SLR April 2023 Edition

SPRING BUDGET

‘Inadequate’ budget fails retailers

VAPING BAN

Glasgow City Council wants to outlaw disposables

CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR

SGF Crime Seminar flags rocketing crime

LEGACIES AND LEAVE BEHINDS

Which consumer Covid habits have held, and which have been dumped?

NEWS

04 Local Sourcing The fourth phase of SGF’s Go Local Programme gets government approval.

05 Crime Shoplifting from convenience stores hits an all-time high, new ACS figures suggest.

06 Minimum Unit Pricing MUP has averted around 150 deaths every year since implementation.

08 Vaping Glasgow City Council calls for a ban on the sale of disposable vapes.

09 Legislation Proposed alcohol advertising restrictions would cost around £18,000 per store to refit, warns ACS.

10 Newstrade Newsquest hikes six Scottish cover prices while simultaneously cutting retailer terms.

12 Sales Grocery sales continue to grow despite a lack of availability in a few fresh produce categories.

14 News Extra Spring Budget Retail trade associations are disappointed by the Chancellor’s Spring Budget.

22 Product News Sprite gets a major makeover and shoppers can win what they love with Diet Coke.

24 Off-Trade News Snoop Dogg adds a Rosé to his Cali Wine portfolio and there’s a new RTD from Captain Morgan.

INSIDE BUSINESS

26 SLR Awards With the 2 June deadline fast approaching, there are only two months left to submit your entries.

28 Checkout Scotland GroceryAid Scotland’s fantastic music festival is back, and it’s time to book your tickets!

29 Advertising Feature Invest NI Scotland is a key target market for Northern Irish food and drink suppliers seeking to expand outside their home market.

30 SGF Retail Crime Seminar Retail crime has long been endemic and has increased in recent years, as attendees at the recent SGF & RAC Crime Seminar discovered.

32 Retailer Competition Your chance to win £50-worth of Red Bull’s new Juneberry Summer Edition.

35 Advertising Feature TOMRA It’s Deposit Return Scheme decision time for Scotland’s local retailers.

36 Hotlines The latest new products and media campaigns.

58 Under The Counter The Auld Boy is suitably unimpressed when cans of beer are recalled for having too much alcohol.

FEATURES

38 Ice Cream Ice cream’s lead at the front of the frozen category shows no sign of melting away.

42 Soft Drinks Despite challenges, Soft Drinks remains resilient and is growing faster than other key categories.

44 Tobacco Demand for low prices and value for money remains sky high in the tobacco category.

54 Forecourts Continuous investment is helping forecourts continue to drive margins in spite of the cost-of-living crisis.

ON THE COVER 18

The Covid Legacy A new Barclaycard study takes a closer look at which lockdown habits have turned into longterm legacies, and which have already been abandoned.

Deposit Return Scheme centre to open in Holytown

Circularity Scotland’s official DRS logistics service partner

Biffa is to transform a former parcel depot on the Eurocentral industrial park, near Holytown, into a state-of-the-art recycling centre. The site will form part of a network of facilities across Scotland that will count, sort and bale the billions of plastic, glass and aluminium drinks containers collected through the deposit return scheme each year.

VPZ plans 20 new stores

Vaping retailer VPZ plans to expand to 20 more locations across Scotland and England by the end of the year. Falkirk and seven major shopping centre sites are currently under the acquisition process and further growth is planned in the northeast of England and Yorkshire before the end of 2023. New stores have already opened in Hexham, Sheffield, Nottingham, Derby and Newquay since the start of the year.

SGF Mini Summit

The SGF’s Mini Summit will take place on 18 May at Macdonald Inchyra Hotel, Falkirk. Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater will be a keynote speaker on the deposit return scheme. The event will also feature panel discussions on HFSS restrictions, alcohol advertising restrictions, vaping restrictions, and the deposit return scheme. In addition, there will be a trade exhibition and opportunities to network.

Famous Glasgow shop gets alcohol licence

Townhead Convenience Store, which appeared as Harrid’s Convenience Store in BBC sitcom Still Game, has been awarded an alcohol licence. The Glasgow-based store is owned by an Iranian husband-and-wife duo who have a background in retail. Previously known as Alfy’s Paper Shope, the store has been trading under its current owners since late last year.

Go Local Programme wins phase 4 approval

geographically and demographically diverse stores to secure increased display space for Scottish products. Available Scottish supplier databases will also be used to grow the number of suppliers and improve customer choice.

Rural A airs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “ e widespread participation from local producers and store owners is a testament to the success of this programme.

“It is encouraging to see an increase in shelf space for Scottish produce and a growth of nearly 40% in the sale of eligible products.

e Scottish Grocers’ Federation’s Go Local Programme has secured approval for the roll-out of the next phase of the project.

e fourth phase of the programme will build upon the aim to support convenience stores the length and breadth of Scotland to provide dedicated, long-term display space for locally-sourced Scottish products.

e target is to increase the turnover of locally and nationally produced Scottish products within the convenience store sector, mitigate lost volumes in other sectors, and aid economic recovery for Scottish manufacturers and producers.

Phase 4 will see a further allocation of £190,000 for the programme and the selection of at least 40

SUPPLIERS

“We remain committed to supporting local convenience stores, as well as helping consumers access more of the fresh, quality produce they demand from our fantastic food and drink producers.”

SGF Chief Executive Pete Cheema added: “By supporting retailers and helping them o er their customers high quality, locally sourced, fresh, and healthier food, convenience stores are a key driver in growing their local economy. Bene ting everyone, from customers to producers.”

Stores participating in Go Local see an average increase in the Local Multiplier of £159,000 per annum on the healthier products. Producers also bene t from a “meet the buyer” opportunity, which will take place at the SGF Annual Conference in October.

Phase 4 of the programme will be open to applications until 31 May 2023.

Mortons Rolls saved and to restart production

Mortons Rolls has restarted production after the business was bought out of administration.

The Glasgow-based bakery has been acquired by investors PVL after talks with HMRC, administrators, and the Scottish Government.

PVL representative John McIlvogue told the BBC: “None of us wanted the past couple of weeks to unfold in the way that they have, but it has been entirely outwith our control.

“The important thing now is that Mortons is back in action, we’ve got the workforce back on the production line, and we’re ready to start producing our famous rolls that the good people of Glasgow have been crying out for.”

Greens Retail to go national with Nisa

Fife-based Greens Retail is set to expand nationally and has signed a ve-year deal with Nisa worth up to £200m during the term.

Currently operating 16 stores in Scotland, which have now surpassed £25m of annualised sales, retailer Harris Aslam has committed to open more than 20 new stores across Scotland and expand into England. Stores will operate under the Greens Fascia in partnership with Nisa.

Greens Retail runs stores varying in size from around 2,000sq to 6,000sq and collaborates with partners in a bid to o er the very best in-store customer experience, including in-store butchery and bakery counters, Costa Express, and Skwishee concessions.

e retailer already employs 300 members of sta and its ambitious plans for expansion will take the total headcount to more than 650 employees.

Harris Aslam, Managing Director of Greens Retail,

said:

“We’ve been working tirelessly to expand our portfolio and as we continue to grow at a tremendous pace, our overall aim is to innovate and rede ne convenience retailing.

“We really want to continue to push the boundaries of retail innovation to ensure each and every one of our stores is unique to the missions and needs of its shoppers.”

EXPANSION PLANS The Fife retailer hopes to expand into England

GO LOCAL A further £190,000 has been allocated for the next phase of the project

Local shops report record levels of theft

Record levels of shopli ing have been committed against convenience retailers over the past year, according to new gures from the ACS.

e ACS’ Voice of Local Shops Survey of more than 1,200 independent retailers reveals that the ‘the index’ has reached a record level of +26, compared to a previous high of +25 in May 2012.

e data shows 63% of independent retailers reported that the in their businesses had either increased (35%) or stayed the same (28%) over the past year, with just 9% reporting a decrease in levels of shop the .

e survey has been tracking levels of shop the since the start of 2012; the the index had been reasonably steady from 2016 through to early 2021, but has since gradually risen to new record highs.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “ e is not a victimless crime; it takes an enormous nancial and personal toll on the retailers that are trying to run a business in their communities. e is also the biggest single trigger for abuse of colleagues and violent incidents in stores.

“We need targeted action to stop the repeat o enders that are stealing on a regular basis without any concern about being apprehended by the police.”

Across the UK, London retailers are the worst a ected, with 48% of retailers surveyed saying that the has increased over the past year. is compares to 28% of retailers in the North East who reported an increase in the , the lowest of any UK region.

In response, Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary, said: “It is disturbing to see evidence from the ACS report and police recorded crime stats showing that shopli ing is on the increase.”

Figures from the ACS 2022 Crime Report show that convenience stores spent more than £246m in the previous year on crime prevention measures like CCTV, security sta , and alarm systems.

Scotland Loves Local goes digital

The Scottish Government is investing £250,000 to enable Scotland Loves Local gift cards to operate digitally. By going digital, the cards can be used by businesses to reward loyal customers and encourage repeat custom. The system may also be made compatible with transport providers’ ticketing systems, en-abling relatives or businesses to gift train and bus fares into town centres.

Snappy Group snaps up Greg Deacon

The Snappy Group has unveiled Greg Deacon as VP of Groups and Business Development. The role will focus on the expansion of existing retail chain relationships and enhancing the Snappy Shopper marketplace proposition as the only convenience store-specific Q-Commerce platform, as well as developing new channels to increase revenue for the group.

SGF launches online business rates calculator

CJ Lang & Son welcomes Barry’s Stores

CJ Lang & Son has welcomed Barry’s Stores to Spar Scotland.

Barry’s Stores, which is run by father and son Barry and Steven Oujla, is a group of four stores in the south of Glasgow and Paisley. e independent retailer has been operating since 1981 and employs 30 people.

Colin McLean, Chief Executive for CJ Lang & Son, said: “We are delighted to welcome Barry’s Stores to Spar. ey are rmly part of their local community with over 40 years’ experience in the convenience sector. It’s fantastic to see Steven working alongside his father as the next generation of independent retailing. e longevity of a family business is important.

“We have exciting plans for the stores. Spar Clarkston has already been re tted and their other three stores will be fully re tted in the coming months. Spar Gi nock will be extended into the unit next door to create more space for Fresh and a beer cave. Spar Cathcart will receive a modernised shop front, whilst Spar Paisley will be given a new exterior and re t inside.

“We look forward to supporting the family as they grow and develop their business over the years.”

Spar Scotland takes a Gander at cutting food waste

Spar Scotland’s Abronhill and Stonehouse stores have started a trial with food waste app Gander.

The trial will run for at least 12 weeks in both stores, with the view to cutting food waste and offering customers the opportunity to buy a selection of fresh food at reduced prices.

Sonya Harper, Central Operations Director at Spar Scotland, said: “We are looking forward to seeing how the trial develops, especially as it is the first in Scotland. We hope the introduction of Gander to Scotland and to Spar Scotland stores will help enable us to reduce food waste and change shoppers’ buying habits.”

The Scottish Grocers’ Federation has launched an online resource to help convenience retailers calculate their business rates relief and transitional relief for 2023/24. The online calculators provide an estimate for a business’s Small Business Bonus Scheme and Transitional Relief, using formulae provided by the Scottish Government and based on the figures input by the user.

PayPoint caps service charge increase

PayPoint has confirmed that from 1 April it is to put up its service fee charge, but the rise will be capped at 7%. The service provider reviews its service fee charge each year in line with the retail price index (RPI). Initially, the company was planning to increase the charge by 13.4% this year, the RPI at the time of its review.

FOOD WASTE

SYMBOL GROUPS Barry’s Stores is in the process of refitting its four stores in the south of Glasgow and Paisley

CRIME The theft index had been reasonably steady between 2016 and 2021 but has since gradually risen to new highs

Bestway unveils new retail director

Bestway has promoted

Jamie Davison to the role of Retail Director. Davison will lead Bestway’s central retail operations team, symbol team, franchise team, as well as have overall accountability for the new business and store development teams. Davison will replace Mike Hollis, who is relocating to Australia, and will formally join Bestway’s executive team on 1 July 2023.

Arbroath c-store put on the market

Harbour Stores, an established convenience store in Arbroath has been put on the market. Situated on the High Street, next to the harbour, the store is surrounded by a large mix of residential and commercial properties. The store has been run by Mr Ashraf for the past 38 years; he is selling the store to retire. Harbour Stores has been put on the market on a leasehold basis at £130,000.

Scotmid seeks annual charity partner

Scotmid is inviting charities across Scotland to become its charity partner of the year for 2023-24. The retailer is looking for an organisation that shares its values and passion for supporting local communities. The partners will encourage participation and fundraising from employees, members, and customers. Applications close at 5pm on 14 April 2023.

Airdrie pub could be converted into c-store

A former pub in Airdrie could soon be converted into a convenience store if councillors approve the building’s change of use. Applicant Anjum Faqir is seeking permission from North Lanarkshire Council to convert the Drumgelloch Bar in Forrest Street. The proposals include making a number of alterations to the building, allowing for the creation of aisles, and the installation of an ATM.

MUP averts alcohol deaths and hospital admissions, study finds

Minimum Unit Pricing has resulted in a reduction in alcohol-related deaths (-13.4%) and hospital admissions (-4.1%), new research reveals.

e research by Public Health Scotland and the University of Glasgow, which evaluated the impact of MUP on alcohol health harms over the rst twoand-half years of the policy, estimates that around 150 deaths and 400 hospital admissions were averted each year due to MUP.

Dr Grant Wyper, Public Health Intelligence Adviser at PHS, said: “ e greatest reductions were seen for chronic alcohol health harms, in particular alcoholic liver disease, which were slightly o set with less certain evidence of increases in acute alcohol health harms.

e ndings highlight that the largest reductions were found for males and for those living in the 40% most deprived areas – groups which are known to experience disproportionally high levels of alcohol health harms in Scotland.

“We know that those living in the most socioeconomically deprived areas in Scotland

experience alcohol-speci c death rates more than ve times higher compared to those living in the least deprived areas. e results published today are therefore very encouraging in addressing this inequality, and the overall scale of preventable harm which a ects far too many people.”

A report bringing together all MUP evaluation ndings will be published in June 2023.

C-stores hit by Edinburgh bridge closure

to lay cables as part of its work to install a full- bre network across the city when its workmen dug a little too deep and dislodged stonework on the underside of the bridge.

In addition, food store Margiotta said business was down from lack of passing trade, and several shops said bus diversions had also led to fewer customers.

Edinburgh retailers are being a ected by the closure of Shandon Bridge, which has been closed since January.

Telecoms company CityFibre was reportedly digging a trench on Shandon Bridge at Ashley Terrace

BAKERY

e company is currently in talks about repairs with Network Rail, who own the bridge, but it is unclear when the necessary work will be carried out.

Keystore convenience store told Edinburgh Evening News it had seen a 60% drop in trade and had some deliveries cancelled because of diversions.

Paul Wake eld, CityFibre’s area manager for Edinburgh, said the company is “working closely with the council and Network Rail to nd a solution to reopen the bridge as soon as possible”.

A Network Rail spokesperson said the bridge can “only be reopened to tra c a er a safe and appropriate repair has been proposed and completed”.

Margiotta partners with Mimi’s Bakehouse

Edinburgh-based convenience store chain Margiotta Food and Wine has formed a partnership with Mimi’s Bakehouse.

The partnership means Mimi’s Bakehouse’s cakes, brownies, tray-bakes and biscuitswill now be available to buy at the newly refurbished Margiotta Forrest Road store.

Franco Margiotta, Founder of Margiotta Food and Wine, told Edinburgh News: “Mimi’s Bakehouse is one of Edinburgh’s most beloved bakeries and we are proud to offer their products to our customers.”

Margiotta, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, was established after the family moved to Edinburgh from Italy in 1957. It has a growing portfolio of stores, which include Comiston Road, Dundas Street, and the newly refurbished Forrest Road.

ROAD WORKS CityFibre and National Rail are working to reopen Shandon Bridge as soon as possible

MADL clothing banks raise over £35,000

Nisa retailers have raised more than £35,000 for local causes through Making a Difference

Locally clothing banks. More than 50 clothing banks are located outside stores across the UK, enabling Nisa customers to accumulate additional money into their MADL fund, providing further support to local communities and helping to reduce the environmental impact of unwanted clothing.

Dumfries Post Office is up for sale

St. Michael Street News & Post Office in Dumfries has been put on the market. The store reported an annual turnover of £257,649 and pre-tax earnings of £62,000 for the year ending 31 December 2021. It is currently open Monday to Friday 5am–3pm, Saturday 5am–12.30pm and Sunday 5am–11am. A threebedroom flat is also available. The freehold store has an asking price of £190,000 or £320,000 to include the residential flat.

SWA seeks Wholesale Local Food Champions

Scottish Wholesale Association has launched its new Wholesale Local Food Champion training pro-gramme. The programme encourages Scotland’s wholesalers to appoint an individual to take responsibility for shaping the local sourcing strategy within their business. The training programme is fully funded and supported by the Scottish Government.

Booker champions women

Booker Group has launched its first Colleague Network to champion gender equality and to help women be at their best. The initial aims of Women in Booker are to raise awareness of gender imbalance, to create network opportunities and to support, inspire and motivate female careers across the business. The network is sponsored by members of the Booker Executive.

Glasgow City Council is calling for a ban on the sale of single-use vapes amid growing health and environmental concerns.

e council’s Environment and Liveable Neighbourhoods Committee is writing to the Scottish government to back calls for the introduction of new legislation banning their sale due to concerns about the future health of the city’s young people and the rising environmental impact of littering.

Committee members voiced fears that the brightly coloured and sweetly avoured single-use vapes

are designed to appeal to underage users who may be damaging their future health through regular and prolonged use.

In addition, in just three months, trading standards o cers seized more than 13,000 illicit vapes in spot checks on businesses selling directly to the public and other retailers.

e committee agreed that Chair, Councillor Elaine McSporran, would raise this with the Scottish government. She said: “We are seeing more and more disposable vapes littering our streets and green spaces, because people are

Spar Scotland promotes positive community engagement

Spar Scotland is working with Police Scotland and Lochside Academy, the largest secondary school in Aberdeen, to discuss positive community engagement, CSR, and career opportunities.

e rst roundtable sessions took place at Lochside Academy on 20 March when Spar Scotland Area Manager Garry Brailsford and Spar Scotland Marketing Manager Paula Middleton spoke to about 100 students aged 13- and 14-yearsold about community engagement, anti-social behaviour, and career opportunities with Spar and CJ Lang & Son.

e retailer has been invited back in April to do another roundtable session with older students about career opportunities with Spar and what an employer expects of an employee in the workplace.

Paula Middleton said: “We were keen to engage with the students at the school and have a proactive roundtable discussion about career opportunities and how Spar can help them in the future in terms of community support and involvement.

“We are excited to be invited to come back again next month and discuss our partnership with the GTG Apprentice Scheme and other careers we will have available in customer service, retail, warehouse and logistics.”

just dropping them when they are empty. ey are made of plastic which, as we know, takes decades to degrade and can end up in our rivers and oceans where it is a threat to wildlife and can get into the food chain. ey are also powered by lithium batteries which contain corrosive and ammable chemicals.”

McSporran added: “ eir apparent marketing towards younger people with sweet avours and brightly coloured packaging is another concern as more and more young people seem to be using them.

“I wholeheartedly support the introduction of a ban on their sale and urge the Scottish Government to act now to avert a dual disaster in the future.”

e Scottish Government is currently conducting a review of single-use vapes, which includes consideration of a ban. e review will be led by Zero Waste Scotland. Dundee City Council has also voiced support for banning the sale of single-use vapes.

STORE OPENINGS

USave to open store in Rosyth

A USave store is set to open in the former ex-servicemen’s club building in Rosyth under plans submitted to Fife Council.

Planning permission was granted in March 2021 to change the use of the building at 153A Admiralty Road into flats, a shop, and an office. One of the conditions was that the hours of operation of the retail unit will be restricted to between 7am and 10pm.

Now a new planning application has been lodged by Mohammad Saleem asking for permission for three illuminated signs and three poster boxes to be put up at the site at the roundabout between Admiralty Road and Queensferry Road.

COMMUNITY Spar Scotland has discussed positive community engagement, CSR, and career opportunities at the largest secondary school in Aberdeen

SINGLE USE VAPES Glasgow Councillor Elaine McSporran is to raise concerns with the Scottish government Glasgow council supports ban on sale of single-use vapes

Alcohol advertising restrictions would ‘disproportionately impact’ local shops

ACS has highlighted the signi cant impact that proposed measures to restrict the advertising and promotion of alcohol in Scotland would have on local shops.

e Scottish government launched a consultation on the introduction of a wide range of restrictions that seek to restrict alcohol advertising and marketing as part of its wider strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm. e key measures which would have a direct impact on local shops include:

Q Prohibiting window displays from being included within the permitted alcohol display area.

Q Limiting alcohol from being displayed in aisle-end displays.

Q Restricting the use of mixed alcohol and non-alcohol aisles.

Q Limiting the display of alcohol similar to the restrictions applied to retailers for the display of tobacco products.

Q Positioning alcohol in a separate area of the

shop behind barriers or in enclosed adjacent storage units.

e ACS submission highlights a number of concerns about the operational burden and nancial impact that the proposed restrictions would have on local shops. ACS has estimated that it would cost around £18,000 per site to re t stores to meet the proposed restrictions and would amount to a total cost of £90m for the Scottish convenience sector.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “ e Scottish government’s approach to this consultation is tin-eared to mounting pressures facing retailers. We are strongly urging the Scottish government not to proceed with these proposals.”

ACS has also signed an open letter to the Scottish government, alongside a number of other trade bodies, outlining the negative impact the proposals would have on businesses and calling for greater support for the retail industry.

REGULATIONS

Alcohol advertising ban will impact jobs and investment, warns union

The Scottish government must “ditch” plans to restrict alcohol marketing and instead bring forward a national strategy to support the sector, the GMB union warns.

The call from the GMB union, which represents thousands of workers in brewing, whisky and spirits across Scotland, comes as the government’s Alcohol Advertising and Promotion consultation closes.

GMB Scotland Organiser, David Hume, said: “While the consultation is wellintentioned, an alcohol advertising ban will inevitably be detrimental to jobs across the sector and its supply chains.

“Let’s be clear, the sector is a fundamental pillar of our economy and the jewel in the crown of our highly valuable food and drink sector – we cannot do without it.

“That’s why GMB is urging ministers to scrap their proposals and work with employers and unions to bring forward a national strategy to support the sector rather than restrict it.”

LEGISLATION ACS estimates proposed alcohol advertising restrictions would cost around £18,000 per site to refit

Rustlers BTYT Campaign SLR Advert

Muirkirk store on market

A convenience store in Muirkirk, East Ayrshire, has been put up for sale. The 750sq ft store, which is being marketed by Prime Property Auctions (Scotland), has a rateable value of £2,450 that qualifies for 100% business rates relief. The Pagan Walk unit features a kitted-out store room downstairs and a toilet to the rear. Local amenities include a primary school, football club, golf course and bowling green.

Spar driver scoops prize

CJ Lang & Son driver Willie Brown has scooped a prize at the inaugural Spar International Driver of the Year competition, held to highlight the role lorry drivers play in Spar’s operation and promote driving as a career. The competition was hosted by Scania at its facility in Södertälje near Stockholm, Sweden, over two days. Drivers competed in three disciplines that tested their driving style, manoeuvrability, and safety awareness.

Nisa retailers raise £1m for clean water projects

Nisa retailers have helped raised more than £1m for The One Foundation since becoming part of the Co-op Group in 2018 and stocking Co-op own-brand water. As part of this initiative, 3p of every litre of Co-op own brand water sold goes to The One Foundation – a UK charity funding grants into systemschange implementation into humanitarian water, sanitation, and hygiene programmes.

SGF and RAC host joint retail crime event

Scottish Grocers’ Federation held its annual Crime & Wellbeing Seminar at Hampden Park in partnership with Retailers Against Crime. The seminar focused on issues such as the wider economic effects of retail crime and the lived experience of retailers. Speakers including Russell Findlay MSP and Police Scotland’s Superintendent Hilary Sloan.

Publisher acts to save six regional titles

Regional publisher Newsquest has increased the cover prices of six of its Scottish newspapers, while also cutting terms for retailers, in a bid to save the titles from the “real possibility” of closure.

e changes, which will take e ect this week, will lead to a 20p increase at the Ayr Advertiser, which will go from £1.15 to £1.35, while the price will change from £1.10 to £1.30 at both the Dumbarton Reporter and Irvine Times.

Both the Border Telegraph and Clydebank Post will see 10p increases from £1 to £1.10, with the cost of the Barrhead News changing from £1.10 to £1.20.

e move has been made as part of a ra of cover price increases at Newsquest’s other Scottish titles, although margins will remain the same for newsagents selling them.

In Glasgow, the Monday to

Friday editions of e Herald have gone up from £2 to £2.20, with its Saturday edition’s price moving from £2.40 to £2.60.

e Glasgow Times has had a 5p increase to 90p, while pro-Scottish independence daily e National is up 10p to £1.30.

e cover price of both e Herald on Sunday and e Sunday National will increase from £2.40 to £2.50 at the end of this week.

e price of the Greenock Telegraph, Newsquest’s other Scottish daily, has gone up from 75p to 80p.

e following increases will also take e ect from this week at Newsquest’s other Scottish weeklies, where retailer terms will remain the same: Largs & Millport News from £1.10 to

EMPLOYMENT Levels of abuse are higher than before pandemic

Almost one-third (30%) of shopworkers are considering changing their job and 41% feel anxious about work because of high levels of verbal abuse, threats and assaults, new research reveals.

Retail trade union Usdaw’s annual survey shows the number of incidents has come down since the exceptionally high levels during the pandemic but remains higher than pre-Covid levels in 2019. e gures show 69.2% have experienced verbal abuse, 41.6% were threatened by a customer, and 5% were assaulted.

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary, said: “ e potential cost for retail employers to recruit, train and induct new sta adds to the astronomical price they already pay for the from shops and security measures. at will have an inevitable impact on prices in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis and should be a concern to us all.

“Violence and abuse is not an acceptable part of the job and too many shopworkers su er all too o en. We still need better co-ordination to ensure that retail employers, police and the courts work together to make stores safer and give sta the support and con dence they need. Most of all, we ask the public to support our campaign by respecting shopworkers.”

£1.15, Alloa Advertiser from £1.10 to £1.20, Ardrossan Herald from £1.10 to £1.20, Central Fife Times from £1 to £1.10, Cumnock Chronicle from £1.10 to £1.20, Dunfermline Press from £1.25 to £1.35, East Lothian Courier from £1.20 to £1.30, Helensburgh Advertiser from £1.15 to £1.25, Musselburgh Courier from £1.20 to £1.30, and Peeblesshire News from £1 to £1.10.

Spar Scotland awards

£1,000 to foodbanks

Spar Scotland has donated £1,000 between four foodbanks a er a competition held on social media in January.

e symbol group’s followers on Facebook and Instagram were asked to nominate a local foodbank to receive £250 in Spar Scotland vouchers.

Paula Middleton, Spar Scotland Marketing Manager, said: “ e campaign was aimed at communities and as we are always looking at ways to give back, we thought giving away £1,000 in Spar Scotland vouchers to local foodbanks would help.”

Four winners were picked at random to be given £250 each: ornton Community Food Support, EBI Unites, Wee Mobile Foodbank Lanarkshire, and Dalbeattie Foodbank.

COMMUNITY Symbol group donates to four foodbanks

Nearly one-third of shopworkers thinking of quitting because of violence

Appeal over Kelty service station

Landowner Ian Maclellan and TG Convenience Stores are appealing the rejection of their plans for a McDonald’s and petrol station in Kelty. The companies want to develop a site at junction 4 of the M90 and said the roadside services would create 72 full-time equivalent jobs and inject £1.5m into the local economy. The plans were branded as “unacceptable” by Fife councillors.

Poll finds support for DRS

Public support for Scotland’s deposit return scheme, which is due to start on 16 August, has been revealed by new research. The poll, conducted by The Diffley Partnership on behalf of TOMRA, reveals that 70% of respondents support scheme and more than 80% say they will use it. The poll reveals that the biggest driver encouraging people to use the scheme is to prevent damage to the natural environment and animals (53%).

Nisa giveaway to fund coronation celebrations

Nisa’s Making a Difference

Locally charity has launched a fifth round of the Heart of the Community Awards to help communities celebrate the coronation on 6 May. There will be two funding opportunities to apply for as part of the awards, with 100 donations of up to £500 available for each. Nisa retailers can nominate a local group, charity or good cause to receive up to £500 in funding.

Clydebank store on market

Clydebank-based Singh’s Stores is for sale as the owner looks to retire. The store, at 12-14 Auckland Place, is well located in a housing scheme and turns over £3,500 a week. The outlet, which has an alcohol licence, is open Monday to Saturday 8am–1pm and 2.30pm–6.30pm, and is closed on Sunday. It is offered as a leasehold sale at £30,000 with rental being offered at £15,000 per annum.

C-store sales growing

Convenience store value sales grew by 8% in the past four weeks ending 25 February, with volume sales up1.4%, suggesting that some shoppers prefer to visit convenience stores to limit their overall grocery spend.

e data, released by consumer intelligence company NIQ –previously known as NielsenIQ – shows grocery sales soared by 11.1%, as a result of accelerating food in ation.

e gures show till sales growth comes despite a lack of availability in a few fresh produce categories which impacted sales in the past two weeks.

e consumer intelligence company states that volumes at the multiples fell by 4.1% in the past four weeks, indicating that although in ation is still rising, shoppers’ varying coping strategies

and the additional private-label price cuts by retailers are helping to alleviate the impact of in ation on shopping baskets. While volumes are down compared to the same period in 2022, they are broadly unchanged over the past 12 weeks (-4.0%); higher in ation is boosting value sales but declining volumes are no worse.

However, there was incremental spend for Valentine’s Day and over the February half-term which helped li value growths at the multiples to 8.2%. Compared to last year, there was an increase in sales for boxes of chocolates (+23%), fresh roses (+20%), mixed oral bunches (+14%), and sparkling wine (+4%).

e NIQ data reveals in-store visits continue to rise (8.7%) and sales at stores are up 13.1%, while online sales fell by 2.5%.

Half of people in Scotland

‘concerned’ about tinned food, research reveals

Misconceptions about tins could be driving millions of shoppers to buy shorter shelf-life foods they end up wasting, according to research by Zero Waste Scotland.

e data shows 21% of the population consider tinned food “a last resort” and 33% still associate tins as the preserve of elderly people and students.

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “It’s easy to overlook their ability to help us tackle the amount of food we waste. ey’re convenient and can be easily recycled at home. at makes them a win-win for both cutting food waste and avoiding sending unnecessary packaging to land ll.”

PROMOTIONS

Loyalty card promotions making it ‘increasingly difficult’ for indies to compete on price

Independent convenience stores are aligned to the multiples on base pricing, but deep discount loyalty card promotions are making it increasingly difficult for the indies to compete on price, new research reveals.

The data from TWC, in collaboration with The Federation of Wholesale Distributors, shows prices have increased by +11% in independents, +13% in Tesco Express, and +17% in Tesco supermarkets in January 2023 compared to November 2021. The price differential between the independents and Tesco Express has fallen because prices have risen more at the multiples, and at the time of the audit in January 2023, there was price parity between the two.

Tesco is using its ‘Clubcard Prices’ within its convenience format to offer discounts of up to 35%, making it hard for independent convenience stores to compete with the multiples on price.

However, the research shows independent retailers are fighting for their share of local trade and pulling a number of levers to do this, with 93% of retailers trying to offer superior customer service and 89% were supporting local charities and initiatives. Many are also trying to compete on price, whether that’s by offering a wider range of cheaper products (78%), more own label (65%) or price matching (39%).

GROCERY Misconceptions adding to food waste

SALES Grocery sales continue to grow despite a lack of availability in a few fresh produce categories

Scottish Grocers’ Federation

Convenience Matters with the SGF

With 11% of shop owners working more than 70 hours per week and more than a quarter not taking any holiday time at all, it is no surprise that finding time to plan for the future and to invest in stores can be very difficult.

That is why SGF is very proud to announce the launch of Phase 4 of our Go Local Programme, which is delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government.

There is no question that our sector is facing an extremely challenging period and, in some cases, shops owners are doing their very best just to keep the doors open and lights on. But over the past few years we have proven that convenience stores are essential local assets, and key drivers of both economic growth and wellbeing for many communities.

Go Local grant funding is designed to help support retailers offer their customers high quality, locally sourced, fresh, and healthier food. This increases footfall and customer spend, while at the same time benefiting everyone in the community, from customers through to local suppliers and producers.

Until the end of May, convenience stores will have the opportunity to apply to the latest phase of programme, by completing the form on the SGF website (sgfscot.co.uk/ go-local). Go Local has been a tremendous and welcome success story over the past three years and highlights just how innovative and ambitious our sector can be with the right support.

Trade bodies react to ‘inadequate’ Spring Budget

The retail trade bodies are disappointed that their calls for assistance with soaring energy bills have not been answered by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in the Spring Budget.

them to provide the necessary help for struggling small businesses.

“It is, therefore, extremely disappointing that our calls for assistance have not been answered.”

Other announcements included in the Budget include:

Q Fuel duty will be frozen for 12 months.

Q Alcohol and tobacco duties will rise by the rate of RPI as planned, with the exception of draught relief in pubs.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has failed to put in place meaningful support for the almost 7,000 local shops facing closure this year as a result of sky-high energy costs, according to the sector’s trade associations.

From April, the government will press on with “untargeted, inadequate” support for 12 months through the Energy Bills Discount Scheme, with a discount of 1.9p per kWh for electricity. is will reduce an average eligible convenience store’s energy bill by around £1,520 for the year. Convenience stores that signed xed contracts during the height of wholesale prices (Q3/Q4 2022) are those most likely to be at risk of closure, due to the tripling or in some cases quadrupling of their energy bills for the duration of the xed term contract. ere are up to 6,900 stores facing rates of 80-90p per kWh and above this year.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “A Budget focused on growth and investment will come as no comfort to those who will have their entire pro t margins wiped out this year by excessive xed energy contracts. Convenience stores have been le out in the cold by the Chancellor, being le to face crippling energy bills by themselves and putting thousands at risk.

“Di cult decisions will have to be made in the coming months by independent retailers about the future of their businesses, which will have a negative impact on investment and reduce the number of available jobs in communities, all while bolstering the pro ts of energy companies.”

e NFRN’s National President Jason Birks added: “I and other trade associations wrote to the Chancellor and the Business Secretary just last month imploring

Q Full capital expensing will be introduced for the next three years, with every pound a company invests in IT equipment, plant and machinery being eligible to be deducted from taxable pro ts.

Q e government will o er ‘Returnerships’ targeted at the over 50s who want to return to work.

Q Childcare reforms to make it easier for parents to return to the workplace.

Birks said the tax rises on alcohol and tobacco will also lead to an increase in illicit trading, which again hurts honest shopkeepers and fuels organised crime.

He added: “ e chancellor has shown a complete disregard for shops that are the lifeblood of their local communities. I make no bones about it – we will see many forced to close their doors for good as businesses become unviable in the current economic climate.”

Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Petrol Retailers Association, said: “Petrol and diesel prices are still extremely volatile due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Many motorists will breathe a sigh of relief at the Chancellor’s decision to extend the fuel duty freeze and maintain the 5ppl cut.”

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, added: “In the face of volatile demand caused by high in ation and low consumer con dence, measures to support households with the cost of living, such as the ongoing energy bill support and changes to childcare costs, are welcomed.

“However, many businesses are weighed down by a myriad of higher costs right through the supply chain. Government must do more to limit one of the biggest drags to retail investment, which is oncoming regulatory burdens heading down the track, or risk a crash in business investment and further in ationary pressures.”

BUDGET ACS says Budget focused on growth and investment will come as no comfort to retailers on fixed energy contracts.

IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME

With marvellous benefit of hindsight, it was always likely to be a little naïve and optimistic to expect shoppers to retain the newfound passion for shopping local that they discovered in the Covid years. The cold, hard realities of modern life were always likely to kick back in at some point and, if a new Barclaycard report is to be believed, that point has arrived.

Shoppers appear to have forgiven the supermarkets and major suppliers for their failings and dirty tricks during Covid and are returning to their pre-Covid ways, largely abandoning the local stores that went the extra mile to keep them fed and watered during the toughest of times.

The Barclaycard report highlights how, within the first few months of the first lockdown being implemented, sales in local independent businesses shot up 28.6%. The supermarkets were facing massive availability issues, certain suppliers who shall remain nameless abandoned independent stores to funnel their output to the major multiples and the world was in meltdown – yet local retailers found a way, as they always do. And to my mind, local retailers shone almost as brightly as those stars in the NHS.

Fast forward to today however and 68% of shoppers are prioritising lower prices over shopping locally, says the report. Almost a third have shifted back to supermarkets because ‘prices tend to be lower’ and 23% have shifted to the big box retailers because they ‘tend to have more options’.

You don’t have to be particularly thin skinned to take mild offence at these shifts. Who was there for you when you needed them? Who found you your daily staples when Asda couldn’t? But this short memory syndrome is easy enough to understand all the same, particularly as it’s being fuelled by a costof-living squeeze that is accelerating this shift and taking us squarely back to a place where price trumps all else.

It’s not all bad news, however. A fairly chunky 23% of shoppers still try to shop locally rather than in supermarkets or online, according to the Barclaycard insights.

As for the future? Even the late Mystic Meg would have had a tough job figuring out what the next few weeks holds in store, never mind the next six or 12 months. I have a hunch, however, that local retailers will find a way. They have a knack for it, you see.

EDITORIAL

Publishing Director & Editor

Antony Begley abegley@55north.com

Deputy Editor Liz Wells lwells@55north.com

Features Editor Gaelle Walker gwalker@55north.com

Features Writer Elena Dimama edimama@55north.com

Web Editor Findlay Stein fstein@55north.com

ADVERTISING

Sales & Marketing Director Helen Lyons 07575 959 915 | hlyons@55north.com

Advertising Manager Garry Cole 07846 872 738 | gcole@55north.com

DESIGN

Design & Digital Manager Richard Chaudhry rchaudhry@55north.com

EVENTS & OPERATIONS

Events & Circulation Manager Cara Begley cbegley@55north.com

Scottish Local Retailer is distributed free to qualifying readers. For a registration card, call 0141 222 5381. Other readers can obtain copies by annual subscription at £50 (UK), £62 (Europe airmail), £99 (Worldwide airmail).

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Scottish Local Retailer is produced monthly by 55 North Ltd.

ANTONY BEGLEY, PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

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STOCK UP NOW!

LOCKDOWN: LASTING LEGACIES AND LEAVE BEHINDS

BY ANTONY BEGLEY

There is absolutely no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic and its accompanying lockdowns had a dramatic e ect on the way that Scottish consumers live and shop. e world was turned upside down and everything that we would once have described as normal went straight out the window.

e expectation that a ‘new normal’ would somehow come along and establish itself was, with hindsight, a little optimistic and it will probably be years before Covid truly retreats into nothing more than memory.

For the time being, the hangover of the pandemic remains a very real and very important factor in the lives of Scotland’s local retailers. So what exactly has the pandemic done to the world and how can retailers best respond?

at’s a question tackled in a fascinating new consumer trend study by Barclaycard and –spoiler alert – it doesn’t make for comfortable reading.

e analysis from Barclays combines hundreds of millions of customer transactions with consumer research to provide an in-depth view of UK spending.

e insight covers a range of lockdown-related topics like online grocery ordering, food-to-go, shopping locally, pricing and home delivery. It aims to establish which lockdown legacies look likely to endure, and which are already being dumped.

e report identi ed three key Lockdown Legacies and three key Lockdown Leave Behinds – and it’s the Leave Behinds that make for the most interesting, if unwelcome, reading for local retailers.

PRICE OVER LOCAL

Lockdown, as we all recall, saw a shi to supporting local businesses and a growing desire to back local and regional economies with

It’s clear the pandemic radically changed the way consumers live and shop, and a new Barclaycard study has taken a closer look at which lockdown habits have turned into long-term legacies, and which have already been abandoned.

independent businesses like c-stores, butchers and bakers seeing a huge 28.6% increase in spend in 2020 compared to the year before.

e new report, however, suggests that shoppers are rapidly returning to their old ways, no doubt accelerated by the cost-of-living crisis. ese days, almost seven in 10 (68%) shoppers say they are looking for ways to reduce the cost of their weekly shop and are increasingly prioritising lower prices over their desire to shop locally.

ree in 10 (30%) of these shoppers are buying from larger supermarkets because ‘prices tend to be lower’ than in smaller, independent shops, and nearly a quarter (23%) have shi ed their spending because larger stores ‘tend to have more options’ when it comes to budget and value ranges.

It’s not all bad news though: millions of British consumers have remained loyal to local businesses. A quarter (25%) say lockdowns made them realise how much they value their local high street, so still try to support it where possible and 23% now try to spend locally rather than shopping online.

TAKEAWAY GONE AWAY

When it comes to takeaways and food-to-go, over half (52%) of consumers who ordered takeaways during the lockdowns say they now spend less on takeout food than they did during that period, with 25% reporting they now spend signi cantly less.

Meanwhile, the proportion of grocery spending online compared to in-store has risen compared to pre-lockdown levels. Before the UK’s rst lockdown in March 2020, only 10% of grocery shopping was done online – this rose to 16% during the lockdowns and has now settled at 13.4% [February 2023].

is indicates that, of the millions of shoppers who switched to buying groceries online during the lockdowns, many more have made the change permanently.

DWINDLING DELIVERIES

One of the biggest growth industries under lockdown was home delivery and one of the biggest concerns at the time was whether or not this trend would be sustained post-lockdown. If the report is correct, the answer is a clear ‘no’.

e number of home deliveries has fallen by an estimated 22% compared to during the pandemic. Shoppers report that they received an average of 5.0 deliveries per month during this period, compared to only 3.9 per month now.

In addition, 22% of shoppers say they currently receive no online deliveries at all, compared to only 16% during the pandemic.

Another ecommerce trend that has fallen in popularity since lockdown restrictions li ed is

TOP 3 LOCKDOWN LEGACIES

1. COVID CAREERS

The majority who started a new venture (86%) are still running their business, with over a third (34%) saying it has become their main source of finance.

2. IN-TREND INSPERIENCES

Almost half (46%) of those who signed-up to pre-prepared meal-kits and 35% who started using make-your-own meal-kit subscriptions now spend more on these services each month.

3. PANDEMIC PASTIMES

Gardening, exercising and baking are reported as the most popular pursuits Brits have continued to enjoy since life returned to normal.

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Click & Collect. Of the 53% of consumers who have used Click & Collect, one in three (31%) now use it less regularly than they did during the lockdowns, compared to just one in ve (19%) who have increased the number of orders they choose to pick up in-store.

REAL LEGACIES

So much for the Lockdown Leave Behinds. But what about the trends that have stuck? Disappointingly, the three key Lockdown Legacies identi ed by Barclaycard don’t appear to highlight obvious, direct opportunities for local retailers.

e rst is badged as ‘Covid careers’ and centres around a big shi towards new business start-ups and side hustles, especially among furloughed employees who found themselves with extra time on their hands.

Barclays’ data shows that almost one-inthree consumers (28%) has started a new small business or found a way to supplement their income since the rst national lockdown three years ago.

e majority who started a new venture (86%) are still running their small businesses or sidehustle, with over a third (34%) saying it has become their main source of income.

e second major trend is a shi to ‘In-trend insperiences’ or, to put it plainly, shoppers making more of their time at home: meal-box subscriptions and digital entertainment being the two most obvious examples.

ere may be an opportunity here for local retailers to re-imagine the traditional big night in occasion, more in in line with the latest trends as highlighted by the survey. Why not try creating the next generation of Meal Deals with new versions of the meal-box theme? A bag (or box) of ingredients, complete with a bottle of wine, a 4-pack of beer, some so drinks, confectionery and snacks for a set price?

Digital entertainment subscriptions rocketed under lockdown, up 40.5% in just the rst few months of restrictions and even a er the easing of restrictions in March 2021, digital content and subscription growth has averaged 41% throughout the post-lockdown period versus February 2020. In other words, the big night in is a bigger opportunity than ever. Are you making the most of that opportunity and tailoring your o er for the masses sitting at home watching Net ix or Sky Sports with friends and family?

e nal Lockdown Legacy contained in the report is ‘Pandemic pastimes’, with more than six in 10 (62%) shoppers seizing the opportunity to learn a new hobby or skill – and millions kept up their pandemic pastimes a er lockdown had gone. Gardening (20%), exercising (19%) and baking (16%) are reported as the most popular pursuits shoppers have continued to enjoy since

TOP 3 LOCKDOWN LEAVE BEHINDS

1. PRICE OVERSHADOWS SUPPORT FOR SHOPPING LOCALLY

Now that almost seven in 10 (68%) shoppers say they are looking for ways to reduce the cost of their weekly shop, Brits are increasingly prioritising lower prices over their desire to shop locally. Three in 10 (30%) of these shoppers say they are buying from larger supermarkets because prices tend to be lower than in smaller, independent shops.

2. AVOIDING TAKEAWAY TEMPTATION

Over half (52%) of consumersa who ordered takeaways during the lockdowns now spend less on takeout food than they did during that period.

3. DWINDLING DELIVERIES

The number of home deliveries has fallen by an estimated 22% compared to during the lockdowns.

life returned to normal – and all three o er opportunities to switched-on retailers.

Marc Pettican, Head of Barclaycard Payments, commented: “From ‘insperiences’ to online tness, the pandemic shaped and accelerated several notable shi s in consumer behaviour.

“However, the cost-of-living crunch is slowly unpicking some of these trends as consumers have had to become more selective about how and where they shop. For example, the boom in takeaways has tapered o , as has spending at local independent stores, as consumers continue to look for ways to cut costs to help make ends meet.”

ACT NOW

ere was always going to be an extended period of ux in the wake of Covid and the local retailing sector knew that some of the habits formed under lockdown would persist and some would fade away. ings are becoming a little clearer and, as usual, the picture is a complex mix of challenge and opportunity.

e clear trends identi ed in the Barclaycard report, however, o er a decent indication as to which way the consumer wind is blowing and there are some obvious opportunities buried among the rubble. e end of Covid is a long way o yet, but keeping in touch with what your customers want is one way of staying on the right track to the end of this long and winding tunnel.

Illicit tobacco concerns grow among retailers

A Philip Morris Limited survey has uncovered a growing concern among convenience retailers that the current costof-living crisis will fuel a rise in illicit tobacco use. In response to rising prices, 46% of retailers plan on expanding their smokefree product range to offer adult smokers more affordable alternatives, such as e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn products, and nicotine pouches.

Chocolate sales surged ahead of Mother’s Day

Data from PayPoint’s has revealed that sales of chocolates saw a massive spike ahead of Mother’s Day, including Ferrero Rocher – which saw sales increase by 42%. The data, which captured sales from the eight days prior to Mother’s Day against the same date range last year, also shows a soar in sales of Maltesers (41%), Galaxy Caramel (39%) and Aero Milk Chocolate (38%).

Most consumers favour climate-conscious brands

Almost two-thirds (64%) of UK consumers favour brands that make a conscious effort to tackle climate change, according to new research from Kana Earth. The study also found that 69% of consumers would try to avoid buying products from brands that have a large carbon footprint and negative impact on the environment if more climatepositive alternative products and services were available.

Retailers encouraged to stock up on freezables

With IRI research finding the freezables category growing by 70%, World of Sweets is advising retailers to stock up on branded freezables ahead of spring and summer. The confectionery wholesaler’s top pick is Barratt Ice Duos, which was commended at last year’s Quality Food Awards. It is available in packs of 14 x 640ml, RSP £1.75 per product.

Major makeover for Sprite

Coca-Cola Europaci c Partners (CCEP) has introduced a new taste, new visual identity and a global marketing campaign for Sprite aimed at driving trial amongst young adults.

e new formulations deliver an enhanced crisp lemon-lime avour across Sprite and Sprite Zero Sugar. A new lighter taste seeks to further di erentiate Sprite Zero Sugar from Sprite regular, in a bid to boost sales of the zero-sugar variant.

e new recipes are accompanied by the roll-out of a clean and stylish

new packaging design across all formats including 500ml and 2-ltr PET bottles, 330ml cans and multipack cans, as well as 330ml glass bottles for the on-trade.

e refreshed look and taste are supported by the return of 2022’s ‘Heat Happens’ global campaign, which will initially focus on “the irresistible taste and ice-cold refreshment of Sprite,” using audio cues including ice clinking, the sound of a can opening, and bubbles zzing to bring the message to life. Later in the year it will focus

SOFT DRINKS Retailers can win Iftar on CCEP

To celebrate Ramadan, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is giving independent convenience and food-to-go customers the chance to win a meal at home to mark Iftar, the meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan to break the fast.

There are £4,000-worth of meal delivery vouchers to be won, with 10 randomly selected winners collecting a £100 voucher across each of four prize draws.

‘Win Iftar on Us’ is live on CCEP’s trade website, My.CCEP.com, from today (Thursday 23 March). Independent retailers and food-onthe-go operators need to be registered on My.CCEP.com to enter.

The winners of the first prize draw will be drawn on Friday 31 March and every Friday thereafter until 21 April, and notified the following Monday.

on how Sprite o ers consumers a cool down in moments of mental and physical heat, positioning the brand as the antidote to heat.

e new campaign kicks-o in April and takes in digital out-ofhome, online video, social media and product sampling activities.

VP of Commercial Development at CCEP GB Martin Attock said: “We’re con dent that the great new taste and bold new look will be a hit with existing Sprite lovers and new consumers alike, helping to drive sales for our customers.”

HEALTH & BEAUTY Refreshed Sensodyne range gets gums-up

Sensodyne has relaunched its Sensitivity & Gum range with a new formula and updated packaging.

Available in two variants – Mint and Whitening – the range features a new Micro Foam formula which targets and removes plaque bacteria. With twice daily brushing, the formulation reaches the areas in between the teeth and along the gumline. It also builds a protective layer over sensitive areas of the teeth for daily repair, and the mint flavour gives a soothing sensation.

For consumers looking for whitening benefits, the Sensitivity & Gum Whitening formulation not only helps protect sensitive teeth but helps to remove stains for whiter looking teeth resulting in a healthy and confident smile.

The relaunch is by supported with a £2m+ media campaign on TV, video-ondemand, social, online video, audio and cinema, from 1 April.

Win what you love with Diet Coke

Coca-Cola Europaci c Partners (CCEP) has launched ‘Win what you love,’ a new promotion for Diet Coke in collaboration with the brand’s Creative Director Kate Moss.

Until 2 May, consumers can scan QR codes on promotional packs of Diet Coke that feature the model’s portrait to access weekly prize draws and the chance to bag an instant-win prize. e promotion runs across the core Diet Coke range and, for the rst time, Diet Coke No Ca eine variants, including take-home bottles and multipack can formats and on-the-go bottles (Diet Coke only).

It is supported by a multi-million-pound marketing campaign, which is an evolution of the ‘love what your love’ campaign launched last year and includes TV, out-of-home and digital advertising, social media and in uencer activity and in-store activation. Convenience retailers can request POS materials via My.CCEP.com.

KitKat comes to Costa Express for Easter

Costa Co ee has teamed up with KitKat to bring two new drinks to Costa Express machines nationwide.

e biscuit brand has previously collaborated with Costa, but this is the rst time that KitKat drinks will be available outside of its co ee shops.

e two new drinks are a Mocha that has been cra ed using a bespoke KitKat-inspired milk chocolate

SOFT DRINKS

syrup and a Hot Chocolate made using hot chocolate powder againg blended with a KitKat-inspired milk chocolate syrup.

Both are available until Wednesday 19 April 2023. A Costa Co ee spokesperson said: “It’s an exciting rst for us to be o ering the range inspired by KitKat across our Costa Express machines nationwide.”

Seven year wait for 7UP’s new look

Soft drinks brand 7UP has unveiled a new brand identity – its first major overhaul in more than seven years.

A new design maintains the brand’s signature green colouring with the addition of citrus tones and high-contrast lines that apparently portray a feeling of upward energy.

It has already started to appear on 7UP and 7UP Zero Sugar bottles and cans around the globe.

‘Glaring failure’ in vaping regulation, says UKVIA

The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) has called for a tightening-up of the UK’s vaping regulatory framework after the recall of overfilled products. UKVIA Director General John Dunne called for an active programme of testing incorporated into the MHRA approvals process, backed up by random spot checks to ensure products remaing fully compliant as long as they are in the market.

Coronation sweet

Pick and mix brand Kingsway is encouraging retailers to stock up on regal sweets ahead of the coronation on 6 May. The appropriately named brand offers a wide range of regalthemed sweets including Ravazzi Gummy Crowns, Kingsway Gold Milk Chocolate Coins and Royale Sherbert Lemons. Kingsway is also encouraging stores to merchandise a patriotic range of red, white and blue pick and mix for the occasion.

Jones Soda fizzes up

American Fizz has secured a deal to distribute US soft drinks producer Jones Soda’s range of craft sodas in the UK. Made from pure cane sugar, Jones Soda is known in the US for its bold flavours, colours and eye-catching packaging. Each bottle displays ever-changing photos submitted by brand’s consumers. Retailers can visit americanfizzwholesale.co.uk to find out more.

Babybel backs Comic Relief once again

Babybel has supported Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day campaign again for 2023. The cheese snack brand has donated £1,500,000 to the charity over 23 years and this year Babybel donated 5p to Comic Relief for every limited-edition promotional pack sold. Money raised by Red Nose Day will help tackle homelessness, mental health problems and food poverty in the UK and around the world.

DRINKS TO GO Two new biscuit-themed drinks unveiled

SOFT DRINKS New Kate Moss collaboration rolls out

19 Crimes cork hunt returns

Treasury Wine Estates has re-introduced its 19 Crimes consumer campaign, which challenges the nation to find one of 400 limited-edition ‘19th Corks’ – worth £250 each – that are concealed within winning bottles. Running until 31 August, the 400 winning corks are hidden across the brand’s Red Wine, Uprising, Chard, Sauv Block and Revolutionary Rosé 750ml bottles.

Brothers marks festival tiein with Glasto promo

Brothers Festival Apple Cider has been named as official cider of Glastonbury Festival and has launched its biggest-ever onpack promo to mark the tie-in. More than a million prizes are up for grabs, including 10 pairs of tickets to the sold-out event. Other prizes include hoodies, T-shirts, bucket hats, sunglasses and can coolers, as well as a million coupons for 50p off Brothers drinks.

Camus Cognac joins Speciality Brands

Speciality Brands has been named as exclusive UK distributor of the French luxury Cognac house, Camus. Speciality will focus on the classic and Borderies ranges, and the limited-edition Ile de Ré. The Camus range will be available from this month. To find out more about it, and for any trade queries, please email sales@specialitysbrands.com.

Strongbow Ultra unveils new apple flavour

Heineken has extended its new Strongbow Ultra cider brand with the launch of Strongbow Ultra Apple. A crisp twist on Strongbow Original, the new 4% ABV addition contains 80 calories per 330ml can –36% fewer than the Original variant. Available now in single slimline 330ml cans and 4 x 330ml multipacks, Strongbow Ultra Apple is also gluten-free and vegan-friendly.

Captain Morgan rolls out strawberry daiquiri RTD

Diageo has added a new Strawberry Daiquiri pre-mix can (5% ABV) to its Captain Morgan ready-to-drink portfolio.

e 250ml cans are available in both plain packs (RSP £2.59) and £2.39 PMPs.

e new pre-mix is made using crushed strawberry juice with a squeeze of lime mixed with Captain Morgan rum for “a fun and fruity taste”.

e launch follows the recent introduction of a new pack design across the entire Captain Morgan portfolio.

BEER

Diageo’s Captain Morgan Marketing Manager Lizzy True commented: “ is latest innovation leans into shoppers’ desire for convenience, as well as the booming popularity of cocktails, with two in ve consumers in the on-trade now choosing to drink cocktails at least once a week.

“Captain Morgan provides consumers with high-quality, exciting drinks options to suit a variety of occasions, especially as we head into the summer months.”

Arran ale pops up in parliament

Arran Brewery has gained a listing for its Arran Guid Ale in the Houses of Parliament, of all places.

Patricia Gibson, MP for North Ayrshire and Arran, recommended the ale to the House of Commons Guest Ale programme and it now finds itself served in the Strangers’ Bar as a guest beer.

Following her sponsorship of Guid Ale, Gibson welcomed Arran Brewery owner Gerald Michaluk to Westminster to raise a glass of the award-winning beer.

Arran Guid Ale is a celebration of a song written by Robert Burns in 1795, “Guid Ale Keeps The Heart Aboon” and is one of Arran’s core range.

Molson Coors moo-ves into vodka with Black Cow partnership

Molson Coors has announced a new partnership with West Dorset-based vodka brand Black Cow and will exclusively distribute Black Cow Vodka and Black Cow Vodka & English Strawberries in the UK o -trade from 3 April.

Black Cow was co-founded by dairy farmer Jason Barber and his friend, Paul Archard. e vodka is distilled using milk from Barber’s herd of 250 grass-grazed cows, giving it a smooth texture and creamy quality.

Campo Viejo is welcoming consumers into the modern Spanish way of life, by inviting them to ‘Add Some Pasión’ with its new brand positioning.

The campaign runs across out-of-home, videoon-demand, social media, in-store activity and electronic customer relationship marketing. And no, we’d never heard of that one before either.

The campaign uses silhouettes and shapes to create an artwork that refers to key elements that define Campo Viejo. These include the Sierra de la Demanda, the mountain range landscape where the grapes are cultivated; Bodegas Viejo, the home of Campo Viejo; the water used in the winemaking process; and a barrel-load more.

It highlights the breadth of the Campo Viejo portfolio including its Tempranillo, Reserva, and Gran Reserva SKUs.

SPIRITS Drinks giant to distribute vodka made from milk

WINE Campo Viejo campaign ‘adds some pasión’ to life

Treasury Wine Estates and Snoop Dogg launch new Cali Rosé

Treasury Wine Estates, in collaboration with US rapper Snoop Dogg, has unveiled a new addition to its Cali by Snoop portfolio.

Cali by Snoop Cali Rosé launches in the UK from March with an RSP of £11.

e new wine is described as “a bright Rosé with ripe fresh strawberries, complemented with delicate orals and rose petal aromas. e Rosé is fruit forward with raspberry, strawberry, and cherry notes.”

e launch will be supported by a UK-wide marketing campaign that includes in-store promotion and out-of-home advertising, coupled with PR, digital, social and in uencer activities.

CIDER

Ben Blake, Head of Marketing EMEA at TWE, commented: “Following the successful launch of Cali Red, we are delighted to be continuing our partnership with music icon, Snoop Dogg, and launching Snoop Cali Rosé to the UK this spring.

“Cali by Snoop is a brand that honours Snoop’s story, one which tells of overcoming adversity,

New PMP for Thatchers’ bestseller

A new £5.49 price-marked pack has been launched by Thatchers Cider for its 4 x 500ml can pack of Thatchers Gold.

The new PMP is available exclusively to convenience retailers.

Jonathan Nixon, Commercial Director at Thatchers Cider, commented: “The Gold 4x440ml can pack is the top selling branded apple cider 4-pack in the major multiples so this new price-marked pack of 500ml cans provides a strong opportunity for convenience and independent stores to offer a point of difference.

“It will drive sales and demonstrate to shoppers they are seeing value for money.”

beating the odds and taking his place as a leader in contemporary pop culture. Snoop embodies the timeless value of perseverance, and this Rosé promises to not shy away from being bold, full of character and emulate the chilled Cali lifestyle. Cali Rosé will be his second wine to launch in the portfolio, and we’re excited to see how this brand grows over the coming years.”

Snoop Dogg, who is well-known for his marijuana consumption, added: “ is year, we’re back and dropping the all-new Snoop Cali Rosé, to bring you those fresh feels from spring into summer and beyond.

“ is is how we Rosé the Snoop Dogg way!”

Jim Beam unveils orange bourbon

Jim Beam has launched its newest avoured bourbon whiskey in the UK, Jim Beam Orange.

Jim Beam Orange (ABV 32.5%, 70cl, RSP £18) combines orange avours with Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and o ers zesty notes notes of sweet orange, vanilla and char. It joins the brand’s range of other avoured whiskies: Jim Beam Peach, Apple, and Honey.

Sarah Isaac, Head of UK Brand Marketing at Beam Suntory, commented: “A er the successful launch of Jim Beam Peach in 2021, we are looking forward to the launch of Jim Beam Orange, to encourage new occasions and recruit new consumers to taste the spirit.”

Jim Beam Orange is available exclusively at Asda before a wider roll-out in May.

Molson Coors unveils Staropramen 0.0

Molson Coors has launched Staropramen 0.0, a new 0.0% ABV lager that taps into growing demand for both low/no-alcohol options and world beers. It is available now in 330ml bottles and four-packs, and comes at a time when 41% of UK adults have consumed low or no-alcohol drinks in the past three months. The launch is supported by digital advertising, paid social media activity and POS.

‘Live Italian’ with free Birra Moretti glasses

Birra Moretti is encouraging shoppers to ‘Live Italian’ with the launch of limited-edition collectable glassware. Four designs are available as a gift with the purchase of a Birra Moretti pack. Each glassware box and selected POS will feature a QR code to an online portal that lets users play games, discover Italian food recipes and possibly win prizes.

Fruity Whitley Neill duo

Whitley Neill has launched two fruity new flavoured gins – Apple & Red Berries and Banana & Guava – both available now. Apple & Red Berries Gin boasts notes of crisp green apples with sweet raspberry and black cherry, whilst Banana & Guava taps into the trend for tropical flavours with sweet, ripe bananas and tropical guavas. The new products showcase Whitley Neill’s new-look bottles with embossed, patterned detailing.

Guinness gizmo promises perfect pour

Guinness has launched its Nitrosurge device in the UK, a new gadget that lets drinkers replicate the brand’s two-part pour at home. The pocket-sized device (RSP £25) is activated by clipping it on top of special cans, before pushing the button and pouring. These cans are available in multipacks of 4 x 558ml (RSP £7), initially from Tesco. There will be a wider rollout later this year.

FLAVOURED SPIRITS New whiskey is exclusive to Asda until May

DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

With the 2 June deadline fast approaching, there are only two months left to submit your SLR Awards entries.

This year marks the 21st edition of the SLR Awards and we want as many of you as possible to be with us on 6 September as we celebrate not only our award winners but Scotland’s entire local retailing community.

Set to be held once more at the Radisson blu hotel in Glasgow, the event will again see the cream of Scotland’s local retailing community gather to honour some of the best retailers, stores and initiatives in our sector.

With the cost-of-living crisis, soaring energy bills, supply issues and a shambolic countdown to the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme, it’s been yet another challenging year for our convenience store community. e sector has – as it always does – risen to those challenges and we are

determined – as we always are – to recognise and pay tribute to the very best of Scotland’s local retailers.

e easy-to-use entry portal has been live for a month now, and the entries are coming thick and fast. However, the clock is ticking, and the 2 June entry deadline will be here before you know it. If haven’t entered yet, now is the time to do it to ensure you don’t miss out on your chance to be up on stage come September smiling for the camera and holding one of convenience retail’s most prestigious awards.

We know how di cult running a convenience store can be and you may well think setting aside a chunk of your valuable time to make an entry is the last thing you need, but being shortlisted or winning an award can have a massively bene cial e ect on your store, your team and your customers.

Scottish Grocers’ Federation

IN STORE

BREAD & BAKERY RETAILER OF THE YEAR

CONFECTIONERY RETAILER OF THE YEAR

FOOD-TO-GO RETAILER OF THE YEAR

FORECOURT RETAILER OF THE YEAR

FRESH & CHILLED RETAILER OF THE YEAR

NEWSTRADE RETAILER OF THE YEAR

OFF-TRADE RETAILER OF THE YEAR

SCOTTISH BRANDS RETAILER OF THE YEAR

SOFT DRINKS RETAILER OF THE YEAR

TOBACCO RETAILER OF THE YEAR

What’s more, just entering the Awards in the rst place will bene t you: it forces you to take a step back and see your store through the eyes of your shoppers. It’s easy to get caught up in the daily challenges of running the store and lose sight of what’s right in front of your eyes. Taking a deep breath and casting an objective eye over every aspect of your business will help you gure out what you’re getting right as well as spotting where there is room for improvement.

For advice on how to optimise your submission and to make your entries as strong as possible for the judges, please don’t hesitate to email events@55north.com.

So, what are you waiting for? Visit slrawards.com and enter as few or as many categories as you choose. We wish you the very best of luck.

IN ACTION

COMMUNITY RETAILER OF THE YEAR

HOME DELIVERY RETAILER OF THE YEAR

NEW STORE OF THE YEAR

REFIT OF THE YEAR

SUSTAINABILITY RETAILER OF THE YEAR

#THINKSMART INNOVATION AWARD

TEAM OF THE YEAR

SYMBOL / FASCIA/ FRANCHISE COMMUNITY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

SYMBOL / FASCIA/ FRANCHISE GROUP OF THE YEAR

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

YOUNG SCOTTISH LOCAL RETAILER OF THE YEAR

SCOTTISH LOCAL RETAILER OF THE YEAR

SPECIAL AWARDS ARE JUDGES’ CHOICE ONLY, THERE IS NO ENTRY FORM

CHECKOUT SCOTLAND: GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

GroceryAid Scotland’s fantastic Checkout music festival is back later this year, so it’s time to make sure you’ve booked your tickets in plenty of time.

Checkout Scotland, the outstanding charity music festival organised by the Scottish Committee of industry charity GroceryAid, is set to be a highlight of the industry calendar this year – so it’s time to make sure you get your tickets sorted.

In the wake of last year’s massively successful launch, the event is back in August and it’s set to be even bigger and even better.

Checkout Scotland will take place on 31 August 2023 and o ers the perfect opportunity to gather with industry colleagues, enjoying a brilliant day out and, critically, help support the many people in this industry who have fallen on hard times or face di cult challenges.

e e ects of Covid have made the free, con dential support services that GroceryAid provides more vital than ever. Unfortunately, demand for practical, nancial and emotional support has never been higher in the charity’s 166-year history. In the last year alone GroceryAid has given out £434,000 in grants in Scotland.

GET INVOLVED

Peter Steel, Joint Chairman of the GroceryAid Scotland Committee, told SLR: “We know that there are many industry colleagues in Scotland who need a little help and GroceryAid is there for them 24/7. e charity can o er emotional, practical or nancial help and all completely free

and entirely con dential. Checkout Scotland is a brilliant vehicle to help us spread the word about how GroceryAid can help and make sure that everyone in our industry knows that they have somewhere to turn in times of need.

“We would urge local retailers in Scotland to grab some tickets, come along with some guests, show their support and, of course, have a cracking day out.”

Tickets are a steal at just £75 and are available now.

ere is also a range of sponsorship packages available. All funds raised from the event will go towards helping colleagues in need with emotional, practical and nancial support from GroceryAid.

A TASTE OF NI IN GLASGOW

Scotland is a key target market for Northern Irish food and drink suppliers seeking to expand outside their home market.

Invest NI worked with 8 client companies to showcase their products at Scothot 2023, an additional 3 businesses had independent stands and Lynas Wholesale further boosted representation at the event. NI suppliers are currently working with the Scottish Wholesale Association to skill-up to meet Scottish buyer requirements.

Andrew Ingredients

Andrew Ingredients is a food and bakery ingredient supplier to many sections of the food industry in the UK and Ireland, including retail, wholesale and instore bakeries, as well as hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, and other foodservice customers.

The company has a state-of-the-art test bakery and kitchen at its premises in Lisburn, Co Antrim from where it supports customers with product development projects, overcoming technical challenges and providing insight on market trends with regular presentations and seminars.

Andrew Ingredients supplies over 2,000 high quality bakery products including bread, cake and confectionery pre-mixes, flours, chocolate products, gluten-free, speciality products, cream alternatives and much more. Quality assurance is key at Andrew Ingredients, and its stringent procedures, which are BRCGS AA Grade accredited ensure optimal performance when delivering solutions to customers nationwide.

E: Jean.Cattanach@lakelanddairies.com www.andrewingredients.com

Burren Balsamics

Based at Richhill in county Armagh, Burren Balsamics, was established by former chef Susie Hamilton Stubber in 2014, who works alongside development chef Bob McDonald.

Burren Balsamics is a multi-award winning producer of handcrafted balsamic vinegars, jams, sauces and relishes. Burren Balsamics’ range of vinegars are so much more than an ingredient for a salad dressing. They are quite simply, essential for any store cupboard.

Burren Balsamics has won a series of UK Great Taste Awards and Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards for its extensive range of balsamic vinegars which include fruit-infused products for both retail and hospitality. The small company was and has since gone on to develop extensive business in the UK and Ireland and an impressive portfolio of innovative products.

E: susie@burrenbalsamics.com

www.burrenbalsamics.com

Gourmet Crunch

A novel range of plant-based snacks developed by Golden Popcorn, the Co Antrim-based producer of successful cinema-style popcorn. The Gourmet Crunch range includes two delicious savoury flavours Thai Sweet Chilli and Mature Cheddar and Spring Onion.

Made from tapioca and cassava, Gourmet Crunch contains on 75 calories per 18g pack, 60% less fat than standard potato crisps. The product is Gluten free and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

MD Sean McClinton comments: “We’ve long been aware of the important trend towards plant-based foods and have been developing our response for some time. Gourmet Crunch is the first outcome of this strategic focus on novel and healthier snacks. The snack market is among the fastest moving sectors in food retailing; one in which demand for new and different taste experiences is particularly strong. Our approach is based on a conviction that healthier snacking doesn’t have to be boring, and I am convinced that our new product certainly fits the bill.”

E: Sean@goldenpopcorn.com www.goldenpopcorn.com

Thompson’s Family Tea (Punjana)

Thompson’s Tea is a fourth-generation family business, born and blended in Belfast since 1896. Today, as the makers of Northern Ireland’s best-selling tea, Punjana, the company has been proudly blending and packing its’ awardwinning range in Northern Ireland for over 120 years.

The company shares a passion for quality and take great pleasure in selecting teas from only the very finest gardens in Assam, Kenya and beyond. It takes a certain amount of courage to choose what is best over what is most profitable, but they simply can’t be persuaded to do it any other way. These tea leaves are naturally highly prized and command a greater price; there is a great sense of pride to producing a cup of tea that is just that bit better.

To this day, each and every blend they produce is first tasted and then approved by a member of the Thompson family. Their mission has always been to create the perfect everyday cuppa. A tea that has superior taste and flavour but still affordable.

E: jonathan@punjana.com www.thompsonstea.com

SGF CRIME SEMINAR

HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUED BLIGHT ON THE SECTOR

It has long been an unspoken but patently obvious truth that retail crime is the forgotten crime, the crime that appears to be blithely accepted with a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders as simply being ‘part of the job’.

Retail crime has been around as long as retail has been around, and that ubiquity has bred a vicious circle whereby retailers don’t even bother reporting crimes because they have little or no con dence in anything ever being done about it by the authorities.

Consequently, the number of reported crimes remains arti cially low which, to those not having to deal with violence and abuse on a daily basis, seems to show that retail crime isn’t such a big deal a er all.

Retail crime is o en malevolently, and erroneously, referred to as a “victimless crime”.

Attendees at last month’s Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) and Retailers Against Crime (RAC) seminar found out in the rst few minutes of sitting down what this allegedly “victimless crime” looks like in the real world.

CCTV video reels showed terri ed shop sta being physically assaulted, shops being trashed and horrendous abuse being dished out to sta who were simply doing their job.

e scenes portrayed were genuinely shocking and it’s hard to understand how anyone can witness behaviour like this without concluding that our e orts to stamp out retail crime thus far have been little more than pathetic. And it’s getting worse.

RISING CRIME

Both the SGF and the Association of Convenience Stores have published their annual crime reports for 2022 and both reports concluded that “record levels” of retail crime were committed last year. at’s no mean statistic, considering the already sky-high levels of retail crime that have been recorded in years gone by.

Here’s a few stats to ponder from the SGF Crime Survey: 100% of respondents had experienced the on a daily basis from their store in 2022; 95% of respondents experienced some form of hate crime on at least a monthly basis; 100% of respondents had experienced abuse when asking for proof of age. e list of truly appalling statistics goes on and on, but you get the picture.

Retail crime has long been endemic and has increased in recent years, as attendees at the recent SGF & RAC Crime Seminar discovered.

BY ANTONY BEGLEY

“Retail crime may be a daily occurrence in many convenience stores but that in no way diminishes its seriousness and the harmful impact it can have on retailers, staff, and businesses.”

COST OF RETAIL CRIME

cost of crime to the participants in its survey.

spend per store on crime prevention measures.

2023

SGF Mini Summit

18th May 2023

Macdonald Inchyra Hotel

Four industry specific panel discussions will cover:

Deposit Return Scheme

High Fat, Sugar & Salt Food Restrictions

Alcohol Display Restrictions & Minimum Unit

Pricing

Vaping Restrictions

Free to attend for independent retailers & SGF Corporate Members

Register Now

Scan the QR code or visit

www.sgfscot.co.uk/networkingevents/mini-summit

ere’s little doubt that Covid-19 did have some positive e ects on communities across Scotland – not many, but some. We saw some sort of resurgence of old-fashioned community spirit and a willingness among shoppers to support local businesses and economies. But that newfound community spirit clearly didn’t extend to shopli ers and thugs.

e recent ACS Voice of Local Shops survey of over 1,200 independent retailers showed that that the ‘the index’ (the net percentage of retailers saying that the has increased in their business) has reached a record level of +26, compared to a previous high of +25 way back in May 2012.

Some 63% of independent retailers reported that the in their businesses had either increased (35%) or stayed the same (28%) over the last year, with just 9% reporting a decrease in levels of shop the .

e Voice of Local Shops Survey has been tracking levels of shop the since the start of 2012 and the the index had been reasonably steady from 2016 through to early 2021 – but has since risen to now record highs.

FIGHTING BACK

It’s against this backdrop that retailers gathered at Hampden Park last month to hear more about how the retail crime plague has been panning

out, and to collect some ideas on how to combat it.

e event was opened by SGF Vice President Graham Watson and speakers included Russell Findlay MSP and Police Scotland’s Superintendent Hilary Sloan, who provided key insights into crime in Scotland and an update on the Protection of Workers Act.

A number of informative business breakout sessions cover important practical topics geared to help attendees take action to combat and deal with issues associated with retail crime both now and in the future.

SGF Chief Executive Pete Cheema OBE said: “ is is a core issue for both our members

WIN NEW RED BULL SUMMER EDITION JUNEBERRY

Continuing its mission to offer ‘Flavours for all Tastes’, Red Bull has launched its latest Red Bull Summer Edition, with the taste of Juneberry.

The brand aims to create excitement and drive trial with Red Bull Summer Edition Juneberry, which is a flavour reminiscent of dark cherries or raisins, and slightly mild blueberries.

and the entire retail sector. Retail crime may be a daily occurrence in many convenience stores but that in no way diminishes its seriousness and the harmful impact it can have on retailers, sta , and businesses.

“Every single incident of abuse or the that happens in stores across Scotland is one too many. at is why SGF will always take a zerotolerance approach to crime and ensure that decision makers understand the lasting damage it can have on sta and businesses.”

Maxine Fraser, MD of co-hosts Retailers Against Crime, added: “For over 25 years RAC have been highlighting that retail crime is not victimless, the economic e ect it has and its links to serious and organised crime.

“Retail crime is on the increase. Why? Basically, because there are little or no consequences for those that commit crime and acts of violence. Over 10,000 incidents were reported to RAC during 2022, up 20% on 2021. e actual amount stolen in 2022 was up 50% on 2021.

“Major support is required from Scottish government such as permanent early intervention and rehabilitation programmes and providing much more resource to our police force to tackle this ongoing problem.”

£50 WORTH of Red Bull Juneberry stock

Available in 250ml, 250ml PMP, 355ml Sugarfree and 250ml Sugarfree 4-pack, the new flavour performed particularly well in multiple consumer taste tests, offering a strong flavour profile and the highest purchase intent of any previous Summer Edition at 75%[1].

In the last two years, flavours have been a key driver to accelerated growth of the Sports & Energy category and now 61% of functional energy is consumed for flavour, up from 40% in 2020[2]. Research also shows that shoppers are looking for new, exciting flavours, with 31% saying an exciting flavour would persuade them to buy new drinks and 18% have bought drinks with new or different flavours[3].

Red Bull is the signpost to the category, therefore instrumental to the overall strong performance of Flavoured Sports & Energy Drinks, outperforming total Flavoured Sports & Energy by four times[4].

The launch of Red Bull Summer Edition Juneberry will be supported with a range of tailored POS to raise awareness in-store across all key touchpoints.

To celebrate the launch, Red Bull is teaming up with SLR to offer local retailers the chance to win £50-worth of new Red Bull Juneberry 250ml. There are five prizes up for grabs.

To enter, simply email fstein@55north.com with the subject line RED BULL JUNEBERRY and include your name, store name and contact number.

*T&Cs Apply.

Terms & Conditions

Entriesmustbereceivedbytheclosingdateof5pmon28Apriltobeconsidered.Strictlyoneentryperperson.

Theprizewillbeawardedtofiverandomlyselectedwinnersusingarandomnumbergenerator.Thepromoterwillnotbeheldliableifthenamedprizebecomesunavailable orcannotbefulfilled.

Thename,address,emailaddressandphonenumberofthewinnermustbeprovidedtoThePromoterifrequestedandwillbesharedtoenablefulfilmentofthePrize.Only entriesfromretailcommercialpremiseswillbeconsidered–nohomeaddressesaccepted.

Prizesarenon-negotiable,non-transferableandnon-refundable.Nocashalternativeisavailable.Whereaprizebecomesunavailableforanyreason,thepromoterreserves therighttosubstitutethatprizeforaprizeofequalorhighervalue.

1TasteTestRedBull2022

2Kantarusagepanel|inhomeandcarriedout|functionalenergy–needs|Servings|August202252w/evsYA

3NielsenIQConsciousEatersHomescanSurvey,November2021,Questions34&35

4(At+92%)NielsenScantrack,TotalCoverage,ValueSalesGrowth,MAT,w.e.31.12.22

✓ Built around a retailer, not a computer user

✓ Simple to use till, powerful admin tools

✓ Built from retailers perspective

✓ Reduces labour by downloading products, price changes, invoices and promotions

Benefits of MPos

✓ Reduces labour by allowing one click order generation and one click invoice downloads - easily shave off 10 hours of work per store

✓ Emails store performance to the user with real actionable data once a week rather than stats heavy reports that overwhelm the user

✓ Increased control on stock; all stock deliveries downloaded and all stock adjustments emailed to the owner; NO stock is unaccounted for

✓ Based in Scotland with excellent support and training program

✓ Easy to use Hand Held terminal to control the store from shop floor

✓ Integration with Credit Card terminals, Zapper, Cigarette Gantry, Loyalty Schemes and more

✓ Developed and supported by people that know the retail trade

The countdown continues...

Scotland’s deposit return scheme (DRS) starts on 16th August 2023.

That’s when retailers will do their bit for recycling and reducing litter by collecting cans and bottles from consumers and paying out deposits. And now retailers will receive 3.7p for the first 8,000 containers collected per week using a reverse vending machine (RVM).

TOMRA already provides 7 out of 10 of the RVMs used across the world today. As well as o ering a range of machines for di erent environments and spaces, we provide digital cloud-based tools and service technicians to keep everything running smoothly.

Scan now to get a free consultation with an expert

DECISION TIME

Scotland’s deposit return scheme will go live on the 16th August 2023. Scotland is the first country in the UK to go live with England, Wales and Northern Ireland following in 2025. The Republic of Ireland has made impressive strides forward and will go live next year. The new (draft) EU Packaging and Waste Directive looks likely to mandate that every member state implements a DRS by 2029. Across Europe and beyond DRS is being recognized as the most efficient way to reduce litter and boost recycling. DRS is the most effective way to achieve a ‘closed loop’ in recycling – ensuring that drinks containers are recycled and reused many times over, reducing the need to use new material. We know from our work in other countries that schemes can achieve collection rates of over 90%.

Convenience retailers in Scotland have a key role to play in the success of the scheme. We are committed to supporting convenience retailers to find the best solutions for the businesses. These solutions include getting the right RVM – we have developed the M1 and T70 machines specifically for smaller retail premises – and getting the right purchasing, leasing and maintenance options. Our sales, technical and installation teams will all see significant expansion this year to ensure full Scotland-wide coverage for our services.

By Mark Brill, UK & Ireland VP Sales and Marketing for TOMRA

Tomra recently conducted a detailed survey of how consumer attitudes and habits toward recycling impact on their shopping behavior.

The study found five main drivers of satisfaction with stores’ reverse vending facilities: no machine downtime; easy-to-use reverse vending machines; ability to return all container types to the same machine; quick scanning of containers; and staff are on hand to contact when problems arise.

The key findings for retailers include:

Q Consumers often return their containers to the same location each time, showing that store loyalty can be as relevant for recycling habits as for shopping behavior.

Q Quality of reverse vending facilities is one of the topthree criteria for selecting a store to return their empty beverage containers.

Q Most recyclers (a whopping 87%) spend their deposit refund in the store where they returned their containers for recycling.

Q Consumers want fast, easy, and clean facilities for returning their used beverage containers.

There are choices for retailers – including getting an exemption if they think DRS won’t work for them – and we can help you to work out whether a manual or automated take back option is best for your store.

We have developed a Scottish-specific website which can help you prepare for go live. It has consumer-focused resources which can help your customers understand what DRS is and accessing the website enables you to connect with our sales team for further advice and information.

We are now on the countdown to go live. The time is here, now, for the convenience sector to move into implementation and ensure it maximizes the opportunities DRS will bring.

With Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme set to go live in four months, now is the time – if they haven’t already – for the nation’s local retailers to decide how their stores are going to deal with returned single-use drinks containers.

Nordic Spirit Spearmint Strong

JTI

Nordic Spirit added a new strength to its portfolio with Spearmint Strong, to cater to the growing demand for higher strengths and menthol products in the nicotine pouch category. Nordic Spirit Spearmint Strong 9mg is available now with an RSP of £6.50. For further support on the JTI UK portfolio, retailers can CALL 0800 163503 or visit JTI’s trade website jtiadvance. co.uk.

Flame-Grilled-Whopper flavour Doritos

PepsiCo

Doritos and Burger King have teamed up to launch new FlameGrilled-Whopper flavour Doritos, available in 180g sharing bag (£2.25 RSP) and 70g (£1.25 RSP) formats. The new vegetarian-friendly tortilla chips are said to taste “deliciously close to the real deal”.

The launch is supported by an on-pack promo, a multi-media campaign and in-store activity.

blu 2.0 Imperial Tobacco

Imperial Tobacco’s next-generation blu 2.0 vape device is available now with an RSP of £9.99. The compact new device features several upgrades from the original myblu device, including a longer-lasting battery and bigger 1.9ml volume liquidpods (RSP £6.99 for a pack of two). Pods are available in six flavours: Golden Tobacco, Polar Menthol, Fresh Mint, Berry Mix, Blueberry Ice and Fresh Mango.

New Cadbury Caramel range is worth its salt

Mondelez has extended its Cadbury Caramel brand with the launch of a new Cadbury Dairy Milk Salted Caramel range.

The range is available from 27 March in three formats – tablet, buttons and Cadbury Fingers – and includes:

Q Cadbury Dairy Milk Salted Caramel tablets (cases of 21 x 120g, RSP £1.49), consisting of Dairy Milk chocolate with a smooth salted caramel centre.

Q Cadbury Dairy Milk Salted Caramel Nibbles (cases of 10 x 120g, RSP £1.50/£1.25 PMP), which are comprised of Dairy Milk chocolate around a soft salted caramel centre.

Q Cadbury Dairy Milk Salted Caramel Fingers (cases of 10 x 114g, RSP £1.85), which adds the ever-popular salted caramel flavour to the chocolate of Cadbury Dairy Milk Fingers.

Slush Puppie Fizzie Nichols

Available now in Strawberrie and Blue Raspberrie flavours, Slush Puppie Fizzie rolls out in 2-ltr and 500ml price-marked bottles, with RSPs of £1.49 and £1 respectively. The 2-ltr bottle is also available in a plain pack format. Both variants have no added sugar, contain only natural flavours, and are HFSS-compliant. The launch is backed with in-store activity, social media support and PR.

The launch of the Salted Caramel range will be bolstered by social media, digital marketing and in-store support including PoS material. For further ranging and merchandising advice, retailers can visit snackdisplay.co.uk.

Christina Bland, Brand Manager for Cadbury at Mondelez International, said: “Salted Caramel is incredibly popular with shoppers.

“We’re delighted to bring this popular flavour to the iconic Cadbury Caramel brand to create a saltysweet combination that is sure to appeal to chocolate shoppers.

“The three product innovations in the range are ideal for consumers looking for sweet products for big nights in, which are a continually growing opportunity at a time when people are looking to be careful with money but still wanting to enjoy a treat.”

Lucozade Sport Zero Sugar

Suntory Beverage & Food

GB&I

Available in Orange & Peach and Raspberry & Passion Fruit flavours, Lucozade Sport Zero Sugar is designed for those taking part in sporting activities. It contains only four calories per serving, as well as sodium and vitamin B3 to help reduce tiredness, is non-HFSS, and comes in cases of 12 x 500ml bottles (RSP £1.39) and 4 x 500ml multipacks (RSP £3.50).

Disposable Vapes

RELX International

RELX has expanded its line-up with three new disposables. The pebbleshaped WAKA soPro discreetly fits inside pockets, while boasting 10W of power. The WAKA soFit has a crystal-effect mouthpiece and shines in the user’s hand. The ownbrand RELX MagicGo boats a multilayer flavour-lock structure for better leak resistance. All three feature an improved Mesh 2.0 coil and are available in a variety of eight colours and 10 flavours.

Nakd Protein Bars

Natural Balance Foods

A first for the brand, HFSScompliant nakd Protein Bars provide unprocessed protein and are available in single bars (RSP £1.25) and multipacks of 3 x 45g (RSP £3) in three flavours: Cocoa Hazelnut, Peanut Butter and Caramel. A second new product, nakd Big Bars (RSP £1.25), is also available in the brand’s two best-selling flavours, Cocoa Orange and Blueberry Muffin. At 45g, bars are 10g more than the standard size.

Chipoys

Envis Snacks

US rolled tortilla chip brand Chipoys has launched in the UK in April in two flavours: Fire Red Hot and Chilli & Lime. Produced in Mexico using only natural colourings, Chipoys has been formulated specifically for the UK market to be extra spicy and is available in shelf-ready cases of 8 x 113.4g bags. Envis Snacks is the sole UK and Ireland importer. Retailers should contact sales@ envissnacks. com to order.

Dole Fruit & Cream

Dole Sunshine Company

Products in Dole’s new dessert range contain real fruit pieces and only natural fruit sugars, and are gluten-free, halal and veganfriendly. Two flavours are available, both of which feature plant-based cream: Apple & Cinnamon Cream and Peach & Vanilla Cream. Each ambient four-pack RSPs at £2.49. Product packs show a ‘B’ NutriScore rating and a serving gives shoppers one of their ‘five a day’.

Salad Cream Del Monte/D2 International

Developed specifically for the UK market, both Salad Cream and Light Salad Cream are available with an RSP of £2.29 (510g) in topdown, squeezy, recyclable bottles. The Light Salad Cream recipe contains 70% less fat than the original recipe, and only 15 calories per 15g portion. To stock, please contact the D2 International sales team at info@d2international.co.uk.

Weetos Chocolatey Hoops Caramel Flavour Weetabix Food Company

Available in 420g packs (RSP £3.29/£2.50 promo), Asda will be the first to stock the new product from this month ahead a wider rollout. The launch will be bolstered by digital marketing, targeted influencer activity, in-store promotions and merchandising. The new variant is HFSS compliant, high in fibre and contains vitamins B12 and D, as well as iron.

Boost Sport Raspberry & Mango Boost Drinks

Boost Drinks has added a new limited-edition Raspberry & Mango flavour to its Sport range. The launch comes as Raspberry flavour profiles enjoy 55% growth, with Mango up by 58%. With 63% yearon-year value growth, Boost Sport is currently the #2 Sports Drink brand in value and volume. Boost Sport Raspberry & Mango is available now in 79p price-marked packs.

Talking cans

Lucozade Alert’s latest campaign features a fresh new look and seeks to inspire people to kickstart their energy and help harness what’s within. It includes out-of-home advertising, digital, video-on-demand, social media, influencer marketing and in-store activity. Brought to life through digital ’talking cans,’ the £1.2m campaign runs until July.

Bru back on box

Irn-Bru’s Taste Debate campaign returns to screens with a brand-new action movie-style advert which sees two plain-clothes cops bicker about the soft drink’s flavour instead of defusing a soon-to-explode bomb. It runs until the end of the month in cinema and on TV, online and social, spearheading a £6m annual brand investment. New POS is also available.

Life’s better with cream cheese

Mondelez is reminding shoppers that meals are ‘Simply Better with Philadelphia’ and has hijacked lunch-themed street signs up and down the country to drive home the message that Bread Street, for example, would be Simply Better with Philadelphia. The brand has teamed-up with Ritz to launch side-by-side, corresponding out-of-home adverts.

Ain’t so bad

Rustlers has a new six-week national TV and radio campaign that challenges consumers to ‘Surprise Yourself, it’s Better Than You Think’. The campaign seeks to position the Kepak brand as “the perfect meal solution” for timepressed cost-conscious shoppers. An original regional campaign brought 40.3% more shoppers into the brand.

Big onion

KP Snacks has launched a new £750,000 radio and out-of-home campaign to drive awareness of its Tyrrells brand. Running until 21 May, a new radio campaign features Tyrrells core range. Alongside it, an out-ofhome and social media campaign for Tyrrells Lentil Crisps bids to capitalise on strong growth in the Healthier Snacking category.

for all the latest product news, head to www.slrmag.co.uk/category/product-news/

FREEZER PLEASERS

Ice cream’s lead at the front of the frozen category shows no sign of melting away, and there’s lots of NPD to help retailers capitalise on its popularity.

BY ELENA DIMAMA

The UK ice cream market remains resilient, being the largest category within frozen at a 23.3% share, worth £1.4bn. According to Kantar Worldpanel data, chocolate ice cream boasted growth of £26.4m over the summer, with the segment being 98% incremental to the category.

BIG NIGHT IN

e Big Night In occasion is once again expected to provide an opportunity for retailers to drive sales, especially in the currently challenging economic environment.

“Alongside wine and other snacks categories, premium treats, like luxury ice cream, are frequently added to baskets, and we’re helping retailers maximise the occasion by providing a range of avours and formats to suit di erent tastes,” Jose Alves, Head of Häagen-Dazs UK at General Mills UK, says. Häagen-Dazs research last year indicated that whilst one in three shoppers were hosting a Big Night In occasion weekly and that 60% of consumers were planning to choose ice cream for a movie night at home, almost half – 43% – couldn’t nd the dessert options they wanted in-store.

PRODUCT UPDATE

F’real launches Bubblegum flavour as UK exclusive

Self-serve milkshake brand F’real has revealed a new Bubblegum flavour to its frozen drinks range.

Unique to the UK, Bubblegum follows in the footsteps of USA-exclusive flavour Cotton Candy, made with fresh milk and zero artificial ingredients.

It joins three new flavours from the brand, including Birthday Cake, Banana and Chocolate Fudge Brownie.

Gemma Briant, Marketing Manager at f’real, said: “Retailers and consumers alike have been clamouring for truly innovative flavours, and we’ve listened – Bubblegum is our first launch in a line-up of exciting, slightly different, NPD coming this year.

“Given that the demand for Cotton Candy was so prevalent in the US, leading to its rapid switch from a limited-edition variant to one of the core flavours, we’re confident Bubblegum will see blenders across the country in overdrive this spring.”

NPD OPPORTUNITY

e latest moving annual total data shows that the freezables category is growing by 70%, with innovation and unique avours being key in the growth of the sector.

Looking to tap into the ice cream opportunity, Ferrero UK is rolling out its chocolates in an ice cream stick format. Supported by a £2m marketing campaign, the brand is unveiling three avours comprising Ferrero Rocher Classic, Ferrero Rocher Dark and Rafaello, which will be available across the convenience sector.

“Ferrero Rocher and Ra aello are well-loved and trusted brands by many, and, as a key player within the confectionery category, we are con dent that the newest addition to our portfolio will drive cross-category purchase between confectionery and ice cream,” Jason Sutherland, UK & Ireland Sales Director at Ferrero, comments. “It will attract existing Ferrero shoppers to the ice cream aisle as well as recruiting new ones, supporting retailers in strengthening the category.

TIPS FROM HÄAGEN-DAZS

1

Pair complementary categories together. Cross-merchandising ice cream with other sharing-size snacks can often interrupt purchase occasions, presenting an opportunity to up-sell nights in.

2

De-seasonalise your ice cream fixture. Allocate space to year-round growth drivers, such as pints or mini cup formats, which have a higher share of sales over winter.

3 Support your ice cream offering with a high-visibility location. Visibility is key for ice cream, so ensure shoppers know where your freezer is and display branded POS.

“As we approach the warmer months, it’s the ideal time for retailers to o er their customers something new, and summer remains a pivotal season which accounts for almost half of annual category sales.”

Häagen-Dazs is also innovating in the category, introducing its biggest-ever product launch this year – an exclusive macaron ice cream range in two avours, Strawberry & Raspberry and Double Chocolate Ganache.

“From 460ml tubs and 4 x 95ml mini-cup multipacks o ering a selection of favourite avours to share with family and friends to on-the-go stickbars, Häagen-Dazs truly o ers indulgent premium ice cream experiences wherever you are,” Alves says. “We are expecting more consumers to seek everyday luxury in more a ordable and accessible formats and Häagen-Dazs is perfectly placed to help deliver

this routine indulgence and make life a little better for consumers and retailers alike.”

Confectionery distributor World of Sweets notes that nostalgic avours are “incredibly sought a er” by customers as they seek comfort and indulgence, noting that Barratt and Warheads are some of the brands innovating to help retailers maximise sales. “Freezables are becoming extremely popular and with the spring and summer season just around the corner, we’re thrilled to be able to o er our customers such an exciting selection with two leading brands in the confectionery category,” Chris Smith, Partner Brand Manager at World of Sweets, notes.

“It’s important for retailers to keep their customers engaged by o ering them something di erent. at’s why the Extreme Sour Snap Ice from American brand Warheads is a must-have. We also expect the Barratt’s Ice Pole Duos in single formats for the convenience channel to perform really well as they o er great value and nostalgia with their Fruit Salad, Dip Dab, Wham and Refresher avours. ese are available to order from World of Sweets Field Sales.”

HEALTHY TREND

Looking at healthier alternatives has been a matter of focus for an increasing number of shoppers, and the ice cream sector is following the trend.

“More and more consumers will also be looking for healthier alternatives to their favourite ice cream without having to compromise on taste or the overall experience,” Alves explains.

“Our mini cups empower consumers to make a more conscious choice as the format taps into the mindful indulgence trend by using high quality, premium ingredients in portioncontrolled sizes. Our mini cups currently outperform the category and are an important driving force towards unlocking category growth.”

Voilà!

New macaron ice cream from Häagen-Dazs.

41%* of shoppers want to see more innovation. Which means your customers will find our new creamy ice cream made with real macarons, totally irresistible. Stock up now. And voilà! You’ve got big sales.

SOFT DRINKS MAINTAINS ITS FIZZ

Despite challenges, Soft Drinks remains resilient and is growing faster than other key categories.

BY ELENA DIMAMA

TOP TIPS FOR RANGING BY

RED BULL

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 bestsellers, 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.

The so drinks category continues to drive solid, dependable sales in the retail sector, with the Scottish market worth £697m. According to Kantar Worldpanel data from December, the sector’s value was up 1.3% in Scotland, reiterating how important it is for the local retailing sector to keep on top of the latest trends.

FLAVOURS & WELLBEING

Flavours are becoming vital to the so drinks market, as Red Bull explains: “ is is because shoppers look for variety and are particularly interested in discovering new and exciting avours, especially during the summer months.

“As a result, avoured Sports & Energy drinks are up +22% YoY vs un avoured at +11%, with tropical avours a core opportunity, growing 23% vs mainstream avours at 15%.”

e brand says it is regularly rotating avours and introducing limited-edition variants to help drive sales and introduce new shoppers to the Sports & Energy segment. “Red Bull Editions grew a huge +101% over Summer 2022, way ahead of total Sports & Energy avours at +23%,” Red Bull says. “ e range which consists of ve avours, with a new one coming this spring, now delivers £30m in sales per year.”

Flavoured sparkling cans also serve as a “great choice for local retailers”, Highland Spring notes, along with a focus on health and wellbeing.

Low and no-sugar so drinks are the bestselling segment in the So Drinks category (+£1.5bn) and the fastest-growing, +12.8% vs full sugar +12.5%, according to Nielsen Scantrack.

“Red Bull low calorie has a higher share of males vs total so drinks (+58% vs 48%), which is representative of the Sports & Energy segment.

ey also tend to be younger and less a uent, whereas low-calorie so drinks shoppers are largely older and more a uent, therefore Red Bull o ers a di erent type of shopper vs the category,” Red Bull adds.

“We’re seeing consumers continually looking for so drink brands with strong health

credentials and natural ingredients that will quench their thirst and taste good,” Suzie Carlaw, Brand Marketing Controller, Highland Spring, explains.

Healthy so drinks are a matter of focus for Cawston Press too. “Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in healthy, alcohol-free options when choosing a beverage, as shown through data stating 55% of UK adults are trying to cut down on alcohol consumption, which in turn provides a sales opportunity for great tasting, premium so drinks as alcoholfree alternatives,” Kat Jones, Marketing Director, Cawston Press, says.

“Our drinks are made with pressed fruit, with no added sugar, no sweeteners and not from concentrate, being the biggest brand in the ‘Not from Concentrate’ category, which is expected to witness remarkable growth in the coming years.”

Bestway also regards the health trend as a “great opportunity” for the convenience sector. “Brands have a great opportunity to tune in to a new healthier market consumer trend and reformulate a new product line to cater for the health-conscious consumer,” the company says.

“Local retailers will need to review their product lines, speak with customers about the type of products they would want to see and purchase in the store. Consumers are on the look-out for healthy so drinks with brands creating no calories, no sugar and no sweeter drinks.”

NEW WIIINGS. NEW SALES.

ALSO WITH THE TASTE OF JUNEBERRY.

HIGHS AND LOWS

Demand for low prices and value for money remains sky high in the tobacco category.

When it comes to the purchasing of tobacco, the continual quest for value for money by adult smokers is something that the vast majority of local retailers will be very familiar with.

And now, in the thick of the cost-ofliving crisis and with a further 95p slapped on the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes in the Spring Budget, that dogged pursuit has been sent into overdrive.

Tom Gully, Head of Consumer Marketing UK&I at Imperial Tobacco explains: “Today’s shoppers are much more conscious about their spending habits, which means we’re now seeing a shi towards low-priced propositions across the entire tobacco category.

“As a result, the lower-priced tiered products now account for a large proportion of tobacco sales.

“For example, the sub-economy segment now makes up for 63% of Factory

“With price a key factor when deciding what brand to purchase, we’ve seen that value tobacco continues to be a key trend, with 80.5% of all sales volumes currently in the value or ultra-value Ready Made Cigarette and Roll Your Own sector.”

GEMMA BATESON, SALES DIRECTOR

Grow your Nordic Spirit sales this year with the Perfect Store National Winners

Massive congratulations to Daniel Ryan from Hiccups Off License in Stoke-on-Trent, Depan Patel from Bon Bon in Canterbury, Hanif Master from Ribble Valley Forecourt in Burnley and Shantha Kumar from Premier Downend in Bristol who are JTI’s national winners of its Nordic Spirit ‘Perfect Store’ competition.

Each retailer excelled against five simple pillars which helped to generate awareness of nicotine pouches, entice existing adult smokers and vapers, and boost sales of Nordic Spirit.

Each winner has won a prize bundle worth up to £20,000 per store, which includes an all-expenses paid trip to the Nordic region, £2,000 wholesaler credit, tickets to events and much more.

But how did they do it?

Follow the five Perfect Store pillars below to boost your Nordic Spirit sales.

1 Distribution & Availability

PILLAR

Maintain full distribution and availability to meet demand:

We’d recommend stocking at least 3 cans per SKU

PILLAR 2

Visibility

Ensure clear visibility of products in-store: Placing a Nordic Spirit unit on the countertop can help support sales

PILLAR 3 Presence

Increase brand presence via in-store POS materials: Showcase assets at front of store, point of purchase and back wall to maximise awareness

PILLAR 4 Retailer Engagement

PILLAR 5 On-shelf Pricing

Build up brand and nicotine pouch category knowledge to educate customers: You can learn more about Nordic Spirit on jtiadvance.co.uk

Tactical on-shelf pricing ensures consumer confidence: Sell at our RRP of £6.50 for 20 pouches and make pricing clearly visible*

Northern Winner

Hanif Master Hanif Master from Ribble Valley Forecourt in Burnley saw an immediate sales increase.

“We were the only shop in a busy location selling Nordic. In the first six weeks of following the Nordic Spirit Perfect Store model, our sales increased from 30% percent to 65%. Even now we restock twice a week. We are finding same customers are coming back and at the same time we are generating new customers.

“The selection of flavours has appealed to our shoppers. The great thing about Nordic Spirit is there is no smoke, no vapour, and you can enjoy it indoors, outdoors and even when travelling. We have invested time in educating staff about Nordic Spirit and therefore they are confident talking to customers on a daily basis.”

Eastern Winner

Depan Patel

Depan Patel from Bon Bon in Canterbury, was able to create the perfect layout for Nordic Spirit in their store.

“The Perfect Store competition has increased visibility and accessibility of Nordic Spirit products, which has helped to drive sales. A well-executed Perfect Store program can help to create a positive brand image, as consumers are more likely to associate the brand with high-quality products that are readily available. The POS and in-store information also helped to educate customers on nicotine pouches.”

Contact

Central Winner

Daniel Ryan

Daniel Ryan from Hiccups Off License in Stoke-on-Trent, saw their Nordic Spirit sales double and bring in new customers:

“We have put the brand pride of place in our store! Following the Nordic Spirit Perfect Store Guidelines has seen our sales of Nordic Spirit increase to 4-5 outers a week, up from 1-2. We have also had comments from our customers about how good it looks - and it has enabled us to increase our sales because of the visual affect.

“We have picked up a number of new customers who know we are never out of stock, and they have become regulars not only for Nordic Spirit but for other products as well. This means we have increased our turnover with these new customers.”

Western Winner

Shantha Kumar

Shantha Kumar from Premier Downend in Bristol, said they have seen an increase in customers asking about Nordic Spirit in store:

“The Nordic Spirit Perfect Store POS has led to an increase of local and new customers coming into the store asking about this product. It has massively helped our sales on Nordic Spirit, which have probably tripled. We have also found a lot more customers have asked questions about the product, whereas before no one ever asked.”

JTI REVEALS FRESH IDENTITY FOR STERLING ESSENTIAL ROLLING

JTI has refreshed its Sterling Essential Rolling product for 2023 in a bid to “meet shopper demand for convenience and value”.

The new features offer an easy and accessible format for existing adult smokers – now with rolling papers, an enhanced blend, and a convenient zip pouch.

JTI UK Sales Director Gemma Bateson said: “We listened to trade and consumer feedback when redesigning and updating Sterling Essential Rolling, to ensure the product would hit the key shopper needs of value and convenience, and therefore help our retailer partners maximise sales.

“With this product refresh, we’re confident retailers will continue to benefit from the heritage of the brand, whilst also offering a new all-in-one format that will appeal to customers.”

Available across all UK channels, Sterling Essential Rolling is available at an RSP of £14.55 for 5x30g pouches and an RSP of £23.85 for 5x50g.

The relaunch will be supported by wholesale in-depot activity to raise awareness of the new product format.

The value of tobacco in the UK totalled £14.4 bn in the last year

(Iri MAT to 08/01/23)

“Value means different things to different customers. While some might be looking for products with the lowest price, others may be searching for products that offer added value.”

TOM GULLY HEAD OF CONSUMER MARKETING UK&I AT IMPERIAL TOBACCO

Made Cigarette (FMC) sales, while the economy segment accounts for just over a half (56%) of Roll Your Own (RYO) and these segments are showing strong growth at 3% and 5% YOY respectively.”

e growing demand for products that o er adult smokers greater value for their money recently prompted Imperial to update and upgrade its Lambert & Butler (L&B) brand with a fresh new identity and new features for Blue Real Blue and Blue Bright Air Filter, which were also renamed as Blue Original and Blue Bright respectively.

JTI meanwhile, recently repositioned its Sovereign Blue brand, bringing it into line with its other ultra-value o erings, in a bid to increase choice within the segment.

BILLY GATT

PREMIER WHITEHILLS, BANFF

Tobacco sales continue to hold their own and remain an important sales and footfall driver. The trend towards value brands has been running for quite some time but given the current cost-of-living crisis, value is more important than ever for adult smokers and we are now routinely asked what our cheapest cigarettes are.

Cigarettes still account for the largest share of sales and our sales are being driven by brands such as Players and L&B Real Blue. Roll Your Own tobacco sales are growing steadily though, as adult smokers look for ways to get even more value for their money.

JTI REPOSITIONS SOVEREIGN BLUE

JTI has repositioned its heritage Sovereign Blue in line with its other ultra-value options such as Mayfair Silver to provide adult smokers with “even more choice” at the ultra-value end of the market.

ROLL YOUR OWN

e pursuit of value for money is also being felt particularly keenly within the RYO segment.

“With many shoppers looking to cut down their household spending, we’ve noticed a signi cant increase in the number of RYO sales,” Imperial’s Gully adds. “In fact, the category now accounts for nearly a half (46%) of all tobacco sales.

“As the cost-of-living crisis continues, it’s likely that the need for value products is going to continue to be a dominant trend in the category for some time, so retailers need to make sure they can cater for this demand by having the right product o ering.

“With this in mind, we strongly advise that retailers check that they stock a wide range

Sovereign Blue’s RRP (20pack) is now £10.65, although retailers are of course free to set their own prices.

The move would allow retailers to offer adult smokers the same “high-quality Sovereign Blue product” and maximise the sales opportunity offered by the ultravalue segment, JTI said.

RETAILER VIEW

of leading roll-your-own brands, including Riverstone and Players JPS, so that they are fully prepared for this continuing rise in demand for value tobacco products.”

And, with value meaning di erent things to di erent shoppers, Gully also recommends that retailers ensure their ranges include products that o er low prices, as well as products that o er added value – such as its Players JPS Easy Rolling Tobacco, which o ers both lters and papers in the same pack.

In a bid to make more of the added value opportunity, JTI has also refreshed its Sterling Essential Rolling product for 2023, adding rolling papers, an “enhanced blend” and a convenient zip pouch.

ACCESSORIES

e rise in RYO sales is also creating an increasingly lucrative opportunity for retailers to make more of tobacco accessories, including lters, papers, and avourrelated innovations.

e tobacco accessories category in Scotland is currently worth £31.4m according to Republic Technologies and continues to show year-on-year growth of 4.7%.

Sales and Marketing Director Gavin Anderson, elaborates: “Cash conscious shoppers are turning to more a ordable

RYO products as a way of saving money, versus factory-made cigarettes.

To make even more of the category, Anderson urges retailers to ensure that their accessories ranges are in step with the key trends of the moment. ese trends, according to Republic Technologies, include a move towards more natural, sustainably sourced and packaged products – products such as OCB Virgin Slim: unbleached papers made using OCB natural gum, sustainably sourced from African acacia trees.

Demand for lters containing crushballs has also been on the climb since the ban on menthol cigarettes in 2020, with further growth expected this year.

To cater for this demand, Republic Technologies o ers two types: Swan Cool Burst Crushball and Swan Fresh Burst Crushball. Both are available in a slim vertical shelf-ready box, “enabling convenience retailers to maximise returns from their space more e ectively,” Anderson adds.

TOP TIPS

Q Value products are in demand as adult smokers look to reduce spending so make sure that you offer a strong range of wellknown value and ultra-value brands. However, keep in mind that every store is different, so make sure that you also tailor your range to meet specific local demands. Make sure that stock levels are continuously maintained. Running out of popular products can be a costly mistake. Offer a wide range of tobacco accessories to make more of impulse purchases, including different types of filters, papers, flavour cards and lighters.

Staff training is also crucial. Encourage staff to keep on top of local and latest industry trends.

IMPERIAL TOBACCO UPGRADES L&B BLUE PORTFOLIO

Imperial Tobacco recently announced a range of updates and upgrades to its Lambert & Butler (L&B) brand.

The new range has been designed to offer adult smokers “more premium products from a familiar brand they can trust, but for the same prices, delivering value to shoppers and helping to drive sales for retailers,” Imperial said.

As part of the L&B brand developments, Blue Real Blue and Blue Bright Air Filter have been renamed to Blue Original and Blue Bright respectively.

L&B Blue Bright and New Crush now also feature Fresh Protect, offering adult smokers a more protected pack with a premium resealable foil.

The brand’s rolling tobacco range has also migrated to the L&B Blue family and is now known as L&B Blue Rolling Tobacco. In addition, the range now benefits from tips and premium papers that burn slower, to deliver value to shoppers and attract more customers and sales for retailers.

NEWFROMBLU

Imperial Tobacco has launched a raft of NPD to help retailers tap into rising vape category trends. This includes two brand new ranges from blu, a brand consumers know they can trust. Here, Tom Gully, Head of Consumer Marketing UK&I at Imperial Tobacco, explains more about the new launches and why these should be considered must-stocks by retailers.

Already worth a sizeable £1.2bn, the vape category is forecast to grow to an impressive £1.4bn in the next three yearsi. We’ve seen many retailers seize the opportunity to tap into this high growth category and with the number of vapers continuing to rise and new alternative nicotine solutions emerging, there’s further sales successes to be had for the retailers who can get their range right.

To tap into this booming category and retain their vaping customers, retailers must keep one eye on emerging trends. From the popularity of pod-mods to the rising demand for disposables, by ensuring the products stocked respond to these key trends, retailers can meet the everevolving needs of their shoppers. Thanks to the latest launches from Imperial’s leading blu brand, there’s an exciting range of products well placed to help them do just that.

Disposables are rapidly taking over the vape category, with the segment seeing incredible growth in the last year. In light of recent developments in disposables, many consumers are seeking out recognisable vaping brands that consumers know they can trust. To help cater for this demand, we recently entered the disposable market with our new blu bar range, offering a great quality range of fully compliant, disposable and ready-to-use vape products from the well-known

blu brand. To find out more about the range, visit our blu bar Knowledge Hub at www.blubarhub. co.uk.

While demand for disposables may be rising, pod-mod devices still remain a popular choice for many vapers thanks to their ease of use and simple click and go format. Through the launch of our next generation pod mod device, blu 2.0, we’ve developed a product that looks better, tastes better and lasts longer than before, providing retailers with the quality pod-mod vaping experience consumers are looking for.

To tap into the growing demand for podmods and disposables, retailers need to ensure they are dedicating sufficient space in store for vaping products. No two stores are the same so it’s important to stock the right range for their customer base, including vape products from brands consumers know and trust, like blu bar and blu 2.0.

There is a huge variety of different vape products available on the market today, so deciding what to buy can be a daunting task for consumers. Retailers are therefore in an excellent position to provide advice to shoppers on what products are best suited to them, including insights into the latest trends shaping the category, such as the rising demand for pod-mods and disposables.

BLU BAR

Q A quality collection of disposable vapes with an MRRP of £5.99* per device.

Q Available in six flavours: Kiwi Passionfruit, Mango Ice, Banana Ice, Peach Ice, Watermelon Ice and Strawberry Ice.

BLU 2.0

Q The next generation pod-mod device available in 9mg/ml and 18mg/ml nicotine strengths with an MRRP of £9.99* for the blu 2.0 device and £6.99* for a pack of two liquidpods.

Q Available in six flavours: Golden Tobacco, Polar Menthol, Fresh Mint, Berry Mix, Blueberry Ice and Fresh Mango.

* Based on ITUK RRP as at March 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, customers are free at all times to determine the selling price of their products.

STG ROLLS OUT NEW LOOK FOR MOMENTS

The Scandinavian Tobacco Group recently announced a redesign for its Moments cigar brand.

Available to retailers now, the new modern and eye-catching design intends to start a shift from a ‘value, yet quality’ to a ‘value and quality’ message.

The updated design features now on packs of Moments Blue and Moments Original.

New packs feature a bigger, more simplified logo and fresher colour scheme with the wisp of smoke extended.

The changes are intended to increase on-shelf stand-out and appeal to younger adult smokers.

Given the economic climate, accessories that o er adult smokers added value are also experiencing strong demand, Imperial Tobacco’s Gully notes. As such, Imperial’s Rizla Silver Kingsize Combi is also “proving to be popular,” he adds.

With an RSP of £1.20, it o ers both papers and tips in one pack to provide shoppers “with the ultimate convenience,” Gully says.

CIGARS

e cost-of-living crisis is also being felt across Scotland’s cigar category, where, just as with FMC and RYO, adult smokers are seeking out products and brands that o er them the best value for their money.

e trend, Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK says, is evidenced by the continued success of its Moments Blue brand, which “o ers a quality smoke at a low price”.

e brand was recently refreshed with a modern new on-pack look for Moments Blue and Moments Original, with packs of Moments Panatella set to follow in May 2023.

“Moments Blue has been the fastest growing value-for-money cigar in the UK and is wellknown amongst tobacco-selling retailers as a popular choice amongst those customers who are looking to save money,” STG UK Country Director Alastair Williams says.

“Now, more than ever, it is important for retailers to o er their customers a range of credible value options across the store, as the current cost of living crisis continues to put pressure on households and forces consumers to make di cult decisions on what they can a ord to purchase.”

To make even more of the cigar opportunity in 2023, Williams urges retailers to “stock the

right range rather than a big range,” – as the top 10 brands account for over 90% of sales, he says.

“Alongside cigarillos, it’s miniatures which are the engine room of the cigar category, so it is important to get this segment right,” he adds.

“By far the biggest player here is our Signature range, which is ably supported by our Moments brand, which o ers a good quality smoke at a cheaper price.

“It’s also always worth reminding retailers that as cigars are exempt from the plain packaging legislation, we recommend they stock them on the middle shelf of the gantry where they are visible, and more likely to be purchased by adult smokers who can see them,” Williams concludes.

ILLICIT TRADE FEARS MOUNT IN COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS

Convenience retailers are growing increasingly concerned that the current squeeze on spending will fuel a rise in sales of cheap, illicit cigarettes in 2023.

Survey data from KAM on behalf of Philip Morris Limited (PML) has revealed that 51% of UK convenience retailers were “concerned” that the current economic climate would increase consumption of cheap, illicit cigarettes.

Will O’Reilly, a former Detective Chief Inspector at Scotland Yard and a consultant on the illicit trade of tobacco and other nicotine products for PML, said: “The concerns of UK convenience retailers on the potential increase in illicit tobacco consumption are certainly justified, given the current cost-of-living crisis and the fact that criminal networks have a history of exploiting financial vulnerability.

“In recent years, the black market has evolved rapidly – moving beyond tobacco to include other nicotinecontaining products, particularly illegal disposable vaping devices. This is another key concern for those retailers operating on the right side of the law and committed to giving their adult customers access to quality, compliant and trustworthy smoke-free alternatives.”

The FMC market accounted for £10.1 bn in the last year

(IRi MAT to 08/01/23)

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Continuous investment helps forecourts continue to drive margins in spite of the cost-of-living crisis and a less-thanfavourable economic backdrop.

BY ELENA DIMAMA

Forecourt retailers have been resilient in their commitment to invest in the sector, continuing to put money into their businesses despite rising costs and a looming nancial crisis.

According to the 2022 Forecourt report, published last October, independent forecourt retailers are making “signi cant investments,” spending around £18,000 on average last year, compared to around £10,000 spent by convenience stores that don’t sell fuel.

A BOOMING SECTOR

e total value of forecourt sales is £4.8bn, according to the 2022 Forecourt Report. Forecourts can be crucial in helping communities, as 37% of forecourt businesses have no other retail or service business close by. Some 30% of them have up to ve retail/service businesses close by.

Meanwhile, there are 7,407 forecourts with shops in the UK. e top-selling categories

are tobacco and vaping (£884m); so drinks (£417m); beers, wines and spirits (£263m); nonfood (£293m); and confectionery (£188m).

e signi cance of forecourt retail is further demonstrated by the fact that the average customer visits their local store 3.8 times per week. According to the ACS report, 21% of customers visit a forecourt shop every day, 20% most days and 12% every other day.

e average spend is £10.38 with an average basket size of three items.

Meanwhile, 6% of forecourt retailers are active in their communities, raising money for local charities, getting involved with local projects and donating to food banks. “It’s essential that the Government recognises the crucial role that forecourts play in their communities,” ACS CEO James Lowman says. “ ese businesses are community hubs in their own right, providing essential services and an ever-increasing range of products for customers along with fuel and alternative power solutions.”

When presenting the report, Lowman did admit this was a challenging year for forecourts, especially on the back of the launch of a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation into the fuel market. “ is has been a turbulent year for fuel supply and pricing, with international events determining the price that consumers pay at the pump,” he said at the time. “ e CMA’s initial ndings earlier this year recognised that retailers have little control over the cost of fuel, making very small margins themselves, while changes in currency markets and the ‘re ning spread’ contributed to much bigger variations in prices.”

A VIABLE BUSINESS

Owning a forecourt is still a sound business plan for many potential investors out there; according to business property adviser Christie & Co, buyers continue to look favourably at petrol stations. Sites sold through the company in 2022 saw an average of ve o ers per transaction,

INDUSTRY UPDATES

ASCONA LAUNCHES PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WALES AIR AMBULANCE

Ascona Group has announced the Wales Air Ambulance as its charity partner for the 2023/24 financial year.

To mark the launch of the partnership, Ascona has made an initial donation of £10,000. Over the next 12 months, 25p donations will be available to be paid via card machines across all of their sites in Wales, and Ascona has committed to match each donation up to total value of £50,000. In addition, the Wales Air Ambulance will share in the proceeds of Nisa Retail’s ‘Making a Difference Locally’ fund, which is expected to amount to a further £10,000 in contributions from purchases made at Ascona sites in Wales.

Ascona anticipates raising over £100,000 for the Wales Air Ambulance by the end of the 2023/24 financial year, through all of the proposed fundraising activities.

JET UNVEILS RESEARCH INTO FACTORS FOR WOMEN’S CHOICE OF SERVICE STATION

Jet has released research into the determining factors for women drivers when choosing which service station to stop at.

The study found that the top three factors were competitive pricing (51%), a good-looking/well-presented site (50%), and clean, functioning toilets (44%).

Áine Corkery, manager, brand, UK Marketing, Phillips 66, said: “As our programme of re-imaging/refurbing sites across the UK comes to an end, it is gratifying to know that many of the improvements and upgrades made have been identified as being important to women when it comes to service station choice.

“We aim to provide a safe, well-lit, cared-for environment with an emphasis on great service designed to get customers back on the road quickly and safely.”

re ecting strong ongoing demand. is caused a 1.5% increase in Christie & Co’s retail price index for 2022.

According to the company, consumers have become more conscious of their overall expenditure, yet petrol retailing is “arguably better placed than other industries to weather 2023’s anticipated headwinds as they o er essential local services”. e growth of other income streams such as fast-moving convenience goods was also identi ed in the report as a key trend shaping the market, with 88% of the UK’s petrol lling stations now featuring a retail o ering, 31% of which are full convenience stores.

FUTURE-PROOFING OPERATIONS

In the UK, there are overall 33,996 electric charging points at 20,534 locations; as the time ticks towards the government’s deadline to end of sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, the industry is getting ready to serve the growing eet of electric vehicles.

In February this year, Jet announced the o cial launch of Jet Charge – the brand’s ultrarapid pay-as-you-go charging o er. Following a so launch at three company-owned sites – Jet Beacon Garage in North Yorkshire, Jet Newton Park in County Durham and Jet’s agship Re nery Service Station in North Lincolnshire – the new o ering promises drivers ease of use and speed.

“Speed, reliability and simplicity de ne Jet Charge,” says Oliver Mueller, Retail Business Manager for Phillips 66. “Unlike a number of existing products that require convoluted app downloads and complex payment methods, we have chosen a very di erent road. No connection fees, no subscriptions – just fast reliable charging with no minimum charge.”

Meanwhile, Motor Fuel Group (MFG) announced it is to invest £50m in EV charging hubs in the UK in 2023, building on the 2022 investment journey that saw it install 271 ultrarapid chargers across its network, with an

additional 31 hubs, and a further 175 chargers in construction.

Outlining its investment plans, MFG said it is committed to spending £400m in EV infrastructure by 2030. According to the company, the new hubs opening in 2023 will provide a further 360 ultra-rapid chargers on the MFG network.

“Our ambition was to invest ahead of the curve and give drivers who were contemplating purchasing an electric vehicle the con dence that they could travel as easily as with a petrol or hybrid vehicle,” William Bannister, CEO, MFG, explains. “Although we have a way to go to achieve this, our investment in 2022 has set us on a positive trajectory.”

Alongside its investment in EV, MFG spent £50m improving its retail, food-to-go, and valeting o ers.

EPOS-READY

According to the Forecourt Report, 69% of forecourts have EPoS, with 28% citing till systems as an area of investment.

Henderson Technology has recently announced a partnership with Certas Energy to become an approved EPoS supplier for Gulf and Pace forecourts.

e partnership will let Henderson supply EdgePoS to retailer stores branded Gulf and Pace across Scotland, England and Wales, with sites to be supplied over a 60-month lease agreement with no upfront cost to the forecourt retailer.

“We work with several forward-thinking forecourt retailers who are looking to invest in an innovative EPoS system. When we looked at Henderson Technology and the EdgePoS system, we saw these same progressive ideas from the company and the so ware it provides,” Alex Friendship, Head of Business Development Roadside Services at Certas Energy, says.

“We undertook a rigorous tender process and were impressed with Henderson Technology’s technical expertise, market knowledge and support.”

OZ-FERATU

Product recalls, while undoubtedly important, are not particularly interesting. This probably explains why Under The Counter is fascinated by them.

One of his recent trawls of the government’s product recall pages uncovered such as examples as mozzarella that may or may not contain gluten, cooked chicken that may or may not contain uncooked chicken, and a Murder Motel vampire kit that may or may not present a risk of eternal damnation.

Actually, Under The Counter made that last one up. In reality the false vampire teeth in the kit present a risk of choking if they break. However, false teeth are a touchy subject for UTC, hence his falsification.

He was far more excited to discover that a beer in Australia has been recalled because it may or may not contain excess alcohol.

Much as he loves his Tennent’s, a can of superstrength

Watermelon Sour Beer from the wonderfully named Your Mates Brewing Co is the stuff of the Auld Boy’s dreams.

The higher-than-normal alcohol levels were the result of secondary fermentation which, as anyone with internet access can tell you, is when yeast in the beer keeps turning sugar to alcohol in the cans. Or tinnies, as our Aussie cousins like to refer to them.

At any rate, Food Standards Australia advised anyone with tinnies to “dispose of them safely”.

Suffice to say, there was no shortage of volunteers – possibly including some vampires –willing to ‘neck’ a few in the interests of public health.

QUANTUM OF SAUSAGE

Under The Counter, like any true Scot, is an enthusiastic fan of the roll and sausage – butter underneath and broon sauce up top, if you’re curious.

He was saddened, therefore, to hear of the (albeit temporary) demise of Glasgow institution, Mortons, which has been knocking out both soft and crispy rolls by the dozen since 1965.

Of course, wags on social media were quick to point out that the business had ran out of dough and that management had emailed staff saying you’re “well fired”.

Overall, however, the entire west of Scotland was fairly upset by news of the company’s collapse. One Twitter user even suggested: “This might be the one thing that unites Glasgow.”

They were wrong of course, for there is a Glaswegian version of Godwin’s Law, the internet adage that predicts Hitler will eventually be dragged into any online discussion. The Old Firm Ordinance is much the same, except you replace Nazis with Rangers and Celtic.

We won’t dignify the sectarian ‘bants’ by repeating it but suffice to say some comments simultaneously upset and angered UTC. And this is because, like a quantum combination of Mortons’ two rolls, he can be both soft and well-fired at the same time.

HEART-SHAPED HEARTBREAK

Under The Counter is always eating things that he shouldn’t.

Coleslaw, for example. The Auld Boy loves the stuff, and often livens up his lunchtime piece with a hearty dod. With hearty dods come terrible heartburn however, and he always regrets his actions. As do his colleagues, who must endure his anguished moaning while scouring the office for a Rennie.

He’s not alone in regretting ill-judged ingestion. Take the recent case of Dawn Sagar and the solitary crisp.

Not too much to go wrong there, you’d think, unless it jammed in her windpipe and brought an untimely dusk to Dawn.

The alternative scenario is that the snack was heart-shaped and worth 100 grand.

Poor Dawn. She thought the crisp unusual enough to merit a photo on her socials, but not so strange that she didn’t then hurl it down her gullet. It couldn’t have been halfway to her stomach before she was bombarded with messages from friends all warning: “Don’t eat it!”

Sensing something was amiss, she went online for an answer.

Once Google had confirmed she’d blown her chances of winning big in a Walkers competition, Dawn took the news on the chin, hard to swallow as it was.

In stark contrast to UTC’s acid refluxinduced bleating, her stoic response – “Oh yeah, that’s it. Too late.” –deserves a medal. Maybe not a Purple Heart though.

A youthful UTC moonlights in the 1922 classic expressionist movie ‘Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror’

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