SLR November 2023 Edition by 55 North

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NOVEMBER 2023 | ISSUE 247

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Spar Scotland tradeshow review – p26

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ABOVE AND BEYOND

SLR’s new awards programme celebrates the vital and often overlooked role of store colleagues.

SPREADING THE WORD

GroceryAid’s new retailing support kit

QUITTING TIME PM plans to phase out smoking

FESTIVE SPIRIT Cash in on Christmas drinks

Spar Scotland tradeshow review – p26

November 2023

Contents

Contents ISSUE 247

NEWS 06 07 08 10 11 12 18 20

Lottery Retailers have until 18 December at the very latest to complete their Transfer of Retailer Agreement. Government Policy A plan to grow co-operation between the Scottish government and businesses is revealed. Tobacco Prime Minister Rishi Sunak unveils his plan to gradually phase out smoking. Technology Nisa accelerates the roll-out of Jisp’s ‘Scan & Save’ loyalty platform to all of its retailer partners. Levelling up Seven Scottish towns are to be given millions of pounds to regenerate their high streets. News Extra Retail Crime Police chiefs set out guidelines to deal with prolific offenders. Product News Pepsi Max partners with EA Sports FC and retailers can win £50,000 in a new Mayfair Gold competition. Off-Trade News BuzzBallz goes big with a new 1.75-ltr format and Thatchers unveils an Apple & Blackcurrant cider.

INSIDE BUSINESS 22

24 26

30 50

GroceryAid A new independent retailing support kit helps retailers ensure staff are aware of the free and confidential support available from the industry charity. Vaping SLR and SGF join forces to help local retailers make sure that they are selling vaping products responsibly. Spar Scotland The transformation of Spar Scotland over the last few years continues apace with a record-breaking trade show, a major acquisition and significant profit growth. Hotlines The latest new products and media campaigns. Under The Counter The Auld Boy casts a myopic eye over the hot topics of vaping, shoplifting and bungee jumping.

FEATURES 32

36 38

Vaping The vaping category has seen huge growth within the convenience channel but navigating regulatory interventions will be crucial in the next period. Christmas Wines & Spirits The festive season offers a once-a-year chance to max out sales of spirits, so offering a wide range of tipples can help you end the year on a high. Christmas Top Up Consumers’ appetite to spend during the festive season seems unabated. Sports & Energy The stimulation segment is still big within the soft drinks category, so making the most of it in the busy festive period could be key to driving sales. Forecourts The ACS 2023 Forecourt Report has shown how forecourts have continued to invest heavily despite massive flux in the fuel and vehicle marketplace.

ON THE COVER 16

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Above and Beyond SLR announces a new awards programme that celebrates the vital role that store colleagues play in making our industry so very special.

NOVEMBER 2023 | SLR

News LOTTERY Retailers must complete their Transfer of Retailer Agreement by 18 December

Nisa strengthens senior leadership team Nisa has appointed Kim Clarkson as Head of Partner Services, responsible for shaping the future direction of the format and development proposition; ensuring continuity of Nisa’s level of service through stock control, logistics and supply chain functions; as well as delivering a best-in-class partner support service. She joined Nisa in 2017 and has more than 20 years of experience in the sector.

Spar UK passes Marie Curie £3m milestone Spar is celebrating raising £3m for its national charity partner Marie Curie. The partnership, which started in 2016, reached the landmark through in-store fundraising, customer donations, and on-pack product donations. Spar suppliers have also demonstrated their continued commitment to the partnership, most recently supporting the Go Yellow campaign with a

National Lottery transfer deadline day looms Allwyn, incoming operator of The National Lottery, is urging any independent retailers who have not yet completed their Transfer of Retailer Agreement (TRA) from Camelot to Allwyn to do so as soon as possible. Retailers can make the change by logging on at TNLpartners.co.uk – the deadline to complete this is by 18 December 2023 at the very latest. Allwyn’s Operations Director, Jenny Blogg, said: “With just under eight weeks to go until the TRA deadline, we’re delighted to report that over 75% of all independent retailers have now logged on and completed this. This is testament to the great co-operation and support we’ve seen from our retail partners, working hand in hand with our joint Allwyn and Camelot Retail team. “However, we’re now working to reach those remaining retailers who have not yet signed – as we would hate for them to miss out

on the exciting plans we have lined up from February onwards. We’re really grateful to National Lottery retailers for prioritising this – and for all they continue to do in selling National Lottery tickets in their stores and helping to raise over £30m a week for good causes across the UK.” All independent retailers will have received communications outlining what they need to do to complete the TRA, including: Q Registering their store and creating an account to start the process.

Q Confirming their personal details – retailers will need the last three digits of the bank account used to pay their current National Lottery invoices, as well as proof of identity. Q Reading and signing their Transfer of Retailer Agreement. Allwyn and Camelot have also been communicating with independent post offices to enable them to continue as National Lottery retailers. Most of these will move across in February.

whopping £35,000 donation. COMMUNITY

Asda to open new Scots convenience stores Asda is to open three new c-stores in Scotland as it converts the Co-op petrol stations it bought last year into Asda Express sites. The supermarket giant’s first converted store, in Birkhill in Dundee, opened on 4 October and it has now revealed a further three stores will open in Dounby, Broadford and Aberfeldy. The stores are planned to open before the end of March 2024.

GroceryAid supports retailers with staff leaflet

Broadway Premier wins 2023 Raj Aggarwal Trophy The Williams Family of Premier Broadway, Edinburgh, has won the 2023 Raj Aggarwal Trophy which is awarded to retailers who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to community retailing over the past year, supporting their staff, customers, and fellow retailers. The Williams Family has been demonstrating exceptional community retailing in Oxgangs, Edinburgh for more than 40 years. Dennis, Linda and Sophie work tirelessly to support their customers and colleagues, are embedded within local schools, and go above and beyond to make their store a community hub. ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “The competition was extremely close – all three of the finalists are doing incredible work locally and it was great to hear so many examples of community activity that make a real difference.” The 2023 finalists were: The Williams Family of Broadway Premier, Keshwara & Sons of Spar Priory Road, and Trudy Davies of Woosnam & Davies News. The three finalists were invited to ACS’ Heart of the Community conference, where they took part in a panel session on the day discussing the range and importance of their community activity over the past year. The winner was voted on by retailers and suppliers in attendance.

GroceryAid has launched a leaflet to help independent retailers inform new starters and existing employees about the charity’s free and confidential support available to them from the first day of employment. The document details the emotional, financial and practical help that GroceryAid has to offer. Turn to page 22 for more about the leaflet, including how to order.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

PEOPLE MOVES Current Chief Operating Officer to take the top job

Scotmid Co-op unveils new chief Scotmid Co-op has revealed that Chief Operating Officer Karen Scott will become its new Chief Executive next August. Scott, the former head of SemiChem, has 36 years’ experience in retail – 22 of those with the society. She will remain in her current role until May, when she will become chief executive designate, while current boss John Brodie transitions into retirement over the summer. Scott said: “It is a huge responsibility to take over from John next year. “Obviously it is a major step up to be CEO, but I am ready for all the challenges that lie ahead.” KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SLRMAG

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News POLICY Plan details how recommendations from the government’s New Deal for Business Group will be taken forward

Plan to grow co-operation between Scottish government and firms revealed Actions to deepen and strengthen co-operation between the Scottish government and business have been unveiled. A new implementation plan details how recommendations from the New Deal for Business Group will be taken forward over the next 18 months to improve policy preparation and delivery, and build a wellbeing economy. Actions include a forum to oversee the impact of regulations on industry and a full review of how government policy is developed to ensure businesses are consulted at all stages – particularly when new regulation is a potential outcome. Work will also start to get more parents and carers to get back into work. Other measures include: Q Keeping non-domestic rates reforms under review to ensure they support businesses and communities; Q Developing new ways to assess the impact of regulations on business;

Q Ensuring the right business voices are involved in policy development; Q Seeking views on health and work, flexible working and just transition plans from across the business sector; Q Outlining and measuring how business contributes to a wellbeing economy; Q Assessing the type of support businesses are seeking to help government better understand their needs.

PayPoint expands Love2shop partnership PayPoint is to expand its Love2shop gift card offering in partnership with 21 of the UK’s multiple retailer groups, including One Stop, MFG, Henderson’s Retail, CJ Lang, Scotmid Co-op, Sewell’s, and Greens Retail. The move will see Love2shop, which offers flexible gift cards which can be spent at over 90 retailers, launched in more than 2,600 new stores.

Spar Freuchie relaunches Spar Freuchie has relaunched after a refit. The 2,203sq ft store

Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray commented: “Only by working together can we turn the dial on business–government relations and deliver a wellbeing economy, creating the best possible place for business, people and planet.” Dr Poonam Malik, Head of Investments at the University of Strathclyde, who co-chairs the group, said that “working in meaningful partnership on common goals” will reap rewards and grow Scotland’s economy for the benefit of everyone.

has been refitted internally and externally with new energy efficient refrigeration, floor and wall coverings throughout. Additional shelving to enhance the range offered to customers was also installed, alongside new internal and external graphics. A new food-to-go area under Spar Scotland’s CJ’s branding was also installed.

PEOPLE MOVES Mike Leonard joins Scottish convenience store chain

PEOPLE MOVES

McCarron Greens Retail appoints Frank joins CJ Lang Interim Head of Retail Convenience store chain Greens Retail has appointed Mike Leonard as its new Interim Head of Retail. Leonard has a wealth of experience in the industry, including his most recent position as Head of Retail at Eddy’s Food Station, Sales Director at CJ Lang, and Head of Symbol Retail at United Wholesale Scotland. Leonard said: “I am very excited to be joining Greens Retail in a period of tremendous growth, with many exciting opportunities on the horizon. I’m looking forward to working with suppliers and colleagues from across the Greens network to grow the business further.” Managing Director of Greens Retail, Harris Aslam, added: “I am thrilled to welcome Mike into the Greens family. His breadth of knowledge and experience in this sector will give us a huge advantage as we continue to expand the Greens portfolio, and venture into new services such as home delivery.” In addition, Greens Retail is partnering with Snappy Shopper to power its new home delivery and click-and-collect offering. The retailer will add former Snappy employee Chris McGregor to bring a wealth of home delivery experience to the business in his role as Head of Online and Digital. McGregor will work on offering customers a seamless, efficient home delivery and in-app shopping experience, with wider expansions of the service expected in due course.

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CJ Lang & Son has appointed Frank McCarron as its new Company Owned Store Director. McCarron has helped build a number of major businesses and brings with him a wealth of retail operations experience, with more than 35 years in the food retail sector. His most recent position was Senior Regional Business Manager with Scotmid. He previously held the position of Area Manager with Botterill’s convenience stores and prior to that worked in several retail operations roles. Spar Scotland currently operates 113 company-owned stores.

Consumers eating less healthily as inflation bites More than a quarter (28%) of consumers are eating less healthily due to the cost-of-living crisis, according to BBC Good Food Nation research. The survey found 19% of consumers say they are eating more ready meals and processed food because they are cheaper. It also found 17% are cooking less from scratch, 16% are cutting back on organic food and ingredients, and 12% say they are eating less protein because of the cost.

One Stop teams up with BBC Children in Need One Stop is supporting BBC Children in Need for the 11th year running. Retailers will be getting behind this year’s ‘SPOTacular’ campaign by selling a variety of merchandise, including a Sportacular Collectibles range that features the well-loved Pudsey Bear in a series of sporting guises priced at two for a pound.

NOVEMBER 2023 | SLR

News SMOKING Rishi Sunak has unveiled his plan to phase out smoking in young people

Park Christmas Savings attracts retailers More than 1,000 NFRN members have signed up to become PayPoint Park Super Agents, helping more than 350,000

Prime Minister to create ‘smokefree generation’

families to spread the cost of Christmas. Customers can also access a wide range of gift cards and vouchers from more than 140 of the biggest online and high street brands. Part of the PayPoint Group, Park Christmas Savings is the UK’s biggest Christmas savings club.

ACS tackles loneliness ACS has signed a call to action alongside more than 100 organisations, urging the next government to take action to tackle loneliness. The organisations want the government to appoint a dedicated Minister for Loneliness, a refreshed strategy with clear objectives and dedicated funding, guidance for schools and employers to tackle loneliness, and reform of social care and support.

Scale of bricks-and-mortar jobs losses revealed More than 420,000 traditional retail jobs have been lost since 2010, according to analysis by the GMB union. The data shows that 420,242 traditional retail jobs have gone – a decline of 28.4% – since the Conservatives took power. GMB told the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on 9 October that more retail jobs will be lost unless economic reforms are made.

Christmas cutback Consumers intend to cut back on festive groceries, buying gifts, and socialising this Christmas, according to research for KPMG UK. The data reveals 53% say their spend on festive groceries will remain the same as last year, but 34% said they will spend less. Meanwhile, 45% of consumers say that their gift-buying budget would be the same as last Christmas, but 39% of those polled said they would have a smaller budget this year.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has unveiled plans to change the law on the sale of tobacco so that the age of sale rises by one year, every year, until it applies to the whole population. The move has the potential to phase out smoking in young people almost completely as early as 2040. Sunak said: “These changes will mean our kids will never be able to buy a cigarette, preventing them getting hooked and protecting their health both now and in the future.” The government will also consult on plans to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children. This will look at: Q Restricting the flavours and descriptions of vapes so that vape flavours are no longer targeted at children.

Q Regulating point of sale displays in retail outlets so that vapes are kept out of sight from children and away from products that appeal to them. Q Regulating vape packaging and product presentation, ensuring that neither the device nor its packaging is targeted to children. Q Restricting the sale of disposable vapes, which are clearly linked to the rise in vaping in children. In addition, enforcement activity will also be strengthened, with an investment of £30m to support enforcement agencies. Health policy is a devolved issue, so it is up to the Scottish Parliament to decide the legal smoking age in Scotland, but Sunak says he wants to work with the devolved governments to develop a UK-wide approach. The Scottish government is due to publish a “refreshed” Tobacco Action Plan later this year. In response, ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We welcome further consultation on vaping products and hope the government will look carefully at increasing funding for enforcement activity.” John Dunne, Director General at UK Vaping Industry Association, urged the government not to implement new laws when there is already appropriate legislation.

DISPOSABLE VAPES 1,000 free in-store recycling collection bins are being provided to SGF members

SUSTAINABILITY A UK-wide consultation seeks views on a proposed ban

Elfbar and the Scottish Grocers’ Federation are to provide 1,000 free co-branded in-store vape bins to SGF members. Research conducted by Opinium of 1,000 adults in Scotland showed that the provision of in-store bins is the most effective way to increase recycling levels of used vapes. SGF Chief Executive Pete Cheema, said: “SGF promotes responsible community retailing and so the opportunity to provide, with Elfbar, 1,000 free in-store vaping bins to retailers is an important step forward and will feed into the process of providing easy waste and recycling options for disposable vaping products.” Eve Peters, Director of Government Affairs and spokesperson for Elfbar in the UK, added: “Elfbar is delighted to be working with SGF in the development and delivery of this vital campaign to increase recycling points for used vapes in the convenience sector across Scotland. “Single-use vapes are a key entry point for adult smokers looking to quit smoking for good, however it is vital that they are disposed of responsibly.”

proposals to tackle plastic and microplastic pollution. A consultation, which is being undertaken by all four UK nations, seeks views on a proposed ban on the manufacture, supply and sale of plastic-containing wet wipes across the UK. Wet wipes containing plastic break down into microplastics over time, which can be harmful to the environment and human health. The consultation comes in response to public calls for action to tackle plastic pollution in waterways, and widespread support for the proposed ban. The consultation closes on 25 November 2023.

Elfbar and SGF to provide Ban on wet wipes containing moves closer free vape recycling bins plastic Wet wipes containing plastic could be banned as part of

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TRA Portal

VISIT NOW

TRANSFER YOUR NATIONAL LOTTERY RETAILER AGREEMENT TODAY* You must complete and sign your Transfer of Retailer Agreement (TRA) by registering via the TRA Portal to continue selling National Lottery from 1st February 2024.

DON’T DELAY REGISTER TODAY! Scan the QR code or visit www.TNLPartners.co.uk

*For existing National Lottery retailers only. If you would like to apply to become a National Lottery retailer, please submit your interest at https://tnlretailerhub.co.uk/#/become-a-retailer

TRA must be signed by 18th December 2023. For any queries, contact our FREE Retailer Hotline on 0800 8 40 50 60.

News TECHNOLOGY Nisa is working with Jisp to enhance its offer for suppliers and retailers

Chirnside newsagents changes hands Renton’s Newsagents and Post Office in the village of Chirnside, in the Scottish borders, has changed hands. Retailers Sajeef

Nisa accelerates roll-out of Jisp to all retailers

Perinpamoorthy and his wife Gayathri Raveendran have taken over the reins from Gillian and Malcolm Renton. The store was brought to the market by Christie & Co. Gillian Renton said: “It has been a great journey for us over 12 years since we bought the shop in 2011.”

Sollas Co-op re-launches after major makeover Co-op’s store in Sollas, North Uist in the Outer Hebrides, has relaunched with a newlook and enhanced range. The four-week programme of works and improvements to the 1,500sq ft store saw a new layout to increase the range of fresh products and everyday groceries, along with new

Nisa is set to accelerate the roll out of the Jisp ‘Scan & Save’ loyalty service to all retailers. The loyalty platform utilises AR voucher technology to bring discounts on branded products, driving increased loyalty and sales for retailers and helps leading brands gain incremental sales and volume. The news follows a successful trial, where more than 200 Nisa retailers signed up to the scheme,

which saw an average of 3,500 voucher redemptions per store recorded over a 12-month period, increasing in-store sales on average by more than 20%. Ayaz Alam, Commerical Director at Nisa, said: “At a time when value has never been more important to shoppers, we’re delighted to be able to scale our relationship with Jisp and to work together to enhance our offer for suppliers and retailers.” Nisa retailers get access to a Jisp dedicated support department and the retail growth management team, who work directly with retailers to improve ‘Scan & Save’ performance, as well as access to retail media including in-app and SMS shopper notifications and targeted email campaigns

promoting offers in store which can be personalised to Nisa partners. Ilann Hepworth, Managing Director of Jisp, said: “We’ve been working very closely with the team at Nisa for a while now and have built a robust support structure to ensure their retailer partners have everything they need to be successful in a competitive marketplace with Scan & Save.” Since the app was made available to Nisa retailers at the start of 2022, there have been over 1.3 million AR voucher scans and more than one million redemptions made in Nisa stores with Scan & Save. This has resulted in more than £1.5m in added sales through the app and almost £750,000 in discounts to shoppers in those participating Nisa stores.

refrigeration and back-up storage and freezers to further support availability and resilience.

Jet brings retro gameshow to Edinburgh and Selkirk Jet’s interactive on-site activation for customers has taken place at its partner service stations in Edinburgh and Selkirk. The activation, part of the Keep on Moving campaign, follows a gameshow-style host at key Jet locations inviting drivers to ‘spin the wheel’ to win a selection of

TECHNOLOGY

Scotmid selects AI-based intelligent planning solutions Scotmid has selected AI-based retail CPG assortment and space planning solutions from SymphonyAI, a leader in predictive and generative enterprise AI SaaS. SymphonyAI’s assortment optimisation generates rapid, customer-centric assortments for each store format, using basket, loyalty, store and shelf space, supply chain, and market data to ensure the right products are available to customers at the right time and place. John Brodie, Chief Executive of Scotmid, said: “Our core purpose is to serve our local communities and improve people’s everyday lives and SymphonyAI Retail CPG’s new range and space platform will further allow us to deliver on this core purpose.”

driving-related prizes. These range from fluffy dashboard dice to £250-worth of hotel vouchers.

MADL marks 15 years with new community initiative Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally (MADL) charity is celebrating its 15th anniversary by launching Club 15, a new initiative that will bring retailers, suppliers, and Nisa staff together to make a difference in local communities. Club 15 will select 15 Nisa retailers from across the UK to participate in a year-long partnership with MADL. To apply, retailers should visit the MADL website.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

FASCIAS Nisa retailers will be able to use their store development fund to upgrade their fascia

Nisa re-aligning store fascia estate Nisa is to update more than 300 store fascias over the next three years as part of a large re-branding to ensure consistency across its estate. Nearly 10 years on from the introduction of Nisa’s Evolution Format, the wholesaler will be supporting retailers with the old Store of the Future 1 fascia to update to the Evolution Format. Those retailers with the old fascia will have six months to commit to updating their fascia, and stores will be able to use their store development fund to upgrade their fascia. Retailers who choose not to move onto the Evolution format will be supported in moving to Nisa’s alternative entry fascia branding or assisted in creating their own independent imagery. Darren May, Head of Format & Development at Nisa, said: “With the Evolution format celebrating its 10th anniversary in April 2024, we feel this is the perfect time to modernise the estate and reward those who are proud to be a part of the Nisa symbol group. “We have found that retailers who update their store fascia see an 11-13% increase in sales, so we want to encourage and support all retailers who have not already done so to transition to the Nisa Evolution format.” KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SLRMAG

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News LEVELLING UP Seven Scottish towns are to be given millions of pounds to regenerate their high streets

Scottish towns to get £20m levelling up cash Seven Scottish towns will be given £20m to regenerate high streets and tackle anti-social behaviour, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has revealed. The 10-year deal would see money go to Greenock, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Coatbridge, Clydebank, Dumfries, and Elgin. The UK government plan involves setting up a town board – bringing together community leaders, employers and local authorities – to decide on spending priorities. Sunak revealed his plans ahead of the start of the Conservative party conference in Manchester. He said: “The result is the half-empty high streets, rundown shopping centres and anti-social behaviour that undermine many towns’ prosperity and hold back people’s

opportunity – and without a new approach, these problems will only get worse.” The move has been branded a political ploy by opposition parties.

Meanwhile, the Scottish government has said it was “extremely disappointing” that it had not been consulted on how the money could be spent. A spokesperson told the BBC: “It is extremely disappointing that we have not been consulted on how

the investment could be prioritised to complement our ongoing work, and we are unclear on how the priority locations have been identified. “We will nevertheless work with the UK government and local authorities to ensure the impact of this investment can be properly realised.” In addition, Scotland is set to benefit from the cancellation of the northern leg of the HS2 rail project, as £36bn in savings are to be reinvested in hundreds of transport projects across the UK. Funding will “solve the pinch points” on the A75 between Gretna and Stranraer, providing better links to the Cairnryan ferry terminals that connect southwest Scotland to Northern Ireland.

Grocery set for glowing golden quarter Food and grocery spending will grow faster than other retail sectors this golden quarter, with shoppers spending £2.8bn (5.9%) more year on year, figures from GlobalData predict. The figures reflect the impact of price increases over the past year outweighing any recent monthon-month declines. The only other major sector to experience increased sales year-on-year will be health and beauty.

Scotmid initiative bolsters 12 charities Scotmid’s Community Connect initiative has helped 12 charities based across Scotland and the Northeast of England continue to provide vital services to their communities. The initiative is awarded twice a year and provides good cause groups with the chance to receive funding from an overall pot of £84,000. The initiative has awarded more

CAMPAIGNS Spar Scotland has revealed details of its largest national brand campaign to date

CONVENIENCE RETAILING

Spar Scotland unveils Christmas campaign

SGF report underlines the essential role of convenience stores

Spar Scotland has launched its largest national brand campaign to date, called ‘BIG Deals of Christmas’. Taking place in Spar stores around the country, the campaign will support Spar Scotland’s ongoing mission of bringing value to shoppers’ doorsteps. Over the course of 13 weeks, Spar Scotland will be launching a new big deal on market-leading festive favourites every two weeks, up until the end of the year. The campaign has been brought to life through a series of animations that centre around Santa Claus and his elves Norty and Nice, which are voiced by larger-than-life actor Brian Blessed. Spar Scotland is supporting the campaign with a host of activities including digital advertisements showcasing the seven deals, in-store POS, and TV advertising on STV. There will also be social media support with videos and reels involving Spar Scotland staff, and there will be Christmas inspirations and activities to win ‘BIG Deals’ and prizes.

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The number of convenience stores in Scotland has increased by 73 in the past year to reach 5,171 in 2023, new research reveals. SGF’s Local Shop Report 2023, which was compiled in collaboration with the Association of Convenience Stores, found the convenience sector accounts for more than 49,000 jobs across Scotland. Pete Cheema, SGF Chief Executive, said: “Once again, the information gathered in the report clearly make the case for targeted support from government, for our industry. So that we can continue to deliver for our local economies and communities.” Across the UK, the convenience sector contributed more than £10.6bn in Gross Value Added and over £9.1bn in taxes, in 2022/23.

than £550,000 to more than 66 good causes since 2017.

Tattie bye Edinburgh grocery store Tattie Shaws is on the market after a period of difficult trading. The store, located at 35 Elm Row, has been a staple for many for the past 26 years. Owner James Welby told the Edinburgh Evening News that there’s “a multitude of reasons that are now forcing me to sell the shop – Brexit being the catalyst and the tram works being the fuel”.

Nisa Expo 2023 attracts hundreds Hundreds of retailers and suppliers attend Nisa’s Expo event on 17-18 October at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. The event featured more than 200 stands from brands; an enhanced format and development area to help and inspire retailers; and industry sessions on the convenience market, category growth, and the benefit of the Co-op own brand.

NOVEMBER 2023 | SLR

News Extra

Retail Crime

NewsExtra BUMPS IN THE ROAD FOR THE VAPING CATEGORY? – P32 CRIME The National Police Chiefs Council has set out guidelines to tackle retail crime

Scottish Grocers’ Federation

Convenience Matters with the SGF Just a few weeks ago at our Annual Conference, SGF called on Scottish Ministers for an emergency plan to tackle the surge in retail crime. In the past two years, there have been almost 8,000 cases of abuse and assaults reported to Police Scotland, alongside reports of shop theft doubling since the same period in 2022. Whole shelves and kiosk counters are being emptied at knife point. Scotland is experiencing a tsunami of shop theft, often involving organised crime, and staff are resigning because they fear for their safety. Not to mention the financial cost for businesses. It is not only shop windows that are being shattered but people’s lives, their livelihoods, and their health and wellbeing. SGF has written to the Scottish Government, Lord Advocate, Crown Office, and Courts & Tribunals Service calling for figures on convictions relating to the Protection of Workers Act to be made public. This is essential information to show the Act is working. However, despite figures showing that over 2,600 cases have been referred to the Fiscal, none of these public bodies have been able to provide, or even hold, the data on convictions. It is clear that our police and courts are run ragged. Criminals and organised groups now believe that they are untouchable. Enough is enough, it is time for Ministers to stop sitting on their hands and put together a meaningful plan of action to tackle the torrent of retail crime in Scotland. SGF partners GroceryAid. org.uk are also on hand to support colleagues who have been the victims of crime. If you or your colleagues are faced with anti-social behaviour, please report it.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

Retail Crime Action Plan aims to tackle prolific offenders The new guidance follows growing calls for action from ACS, Labour, SGF, Usdaw, and major retailers. BY LIZ WELLS

A new Retail Crime Action Plan, which sets out the way that police should respond to and investigate thefts against convenience stores and other retail businesses, has been published. The move follows growing calls for action from Labour, SGF, Usdaw, and retailers including Coop and Nisa. The Retail Crime Action Plan, published by the National Police Chiefs Council, sets out a series of guidelines for the police on the following areas: Q Prioritising attendance at the scene of crimes where violence has been used. Q The use of facial recognition technology to check CCTV evidence against the Police National Database. Q Identifying ‘hot spot’ locations where additional patrols would be beneficial. Q Dealing with organised crime through the creation of a new dedicated intelligence team. Q How retailers should report crimes when they occur. The publication of the plan follows a meeting between Policing Minister Chris Philp MP and retail business leaders, where further details were outlined about the next steps for business and policing partnership Operation Pegasus, including a new information sharing platform for retailers and police forces.

Philp said: “I am determined to drive forward change. While it is encouraging to see a 29% increase in charges for shoplifting in the past year, the rise in offending is unacceptable and there is much more to do to stop it happening in the first place. That’s why we’re taking action and bringing together government, policing and business to commit to smarter, more joinedup working when it comes to retail crime, which will help to drive down criminal behaviour.” In response, ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said the plan sets a clear marker that the torrent of offences committed against businesses will be taken seriously and will be strongly welcomed by retailers. He added: “These incidents take a huge toll on retailers and their colleagues, so it’s crucial that every incident reported to the police gets investigated and is something that we have been calling for in conversations with ministers and police representatives. “Using artificial intelligence to identify prolific offenders can be an effective way of drastically reducing the amount of police time it takes to make links between crimes committed against different businesses locally, and we hope that this will encourage more retailers to submit CCTV evidence of theft when it occurs to help make the link between crimes that have

previously been seen as separate offences. Whether it’s artificial intelligence or local intelligence that leads to criminals being identified, the real challenge still remains apprehending these people and putting in place effective interventions to break the cycle of reoffending.” National President of the NFRN, Muntazir Dipoti, agreed that retailers have a lot to look forward to with this announcement. “Retail crime is not a victimless crime, and we have campaigned for years for the police to take tougher action. We are pleased to hear that this is now going to happen,” he said. In addition, an initiative aimed at improving engagement between Scottish businesses, police and other key partners has been launched. Led by Police Scotland’s Business Crime Prevention Unit and supported by the Serious Organised Crime Task Force, the operation will see officers visiting businesses around Scotland for a series of engagement days. These will provide an opportunity to discuss emerging crime trends and identify areas of concern for companies, particularly those within the retail sector. Police Scotland and other relevant agencies can then provide a range of crime prevention advice and other useful information aimed at reducing criminality. www.slrmag.co.uk

Comment

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT VAPING… Vaping has had a curious evolution to date. Once upon a time it was being hailed as The Next Big Thing, and that excitement reached fever pitch when Juul first landed in the UK. Interestingly, the first time Juul ever publicly spoke on these shores was at a vaping event organised by SLR and, unsurprisingly, we had very little trouble attracting an audience that day. Vaping was on course, we learned, to overtake tobacco and conquer the world. As we all know now, it didn’t quite pan out that way. Vaping as a category promptly flatlined and looked like it was set to be another one of those fads. Like energy shots. Anyone remember them? But then along came disposables and, with the help of Elf Bar in particular, the category did indeed go stratospheric. There are stores that see a full 30% of their entire turnover come through vaping now. There are, however, problems ahead. Single-use vaping products were always going to attract the attention of the Scottish Government. At the recent SGF conference it was revealed that around 15 million disposables are sold a week in the UK. And that’s only the legit ones. So you can probably triple that number. While the Scottish Government has already committed to dealing with the problem in its own inimitable way, it turns out that to ban single use vapes in Scotland it would need another one of those pesky Internal Market exemptions. You know the ones. The ones that stopped DRS happening. Those ones. So the issue has become a UK issue, driven by the UK government, and a UK-wide public consultation was recently issued. The two key challenges are youth access and environmental impact. Youth access is relatively straightforward for us to tackle. Everyone applies a Challenge 25 policy. Job done, at least in the legitimate local retailing sector. The bigger challenge is the environmental one. It’s a massively complex problem but it’s one that we need to address if we hope to demonstrate to the UK government that we take it seriously and are working towards a solution. Time is not on our side but we need to give it a go, which is why SLR and SGF are working together to try to help our sector tackle these challenges head on and demonstrate loudly and clearly that we are doing our bit. It’s our only hope of avoiding a flat-out ban and, frankly, it’s a faint hope at best – but I would ask you all to join us on this journey for the good of our sector and the communities we serve.

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). 55 North Ltd, Waterloo Chambers, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 6AY Tel: 0141 22 22 100 Fax: 0141 22 22 177 Website: www.55north.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/slrmag DISCLAIMER The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or damaged in the post. All text and layout is the copyright of 55 North Ltd. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher.

ANTONY BEGLEY, PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

All copyrights are recognised and used specifically for the purpose of criticism and review. Although the magazine has endevoured to ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability may change. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. Scottish Local Retailer is produced monthly by 55 North Ltd.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

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PR E M I U M B L E N D

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Cover Story

Above & Beyond Awards 2024

INTRODUCING…

THE ABOVE & BEYOND AWARDS 2024! SLR

PRESENTS

THE ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARDS 2024

SLR is proud to introduce a new awards programme that will celebrate the vital and often overlooked role that store colleagues play in making this industry so very special.

he fact that the Scottish local retailing sector is unique and intrinsic to the very fabric of Scotland’s society is something that is widely accepted. During Covid, for example, the unbelievable role the sector played in supporting every community in the country is well documented – but those heroics were only the latest in a long line of astonishing acts by a very special industry. But what often goes unacknowledged is the pivotal role played by the true stars of our remarkable sector: the individuals who lie at the heart of all of our businesses and without whom we would have no business. Our store colleagues are the heart and soul of our businesses, and it is upon them that our reputations are built and sustained. We are rightly envied in the local retailing sector for the unique and powerful bond that

these store superstars and unearth some of the many amazing stories that unfold in stores across Scotland every day, they will also provide a platform to help inspire other colleagues and future generations along the way. So, we would encourage you to take the time to check out the awards categories and criteria on the SLR website and get in touch to let us know about some of the amazing things that your colleagues have done to go above and beyond the basic call of duty. The awards categories cover all major store formats and styles and leave plenty of scope for you to tell us about the heroics that ordinarily unreported and unheralded. SHINING A LIGHT ON go Th is is your chance to SCOTLAND’S LOCAL provide some overdue recognition for those members STORE HEROES of your team that really do help set your business apart in the local community. Whether it’s helping drive up standards in your store, turbo-charging community engagement, being there for customers in a time of need or being a superstar colleague who always has time to lend a hand or an ear – we want to hear about them. The awards are simple to enter, and all shortlisted colleagues will be invited free of charge to a celebratory lunch at the plush Corinthian Club in Glasgow on 13 March 2024. Working with our generous sponsors, we will ensure that everyone joining us on the day enjoys a relaxing day off and receives the recognition they so thoroughly deserve.

our stores enjoy with their customers. No other sector comes close. And that comes down to one thing: the people in our businesses. For the first time, the new SLR Above & Beyond Awards will recognise and reward those individuals and shine a light on their oftenoverlooked efforts and achievements. From the shopfloor to the stock room, from behind the till to in front of the TikTok camera, it’s our people that make our businesses what they are – and we believe it’s time those people stepped out of the shadows and into the limelight.

INSPIRING TALES Not only will the Above and Beyond Awards offer the chance to recognise and showcase

“Our store colleagues are the heart and soul of our businesses, and it is upon them that our reputations are built and sustained.” 16

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

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Above & Beyond Awards 2024

AWARD CATEGORIES INDEPENDENT STORE COLLEAGUE – SYMBOL GROUP MEMBER Open to all colleagues working in independently-owned local retailing stores in Scotland that are members of any symbol group, fascia or franchise. INDEPENDENT STORE COLLEAGUE – UNAFFILIATED STORE Open to all colleagues working in independently owned unaffiliated local retailing stores in Scotland. MULTIPLE STORE COLLEAGUE Open to all colleagues working in convenience-format stores in Scotland owned by a central company, group or organisation (excluding supermarketowned convenience-format stores). COMPANY-OWNED Open to all colleagues working in CJ Lang Company-Owned stores in Scotland. FORECOURT STORE COLLEAGUE Open to all colleagues working in independently owned forecourt stores in Scotland. UP & COMING STAR Open to all colleagues aged 25 or under working in any of the store formats detailed above who have shown themselves to be outstanding colleagues with a bright future in the sector ahead of them. LONG SERVICE AWARDS Open to all colleagues working in any of the store formats detailed above who have worked in the sector or a single store or chain for an extended period. ASTONISHING ACT Open to all colleagues working in any of the store formats detailed above who truly went Above & Beyond to perform an astonishing single act that had a massive positive impact on a customer, colleague or community.

Cover Story

CCEP Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is delighted to sponsor the Above & Beyond Awards because they recognise and reward the unsung heroes of the Scottish local retailing sector: the store colleagues who are the heart and soul of a special industry. CCEP is proud to help shine a light on their dedication and hard work.

HOVIS In 1890, a national competition was held by our founders when looking for a new trading name for their patented flour milling process product. A prize of £25 was offered to the winner who was called Herbert Grime, and he suggested the name “Hovis”, from the Latin “Hominis Vis” meaning “Strength of Man”. Now over 130 years later, we want to reward another Astonishing Act. This time its not a name for a new product, but rather recognition for people who work in the Impulse channel who have done something Astonishing. Since 2020 when we were all impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, retailers and their staff have done an amazing job supporting local communities and high streets. We are proud to work with SLR to reward a colleague who has performed an astonishing act in the last 12 months that has had a positive impact.

MONDELEZ INTERNATIONAL KEY DATES Q Entry deadline: Fri 12 January 2024 Q Shortlist announced: Fri 2 February 2024 Q Winners Lunch: Wed 13 March, The Corinthian Club, Glasgow

Supporting independent retailers and the colleagues who work in store is fundamental to Mondelez International, helping them on their path to success and rewarding excellence in independent retail. We are proud to support Above & Beyond 2024 and in particular the categories we are sponsoring, to recognise those who go above and beyond to deliver a great instore experience for their shoppers.

SPAR SCOTLAND

TO NOMINATE STORE COLLEAGUES, PLEASE VISIT SLRMAG.CO.UK/ABOVEANDBEYOND www.slrmag.co.uk

Our staff are our biggest asset, clearly identified by our customers. We know convenience store staff are very much unsung heroes at times and we’re delighted to be involved in industry awards that recognise their efforts.

NOVEMBER 2023 | SLR

News

Products

Grab a grand with Flipz Pladis has launched ‘Grab a Grand,’ its largest on-pack promotion to date for its Flipz chocolate-covered pretzels brand. Live now, the promotion offers a £1,000 cash prize each week until 23 December. Consumers simply need to buy a pack and scan the QR code for their chance to win. The promo is supported with PR and shopper marketing activities, alongside a geo-targeted social campaign to drive shoppers in-store.

Christmas cheese wheeze Lactalis has called on Britain’s retailers to make the most of the cheese category’s potential in the build up to Christmas. The dairy company recommended stocking up on the two highest grossing cheese categories – speciality and hot eating

Product News GET IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT – P34 SOFT DRINKS Just don’t call it FIFA!

Pepsi Max and EA Sports FC team up Pepsi Max has kicked-off a partnership with EA Sports FC 24 with an on-pack promotion, which gives shoppers the chance to win in-game rewards with every participating Pepsi Max product. The promotion is available across all Pepsi Max core, Pepsi Max Cherry and Pepsi Max Lime 500ml bottles and runs until 31 December 2023. The promotion is supported by in-store point of sale and digital activities. Retailers can visit atyourconvenience.com for information on POS available and

additional details on the campaign. Consumers simply need to enter their bottle’s unique promo code on the Pepsi Max microsite to unlock in-game rewards. Each claimant will be given a Pepsi Ultimate Team pack, including a 75+ rated untradeable gold item and an additional prize, such as unique kits or backgrounds. Repeat purchases will be encouraged, with

shoppers able to receive up to 10 unique in-game rewards during the promotional period. EA Sports FC, previously branded as the FIFA videogame, was the most popular game franchise in the UK in 2022, with over five million players. The tie-in follows Pepsi Max’s successful deal with eChampions league, which has reached millions of football fans.

– as soon as possible, as they see significant seasonal increases over the winter period. Unsurprisingly, Lactalis highlighted its Président and Galbani brands as must-stocks.

FOOD TO GO Rustlers pushes ‘better than you think’ message

years with Rustlers unveils national 70 £70k retailer giveaway Big Night In campaign

One Stop freshens range One Stop has extended its fresh food offer as part of its first range reset in over two years. The convenience retailer has brought in a total of 108 new lines to stores, 16 of which are own-label products. Fifty lines have been delisted. The move is a response to research that found customers are looking for fresher and healthier choices, enabling them to cook meals from scratch, alongside convenient solutions for busy families.

Maryland makeover Fox’s Burton’s Companies has unveiled a brand-new look for its Maryland cookie and minis brand. Enhanced red and yellow branding makes it easier for shoppers to find Maryland on shelf and the new design spotlights the flavour variant front and centre on packs. The new look is supported with a multi-million-pound marketing campaign that includes a new TV ad and in-store activity.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

SNACKS

Rustlers is encouraging retailers to stock up on its bestsellers range to make the most of Big Night In sales, as the brand rolls out a national consumer campaign. The Big Night In campaign includes national TV advertising, reaching 103 million consumers, alongside PR, and influencer support, driving the brand’s ‘better than you think’ messaging. The campaign will dial up Rustlers’ quality and taste credentials by educating consumers through provenance and taste cues. Recent research revealed a Big Night In opportunity for retailers, revealing that 70% of them should

run more fakeaway deals in store, as the same number of consumers intend to order fewer takeaways. Elaine Rothballer, Head of Marketing Consumer Brands at Kepak, said: “Consumers are still very much looking at tightening the belt, especially in the run up to Christmas time. This paves the way for brands such as Rustlers as we offer a better value alternative to ordering a takeaway. “Big Night In is all about relaxing, with good food and close companions, shoppers don’t want to eat into this time by waiting hours for a takeaway or spending time cooking in the kitchen. Rustlers offers the perfect solution. Not only are they delicious and made with 100% British and Irish beef but they take just 90 seconds to prepare.” To help retailers maximise the Big Night In occasion in store, Rustlers offers tailored planograms, category advice and more. Retailers can visit kepaktrade. co.uk to find out more.

KP Nuts marks

KP Snacks has launched its biggest-ever retailer giveaway, with a £70,000 fund to celebrate 70 years of KP Nuts. The £70,000 giveaway gives retailers the chance to win one of 70 £700 cash prizes, plus 160 £70 stock vouchers. Running until early December, retailers will automatically be entered in a prize draw when they range four cases of £1.25 Flavoured Nuts. Alongside this, KP is donating 10p to Movember for every case sold in November, making up a total donation of £10,000. KP has supported the charity for over four years. Matt Collins, Trading Director of KP Snacks, commented: “We are delighted to be running this huge giveaway on KP Nuts, offering our valued retailer partners the chance to win big cash prizes while donating £10,000 to the Movember Foundation.”

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Products

News

Old El Paso renews American football deal Mexican food brand Old El Paso has extended its partnership with the NFL for a second year. The ongoing campaign encourages

TOBACCO JTI unveils whopping ‘Go for Gold’ prize draw

Retailers can win £50k with Mayfair

NFL fans to make classic Old El

To celebrate the launch of its latest ultra-value, ready-made cigarette, Mayfair Gold (see Hotlines on p30), JTI has unveiled an in-depot ‘Go for Gold’ prize draw, with a total prize pot of a quarter of a million pounds. Running until 1 December 2023, the prize draw will give five lucky retailers cash prizes of £50,000 each. Hundreds of other prizes are also up for grabs. For a chance to win, retailers simply need to purchase an outer of Mayfair Gold at one of more than 50 selected wholesalers to be entered into a prize draw. Every outer purchased will result in one entry, with no limit on the number

brand is now advertising on

of times a retailer can enter. The more outers purchased, the higher the chance of winning £50,000. All entries have an equal chance of winning the prizes. There are hundreds of other prizes to be won. Retailers will have the opportunity to participate in a ‘Stop the Clock’ game, in which they will be asked to press a button and stop a counter at exactly

10.9999. Every retailer who stops the counter at exactly 10.9999 will win a £10 Amazon voucher. Even entrants who don’t manage to stop the counter on the magic 10.9999 mark will still walk away with a consolation prize. The Scottish depots taking part are Batleys, Edinburgh; Batleys, Glasgow; Booker, Glasgow; and United Wholesale, Glasgow.

Paso Nachos the go-to snack of choice for game day. The TV all through the Super Bowl LVIII season, which ends on 11 February 2024, with supporting social, influencer and shopper activities.

New look for Yazoo Yazoo has updated packaging across its core 300ml, 400ml and one-litre portfolio. The new look dials up the flavoured milk brand’s taste credentials with new visuals that feature an onpack ‘high in protein’ splash. The packaging refresh is supported by organic social content and paid digital marketing spend, as well as in-depot POS material. It will also benefit from the halo

HEALTHY SNACKING New packs promote health credentials

Dole revamps ‘Fruit in…’ ranges The Dole Sunshine Company has announced a redesign across its Fruit in Juice and Fruit in Jelly ranges. Alongside the new design, packs will now feature a clear ‘no added sugar’ message on the Fruit in Juice packs and ‘vegan friendly’ claim due to a recipe change for its Fruit in Jelly range. Dole’s thinking behind the new packs centres around the consumer tension of craving tasty but unhealthy snacks, whilst at the same time wanting to make healthier choices. The new range of Fruit in Juice packaging aims to highlight the fruit inside, whilst at the same time confirming its healthy credentials with the ‘no added sugar’ message. A recent survey by StreetBees of nearly 50,000 consumers showed that the number one attribute sought when deciding on what to eat and drink was ‘no added or low sugar’ content. The recipe change which makes Dole’s Fruit in Jelly range become vegan friendly comes as current estimates suggest around 3% of the UK population are following a vegan diet. The range still clocks in at fewer than 100 calories per cup. Andrew Bradshaw, UK Sales Director at the Dole Sunshine Company, commented: “We’re excited to introduce these vibrant new packs to market, which we’re confident will offer great standout on shelf, and give consumers the reassurance they need that they will be eating something which is both delicious and healthy.”

CONFECTIONERY

Fruit-tella goes vegan Fruit-tella has reformulated its entire range of chews to make them vegan friendly. Rolling out throughout November, the new packs – which include Strawberry Mix Chews, Duo Stix and the recently launched Berries & Cherries – will be supported with targeted social media, an influencer campaign and targeted sampling. The chews will still contain real fruit juice and be made with all-natural colourings and flavours. Lauren Potter, Senior Brand Manager at Fruit-tella, said: “Fruit-tella has been synonymous with the highest-quality sweets since 1931. We are delighted that those who favour a plant-based diet can now join in the fruity fun too. “We have worked hard to perfect a vegan recipe that replicates the taste and texture of our beloved chews, and we are certain that the new formulation will be a surefire hit with existing consumers and new shoppers alike. We look forward to welcoming some more fans to the Fruit-tella family!”

effect of Yazoo’s recent £3m marketing campaign.

Rose reveals Christmas confectionery range Rose Marketing has unveiled its Christmas 2023 range, which features a mix of new lines and seasonal favourites. The company is currently running an exclusive promotion in the seasonal section of its website. Use CHRISTMAS10 at checkout to get 10% off the entire Christmas range for a limited period. Retailers should email enquiries@roseconfectionery. co.uk to find out more.

Ben & Jerry’s moves from almonds to oats Nearly 20 existing non-dairy Ben & Jerry’s flavours will make the switch from an almond base to a new and improved oat base by spring 2024, beginning with the brand’s bestselling NonDairy Cookies on Cookie Dough. Apparently, an oat base offers a smoother texture and also reduces nut allergens. The new range is set to hit freezers in early 2024 with an RSP of £4.90.

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NOVEMBER 2023 | SLR

News

Off-Trade

Whitley’d down Halewood Artisanal Spirits has unveiled a refreshed look and feel for its JJ Whitley brand, now simply named ‘JJ’. Whilst retaining the bottle’s embossed detailing, ‘Family Distillers’ messaging, and bold base label, the new-look version sees the removal of the traditional tree emblem and ‘Whitley’ wording for a cleaner and more streamlined image. The updated font also provides increased standout.

Port Askaig overhaul Islay distillery Port Askaig has launched a new core range of three single malts, accompanied

Off-TradeNews FUEL SPEED AHEAD – P46 RTDs Larger format cocktails are geared to Scottish market

BuzzBallz gets bigger for Christmas BuzzBallz Cocktails has launched a new limited-edition 1.75 litre large format in anticipation of a surge in at-home drinking as Christmas approaches. BuzzBallz Biggies (13.5% ABV) is available now in cases of 3 x 1.75 litre bottles. It comes in three flavours –Strawberry ‘Rita, Tequila ‘Rita and Choc Tease – with a £28 RSP.

The large-format bottles have screw-top lids and are ready to pour and share, with each containing almost nine servings. David Relph, Country Manager UK and Ireland, commented: “Our single-serve BuzzBallz Cocktails have enjoyed real success in the convenience retail sector since launch last summer and we know the time is right for us to launch

by a new bottle design and under the tagline ‘The Gateway to Islay’. At the heart of the relaunch is Port Askaig 8 Year Old (RSP 49.95, 45.8% ABV, joined by limited expressions Port Askaig Cask Strength (RSP £64.95, 59.4% ABV) and Port

this larger format into the UK market. Relph said the flavours chosen for the new format were those showing the strongest demand and growth in Scotland. He added: “Plus, we’re keen to make sure our offering stays lively and varied in Scotland to ensure we are helping stores cater for their shoppers by offering the right products at the right time, and we are expecting increased shopper demand for take-home formats suitable for sharing.” For further information or to request a store visit, retailers should visit hammondsofknutsford.co.uk/ buzz-ballz.

Askaig 17 Year Old (RSP £125, 51.8% ABV. All are available via Speciality Brands.

LOW/NO ALCOHOL

Captain Morgan backs non-drinkers

Vertical distillery opens The UK’s first vertical distillery, Port of Leith, has officially opened in Edinburgh. The £12m nine-storey building on Leith’s waterfront has the capacity to produce one million bottles of whisky annually and will create up to 50 long-term local jobs. Aside from making single malt, the site looks set to become a major tourist destination, projected to attract 25,000 visitors in its first year, increasing to 160,000 by 2025.

Music for your mouth Speciality Brands has secured an agreement to exclusively distribute super-premium Chopin Vodka in the UK. The familyowned business is one of the few vodka producers in the world to oversee 100% of its production process from farm to bottle. Speciality Brands will seek to expand Chopin’s presence in both on- and off-trade channels

Diageo has unveiled ‘Why You Whying’ – a new campaign to support the launch of Captain Morgan Spiced Gold 0.0% that challenges the negative societal pressure of being asked ‘why aren’t you drinking’ when people choose a non-alcoholic beverage. A new TV ad stars content creator Nick Fraser, who shot to fame in 2015 after his Why You Always Lying video went viral. Drawing inspiration from his original content, Why You Whying features Fraser singing new lyrics, using humour to challenge people to stop and think before they ask a friend why they aren’t drinking. In addition to the ad, a series of GIFs and other assets have been created to run across digital. Samori Gambrah, Global Brand Director of Captain Morgan, commented: “For the launch of Captain Morgan’s first alcohol-free offering, we wanted to do something fun to challenge people to stop and think before asking ‘why aren’t you drinking’. We hope this ad will make people laugh and think in equal measure.”

LOW/NO ALCOHOL

Cobra Zero reformulates Molson Coors has launched a reformulated Cobra Zero with a new flavour that the brewer says “perfectly matches the popular taste of the original Cobra lager,” in a new can format. Cobra Zero launches in 330ml cans that share the same design that rolled out across the entire Cobra range in the summer, with graffiti-style motifs which aim to appeal to a generation of urban foodies that are open to trying new cuisines, and a nod to its heritage as an accompaniment to Asian food. The launch is supported by a marketing campaign that includes digital advertising, paid social media activity and point-of-sale materials. It represents a continued push to tap into growing demand for both low- and no-alcohol options and world beers, with one in five young adults now teetotal and under-25s less likely to drink alcohol than any other generation.

through a programme of marketing and PR activities.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

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Off-Trade

News

CIDER New Apple & Blackcurrant flavour launches

Thatchers goes dark

Glen Scotia recounts the mermaid’s tale Glen Scotia has launched the first whisky in a new five-part limited-edition annual series, ‘The Icons of Campbeltown’. Each release will be based on

Thatchers Cider has extended its range of fruit ciders with a new Apple & Blackcurrant variant. The new cider will be available in 4 x 440ml and 10 x 330ml can packs (RSPs £5.89 and £12 respectively), 500ml single glass bottles (RSP £2.25), and £6.69 price-marked packs of 4 x 440ml cans. The 4% ABV Apple & Blackcurrant will sit in Thatchers fruit cider range alongside Blood Orange, Cloudy Lemon and Rosé. It is described as a “rich, refreshingly fruity cider, created with the sweetest dessert apples, a fresh berry aroma and bold natural blackcurrant flavour”. The new variant launches in limited distribution from October with extended distribution into spring 2024. Thatchers Commercial Director Jonathan Nixon said: “We have been inundated with requests from consumers for some time to produce a blackcurrant flavoured cider for the off-trade based on its success as a fusion flavour in the on-trade.”

icons which were carved into the face of the medieval cross once found in the centre of the town, which dates from the 14th century. The first release, The Mermaid, is a 12 Year Old unpeated single malt (54.1% ABV, RSP £90).

Carling’s cup cans In a move that will no doubt be met with indifference in Scotland, Carling – England’s answer to Tennent’s – has released new cans to mark its partnership with the Emirates FA Cup. The cans feature the FA Cup trophy, Wembley arch and cheering fans. The launch is supported by consumer-facing social media activity that will shine a light on the clubs participating in the

BEER Brewdog teams up with coffee maker

Wake up and smell the stout BrewDog has teamed up with sustainable coffee company Grind to launch a new coffee stout. Available now in eye-catching pink cans, the rich and fullbodied 6.0% ABV stout infused with caffeine is made using Simcoe hops, Crystal Malt and ethically sourced coffee. BrewDog and Grind first collaborated in 2022, with the opening of a Grind café at BrewDog’s flagship London bar. Founder and CEO of BrewDog, James Watt, said: “What do you get when you mix ethically sourced coffee and great beer that’s great for the planet? The most delicious coffee stout you’ve ever had, or ever will have. “We’re so pleased that we could join forces with our friends at Grind, a brand who, like us, is immensely dedicated to preserving the wonderful planet that we live on, whilst also laying the foundations of the coffee beer industry.” BrewDog x Grind’s coffee stout, which is certified carbon negative, is priced at £3.75 per 440ml can or £13.95 for a multipack of four.

RTDs

Funkin doubles down with new RTDs Funkin Cocktails is tapping into demand for higher ABV ready-to-drink serves with its new Double Shot range. The range launches with two popular serves: Funkin Passion Fruit Margarita – a twist on the UK’s favourite cocktail, the Passion Fruit Martini – and Funkin Pineapple Daiquiri. Both come in 140ml cans (RSP £3.50) with a double spirit measure (ABV 14%) and are made with real fruit and real spirit. “This latest addition to our cocktail collection has been developed to bring the twists on premium cocktails shoppers know and love, whenever and wherever they are,” said Ben Anderson, Funkin Cocktails Marketing Director. “We’ve long been advocates for having delicious cocktail serves wherever you are, and our Double Shot range is no exception to this. “Our innovation is always insights-driven to make sure we’re anticipating shoppers’ desires – and shoppers certainly have their eyes on premium cocktails right now.”

early rounds of the competition.

Michter’s comes to UK Speciality Brands has launched two new limited-edition releases from American whiskey producer Michter’s. Both Michter’s 10 Year Kentucky Straight Rye (46.4% ABV, 70cl, RSP £181.52) and Michter’s 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon (47.2% ABV, 70cl, RSP £141.53) are available now. The two whiskies are the result of more than a decade of ageing in specially chosen, new fire-charred American white oak barrels.

Ballet dancer’s rum-ba Luxury rum brand Ron Santiago de Cuba has partnered with ballet dancer Carlos Acosta to relaunch its 20-Year-Old Extra Añejo Gran Reserva. Acosta has made a short film, which sees him demonstrate, through dance and spoken word, the affinity between mastering the art of ballet with the art of Cuban rum making. Ron Santiago de Cuba 20-Year-Old Extra Añejo Gran Reserva is bottled at 40% ABV in a 70cl format, RSP £175.

www.slrmag.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2023 | SLR

Inside Business

GroceryAid

HELP SPREAD THE WORD! To help retailers ensure that new and existing colleagues are aware of the free and confidential support available from the charity, GroceryAid has published a new independent retailing support kit.

ndustry charity GroceryAid offers an unrivalled support service covering financial, emotional and practical support of all kinds – but that support can only be accessed by retailers and colleagues who know that it exists. That’s why GroceryAid has launched a new leaflet and support kit to help independent retailers inform new starts and existing colleagues about the charity’s free and confidential support available to them from the first day of employment. The newly launched document is designed to enhance the onboarding process for independent retailers, as well as remind existing employees about GroceryAid’s support. It provides an introductory guide to the charity’s welfare services, explaining the

emotional, financial, and practical support available, including the free and confidential Helpline. Independent retailers can order the leaflets from the GroceryAid website for delivery to their store. There is no cost for the leaflet or delivery. Mandi Leonard, GroceryAid’s Welfare Director, says: “GroceryAid is here to support anyone working in the grocery industry and we are committed to making it as easy as possible for employers to inform their staff about how we can help them. Now more than ever, GroceryAid is a valuable resource to colleagues, and we hope retailers will take advantage of this new information leaflet to spread awareness.” Visit groceryaid.org.uk/get-help to see the full range of support services available.

FULL PRINTED MATERIALS KIT As well as the new Independent Retailing leaflet, on the GroceryAid website you can also order a full Printed Materials Kit, for free, which includes: 1. 10 x A5 leaflets 2. 10 x wallet cards 3. 1 x sheet of stickers

TO ORDER THE NEW LEAFLETS, VISIT GROCERYAID.ORG.UK/GET-INVOLVED/INDEPENDENT-RETAILERS 22

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

www.slrmag.co.uk

Inside Business

SLR x SGF Responsible Vape Retailing campaign

LET’S DO IT Scottish Grocers’ Federation

With a UK-wide public consultation currently in progress around vaping, SLR and SGF have joined forces to help Scotland’s local retailers make sure that they are selling vaping products responsibly to send a clear message to the Government that extreme legislation is not required. BY ANTONY BEGLEY

n the last couple of years, the importance of the vaping category to Scotland’s local retailers has grown immeasurably. From a once-niche category to one that accounts for 30% and more of some retailers’ total turnover, vaping is now mission critical for the sector. Not only is vaping widely accepted to be far less harmful than tobacco – Public Health England is on record saying it’s 95% less harmful – it’s also one of the most effective ways of helping people quit cigarettes. But the current boom period for vaping is suffering from some major weaknesses: youth access and environmental impact. And it’s these issues that have attracted the attention of both the Scottish and UK Governments.

BAN PLAN The Scottish Government first announced on 5 September that it was considering a ban on disposable vaping products, as part of a wider public health and environment protection plan. The ‘Programme for Government’ outlined “a commitment to take action to reduce vaping among non-smokers and young people and to tackle the environmental impact of single-use vapes”. Even in its initial public statement, however, the Scottish Government acknowledged that “action on single use vapes is likely to require [an] exclusion from the Internal Market Act”. In other words, the same type of exclusion it notoriously failed to secure for its planned Deposit Return Scheme. This means that the issue will be taken up on a UK-wide basis by the UK Government and, indeed, the Department of Health & Social Care published a UK-wide eightweek public consultation on 12 October. Entitled ‘Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping,’ it sets out a range of options to reduce vape product availability

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

and appeal to young people including action around flavours, POS displays and packaging. It also covers the possibility of “restricting the supply and sale of disposable vapes”. An outright ban on disposable vapes is very much on the table.

FOCUSED ACTIVITY Thus far, much of the activity highlighted by major vaping producers centres around the importance of vaping as a smoking cessation tool – but the wording of the consultation makes it plain that the key topics, certainly as far as the government is concerned, are youth access and environmental impact. So, what can local retailers do to play their part in influencing the outcomes of this consultation? That’s a question that SLR is addressing in association with the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF), with a joint campaign to help retailers do the right thing when it comes to vaping and provide evidence to the Government that our sector is committed to responsible retailing of vape products and is committed to tackling the key challenges – without the need for extreme legislative intervention.

1. YOUTH ACCESS The solution to eliminating under-age access to vaping products is simple: we are asking all local retailers in Scotland to adopt a ‘Challenge 25’ policy. We know it works in other age-restricted categories like tobacco and alcohol so there’s no reason why it won’t work for vaping products. Indeed, in the last issue of SLR we provided you with a Challenge 25 kit that gave you everything you need to implement a Challenge 25 policy including training records, a Refusals Register and a Sales Authorisation Record.

2. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT This will undoubtedly be the biggest challenge for the local retailing sector in Scotland. It is estimated that around 15 million disposable vapes are sold every week in the UK – and that figure only includes legitimately sold product. The real number is likely to be two or three times higher. Many of the major vape producers are working hard to ensure that their products are www.slrmag.co.uk

SLR x SGF Responsible Vape Retailing campaign

RIGHT! almost entirely recyclable, but that only helps if used vapes are actually fed back into the system to be recycled. At the moment, it is estimated that only around five million vapes are recycled per year. SGF is currently running a pilot programme to introduce vape recycling bins into stores across Scotland. The first phase saw a total of 20 SGF member stores from across Scotland participating in the scheme. SGF Chief Executive Pete Cheema OBE said: “A key focus for both SGF and SLR is the promotion of responsible community retailing. We recognise that single-use vapes can be

HEALTHIER CHOICES, HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES

extremely effective for those quitting smoking, but they must stop appearing in our streets and parks. Stores participating in the pilot will be able to offer customers a return point in-store through a recycling bin for used vapes and retailers will be provided with a convenient waste and recycling option as part of this.” Participating stores are having their used vapes collected by Recover, a UK lithium battery recycling company, to responsibly handle the discarded devices. The products are then 100% disassembled to ensure the raw materials are properly dismantled and recycled, including plastics and the battery.

GET INVOLVED

With the UK Government set to receive the findings of the consultation in the near future and begin actively considering how to effectively tackle the major issues of youth access and environmental impact, retailers can be very sure that the vital role played by vaping in keeping retailing businesses profitable will not be near the top of the agenda. We have a very small window of opportunity as a sector to demonstrate our willingness to tackle these issues on our own without the need for heavyhanded legislative intervention. Pete Cheema concluded: “It is vital that we show the Government that we are retailing responsibly, that we are aware of the issues and that we are tackling them for the benefit of the communities that we serve across Scotland. Vaping is a hugely important category to many SGF member stores and, working with SLR, we want to do all that we can to protect that category – but that will mean continuing to work hard on eliminating youth access and minimising the environmental impact. “We are all well aware of the problems of the illicit trade, particularly in regard to youth access, and we urge the Government to provide the resources required to clamp down on illicit traders. Our sector, meanwhile, will continue to retail responsibly and we will redouble our efforts to make recycling of vaping products widely and easily accessible for all.”

Vaping Forms.indd

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27/09/2023 13:36:43

Vaping Forms.indd

Inside Business

SGF has recently launched a Healthier Choices, Healthier Communities drive to raise awareness of vaping as the proven best-known smoking alternative, but one which should only be used by smokers, not by non-smokers. The document is being shared with all MSPs and includes the following recommendations: Q Supporting restrictions on the naming and packaging of vapes to make them less appealing to children; Q Opposing restrictions on flavour, which is proven to be the key factor in helping smokers switch from cigarettes to less harmful vapes; Q Asking producers to encourage alternative vaping products over disposables; Q Calling on the Scottish Government to rule out an outright ban on disposable vapes so as not to fuel an increase in the illicit trade; Q Working with retailers to provide recycling options for disposable vapes; Q Ensuring that Challenge 25 checks are made to stop underage sales; Q Calling on policymakers to ensure that current legislation is fully enforced to publish the names of retailers and wholesalers responsible for illegal sales of vapes. SGF Chief Executive Pete Cheema OBE said: “Scotland has been a trailblazer on smoking harm reduction. But to take the next step towards a smoke-free generation, we need a more nuanced debate about vaping. “The Healthier Choices, Healthier Communities campaign is about balance. We want to help create public policy which simultaneously encourages vaping amongst adults who wish to quit smoking and discourages it amongst non-smokers, particularly given the evidence of young people vaping.”

27/09/2023 13:36:43

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NOVEMBER 2023 | SLR

Inside Business

Spar Scotland

SPAR SCOTLAND TRANSFORMATION CONTINUES

The transformation of Spar Scotland over the last few years continues apace with a record-breaking trade show, a major acquisition and significant profit growth. BY ANTONY BEGLEY

espite the state of permanent flux that is making life for the local retailing trade as challenging as ever, Spar Scotland has continued its remarkable transformation under CEO Colin McLean and his refreshed senior management team. CJ Lang recently hosted is annual Spar Tradeshow and Conference in Aviemore, hailing it – probably correctly – as the biggest retail event in Scotland, with over 870 delegates and over 200 suppliers in attendance. Thanks to a monumental effort by Marketing Manager Paula Middleton and her team, Spar Scotland managed to raise the bar once again to deliverean extremely impressive event. The conference provided the ideal stage for McLean and his fellow directors to provide

business updates to independent Spar retailers, suppliers and CJ Lang colleagues, unveiling the latest news and sharing insight into the improving financial performance of the business. McLean had hoped to unveil the acquisition of Jack, Rita and Shaun Marwaha’s ScotFresh chain of stores at the event, but circumstances conspired against him and that announcement had to be put on hold for a week [see panel]. But he did take the opportunity to confirm that Spar Scotland would be ditching Costa Express in favour of Barista Bar, the premium coffee brand created by Spar Northern Ireland wholesaler Henderson Foodservice. The deal gives Spar Scotland retailers – independent and company-owned – exclusive access to the brand in Scotland and offers the

SPAR DROPS COSTA FOR BARISTA BAR Spar Scotland announced at its conference in Aviemore that it is dropping Costa Express in favour of Barista Bar, the premium coffee brand developed by Spar Northern Ireland wholesaler Henderson Foodservice. The £2.5m distribution deal give Spar Scotland exclusive access to the Barista Bar brand in Scotland. The brand, which is the best-selling coffee brand in Northern Ireland, will be introduced into all 104 of CJ Lang’s company-owned Spar stores in Scotland, most by the end of the year, and is also available to independent Spar retailers. Installations have already begun with Dan Brown’s Pinkie Farm store in Musselburgh the first to benefit back in August. The store has since experienced a growth in sales of over 100%. Barista Bar is now available via 730 machines across the UK selling over 12 million cups a year. Spar Scotland CEO Colin McClean commented: “This exclusive brand franchise agreement is a great commercial proposition for not only our Scottish Spar independent retailers and our company-owned estate but for all convenience and petrol forecourt stores in Scotland.”

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

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Spar Scotland

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Inside Business

NOVEMBER 2023 | SLR

Inside Business

Spar Scotland

CJ LANG ACQUIRES SCOTFRESH As announced exclusively by SLR, CJ Lang has acquired Glasgow-based convenience chain ScotFresh Group. The award-winning group of independent stores, founded by Jack and Rita Marwaha in 1983, has nine stores in Glasgow’s west end, Riddrie, Cardonald, Scotstoun and Denny as well as Irvine, Carluke and Dumfries. All nine stores and 130 colleagues will move over to be supported by CJ Lang & Son and will ultimately be moved under the Spar Scotland fascia. Spar Scotland CEO Colin McLean said: “ScotFresh has an excellent reputation in the industry and is a well-recognised brand with significant customer loyalty. For now, the stores will remain branded as ScotFresh and we will run the operation as a separate business unit within our own business so we can share best practice. We look forward to welcoming the ScotFresh management team and all store colleagues into the CJ Lang family.” ScotFresh Chairman Shaun Marwaha added: “It is important to us that we sold to a business who understands customer service, knows their customers and delivers great service. CJ Lang is a fantastic Scottish family business, and we know the ScotFresh stores and colleagues are in great hands. “I would like to offer a huge thank you to all staff and colleagues who have worked with us over the years. Your support has been invaluabler.”

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

opportunity for Spar stores to establish a new USP, as well as offer a more competitive price point and increase margins. Barista Bar is the number one coffee brand in Northern Ireland, and by some margin, and sells over 12 million cups a year in the UK.

RIGHT DIRECTION McLean opened the conference with presentations to Spar Scotland’s supplier base and then to Spar independent retailers, bringing them up to speed on the latest developments in his charge to ‘reawaken the sleeping giant’. McLean hailed great progress in the company’s journey to become “Scotland’s favourite community, convenience wholesaler and retailer” by 2025, celebrating the company’s success at this year’s SLR Awards where Spar Scotland was named as Symbol Group of the Year. He acknowledged the continuation over the last 12 months of the company’s ambitious store refurbishment programme, the biggest investment into the company-owned store www.slrmag.co.uk

Spar Scotland

estate ever, and discussed how the company continues to roll out a number of improvements that include digital screens, electronic shelf edge labels, stock trolleys, sales-based ordering and energy-saving refrigeration in company-owned stores as well as continuing to develop its CJ’s food-to-go offer. But McLean also highlighted how Spar independent retailers have also been supported with their own individual store refits, including the four David Sands Group stores that were announced at conference last year. Unsurprisingly, he also found time to flag up Spar’s first-to-market successes over the last year with smash hits like Prime Hydration and Mr Beast Feastables, and confirmed that Spar Scotland has renewed its partnership with the Scottish Football Association for a further four years until 2027.

REMARKABLE YEAR “We’ve had another remarkable year, but we would not be where we are without the support of our loyal customers, retailers, suppliers www.slrmag.co.uk

and most importantly our colleagues,” said McLean. “We made a bold statement with our fresh approach, but it is working and today our business is in a great place, and we are excited about the future. “CJ Lang is a Scottish-based company with a strong family background, working in partnership with community-focused independent retailers and stores. Spar is a strong convenience brand, and we are committed to the future growth and development of our business, increasing sales and profitability across our estate. “With record levels of financial investment signed off once again, together with our latest ScotFresh store acquisition, our Spar Scotland momentum continues to gather pace and our business is off to a very strong start in the new financial year.” Spar Scotland will return to the MacDonald Hotel and Resort in the heart of Aviemore and the Cairngorms National Park in 2024 and will hold its annual tradeshow and conference there on 26 September.

Inside Business

COMPANY PROFITS UP 10.3% Chief Executive Officer Colin McLean offered attendees at the Spar Scotland conference a sneak preview of the company’s annual accounts, reporting another annual increase in underlying profit as CJ Lang continues to deliver its strategy for profitable growth. Pre-tax profits to 30 April 2023 were up 10.3% to £3.7m and net turnover was up 4.2% to £221.3m. This was the company’s fifth consecutive year of growth in underlying profitability since the development of its five-pillar, customer-facing business strategy.

NOVEMBER 2023 | SLR

Hotlines

Product News & Media Watch

J2O Mocktails Britvic Three non-alcoholic RTDs are available in 250ml cans with a £1.29 RSP: Strawberry & Orange Blossom Mojito, White Peach & Mango Daiquiri, and Blackberry & Blueberry Martini. The launch will be backed by marketing activity next year, including a £2m summer campaign. The products are aimed at stay-athome consumers seeking the mocktail experience they get in pubs, but for a fraction of the cost.

JTI strikes gold with Mayfair

Walkers festive flavours PepsiCo New Walkers limited editions for Christmas include Festive Turkey, Pigs In Blankets and Christmas Pudding. All are available in fivepack multipacks (RSP £2). Festive Turkey and Pigs In Blankets also come in 65g £1.25 PMPs. Walkers’ Sensations range sees the addition of Beef Wellington and King Prawn & Marie Rose Sauce. Both roll out in 150g sharing bags (RSP £2.50).

JTI has expanded its ultra-value range of ready-made cigarettes with the launch of Mayfair Gold. Both Mayfair Gold King Size and Superkings 20s are available from this month with an RSP of £11.60, the same as Mayfair Silver. As well as a premium blend, Mayfair Gold packs boast rounded corners and modernised outer packaging. This is also now available on Mayfair Silver. Special introductory promotions on Mayfair Gold and new look Mayfair Silver outers are available at participating wholesalers. To celebrate the launch of Mayfair Gold, JTI has unveiled an in-depot ‘Go for Gold’ prize draw, with a total prize pot of a quarter of a million pounds.

Jacob’s Cheddars Cheese & Pickle pladis

Lucozade Alert Zero Sugar Mango Peachade Suntory B&F GB&I

Henri Wintermans Half Corona Limited Edition Scandinavian Tobacco Group

Jacob’s Cheddars Cheese & Pickle flavour, combines the creaminess of cheddar cheese with the tang of pickle in a melt-in-the-mouth cracker. It is available in 150g packs with an RSP of £1.25. Also launching is Jacob’s Rosemary Mediterranean crackers, which comes in 190g boxes of five packs of four individually wrapped crackers (RSP £1.99) baked with the taste of rosemary.

Lucozade Alert’s first ever zerosugar drink is available in outers of 12 x 500ml cans, in both plain and £1 price-marked packs. It joins existing variants Cherry Blast, Original and Tropical Burst. The launch will be supported by instore, videoon-demand and sampling activities. The new drink is designed to attract new shoppers and help grow the stimulation category.

The new limited-edition cigars come in two different Argyle patterns, reminiscent of Pringle sweaters, which should offer a certain degree of on-shelf standout. The Henri Wintermans Half Corona is the UK’s bestselling medium-large cigar and the fifth bestselling cigar overall in value terms. Its sales traditionally increase as the festive season approaches.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

Running until 1 December 2023, the prize draw will give five lucky retailers cash prizes of £50,000 each. See Product News on p19 to find out more. Mark McGuinness, Marketing Director at JTI UK, said: “Price remains the main consideration when existing adult smokers are making a purchasing decision. By stocking iconic brands, like Mayfair Gold, at ultra-low prices, retailers can capitalise on the sales opportunity from this new launch.” For more information on Mayfair Gold, Mayfair Silver, or any other JTI product, retailers should speak to their local JTI Business Advisers or call the help desk on 0800 163503. Retailers can also visit jtiadvance.co.uk for further information.

Kids Smoothies Tropicana Chilled juice brand Tropicana has expanded its range with the launch of Tropicana Kids Smoothies, which comes in two flavours: Pineapple & Mango and Strawberry & Banana. Both are available in multipacks of 4 x 150ml, with an RSP of £3.60. Made with 100% real fruit and full of Vitamin C, each 150ml serving counts as one of your five-aday.

www.slrmag.co.uk

Product News & Media Watch McVitie’s Milk Chocolate Digestives Minis pladis

Crunchy Coated Flavour Kravers KP Snacks

This new miniaturised version of McVitie’s bestselling biscuit is available now in multipacks of five 19g bags with an RSP of £1.25. It will be joined later this autumn by an 80g sharing pouch version, which will be available in both plain and £1.25 price-marked packs. McVitie’s Milk Chocolate Digestives is currently worth more than £108m in retail, and growing at more than 23%.

Both KP Flavour Kravers Crunchy Coated Aromatic Thai Chilli and Crunchy Coated Katsu Curry are available now in 130g sharing bags with a £3 RSP and combine “bold and punchy” flavours with a new crunchy and crispy texture. The two new products aim to capitalise on the strength of the CSN Sharing segment, which is currently worth £1.6bn and growing in value at +13.8%.

Warheads Galactic Mix Cubes Theatre Box World of Sweets

Gift Drums Swizzels

Warheads Galactic Mix Cubes Theatre Box offers cube-shaped chewy sweets in three fruity flavours – Rocket Raspberry, Black Hole Cherry and Cosmic Punch – coated in sour sugar. The sweets also turn tongues black. Packs are available in outers of 12 x 99g, with an RSP of £2.50 each. Wedgies, Chewy Cubes, Lil Worms, Sour Jelly Beans and Ooze Chews are also available in the theatre box format.

Swizzels has launched new Gift Drums ahead of the festive period. Packed with either Love Hearts or Drumstick Mini Chew Bars, the new Gift Drums are available to purchase now, with an RSP of £2.99, in cases of six. The company is the number one sugar confectionery manufacturer for gifting lines in Symbols and Indies at Christmas, growing 47% year on year.

Hotlines

 Tyrrells on TikTok KP Snacks has launched a £1.5m extension of its ‘Tyrrellbly Tyrrellbly Tasty’ campaign in support of its Tyrrells posh crisp brand. Running until the end of 2023, the campaign runs across radio, TV and social media – making its debut on TikTok in a partnership with Young MasterChef judge and selfproclaimed Potato Queen, Poppy O’Toole.

Trevor takes the biscuit McVitie’s is back on the TV screens with ‘There Is Only One,’ a tongue-in-cheek new advert starring legendary newsreader Trevor McDonald. The advert also references other cultural icons that are often imitated, but never equalled, including Elvis, Lionel Messi, the Great Wall of China, Sonic the Hedgehog, Bond villain Blofeld and The Godfather.

First-time spreaders Marmite is targeting young adults with a new campaign, ‘First Timers,’ after research found 43% of 18 to 24-year-olds have never tried it. A minute-long ad sees two puppets putting Marmite on a slice of toast via a series of suggestive scenarios. The campaign is further supported by video-on-demand, Spotify, social media and digital out-of-home activities.

Deliciously different Darroze Folle Blanche Speciality Brands Luxury Armagnac producer Maison Darroze has launched three new spirits in the UK. Darroze Folle Blanche (70cl, 49% ABV, RSP £48.60) is an unaged Armagnac that is designed to be an alternative to gin and vodka. It is joined by two rums, Bapt & Clem’s Trinidad and Tobago 4YO (70cl, 47% ABV, RSP £55), and Bapt & Clem’s El Salvador (70cl, 48.5% ABV, RSP £55).

Cathedral City Our Plant Based Extra Mature Block Saputo Dairy The sixth product in the brand’s plant-based range, the alternative to cheddar offers a stronger flavour profile. Its comes in response to customer demand. It launches alongside a new plant-based Cheddar Flavour Spread that offers a smooth and creamy texture in an easy-to-use spreadable format.

Lactalis has launched a new out-of-home campaign for its Leerdammer cheese slices brand, with the running theme ‘Deliciously Different’. Featuring five different ads across a number of media formats, the campaign is running in more than 5,000 outdoor sites across the UK. It is set to reach an estimated 22 million people.

Epic stuff KP’s new £1m media campaign to promote its McCoy’s Epic Eats range runs until early December across multiple channels including radio, out of home and social It seeks to drive awareness of the brand’s latest Chip Shop Curry Sauce and Bangin’ BBQ flavours, and highlights their taste and texture with the tagline ‘Epic Flavour, Epic Crunch, Epic Eats’.

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

NOVEMBER 2023 | SLR

Feature

Vaping

STAYING STRONG

The vaping category has seen huge growth within the convenience channel but navigating regulatory interventions will be crucial in the next period. BY ELENA DIMAMA

aping is still a key category for independent retailers with innovation still coming through, despite negative publicity and the perils of fresh regulation. In Scotland, vape products account for more than 14.8% of value sales of Tobacco products and are seeing a huge +84.6% year-on-year growth in September 2023 compared to -11.33% for Cigarettes and -11.35% for Hand Rolling Tobacco, according to TWC. The category in the UK overall is worth around £1.2bn and is expected to reach £1.4bn in the next three years, according to ECIntelligence.

SINGLE-USE SWITCH The disposables category is worth 83% of all vape sales, according to ITUK, having seen a whopping increase from £141m in 2021 to £973m in 2022. Closed pod systems and basic open systems still remain popular choices, but stocking a range of disposable products in trendy flavours could help retailers capitalise on the trend. “Retailers can do simple things to drive sales such as promoting vaping products or offers in and around their stores, for example using PoS to drive visibility,” Tom Gully, Head of 32

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

Consumer Marketing UK & Ireland at Imperial Tobacco, notes. “This can also help retailers to engage shoppers in discussion about their nicotine needs.” Flavour diversity is the cornerstone of the vaping trend’s popularity, with Mint remaining the second-most-popular flavour in pod systems, according to Gully, along with growth in fruity profiles, such as Strawberry and Blueberry. In fact, Blueberry is the top-selling disposable vape flavour, according to ITUK. Richard Cook, Director of National Accounts, Juul Labs UK, explains: “Within flavours, disposables over index in the fruit and sweet flavour segments, with over 95% of sales coming from these profiles while 56% of closed system refills comprise more traditional flavours of Tobacco, Menthol and Mint.”

REGULATORY WOES In the beginning of October, the UK’s Prime Minister unveiled plans to introduce a new law to stop children who turn 14 in 2023 or younger from ever legally being sold cigarettes, in a bid to create what he called the first ‘smokefree generation’. The rise in vaping among children has also been a concerning matter for the PM, who at

the same time announced a public consultation seeking views on plans to crack down on youth vaping by reducing the appeal, affordability and availability of vapes to children. In response to the consultation, the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) said it welcomed the move, noting that some of its own ideas were raised in the consultation, including higher on-the-spot fines for retailers who sell vapes to children. UKVIA Director General John Dunn said: “While we agree with the Government that we need to protect our children from vaping, we need to also avoid discouraging smokers from quitting. “More restrictive legislation, such as banning vape products would be likely to lead to a dangerous growth in an unregulated black market, as seen in other countries like Australia.” ACS Chief Executive James Lowman noted: “The government must consider all of the possible long-term challenges for colleagues and retailers at the front line of implementing a generational ban on the sale of tobacco. “It’s clear that something needs to be done to reduce the impact that these products have on the environment, and these products should never be sold to or used by children.” www.slrmag.co.uk

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Christmas Wines & Spirits

GET IN THE SPIRIT The festive season offers a once-a-year opportunity to max out sales of spirits, so offering a wide range of tipples – including premium lines – can help you end the year on a high. BY ELENA DIMAMA

hristmas is inextricably connected to indulgence, with food feasts accompanied by drinks – and this year should be no different. Despite the economic challenges, last-minute purchases for spirits in convenience stores for either personal consumption or for gifting are still set to play an important role over the festive period for sales.

PREMIUM WIN The opportunity for selling premium spirits is big for independent retailers during this year’s Christmas season. According to the CGA-Xmas report in 2022, one quarter of consumers stated they were looking to spoil themselves with a more premium drink, despite the tough times. And according to Mintel, 80% of shoppers agree that food and drink are a good option as an affordable gift, meaning that premium spirits can fulfil this demand. A separate Kantar study found that beers, wines and spirits are the number one choice as a gift when visiting friends and family. “We’re hugely excited for Christmas 2023 as it’s time for Premium Spirits to reclaim the occasion after beer dominated during last year’s football World Cup. In the current economic climate, we are anticipating a significant shift to the Off-Trade as consumers choose to host at home and manage budgets,” Chris Shead, OffTrade Channel Director at Pernod Ricard UK, comments. “This presents a huge opportunity for our customers and winning in cocktails remains 34

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

the key to success. For the convenience channel, Premium+ Spirits offer a point of difference, as the larger supermarkets are increasingly challenged by discounters.” The company is urging convenience retailers to plan both for shoppers looking to spread the cost of Christmas across more months by providing gifting options early and for at-home celebrations, as shoppers are expected to host more affordable occasions for friends and family. “To maximise profits, the ongoing trend for premium spirits, and the profit opportunity on offer, should definitely be a focus for retailers,” Sharon Kearney, Impulse Controller for Bacardi, adds. “At Christmas, 33% of spirit sales are premium while in convenience stores only 22% are premium. There is a massive opportunity in premium spirits if retailers have the right offer,” she explains. According to the MMR Spirit Gifting Tracker (Dec 2022), whisky was the number one spirit for gifting between October and December, having enjoyed a 30% share of ‘spirits bought as a gift’ last year. Meanwhile, gin was also enjoyed by 11 million consumers in the UK, according to Kantar, whilst tequila has grown by nearly 15% in the last 12 months, according to Nielsen. Lauren Priestley, Head of Category Development Off Trade at Diageo, also notes: “We recommend maintaining a few super-premium vodkas which last year, accounted for 51% of superpremium spirits sales in impulse

between October and December, and is key when encouraging increased shopper spend and gifting purchases.”

MIXING COCKTAILS Making cocktails at home gained increased popularity during lockdown, and consumers have since embraced the cocktail culture, feeling comfortable to mix different drinks in their own home. “What consumers enjoy in a bar is a good indication of what they’ll be enjoying at home this Christmas,” Kearney notes. According to CGA’s report in the first quarter of 2023, the list of the top 10 most popular cocktails in the UK’s on-trade sector was dominated by vodka cocktails, like the porn star martini, along with rum cocktails, like the mojito and the daiquiri. Read-to-drink cocktails can play a big role in helping independent retailers trade up, as they offer a convenient way of enjoying a favourite drink with minimum effort and at a relatively low cost. “For those looking to enjoy a cocktail at home during these celebratory occasions, ready-todrink cocktails offer ultimate convenience and a consistently perfect festive serve,” Amy Burgess, Senior Trade Communications Manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, tells SLR. “In Great Britain’s convenience market, the alcoholic ready-to-drink section is already a powerhouse, worth nearly £168m, and it’s gearing up for a significant surge by 2030.” www.slrmag.co.uk

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Christmas Top Up

MAX OUT THE FESTIVE OPPORTUNITY Despite the current strain on incomes, Christmas still represents one of the biggest opportunities of the year. BY ELENA DIMAMA

ifting and sharing remain important festive traditions, despite the costof-living crisis, as consumers look for cost-effective ways to provide indulgent treats to loved ones. It’s undeniable that the ongoing cost-of-living crisis is putting an extra strain on incomes; however, Christmas is a special occasion for which shoppers are saving up to spend in the run-up to it. The trend should mean an extra way for independent retailers to drive margins in different categories during what is already the busiest time of the year. According to GlobalData, food and grocery are expected to grow faster than other categories this year, with shoppers spending £2.8bn (or 5.9%) more through the fourth quarter of 2023 than they did last year.

SWEET CRAVING As is to be expected, the confectionery sector in particular sees a surge in sales during the holidays, with key shopper trends revolving around gifting, chocolate, festive sweets and advent calendars. In fact, the confectionery category was worth over £2bn during Christmas 2022, according to IRI, with 97% of UK households buying confectionery in the run-up to Christmas, spending an average of £55 per person over the season, according to Kantar. Chocolate continues to dominate sales ahead of the big day, worth more than £1.65bn and growing 4.7% on last year, according to IRI.

“During Christmas, the convenience sector experiences a surge in foot traffic and consumer spending, making it one of the biggest shopping holidays of the year,” Kathryn Hague, Head of Marketing at Hancocks, notes. “With the cost of living, many households are looking to cut costs during the festive season. However, independent retailers have an advantage over big supermarket chains, as they typically offer more affordable prices.” Andy Mutton, Managing Director, Storck UK, adds: “Whilst budgets will certainly be tighter for many, we know that consumers will try to save as much as possible in order to purchase gifts for their loved ones and even treat themselves as the year draws to a close.”

QUENCH THE THIRST Energy is a crucial category to deliver value at Christmas, accounting for 17% of all soft drinks sales over the period. Catering to larger group occasions could also be key to unlocking higher margins this Christmas; according to Kantar Worldpanel, 24% of Sports and Energy occasions over the festive period featured five or more people – 14.6% more than over the rest of the year. “Christmas is also a key time for shoppers to experiment with flavours, last year just under one-third of Red Bull shoppers bought a Red Bull Edition flavoured Energy Drink over Christmas,” Red Bull tells SLR. “Offering more choice to shoppers, Red Bull has unveiled its first ever limited Red Bull

Winter Edition to the UK. The launch of the first ever Red Bull Winter Edition Spiced Pear aims to push this further by removing the taste barrier and tapping into the growing trend of flavoured Energy Drinks – presenting a compelling opportunity to reach more consumers.” Despite the growing importance of the energy category, traditional soft drinks staples are still expected to play a dominant role at this year’s Christmas occasions. “To make the festive season sparkle, stores need to stock up on colas, mixers and adult soft drinks in sharing formats for the growing number of social occasions,” say Amy Burgess, Senior Trade Communications Manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. “Retailers should focus on leading brands like Coca-Cola, including Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (growing in value and volume in convenience),” she concludes.

MARS WRIGLEY UNWRAPS CHRISTMAS 2023 RANGE Mars Wrigley has unveiled its 2023 Christmas lineup featuring a mix of new product launches alongside returning favourites. To maximise the sales opportunity for the Christmas period, Mars Wrigley is launching another wave of NPD including the following: Q Maltesers Assorted Truffles (200g), which will be rolling out nationwide Q Maltesers Christmas Mix (240g), a sharing bag of mini Maltesers Reindeers and Teasers Q Maltesers Reindeers (29g), in both milk chocolate and mint flavours

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

www.slrmag.co.uk

NEW

MINT Smooth U NLOCK NEW SALES • 56% of consumers prefer the taste of Galaxy® over Cadbury Dairy Milk* • Over 50% of chocolate shoppers buy mint flavour products**

STOCK UP NOW TO MEET DEMAND!

Source: *201 UK milk chocolate consumers in a blind taste test May 2021 **Kantar Worldpanel, Take Home Panel, data 52 w/e 20 Feb 2022

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Sports & Energy

ENERGISED

UP The stimulation segment is still big within the soft drinks category, so making the most of it in the busy festive period could be key to driving sales. BY ELENA DIMAMA

TOP TIPS BY CCEP Q One in three on-the-go soft drinks sold are energy drinks, so make plenty of space in your chilled soft drinks line-up. Q Help shoppers navigate the fixture by grouping energy brands and create clear segments for traditional, zero sugar, flavoured energy and functional energy sectors. Q Remove slowselling lines and replace them with new launches or double facings of your best sellers.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

he energy drinks market is still going strong, buoyed by a resilient soft drinks sector. In Scotland, the soft drinks category is experiencing solid growth at 6.5% year-on-year on a 52 week-ending basis to 10 September 2023, according to data and digital consultancy TWC. Drink-now products account for 66.8% of value sales in Scotland within the soft drinks sector, enjoying a 12.2% uplift north of the border. Sports and energy drinks are the biggest driver in the drink-now products growth, accounting for 51.5% of the category in Scotland – growing at 18.7% year-on-year. Meanwhile, stimulation is “by far” the largest contributor to the sports and energy category, accounting for a share of more than 80% in Scotland.

CATEGORY STRENGTH “Energy has established itself as one of the biggest growth drivers in soft drinks, and that shows no sign of slowing down,” Amy Burgess, Senior Trade Communications Manager at

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) says. “It’s now worth £1.8bn to retailers and has enjoyed 20.4% value growth and 19.5% volume growth in GB over the last year.” According to Burgess, innovation is a crucial factor in growing sports and energy sales, with new products “delivering 29% of all category growth last year, so making space in the chiller for the latest launches that are going to capture consumers’ attention is key”. Red Bull adds: “As the second-largest subcategory after Colas, Sports & Energy is a vital category to include in chillers, delivering the most actual growth of any other soft drinks sector, at +20.2% year-on-year to a value of £2.1bn. “With more shoppers at the fixture, we see a growth in the number of Sports & Energy trips, and this year shoppers made 492 million trips, which is up 6% on the previous year. This means that it has never been more important for retailers to ensure that they have sufficient stock on shelves. “Place bestsellers at eye-level to signpost the category – making the fixture easier to shop – and provide multiple facings to ensure you www.slrmag.co.uk

Sports & Energy

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HOW TWO RETAILERS ARE SUPERCHARGING THEIR ENERGY DRINK SALES WITH PWR-BRU Irn-Bru has recently powered into the flavoured energy market with Pwr-Bru, a four-strong range exclusively available to Scottish retailers. Price-marked at £1.19 and available in four flavours – Origin (Original), Maverick (Berry), Diablo (Cherry) and Dropkick (Tropical) – the range is supported with a £3m brand campaign. As part of the launch, brand owner Barr Soft Drinks partnered with independent convenience retailers in Scotland to examine how the range performed in store from launch. Dennis Williams, of Broadway Premier Convenience Store in Oxgangs, Edinburgh, introduced all four varieties and says he is now selling six cases a week.

always have chilled stock available for immediate consumption.”

HEALTH AND FITNESS Sales of low and no-calorie soft drinks are equally resilient, with volume sales having grown by 8.7% during 2023 in the category overall, according to the British Soft Drinks Association. In addition, fitness has been a focal point for a large number of lycra-wearing consumers, which is where functional energy drinks come to the fore. “One in eight people in the UK are currently a member of a gym, and a further one in five said they were planning to join a gym in 2023,” Burgess notes. “That’s why performance energy drinks, with added benefits to fuel people during their workout, are growing in popularity – over the past year the value of this subsector has increased by 22.9%.” CCEP is launching two new variants in its Reign Total Body Fuel range designed to capitalise on the fitness trend – the Mang-omatic and the Peachy Keen products. www.slrmag.co.uk

Lucozade is also focusing on the low- and no- trend, with the Lucozade Alert Zero Sugar Mango Peachade now including a £1 pricemarked variant. Matt Gouldsmith, Channel Director, Wholesale, Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, explains: “Lucozade Alert Zero Sugar Mango Peachade is the brand’s first move into the zero-sugar energy segment, which is currently experiencing 24.3% growth. “Within energy, stimulation has been the strongest performing segment over the last five years, making up 80% of the category and worth £345m in the convenience channel in the last year.” He adds: “Less than 15% of stimulation value sales currently come from zero-sugar drinks; however, zero-sugar drinks are driving category growth with more than 30% of stimulation category growth.” A focus on health is also evident from Red Bull too; stocking both full sugar and sugar-free products is crucial. “Less than one-third of Red Bull Sugar Free shoppers also buy core Energy Drink, demonstrating that there are distinct shopper groups that these SKUs appeal to,” the company tells SLR.

“It’s doing really well for us. Our shoppers always love new products and we’re seeing Pwr-Bru attract a mix of existing energy drink shoppers and consumers who didn’t buy into the category before,” he says. “Our bestsellers are Original and Berry and I’m finding that the price-mark is very effective at communicating good value.” It’s a similar story at Saleem Sadiq’s Spar store in Renfrew. “Our shoppers really like it and I think it’s a launch that will certainly keep delivering for us,” he said. “We were really pleased with the level of the support we received from Barr. They even sent reps to our store to hand out samples and drive engagement.” The launch of Pwr-Bru comes as energy drinks are delivering one-third of all soft drinks growth in Scotland, with flavoured energy a major driver of the market; 98% of big-can energy drinkers said they would try Pwr-Bru at the time of launch.

NOVEMBER 2023 | SLR

NAME: AMRIT SINGH STORE: H & JODIEʼS

L O CAT I O N : WA L S A L L

MAKING MORE FROM ENERGY DRINKS. AMRIT’S GOT A PLAN. HAVE YOU?

Planogram developed by category teams with further growth opportunities included. ©2023 Monster Energy Company. All rights Reserved. MONSTER ENERGY®, ®, MONSTER ENERGY ULTRA® are all registered trademarks of Monster Energy Company. Source: *Nielsen: MAT Indies and symbols Value w/e 28.01.2023 **Nielsen: Values Sales, Total Coverage, MAT to w/e 28/01/23

E N E R GY S PAC E

1 in 3 on-the-go so drinks sold are energy drinks* so give them the room they deserve! Hero the fastest growing brands like Monster to maximise sales.

RIGHT RANGE

Kick out the slow sellers. Double face the SKUs that really deliver. Include zero sugar energy too, like Monster Ultra, the No.1 zero energy brand.** And don’t forget flavoured favourites like Monster Juiced.

MERCHANDISING

Help shoppers navigate the fixture by grouping energy brands and create clear segments for Traditional, Zero Sugar and Flavoured energy sectors.

I N N OVAT I O N

Innovation drives sales, so create fixture excitement with the latest launches. Remember, 67% of energy innovation sales are from Monster.**

M U LT I PAC KS

Single cans are great for on-the-go but don’t forget to keep your multipacks chilled for shoppers who want energy now and for later.

For planogram advice and to hear from Amrit and other retailers just visit: salessupercharged.co.uk

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Sports & Energy

“To win over the winter months, make sure your range caters to larger group occasions; 24% of Sports and Energy occasions over Christmas featured five or more people.” RED BULL

UNITAS WHOLESALE UNVEILS ENERGY DRINKS CATEGORY GUIDE FLAVOUR MATTERS Flavoured sports and energy drinks are “vital”, according to Red Bull, helping drive the growth of the category. “The area which sees the most innovation, Flavoured Sports & Energy drinks are up +24.4% year-on-year vs unflavoured at +12.0%, with tropical flavours a core opportunity, growing 18.5% vs mainstream flavours at 17.4%,” Red Bull explains. “We also know shoppers love to explore new flavours, so we are constantly innovating, to add excitement to the category, which has not only helped us to drive sales but also encourage trial by introducing new shoppers to the sector. “This has led to Red Bull Editions tripling in value within the last two years, growing +81% shoppers incrementally year-on-year and appealing to more females, with 62% of Editions spend by female buyers.” Lucozade is also introducing new flavours, following 18 months of research and development, along with input from 6,500 consumers. The brand has enhanced its Original 42

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

Unitas Wholesale has revealed its latest Focus On category guides for the Soft Drinks and Energy Drinks segments. The Focus On Energy guide reveals the top-selling singles and take-home products and outlines the opportunity for retailers in lowsugar energy drinks. Retailers can also find five planograms for different sized fixtures, meaning there is something for every sized store in the guide. Tracey Redfearn, Head of Marketing and Communications at Unitas Wholesale said: “We’re very proud of our latest Focus On guides on Soft Drinks and Energy Drinks, which we believe will really help retailers maximise sales growth opportunities. “We’re aware that a lot of the advice within the category is delivered around summer, but soft drinks is a key category all seasons. By launching these guides now, we hope we can equip retailers with knowledge they need to make the category a year-round success.” Printed copies of the new guides are available in selected Unitas Wholesale member depots, while an online version can be accessed at planforprofit.co.uk and via the Plan for Profit app.

www.slrmag.co.uk

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Sports & Energy

BESTSELLING SINGLE ENERGY DRINKS BY UNITAS WHOLESALE

Q Red Bull 250ml Q Red Bull 355ml Q Monster 500ml Q Boost Original 500ml Q Red Bull 473ml Q Lucozade Sport 500ml Q Monster Juiced Mango Logo 500ml Q Monster Punch Pipeline Punch 500ml Q Lucozade Energy Orange 500ml Q Prime Ice Pop 500ml Q Bestselling take-home energy drinks by Unitas Wholesale Q Lucozade Energy Orange 900ml Q Lucozade Energy Original 900ml Q Red Bull 4x250ml Q Monster 4x500ml Q Boost Original 1Ltr Q Lucozade Energy 6x380ml Q Lucozade Sport Orange 4x500ml Q Lucozade Sport Raspberry 4x500ml Q Monster Ultra Regular 4x500ml Q Red Bull Sugar-free regular 4x250ml

TOP TIPS TO GROW THE CATEGORY FROM THE SLR AWARDS 2023 SOFT DRINKS WINNER BY GIRISH JEEVA, PREMIER GIRISH’S @ BARMULLOCH

One thing I always like to do within my stores is ensure keeping core ranges as well as the newest lines to keep up with the latest trends. We’ve seen huge success within the energy and sports drinks sections due to this. Having a shop floor which is easy to navigate, and grouping product types together allows shoppers to choose from our full range which always looks immaculate due our shelf management, ensuring our shelves are always well presented. I’d recommend that other retailers who haven’t invested in it to check it out, as it makes the difference to the eye-catching appeal of these fast-selling sections. Our gondolas have also been a huge success, allowing us to add these products in secondary locations, where customers are always looking for the newest products or bargains. I’m also always looking for seasonal products and anything new consumers may have seen advertised out with our store, trying to have them stocked before anyone else can. We also like to offer multipacks of the faster selling lines as these can often be cheaper than buying single items on every visit, that’s also enjoyed huge success. My top 3 tips for success in this sector would be: Q Ensure you have the correct product range for your consumers Q Group like-products with one another Q Use secondary locations to drive impulse buys when approaching the till area

MONSTER INTRODUCES PEACH FLAVOUR TO ZERO ULTRA RANGE Coca-Cola Europacific Parnters (CCEP) has added a new zero-sugar peach flavoured variant to its Monster Energy range. The Monster Ultra Peachy Keen launch follows the introduction of Monster Lewis Hamilton Zero Sugar, Monster Juiced Aussie Lemonade, Monster Ultra Rosa and most recently Monster Zero Sugar. The new addition boasts a light peach coloured can design paying homage to the ‘summer of love’ to help deliver maximum impact on shelf. Pippa Foster, Associate Director Commercial Development at CCEP GB, said: “Energy drinks remain the no.1 deliverer of value growth in soft drinks, worth more than £1.8bn to retailers and growing in both volume and value in GB. And much of this is down to diversification and innovation, led by Monster. ““More than 55% of category innovation sales over the last year have come from Monster’s great tasting NPD – and we’re confident that Ultra Peachy Keen will build on this success.”

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

www.slrmag.co.uk

Sports & Energy

and Orange flavours of Lucozade Energy, aiming to deliver bolder tastes. “The changes are subtle but further elevate the drinks’ flavours, giving Lucozade Energy drinkers more of the unique notes they associate with the brand,” Gouldsmith says. “Marketing plans, set to be unveiled in the coming weeks, will work to bring in new consumers to trial Lucozade Energy and help drive retailer sales.” The revamped flavours also come in a fresh pack design in a bid to create greater appeal to shoppers. New flavours is also driving sales for AG Barr with Rubicon Raw, whose Apple & Guava variant has “exceeded” sales expectations, selling over 1.1 million cans since launch, in May last year. “Growth in flavoured energy is linked to consumer needs changing, and shoppers are looking to the category to be exciting and varied to keep them engaged,” Jonathan Kemp, Commercial Director at AG Barr, says. Rubicon RAW has also launched a snow sports on-pack offer, celebrating its continued partnership with GB Snowsport and the beginning of their winter season. The special packs, featuring GB Snowsport athlete and

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reigning Team Snowboard Cross World Champion Charlotte Bankes, will be running on more than two million cans, across all plain and price marked 500ml packs and some 4x500ml multipacks, until the end of November.

CHRISTMAS OPPORTUNITY The festive period is not one to be underestimated, especially in these financially challenging times. It is a crucial time for shoppers to spend just a little extra and a key period to try new flavours. Brands are taking note of this trend, with Reb Bull, for example, targeting winter occasions, such as socialising, with the range having enjoyed strong growth last year. “To cater for these key missions, it is important to have availability of the four pack for entertaining and socialising, as well as chilled availability of single cans – in particular larger formats such as 355ml and 473ml – when shoppers are looking for that boost of energy to get them through the season,” Red Bull says. It adds: “Larger sizes and multipacks are winning formats at Christmas, with Energy Drink 473ml gaining +1.2pts in value share of Red Bull sales, and Multipacks +4.8pts in December vs the rest of the year.”

MORE PWR TO YOUR SALES www.slrmag.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2023 | SLR

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Forecourts

INVESTMENT DRIVES FORECOURTS IN CHALLENGING MARKET The ACS 2023 Forecourt Report has shown how forecourts have continued to invest heavily despite massive flux in the fuel and vehicle marketplace. BY ANTONY BEGLEY

he freshly published 2023 Forecourt Report from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has recognised how, despite the current flux in the fuel and vehicle marketplace, forecourt retailers are continuing to invest heavily in a range of services and tech solutions to benefit their customers. The report highlights the challenges and future opportunities for forecourt convenience retailers in a world of uncertainty. Among the most popular investments identified were free-to-use ATMs (39% of stores), click-and-collect services (31% of stores) and standalone parcel collection points (26% of stores). The report also shows the commitment that forecourt retailers are making to improve the technology in their stores with almost a third of those who are investing doing so in their till systems and EPoS platforms (31%), and 30% of those investing doing so through improving, expanding and replacing refrigeration units in store. ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “The best forecourt retailers often outperform 46

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

their convenience counterparts on the impressive range of services and technology they incorporate into their offer for customers. This has however been a challenging year for forecourts, with business rates costs and energy bills having an impact on overall investment. “Forecourt retailers will undoubtedly have a role to play in an EV future, but we are not seeing a rush for all stores to put in charging points, as for many the value that a parking space currently provides for a customer who is coming in to shop outstrips the potential value of a charging point on the site. Around 8% of the forecourt sector now offers EV charging, and we expect steady growth in the future as forecourts establish themselves as one of several charging options for consumers.”

JET FUELLED Meanwhile, fuel brand JET has signed up and ‘reimaged’ a new site in the Scottish Borders. Hillside Service Station, located on the A7 road at Selkirk, was formerly a Shell garage and is a key signing for JET. Now fully reimaged by JET, Hillside Service Station includes a Premier-branded forecourt

shop and offers a new range of fuels including JET ULTRA Premium Unleaded and JET ULTRA Premium Diesel alongside unleaded and diesel fuels. “We’re thrilled to welcome this new site to the growing list of JET service stations across the UK and in key focus areas of growth,” says Graham Clout, Retail Sales Manager, Phillips 66. “Scotland is an important location for us as we continue to extend and grow our brand awareness in the country. We look forward to building the relationship and driving success.” Also helping to drive brand awareness is the latest iteration of JET’s Keep On Moving campaign which includes national TV, on-site and social media activities. As part of the Keep On Moving campaign, JET is also injecting a little fun into forecourts with the launch of ‘Wheel Spins,’ an interactive on-site activation for customers at partner service stations across the UK. The activation follows a gameshow-style host (complete with on-brand yellow velvet jacket) at key JET locations inviting drivers to ‘spin the wheel’ to win a selection of driving-related prizes. These range from a ‘high five and a fiver’ www.slrmag.co.uk

AWARD WINNING EPOS AND RETAIL TECHNOLOGY SELF-CHECKOUT

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Forecourts

ACS 2023 FORECOURT REPORT – KEY FINDINGS Q The UK forecourt sector creates over 89,000 jobs, with one in four colleagues (25%) being in the business for more than 10 years. Q Value of sales in the forecourt sector (excluding fuel) is £4.9bn. Q 78% of retailers are active in their communities. Q 21% of independent forecourt retailers take no days off. Q Independent forecourts have invested an average of around £11,700 in improving their stores in the last year. Q Over 8,600 public charging points have been added to the UK network in the last 12 months. to fluffy dashboard dice and £250-worth of hotel vouchers. The campaign recently visited Edinburgh and Selkirk, helping to target newer audiences and a younger demographic. “This activation is all about the fun and joy of driving,” says Áine Corkery, Manager, Brand, UK Marketing Phillips 66. “We wanted to celebrate our loyal customers by rewarding them with prizes while also targeting new audiences by taking the series to social media. It perfectly encapsulates the Keep on Moving spirit and we’re thrilled to share it with the world.”

MOBILE PAYMENTS EPoS software system provider Henderson Technology, in partnership with Blu Dot Technologies, has recently launched a new market-leading mobile pay-at-pump app called Fuel Pay. On arrival at the pump, motorists can use the Fuel Pay app to select the pump, fuel grade and the amount to refuel. The pump is authorised 48

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

in-store and then refuelling can begin. Payment automatically uses the card assigned during initial registration. On completion the motorist simply drives away, with their VAT receipt e-mailed automatically. Forecourt operators can increase profitability by enabling this new digital payment which offers a driver-friendly payment method and a way to generate fresh footfall thanks to the digital ‘station finder’. Fuel Pay is integrated with Azpiral Staff Loyalty and will be further integrated with Azpiral Customer Loyalty, helping to generate and grow loyalty. Darren Nickels, Henderson’s Retail Technology Operations Director, says: “Often, Outdoor Payment Terminal (OPT) solutions can be expensive and require the investment of new pumps. This is a cost-effective solution for customers who simply want to purchase fuel without having to enter the store and can be run in conjunction with existing OPT. “Fuel Pay offers forecourt retailers a number of

benefits – it is simple and secure to use, it allows retailers to stay ahead of their competition, and the experience is quick and convenient for motorists.” Fuel Pay is available as a standalone app or can be added to existing Appetite! app integrations. Appetite! is a pre-order-pre-pay delivery and collection app for grocery and food-to-go, including drive-thru collection and in-store kiosks. It is fully integrated to EDGEPoS, ensuring live stock reporting on both the app and EDGEPoS back office. Darren Nickels concludes: “The pandemic showed us how customers can shop in different ways, and this trend has continued. Our Appetite! app already offers grocery click & collect and delivery options, but we saw there was a demand for faster and frictionless fuel transactions. “Fuel Pay is the most advanced mobile re-fuelling app on the market today. We are extremely proud to offer this innovative product to our EDGEPoS fuel retailers.” www.slrmag.co.uk

UTC

WHAT YOU VAPING?

THE THRILL OF IT

With all the hoo-ha surrounding disposable vapes, Under The Counter was intrigued to discover what Britain’s favourite vape juice flavour was. He wasn’t really, but someone at ICE Headshop had gone to the bother of asking 2,000 UK adults, so he thought it would be rude not to give the results a swatch. The answer to this burning question is strawberry, favoured by 13% of the nation’s vapers. What astounded UTC, however, was that it topped a list of more than 7,000 other flavours – or roughly one for every TV channel currently available in the UK. This degree of choice is a source of great anguish for UTC, whose evenings in front of the box seem to consist of a vexed 30 minutes flicking through the programme guide before hurling the remote at the Sky box and storming off to bed. Putting the Auld Boy’s tantrums to one side, the survey also asked vapers which new flavour they’d like to try. This threw up some interesting results, with the top 10 including fresh cut grass, dog treats, leather and jellied eels. Yum. More worrying yet, the list was topped by Christmas tree flavour, picked by 12% of respondents. This, frankly bizarre, finding had UTC wondering if vapers had completed the survey while inhaling something you’d be more likely to find in an Amsterdam coffee shop than a c-store.

Under The Counter has never considered himself a thrill seeker, although he did hold Mrs UTC’s coat while she went on the big wheel at M&D’s once. He had cause to revise this opinion, however, in the wake of online casino Luck.com research which named the 10 areas of the United Kingdom with the most adrenaline junkies. The research analysed average monthly searches for excitement-inducing terms in each area, compared to its population. The study then revealed the number of searches blah blah blah zzz. Who knew thrill-seeking could be so boring? Anyway, it turns out – surprisingly enough – that Walsall is the UK’s thrillseeking capital, followed by Wrexham and Liverpool. Popular search terms included ‘axe throwing,’ ‘indoor skydiving’ and ‘rock climbing’.

Inverness is the first place in Scotland to bother the list, staggering over the line in sixth place. The most popular searches in the Capital of the Highlands were not ‘monster’ and ‘hunting’ but rather ‘Lottery,’ ‘lottery’ (now that’s pedantry at its best), and ‘Euromillions’. What? Stop the chainsaw juggling a minute. It’s a bit of a stretch – even attached to a bungee rope – from skydiving to the lottery, is it not? Putting on a Lucky Dip is hardly daredevil stuff, but SLR’s resident jackass UTC was quick to claim it as a character trait that put him on a par with Johnny Knoxville or Evel Knievel. And never let it be said that SLR doesn’t offer actionable insights. So, if you’ve a shop in Inverness, we advise you to get yourself a lottery (or Lottery) terminal pronto. But don’t bother stocking up on axes and parachutes.

WESTMINSTER SHABBY Retailers won’t need reminding that Britain sits firmly in the grip of an epidemic with no known cure. Yup, shoplifting. What may surprise you, as it did Under The Counter, is that Westminster is the shoplifting capital of the UK. So says price comparison website Money.co.uk. But what do they know? They don’t even have any talking wee mongooses or obese opera singers as brand ambassadors. Overcoming his initial astonishment, UTC was quick to theorise why this might be so. Not Money.co.uk’s lack of a brand ambassador, but Westminster’s shoplifting surge. His far-fetched conclusion: organised gangs of lightfingered MPs.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2023

Not a massive fan of politicians, UTC was quick to tar our elected members with a brush he’d dipped in tales of lockdown parties, backhanders, bungs, lying, cheating and – closest to the Auld Boy’s heart – the fiddling of expenses. He also cited a dubious stat from 2012 that 43% of sitting MPs had a criminal record. There’s a joke in there about a Vengaboys album, but space is short. And just supposing rampaging hordes of MPs were stripping shelves, is there anything in the Houses of Parliament gift shop worthy of the old five-finger discount? You could do worse than a 170g Chocolate Big Ben. Nick that and you’ve saved yourself a whopping eight quid. Just pray that it tastes better than it looks.