SLR June 2024 Edition

NEWS

04 Horizon Scandal Victims’ convictions will be automatically quashed under new Scottish Government legislation.

05 Legislation Surprise General Election date scuppers Prime Minister’s plans for a generational smoking ban.

06 Crime Retailers unite to demand action from Scottish Government on surge in retail crime.

08 Lottery Allwyn unveils an expanded mystery shopper programme, with three different types of store visits.

10 News Extra HFSS Restrictions Retailers voice concern as the Scottish Government’s consultation closes.

22 Product News Monster’s Sales Supercharged initiative returns and Cadbury kicks off a new football promotion.

24 Off-Trade News Absolut & Sprite gets a marketing push and Four Loko sponsors Glasgow’s TRNSMT festival.

INSIDE BUSINESS

26 SLR Awards It’s a only a matter of days until the SLR Awards 2024 take place on 19 June.

28 Checkout Scotland GroceryAid Scotland’s unique and exclusive music event returns in September.

30 Above & Beyond Awards We take a closer look at two of our champions: Claire Fleming and Sophie Skelton

34 Wholesalers Worker-owned Greencity Wholefoods has put its stamp on Dennistoun with a breathtaking mural.

36 Hotlines The latest new products and media campaigns.

66 Under The Counter A misunderstanding about a hair care product gets the Auld Boy into a lather.

FEATURES

38 Summer Picnic BBQs and other outdoor gatherings offer retailers the chance to grow sales and help customers enjoy a day in the great outdoors – or just the back garden.

42 Summer Drinks A full calendar of sport and hopefully some sunshine should make it a thirsty summer for shoppers.

52 Sustainability While all things sustainability fell down the agenda during the Covid crisis, planet concerns are once again coming to the fore.

54 Software Systems Technology continues to play a bigger role than ever in the modern convenience store and at the heart of that progress lies a great Epos system.

56 Confectionery Some new lines and media campaigns to help you add excitement in the vital confectionery category.

58 Nicotine The fall of the Tobacco & Vapes Bill when Parliament was dissolved presents opportunities for retailers.

63 Cakes and Biscuits Affordable treats are more important than ever as customers face cost-of-living challenges –which makes cakes and biscuits a key category.

64 Food to Go & Snacking Food to go is a huge and hugely important category for a growing number of retailers and there’s plenty of support out there.

Get ready for new King Charles banknotes

New bank notes featuring King Charles III enter circulation on Wednesday 5 June 2024. All de-nominations of the new notes (£5, £10, £20 and £50) will enter circulation on the same day. However, volumes of the new notes will be issued gradually from this date – unlike the recent polymer notes launches. Current banknotes featuring Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will continue to be legal tender.

Volumatic and G4S take the headache out of cash

Volumatic and G4S Cash

Solutions have launched a new service that offers a faster and more secure way to handle cash, with no more manual counting or dealing with counterfeit notes, secure cash transportation to the bank, and credit ahead of physical cash processing if your bank agrees. The solution is designed to eliminates risks, including forgeries, miscounts, shrinkage, and theft.

Dalmuir store sold

Local retailers Billy and Bal Singh are retiring after 38 years serving the community from their store in the Dalmuir area of Clydebank. Located in a busy housing scheme, Singh Stores has built up a loyal customer base over the years. The store has now been purchased by an experi-enced local operator who is looking to refit and develop the business. Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co handled the sale.

Industry charity offers new further education bursaries

The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust, which provides assistance for the families of those working in convenience retailing, has unveiled new university and vocational bursaries, open to students up to PhD level who are in financial need. Visit leverhulme-trade.org.uk for further information on the LTCT, a full breakdown of bursary eligibility, and to apply.

Emergency legislation for Scotland’s Horizon victims

Sub-postmasters who were wrongly convicted as a result of the faulty Horizon IT system will automatically be exonerated under proposed legislation introduced to the Scottish Parliament (14 May). ose whose convictions are quashed under the Post O ce (Horizon System) O ences (Scotland) Bill will then be able to access the UK Government nancial redress scheme.

e Bill’s passage through the Scottish Parliament will be speeded up to allow justice and redress to be delivered to victims as swi ly as possible in line with the UK Bill, which was not extended to cover sub-postmasters in Scotland.

e Westminster Government’s decision to exclude Scotland from its Bill – which was rushed through the House of Commons before Parliament was dissolved for the General Election – was heavily criticised by Justice Secretary Angela Constance.

She commented: “ e quickest, easiest route to overturn these miscarriages of justice would have been for the UK Government to extend their Post O ce (Horizon System) O ences Bill to cover subpostmasters in Scotland.”

Constance said the Scottish Government’s repeated requests to do this were refused.

She added: “Our Bill, therefore, mirrors that of UK legislation to ensure parity for a ected subpostmasters in Scotland with those elsewhere in the UK and to ensure access to the UK Government’s compensation scheme.”

e introduction of the emergency Bill was an “unprecedented step,” Constance said, taken in light of the scale of the scandal and the length of time that victims have waited for justice.

e nal stage of the Bill cannot be considered at Holyrood until a er the UK legislation has been passed. is is to ensure MSPs can take account of any amendments made to the UK Bill.

DISCOUNTERS Lidl reveals locations it wants to move into

Lidl has unveiled its wish list of 49 locations for potential new stores in Scotland, stretching from Inverness in the north to Dumfries in the south.

These include three new locations in Glasgow and a total of nine in Edinburgh. The discounter would also like to relocate 18 of its existing stores.

The list is addition to Lidl’s plans to open hundreds of new stores across Britain. These include locations in Dalmarnock, Alexandria, Livingston and Edinburgh.

PayPoint’s retailer survey launches

PayPoint has launched its annual survey that provides its retailer partners with the chance to give direct feedback to the company on overall customer experience and satisfaction, as well as suggestions on how to evolve its operations.

Independently conducted by Savanta, the survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and also gives retailers the chance to win one of 30 £100 Love2Shop vouchers for taking part. It is open until 28 June. is

year’s survey also includes new questions, to further gauge and improve the ways PayPoint should proactively engage with retailers in order to support them with their day-to-day operations.

Ben Ford, PayPoint’s Customer Experience Director, said: “Just as it does every year, the launch of our 2024 retailer survey marks PayPoint’s ongoing commitment to acting on the direct feedback and insights garnered from retailer partners throughout the UK.

“While we source and collate feedback from retailer partners on an ongoing basis via our relationship managers, the survey acts as a key moment in time for businesses to tell us what we’re doing well, what they would like to see more of and make a real contribution to the tangible evolution of our business. With this in mind I would strongly encourage all retailers to participate and look forward to reviewing the results once its completed.”

PAYPOINT Retailers get their say

Smoking ban shelved

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s agship bill for a generational smoking ban failed to pass into law before Parliament shut down ahead of the General Election.

In what is known as a “washup,” a number of bills were rushed through Parliament before MPs all lost their seats ahead of the election, including one to quash convictions as a result of the Horizon scandal. However, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill – which would make it illegal for anyone born a er 2008 to buy tobacco products – didn’t make the cut.

“ e smoking ban, of course, disappointed not to be able to get that through at the end of the session given the time available,” Sunak said as Parliament was suspended (Friday 24 May).

RETAIL CRIME Customers urged to be considerate

Sunak’s surprise decision to call a July election doesn’t mean the ban has bit the dust though; the policy is seen a major part of his legacy as Prime Minister and it will likely appear in the Conservative manifesto.

Furthermore, the bill had the full support of the Labour front bench and 160 of the party’s MPs voted for it when the Commons voted overwhelmingly for a ban in April.

#ShopKind Week highlights ongoing impact

of abuse

High street retailers, the Home O ce and industry groups came together to support #ShopKind Week last month, which took place from 6 to 10 May.

e #Shopkind campaign aimed to remind customers about the importance of being considerate to shopworkers and each other. UKwide polling highlights that 31% of customers are more anxious when they shop and 36% of customers have witnessed violence and abuse towards shop worker while shopping.

Figures from the Association of Convenience Stores’ annual Crime Report also show that almost nine

Speaking to LADbible on 23 May, Wes Streeting, Shadow Health Secretary, said: “Labour remains committed to the policy, so that young people today are even less likely to smoke than they are to vote Tory.”

e bill also included a number of measures to tackle underage vaping, with new restrictions on the display of vapes, packaging and avours.

e UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) has been vocal in its criticism of both its steering committee and the bill itself, maintaining that the measures it contains “could have such potentially grave impacts on the health of both smokers and vapers that it requires extremely careful consideration”.

APPOINTMENTS

CJ Lang hires new Finance and Trading Directors

Spar Scotland wholesaler and retailer CJ Lang & Son has made two new appointments to its executive team.

MFG starts revamping Morrisons sites

Motor Fuel Group (MFG) is pumping an initial £40m into upgrading the 337 Morrisons forecourts it bought earlier this year. The makeover aims to bring the sites in line with MFG’s existing network, with a wider selection of food to go and an improved convenience-led retail offer. MFG intends to renovate 15 sites every week until the end of October.

Parcel locker use spreading, says InPost

New research from parcel locker delivery service InPost has found that more than half of UK consumers are now using delivery lockers for online purchases, rising to 71% for Gen Zs and 68% for millennials. Respondents cited convenience (36%), lower costs (19%) and speed (17%) as their top three reasons for using lockers. Security concerns (12%) also ranked highly.

Getir gets out of UK

in 10 colleagues working in local shops have experienced verbal abuse over the last year.

e #ShopKind campaign was backed by the Home O ce and supported by over 100 high street retailers, local retailers and trade union Usdaw.

e British Retail Consortium’s annual Crime Survey shows that there are over 1,300 incidents of violence and abuse every day in the retail sector.

During the week, retailers reminded customers to ShopKind in stores and acknowledge the important role of shopworkers to communities.

Chris Boyle (pictured) has joined the company as Finance Director from United Wholesale Scotland, where he held the same position. He has previously held a variety of finance positions within M&Co and Botterills.

New Trading Director Della Myers joins the business from Costcutter Supermarkets where she was Trading Director for Convenience in Bestway Retail.

Grocery delivery firm Getir has decided to withdraw from the UK, US and Europe as the business looks to focus on its home market in Turkey. The markets Getir is leaving, including the UK, accounted for just 7% of the company’s total revenue. The move, which puts around 1,500 UK jobs at risk, follows a decline in the home delivery market following its rapid expansion during the pandemic.

Early Easter eats into April sales figures

UK Total retail sales decreased by 4.0% year on year in April, against a growth of 5.1% in April 2023, according to the latest BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor. This was below the three-month average growth of 0.5% and the 12-month average growth of 2.2%. The poor figure was due in part by this year’s early Easter pulling sales from April forward into March.

Jisp adds footfall-driving competition to loyalty app

Jisp has launched a new weekly in-app competition that gives shoppers the chance to win up to £50 every Friday. The competition introduces Jisp’s Scan & Win tech into its Scan & Save loyalty app. Each competition runs alongside one of Jisp’s brand partner’s promoted products. All shoppers need to do is to scan that product in a Jisp retailer’s store, with no purchase necessary.

Royal Mail drop-off now live at Collect+ stores

Royal Mail customers can now drop off parcels in c-stores using the Collect+ network. More than 700 locations are now live, with 5,000 planned by summer. Packages can be up to large parcel size using 1st and 2nd class, as well as Tracked 24 and Tracked 48. This applies to both returns and items that someone has paid for the postage for online and either printed a label or generated a QR code.

Nisa’s Heart of the Community returns

Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally charity has launched the eighth round of its Heart of the Community initiative, which will provide funding for back-toschool uniforms and summer activities. A pot of £50,000 is available, with donations of up to £500 each to causes supporting children with back-to-school uniforms and enriching summer experiences like holiday clubs, fetes, and community trips.

Sugro brings rewards scheme to WhatsApp Sugro has expanded its rewards programme, which now rolls out across WhatsApp so it is available to all of the buying group’s members. The programme encourages retailers to earn money off future purchases by completing different tasks, like buying a certain quantity of a product, or taking a photograph to show compliance of in-store display.

Scottish retailers call for action on crime wave

Representatives from across Scottish retail have written a joint letter to the Scottish Government’s Minister for Community Safety, highlighting the devastating impact that the surge in retail crime is having on sta wellbeing and business.

e letter provides four separate reports – published by the Scottish Grocers Federation, Retailers Against Crime and the Co-op – and

is co-signed by representatives from the Scottish Retail Consortium, CJ Lang, River Island and Tesco.

Details include the damaging e ects of threatening abuse and violent behaviour toward sta and the cumulative cost of shop the and vandalism for Scottish business – estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of pounds.

SGF boss Pete Cheema said: “Over the past 18 months, retailers have been forced to contend with a disturbing escalation in both the volume and seriousness of incidents happening in stores, and it is only getting worse.

“People’s lives and their livelihoods are now at risk. at is why we need immediate action from the Scottish Government. ere isn’t a moment to lose.

“ e police and our justice system are hugely overstretched, and many of the o enders and

Celebrating excellence at the Spar Scotland Awards

CJ Lang has launched its 2024 Spar Scotland Awards programme, which aims to recognise and celebrate excellence, innovation and outstanding contributions within Spar in Scotland.

e awards will honour those who demonstrate exceptional performance, innovation, and commitment to excellence across various categories, including:

Q Independent Community Store of the Year

Q Company Owned Community Store of the Year

Q Independent Store of the Year

Q Company Owned Store of the Year

Q Supplier of the Year (multiple categories)

Q A new Future Stars award

Judging will take place over several months across the summer. Winners will be selected by a panel of CJ Lang Area Managers and Executive team members, as well as category sponsors.

e winners will be announced on 26 September as part of the CJ Lang annual tradeshow’s evening celebration.

criminal groups think they can get away with anything they like, without consequence. But no one should be forced to come into work and put up with stock disappearing o shelves, anti-social behaviour and even armed threats or violence.”

Maxine Fraser, Managing Director for Retailers Against Crime, added: “ e impact on the mental health and wellbeing of shop workers is also felt by their families and the wider community. Not to mention the loss of income for businesses, damaging viability and increasing costs for customers.

“We need to see much more from the Scottish Government, more dedicated resources for the police and action taken by our courts, as well as early intervention and education programmes to turn people away from committing these crimes.”

One Stop supports Walk to School Week

One Stop has joined forces with UK charity Living Streets and Andersen Press, publisher of the Elmer books by David McKee, to launch a limited-edition version of Elmer’s Walk. e book is now on sale exclusively in all participating One Stop stores and can be purchased for just £3, with proceeds going to help Living Streets’ work for safer streets for people of all ages.

e launch came during Walk to School Week (20 to 24 May 2024) – organised by the charity, as part of its National Walking Month campaign each May.

CRIME People’s lives are at risk, warns SGF boss

RTD

Watch

Allwyn unveils expanded mystery shopper programme

SLR is working with Red Star Brands and its fast-growing RTD brand Four Loko to provide you with regular updates on the performance of an increasingly important category.

FAST FACTS

RTDs is the fastest-growing category in Beer, Wines and Spirits.

The RTD category across the UK market is in 6.9% value growth, driven entirely by the convenience channel which is in 20.7% value growth.

Conversely, in supermarkets, RTDs are in 1.2% value decline

The convenience channel in Scotland is the key driver, contributing to 45% of the total growth.

Premium-priced RTDs have grown faster than any other segment in the last two years, with an increase in spirit-based offerings and an increase in higher-ABV product launches.

THE TOP FOUR RTD SKUS IN SCOTTISH CONVENIENCE ARE:

Lottery operator Allwyn has launched Operation Guardian – an expanded mystery shopper and knowledge check programme.

Operation Guardian comprises three di erent types of store visits: an Underage Play Mystery Shop, an Excessive Play Mystery Shop, and a new Healthy Play Knowledge Check.

Together, the visits are designed to help support retailers by checking they have the right knowledge, tools and safeguards in place to prevent underage play and minimise excessive play. e rst Operation Guardian visits began last month.

With the inclusion of the new Healthy Play Knowledge Check, Operation Guardian can support stores that may require any improvements to their knowledge about responsible retailing topics related to e National Lottery. ese include the legal age to play of 18; acceptable forms of ID; how and when to refuse a sale; identifying any potential signs of excessive play; o ering support to players; and understanding spend limits.

e visits also provide an opportunity to guide retailers to where they can nd further

information and training tools, such as the new Retailer Training Centre, which has all the responsible retailing information required for store owners and their sta .

Allwyn’s Director of Channel Operations, Alex Green, said: “ e expanded programme dovetails nicely with the new Retailer Training Centre that we launched earlier in the year, which features all the necessary training and information for retailers to view and complete so that they are fully prepared for Operation Guardian visits.”

If retailers have any questions about Operation Guardian, they can ask their sales representative during their next visit.

Strong support for DRS, survey finds

Despite numerous delays, especially in Scotland, a new poll has revealed strong public support for the introduction of deposit return schemes (DRS) across the UK.

e poll, conducted on behalf of reverse vending machine manufacturer Tomra, found that 75% of those surveyed across the UK backed the launch of DRS.

e survey also revealed that nine in 10 would use a DRS to return empty beverage containers, while 60% believe a single DRS running across the UK would be most e ective.

More than eight out of 10 people (85%) said litter is a problem in their area.

Furthermore, two-thirds (66%) are worried about the impact of climate change and

81% have made changes to their lifestyle to help tackle it.

DRS will roll out across the UK from October 2027, with separate schemes in each of the four home nations. e UK government and the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have agreed to align on the key elements of DRS.

John Lee, Vice President Public A airs UK and Ireland, Tomra, said: “Public opinion and environmental concerns strongly support the deposit return scheme, signaling a widespread demand for action. As we face issues like litter, climate change, and sustainability, it’s obvious that we need signi cant changes now. By working together, we can transform numbers into real solutions and create enduring change.”

DRS Three-quarters of people back scheme, says Tomra

Scottish Grocers’ Federation

Convenience Matters with the SGF

Scotland’s new First Minister, John Swinney, has outlined his plans for the Scottish economy. Meanwhile, the Scottish Government closed its consultation setting out plans to restrict the promotion of food & drink High in Fat, Sugar & Salt (HFSS).

Mr Swinney linked raising people out of poverty with having a “strong, successful, innovative and dynamic economy”. SGF agrees.

Convenience stores provide lifeline services for their communities. They provide vital local employment and boost their local economy. Supporting our hardworking local businesses isn’t an optional extra if the First Minister wants to improve life for Scottish people. It’s critical.

SGF has long argued that too many restrictions and the growing burden of overregulation will inevitably undermine the potential of small business. Ultimately doing more harm than good, as stores and services become less viable, and costs go up.

Over the past 18 months, SGF has valued engagement with officials on potential HFSS restrictions. However, if the restrictions are implemented in full, we will see 60% of c-stores prevented from offering value deals, such as TPRs and Meal Deals, and roughly a quarter (over 2,000sq ft) will have to make significant changes to instore layout.

That is why SGF called on the Scottish Government to protect our sector, and support our small local businesses, by raising all exemptions to stores below 3,000sq ft.

So, needless to say, the First Minister’s views on the economy must now lead to a meaningful change of approach, and a more productive environment for business than we have seen in recent years.

HFSS regs: improving health or hurting retailers?

The Scottish Government’s latest consultation on restricting ‘junk food’ promotions in stores closed last month, with a number of its proposals causing concern for local retailers.

Scotland’s latest consultation on restricting promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) closed on 21 May.

is is the fourth time the Scottish Government has consulted on restricting promotions since 2017 as part of its ambition to reduce obesity rates.

e latest proposals broadly follow regulations that have been introduced in England, but with additional restrictions mooted.

ese include:

Q Temporary price reductions (for example 10% o a product for a de ned period of time);

Q Free standing displays and islands in store that feature HFSS products;

Q Meal deal restrictions in some form, either those that contain one or more HFSS products, or discretionary foods.

ere are exemptions for retailers with fewer than 50 sta but, under the proposals, stores trading under a common fascia would be considered to be part of the one entity. is de nition of a small business, which the ACS branded “illogical,” adversely a ects the 30% of Scotland’s 5,000 or so convenience stores that are members of a symbol group.

is policy is already in place south of the border; the Scottish Government said it was “mindful of the overarching call from industry for alignment with the regulations for England” – despite its plans to go beyond the scope of English legislation.

ere are also location exemptions for stores smaller than

2,000sq , but SGF wants that size increased. Chief Executive, Pete Cheema, said: “Many of our members are facing a range of higher costs, including increased energy prices and in ation, alongside a rising tide of new regulation.

“Placing an additional burden on struggling stores at this time will mean that customers inevitably must pay more for their shopping, and businesses are less viable overall. For that reason, we strongly believe that the exemption for location restrictions should be increased to 3,000sq .” e cost of adapting to comply with the regulations has been estimated to be in the region of £13,000 per store.

ACS called on the Scottish Government to save consumers and small businesses from additional costs. Chief Executive James Lowman said: “ e Scottish Government are still having trouble understanding how symbol groups work, despite several attempts by us and others to clarify the simple fact that symbol group stores are

run by independent retailers. eir inclusion in the regulations will serve only to add thousands of pounds of cost for small businesses that are already dealing with the e ects of a cost-of-trading crisis.

“ ere are some areas where the Scottish Government is taking a di erent approach to England, notably by outlawing price reductions on single products, in addition to the multi-buy restrictions due to be introduced in England. Going further than England will not make a di erence to public health, but it will punish Scottish consumers looking to keep their shopping bills low.”

In its submission to the consultation, ACS also highlighted the imperative for clear and comprehensive guidance to be produced for retailers, especially if the rules are going to deviate from those introduced in England. It said: “HFSS regulations represent some of the most complicated changes to store procedures in recent memory, requiring signi cant additional resource for retailers to be able to comply with the rules.”

’MON THE SCOTLAND!

As a man now well into his 50s, I’m old enough to remember the days when Scotland qualified for every football tournament going. As a boy growing up, it was just what happened. You never gave it a second thought. Mind you, that was back in the days when Scotland managers had a wealth of unbelievable talent to call upon. Changed days, these days.

So it’s a fine sight to see Steve Clark’s boys in blue back on the big stage and hopefully uniting the country around the one thing we can all agree on: let’s hope Scotland don’t get pumped every game.

Win, lose or draw however, there’s nothing surer than the fact that the Scottish nation will grind to a halt on Friday 14 June as we gather around our tellies to watch Scotland open the tournament against hosts Germany. Let’s be honest, our chances don’t look great – but if you’re going to have to face Germany, you might as well do it on the opening match with millions watching and the weight of expectation on German shoulders. We could catch them cold and sneak a draw. Stranger things have happened. Or, of course, we could get pumped.

Anyway, what happens on the pitch will be what it will be, but what happens off the pitch is an opportunity of epic proportions for retailers to go to town and drive an almighty sales spike that week as Scotland cram three games into just 10 days. Sales could rocket in pretty much every category as the 50% of the Scottish population that isn’t in Germany bites its fingernails to the quick as they watch the matches from behind the sofa.

And if it’s all over inside a week, there’s still plenty of eye-catching matches to drive those Big Night In sales, as well as the inevitable interest around England matches.

This could be a month to remember in so many ways and could serve as the ideal launch platform for a spectacular summer for our sector.

ANTONY BEGLEY, PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

EDITORIAL

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Antony Begley abegley@55north.com

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©55NorthLtd.2024 ISSN1740-2409.

BORN tO miX

CANS

FEVER PITCH!

Scotland’s success in reaching the Euro Finals 24 in Germany this month is as welcome as it is rare and it brings with it an endless series of opportunities for retailers to maximise footfall and sales.

BY ANTONY BEGLEY

take their place alongside the elite of European football. Taking place between 14 June and 14 July in Germany, it almost literally o ers daily opportunities for retailers to grow sales in virtually every category.

I’m old enough to remember the days when Scotland routinely quali ed for every Euros and World Cup Finals without much fuss, but those days are long gone. Fortunately, Steve Clark has been managing to get a tune out of the national team over the last few years and it’s fantastic to see Scotland back competing at the top table.

To add a little extra tartan spice, we’ll be helping to kick the whole tournament o by facing hosts Germany in the opening match on Friday 14 June. Our chances of success on the pitch may be modest, but our chances of scoring o the pitch in stores across Scotland are enormous.

Of course, about half the population of Scotland will probably be over in Germany giving it plenty, but that leaves the other half here – and you can be sure they’ll be stocking up for a Big Night In the likes of which you’ve never seen before.

With a guaranteed minimum of three Scotland games in the tournament, there will be three epic opportunities for retailers to cash in. And who knows, if the miracle does happen and we make it through to the latter stages, the frenzy will reach fever pitch.

TOne word of mild warning: the middle game against Switzerland takes place on the night of the SLR Awards. Bad planning on UEFA’s part, if you ask me, but we’ll make the best of it and ensure that Awards attendees are kept up to date on the night.

his summer has the makings of a belter for retailers across Scotland, particularly if the sun manages to make an occasional appearance, but what is most likely to drive footfall and sales is a packed calendar of amazing sport. From the Champions League Final to the Olympics, there’s a back-to-back calendar of top-class sport to drive shoppers to your door more o en.

that will have fans gathered around the telly with a table full of beer, cider, wine, snacks, so drinks

top-class sport to drive shoppers to your door e

e undoubted key opportunity, however, is the Euro Finals 24 with Scotland lining up to

plus there’s a host of mouth-watering top-notch Germany, Spain and Netherlands.

And while the three Scotland matches are guaranteed bangers in terms of sales opportunities, there are plenty of other games that will have fans gathered around the telly with a table full of beer, cider, wine, snacks, so drinks and more. Every England game, for example, is likely to be popular with Scotland fans, though possibly not for the most admirable of reasons, plus there’s a host of mouth-watering top-notch clashes featuring star teams like France, Italy, Germany, Spain and Netherlands.

e e ects of the cost-of-living crisis may be

e e ects of the cost-of-living crisis may be on the wane but they’re clearly still being felt by many customers. at may play into retailers’ hands with many choosing to watch the matches

EURO FINALS 24: KEY

MATCHES

at home with family and friends, rather than venturing out to the pub.

Indeed, the monthly Barclaycard Consumer Spending Report for April, which combines hundreds of millions of customer transactions with consumer research, shows that almost half (49%) of shoppers are concerned about how much money they spend on food and drink. ey are managing that challenge by reducing discretionary spending, with more than half of respondents (54%) saying they were cutting back on visits to pubs and restaurants.

Whether they will be tempted to sling the domestic budget out the window for the Euro Finals remains to be seen but it looks certain that it will be game on for retailers when that whistle blows on 14 June.

READY-TO-DELIVER

ere’s little doubt that alcohol will feature prominently and near the top of the shopping list of customers getting ready for the big games and that will mean ensuring that your beers, wines and spirits range is on point and your availability is secure.

Let’s just assume that you’ve already got your big brand options in place, and consider some other options that you may have overlooked when it comes to building a range that will drive some additional spend.

Adding some fresh excitement to your range in addition to the beer and cider favoured by traditional football fans could help encourage a wider demographic of customers to join the preand post-match shenanigans.

RTDs is de nitely an opportunity that deserves a closer look and could help bring a wider audience to the Euros party.

Amy Burgess, Senior Trade Communications Manager at Coca-Cola Europaci c Partners (CCEP), says: “With Uefa Euro 2024 almost upon us, there will be plenty of people gathering together to watch the big games at home. For retailers, that means more opportunities to generate sales.

“Alcoholic ready-to-drinks (ARTDs) o er a convenient solution for those seeking a hasslefree drink that guarantees a perfect serve every time. Our Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola RTD is a fan favourite, generating nearly £27m worth of sales since launch back in March 2023 [Nielsen, Dec 2023], and is a must stock for retailers.

OPENING MATCH

FRIDAY 14TH JUNE GERMANY V SCOTLAND – 8PM

SUNDAY 16TH JUNE SERBIA V ENGLAND – 8PM

WEDNESDAY 19TH JUNE SCOTLAND V SWITZERLAND – 8PM

THURSDAY 20TH JUNE DENMARK V ENGLAND – 5PM

SUNDAY 23RD JUNE SCOTLAND V HUNGARY – 8PM

TUESDAY 25TH JUNE ENGLAND V SLOVENIA – 8PM

ROUND OF 16 MATCHES

SATURDAY 29TH JUNE 5PM AND 8PM

SUNDAY 30TH JUNE 5PM AND 8PM

MONDAY 1ST JULY 5PM AND 8PM

TUESDAY 2ND JULY 5PM AND 8PM

QUARTER FINALS

FRIDAY 5TH JULY 5PM AND 8PM

SATURDAY 6TH JULY 5PM AND 8PM

SEMI FINALS

TUESDAY 9TH JULY 8PM

WEDNESDAY 10TH JULY 8PM

FINAL

SUNDAY 14TH JULY 8PM Euro Finals 24 Germany 14th June –14th July

“We have recently updated the packaging design for Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, to clearly set it apart from the Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola Original Taste variant and tap into the opportunity for zero sugar options.

e full range features nine di erent avours with an 8.4% ABV (440ml cans), including the recently launched dark Berry Burst variant.

England that day with a controversial scrappy 90th minute goal from Scott McTominay to claim the trophy. A man can dream.

“We have also added to our ARTD

To continue that momentum, Red Star Brands has just announced a £1.5m investment in trade and consumer activation for the Four

Meanwhile, back on planet earth, Caldwell adds: “Four Loko found its home at music festivals so we are very excited to announce that the brand is a key sponsor at three of the biggest UK music festivals. As we defy convention with our products, we are always looking to create unforgettable experiences and drive trial to our consumer base.

“Convenience stores continue to drive the growth of the RTD category in the UK, which is why it is important for us to reward our partner retailers that go the extra mile.”

e £1.5m investment aims to drive visibility with activations, disruptive POS, category signage in the o -trade arena, social media, digital executions online, and campaign-led in uencer programmes across the summer.

BRING THE SUNSHINE

With Magnum Tonic Wine proving a surprise hit in the local retailing channel, it might be an opportune moment to consider bringing some more tropical sunshine to the Euros party for your customers by trying some innovative lines from Wha Gwan.

Launched in 2021, the Caribbean-inspired Rum Tonic RTD range was created by David Mills who drew on his Jamaican roots to develop a range that he says is “packed full of tropical avour and soul” and will disrupt the drinks market.

And if you’re wondering, ‘Wha Gwan’ means ‘what’s going on?’ in Jamaican patois, a widely used terminology that Mills believes helps build bonds between people.

Wha Gwan says its bold, unique character and tropical avours like Melon Cherry and Pineapple & Coconut makes these drinks perfect for adding a tropical twist to a party or a Big Night In.

WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN CHANCE

Wha Gwan’s signature drink is the 17.2% Wha Gwan Melon Cherry Rum Tonic but the range has been expanded in the last couple of years and now includes new options like Pineapple & Coconut Rum Tonic, Wha Gwan Bomb, Melon Cherry Shoot It and Pineapple & Coconut Shoot It. Full of Caribbean avour and energy, the range fuses the two to create drinks that “people can party with”. And, as we know, Scots love to party – win, lose or draw.

e signature original Melon Cherry Rum Tonic (RSP £3.99) is a blend of melon cherry and rum, “loaded with vitamins”, and available in a 200ml bottle. e similarly priced Pineapple & Coconut Rum Tonic is a mix of pineapple, coconut and rum, which makes it the perfect base for many cocktails as well as great on its own.

e Wha Gwan Bomb (RSP £3) is a twist on the original Melon Cherry Rum Tonic, mixed with Rum Clxxt, delivering all the same taste but at a more sessionable 8% ABV. It’s best served chilled from the fridge as a refreshing cooler.

Meanwhile, the Wha Gwan Shoot It minirange (£13.99) features two variants of rumbased tonic shooters that pack a punch at 21% ABV. Available in Melon Cherry or Pineapple & Coconut avours, they’re ideal straight or as a base for cocktails or mixed with fresh fruit juices over ice.

More recently, the brand has launched a plantbased Wha Gwan No Moo Rum Cream, also available in 200ml bottles with an ABV of 17%.

e new addition sits in a trio of bottles with the Melon Cherry Rum Tonic and the Pineapple Coconut Rum Tonic, each one having a di erent colour lid to signify the red, yellow and green in the Wha Gwan branding.

e dairy-free variant o ers a new way to appeal to a growing audience and combines creamy textures with the taste and punch of rum.

Founder David Mills, says: “Embarking on this journey with No Moo Rum Cream, we’ve blended innovation with island heritage, creating a product that’s truly exciting to

consumers. Our green cap is the third and nal product completing the Wha Gwan colour of the Red, Yellow and Green inline with our brand label design and signifying its plant-based credentials.”

Finally, Wha Gwan has launched another innovative new line. Glidin is a Glera sparkling wine infused with its original Melon & Cherry Rum Tonic. e new 8% ABV addition carries an RSP of £2.99 to £3.99 and comes in 330ml bottles, making it an exciting new RTD option for customers.

Mills concludes: “We’ve been working on Glidin for over a year, so we’re extremely excited for the market to get their hands on it and see something a bit di erent from Wha Gwan. We decided to think outside of the box with the aim of making something special which is how we came about bottling Glidin in a bottle that is usually associated with beer.

“We understand that times are hard in the market overall throughout the country, and as a brand we are doing our best in providing the market with a di erent angle and exciting products to entice customers into independent retail stores.”

THINK BIG

And while innovative new products can help generate a buzz around the Euros, there’s de nitely role to play for the big brand RTDs that customers trust and are familiar with.

Lauren Priestley, Head of Category Development O Trade at Diageo GB, says: “RTDs continue to present a unique opportunity for retailers. Not only do RTDs provide a convenient option, but they o er consumers high-quality mixed drinks. To make the most of the opportunity the category presents, we suggest stocking RTDs from well-known brands, such as Pimm’s and Lemonade RTD (5.4% ABV), Smirno Mango & Passionfruit Twist premix RTD (4.5% ABV), Gordon’s Premium Pink Gin and Lemonade (5% ABV) and Captain Morgan Strawberry Daiquiri (5% ABV).

“More and more brands are also launching their own mixed, premix and cocktail RTDs which is great to see. We know that the cocktailat-home trend is still of interest to consumers, with premium cocktails accelerating the growth by 82%. For the less experienced athome bartender who wants to enjoy a highquality serve, creating bar-quality serves can be challenging. In response to this, Diageo has launched a ra of new RTD innovations, including recently launched Cîroc Passion and Cîroc Summer Citrus RTDs, as well as e Cocktail Collection, a trio of bottled premium cocktails.

“Serves available within e Cocktail Collection include Johnnie Walker Old Fashioned cocktail (17.5% ABV), Tanqueray Negroni cocktail (15% ABV), and Cîroc Cosmopolitan cocktail (17.5% ABV) and are designed to be poured straight from the bottle or can to make premium spirits even more accessible. ese RTD premium cocktails lend themselves perfectly to sharing, hosting and social occasions with each bottle containing ve serves.”

With Scotland hitting the spotlight this month, home-grown brands are also likely to be popular with customers.

James Middleton, National Account Director at Loch Lomond Group, comments: “As Scotland’s national football team head to the Euros, the tone is set for retailers in terms of customer demand, and it’s important that o -trade makes the most of this immense opportunity to maximise sales.

“We expect to see an increase in appetite for accessible, quality drinks at a ordable prices to bring along to match-day events and viewing parties, or even to enjoy while watching from the comfort of their own home so RTD options will very much be on the menu and brands which align themselves with sport will draw most appeal.”

Loch Lomond’s Glen’s Vodka brand has forged fresh relevance with both loyal consumers and those new to the brand over recent years with a series of impactful partnerships – like that with

the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) – which put Glen’s ‘front of mind’ in terms of category purchasing decisions.

“To make the most of this summer, and (with a bit of luck) the good weather, we would encourage retailers to o er consumers a variety of chilled, premixed RTD products like Glen’s Vodka with Pink Lemonade and Glen’s Vodka with Cola,” advises Middleton.

“ ese simple, refreshing serves o er consumers bar-quality long drinks at an a ordable price, making them the ideal choice for sport fans this summer.

“Selling RTD cans in single pack format at a competitive price point gives customers choice, catering to di erent needs and tastes. Our RTDs are a great example of this – o ering customers the chance to try without committing to a multipack purchase,

and then allowing them to come back to select the avour best suited to them.”

GRAPE IDEA

Another way to broaden the appeal of the Euros to a wider audience of Big Night In participants is through RTD wine options.

Tom Smith, Marketing Director – Europe, at Accolade Wines says: “ is February, Echo Falls, the UK’s number one avoured wine brand, launched a fresh, fruity avour – Watermelon and Kiwi Fruit Fusion.

“With a 9% ABV, the new launch will appeal to a young consumer demographic as it taps into a demand for RTD cocktails and sweet ciders in a bid to lure existing consumers of these popular products towards fruit wines.”

At any rate, the next month or so will be a rollercoaster of emotion for fans but one thing is for sure: there’ll be parties galore across Scotland and that’s a huge opportunity for retailers to leverage the massive and increasing appeal of the latest wave of RTD options available.

Nakd targets fitness fans

Snack bar brand nakd has launched a new on-pack promotion that gives shoppers the chance to win ClassPass memberships, providing access to thousands of studios, gyms, salons and spas. Running across 13 of nakd’s bestselling multipacks until the end of July, every pack purchased gives shoppers free trials at more than 2,500 locations across the UK, as well as the chance to win prizes.

Sneak into summer

Sneak Energy, distributed exclusively by World of Sweets, has launched a new summer marketing campaign. Sky TV will air the energy brand’s first-ever ad and the campaign also includes out-of-home and sampling activities. The £500,000 campaign is expected to reach more than six million consumers. Sneak Energy contains natural caffeine, zero sugar, taurine, ginseng, choline, carnitine and added B vitamins. It comes in 500ml cans in four flavours.

A night at the museum

Kids fruit snacking brand Bear has teamed up with the Natural History Museum for an on-pack promotion across its bestselling Bear yoyos multipacks. Live until July, the promo gives children aged from seven to 11 and their carers the chance to sleep over at the museum for a night of exploration and adventure. Other prizes include Natural History Museum merchandise and a private museum highlights tour.

Hard-hitting campaign

Purity Soft Drinks, owner of fruit juice and juice drink brands Juice Burst and firefly, has launched Juice Burst’s biggest ever marketing campaign –Punchy To The Core – that showcases the brand’s bestselling Juice Burst Apple variant. Live this month, the six-figure campaign is set to reach over 30 million UK adults. It includes social and digital activities, nationwide sampling, and out-of-home advertising.

Product News

Supercharged sales initiative returns

Coca-Cola Europaci c Partners (CCEP) and the Monster Energy Co. have relaunched their SalesSupercharged.co.uk convenience retailer support initiative for a fourth year.

e initiative aims to help local retailers make the most of the ever-growing energy drinks sales opportunity – and there’s also the chance to win a motorsport driving experience.

SNACKS

e platform will continue to provide the low-down on the latest trends and details on key

segments within energy drinks. ere will also be tips and advice around ranging and execution instore from a selection of leading independent convenience retailers, including SLR Award-winning Natalie Lightfoot of Londis Solo Convenience in Baillieston.

Retailers who visit the site before 31 July can also enter a free prize draw to win two vouchers for a motorsport driving experience –getting behind the wheel of eight high-performance cars, with live timing, scoring and prizes.

KP launches cricket promo

KP Snacks has launched a new on-pack promotion as part of its continuing partnership with The Hundred, a 100-ball cricket competition. Running until mid-August, the promotion gives shoppers the chance to win a grand prize of £10,000 or one of over a hundred £100 cash prizes. Eight New Balance cricket sets and two £65 vouchers for The Hundred shop will also be won each day.

Following last year’s ‘Yes to Fresh’ campaign, Mentos has kicked o a further 10 months of promotional activity.

e £2.5m campaign includes PR, out of home, VOD, social media, in uencer activity and POS.

A partnership with the Kiss radio station will see Mentos sponsor the Kiss Fresh and the Kiss Hype Chart programmes, along with ‘Corner Shop Drop,’ a new ve-part series where up-and-coming artists explore their local convenience stores.

Müller unveils new planograms

Müller has created a new selection of shelf guides for retailers, available from its makepotsofprofit.co.uk website.

This follows Müller research that uncovered an annual £20m opportunity by ensuring all c-stores that sell RTD milk drinks also sell on-the-go milkshakes.

The initiative is supported with a website, trade advertising, trade PR, store drops, competitions, giveaways, and more.

MILK DRINKS

SPORTS & ENERGY Monster’s retailer support platform is back with the chance to win a driving experience

Cadbury kicks off latest football promotion

Cadbury FC is back with Home & Away Wins, a brand-new on-pack promotion where shoppers can win a host of football-themed prizes.

Consumers have the chance of winning an in-person or virtual meet-and-greet with football stars Virgil van Dijk, Leah Williamson, Harry Kane or Neymar Jr, as well as a £5,000 holiday voucher. Other prizes include signed shirts, personalised player videos and shopping vouchers.

Home & Away Wins is supported in store with POS materials and

also through online, radio and out-of-home advertising, as well as social media activity.

e promotion is live from now until 19 July across participating Cadbury and Maynard Bassetts products.

Chris Parker, Brand Manager for Cadbury at Mondelez, commented: “Retailers should make sure they’re stocked up on the full range of promotional Cadbury and Maynards Bassetts packs to get shoppers engaged in this incredible competition.”

SOFT DRINKS CCEP brand recruits reality TV star

GROCERY

Del Monte serves up latest brand ambassador

Del Monte has named up-and-coming tennis star Jodie Burrage as its new brand ambassador. The current British women’s number three will wear Del Monte’s logo on her tennis kit throughout the upcoming season. She will also take part in promotional activity for the brand, including national press advertising, national consumer media interviews, social media activity and more.

Costa Coffee RTD unveils festival promo

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners has launched a new summer on-pack promotion across its Costa Coffee RTD chilled coffee range. The promotion gives consumers the chance to win tickets to some of the UK’s biggest music festivals. More than 2,000 other prizes also up for grabs, including online retailer vouchers, ridesharing vouchers and e-vouchers to spend at Costa.

Players on packs

As part of its continued partnership with the UEFA Champions league, PepsiCo has unveiled new limited-edition packs across its Walkers core range. The packs feature former footballers David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Lionel Messi and Gary Lineker, as well as current England women’s captain Leah Williamson. Even better, the packs give consumers the chance to win £500 every 90 minutes until 14 July.

Freeze those Frubes

New look, new taste, new face for

Fanta Orange Zero

Coca-Cola Europaci c Partners (CCEP) has unveiled a new and improved taste for Fanta Orange Zero, and a bolder pack design across the wider Fanta range.

between regular and zero sugar variants and bolder colours, and is intended to

A new packaging design for all Fanta avours features clearer di erentiation between regular and zero sugar variants and bolder colours, and is intended to deliver maximum stand-out on shelf. New-look 500ml rPET bottles of Fanta and Fanta Zero also more clearly highlight that the bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic and can be recycled again.

e new taste and design will be supported by sampling activity, out-of-home and social media advertising, and in uencer activity.

Fanta Orange Zero has recruited Made In Chelsea star Jamie Laing to the role of ‘Chief Flavour O cer,’ to help indecisive shoppers faced with a host of drink options make the right choice.

Children’s yogurt brand, Frubes, has brought back its Freeze ‘Em campaign, which encourages consumers to try freezing the product. Sales of Frubes went up by a third during last year’s campaign, and Yoplait has now invested a six-figure sum in a host of new marketing activities including traditional and social media, sampling, PR and an online game. An influencer campaign will further raise the brand’s profile.

Alpen

seeks to grow sales

Alpen has launched an on-pack competition that will see one shopper bag a £25,000 garden makeover as part of a new deal with BBC Gardener’s World. The £300,000 campaign with the UK’s biggest gardening brand is expected to increase visibility of Alpen to 7.3 million adults among its key demographic.

Two new from Rekorderlig

Rekorderlig has added new Peach Raspberry and Blackberry Blackcurrant variants to its flavoured cider range. Both roll out at ABV 3.4% and are available in 500ml bottles. Peach Raspberry also comes in 10 x 330ml can packs. The launch is supported by a six-figure media campaign across major media channels and comes with CGA data finding that spirits and cocktail drinkers are increasingly turning to fruit ciders.

VK launches first noalcohol variant

RTD brand VK has launched VK Blue 0.0%, which has the same flavour profile of VK Blue, but with no alcohol. It does, however, offer an added caffeine boost of 32mg per 100ml, more than double the 14mg per 100ml found in the brand’s alcoholic variants. The launch follows research among university students that found 49% of them now consume less alcohol compared to the previous year.

A taste of adventure

Westons Cider has launched its biggest-ever on-pack promotion across its bestselling Henry Westons range. Running until the end of August, the ‘Taste of Adventure’ promotion gives shoppers the chance to win a trip to their dream holiday destination or one of 300 other prizes. The competition is supported by outof-home retailer screens as well as multiple in-store activities, including bespoke branded shippers.

Paint your own pint

Molson Coors is challenging fans of its Spanish-inspired lager Madrí Excepcional to paint their own pint on the brand’s digital platform, Conectada, for a chance to win exclusive Madrí Excepcional merchandise and a trip to Madrid. The ‘Paint your Pint’ campaign marks the launch of a new limited-edition glass that is available until September in promotional packs from selected retailers.

RTDs New campaign to support CCEP and Pernod Ricard’s premixed cans

Absolut & Sprite plan for the unplanned

Coca-Cola Europaci c Partners Great Britain (CCEP) has launched ‘Planned for the Unplanned,’ a new summer marketing campaign to publicise its Absolut Vodka & Sprite RTD.

Running now until August, the digitally-led campaign includes PR, social media and in uencer activities, and is expected to reach 70% of the brand’s target audience of 18–34-year-olds.

Convenience retailers can request Absolut Vodka & Sprite POS and digital assets from My.CCEP.com, including chiller shelf trays and clip strips.

To further support the campaign, Absolut Vodka and Sprite is an o cial bar partner at Brighton Pride this August, alongside Jack Daniel’s & Coca Cola and Jack Daniel’s & Coca Cola Zero Sugar.

Elaine Maher, Associate Director, Alcohol Ready-toDrink at CCEP GB, said: “Seventy per cent of alcohol ready-to drink options are consumed within two hours of purchase – so we’re con dent that by tapping

BEER Shoppers – and retailers – can win a £5k holiday with Fosters

Heineken has launched a new on-pack promotion for Foster’s, giving consumers the chance to win one of 10 holiday vouchers worth £5,000 in a partnership with online travel and leisure retailer, Lastminute.com.

The promotion, live until the end of August, runs across limited-edition holidaythemed 10 x 440ml, 12 x 440ml and 18 x 440ml multipacks of Foster’s core range. Entry is via an on-pack QR code and everyone who enters the prize draw will also receive a £50 Lastminute.com holiday voucher.

Furthermore, one lucky convenience retailer will also win a £5,000 Lastminute. com voucher. To enter, retailers need to buy any one participating multipack, take a picture of their receipt and send it to HeinekenOffTrade@fsc.uk.com by 5pm on 30 August 2024. In the email, retailers must also state their full name, store name, store address and phone number.

into the idea of ‘unplanned moments’ will resonate with shoppers, as we deliver a bar-quality serve in a convenient format.”

Kiefer Sutherland launches whisky

actor, musician and whisky enthusiast Kiefer

has launched a new Canadian

Red Bank (ABV 40%) is a balance of rye, corn and wheat whiskies that offers notes of oak spice, orchard fruit, allspice and caramel.

The whisky won a Gold Medal at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

It is available from UK distributor Mangrove Global in 70cl bottles with an RSP of £49.

Kiefer Sutherland commented: “One of the things that I’ve admired about Canada is its great diversity not just in its landscapes and culture, but it’s people as well. I am proud to have Red Bank represent all that is authentically Canadian, and I am absolutely thrilled to bring it to the UK with the help of Mangrove Global.”

WHISKY

Canadian

Sutherland

whisky in the UK.

Four Loko sponsors TRNSMT

Four Loko, one of Scotland’s most popular RTD brands, has been named as sponsor of this year’s TRNSMT music festival.

e event takes place in Glasgow from 12 to 14 July and Four Loko will also sponsor Manchester’s Parklife (8 to 9 June) as well as Leeds Festival (21 to 25 August).

Four Loko is available in nine avours with an 8.4% ABV in 440ml cans. e full range will be showcased across the festivals, in bars and VIP areas.

e brand plans to create “unapologetically fun and unforgettable experiences” within its Four Loko stage at the events,

with top DJs, chilled cans and house party vibes.

To support the sponsorship, a series of three-day bursts on socials will give music lovers the chance to win festival tickets. is will be followed by an in-store ‘Scan to Win’ competition.

e social campaign will be further supported by Four Loko POS, digital assets and muststock Four Loko avours in top convenience stores located in the region of the festivals in the six weeks prior to each festival date.

e sponsorship deals form part of a £1.5m investment to drive core and category visibility in 2024

CIDER Family-owned brand unveils summer-long campaign

Thatchers

and Aardman team up for new ad

atchers Cider is back on screens with a new footballthemed stop motion animated advert that comes ahead of the Euro 2024 tournament.

e ad is the latest in a series produced for the brand by the Oscar-winning team behind Wallace and Gromit, Aardman. It sees atchers’ Head Cider Maker, Richard Johnson, reacting to a ripe apple falling from a tree, requiring keepyuppy skills to match his cider making prowess.

e commercial is part of a multi-media campaign including TV, video on demand, cinema and YouTube. is will be enhanced by outdoor advertising and a consumerfocused social media campaign running across the summer.

Fourth-generation cider maker Martin atcher also stars in the ad. He commented: “Down on the family farm we’ve been making cider with nothing but love for four generations and 120 years. It’s our dedicated attention to detail that delivers the perfect pint.”

with activations, disruptive POS, category signage in the o -trade, social media, digital executions, and campaign-led in uencer programmes across the summer.

RTDs

Gwan from strength to strength

Despite only launching three years ago, the Wha Gwan range of Caribbeaninspired drinks is gaining a substantial foothold in the off-trade.

The brand launched with its signature original Melon Cherry Rum Tonic (17.2% ABV), a blend of melon cherry and rum loaded with vitamins that comes in 200ml bottles (RSP £3.99). A Pineapple & Coconut Rum variant is also available.

This was followed by 330ml cans of Wha Gwan Bomb (RSP £3), an 8% ABV twist on Melon Cherry Rum Tonic mixed with the brand’s Rum Clxxt energy drink, and Wha Gwan Shoot It (RSP £13.99), 50cl rumbased tonic shooters.

The range, which a Wha Gwan spokesperson said was “absolutely flying” in Scotland, was further extended with tdairy-free No Moo Rum Cream (17% ABV, 200ml bottles and Glidin (8% ABV).

Roll out the barrel

Heineken UK has launched its first consumer marketing campaign for Sevillian lager brand Cruzcampo. Running until July, the £10m campaign appears across TV, video on demand, out of home, radio, digital audio and social media, alongside influencer activity. It revolves around a delivery man who delivers a Cruzcampo keg across Seville and into a pub’s cellar by rolling it with his feet.

Bottlegreen and Edwards

1902 unveil new RTD

Soft drinks brand Bottlegreen has teamed up potato vodka maker Edwards 1902 to launch a new range of vodka spritz cans. The new RTDs are available in 250ml cans (ABV 5%) in three variants – Elderflower, Raspberry, and Lime & Mint – all of which contain fewer than 150 calories. The launch is supported with social, influencer and sampling activities that extend throughout the summer.

Bigger cans, bolder brand Edinburgh microbrewery Cold Town Beer has given its range of craft beers a brand refresh to make the cans bigger and bolder. The new design aims to tell drinkers the story of the brand, and gives details of the brewery’s mission and history, including the brand name origins from Carlton or ‘Cauld Toon’ in Edinburgh where the Đrst lager in Britain was brewed in 1835. The microbrewery has also bumped up can sizes from 330ml to 440ml.

Gary Barlow tops celebrity booze brand list

A new analysis of web search data by digital marketers Upbeat Agency has revealed the most indemand celebrity alcohol brands. Gary Barlow Wines was found to be the most sought-after British celebrity alcohol brand, with 3,010 monthly searches. David Beckham’s Haig Club Whisky was second in the rankings with Virgin Wines (Richard Branson) in third place.

IT’S NEARLY TIME FOR THE SLR AWARDS 2024!

It’s a matter of days until the SLR Awards 2024 take place on 19 June and the stars of the local retailing sector in Scotland are recognised again for their outstanding achievements.

It’s almost that time of year again – and this time it’s extra special – as the SLR Awards return to their natural home in June a er the disruptions of the pandemic.

Wednesday 19 June will see hundreds of retailers gather to celebrate some of the best that this industry has to o er and, as luck would have it, keep one eye or their phones as Scotland takes on Switzerland in their second match of the Euro Finals 24 in Germany!

SLR Publisher Antony Begley jokes: “ at’s bad planning but you can blame UEFA! But seriously, the Scotland game only adds a little extra spice to the evening, and we’ll make sure that everyone in attendance is kept fully up to date on the match as the evening progresses.

“And you never know, Scotland might sneak a draw or even a victory and that would certainly help add some extra sparkle to an already very special evening.” e judging process is now complete, over 3,000 miles have been covered, hundreds of photos have been taken and hours of video have been shot.

Begley adds: “Last year was a milestone year for the awards. I can honestly say that I had never seen so much investment

in the sector in a single year – and remember that we’ve been doing these awards for more than two decades. But I would actually have to say that, if anything, this year’s standards were possibly even higher.

“ e standards the judges witnessed were simply fantastic. It bodes very well for the future of this amazing industry and it’s welcome news for the millions of people in communities across Scotland who rely on their local retailer.

“I would urge everyone to come along on the evening and catch a glimpse of the progress this sector continues to make and to join us in raising a glass to the men and women who make local retailing in Scotland such a very special sector.

WIN THE WEEKEND

Once again we’re helping retailers take some well-earned time off away from their stores

Last year, SBF GB&I launched Win The Weekend, a competition designed to help reward retailers with a precious commodity that can be hard to come by: time off.

The first Win The Weekend competition saw SBF GB&I help Lincolnshire retailers Tracy Raybould and Michael Saunders take two well-earned days off, presenting them with some money to help them pay for a spa weekend and enlisted expert retail support to help mind their store while they were away.

For the return of the campaign, we wanted to take Win The Weekend even further. Ten lucky winners won a £500 cash prize to help them reward themselves with days off, to spend time with their friends and family; and two of those 10 winners also got help from SBF GB&I retail experts and leading retailers to help give them peace of mind while they got the chance to unwind for two days.

One of those lucky winners was Sanjeevan Garcha, of Barnett Brothers in Corsham, Wiltshire.

SBF GB&I partnered with high-profile award-winning retailer Atul Sodha, who has more than 30 years’ experience in retailing and runs a Londis store in Harefield, Middlesex, to manage Sanjeevan’s store while she spent her prize money and took some well-earned time off to visit her grown-up children in London.

ANDY CLARK

SBF GB&I

We think we are aware of a lot of the things that retailers have to do, but when you actually jump into their shoes for the day, it is very different. Things like handling parcels, taking in deliveries and people paying their weekly newspaper bill. But at the same time, we've helped remerchandise shelves, and we've done some other jobs that Sanjeevan just doesn't get time to do. It’s great because you're helping somebody deliver, you're adding value to them and helping them just feel good about their store as well as helping them make more money.

SANJEEVAN GARCHA

BARNETT BROTHERS, CORSHAM, WILTSHIRE

What are you going to do with time off you’ve won as part of Win The Weekend?

With the time off I'm going to London to see my kids because I haven’t seen them for a long time - I don’t get to see them often because I'm tied up with the store. So. I'm going to stay with them for three nights, and we are going to spend some time together and go out for dinner. I'm going to spend the money like that, which we can't normally afford to do. It’s brilliant to have this opportunity.

Do you recognise that it’s important to take time off?

My kids are always telling me that I need to take time off, because I'm always stressed. I'm always switched on thinking that I need to do this or I need to do that in the shop. Living upstairs is totally wrong – we lock up then I’d like to go and switch off but I can’t because I’m so close to the shop. It’s important to be able to relax and do nothing and not think about anything as well

ATUL SODHA SPECIAL GUEST RETAILER

OF RETAILERS VALUE THE HEALTH OF THEIR BUSINESS OVER THEIR OWN PHYSICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH 78% 1

The reason I got involved with Win the Weekend is that I wanted to lead by example and do all I can to raise awareness of the mental health issues retailers may be going through. Taking some time out for yourself is always a good idea and we don't do it enough.

We all want to give our best in this trade and sometimes that feels like you need to be physically in the store to be able to achieve that, but that's not always the case.

The weekend in Sanjeevan’s store has been eye-opening. I’ve learned things about my own store and how I do things myself, and I’ve enjoyed meeting Sanjeevan’s customers and regular shoppers. They are all absolutely delighted that she has won two days off, and that shows the value that her local community has for her and her store.

Why is Win The Weekend important for retailers?

Entering Win The Weekend is more than worth it. Not just the weekend off, but it's amazing to have a bit of money to spend on yourself as well – all without feeling guilty about it!

It’s hard to describe how delighted I was to be able to switch off for some time with my kids and not think about the store, knowing the SBF GB&I team had everything under control.

What do you think of big brands helping out retailers with campaigns like this?

SBF GB&I doing this is very good of them, and I think more companies should do this sort of thing to recognise what we retailers do. People don't realise how many hours we put into this, to provide a service to sell their brands. I know we are earning money from that, but we are putting too many hours in as well.

CHECKOUT SCOTLAND IS BACK!

GroceryAid Scotland’s unique and exclusive music event returns in September and is set to be another spectacular highlight of the Scottish local retailing calendar.

Checkout Scotland is back for 2024 with another spectacular event that will help make some noise for the fantastic Scottish convenience and grocery retailing sector.

Organised by the Scottish committee of industry charity GroceryAid, the unique festival of music and fun that is Checkout Scotland returns once more on 5 September at Barras Art And Design (BaaD), with up to 1,000 industry colleagues expected to attend.

Checkout Scotland will see local retailers, wholesalers, national supporters and homegrown brands come together to celebrate the work of Scotland’s convenience and grocery industry.

Whether you’re looking to showcase your brand, have a great night out with your team or support the work GroceryAid does in the Scottish grocery industry, Checkout Scotland is the place to be.

e range of sponsorship packages suits all budgets and brands. Last year, headline sponsors included BrewDog, Irn Bru, One-O-One and Rockstar Energy.

One company which attended Checkout Scotland for the rst time last year was J. Chandler & Co, Buckfast brand owner. National Account Manager Stephen Wilkes said: “Checkout is a brilliant event for Buckfast to be part of. It allows us to showcase our product in di erent ways and highlight the versatility of the brand.

“We’ll be back in 2024 and we have some NPD that launched in May. Checkout is the perfect event for us to exhibit these, in particular because the event is in Glasgow and that is very much our biggest market.

“We’ll be aiming to generate excitement for the NPD at Checkout as well as highlighting to as many people as possible how versatile

“It has been truly phenomenal to be involved with Checkout Scotland from day one and see it go from strength to strength. The Scottish industry is a great place to work and this is the perfect event to bring us all together, spending some time with our customers and colleagues enjoying live music and just having a bit of a blether. But above all, raising both awareness and funds to provide support for those in our industry who need a helping hand.”

Buckfast Tonic Wine is and that it can be used in many di erent ways.

“ ere’s nothing else like Checkout! It is targeted at convenience and grocery colleagues of all levels, which isn’t something you can say about other events. It’s a really down-to-earth event in one of the best music cities in the UK and is a must attend!”

TICKETS – STANDARD

SPONSORSHIP:

JONATHAN KEMP, COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, AG BARR

STAR QUALITY

We recently revealed the outstanding winners of SLR’s inaugural Above and Beyond Awards 2024. Here, we take a closer look at two of our champions.

BY GAELLE WALKER

THE ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARDS 2024

COMPANY OWNED STORE COLLEAGUE: CLAIRE FLEMING, SPAR PORTLAND STREET, TROON

“Treat others as you would want them to treat you.” For Claire Fleming, the well-known maxim is truly a way of life. Her unbridled compassion and kindness for others made her a very worthy winner of the Company Owned Store Colleague award.

The judges were humbled by Claire’s innate drive to “do the right thing” by others – and blown away by the exhaustive number of ways in which she does it – and all that on top of managing a busy town centre convenience store!

In the two years since Claire joined Spar Portland Street in Troon, she’s transformed it into a thriving community hub and built close bonds with many of her shoppers for whom she has become a true friend and vital source of support. How many store managers do you know who cook hot and healthy meals for elderly shoppers? Or who do their washing? She’s been a hand to hold at some of her shoppers’ hospital appointments and helped others to secure vital in-home care.

The last year has also seen Claire implement a truly meaningful change to Spar Portland Street itself – transforming it into a “dementia friendly” space. After noticing that many of her shoppers had dementia, Claire worked closely with several local care homes and dementia charities to make the store a safer space. All staff received training in how to best support shoppers with dementia, including what signs to look out for, what to say, how to comfort them and who to call for help should it be needed. Staff have also been trained in how to make the checkout process as simple as possible, including helping shoppers to pack their bags and pay.

Claire’s incredible efforts have also seen her secure Spar head office funding for a refurbishment of Troon’s sunken garden – a nostalgia-filled space that’s cherished by the whole community and especially its elderly customers and those with dementia. Commenting on her heroic efforts, Claire said: “I’m always looking for ways to help others and give back. We are all going to get old or face struggles at some point and it’s always been my goal to treat others how I would want to be treated in those moments.”

INDEPENDENT STORE COLLEAGUE: SOPHIE SKELTON, ARAMARK LEUCHARS (PREMIER)

Located behind the wire on a military base, Aramark Leuchars is no ordinary convenience store and Sophie Skelton is certainly no ordinary supervisor. Sophie has worked in the store for just over four years now and has made a phenomenal difference to its customers, offer and performance in that time.

As a military wife, Sophie understands the unique challenges and demands of life on a military base – which has helped her to forge genuine and meaningful relationships with many of the store’s customers.

She knows that at times, life can be stressful, lonely or even scary for some of

them – especially the young ones – and no matter the hour, or how busy she is, Sophie will always find the time for a chat, a joke or just to listen.

Sophie’s store manager Katrina Johnson says that her kind and caring nature has helped to make the store a truly welcoming and safe space that is treasured by all.

Sophie also plays a significant role in the store’s successful performance, helping to boost sales with her keen focus on NPD and by gathering customer feedback and adapting the range accordingly. She’s also an absolute champion at pulling together engaging in-store events.

“No matter what’s going on in her life that day, Sophie’s customers will always get her happy, cheerful and genuine service,” Karina says. “She remembers everything: birthdays, which of the customers went home for the weekend, if they had a date, who has a deployment coming up. It’s quite extraordinary.

“She doesn’t need to do it, but she does, and it gives me great pride to work with someone who is not just knowledgeable and helpful, but also deeply empathetic and engaging.”

For Sophie it’s all very simple. “That’s just me. I’m just doing my job.”

Suppliers to the trade in local, free-from, Organic and Fairtrade food & drink, with over 5000 retail and catering lines, servicing customers all over Scotland, Ireland and the North of England. We carry a wide range of unique, artisan products, from drinks and snacks to chilled foods and seasonal gifts.

Greencity is Scotland’s premier ethical wholesaler, our success built on developing local and ethical supply chains for a loyal customer base. browse our range and apply for a trade account at www.greencity.coop

GREENCITY BRINGS ETHICS TO LIFE

Worker-owned co-operative Greencity Wholefoods has put its showstopping stamp on the East End of Glasgow with a breathtaking mural that encapsulates the business’s ethical approach to business and life.

When Greencity Wholefoods started discussing the idea of a mural for the front of their building, they knew they wanted an original outcome that both brightened up their ‘wee corner of Dennistoun’ and one that raised the pro le and presence of their worker-owned business.

Greencity rst began back in 1978 when four friends launched an ahead-of-its time cooperative vegetarian business in a tenement in Glasgow. From those humble beginnings, the business now has more than 50 members and a site which includes 11,000sq of artist studios.

It’s probably fair to say that, over those years, Greencity Wholefoods has grown to become Scotland’s most well-loved ethical wholesaler with a range of over 5,000 vegetarian, organic, locally sourced, Scottish, Fairtrade, free-from, ethical and eco-friendly products.

e workers therefore felt that some eyecatching artwork would be perfect to re ect the vibrant and eclectic mix of people working

within the business, along with their love of nature and their cooperative values.

Once the collective decision was made to take this idea forward, the search for artists began and through a democratic decision-making process, Cobolt Collective was chosen. Cobolt Collective was formed when Glasgow-based mural artists Erin Bradley-Scott, Chelsea Frew and Kat Loudon joined forces with a vision to instil positive change within communities, a viewpoint that aligns strongly with Greencity’s own.

e resulting mural features extracts from a poem by local writer Sorley Mackay, written in Scots and commissioned especially for the project by the artists, while the artwork features a plethora of symbols to represent the collective ethos, essence, feelings and characteristics of the Greencity Wholefoods team and business.

Erin Bradley-Scott of Cobolt Collective comments: “With Greencity being a workers’ cooperative championing progressive values around fairness, equality, and social justice, we

imagined this to be a dream project to work on – and we were right. Members of Greencity kindly shared stories and memorabilia from the company’s impressive grassroots history, and of their personal experiences working there. eir stories provided a wealth of inspiration which we captured through the use of bespoke poetry, playful illustrations, simple geometric shapes, and a contrasting colour palette. e result is an authentic portrayal of Greencity’s bold, progressive, and impactful presence in the food industry.”

Heather McDougall, Artworker and Buyer for Greencity Wholefoods, adds: “Cobolt Collective had a tough brief on their hands, but they’ve managed to create a fantastic mural that brings together all of the things that make Greencity such a unique workplace. e mural represents not just our diversity and creativity as a workers co-op, but also the beauty of collaborative e orts. It’s presence in our wee corner of Dennistoun is a daily reminder of the importance of working together towards a common goal.”

THE POWER OF STOCKING THE RIGHT RANGE

BRITVIC’S TOP TIPS TO POWER UP YOUR SOFT DRINKS RANGE

FOCUS ON THE BIG HITTERS

The on-the-go soft drinks market is booming, with 57% of people who purchase soft drinks saying it is the main reason why they go into store1. Consequently, the importance of stocking the right range, including various brands and formats, is key to unlocking the category’s success. Britvic’s offering includes popular brands like Pepsi® through to Rockstar Energy® and Tango, all catering to various consumer demands, whilst providing a convenient, one-stop shop for retailers.

POWERING UP YOUR STORE

In March this year, Britvic shone a light on how retailers could power up their soft drink sales, as well as their store, following exclusive research in collaboration with the ACS. Britvic’s findings showed that 85% of the retailers surveyed had experienced a rise in energy costs in the past six months2. So, Britvic offered five lucky retailers the chance to win £1,000 each towards their energy bills, alongside a bespoke planogram, to make a difference in store. Following the competition, one of the winners, Anil Sundavadra from Witchford Village Store & Post Office said, “we had a delightful experience with Britvic. The money we received has made a huge difference in covering our electricity bills this month, and we truly appreciate it. We look forward to participating in any future competitions with Britvic.” Now, Britvic wants to inspire more retailers with top tips to help them maximise the potential of the soft drink category.

Make sure you’ve got a solid lineup across key categories such as energy, carbonates, water, juice and sports drinks. Products like Rockstar Energy®, Pepsi MAX®, Tango, Lipton Iced Tea and Robinsons Ready-To-Drink, are proven performers that should be at the forefront of chillers and on your shelves.

UNCOVER EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES

Keep an eye out for emerging categories that are catching shoppers’ attention, like Ready-To-Drink coffee from the likes of Jimmy’s Iced Coffee or health-focused offerings from Purdey’s and Plenish. Branching out can help you stay ahead of the curve and have a competitive edge and appeal to a wider range of shoppers.

BRING SOME EXCITEMENT

Refresh your soft drinks selection by making room for limited edition releases and new flavour innovations. The recently launched Tango Mango and Tango Blast, for example, can encourage shoppers to try something a little different and drive impulse purchases.

STREAMLINE YOUR SHELF SPACE AND CHILLER

Optimise your range by grouping similar products together - for example, placing Pepsi MAX® Lime and Pepsi MAX® Cherry side by side to offer choice. Make sure logos are facing forward as this creates a more cohesive look that makes it easier for shoppers to navigate.

SHOUT IT OUT

Use eye-catching Point Of Sale (POS) materials and branding to really make your soft drinks offering stand out - whether that’s shelf trays, window stickers, or anything else that grabs attention in-store. By upping their game in soft drinks – through investment in fundamentals such as chiller space, store signage and lighting –independent operators can make the most of the category.

HIGHLIGHT THE VALUE

In the current climate, Price Marked Packs (PMP) for popular brands like Rockstar Energy®, is a great way to showcase the value you’re offering to budget-conscious shoppers and to drive purchase.

MEAL DEALS, MADE EASY

With food to go it pays to think closely about the kind of drinks you’re offering as accompaniments to on-the-go snacks and meals. Nothing beats the classic combo of Pepsi MAX® or 7UP Zero and a bag of crisps, of course, but there are plenty more pairings that can drive up basket spend. What to hear more tips and tricks like this...

Britvic’s ‘At Your Convenience’ platform, provides advice on everything from the category through to exclusive POS materials. All in all, helping retailers to stay ahead of the competition and enhance their soft drink sales.

Sign up to Britvic’s At Your Convenience platform today: www.atyourconvenience.com

Lumina Intelligence Retailer Attitudes and Behaviours Study, July 2023 ACS TempCheck, February 2024, Sample size: 26 respondents

Red Bull Pink Edition

Sugarfree Red Bull

A permanent addition to the brand’s range, Red Bull Pink Edition Sugarfree comes in 250ml (RSP £1.55), 355ml (RSP £1.95) and 4 x 250ml (RSP £5) can pack formats. The new flavour is exclusively available now from Tesco and Booker, before rolling out nationwide on 1 July, and combines the tastes of raspberry and other forest fruits, complemented by herbal notes of verbena.

Pepsi goes Electric

Chupa Chups Flavour Playlist XXL

Perfetti Van Melle

Billed as “a fusion of five flavours in one lollipop,” Chupa Chups’ new Flavour Playlist XXL offers a medley of Cola, Cherry, Lemon, and Lime – with Strawberry bubblegum at its core. It is available to convenience retailers now with a 50p RSP. The launch is supported by organic social media activity that seeks to reach the brand’s key teen demographic.

Relentless Fruit Punch CCEP

Pepsi has unveiled a brand-new, limited-edition blue cola, Pepsi Electric.

Launching in cases of 12 x 500ml plain (RSP £1.99) and £1.35 price-marked PET bottles, Pepsi Electric is available now from Booker, before a wider roll out across all channels from 17 June.

The launch will be supported by a widespread marketing campaign including out-of-home advertising, PR, digital and social media.

The new sugar-free limited edition is blue in colour and boasts a zesty, citrus taste, and will be available for 12 months across convenience, wholesale and grocery, exclusively in the 500ml on-the-go format.

The pack design ties in with Pepsi’s ‘Thirsty for More’ campaign and echoes the electric blue and black of the recent logo rebrand, alongside the signature Pepsi pulse.

Cola is the number one soft drinks category, worth £5.9bn, and the flavoured cola segment is growing three times faster than unflavoured cola. The Pepsi stable – that includes Pepsi Max Cherry, Lime and Mango – is worth £200m in retail sales value.

Ben Parker, Britvic Retail Commercial Director in Great Britain, said: “Pepsi Electric embodies shopper preferences for fresh, special-edition flavours while incorporating the unmissable vibrant blue cola liquid, which will grab shopper attention at shelf and capture the next generation.

Squashies Strawberry & Cream Swizzels

“Convenience retail will be a key channel for bringing this bold new flavour to shoppers – we’ve launched exclusively as an on-the-go 500ml bottle to help stores increase impulse purchases and ensure front-of-store chillers have something different to offer versus take-home formats.”

McCain Air Fryer Range

The new tropical flavour is designed to fuel growth of GB’s number-four energy drink brand, worth £45m. It comes in a vibrant pink 500ml cans with the Relentless ‘R’ motif in the centre. A £1 price-marked-pack is also available. Convenience retailers can access POS materials and digital downloads from My.CCEP.com. The launch will be supported as part of a wider summer campaign for the Relentless brand.

Described as “ideal for both sharing and self-treat occasions,” new Squashies Strawberry & Cream is available to order now. It comes in 120g bags in both plain and £1.15 price-marked packs. The launch comes in response to “fantastic feedback” from consumer research. Squashies is the numberone sugar hanging bag brand in the market and the brand is now worth £52.5m.

The vegan-friendly McCain Air Fryer range has been specifically designed for use in air fryers. It includes Deep Ridge Crinkle Fries and French Fries, which are ready to eat from frozen in eight and five minutes respectively. The launch comes with 45% of UK households now owning an air fryer. The range is the only product that is officially recommended by the UK’s number one air fryer brand, Ninja.

Ready meal maker Oscar Mayer has teamed up with British cheese brand Cathedral City to launch a new chilled range that includes Lasagne, Cottage Pie, Chicken & Pasta Bake and Macaroni Cheese. The range boasts at least 30% more cheese than the nearest own-label equivalent. The partnership seeks to move ready meals beyond being simply functional and aims to deliver convenient, affordable meals that are also restaurantquality.

McCain Foods

Cathedral City Ready Meals Oscar Mayer

Limited Edition Watermelon & Lime Sport Boost Drinks

Boost Drinks has added a limitededition Watermelon & Lime variant to its Sports Drink range. It comes in a 500ml sports cap format and launches alongside two new Sugar-Free Energy 250ml cans: Tropical Blitz Sugar-Free Energy and Apple & Raspberry Sugar-Free Energy.

Sports srinks is the fastest-growing soft drinks category just now and sugar-free energy is enjoying 23% year-on-year growth.

Jacob’s Crinklys Chilli Beef pladis

Aero Strawberry Nestlé

Confectionery giant Nestlé has extended its Aero range with the launch of a new strawberry-flavour bar. Aero Strawberry combines a smooth milk chocolate shell with a melt-in-the-mouth bubbly strawberry flavour centre. It is available in a 90g sharing format with an RSP of £1.35. The bar has already launched exclusively in Spar stores ahead of a wider roll out next month.

Red Bull Mixed Multipack Red Bull

A tale of two Vinnies

Pepsi Max has launched a new advert that unites its latest brand ambassador Jack Grealish with fellow footballers Son HeungMin, Vini Jr. and Leah Williamson for a game of street football. The ad concludes with former Wimbledon hard man Vinnie Jones going head-to-head with Vini Jr., while proclaiming, “There’s only one Vinnie J.”

Bouncing back

Jacob’s Crinklys Chilli Beef will be widely available in multipacks of 6 x 23g bags (RSP £1.75) from 17 June after launching exclusively in Asda stores on 13 May. A channel-exclusive 90g price-marked pack format (£1.25) is available to wholesalers and independent retailers now. The launch taps into the appeal of spicy and meaty flavours –a segment which is far-outpacing total category growth, up 26.8%.

Bebeto Fizzy Whizzy

Weenie Worms

Kervan Gida

The super-sour fizzy sweets contain three flavours in every 150g sharing pack – Apple & Lemon, Strawberry & Orange, and Blackcurrant & Raspberry – and are made with real fruit juice, using only natural colours and Halal certified. Fizzy Whizzy Weenie Worms are available in shelf-ready cases of 10 bags, in both plain and £1 price-marked packs.

Red Bull’s new mixed multipack contains 4 x 250ml cans with an RSP of £5.25. Exclusive to the impulse channel, the multipack is also available in a £5.35 pricemarked format. The new multipack includes the original Red Bull Energy Drink along with some of the brand’s best-performing Editions: The Red Bull Red Edition, The Red Bull Tropical Edition and The Red Bull Blue Edition.

Ribena’s berries have bounced back onto screens with a returning advert expected to be seen by 23 million viewers. The ad stars the brand’s berry characters down on Ribena Farm, with one of their number catapulted into a jug of the purple stuff. It highlights Ribena’s taste of “British blackcurrants bursting with berryness” and its high Vitamin C content.

Maryland White Choc Chip Fox’s Burton’s Company

Fox’s Burton’s has added a new White Choc Chip Cookie PMP to its Maryland range, available now in cases of 12 x 200g packs of 20 cookies, price marked at £1.29. The launch comes with over a quarter of GB households buying into white chocolate biscuits, resulting in a 25.6% growth in volume sales year-on-year across the category. Furthermore, PMPs currently account for 70% of Sweet Biscuit volume sales in independents.

Bolt on box

Unilever has launched a multi-million-pound marketing campaign, ‘Fast Just Got Better,’ featuring eight-time Olympic sprint gold medallist Usain Bolt, to publicise its new Persil Wonder Wash laundry detergent. With only a glimpse of a washing machine, a new lifestyleled TV ad seeks to attract a new and wider demographic of laundry users.

Turning the screw

A new Tango ad sees a can of contraband Tango Orange confiscated by a prison warden, who finds the flavour so bold that it compels even the strictest of screws to start dancing. It runs across TV, video on demand and online. The multi-million-pound campaign also includes social, out of home, sampling, POS and in-store activities.

Snout and about

Meat-free brand Quorn has unveiled new £4m campaign, that includes TV, video on demand, online video, social media and shopper marketing activities. It runs to 7 July. A new advert sees Perry T Pigg and pals undertake a Mission Impossible-style operation to replace regular meat snacks with newly improved Quorn Cocktail Sausages and Picnic Eggs.

A WALK IN THE PARK

Let’s go full-on optimistic and assume the next few months will see at least a few days of sunshine breaking up the incessant rain and grey skies. e rarity of a scorching weekend makes it all the more welcome for customers and, as we all know, it doesn’t take much in the way of sunshine for the average Scot to get semi-naked and lounging in the back garden or the local park with mates and family.

If we get any weather at all this summer, picnics, BBQs and other outdoor gatherings offer retailers the chance to grow sales and help customers enjoy a day in the great outdoors – or just the back garden.

So, how best to make the most of that opportunity? One simple way is to either create a dedicated seasonal bay or xture in your store, or mix it up more regularly on the one you already have.

Yes, a Euros xture is likely to earn its keep over the month or so of the tournament, but seasonal bays o en remain unchanged for months at a time in some stores. ey rapidly become wallpaper and when that happens, they pointedly fail to drive the cross-category purchases that they exist to generate.

We know the Scottish weather is ‘changeable’. Four seasons in one day and all that. But it doesn’t take too much e ort to check out the weather for the next few days on an app on your phone then spend an hour on your seasonal bay if it looks like we’ve got a decent weekend coming.

Categories like beer, cider and so drinks will largely take care of themselves (as long as you have the foresight to get enough stock on the shelves and in the back store), but what about adding extra, incremental sales and driving big, bumper basket spends around the picnic and BBQ occasion?

MAKE IT UNMISSABLE

e rst step is to make your picnic xture unmissable in-store, whether that’s by siting it in a high-tra c area or by jazzing it up with POS, beach balls and any other cheap tat you can nd at B&M. It’s not sophisticated, but it will let every customer that enters your store know that they can get stocked up for a banging day out all in one place and all in 10 minutes.

Second, it’s time for local retailers to focus on making spending a lot of money as easy as possible for their customers. Don’t make them work by wandering around the store looking for stu to help them enjoy their day in the sunshine. Put it all in one place so they can impulse-purchase to their heart’s content.

Second, it’s time for local retailers to focus on making spending a lot of

RANGE MATTERS

In Scotland, of course, we have the challenge of licensing laws which make it more or less impossible to generate link-purchases with alcohol – and despite the Scottish Government’s strenuous e orts, alcohol remains a key component of most outdoor gatherings that take place on weekends in Scotland.

So a workaround is siting your seasonal bay near the alcohol xture, or simply ensuring that you have plenty of picnic-friendly options behind the counter as every customer is going to have to visit the till before they leave anyway.

When it comes to ranging, yes, you’ll need all the big brand faves available and those will sell in volume, but why not try a few new lines that might tempt additional, incremental purchases alongside the eight-pack of Tennent’s and the bottle of Glen’s?

Speaking of Glen’s, they o er some picnic-appropriate RTD lines that o er something a little di erent.

James Middleton, National Account Director at Loch Lomond Group which owns Glen’s, says: “To make the most of this summer, and (with a bit of luck) the good weather, we would encourage retailers to o er consumers a variety of chilled, pre-mixed RTD products like Glen’s Vodka with Pink Lemonade and Glen’s Vodka with Cola. ese simple, refreshing serves o er consumers bar-quality long drinks at an a ordable price, making them the ideal choice for sport fans and any outdoor gatherings this summer.

STOCK UP

CLASSIC FLAVOURS BLENDED WITH TRIPLE DISTILLED VODKA.

“Selling RTD cans in single pack format at a competitive price point gives customers choice, catering to di erent needs and tastes. Our RTDs are a great example of this – o ering customers the chance to try without committing to a multipack purchase, and then allowing them to come back to select the avour best suited to them.”

In a similar vein, why not give fast-growing Four Loko a go? eir top-selling White can and the recently launched Dark Berry Burst are ideal for a party in the back garden.

Or how about a couple of brand-new products from Sorceress Brew? Only launched in March, these two lines apparently draw their inspiration from “ancient potions and mystical ingredients” and feature plenty of ca eine and sweet, tangy avours.

Available in 500ml Strawberry & Lime and Blue Raspberry variants, the company says it uses ingredients sourced only from “ethically responsible suppliers”.

Both carry ABVs of 7.5% and RSPs of £2.99 making them a ordable to a wide audience while the eye-catching packaging should help drive trial and impulse sales.

SUB ZERO

With more and more ostensibly so drinks

companies getting in on the alcohol game, there are more options than ever for retailers to cash in on the trust big brands enjoy when ranging for summer success.

A great example is ‘-196’, an RTD brand from Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I. Channel Director Matt Gouldsmith, says: “We’ve tapped into the growing shopper interest in this category with the launch of Japanese RTD brand -196 (minus one-nine-six) in Great Britain. We’ve launched two avours of the brand, Lemon and Grapefruit, both at 6% ABV.

“ e -196 brand name is a reference to the use of Suntory’s proprietary freeze crush infusion technology. is unique process freezes the whole fruit by using liquid nitrogen at -196°C and the frozen zest, pulp and juice are then crushed into powder and infused with vodka.

“ e brand brings something new and di erent to the RTD alcohol category in Scotland, combining a traditional Japanese spirit with modern technology to deliver an exciting new taste and experience for shoppers, with strong standout on shelf.”

MIX IT UP

While knocking together complex cocktails in the middle of a park is possibly a challenge too far for many customers, even given the huge

interest in mixed drinks, the obvious solution is RTD cocktails which deliver the best of both worlds: great-tasting summer drinks with literally zero e ort.

Funkin Cocktails, the UK’s number one cocktail brand, is helping retailers cash in on that opportunity with its biggest on-pack promotion yet to mark 25 years of serving up the nation’s favourite cocktails.

e campaign o ers up to £25,000 of prizes and will provide both retailers and consumers the opportunity to cash in over the summer months.

Funkin is rolling out 100,000 of its 700ml Bartender Edition Bottles featuring promotional neck tags alongside 80,000 Nitro Can Cocktail Mixed Party Packs complete with convenient QR codes.

Running through to 31 August, the promotion promises an immersive experience for cocktail enthusiasts nationwide. From scanning the QR code to visiting the dedicated website, participants can engage in a playful scratch card mechanic to enter the competition.

One lucky winner will secure a dream trip for two to Barcelona, whilst the prize pool also includes a Polaroid Now Gen Camera and a mini fridge stacked with Funkin Cocktails. In other words, the perfect picnic package.

IT’S GONNA BE A THIRSTY SUMMER…

With the Euros only days away, a packed calendar of summer sport and hopefully a bit of sunshine thrown in for good measure, it should be a thirsty summer for shoppers.

Aer the trials and tribulations of the last four or ve years, what the local retailing sector in Scotland could be doing with is a great summer. As luck would have it, the months ahead have the makings of a banger – particularly if we see a bit of sunshine along the way too.

From the Euro Finals 24 which kick o in a matter of days all the way through to the Olympics, there’s a packed calendar of sport that should keep customers coming back for more. What would really help keep that momentum going, though, is a sustained period of sunshine and warmer temperatures. Nothing sets the tills ringing quite like ‘taps a ’ weather – and no categories bene t more than drinks, both so and alcoholic.

WHERE TO START?

Squeezing every penny of pro t out of the summer means getting the basics in place then adding some sparkle on top – whether that’s through NPD, in-store theatre, hammering the socials or, more likely a combination of all of the above and more.

According to the latest Britvic So Drinks review, published just last month, so drinks drove a whopping £3.8bn of sales through the convenience channel last year [Circana, Dec 2023].

Sales in the channel grew 15.3% over the year, well ahead of in ation. e Report also highlights that nearly two-thirds (60%) of people now use convenience stores, the majority younger and more a uent families, increasing share and driving up basket size and spend. Not to put too ne a point on it, there’s a lot to be positive about in the world of convenience retail.

ese ndings are backed up by research from Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I. Channel Director Matt Gouldsmith says: “We can con dently say that the opportunities in the so drinks category are vast. In fact, we recently released some research that looks at the last 10 years of so drink sales and uncovers, for the rst time, the true e ect of Covid-19 and how

GIVE IT WINGS

Red Bull provides the following advice:

Shoppers can only see products within a 1.3m breadth, so it’s vital that you signpost each sector with the biggest brands to help them locate what they’re looking for quickly. For Energy Drinks, that is Red Bull.

To offer further choice there are four key segments within Energy Drinks to get right again – Core Energy Drink, Sugar-Free options, Flavoured options and Multipacks. If you have all these are covered you will enjoy great growth in your store.

this feeds into the category for the future. e outlook is bright: so drink sales are growing faster now than they were pre-pandemic [Kantar Global].

“Sports drinks, and so drinks as a whole, tend to see an uptick in sales throughout the summer months, so we can expect the segment to grow even further as the weather gets warmer. is was particularly noticeable during the heatwave of 2022, which saw an additional £65m (+13.4%) spent on so drinks compared to 2021 [Nielsen, Jul 2022]. During this period of hotter weather, the same data shows Lucozade Sport saw value growth of almost 26% and just under 8% in volume growth.”

Also according to Nielsen, convenience stores bene tted the most last year when the temperatures rose, and saw 5.4% overall growth.

Spikes in sports drinks sales correlate not only with temperature increases, but also from national and international events taking place throughout the year.

“During the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the sports drinks category experienced incredible value growth of over 37% and over 16% volume growth compared to the same period in 2022 [Nilsen Sport, Jul 2023],” says Gouldsmith. e implications for the Euros and Olympics this year are clear.

TREND WATCH

Unsurprisingly, Gouldsmith predicts that shopper desire for low- and no-sugar so drinks will continue to grow. BSDA data from March 2023 shows that the low/no-calorie share of the so drinks market is almost three times that of the regular segment at 69% volume share of the total market.

NPD

Helping retailers cash in on the summer drinks frenzy, Ribena has unveiled a brand new on-pack promotion across its full range of formats which gives shoppers the chance to

BOOST YOUR BEVERAGE SALES

In today’s competitive retail landscape, it can be challenging to find the right strategy to boost sales. Yet, Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I (SBF GB&I) has identified a lever of growth, demonstrating through in-store trials that strategic changes in how beverages are displayed can significantly elevate sales and consumer engagement in convenience stores.

A DECADE OF DATA REVEALS NEW OPPORTUNITIES

With ten years of soft drinks category data at their disposal, SBF GB&I has uncovered the untapped potential in beverage sales, driven by the consumer shifts due to the pandemic. Economic strains have pushed customers toward value—but not at the cost of enjoyment, as seen in the 4.7% increase in ‘treat for today’ purchases. This trend highlights the important role of convenient, appealing drink options placed right where customers want them. Shopper desire for low- and no-sugar soft drinks has shown no sign of slowing, which means communicating no or low-sugar drinks in store is key.

TACTICAL CHANGES, TANGIBLE RESULTS

PRACTICAL STEPS TO AMPLIFY YOUR SALES

Drawing on deep data insights, SBF GB&I crafted a category vision focused on maximising retailer revenue across five key store areas. This vision was put to the test with three convenience stores. The collaboration with retailers like Fiona Malone, Serge Notay, and Sue Nithyanandan has proven that attention to detail in drink placement and selection isn't just about aesthetics—it's about connecting with the shopper’s desire for convenience, quality, and value. Implementing these principles led to: How strategic drink placement in c-stores can surge sales by up to 34.8%

BEACON BRANDS: USE BEST-SELLING BRANDS TO GUIDE CUSTOMERS THROUGH YOUR STORE.

COLOUR BLOCKS: MAKE SECTIONS EASY TO SPOT AND ATTRACTIVE.

RANGE RATIONALISATION: FOCUS ON HIGH PERFORMERS AND CUT THE UNDERPERFORMERS.

PRODUCT FLOW: ENCOURAGE CUSTOMERS TO TRADE UP WITH A 'GOOD, BETTER, BEST' ARRANGEMENT

CLEAR SIGNAGE: ENSURE MEAL DEALS AND PROMOTIONS ARE VISIBLE AND APPEALING.

BLOCKS HEALTH: ATTRACT HEALTH-CONSCIOUS CONSUMERS BY BLOCKING LOW OR NOSUGAR OPTIONS UNDER EACH BRAND

Easier navigation and better shopping experiences.

Enhanced visibility of healthier and premium options.

Optimised product assortments that meet consumer demands and preferences.

win memorable family experiences every day.

Ribena will be once again providing a summer of fun for families and driving sizzling sales for retailers with this new competition.

With prizes up for grabs including UK holiday packages and experience vouchers – as well as an additional 1,000 cash prizes to reward shoppers with some summer spending money – this competition is set to grab consumers’ attention in store and drive so drink sales for stores.

Ribena’s iconic berries are also bouncing back onto screens this year for a second summer season a er their successful return in 2023 and will be seen by 23 million people.

Britvic brand Tango is ramping up focus and relevance around its core orange avour with a multi-million pound ‘Outrageously Orange’ campaign. A new TV ad is designed to resonate with young adults through a mischievous tone, driving reconsideration, footfall and purchase in-store.

As the third-biggest fruit avoured carbonates brand, Tango has seen its sales triple over the last ve years [Nielsen, Apr 2024], solidifying the brand as a rm favourite already. With orange being the number one avour in this category, the ‘Outrageously Orange’ campaign will ensure that Tango Orange is front of mind over the summer months, a key sales period for so drinks.

BIGGER PROFITS

While drink-now formats are back in growth, Coca-Cola Europaci c Partners (CCEP) urges retailers not to miss out on the power of sharing packs around major events.

Amy Burgess, Senior Trade Communications Manager at CCEP, says: “ is summer people will be coming together in Scotland to enjoy their favourite sporting, musical and cultural events, presenting retailers with more opportunities to boost sales.

“So drinks o en play a key part in these experiences so, to tap into this opportunity, retailers should ensure they stock up on sharing packs from leading brands like Coca-Cola, still the number one so drink in GB [Nielsen, Dec 2023], led by Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, the fastest-growing major cola brand by both value and volume. Retailers should also stock up on sharing packs of Fanta, the number-one avoured carbonates brand in GB, accounting for one in every ve avoured carbonates sold, and Dr Pepper, the number-two avoured carbonates brand, in value and volume growth.

“Research shows merchandising food and drink together can double shopper engagement and increase sales by up to 32% [Connecta 2023], so retailers can boost sales by setting up sports or other themed displays ahead of summer’s many major events and cross-merchandising

TOP TIPS FOR RANGING:

Q Start by getting the right amount of space per category. Sports & Energy is 35% of Soft Drinks – so take a look – have you given it over a third of the chiller?

Q Don’t scrimp on facings for your bestsellers. For example, Red Bull Energy Drink sells more than any other single serve soft drink in your chiller – it will be near impossible to keep this, and your other best sellers, perfectly chilled and available if they don’t have multiple facings.

Q Put your bestsellers at eye level – Red Bull signposts Energy and Coke does the same for Cola. That ‘power shelf’ at eye level should always highlight your bestselling and most iconic brands.

so drinks with snacks and nibbles. is will allow customers to nd everything they need for their event of choice this summer.”

Burgess also recommends that retailers take advantage of the fresh new look and taste of Fanta Orange Zero, unveiled last month.

BOOST SALES

Boost is aiming to boost retailers’ sales this summer by continuing to leverage its unique position as the only brand to hold a top-three position in three distinct categories within the Functional Drinks market – Energy Stimulation, Sports Drinks and RTD Iced Co ee.

Adrian Hipkiss, Commercial Director at Boost Drinks, explains: “Within this, Boost is the third-largest brand in the Energy Stimulation category and the second-largest brand In the Sports Drink category [Circana Jan 2024], something we’re incredibly proud of.”

Boost o ers shoppers access to quality products at great-value prices at a time when value is more important than ever, believes Hipkiss.

e company o ers a range of lines from large format one-litre bottles of Boost Original Energy to 250ml cans of Boost Red Berry and from its 500ml Juic’d range which features 5% real fruit juice to its range of RTD iced co ees.

“Retailers should prioritise stocking Boost as a leading brand within the So Drinks category and leverage its diverse range of a ordable priced-marked pack formats, avours and takehome o erings,” says Hipkiss.

RAISE THE BARR

Boost owner AG Barr will also be praying for sunshine this summer, along with the rest of the trade and has unveiled some new NPD to drive excitement over the next few months.

Jonathan Kemp, Commercial Director at AG Barr, says: “So drinks are one of the biggest opportunities for retailers throughout summer, worth £12.3bn and growing by 8% YOY in a challenging economic market [Circana Mar 2024].

“ e key driver in so drinks is taste. Shoppers are looking for products packed with avour and unique avour combinations continue to win sales. Flavour innovation added £29m to the category last year [Circana Aug 2023].”

To help retailers capitalise on this, AG Barr recently released a new variant of Rubicon Spring – Pink Grapefruit Blood Orange.

“Rubicon Spring has been the no.1 avoured sparkling water ve years in a row [IRI], it is six times bigger than its nearest branded competitor and growing penetration ve times faster than the category itself [IRI, May 2023],” says Kemp. “ is latest addition will be building on that momentum this summer.”

Soft drink sales are growing faster now than they were prepandemic.”

MATT GOULDSMITH, CHANNEL DIRECTOR, SUNTORY BEVERAGE & FOOD GB&I than they

Limited-edition avours are another “guaranteed sales driver” according to Kemp, as they generate excitement and engagement with shoppers across all demographics.

at’s why AG Barr unveiled two new limitededition variants of Irn-Bru Xtra in March: Raspberry Ripple and Wild Berry Slush. Backed by a high-impact media plan that is aiming to reach 93% of 16–24-year-olds, the bold new avours come with vibrant pack designs to attract shoppers’ attention in the chiller.

DRIVES CRAFT BEER RECRUITMENT, 31% OF NEW LOST LAGER DRINKERS GO ON TO TRY CRAFT FOR THE FIRST TIME 3RD FASTEST GROWING TOP 20 LAGER IN GROCERY

THEPERFECT SUMMER PINT

“ is launch follows the success of Ice Cream and Tropical limited editions last summer, which delivered £29m in sales to the category and led to a 30% upli in the core Irn-Bru Xtra variant [IRI], concludes Kemp.

SUMMER EDITION

It wouldn’t be summer, of course, without a Summer Limited Edition from energy drinks giant Red Bull.

A spokesperson from the company says: “Innovation has been vital to the success of Energy Drinks growth this year, with particular engagement around new avours, which has helped broaden the category’s appeal to new groups of shoppers, where taste was previously a barrier. As a result, the demand for Flavoured Energy Drinks has never been stronger, acting as an entry point for consumers.”

Red Bull has been a driving force behind avours in the market and NPD has been largely incremental.

“Forty- ve per cent of shoppers that bought into the Red Bull avoured Editions range are new to the brand. Editions have recruited shoppers fast, with 2.8 million buying the brand, growing seven-fold in just two years [Kantar, Jan 2024].

“ is was reinforced last year, by the launch of our most successful NPD yet, the Summer Edition with the taste of Juneberry, which sold 9.4 million 250ml cans, and has now been made permanent in the range as e Blue Edition along with e Red Bull Ruby Edition, which was introduced in September as e Red Bull Winter Edition with the taste of Spiced Pear.”

Aiming to replicate the success of the Blue Edition, Red Bull has recently launched its Summer Edition for 2024, Curuba Elder ower, which o ers a blend of exotic curuba, rounded o with oral notes of elder ower to excite shoppers and drive trial.

Available in 250ml, 250ml PMP, 355ml Sugarfree and 250ml Sugarfree 4-pack, the new Red Bull Summer Edition will be supported with a range of tailored POS to raise awareness in-store across all key touchpoints.

Also new from Red Bull is Pink Edition Sugar Free, available widely from the start of July. e line combines the tastes of raspberry and other forest fruits, complemented by herbal notes of verbena and is available in 250ml, 355ml and 4 x 250ml (£5) can pack formats.

ELECTRIC BLUE

Certainly worth giving some chiller space to this summer is Pepsi’s new limited-edition electric blue cola. Following a successful rebrand earlier

this year and longstanding avour innovation within the market, the new launch challenges what consumers expect from a cola – boasting a zesty, citrus taste with a striking blue liquid, available for 12 months.

Pepsi Electric is available exclusively in a 500ml bottle format, o ering shoppers more choice when they’re on the go. e new product is also sugar free, designed to enable retailers to cater to growing preferences for zero sugar so drink options, without having to compromise on taste.

Pepsi Electric is set to help retailers increase basket spend and tap into the avoured cola segment, a market which is growing three times faster than un avoured cola [Nielsen IQ, Apr 2024].

Available in plain pack and £1.35 pricemarked bottles, Pepsi Electric will be available widely from 24 June. e launch is being supported by a widespread marketing campaign including out of home advertising, PR, digital and social media.

BEAN MACHINE

With RTD co ees continuing to drive sales and pro ts, Costa Co ee’s RTD range is giving consumers the chance to win tickets to major UK music festivals across its ready-to-drink (RTD) packs this summer.

More than 2,000 exclusive prizes are also up for grabs, including online shopping vouchers and Costa e-vouchers.

Until 28 July, shoppers have the chance to win tickets to events with promotional packs boldly designed to stand out on shelf, with the Latte cans featuring a lanyard which is synonymous with attending festivals.

e on-pack promotion is being supported by a consumer marketing campaign which includes social media and digital out-of-home advertising, PR and in uencer activity, as well as consumer sampling and on-site activation.

Retailers can request digital and POS materials via My.CCEP.com to create theatre in-store and on social media.

e promotion will help convenience retailers tap into the growing popularity of RTD chilled co ee, with sales peaking during the summer months. In fact, RTD chilled co ee is growing

MERCHANDISING TIPS

Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I has the following advice for retailers: In today’s competitive retail landscape, attention to detail in drink placement and selection isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about connecting with the shopper’s desire for convenience, quality, and value. Implementing these principles can lead to:

Q Easier navigation and better shopping experiences;

Q Enhanced visibility of healthier and premium options;

Q Optimised product assortments that meet consumer demands and preferences.

For local retailers looking to thrive, adopting these proven strategies can not only boost sales but also build a loyal customer base. Here are some practical steps to amplify your sales:

Q Beacon Brands: Use bestselling brands to guide customers through your store;

Q Colour Blocks: Make sections easy to spot and attractive;

Q R ange Rationalisation: Focus on high performers and cut the underperformers;

Q Product Flow: Encourage customers to trade up with a ‘good, better, best’ arrangement;

Q Clear Signage: Ensure meal deals and promotions are visible and appealing;

Q Block Health: Attract health-conscious consumers by blocking low- or no-sugar options under each brand.

ahead of total so drinks in both volume and value, and is now worth more than other segments, including adult so drinks and mixers [Nielsen, Mar 2024].

Helen Kerr, Associate Director of Portfolio Development at CCEP, says: “By bringing together the nation’s favourite co ee brand and some of the nation’s favourite summer events, we’ll be helping retailers to engage shoppers and tap into the growing RTD co ee opportunity, particularly during the warmer months.

“ e Costa Co ee RTD range is helping to drive growth, up 10.4% in value in convenience over the past year and growing ahead of the RTD chilled co ee segment in this channel [Nielsen, Mar 2024].

“We look forward to seeing how our retailing partners get behind the promotion in-store to drive engagement with shoppers, capitalising on the approaching summer festival season.”

e Costa Co ee RTD chilled co ee range is fully HFSS compliant and includes avours such as Latte, Caramel Latte and Choc Fudge Brownie.

HARDER SELL

And while so drinks might be the volume drivers over the next few months, you can be sure that demand for alcohol will grow throughout the Euros and beyond, creating more opportunities for retailers.

“ e total beer market is having a good year in Scottish convenience, up in both value and volume,” says Caitlin Brown, Category Executive at BrewDog. “Contributing to that growth, Cra Beer is up 29% YOY [Circana Mar 2024], continuing to drive premiumisation into the category.

“As a category, beer is driven by brands, so what we tend to see is shoppers trading through tiers and formats, from standard lager to premium/world lager and Cra Beers to meet their budget. Kantar reported that of 34 beer, wine and spirit categories, only seven saw penetration growth in 2023, and of those leading the growth, were Low and No Alcohol (+1.3pp) and Cra Beer (+0.2), which both welcomed

new shoppers. ese recruiting categories had a common theme of appealing to younger and more a uent shoppers, so attracting this consumer base with your product o ering is key to driving growth this summer.

“From a Cra Beer perspective, IPA is the most popular and best-performing style of beer all year round in Scottish convenience [Circana Mar 2024]. As an initial o ering, we recommend starting with our top two products, Punk IPA and Hazy Jane New England IPA 4 can multipacks, which continue to see a lot of love from shoppers. As the number-one Cra Beer brand in Scottish Convenience, Punk IPA acts as a signpost for the category, so something that shoppers will be looking for when browsing the chiller.”

If introducing Cra Beer for the rst time, Brown recommends the BrewDog 330ml 8-can Mixed Packs which can help drive trial by including a selection of beers in one pack.

In terms of bringing new news, Brewdog recently launched a new cross-channel promotion o ering consumers the chance to win up to £10,000. Special ‘Drink beer – Win cash’ promotional packs have already begun shipping with the competition promoted on 4-packs of Punk IPA and Hazy Jane and Mixed 8- and 12-packs, as well as Mixed Alcohol-Free 8-packs.

ere are 22 cash prizes on o er in total, including £500, £1,000, £2,000 and £5,000, up to the top reward of £10,000. Shoppers will nd out immediately if they are successful, with the prize value stickered on winning cans and instructions on how to claim it before 30 August, when the competition closes.

BrewDog also aims to shake up the beer aisle, driving excitement and additional value into Cra Beer with a new session IPA. e 4.3% ABV Wingman has now touched down in the

impulse channel, following an initial launch into grocery at the end of last year.

In a shi from the brand’s headline design, the new Wingman packs have strong standout on-shelf. Taking inspiration from US cra beer brands, the new session IPA aims to cater to the modern drinker, while recruiting new ones through its casual light-hearted positioning.

Formats available include single 440ml can (RSP £2.50), 4x330ml can multipack (RSP £6.25) and 12x330ml can (RSP £16.50).

DRAM FINE

Whisky remains a big category in Scotland but an interesting question is whether or not Scotland’s appearance at the Euros could inspire a few more people to celebrate with a dram of Scotland’s national drink.

Matt Sinclair, Commercial Director at Whyte & Mackay, says: “Cold refreshing pints have long been the epitome of summer drinks – and this will absolutely remain true for some - but we do see consumers looking to elevate their gatherings and bring premium spirits into the mix. As this trend of drinking less, but better continues there’s a clear opportunity retailers should be ready to capitalise on.”

Sinclair says whisky is increasingly being seen as a versatile spirit with “many consumers increasingly opt for it for longer drinks”. Is there an opportunity for retailers to shi a few bottles to those planning a tense 90 minutes or so watching Scotland this month?

If so, Whyte and Mackay has a few options that could do the trick, including Jura, the UK’s number-one Single Malt by volume [Nielsen, Apr 2024], and Tamnavulin, the UK’s numbertwo malt brand.

TWO DIFFERENT CIDERS PERFECTION

IN EVERY DROP

THATCHERS IS #1 FOR GROWING CIDER IN SCOTLAND

CLOUDY CIDER

HELPING CUSTOMERS MAKE BETTER CHOICES

While all things sustainability understandably fell down the agenda during the Covid crisis and aftermath, planet concerns are once again bubbling up to the surface.

Prior to the pandemic, it was clear that sustainability was set to be a huge issue and have a major impact on retailers and how they do business. e world being turned upside down, however, saw the focus shi – quite understandably – to arguably more pressing concerns.

As the legacy of Covid continues to wane, however, and the economy shows signs of nally turning around, it’s likely that sustainability will once more begin bubbling up the priority list.

But what can retailers do to help their customers make better choices for the planet?

One option is to help drive the vegan and vegetarian agenda, as well as cashing in on the growing number of consumers looking to live a meat-free or meat-lite lifestyle.

Meat-free brand Quorn has long been making the environmental case for a reduction in the consumption of animal products as a way of reducing carbon emissions.

Gill Riley, Quorn’s Consumer Director at Quorn Foods UK, comments: “Our role as a meat-free market pioneer includes supporting our retail partners with their own sustainability goals, helping them take important steps on the journey to reach them.

“Quorn maintains a sustained focus on sustainability in everything we do, and we work hard to continuously highlight this to shoppers.”

Riley says Quorn sets climate targets for itself and measures the climate impact of its products and operations, something it has been doing for over 10 years now.

“We have continuously been a spearhead for sustainability in the food industry, adding carbon footprint labels to all our products back in 2020,” she says. “And that’s before you even look at the product itself. All our products are made using Quorn mycoprotein, a unique super-protein that uses 90% less land and water and produces 98% less carbon emissions than beef mince. It’s also nutritionally bene cial, high in bre, high in protein, low in saturated fat and packed full of amino acids.”

With summer on the horizon, it’s perhaps a good time to give your shoppers a nudge in a positive direction by listing a bigger range of vegan and vegetarian lines in your store.

Quorn o ers an extensive range of products including Quorn Crispy Nuggets, the UK’s number one meat-free nuggets [Circana, Dec 2023]. ere’s also everything from Quorn Cocktail Sausages and Picnic Eggs to Quorn Mince, Sausages, Steak Strips and Swedish Style Balls.

“Quorn frozen has had more than two years of consecutive growth for value which highlights the importance of stocking it to retailers,” says Riley.

BIG CHANGE

As well as helping shoppers make changes for the better, retailers can also rely on major suppliers working hard in the background to ensure that the carbon footprints of the products they already sell are heading in the right direction.

Matt Collins, Sales Director at KP Snacks, says: “Sustainability is a crucial factor in uencing consumer trends as shoppers become increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their purchases. At KP Snacks, we understand that as a leader in the Crisps, Snacks and Nuts category, we have a responsibility to drive change.

“Since 2014, KP Snacks has removed 1,100 tonnes of plastic packaging across its portfolio, in line with its commitment to use as little plastic packaging as possible. is year, we announced the introduction of 25% recycled content packaging across our popular Tyrrells sharing range.”

KP has also further invested in ow wrap equipment to reduce plastic packaging across its Discos, Roysters and Frisps brands. is has resulted in a 35% plastic packaging reduction for six-packs across the brands, equivalent to 100 tonnes of packaging saved annually.

e new process means 620 fewer lorry journeys every year, with more products able to be transported at once, reducing emissions.

We are committed to deforestation-free palm oil.

The palm oil we use is 100% RSPO Certified Segregated and traceable back to plantations.

Discover more: Ferrero.co.uk/Quality-at-Heart

NO SOFT OPTION

Technology continues to play a bigger role than ever in the modern convenience store and at the heart of that progress lies a great Epos system, as SLR heard when we spoke to Faisal Sattar of MHouse Solutions.

We all know that technology now sits at the heart of e cient convenience retailing and that’s only likely to become truer with every passing year. Much of instore technology, however, relies on a powerful Epos system as the platform upon which a modern tech-enabled store is built.

So what are the key advantages of a modern, high-quality Epos system? “A modern, highquality Epos system o ers convenience retailers streamlined operations, enhanced inventory management, improved customer service, and insightful sales data for strategic decisionmaking,” says Faisal Sattar of leading Scottish Epos providers MHouse Solutions.

“Our MPos system provides all of the above and is also backed by industry experts. Our system is one of the only systems truly developed and continuously developed by retailers.”

Examples of the latest developments embraced by MPos include electronic shelf edge labels, self-scanning, AI, CCTV and POS integration, as well as an AI retail analysis platform.

Of course, with so many solutions that retailers may be keen to take advantage of, one of the key challenges is ensuring that that these various solutions are compatible with existing equipment and hardware.

“We are all about looking a er retailers, so we ensure that both existing and new customers do not need to spend money where they do not

have to,” says Sattar. “Our MPos system can be provided on a wide variety of POS hardware and our support team can assess your current system to see if we can convert it over to an MPos system. Most likely the answer will be yes, if your current setup uses an up-to-date operating system.”

MHouse also provides unlimited and ongoing training and o ers extensive advice on how to use MPos to get the most out of your store.

“Each system is built uniquely and we o er a wide range of bespoke packages,” says Sattar. “I would encourage retailers thinking about upgrading to get in touch with our sales team on 0800 242 5360 and we will be happy to have the conversation.”

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KEEP IT SWEET!

SLR takes a look at some new lines and media campaigns to help you add excitement and drive footfall in the vital confectionery category.

CADBURY HITS 200

Cadbury is marking its 200th birthday this year with an array aof activities, promotions, and celebrations to mark the landmark anniversary, including heritage limitededition bars.

The 180g Cadbury Dairy Milk Bars, as well as 95g price-marked packs, are available in seven different collectable designs, featuring packaging from across the ages, starting as far back as 1915 and running right up to the present day. The striking, nostalgic packs add real theatre to retailers’ stores.

The company has also built on the strength of larger format packs with the

YES TO FRESH

Building on last year’s successful ‘Yes to Fresh’ campaign, Mentos has kicked off a further 10 months of promotional activity, designed to drive brand awareness and consideration. The multitouchpoint £2.5m activity comprises of a fully integrated, 360 campaign spanning PR, OOH, social, influencers, VOD, striking POS in store, as well as a partnership with KISS FM which sees Mentos sponsor KISS Fresh – which has an estimated 602k listeners monthly – and the KISS Hype Chart.

FIZZY WHIZZY

Bebeto is introducing super sour NPD this summer with the launch of new Fizzy Whizzy Weenie Worms containing three exciting flavours in every 150g sharing pack: Apple & Lemon, Strawberry & Orange, and Blackcurrant & Raspberry. Available in £1 price-marked and standard packs, these affordable sweets are perfect for treating and gifting this summer as well as driving all-year-round sales.

CREAM IT

Swizzels has announced the national launch of Squashies Strawberry & Cream, available in 120g bags in both pricemarked and plain packs, RSP £1.15.

BIG MINI

Perfetti Van Melle is introducing a new sharing pack from Britain’s number one lollipop brand, Chupa Chups: the Mini Lollipop Bag. Offering a selection of 30 mini lollipops in four flavours, it is available in 180g bags with an RSP of £1.99.

STRAWBERRY EXCLUSIVE

Spar UK recently launched Nestlé Confectionery’s latest indulgent treat, the Aero Strawberry flavour sharing bar. The new Aero Strawberry flavour sharing bar is exclusively available in Spar stores until July when it will be rolled out nationwide.

BREATHING SPACE FOR RETAILERS AS TOBACCO & VAPES BILL DROPPED

The Tobacco & Vapes Bill was not included in legislation being rushed through by MPs ahead of parliament closing down for the General Election last month presenting opportunities for retailers.

BY ANTONY BEGLEY

All the grandstanding and breathless headlines around Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Tobacco & Vapes Bill turned out to be in vain as, at the end of last month, the Bill never made it onto the list of legislation being rushed through by MPs ahead of parliament closing down for the General Election.

Granted, it was Sunak himself who called the short-notice General Election so he must have had at least some notion that the Bill he described as “evidence of the bold action that I’m prepared to take” might not actually make its way through parliament in time.

Had it passed, the legislation would have made it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born

a er 1 January 2009 as well as having a profound impact on how vaping products were made, marketed and sold.

e UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) had long said that it was “broadly supportive of the aims of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and the impact it is expected to have on reducing smoking and youth vaping rates”. e body had, however, been pushing for a number of key amendments to the Bill, including the introduction of a vape retailer and distributor licensing scheme, and frequently stated that it was “concerned that the absence of a statutory requirement for the Government to consult before making regulations poses a signi cant risk of arbitrary decision making”.

FIGHT BACK AGAINST ILLICIT

Disposable vapes have continued to see impressive growth over the last year and this popularity has made them an area of focus for illicit traders.

“As a result, we’re seeing an increasing number of non-compliant vape products come to market,” says James Hall, AntiIllicit Trade Manager, Imperial Brands.

“Non-compliant disposable vapes entering the market have been found to present particular compliance risks, in that they contain an excessive amount of nicotine, which may have potentially harmful effects on consumers. It is illegal for non-compliant products to be sold in the UK, or for compliant products to be sold to those aged under 18 years old.

“It’s crucial that any suspected illicit activity is flagged to the relevant authorities so that action can be taken. Therefore, we strongly encourage retailers to report any potential illicit trade activity in their area by contacting our salesforce through our dedicated SARA trade platform, emailing suspectit.reportit@uk.imptob.com, or calling us directly through our anti-illicit trade hotline on 0800 0495992.”

£5.99** SAME

THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS NICOTINE. For existing adult smokers and vapers only. Not a smoking cessation product. 18+ only. © Fontem 2024.

*Puff count is a maximum estimate based on typical user consumption. Actual number of puffs may vary depending on usage.

**Based on ITUK RRP as of February 2024. For the avoidance of doubt, retailers are free at all times to determine the selling price of their products.

Remarkably, in the days before the Bill was dropped, Public Health Minister Andrea Leadsom stated atly that she would not consider a licensing scheme which she saw as “a license for the vaping industry to get rid of the competition, make loads more money and focus even more on addicting children to vapes.”

ere are many legitimate retailers who consider the lack of a licensing scheme, similar to the Tobacco Register, as a major loophole which explains why so many gi shops, hairdressers and assorted other retailers can be found selling vaping products with no formal sta training on selling age-restricted products, nor any formal and e ective mechanism for checking whether they are actually complying with existing legislation.

MERCHANDISING ADVICE

Imperial Brands offers the following advice:

Q Have a strong visual display of vaping products, positioned away from the main gantry where possible.

Q Include clear information on pricing to enable customers to browse at their leisure without the need to handle and inspect products.

Q Where space is limited, even a small countertop unit can help achieve this.

Q Retailers can currently display, advertise and promote vaping products in and around the store, so using eye-catching, compliant POS and countertop display units can really help drive visibility and grab the attention of adult nicotine users as soon as they walk through the door.

Q Make sure that you are fully compliant with the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991 by displaying a prominent notice in store stating that it is illegal to sell vape product to anyone under the age of 18.

Q Ensure vaping products are merchandised only to appeal to adults by ensuring counter display units and gantry furniture are kept at adult eye level, and away from any child or adolescence-related products.

BREATHING SPACE

e furore ground to an abrupt halt however at the end of last month, although Labour remains committed to the policy and is likely to revisit it should the party win the General Election.

For the time being, however, legitimate retailers have some breathing space in an important category – and there is plenty going on to help them drive sales and pro ts.

Imperial Brands Consumer Marketing Director UK & Ireland Yawer Rasool said: “As more consumers seek out alternative nicotine solutions, the vaping sector is expected to grow signi cantly. We estimate that the total category value will have grown from £930m in 2019 to be almost £3bn in 2025.”

value will have grown from £930m in 2019 to be almost £3bn in 2025.”

e company says that around 35% of current vape volume sales already take place in the traditional retail channel. Rasool says “it’s clear that there will be continued demand from consumers for vaping products throughout 2024” and encourages local retailers in Scotland to keep tapping into this rising trend by “dedicating su cient space in-store for vaping products and stocking the right range for their customer base”.

to keep tapping into this rising trend by

Imperial estimates from November 2023 suggest that around 88% of all vape sales are in the disposables category. “In order to cater for this growing demand, we recently announced the launch of our new and improved blu bar 1000 device,” says Rasool.

“Our data also shows, however, that both closed pod systems and open systems remain popular choices for vapers, accounting for 17% of the UK vaping market. To tap into this trend, we’d recommend that retailers stock a range of leading pod systems, including our blu 2.0 device.”

Rasool also advises retailers to review their range regularly and prioritise stocking the brands that cater to these fast-moving trends in order to remain current and maximise sales.

He recommends stocking leading disposable products like blu bar 1000, and pod-mods such as blu 2.0, to take advantage of the growing demand: “Our blu bar 1000 bene ts from an array of product upgrades and new features, providing the perfect solution to help retailers grow their vape sales even further in 2024.

“Available with an RSP of £5.99, the fully compliant blu bar 1000 range o ers up to 1,000

pu s per device and features blu Flavour Tech mesh coil technology to deliver strong bursts of avour that really last. e redesigned casing on blu bar 1000 also means that the liquid level is visible through the translucent mouthpiece, making it much easier to see when the liquid is running low.

“With a new removable battery, users can now twist, pop and release it, making it easy to safely dispose of the used battery at a local battery collection point. While a new security lock feature allows users to lock their blu bar 1000 device when not in use.”

POUCH POWER

With steady growth in the nicotine pouch category, cigar market leader Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK (STG UK) has made a bold move into the category, the rst time it has ever stepped out of the cigar category.

“We have recently been delighted to announce our entry into the next-gen nicotine category with the launch of XQS pouches,” says STG UK Marketing Manager Prianka Jhingan.

e XQS range rolls out in a number of di erent strengths in four popular avours:

Tropical, Blueberry Mint, Cool Ice and Arctic Freeze.

“While the Tropical and Blueberry Mint variants give users a fruity burst of avour, the Cool Ice and Arctic Freeze variants o er minty avour and an icy, cooling sensation,” explains Jhingan. “All four variants come in fully recyclable packaging and contain uniquely smaller-sized pouches to ensure a perfect t under the lip.”

e new range has been created in Sweden, the home of nicotine pouches, and has been available to retailers from May onwards, competitively priced at just £5.50.

e launch comes as sales of nicotine pouches gather pace in the UK. “In 2023, UK pouch sales accounted for a 10% share of global pouch revenue,” says Jhingan.

Flavours are driving that growth, with mint dominant. Jhingan says she only expects the nicotine market to grow and encourages retailers to “give it the focus it deserves”.

“It’s also worth noting that around 40% of all nicotine pouch sales take place in convenience stores, further reinforcing the fact it’s a category to understand and get right,” she concludes.

TAKE THE BISCUIT

Affordable treats are more important than ever as customers continue to face challenges balancing the household books – which makes cakes and biscuits a key

100 calories and the new range is all set to help drive penetration by attracting incremental shoppers to the category.

Also helping retailers cater for a ordable treat seekers, Fox’s Burton’s Companies (FBC UK) introduced a new pricemarked pack White Choc Chip Cookie to its Maryland range last month.

There may be some positive signs of light at the end of the cost-ofliving tunnel but many customers are still facing a weekly battle to manage their household budgets. Which is why small, a ordable treats like cakes and biscuits can play an important role in helping add a little joy to the day for your customers.

“Despite challenging circumstances, shoppers still want to treat themselves, and the sweet biscuits segment is no di erent, remaining the largest segment of the biscuits category and growing in value and volume [Nielsen, Nov 2023],” says Susan Nash, Trade Communications Manager at Mondelez International. “Our own research shows that, even in trying times, as they view their favourite snacks as a ordable and necessary indulgences. Biscuits were purchased by more than 28 million households in 2023 [Nielsen, Nov 2023]” and

the category is truly embedded into our heritage and culture, with moments like elevenses, a ernoon tea and dunking truly a part of our everyday lives.”

In recent years, health and wellbeing have also played an ever more important role for many consumers – and to help retailers meet the demand for a ordable, healthier treats, Mondelez has introduced non-HFSS Cadbury Brunch Light.

is follows the success of Cadbury Brunch Oats, which is the most popular snack in the Cadbury Biscuit range and Cadbury Brunch Chocolate Chip, which is now the number 1 SKU within healthier biscuits [NielsenIQ, Mar 2024].

“ e new bars aim to cater to the shopper demand for greattasting, healthier innovation at an a ordable price from brands they know and trust,” says Nash.

Each bar in the Cadbury Brunch Light range contains fewer than

White chocolate is a strongperforming avour and, coupled

with a new price-marked pack, this launch will meet a clear consumer demand that the nation’s number one cookie brand can help retailers tap into.

Colin Taylor, Trade Marketing Director at FBC UK, comments: “Maryland is a brand that everyone knows and loves, and we wanted to innovate to o er shoppers a twist on their favourite cookie.”

e Maryland White Choc Chip price-marked pack is available with an RSP of £1.29 for a 200g pack with 20 cookies.

FPROFITS ON THE GO

Food to go is a huge and hugely important category for a growing number of retailers and there’s plenty of support out there for those looking to make more of the opportunity.

ood to go has become a critical category for more and more retailers over the last decade, o ering a great way to drive footfall, grow sales and, increase pro ts. e big challenge, however, can be the fact that introducing food to go can be a complex, expensive and labour-intensive business.

To help meet that challenge head on, Rustlers is helping small- and medium-sized stores drive food-togo sales and pro ts with the launch of a new small footprint unit.

Designed to be a low-risk, lowcommitment food-to-go solution, the units feature a digital screen

for advertising, alongside the preprogrammed microwave seen in previous versions of the solution.

What’s more, the rst 100 stores that introduce the machines in store before the end of the year will receive a free Rustlers food-to-go launch kit, including stock, a lightbox shop sign and access to social media support materials.

Machines are priced at just £2,500 and nance options are available – and Rustlers says that machines pay for themselves with just one sale per day.

PLUG AND PLAY

e units are easy to set up,

straightforward to clean and are powered by a single plug socket. All Rustlers Cook In e Box products are microwaved in packaging, minimising spills. e units also contain a small chiller, which can store eight cases of Rustlers’ Cook in e Box bestsellers, saving valuable stockroom space and ensuring a straightforward shopper experience.

e machines can be used with all Rustlers’ Cook in e Box products.

Ross Davison, Head of Convenience at Rustlers, said: “ e launch of our new food-to-go unit and Launch Kit demonstrates our

POST OFFICE DRAMA CLAMMY DODGER

Under The Counter was gripped by ITV’s recent hit drama about the Horizon scandal, Mr Bates vs The Post Office.

As readers probably don’t need reminding, the show told the story of Alan Bates, one of thousands of sub postmasters who were wrongly accused of theft due to shortfalls in their accounts caused by the Post Office’s faulty Fujitsu-supplied accounting software.

Amazingly, the series actually lost the broadcaster somewhere in the region of £1m, despite pulling in an average audience of nearly 10 million viewers.

Under The Counter found it hard to swallow that the show could be a financial flop.

He therefore suggested that ITV look again at the production’s ledger and double check its bean-counting software wasn’t sourced from Fujitsu.

The Auld Boy, unsurprisingly, was talking mince. Apparently, broadcasters rely on overseas sales to help programmes turn a profit, and the show wasn’t appealing enough to foreign viewers, as ITV high heid yin Kevin Lygo explained: “If you’re in Lithuania, four hours on the British Post Office? Not really, thank you very much.”

UTC could see Lygo’s point. Back in the old days before counter services in c-stores were a thing, UTC once nipped out at lunchtime to renew his passport and ended up spending four hours in a British Post Office.

FUJI NO DAE THAT?

There are footfall drivers and there are footfall drivers. Now that everyone has hot and cold running food to go, a beer cave looms large on the wish list of many an ambitious retailer keen to make their store stand out from the crowd.

However, Captain Hook could count on his gammy hand the number of convenience stores that uses an active volcano to pull in the punters.

We’re talking about the Lawson Fujikawaguchiko store here, which – you may have deduced – is in Japan and which most folk wouldn’t give a second glance if it didn’t sit in the shadow of Mount Fuji.

However, tourists have been flocking to the shop in droves to snap it with Japan’s iconic peak seemingly perched on its roof. They’re

An outbreak of particularly muggy weather caused considerable consternation in the UTC household recently.

An agitated Auld Boy was roaming the house opening windows trying to combat an increasingly sticky situation in his semmit when he chanced upon a bottle of anti-humidity spray on Mrs UTC’s dressing table.

“What will they think of next?” Under The Counter wondered, as he started to scoot said spray into the atmosphere.

He was soon stopped in his tracks by his good lady, who angrily wondered what the hell he was doing spraying one of her many hair care products everywhere.

As he is neither healthy nor beautiful, Under The Counter doesn’t spend much time in the Health & Beauty aisle. He was therefore blissfully ignorant of the fact that Mrs UTC’s anti-humidity spray is actually designed to stop her hair going frizzy in clammy conditions. Fans of the hit 90s TV show Friends will recall that Monica was similarly afflicted.

The situation got even stickier when the tightfisted Auld Boy discovered a can of the stuff retails at £7.99; his neighbours – thanks to the open windows – were soon treated to a frank but far from friendly exchange of views over the UTC household budget.

also stepping into traffic, blocking pavements and trespassing – all to capture the perfect pic. Under The Counter disapproves of such Insta-generation behaviour; in his day being a tourist meant a bracing week in Girvan. Black and white photos of Mrs UTC with Ailsa Craig

(that’s a small island in the Firth of Clyde, not a female pensioner) seemingly perched on her head were captured with a Box Brownie.

Anyway, polite notices and security guards have done little to quell the bad behaviour in Fujikawaguchiko; things are so bad that the town council has now erected a 2.5m-wide by 20m-long barrier to block out the view.

Given that tourists were still snapping the store on overcast days when Fuji wasn’t even visible, the Auld Boy is concerned that the barrier itself might become a tourist attraction –a sort of poor man’s Berlin Wall.

He imagines the owner of Lawson Fujikawaguchiko is fervently praying so.

Failing that, they could always get themselves a beer cave.