to recover quickly due to its versatility, low contact and value-led proposition.

31 March, even if firms can’t trade their way out of their current financial predicament.

MOBILITY MAX Data from the week ending 13 Sep by CACI has found that mobility across the UK reached 82% of pre-Covid levels, the highest since lockdown began.

The peak coincided with the return to schools and a wider return to offices, although new restrictions this week are likely to stymie any further growth.

FURLOUGH EXTENSION ‘COULD SAVE THOUSANDS OF JOBS’ The Scottish Government has said extending the furlough scheme by eight months could save 61,000 jobs north of the border. A government report put the direct cost of extending the furlough scheme in Scotland to June at around £850m – and wider economic benefits, such as increasing GDP, mean that it could pay for itself.

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Scotland’s Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop (pictured) commented: “The UK Government must think again about withdrawing blanket support and they must urgently implement some form of extension which would continue to provide help for the sectors that have been most heavily affected.”

NEWS SPECIAL

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

LATEST RESTRICTIONS OUTLINED

AMAZON SCOUT ROBOT COMING TO UK

WIDE-RANGING NEW RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS TO ATTEMPT TO STOP THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS

A

AND PREVENT A FULLY-FLEDGED SECOND WAVE – AND THEY COULD REMAIN IN PLACE FOR SIX MONTHS.

The latest changes in Scotland include: Q Pubs, bars and restaurants to close at 10pm Q Fines for not wearing masks or following rules increased to £200 for first offence Q Visiting other households no longer permitted. Exceptions include people who live alone or alone with children who can form extended households.

Q Outdoor meetings with one other household in groups of up to six, including in private gardens.

Q Young people aged 12 to 18 will be exempt from the two household limit – they will be able to meet outdoors in groups of up to 6.

Q Schools, colleges and universities will remain open.

Q The Scottish Government now advises against car sharing for anyone not from your household.

FOOTFALL ‘NOT AFFECTED’ BY RULE OF SIX New data from Springboard has shown that footfall to UK retail destinations was up by 2.4% last week over the previous week, despite the government’s new ‘rule of six’ coming into force.

High street footfall was up 5.2%

while footfall in shopping centres and retails parks declined by 0.8% and 0.3% respectively.

Despite this, year-on-year footfall is now down 28.7% in total and 34.3% in high streets.

Amazon has confirmed that its Amazon Scout robot delivery vehicles are being developed for use in the UK. The company is developing software to help Scout delivery devices “safely and autonomously navigate around pedestrians, pets and obstacles found in residential neighbourhoods such as recycling bins and sign posts”.

TECH SOLUTIONS

series of new restrictions have been put in place to attempt to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and avoid a full-scale second wave. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that the new measures would probably stay in place for the next six months.

The latest changes in England include: Q Pubs, bars and restaurants to close at 10pm Q Table service only Q People should work from home wherever possible Q Face masks compulsory for nonseated customers and shop workers, among others Q Plans to allow fans to return to sporting events paused Q Fines for not wearing masks or following rules increased to £200 for first offence.

The six-wheeled delivery robot was unveiled last year and has been undergoing field tests in the US. In the UK, the devices will autonomously follow their delivery route, initially accompanied by an Amazon Scout Ambassador.

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OPINION

CORONAVIRUS JAMES LOWMAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, ACS

THE NEXT PHASE:

LET’S NOT FORGET WHAT WE’VE LEARNED

ACS BOSS JAMES LOWMAN OFFERS SOME TIMELY ADVICE ON HOW TO COPE WITH WHAT LOOKS INCREASINGLY LIKE A SECOND WAVE OF CORONAVIRUS, URGING RETAILERS NOT TO FORGET WHAT THEY LEARNED IN THE FIRST WAVE.

S

ince the start of the Covid crisis my colleagues and I at ACS have not just been working to help members to deal with the immediate challenges they’ve been facing, we’ve also been leading a discussion about what we can all learn from this experience.

Which of the behaviours we’ve seen over this period will last, which are specific to this time?

What would we do differently if we had our time again or if the same issues emerged again? Some of this work has been formalised – see our Covid debate sessions during August and the many ACS

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Live discussions and Local Shop Podcasts where we’ve tried to capture some of the most important things to learn.

What we’ve fought shy of has been defining some sort of playbook, because a) with such a complex set of issues and so many unknown and changing factors it would be pretty arrogant for anyone to think they knew ‘the answer’ to the questions about what happens next and how we would respond again, b) businesses and communities are different, so there isn’t a plan that works for even a decent minority of convenience

OPINION

CORONAVIRUS JAMES LOWMAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, ACS

stores, and c) given a and b, this sort of advice ends up being so generic that it means nothing and I personally get irritated at highly equivocal descriptions of past events being presented as practical guidance for the future, when it isn’t.

However, with growing speculation that we’re going to see more restrictions on how the public lives, moves, shops and socialises, and against the backdrop of some of these already being imposed in different parts of the UK, here’s a nonexhaustive list of key advice I would give retailers and industry partners at this time.

Everyone agrees that colleagues are our most important asset, but get past the warm words and listen to what they say they need to feel safe.

Offer choices on PPE and processes in store, and look at opening hours and breaks to allow the store to replenish and your colleagues to decompress. Think about the bigger picture of your colleagues wanting to turn up every day and advocate for your business in the community.

Retailers with established social media channels did better in the first lockdown because they could tell their customers in real time and without physical contact what their policies were and how they were keeping stores safe.

I know many retailers who have deliberately avoided using social media because they’ve seen face-to-face contact as more relevant – that’s fine but we’re in a different world now when the customer who came in every day doesn’t. We’ve got some good guidance on getting better at social media.

If in doubt, communicate. On social media, yes, but also with good signage in store. We’ve got resources but use whatever works for you and make sure it looks clean and clear.

Make local links. These might be formal, for example telling the council helplines what you do through the retailer services checklist, or they

may be informal links to local people who want to help customers and your store.

Think about alternative sources of supply, whether that’s additional wholesalers, local suppliers, or suppliers to the hospitality industry who saw their trade crash, not fully recover, and could see it fall again. Evaluating and connecting with these sources will help keep your shelves fuller for longer.

Decide now what your objective is. Are you an emergency option selling a bit more food, or are you trying to build your reputation as somewhere shoppers will feed their families from? Both are absolutely fine as strategies, but if you’ve found yourself reverting to a sales profile of impulse snacks since restrictions were eased... well that’s probably what your business should focus on and the Covid period will be an exceptional time when you sell more food. If you’ve kept a chunk of your new food shoppers in the past three months, that’s a pretty good indicator that it’s worth trying to attract and keep more.

Talk to each other. The best ideas, advice and insight I’ve heard over this time has been from retailers on WhatsApp, social media, trade press and our own communications and online events.

Use your existing networks, and expand your information sources by one or two retailers or organisations you don’t normally engage with.

Hopefully much of that sounds like common sense, because there aren’t magic answers here.

The principles of our business – listening to customers, engaging colleagues and building your relationship with the community – are exactly the same as they were pre-Covid. It’s just more intense, faster paced and against the backdrop of a uniquely challenging time for the whole country and indeed the world. Keep these guiding principles and you’ll emerge from this even stronger.

WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 23 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 11

COVER STORY

RETAIL CRIME LEGISLATION

RETAIL CRIME IN A DIS-UNITED KINGDOM RETAIL CRIME MAY BE A GB-WIDE PROBLEM BUT THE SCOTTISH, ENGLISH AND WELSH GOVERNMENTS APPEAR TO HAVE VERY DIFFERENT VIEWS OF HOW TO SOLVE IT, AS DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE LAST WEEK OR SO HAVE SHOWN.

BY ANTONY BEGLEY

“The pandemic has seen people working in retail performing critical roles, supplying the basic essentials to all of us and keeping us safe as we do so. This bill pays an important tribute to these efforts over the last six months.” [ Daniel Johnson, MSP ]

12 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 23 / WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020

COVER STORY

RETAIL CRIME LEGISLATION

It may have been political mischiefmaking or it may have been pure coincidence, but only a few days after the Westminster Government declared itself “not persuaded” that a specific offence needed to be introduced to offer more protection to shopworkers, the Scottish Government then came out in support of a Bill designed to do just that.

The UK government’s comments were in direct response to a petition from trade union Usdaw and signed by more than 60,000 people demanding better protection for shopworkers. While The Ministry of Justice said it was ”sympathetic to the motivations behind the petition”, it remained “unpersuaded of the need for a specific offence as there are already a wide range of offences which exist and which cover assaults against any worker, including shop workers and those selling agerestricted items.”

Only days later, the Scottish Government announced that it will support the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Bill at the Stage 1 vote which takes place today. The vote will see MSPs decide on the whether to accept the general principles of the Bill and, should it receive the necessary support, it will then move forward to

Stage 2 where it will undergo detailed scrutiny and debate with any potential amendments also being considered.

The Bill was brought forward by Edinburgh South MSP Daniel Johnson and will give shop staff additional legal protection when carrying out their work, particularly in relation to assault or abuse in relation to a mandatory activity such as requesting ID for age-

restricted products.

Johnson said: “I’m delighted to see the Scottish Government have agreed to support my Bill at stage 1, adding their backing to this important issue along with trade unions and retail groups across the country. Dialogue with ministers in recent weeks has been useful in identifying understanding on this important issue.

“Passing my bill into law will provide an important recognition of the key duty shopworkers have upholding the

law and the issues they face doing so.

Most critically, the pandemic has seen people working in retail performing critical roles, supplying the basic essentials to all of us and keeping us safe as we do so. This bill pays an important tribute to these efforts over the last six months.”

Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) Policy Manager Luke McGarty said: “Serious in-store retail crime is not going away and impacts on retailers, their staff, their families, customers and the wider community. The Bill represents a unique – perhaps a once in a generation – opportunity to create a safer retail environment.

“SGF is fully behind the Bill and is a crucial step in the right direction and we urge MSPs to support it.”

Meanwhile in Wales, the Wales Retail Consortium (WRC) and Usdaw are jointly campaigning for a tougher response for those who assault retail staff. The WRC has launched a Shopworkers’ Protection Pledge, which has been signed by Members of Parliament who support legislation necessary to protect shopworkers.

The WRC is asking Welsh MPs and Assembly Members (AMs) to sign an online pledge to recognise the serious impact that violence and abuse has on shopworkers and the local

WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 23 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 13

COVER STORY

RETAIL CRIME LEGISLATION

communities they serve and stand with retail workers to support legislation to better protect them.

Nick Ireland – Usdaw Divisional Officer says: “It should be time for the Government to sit up, listen to our concerns and deliver much needed protection for staff. We urge the Welsh Assembly Government to add their support to shopworkers and retail employers calling for stiffer penalties for those who assault workers. With incidents of abuse doubling during the Covid-19 crisis, we are saying loud and clear that enough is enough, abuse should never be just a part of the job.

“Retail staff have a crucial role in our communities across Wales and that role must be valued and respected, they deserve the protection of the law.”

Sara Jones, WRC Head of Wales, says: “Every day hard-working retail colleagues across Wales are subjected to violence or abuse in their place of work. Sadly, the legislation meant to protect these workers is not fit for purpose, and many of these heinous crimes continue to go unpunished.

These incidents have multiplied during the pandemic, which is why we are now calling on MPs and AMs from all parties to come together and sign the Shopworkers’ Protection Pledge.

“On behalf of the 130,000 people who work in the retail industry across Wales, their families and their communities, there is one simple message – doing nothing is not an option.”

THE FIGHT GOES ON Despite the Westminster Government offering little more than sympathy in response to a petition signed by more than 60,000 people demanding better protection for shopworkers, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Retail Crime continues its struggle to ensure that those in the retail industry get the protection they need and deserve.

The APPG was founded to highlight the cost of retail crime to the high street (£600m a year), improve understanding of how this type of crime affects small businesses and what impact incidents of retail crime will have on our high streets if left unchecked.

The Group met last week to discuss various issues including Alex Norris’s Assault on Retail Workers Private Members Bill, which will have a second reading on Friday, and the Sentencing Council Consultation on assault offences. The Group has submitted a formal response to the consultation, which focuses on the issues which impact retailers, particularly independent retailers operating local news and c-stores.

The submission calls for retail workers to be given the same level of protection as is offered to emergency service workers in order to address “the rising level of attacks on retailers”, as well as encourage the mandatory use of Victim Impact Statements in order to ensure that the courts see the full value of the crimes committed.

It stated: “Being involved in incidents of robbery where threat or aggression can have an enormous impact on the victim, their colleagues and on the communities which they serve. Small and micro retailers are too often targeted because they do not have the sort of security that larger retailers have, and are open from early in the morning until late into the evening, often with few or only one member of staff on duty. This makes them particularly vulnerable.

“The members of the APPG on Retail Crime would like to see the use of Victim Impact Statements made mandatory. The members of the APPG on Retail Crime understand the constraints that the Sentencing Council and the Courts operate under, and believe that sentencing must reflect fully the harm on both the shop worker who was the victim of the assault but also the knock on effect on the business and the community.

“To improve confidence in the retail community, it would be helpful to have ‘shop workers’ as a specific group of key workers that serve the public and should therefore be protected within the sentencing guidelines.“

14 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 23 / WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020

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PRODUCT NEWS

GROLSCH RELAUNCH ASAHI UK

GROLSCH SWINGS BACK INTO THE UK ASAHI UK IS BRINGING THE LAGER WITH THE FAMOUS SWING-TOP LID BACK TO THE UK AFTER A YEAR’S ABSENCE WITH A NEW LIQUID, A MULTIMILLION POUND MEDIA SPEND AND A CONVENIENCE-SPECIFIC FORMAT.

T

he Dutch lager brand Grolsch with its trademark swing-top lid is being reintroduced to the UK market by owners Asahi with a new 4% liquid, a new identity, new packaging and a big budget media spend.

The brand disappeared from the shelves towards the end of last year when a 35-year joint venture agreement between Asahi and UK manufacturing partner Molson Coors ended in the UK and Ireland.

Asahi has now decided to take the brand back to its spiritual home in Enschede in the Netherlands, with all

16 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 23 / WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020

Grolsch Premium Pilsner now brewed there. It will be available once more to the off-trade from the end of next month.

The all-new 4% liquid has been designed from scratch using an unusual double brewing method called ‘doubledecoction’ which apparently helps deliver a full-flavoured liquid that is still relatively low in alcohol at 4%.

The brand sports a new look with all packs featuring swing-lid artwork, harking back to the unique closure made famous by Bros. Anybody remember them?

PRODUCT NEWS

GROLSCH RELAUNCH ASAHI UK

The product will be available in 330ml crown cap bottles, 440ml cans (from March 2021) and the iconic 450ml ‘swing-top’ bottle– with a range of multipack formats. Pleasingly, it will also be available in a 500ml can format specially for the convenience channel.

Tim Clay, Managing Director at Asahi UK, said: “Grolsch Premium Pilsner is back with a fresh brand identity and a brilliant, revitalised liquid, brewed at its iconic home in East Netherlands.

The brand new packaging and instore activations we’ve tailored for Grolsch’s return are just as exciting – highly distinctive and full of character. We’re delighted with the response and take-up from customers to date.

“This is a fantastic new proposition for the UK & Ireland market, building on Asahi UK’s comprehensive suite of premium beer and cider brands. It comes at an important time, with a growing consumer preference for a range of ABV beers that also offer high quality and strong provenance.

Grolsch Pilsner ticks all those

boxes, providing great refreshment to suit any occasion, and with an excellent depth of flavour.”

The return is supported by a multimillion pound marketing campaign from launch across 2021, including national above-the-line advertising, a range of premium point-of-sale materials, staff training, and both in & outside of outlet rate-of-sale driving promotional activity.

The campaign celebrates Grolsch’s heritage as a pilsner brewed to deliver ’double the flavour’. The campaign will be running on social media from October 2020 and on video-ondemand, social and digital out-ofhome from Q2 2021.

Grolsch continues to innovate today with a modern brewery that has sustainability at its heart.

It uses 100% green electricity, reuses brewery waste and cuts plastic use through innovative use of circular and recyclable packaging, including the use of plastic-free packaging to replace plastic shrink-wrap and six-pack rings.

WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 23 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 17

CATEGORY UPDATE

MENTHOL BAN VAPING

VAPING UP 12.6% AFTER MENTHOL BAN IRI DATA FOR THE 12 WEEKS AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF THE MENTHOL BAN IN MAY SHOW THE VAPING CATEGORY IN DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH WHILE MENTHOL PRODUCT SALES ROCKETED BY ALMOST 45%.

“In the 12 weeks pre and post the removal of menthol cigarettes, menthol and mint products contributed to almost 60% of all growth in the category.” [ John Patterson, JUUL Labs ]

18 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 23 / WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020

CATEGORY UPDATE

MENTHOL BAN VAPING

V

aping category sales increased by 12.6% in the 12 weeks after the introduction of the Menthol Ban on 20 May, compared with the previous 12 week period, according to data from IRI. Sales of menthol products shot up 44.6% over the same period in tracked channels. Since May, it has been illegal for manufacturers to produce, and retailers to sell, menthol flavoured cigarettes as part of the revised European Tobacco Products Directive.

The data is the first reliable insight into the impact of the ban on characterising flavours – to give the new legislation its Sunday name – and appears to suggest that the ban has given the vaping category the boost that many retailers expected it to.

The news has been welcomed by Juul Labs UK, with Sales Director John Patterson commenting: “Juul Labs believes smokers should first and foremost quit. Those who have not successfully quit should completely switch to potentially less harmful alternative nicotine products. Our mission is to transition the world’s billion adult smokers away from combustible cigarettes, eliminate their use, and combat underage usage of our products. We believe that vapour products can offer adult smokers an alternative to combustible cigarettes and, in so doing, reduce the harm associated with tobacco.

“The vaping category itself has experienced solid growth in the past

few months. If we look at total sales across closed and open systems in the twelve weeks pre and post the removal of menthol cigarettes, menthol and mint products contributed to almost 60% of all growth in the category, with menthol flavours alone responsible for 36% of all growth.”

Patterson hails the company’s Glacier Mint and Menthol JUULpods as key drivers and must-stock products for retailers: “With vaping products, adult smokers have a choice of flavours and a range of alternative options that may help them transition away from combustible cigarettes.

“Since May, Glacier Mint JUULpods have remained the number one refill kit in the closed pod sector in the UK and Menthol JUULpods have performed strongly. Retailers who stock the JUUL range could therefore grow their category sales and offer adult smokers a credible alternative to cigarettes, which continue to be the number one cause of preventable death in the UK.” As part of Juul Labs’ commitment to responsible retailing, the company is continuing to invest in its ‘Challenge 25’ age verification policy, providing retailer training alongside mystery shopping audits.

WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 23 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 19

NOW THAT’S A GOOD IDEA...

OUT THE BOX MOTION DISPLAY

MOTION ADDS IMPACT TO POS A RANGE OF MOTION-DRIVEN POINT OF PURCHASE SOLUTIONS FROM SWEDISH COMPANY MOTION DISPLAY HAS BEEN PROVEN TO ATTRACT ATTENTION AND GROW SALES BY 66%, AS WELL AS BEING ABLE TO HELP IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19.

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? Motion-driven point of purchase display signage that has been proven to attract shoppers’ attention quickly and drive big sales growth.

DIGITAL SIGNAGE ISN’T NEW...

No, it isn’t. But these products are very simple, very engaging and very cost effective, price being a problem for a lot of digital signage solutions.

20 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 23 / WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020

WHY BOTHER WITH DIGITAL? The first four to seven seconds in front of the product is the most critical moment – the ‘moment of truth’. Stores are awash with static paper-based POS so it takes something different to drive engagement and draw attention.

Motion Display, the Swedish firm that makes the solutions, claims that studies it has been involved in show that shoppers see motion-driven signage

NOW THAT’S A GOOD IDEA...

OUT THE BOX MOTION DISPLAY

eight times quicker than standard POS, reducing the time it takes a shopper to notice the signage from an average of 12.5 seconds to 1.6 seconds.

Additionally, the study showed that the number of shoppers who picked up items highlighted by their signage increased by over 1,000%.

SO SALES GREW?

locally-sourced produce. It can even be used to bring life to those all-important social distancing messages to help ensure shoppers stay safe.

HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE?

Visit www.motiondisplay.com or email info@motiondisplay.com.

A case study run with Walmart and the Hidden Valley brand found that sales increased by almost two thirsds (66%) by using the solution. Participating stores also saw a higher level of incremental purchases and higher levels of repeat purchase.

HOW DOES IT WORK? Essentially, a display consists of a black and white e-paper display with a transparent colour print overlay on top. The black and white e-paper display is made of electronic ink and an underlying layer which can be switched from black to white and back, creating flashing animation sequences.

HOW IS IT POWERED? It runs on small batteries that will last around 11 months on a single set. The product is paper-thin and is as easily mounted as traditional shelf signage.

WHAT CAN YOU USE IT FOR? It’s completely customisable in terms of colour, shape and size and can be used for any purpose, from highlighting promotional items to flagging up

WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 23 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 21

Free EPoS Upgrade Trial Includes free mobile app

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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.

NPD AND MEDIA

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

VEGAN PEPPERONI

SERIOUS INVESTMENT

ROSÉ GLOW

Meat-free brand Quorn has

Lactalis is investing £2m in its

Campo Viejo Rosé is getting

launched Vegan Pepperoni

Seriously brand with a new

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Slices as part of its Deli range,

media campaign that supports

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easy opening while conserving

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BLOODY GOOD

SPICE IT UP

GINGER NINJA

Mangrove UK has added RTD

Nairn’s has launched two new

Westons Cider has added

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23 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 13 / WEDNESDAY 15TH JULY 2020

SUSTAINABILITY

RECYCLE WEEK SOFT DRINKS PRODUCERS

SOFT DRINKS GIANTS EMBRACE RECYCLE WEEK SOME OF THE UK’S BIGGEST SOFT DRINKS PRODUCERS HAVE CELEBRATED RECYCLE WEEK BY

I

UNVEILING SOME NEWS AND INNOVATIONS GEARED TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

f you weren’t aware already, it’s ‘Recycle Week’, an annual festival organised by recycling campaign Recycle Now. Unsurprisingly, many of the UK’s biggest soft drinks brands have chosen this week to unveil their latest news and innovations to drive consumer and retailer interest in reducing our collective impact on the planet.

COCA-COLA EUROPEAN PARTNERS: SUSTAINABILITY MILESTONE REACHED Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP), in partnership with Coca-Cola Great Britain, announced earlier this week that all plastic bottles across all its core brands made in Great Britain are now made with 50% recycled plastic (rPET).

The move means Coca-Cola in Great Britain is now using over 21,000 tonnes of recycled plastic per year and rPET now accounts for 50% of

all plastic used in bottles across the company’s core range made in Great Britain.

With this change Coca-Cola increases its rPET usage by a further 25% marking another major step on the journey towards the company’s ambition to help create more sustainable packaging options where all plastic used in bottles comes from recycled or renewable sources. All of Coca-Cola’s bottles have been 100% recyclable for many years.

24 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 23 / WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020

To announce the step forward and the increase in recycled material, bottles will carry new labels notifying consumers of the change and encouraging them to recycle the bottle.

The move comes as part of Coke’s long-term investment in the UK’s circular economy, since helping to establish the UK’s biggest bottle-to-bottle plastic reprocessing facility in Lincolnshire in 2012 which reprocesses bottles collected from households across the UK. Stephen Moorhouse, General Manager at Coca-Cola European Partners Great Britain, said: “One of the key challenges the industry currently faces is that there isn’t enough foodgrade recycled plastic locally available in the UK to switch to 100% rPET across our entire range. There needs to be more high-quality recycled plastic produced, so it’s vital to make sure we collect more bottles in an efficient way,

SUSTAINABILITY

RECYCLE WEEK SOFT DRINKS PRODUCERS

and stop it ending up as waste.

“That’s why we support the introduction of a well-designed Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), consistent across Great Britain and coupled with investment in infrastructure. This will really encourage more people to recycle and will help more bottles to be collected in a clean, efficient way so that they can be remade into new bottles again.”

Helen Bird, Strategic Engagement Manager at WRAP, said: “It takes 75% less energy to make a plastic bottle from recycled plastic compared with using virgin material, and it’s always important to remember that using recycled content in the manufacture of new products and packaging is the whole point of recycling. Not only does it mean that less new plastic is being used, it also ensures that it is being kept in the packaging recycling system and out of the environment.

We are seeing momentum building on the use of recycled content in plastic packaging and this announcement by Coca-Cola, one of our founding UK Plastics Pact members, is good news for the environment and good news for industry.”

SUNTORY BEVERAGE & FOOD GB&I: PAPER STRAW FIRST Ribena has become the first major juice drinks brand in the UK to introduce a paper straw to its drinks cartons, with new packs now available in Tesco.

Ribena’s bendable paper straws will

“The majority of Brits (93%) think it’s important that retailers set an example to others when it comes to recycling, with over half (53%) thinking retailers could do more to help consumers.”

reduce the amount of plastic waste lost to landfill. Plastic straws are currently hard to recycle in the UK, largely due to their size.

If people don’t push the straw back into the carton when finished, it can get lost in the recycling process, often falling through gaps on recycling centre sorting belts.

“Developing a bendable, durable paper straw hasn’t been easy, but recycling it should be,” says Jo Padwick, Business Transformation Manager at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I. “We’ve conducted hours of

consumer testing to make sure our new paper straws can puncture the carton, that they don’t become soggy, and that Ribena lovers enjoy the feel of sipping from them. Now that they’re on shelf in Tesco we can gather even more feedback before rolling the straws out more widely.”

BRITVIC: RETAILERS ‘SHOULD SET RECYCLING EXAMPLE’ Britvic released new research on Monday that it had commissioned to understand the recycling habits of the

WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 23 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 25

SUSTAINABILITY

RECYCLE WEEK SOFT DRINKS PRODUCERS

nation. The research reveals that most Brits (93%) think that it’s important that retailers set an example to others when it comes to recycling, with over half (53%) thinking retailers could do more to help consumers.

The research also revealed that over two thirds (68%) of consumers think that a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) would encourage more people to recycle drinks bottles and cans.

“At Britvic, we are committed supporters of a well-designed GB-wide DRS and it’s time for us, along with the industry, to take responsibility to create a world-class scheme to support the drive towards a healthier planet that we can leave to future generations,” says Sarah Webster, Director of Sustainable Business at Britvic. “Sustainability is no longer an option for businesses, it’s fundamental to future success.

“Recycling as much as we can is vital, and it’s important that we work with retailers to set the right example to help encourage good recycling habits. We are committed to effective recycling as part of our sustainability programme – that’s why we have chosen to be a donor for this year’s Recycle Week, as the theme, which is to thank the nation for continuing to recycle despite the current landscape and pandemic, resonates with our own values and wider aim of protecting the planet.”

100% of Britvic bottles and cans are recyclable. Britvic recently made a transformational £5m investment in UK sourced rPET to support its long-

term plans, also committing to remove at least 500 tonnes of plastic weight by the end of this year.

You can find out more about Recycle Week, and how to recycle, at recyclenow.com.

THE RECYCLING HABITS OF THE NATION Britvic’s recent study of recycling habits in the UK discovered a number of interesting findings, including: Q 66% of Brits don’t know what happens to their recycling once it’s taken away Q A third think their recycling probably ends up in landfill Q A fifth (20%) throw roughly half of their rubbish in the normal bin which they think could probably be recycled Q 60% of Brits feel guilty if they put rubbish in the bin that could be recycled – 30% don’t feel guilty Q 85% would call themselves a frequent recycler Q More than a fifth of Brits think they could be doing more when it comes to recycling, with 23% being guilty of throwing the odd plastic bottle in a standard bin and 13% not feeling educated enough on the process Q The main reason for Brits not recycling efficiently as they could is a lack of understanding of the recycling messages of products (25%) followed by it being inconvenient (10%) and taking too long (7%) Q A third of Brits try to teach their children how to recycle to get them in the habit when while they’re still young.

26 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 23 / WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020

MADE IN ENGLAND’S OLDEST WORKING GIN DISTILLERY

PROPER LEGEND

SUPER PREMIUM GIN GROWS

+9% YOY,

CONTRIBUTING 14% OF GIN CATEGORY VALUE.*

STOCK UP NOW

Please drink Plymouth Gin responsibly.

*Source: Nielsen, Total Coverage, Value Sales, MAT to WE 13.06.20

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

BEFORE YOU GO

RETAIL RANDOMS EGGSLUT / IRN-BRU FIERY

ANYONE UP FOR AN EGGSLUT? DIGITAL SIGNAGE IS THE WAY FORWARD AND WHILE TRAWLING THE INTERWEB, WE HAPPENED TO STUMBLE UPON THIS ATTENTION-GRABBING BIT OF POS. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT EGGLSUT IS BUT IT TO SOUNDS LIKE THE SORT OF THING WE COULD ALL HAVE IN OUR LIVES.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: FIERY IRN-BRU ANYBODY REMEMBER FIERY IRN-BRU? IT WAS ONE OF THOSE MARMITE PRODUCTS THAT PEOPLE EITHER LOVED OR HATED. THERE’S BEEN A QUIET BUT CONSISTENT CAMPAIGN ONLINE TO BRING IT BACK – AND WITH ADVERTS LIKE THIS, WHY WOULDN’T YOU WANT IT BACK? C’MON IRNBRU, DO THE RIGHT THING...

WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 23 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 29

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

FROM THE UK'S NO.1 FLAVOURED * CARBONATE BRAND