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VAPING
Number of UK vapers hits record high
INACTION+
JANUARY 2022 | ISSUE 225
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DEPOSIT RETURN SCHEME
Scottish government kicks can down road once again. Products of the Year – shortlist published
Conclusions from Rockstar in-store project
+
SCOTTISH BUDGET
Retailers ‘underwhelmed’
ACCESS TO CASH
Banks strike landmark deal
BURNS NIGHT
Set your sales on fire
The Scottish Retail Food & Drink Awards 2022
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Contents
Contents ISSUE 225
NEWS Deposit Return Scheme The Scottish Government confirms a DRS go live date of 16 August 2023. p7 Scottish Budget Retailers express disappointment at “underwhelming” rates relief. p8 Sustainability New SWA and TWC research finds that almost three-quarters of Scots are concerned about the environment. p10 News Extra Access To Cash A landmark deal between major banks ensures long-term cash availability UK-wide. p16 Product News Lucozade Sport dons a new sustainable kit and KP Snacks saves 410 tonnes of plastic. p18 Off-Trade News Cider maker Brothers Drinks Co buys Babycham, with plans to reinvigorate the brand in 2022. p6
7
SLR
INSIDE BUSINESS p21 InAction+ Rockstar In the final part of the project, we
p22 p27
p28 p30 p38
reflect on the knowledge gained and look to the future of the energy drinks category. Products Of The Year SLR publishes its shortlist of this year’s most exciting and innovative new products. InAction+ Ferrero SLR’s ongoing project with retailer Dan Brown demonstrates that impulse confectionery remains dynamic and full of opportunity. Vaping The number of UK vapers rises to its highest level since records began. Hotlines The latest new products and media campaigns. Under The Counter The Auld Yin delights in Tesco’s misfortune. Again.
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OF PRODUCT THE
YEAR 2021
NEW PRODUCT AWARD
SLR OF PRODUCT THE
YEAR 2021
NEW PRODUCT AWARD
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28
38
FEATURES p32 Burns Night The annual festival of whisky and haggis is
almost upon us, so make sure you don’t miss out on the sales opportunities that exist around Burns Night. p34 Healthier Options The new year brings new opportunities to grow sales, as shoppers look to right the wrongs of an over-indulgent festive season. p37 Fascia Focus Nisa continues to be the partner of choice for a number of award-winning independent retailers.
ON THE COVER p14 The push-back to 2023 is the latest bump in the road towards a Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland.
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JANUARY 2022 | SLR
5
News DEPOSIT RETURN SCHEME 16 August 2023 announced as new launch date
Women’s Independent Retailer Network launches ACS has launched a new group that aims to act as a support network for women running independent convenience stores. The network aims to provide women with a space to connect and share their experiences and perspectives. ACS will facilitate quarterly meetings for the group, featuring guest speakers and workshops where the group will explore a range of topics.
Adams joins Snappy Group The Snappy Group has appointed Paul Adams as Group Sales Director. Adams joins from Bestway Retail where he held the roles of Head of Sales and Development and Head of Brand. He has extensive experience in the retail sector, including as Head of Central Operations at Musgrave and General Manager at Booker Group. The company says the appointment
Scottish government confirms start date for DRS The Scottish government has confirmed that a deposit return scheme in Scotland will launch on 16 August 2023. The announcement follows an independent review that considered the impact of Covid-19 on the scheme. Addressing parliament, the Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater set out plans for a phased implementation of the scheme and said the target of achieving 90% collection rates by 2024 will be maintained. She added that as part of the phased implementation, the Scottish Government is working with retailers on a voluntary basis to enable people to start returning their bottles and cans for recycling from November 2022.
Slater said: “Given the challenges that the pandemic and Brexit have placed upon these businesses, it is disappointing – but understandable – that the independent review concluded the original start date was no longer feasible.” Welcoming the delay of the implementation until next August, the SGF said: “The Scottish government has recognised the reality of the challenges facing convenience retailers.” “However, we are concerned about the minister’s statement that retailers will begin to roll out a phased approach to DRS in the summer of 2022. We need urgent clarity on what this will involve, how the Scottish government will support it, and what the objectives of this approach will be.”
The move was also welcomed by the NFRN. Scottish President Ferhan Ashiq said: “Retailers and the scheme administrator can begin to work out what this will mean for their stores and how DRS will be incorporated into their offer.” “There is much to be done, but we can now start to focus on delivering a scheme that will work for all retailers – large and small.”
will be instrumental as it makes investments in new services for its retail partners.
Scotland’s biggest convenience retailers back gift card scheme One-O-One Retail, Scotmid and Spar Scotland have signed up to accept the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card as they are launched in the regions in which they serve. One-O-One’s support could bring another 43 stores into the programme, Scotmid could eventually involve its entire network of 179 community stores, and Spar Scotland could add 107 of its company-owned stores.
EG Group opens Spar outlet in Kildean Petrol forecourt retailer EG Group has opened a new site at Kildean Business Park, Stirling. The site features a 4,500sq ft Spar store. The forecourt has 10 lanes and two HGV lanes and the Spar Scotland store has a host of food-to-go options, including sandwiches, rolls and pastries,
FOOD WASTE Wholesaler teams up with the FareShare charity
UNDERAGE SALES
Booker has redistributed enough food to provide the equivalent of one million meals through FareShare Go and free sharing app OLIO. The company is the first wholesaler to redistribute food directly to FareShare’s network of charities through FareShare Go and OLIO’s Food Waste Heroes via 192 of its branches across the UK. The FareShare Go programme matches Booker sites with charities and community groups in the local area that collect the items and turn them into food parcels or hot meals for the people they support. The food redistributed by Booker includes a range of large catering-size packs, vegetables, deli and sandwich fillings, as well as smaller packs of meats, fish, and fruit. Catherine Marston, Head of Sustainability at Booker, said: “Not allowing any edible food to go to waste is something that everyone at Booker is passionate about and we are proud to be the first wholesaler to work in such a collaborative way with FareShare and OLIO.”
Tech-enabled convenience is exposing retailers to risk around underage sales, research by compliance auditor Serve Legal shows. In the past 12 months, 2,600 Serve Legal mystery shoppers made test purchases using rapid delivery services. All were under 25, yet only 45% were asked to show proof of age when their order was delivered, despite it containing restricted products. Standard home delivery services fared better, with 72% of mystery shoppers asked for ID. In-store, retailers were more diligent, with 78% of mystery shoppers asked for proof of age. However, in 8,000 self-scan test purchases, 73% of mystery shoppers were asked to produce proof of age, compared to 79% who used a conventional checkout.
Booker supplies enough surplus to provide one million meals
Tech-related compliance warning
as well as a Starbucks unit and Greggs bakery.
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News SCOTTISH BUDGET Retailers dismayed by “underwhelming” rates relief
Retailers express Budget disappointment Retailers have expressed their disappointment at last month’s Scottish Budget. Finance secretary Kate Forbes announced that rates relief for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors will continue at 50% for the first three months of 2022-23, capped at £27,500 per ratepayer. Small businesses with a rateable value of less than £15,000 on a Scottish high street will continue to pay no rates for the entirety of next year, irrespective of what sector they are in, through the Small Business Bonus Scheme. However, retailers believe it has failed to help city centre retailers who are still experiencing slumps
in footfall as workers continue to stay at home. Ferhan Ashiq, the NFRN Scottish President, said: “While we thank the Scottish government for maintaining the Small Business Bonus Scheme, we call on the government to reassess its stance on retailers that are on the threshold. “There are many city centre retailers who are still struggling because the Covid restrictions are hampering footfall numbers. These retailers need and do require immediate, temporary relief. Three months in the current challenging climate is too short.” David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, added:
“After two years of 100 per cent business rates relief the Scottish Budget saw the end of significant support for Scotland’s retail industry. The underwhelming rates relief offered for 2022-23 is little more than a pale imitation of the UK Government’s own disappointing scheme and will do little to help retailers who continue to be battered by the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. Consumers too saw little to help them despite the range of inflationary pressures already increasing and set to rise further next year. The conclusion one could draw from this Budget was that Scotland’s retailers will need to recover alone.”
Asda strike looms Strike action at Asda moved closer after thousands of workers said they were ready to walk out over the company’s failure to make an acceptable pay offer. Representatives of the GMB union will now meet after the next pay talks to agree the next steps in moving to a formal strike ballot after 94% per cent of warehouse, clerical workers and LGV drivers voted in favour of strike action. GMB wrote to Asda asking if it is holding back distribution workers’ pay because of potential future liabilities in a long-running equal pay claim.
Nisa rolls out ethical eggs Nisa is moving its entire range of eggs to free range by 1 January. The customer entry point on eggs moves from 89p, for six caged eggs, to £1 for six mixed
FORECOURTS Fuel stolen per incident jumps 20%
Forecourt fuel crime climbs
Forecourt fuel crime is continuing to grow, albeit at a slower pace, new research reveals. The latest Forecourt Crime Index from the British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS) shows that the volume of forecourt fuel crime reported during the third quarter of 2021 increased by 9%. The Index increased to 185 during the three months to 30 September 2021, from 170 in the previous quarter. The 9% quarterly increase was lower than the 20% growth reported during the second quarter. The index, which covers reports of No Means of Payment and Drive Off incident reports made to fuel loss recovery service BOSS Payment Watch, shows that during the third quarter no means of payment incident reports increased by 11.5% and drive-off incident growth fell to 7.5%. The average number of incidents per site increased to 18.7 from 17.1 in the second quarter of 2021, but the average litres of fuel taken per incident increased 20.5% to 56.3 litres. Kevin Eastwood, BOSS Executive Director, said: “In the majority of cases motorists make a genuine mistake when they have no means to pay for fuel. We recommend that forecourt staff should follow well-documented procedures, such as Payment Watch, so that motorists can return to pay.”
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HOME DELIVERY
Snappy Shopper reaches £5m sales with Nisa Snappy Shopper has reached £5m sales with Nisa partners, more than doubling sales on the platform since February with an average basket spend of £28. A number of Nisa stores having been able to generate incremental sales of more than £100,000, and some have reached more than half a million. Retailer Daniall Nadeem, of Nisa Bellshill, said: “Around 20% of customers who shop with us in store, also shop with us on Snappy Shopper. The remaining 80% are fully delivered. So, I would say Snappy Shopper is doing its job well.”
weight free range eggs. Nisa will be running promotional activity throughout the end of December and into early 2022 to help drive sales.
Locavore picks up social enterprise award Glasgow-based Locavore has picked up the top prize at the UK Social Enterprise awards ceremony in London. The retailer, which has zero-waste supermarkets in Govanhill, Partick, Garnethill and Kirkintilloch, was named the UK Social Enterprise of the Year. The judges said that “passion and commitment shone through” in the retailer’s application.
Spar Scotland and Rollover give to Marie Curie Spar Scotland and Rollover, a hotdog supplier to the convenience industry, are running a promotion in every one of Spar Scotland’s 80 companyowned stores. The promotion, which ran from 1-31 December, saw 10p from the sale of every Rollover product sold donated to the end of life charity Marie Curie.
JANUARY 2022 | SLR
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News SUSTAINABILITY Three-quarters of Scots say they are concerned about the environment
ACS responds to flexible working consultation ACS has responded to a government consultation on Making Flexible Working the Default. The consultation proposes making the right to flexible working a day one right and requiring retailers to suggest alternatives if exact requests cannot be accommodated. The ACS recommended retaining a right to request flexible working; publishing guidance for employers on responding to requests; and reviewing the impact of National Minimum Wage regulations on flexible working.
C-stores remain ahead of pre-pandemic performance Average convenience store sales per store increased by 0.1% year-on-year in November and by 15.6% compared to November 2019, according to research by the Retail Data Partnership. In
SWA and TWC confirm importance of sustainability Almost three-quarters of Scottish consumers are concerned about environmental and sustainability issues and a similar proportion say they are more concerned now than they were three years ago, new research reveals. The research was revealed at a webinar for Scottish Wholesale Association members, which was supported by data and digital experts TWC, who shared findings from its own research programme. Delegates also heard that sustainability already influences where consumers shop for groceries, with 38% of Scots agreeing with this statement, and this is going to rise in importance as 50% of those asked said that it will influence where they shop more in the future.
Tom Fender, Development Director of TWC, said: “Increasingly, consumers are voting with their pockets. It’s now much less about ‘offsetting carbon footprints’ which doesn’t go far enough and let’s face it, there aren’t enough trees in the world to go round – it’s about taking carbon out of the business completely and that means adopting the principles, ‘reduce, recycle, reuse’.
“It’s heartening that the SWA is helping its wholesale members to take sustainable issues very seriously whilst looking to make a real difference to help retailers and operators meet consumer’s needs and aspirations”. The first phase of the SWA’s Decarbonisation Project quantified the emissions produced by the wholesale sector and set out the scale of the challenge of the transition to net zero. SWA Chief Executive Colin Smith said: “Scottish consumers were vocal about putting their money where their mouth is as to where they shop and 71% agreed that they think food retailers who don’t take sustainability issues seriously are likely to lose out in the future.”
the latest three months, average sales per store have increased by 2.1% compared to the same period last year.
Vaping use hits record high The number of people who vape in the UK has risen to its highest level since records began, new figures from the Office of National Statistics show. In 2014, when data on the number of UK vapers started being collected, 3.7% of the population reported using e-cigarettes. In 2020 that had risen to 6.4%, the equivalent of around 3.3 million people.
One Stop reaches Dementia Friends milestone More than 10,000 One Stop colleagues are now ‘Dementia Friends’ and are equipped with a greater understanding of how the disease impacts its customers and how they can help. There are an estimated 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK and this year a further 209,600 people will develop the progressive illness. One Stop’s Dementia Friends can also be found in head office and its distribution centre.
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VAPING iBreathe boss hired to stem flood of illegal devices
Partnership tackles counterfeit and non-compliant Geek Bar products Geek Bar has appointed a leading figure in the UK vaping industry to spearhead efforts to crack down on counterfeit and non-compliant products. Billy Rahman, Managing Director at vape manufacturer iBreathe, is acting as a consultant for Geek Bar and is leading efforts to stem the flow of illegal vape products into the UK. Rahman has established a primary authority arrangement with his local council, Oldham in Greater Manchester, in which trading standards officers there will co-ordinate operations with their counterparts around the country. He is also working alongside compliance company Arcus Compliance to ensure that all classification, labelling and packaging requirements for Geek Bar products being sold around the UK are met. Geek Bar has created a list of approved distributors, published on its website, and the company is incentivising retailers to report counterfeits or products that do not comply with UK regulations. Retailers can report suspected counterfeit and non-compliant products at legal@geekbar.com.
NEWSTRADE
Publishers include pro rata terms as part of price increases News publishers Aberdeen Journals and DC Thomson have included pro rata terms for newsagents as part of the latest price increases for four of their titles. From 3 January, the Monday to Friday cover price of the Press and Journal moved to £1.50, while the Saturday edition went up to £1.70. The cover price of the Evening Express also increased to £1. At the same time, The Courier increased in price from £1.30 to £1.40 for Monday to Friday editions, and from £1.60 to £1.70 on Saturdays, while the Evening Telegraph went up from 80p to 90p. The NFRN has welcomed the publishers’ decision to include pro rata profit margins for retailers.
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News Extra
Access To Cash
NewsExtra SET SALES ALIGHT THIS BURNS NIGHT – P32 ACCESS TO CASH Closure of key bank branches and ATMs will trigger independent assessment
Scottish Grocers’ Federation
Convenience Matters with the SGF It is difficult not to feel that that reintroduction of in-store restrictions, designed to deal with the spread of the Omicron variant, represents a big step backward. In Scotland, retailers have maintained most of the social distancing and protective measures which were introduced at the first lockdown. However, this re-introduction of the full range of measures happened at the worst time of the year for retailers. We were well into the peak trading period with stores being at their busiest. Having to control the numbers of customers in-store inevitably means the re-introduction of queuing systems. This has undoubtedly put additional pressure on staff at a time when they are already working flat out. The emergence of the Omicron variant is extremely concerning. We are in a situation where we need to trust that the government is following the science and being led by the best available data. The harsh reality is that we have no option but to re-introduce these measures. Clearly staff testing positive and having to isolate is a major concern. The government has reinstated the exemptions system for key workers – we need this to work at maximum efficiency with exemptions being granted as quickly as possible. In convenience, customers expect to be able to get into the store easily, move around easily and complete their shopping speedily. The reintroduction of these measure will disrupt this. Our strongest plea to customers for 2022 is: we need them to be patient, give themselves more time to complete their shopping mission and to always be respectful towards staff.
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Banks agree to share services to ensure communities have fair access to cash LINK has assessed most communities where closures have recently taken place and new banking services are to be provided in 2022. A landmark agreement has been reached between the major retail banks to share services, ensuring longterm cash availability across the UK. The collaboration was achieved through the Access to Cash Action Group (CAG) – which is made up of all major retail banks, Age UK, Toynbee Hall and the Federation of Small Businesses. Under the new model, any community that faces the closure of a core cash service, such as a bank branch or ATM, will have its needs independently assessed by LINK. LINK will then determine whether a new solution should be provided to meet that community’s cash needs. LINK, which already provides ATMs where communities need them, will commission services to meet the cash needs of the community as a whole. Communities will also be able to request a review of their needs from the summer of 2022. Natalie Ceeney, Chair of CAG and the Community Access to Cash Pilots, said: “I’m delighted that the industry is today committing to ensuring that the cash needs of consumers and small businesses up and down the UK will continue to be met. We know that demand for cash is declining, but we also know that it continues to play a vital part in the lives of at least five million people in the UK – including some of the most vulnerable in society.” David Postings, Chief Executive of UK Finance, added: “With demand for cash projected to continue to decline, the way access to cash is provided will have to continue to evolve. This new approach, with an independent co-ordinating body at its heart, means that we now have a joined-up response to meeting communities’ cash needs well into the future.” LINK has already assessed most communities where closures have taken place over the past year. As a result, a new free-to-use ATM service will be provided in 2022 in Bo’ness, with announcements of further services to come in early 2022. John Howells, Chief Executive at LINK, said: “Our relationship with cash is changing but the UK is not ready to be a cashless society and free access to cash remains vital for many consumers and communities. LINK is therefore delighted to take on such a key role working with the banks to ensure that the cash needs of communities continue to be met.” In addition, the Post Office is ready to deliver new and improved shared banking services in up to 30 branches, including Carnoustie.
Nick Read, Group Chief Executive at Post Office, said: “It is very positive that the Post Office and banks continue to work together effectively to deal with such a fundamental issue. We look forward to working with the industry to develop our offer further – providing vital cash access services for millions of people.” These new shared services will complement other industry initiatives to support cash and banking, such as ‘cashback without purchase’ – being rolled out to 2,000 retailers by the end of 2021, mobile branches and pop-up services, as well as services for people who need to make payments in their own homes. ACS’ 2021 Local Shop Report shows that consumers think that two of the most valuable services offered in convenience stores are cash machines and the Post Office. In response to the news, ACS Chief Executive James Lowman, said: “We are pleased that LINK has outlined plans to review cash provisions when a bank branch closes, but it is vital to also ensure areas which already do not have trading bank branches are not forgotten or left behind. The Government needs to act urgently and decisively on its earlier commitment to legislate to promote access to cash.” www.slrmag.co.uk
Comment
POLITICS TRUMP REALITY IN LATEST DRS DEBACLE We all knew it was coming. It was the worst-kept secret in retail. But the Scottish Government has finally announced that DRS won’t be going live in July as planned, but will instead be pushed back to August next year. What with Covid and Brexit and the perfect storm of challenges affecting our industry at the moment, it’s entirely understandable that the ‘go live’ date has had to be pushed back. What’s far less understandable is the timing of the decision. It’s been an open secret that July 2022 was never going to happen. Everyone involved in DRS has known that for many months. Yet because the government hadn’t officially confirmed that July was off the cards, everybody had to carry on as if it was still going ahead. So why did the government sit on the decision for so long? After all, on most things environmental, Sturgeon and Co have always tended towards the wildly optimistic, often erring into the totally unrealistic. The original implementation date for DRS is a good example: there were industry experts lined up to tell the government that the infrastructure wouldn’t be and couldn’t be in place by the July 2022 deadline. The response? Deal with it. So it’s not like the government to let real world practicalities get in the way of attention-grabbing headline policies. The Scottish government was hell bent on creating “the first scheme of its kind in the UK and one of the most environmentally ambitious and accessible in Europe”. Just as it was hell bent on being first to make the tobacco market dark and the first to introduce MUP. The implementation realities have always been of secondary importance. Which brings us neatly to the announcement around the latest DRS postponement. I am surely not alone in seeing a glaring link between a certain environmental conference held in Glasgow recently and the timing of a decision to bump DRS for a year. It would have been politically disastrous to announce just before the world’s largest environmental conference that the implementation of Scotland’s flagship environmental policy was getting knocked on the head for a year. So the question is: did the government purposefully sit on this decision until COP 26 was out the way? Politically, it makes perfect sense. But for everyone else - and in particular all those producers, suppliers, retailers, trade bodies and organisations charged with implementing it – it has resulted in untold and unnecessary misery and cost.
EDITORIAL Publishing Director & Editor Antony Begley 0141 222 5380 | abegley@55north.com Editorial Manager David Rees drees@55north.com Web Editor Findlay Stein 0141 222 5389 | fstein@55north.com Editorial Contributor Karen Peattie
ADVERTISING Sales & Marketing Director Helen Lyons 07575 959 915 | hlyons@55north.com Advertising Manager Robert Aitken 0141 222 5302 | raitken@55north.com
DESIGN Design & Digital Manager Richard Chaudhry 0141 222 5388 | rchaudhry@55north.com
EVENTS Events & Operations Manager Kirsty McDowall 0141 222 5383 | kmcdowall@55north.com
CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS Circulation Manager Cara Begley 0141 222 5381 | 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. 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.
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Scottish Local Retailer is produced monthly by 55 North Ltd.
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snacKing made right
We are making sure our snacks are right for people and planet – from the raw materials we rely on, to the communities we live in and the climate we all need to care for.
environmental Impact
uK facts
100
swItched to usIng
%
renewable electricity at 6 uK manufacturIng sItes
2021
global facts
20% 30% reduction reduction in total waste from
manufacturing*
in co2 emissions across
manufacturing*
sustainable sourcing
over 50% of the products in our uK biscuit range are made with sustainably sourced wheat through our harmony program**
the cocoa used in cadbury chocolate is sustainably sourced through cocoa life^
pacK light & pacK right
mondelēz International has removed 955 tonnes of pacKaging by switching dairylea and philadelphia products to widely recyclable material and reducing plastic elements in seasonal products while optimising pacKaging design. from 2022 cadbury dairy milK, made in bournville, is set to use pacKaging containing up to 30% recycled plastic.
955 tonnes
For further details on all the above go to mondelezinternational.com/Snacking-Made-Right/Reporting-and-Disclosure *From 2013 baseline to 2020
^Cadbury.co.uk/Cocoa-life
**Harmony.com
Cover Story
Deposit Return Scheme
FRUSTRATION MOUNTS AS DRS GETS KICKED FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD It’s been a rocky road for Scotland’s proposed Deposit Return Scheme with the latest decision seeing the implementation pushed back until 2023. BY ANTONY BEGLEY
T
he long and winding history of Scotland’s ground-breaking Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) from concept to implementation been, at best, fairly shambolic. Granted, Covid-19 didn’t help, but it’s been a rollercoaster of a ride from the days when most of the industry, including many high profile drinks producers, trade bodies and retailers, initially fought tooth and nail against the very idea of a deposit return scheme. A lot of u-turns later and DRS is now generally accepted as being A Good Thing, which explains the indignant uproar recently when the Scottish Government announced that the actual implementation will now take place in August next year, rather than July this year. Only a cynic would suggest that the Scottish Government waited until the Glasgow-hosted COP 26 conference was over and the dust had settled before announcing that one of biggest sustainability projects ever undertaken in Scotland would be pushed back by more than a year. It has been obvious for a very long time that the infrastructure to support a fullyfledged DRS could never be in place for the July deadline – so it begs the question why did it take the government so long to confirm the postponement? Did COP 26 come into that decision? After all, the government would have faced global derision for cancelling a sustainability programme of this scale just before hosting the world’s largest sustainability conference. So, the cynic would assume that industry is left once again picking up the real-world pieces and footing the bill for a politically-driven decision. Let’s not forget that vast sums of money have already been spent by countless businesses who had no choice but to prepare for the implementation of DRS in July, knowing all the while that there wasn’t the slightest chance that DRS would actually be implemented in July. And where does the decision leave us all now?
LATEST ‘GO LIVE’ DATE FOR DRS 16 AUGUST 2023
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Deposit Return Scheme
STATING THE OBVIOUS The Scottish Government’s announcement of the new August 2023 date predictably implicated the Covid crisis as being the main driver behind the delay. Which is true as far as it goes. What’s wrong with the whole thing is the timing. They must have known for a very long time that this decision was coming – so why let the industry labour under the misapprehension that DRS would go live in 2022? The official Scottish Government statement also adds new layers of fog: there will be a “phased implementation of the scheme” with a “target of achieving 90% collection rates by 2024”. The government “is working with retailers on a voluntary basis to enable people to start returning their bottles and cans for recycling from November 2022”. If it’s clarity and strong guidance you’re looking for, jog on. Note too that the government has piled more pressure on the industry by foreshortening its timeframes once DRS is actually up and running. The legal requirement to collect at least 90% of eligible containers must now be met in the second year of operation, not the third. This means the scheme will still be expected to meet its original target of achieving 90% collection rates by 2024 – but the industry will have a year less to achieve that goal for the government. Stating what has long been glaringly obvious to everyone else, Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “Implementing a scheme on this scale is a massive national undertaking involving tens of thousands of producers and retailers. Given the challenges that the pandemic and Brexit have placed upon these businesses, it is disappointing – but understandable – that the independent review concluded the original start date was no longer feasible.”
HEATED REACTION Unsurprisingly, the response to the delay announcement was fairly lively. The NFRN initially accused the Scottish government of “bottling” a decision and reiterated the importance of getting a scheme that works for all retailers – large and small – as well as achieving its aim of increasing the availability of high-quality recycled plastic, metal and glass and decreasing the number of these items being discarded as litter. www.slrmag.co.uk
John Lee: “Urgent clarity needed.”
James Lowman: “Important decisions to be made.”
Cover Story
Scottish Grocers’ Federation Head of Public Affairs John Lee took a slightly more placatory tone, saying: “The Scottish Government has recognised the reality of the challenges facing convenience retailers and we welcome the delay of the implementation date until August 2023. However, we are concerned about the Minister’s statement that retailers will begin to roll out a phased approach to DRS in the summer of 2022. We need urgent clarity on what this will involve, how the Scottish government will support it and what the objectives of this approach will be. Overall, the successful implementation of DRS is the biggest challenge the convenience retail industry has ever faced.” In his customary polite but forceful style, Association of Convenience Store Chief Executive James Lowman says: “We welcome the clarification of the timelines for the introduction of a DRS in Scotland which will allow more time to design and implement a scheme that will be workable and effective for both businesses and consumers. This is still a tight timescale and we all have to commit to working at pace over the next 20 months. “There are still a number of important decisions to be made around handling fees as well as addressing key operational issues around manual handling and the handling of glass bottles. We will continue to engage with the Scottish Government and Circularity Scotland ahead of implementation to communicate the key priorities of our sector.” It looks more than likely that there will be a few more twists and turns in the road before Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme finally sees the light of day.
DRS: the latest iteration Key milestones for delivery of the scheme include: Q By March 2022, Circularity Scotland will have signed contracts with partners to deliver its logistics, operations and IT systems Q By August 2022, the public awareness campaign will be launched and counting and sorting centres will start to be built Q Retailers will start rolling out the return infrastructure in earnest from next summer and the Scottish Government is working with them to start using that infrastructure on a voluntary basis from November 2022 Q Orkney will see a community-run return scheme operating in November 2022 Q In January 2023, Circularity Scotland and SEPA will begin the process to register producers Q In July 2023, there will be end-to-end testing of containers through the system.
JANUARY 2022 | SLR
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News
Products
Demand for frozen grows in convenience Research from Birds Eye has revealed the biggest trends and challenges that convenience retailers face within the frozen food category. After a similar survey last year, Birds Eye has worked with KAM Media again to understand how to help retailers grow frozen food sales in 2022. Through a dedicated survey of 200 independent UK retailers, the findings point to sustained high consideration for frozen food within the category through the last year. One in three retailers (34%) have seen increased shopper demand for frozen over the last 12 months, with a quarter (25%) of retailers intending to invest further in their frozen category in 2022 – a growth of 6% points compared with last year’s survey result. The study also explored the potential barriers to expansion that many retailers face, with
Product News MAKE HEALTHIER SALES FROM HEALTHIER OPTIONS – P34 SPORTS & ENERGY Reduced sleeve is part of £7.8m packaging investment
Lucozade Sport dons new sustainable kit Lucozade Sport has unveiled a new kit with a reduced plastic sleeve on its bottles as part of its continued focus to become more sustainable and which is now being rolled out across the Lucozade Sport portfolio. The new-look sleeve follows Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I (SBF GB&I)’s £7.8m investment to make its packaging more sustainable, as part of the company’s Growing For Good vision that focuses on positive change for businesses, people and the planet. The reduced sleeve alone will save 101 tonnes of virgin plastic being produced annually and
allows the bottle to be more easily identified and sorted into the correct waste stream, helping ensure more Lucozade Sport bottles are turned back into bottles within the current UK recycling infrastructure. The Lucozade Sport sleeve redesign follows a major packaging update on the Ribena brand last year, including launching paper straws for Ribena cartons, as well as a move to 50% transparent sleeves across the Lucozade Energy range to let them be recycled more easily back into bottles. The
move will help bring SBF GB&I closer to its goal of making all its plastic packaging sustainable by 2030 and is also a key step toward the company’s ambition of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. Tom Bell, Head of Marketing for Lucozade Sport at SBF GB&I, commented: “The new sleeve not only makes Lucozade Sport bottles easier to recycle – and therefore turned more easily back into bottles – but equally benefits retailers by being more eye-catching and striking on shelf.”
SNACKS
KP Snacks saves 410 tonnes of plastic in 2021
39% of respondents citing insufficient space for additional freezers the biggest challenge to growing frozen sales in their store. Many retailers are also missing out on new consumer trends and shopper demands, with 23% sticking with the products they’ve always stocked. The plant-based and free-
KP Snacks has announced a 410 tonne reduction in plastic packaging in 2021, reducing consumer packaging by 6.8% across several brands. The business saved 142 tonnes of plastic across Skips, Nik Naks and Space Raiders, freeing up space on shelves and resulting in 644 fewer lorry journeys. There were also plastic reductions across McCoy’s, Hula Hoops and Butterkist, as well as KP’s price-marked pack range. The move follows a 77 tonne packaging reduction in 2020 across Hula Hoops, Tyrrells, and popchips, the introduction of a KP Nuts fullyrecyclable Christmas caddy and a 100% recyclable KP Peanut Butter jar. The manufacturer also recently joined the Flexible Plastic Fund, a cross-industry collaboration that is working towards a long term vision of a circular economy for flexible plastics. In collaboration with manufacturers, retailers and recyclers, the Fund will help to drive the development of UK infrastructure for flexible plastic recycling through collaboration and by providing financial incentives for recyclers. KP Snacks has also teamed-up with TerraCycle to support the recycling of bagged nuts, popcorn, crisps and pretzels packets nationwide. This partnership has seen 13 million snack packs recycled so far.
from segment looks set to keep growing. Eighty one per cent of retailers now stock ‘free-from, plant-based and meat alternative meal centres’, to cope with growing demand for products that can help shoppers meet their dietary and lifestyle needs. Joss Bamber, Head of Convenience at Birds Eye, said: “Demand for frozen products within the convenience channel is here to stay, so there is a definite need for retailers to prioritise their frozen range.”
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VAPING New packs offer improved unboxing experience
Imperial enhances myblu packaging Imperial has launched new, enhanced packaging for its pod-mod vape system, myblu. As part of the upgrade, the range features new blister pod packs with a perforated edge to deliver an intuitive unboxing experience. There are also improvements from a stability perspective, with the blister packs
offering better pod protection, nicotine preservation and portability. The packaging design has also been updated to include an improved vignette on the logo triangle to deliver a consistent look across the range, while also making it easier to navigate between the myblu Intense and Regular ranges for retailers and shoppers alike.
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MAKING YOUR STORE
MORE SUSTAINABLE By becoming more sustainable retailers can ensure their store is fit for the future, save time, effort and energy, make their store a more pleasurable place for shoppers and ultimately increase their sales. We know, however, that it can be difficult to know where to start on the topic. Which is why this year we teamed up with The Energy Saving Trust to make changes in Amit Patel’s 900sq ft. store in Sandiacre, Derbyshire, and create a case study to show retailers how they can get started on their own sustainability journey.
BEFORE
Our partnership with Amit helped him save more than £600 a year. The savings we made show that by
AFTER
making changes that benefit both their local community and the wider world, convenience retailers in the UK could cumulatively save an astonishing £28.3M every single year. The project team made a range of changes both large and small in Amit’s store, designed to show that starting your sustainability journey is something every store can do, without having to spend thousands of pounds. We implemented new LED lighting, new chillers and new shelving in Amit’s storeroom, as well as making a raft of smaller changes including replacing his CCTV monitor, his heater and adding in a new door-closing mechanism. By analysing Amit’s monthly electricity consumption we showed that there was a nine per cent reduction during the installation period, which climbed to a 12% reduction after all the installations were completed. That equates to potential financial saving of £610 a year. We know that not every store is in a position financially to invest in replacing their chillers, but our work in Amit’s store shows that not every change has to be as large as that to make a real difference. Crucially, this project highlights the importance of progression, not perfection.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS Comparing a year before with a YEAR DURING all installations Comparing a year before with a YEAR AFTER all installations
Before After
35671 32514
Difference Difference (%)
-3157 -9%
Financial Saving
£446
Before After
34882 30566
Difference Difference (%)
-4316 -12%
Financial Saving
£609
THE RESULTS
£610
PROJECTED ANNUAL SAVINGS FOR AMIT FROM ALL CHANGES
£28.3M
TOTAL PROJECTED SAVINGS ACROSS THE UK’S 46,388 CONVENIENCE STORES
ANDREW PHEASANT, HEAD OF REGIONAL ACCOUNTS AT SBF GB&I “We know that not every store is in a position financially to invest in replacing their chillers, but our work in Amit’s store shows that not every change has to be as large as that to make a real difference.
AMIT PATEL, PREMIER TOWN STREET IN SANDIACRE “This project has been fantastic to work on. I’m already seeing the benefits of the changes – both in terms of my energy savings and the feedback from my shoppers, who love what I’m doing and the way the store looks now.
“If the UK’s 46,388 convenience stores made these sustainability-focused alterations, the total savings across the channel could be up to £28.3M per year.”
“Thinking more about how we impact the environment is incredibly important for many reasons, and I urge all retailers to look at how they can start doing just that”.
TO SEE MORE OF AMIT’S SHOP AND FOR ADVICE FOLLOW @SUNTORYBF_GBI ON TWITTER AND LINKEDIN
News
Off-Trade
Kiwi wine week After the success of the inaugural New Zealand Wine Week event in 2021, New Zealand Winegrowers will kickoff the second New Zealand Wine Week on 8 February 2022). Themed ‘Bringing New Zealand to You’, activities for the event
Off-TradeNews FASCIA FOCUS – P37 WHISKY Community-owned distillery gets off the mark
GlenWyvis launches first whisky
are planned across the USA, UK, Ireland, Canada, China, and Australia. There is a wide-ranging programme including tastings, discussions, online activities, and physical events.
Frosty reception for Jägermeister campaign Mast-Jägermeister has launched a multi-million-pound national campaign, The Secret is Ice Cold, to reinforce Jägermeister’s perfect serve — an ice cold shot chilled to -18°C. The campaign includes out-of-home, social, and digital activity, alongside a number of experential events. Furthermore, consumers have the chance to win prizes via high-profile on-pack promotions
The world’s first 100% communityowned distillery, GlenWyvis Distillery, has launched its debut whisky. A total of 3,600 individually numbered bottles of the three-yearold GlenWyvis Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky have been allocated to GlenWyvis Distillery shareholders, whose investment enabled the build and development of the distillery. A further 2,000 bottles were available to pre-order in October 2020 and sold out almost immediately. Two hundred bottles will also be available at selected local retailers and on-trade premises throughout Scotland. GlenWyvis Highland Single Malt
Scotch Whisky is the first whisky to be produced in Dingwall in almost 100 years, with the last whisky distillery, Ben Wyvis, closing its doors in 1926. Matthew Farmer, Distillery Manager at GlenWyvis Distillery, said: “We are so excited to be launching GlenWyvis Distillery’s first whisky. Our journey over the past few years and the creation of GlenWyvis Distillery is thanks to our many shareholders so it is only fitting that they will be among the first to try our first whisky. “The 2018 distillation of 18 casks has produced a delicious whisky. Young whisky brings you so close to the grain - this is the first step, and it is pure GlenWyvis. This first
step is part of a long journey for GlenWyvis Distillery, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us.” Board Chairman David Graham added: “Present and past directors will join me in expressing real pride and admiration for the dedicated GlenWyvis team on reaching this significant milestone and producing Dingwall’s first whisky in almost 100 years.”
across multiple pack sizes. BEER Confectioner teams up with Drygate
Packs a punch London-based gin maker Jim &
Lees marks 90 years with snowball stout
Tonic has launched a 69% ABV absinthe inspired by an illegal narcotic from a video game. In The Elder Scrolls, Skooma is apparently “distilled from moonsugar and sacred to those who worship the moon and stars”. In the real world, Skooma Absinthe is priced at £69 for 70cl. In what is said to be a first for absinthe, the typical distinct green colour has been done away with, to create a pinkish ‘rouge absinthe’.
21 gong salute Innis & Gunn is celebrating after collecting 21 industry awards in 2021, spanning taste, quality and design. Its flagship beer, the single malt whisky cask matured The Original, scooped a total of nine accolades across five international awards. Irish Whiskey Cask – the brewer’s confusingly-named Scottish stout – picked up a further four gongs, while Innis & Gunn Lager Beer claimed a hat trick of wins.
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SLR | JANUARY 2022
In honour of its 90th year in business, Lees of Scotland has teamed up with Drygate Brewing Co to create a limited-edition stout. Inspired by Lees of Scotland’s famous snowball, the stout has hints of coconut and sweet mallow, with a deep chocolate warmth. The bespoke beer is the seventh in Drygate’s Convergence series and reflects the brewer’s passion for exploring the interactions between beer and food. Clive Miquel, CEO at Lees of Scotland said: “This is a really exciting collaboration and the first of its kind for us. We are delighted to celebrate our 90th year with a partnership that will provide something truly unique and special to our customers.” Rob MacKay, creative and marketing director at Drygate, said: “As a small, fairly young company, it has been great to see such a long-established, successful brand so eager to innovate and engage with a new community. We hope that this beer lives up to the expectations of Lees of Scotland’s many fans, and that they enjoy our take on the classic Scottish treat.”
RUM
Renegade Cane Rum reaches UK Renegade Cane Rum, the product of a terroirdriven rum project in Grenada, is now available in the UK via Speciality Brands. Three Pre-Cask white rums, which are the distillery’s very first distillates, encourage drinkers to explore the nuances of the terroirdriven spirit for the first time before the rums continue to mature in casks at the distillery. Designed for comparing and contrasting, each PreCask is best enjoyed alongside its siblings, allowing drinkers to understand where each of the main flavours and textures come from. All three are available now in 70cl bottles with an RSP of £55. Email sales@specialitybrands. com for trade enquiries.
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Off-Trade
News
Eyes down for a full Hooch RTD brand Hooch is now an official sponsor of Bongo’s Bingo. “The must-do experience of the moment,” Bongo’s Bingo is a reworking of the classic
FRUIT CIDERS Iconic brand returns to its roots
Brothers buys Babycham
game with added “banging tunes and an up-for-it party mentality”. Hooch will be offering fans on its Instagram page the chance
Brothers Drinks Co has acquired the iconic sparkling perry brand, Babycham, following an agreement with current owners Accolade Wines. Family-owned Brothers plans to reinvigorate the brand and relaunch it in 2022, extending it to a new generation of consumers and sparkling drink fans. Babycham was originally launched across the UK in 1953 and invented by Francis Showering, a member of the family who helped launch Brothers in Shepton Mallet in 1992. With its “I’d love a Babycham” catchphrase, it was the first alcoholic drink aimed specifically at women and reached the peak of its popularity in the mid1970s. Accolade Wines acquired Babycham when the Showerings company was bought out in the 1990s.
The acquisition is part of Brothers’ growth plans that come on the back of a 29% increase in revenue over the past two years. To celebrate the acquisition, the company gave the Babycham statue (pictured), located in Shepton Mallet for the last 60 years, a complete refurbishment. Matthew Showering, MD of Brothers, said: “We are proud to welcome the Babycham brand back into our drinks portfolio. We want to share the brand’s fun, sparkly and aspirational persona with new and familiar customers.”
to win Bongo’s Bingo prize experiences throughout the year. In addition, anyone attending Bongo’s Bingo will have the chance to win a case of Hooch.
Cannabis vodka The Real English Drinks Distillery has launched Northern Lights cannabis-flavoured vodka. The 37.5% spirit, which doesn’t contain cannabinoids THC or CBD, is available in 70cl bottles with an RSP of £34.99. The trade price per bottle is £22.25 ex VAT. To introduce Northern Lights to independent retailers, the distillery is offering a ‘buy
RTDs Launch taps into demand for more sophisticated drinks
Dunnet Bay unveils new cocktail-in-a-can
Dunnet Bay Distillers has launched a canned ready-to-drink cocktail – Wonders of the Wilderness, which combines Holy Grass Scottish Vodka with a refreshing, crisp apple tonic. The 5.5% ABV drink is available now in 250ml cans with an RSP of £2.50. Holy Grass Vodka is named after the locally-foraged botanical used in its creation at the UK mainland’s most northerly distillery. The new product’s recyclable can is labelled with uncoated wood-free paper. In harmony with the drink inside, this paper is made using 5% apple residue from apple juice production and 95% FSC certified pulp. Claire Murray, co-founder of Dunnet Bay, commented: “We see this RTD in a can as a logical extension to our range and it will be perfect to meet the current upswing in consumer desire for ready-made yet sophisticated cocktails.” Retailers should email info@rockrosegin.co.uk for trade inquiries.
WHISKY
Glen Scotia named Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year Campbeltown-based Glen Scotia has been named Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year at the Scottish Whisky Awards. The recognition comes seven months after its Glen Scotia 25-Year-Old expression was crowned ‘Best in Show’ at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition. It is the first time that one distillery has won both awards in the same year. Glen Scotia hails from Scotland’s smallest whisky-producing region. Campbeltown was once known as the “Victorian Whisky Capital of the World” and, in its heyday, was home to over 30 distilleries. Today, Glen Scotia is one of just three remaining.
five bottles and get one free’ deal. Email kate@foster.london to order.
Stowford four-packs Westons Cider has expanded its Stowford Press brand with the launch of a new price-marked four pack of Stowford Press Apple Cider pint cans (4 x 568ml, ABV 4.5%, £5.50 PMP). The new format has been launched to cater to the increased demand for premium serves at home, and comes off the back of doubledigit growth for Stowford Press in the off-trade (+11.3%) despite the decline in volume sales of mainstream cider (-7.3%).
Swedish match ‘Spirits of Sweden’ distiller, Purity, has announced the appointment of CPG International Brand Development and its sales and distribution partner, Brand Central to distribute Purity’s gins and vodkas in the UK. All of the distiller’s ingredients used are organic, including the base alcohol, resulting in Purity Vodka becoming one of the first vodkas in the world to achieve Certified Organic classification.
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JANUARY 2022 | SLR
19
RECHARGE YOUR SALES BRING IT ON
STIMULANTS NO.1 GROWTH SEGMENT*
ROCKSTAR NO.3 STIMULANT ENERGY BRAND*
* IRI Total Convenience, Value Sales, 52 weeks to 23.05.21
Time to
ROCKSTAR INCREASED BRAND INVESTMENT
Britvic | InAction+
Inside Business
A BRIGHT FUTURE
FOR ENERGY DRINKS
In the final part of the SLR InAction+ project with the Rockstar brand, we reflect on the knowledge gained during the project and look to the future of the energy drinks category.
T
he stimulant drink category increased by +16.9% in the past year, according to the latest data (Nielsen Scantrack, year to 28 August). This growth has largely been driven by sales of 500ml cans, which is becoming the key growth format. Following the acquisition by PepsiCo of Rockstar Energy last year, Britvic is now responsible for the brand in Great Britain, and the company is working with retailers to drive stimulant drinks sales even further. To demonstrate the opportunity for further growth within on-the-go soft drinks and the stimulant market in particular, SLR and Britvic joined forces earlier this year to work with Premier retailers Dennis and Linda Williams of Broadway Convenience Store in Oxgangs, Edinburgh. The project aimed to continue the momentum of stimulant drinks as lockdown restrictions eased, and to provide valuable new category insights for Britvic and the store team. Singles have been on the rise since the country opened up but the legacy of lockdown is continuing to impact further on shopper trends with the continued growth of low sugar and sugar free varieties. “We expect this growth to springboard once HFSS legislation comes into force,” he adds. “No sugar lines have seen a big uplift, and this is going to be a massive thing going forward,” he says. “Sugar free is definitely a big thing, and we have also seen big growth in multipacks in the last six months. Multipacks are continuing to grow as a result of changing shopper habits over the lockdown periods, according to Rockstar Brand Manager
Adrian Howe. He says: “As many workplaces change to a more hybrid way of working, we expect deferred sales to maintain a stronger share of category.” As part of the project, Dennis implemented a core range and added some shelf stripping point of sale to the chiller, and has noticed the same trends being played out in his store. “Pricemarking is also very important. It gives customers confidence in the price and is a real win–win. “Overall, Rockstar is a strong brand that people are looking for, with a point of difference because of the flavour choice and the price point, and a manageable range for retailers.” Howe adds: “The stimulant energy category continues to be the driving force in soft drinks growth. We expect this to continue as brands such as Rockstar look to become more accessible to a wider audience through product innovation and compelling and relevant activation.” He concludes: “We are looking forward to supporting retailers in Scotland by sharing this insight and key learnings so they too can increase their stimulant sales.”
PROJECT CONCLUSIONS Q Q Q Q Q
Stimulant/energy drinks continue to perform strongly Multipacks growth during lockdown has continued 500ml cans are driving growth in recent weeks Price points/pricemarking is important Sugar free lines are taking an increased share
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JANUARY 2022 | SLR
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Inside Business
Product of the Year Awards
SLR OF PRODUCT THE
YEAR 2021
TAKE YOUR PICK!
NEW PRODUCT AWARD
As SLR publishes its carefully-curated shortlist of this year’s most exciting and innovative new products, it’s now time for retailers to vote for 2021’s Products of the Year.
F
rom fruity-flavoured spirits to tongue-twisting candies, sugarfree soft-drinks and restaurant-inspired snacks (think flamegrilled and wood-smoked) the steady flow of innovative new products launched in 2021 has offered local retailers bags of ways to rev up their ranges with flashes of in-store theatre, excitement
and fun. And, thanks to the power and pull of social media, new product launches have also offered retailers an array of opportunities to connect with their local customers online and highlight the freshness and relevance of their in-store offers. A quick peek at the Facebook feeds of some of the industry’s leading retailers reveals hundreds of likes and comments from engaged customers who are only too keen to try and buy. A recent post about the launch of new Smirnoff Mango and Passionfruit Twist by Broadway Convenience Store (Premier) Edinburgh for example, was viewed by more than 2,000 people, generated more than 100 likes, 127 shares and over 50 positive comments. With figures such as those the power of new products is clear to see: innovative launches helping to keep local retailers on trend and on track. That’s why as 2021 draws to a close, SLR is once again launching its New Products of The Year Awards. Now in their second year, the Awards are designed to celebrate the hero new products that have had such a positive impact on stores and sales and crucially, to reward the suppliers who
invested in bringing them to market. Winners of the SLR New Product of The Year Awards will be selected by the local retailing community, with all retailers able to vote for their favourites from our shortlist and explain how their chosen products have helped to shape their success this year. Once the votes have been cast, the winners will be announced in a special supplement as part of the February 2022 issue of SLR and will also be featured in a special edition of our weekly digital magazine The Week In Retail in January. All of the winning products will also be entitled to carry the SLR Products of the Year Awards 2021 winner or shortlisted logo on-pack and in their marketing materials – thereby completing a virtuous circle by helping drive further sales in the future in local retailing outlets across the country, because we all know how much shoppers love an award-winning product. How did we establish the shortlist? The list of outstanding new product development has been carefully curated using a complex scoring formula with only the top-performing products making the cut. Every new product that was carried in SLR in print or digital format in 2021 was analysed and scored against a range of the most important engagement criteria including digital views, reads and clicks as well as offline retailer feedback and voting taking place amongst the Best retailers in the country at the SLR Award winners lunch.
To vote for your favourite products visit slrmag.co.uk/poty 22
SLR | JANUARY 2022
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Product of the Year Awards
BEER, CIDER AND LOW/NO ALCOHOL BEER Q Brothers Cider– Pink Grapefruit / Honeycomb [Brothers Cider] Q Brothers Cider – Toffee Apple Alcohol Free [Brothers Cider] Q Doom Bar (Fridge Pack) [Molson Coors] Q Beavertown Brewery Bones [Beavertown Brewery]
Inside Business
CRISPS AND SNACKS Q McCoy’s Fire Pit range (including Flame Roasted Peri Peri, Flame Smoked Chorizo, and Flame Scorched BBQ Ribs [KP Snacks]
Q Jacob’s Mini Cheddars Crunchlets Rich and Tangy Cheddar and Cheddar and Caramelised Onion [Pladis]
Q Frosty Jacks – Frosé [Aston Manor Cider]
Q Walkers MAX Kentucky Fried Chicken / Walkers MAX Double Crunch Zinger [Walkers]
Q Guinness 0% [Diageo]
Q Quavers – Prawn Cocktail / Salt & Vinegar [Walkers] Q Butterkist Crunchy Orange Chocolate [KP Snacks]
BISCUITS AND CAKES Q McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives / McVitie’s Chocolate Hobnobs Dessert–inspired Limited Edition range [Pladis] Q McVities Digestives / Hobnobs The Fully Coated One [Pladis] Q Cadbury Sandwich Snack / Cadbury Cookie Bites [Mondelez]
Q Mackies – Boxing Day Curry [Mackies of Scotland] Q Mini Cheddars Sticks Grilled Sizzling Cheddar Steak and Rich and Tangy Cheddar [Pladis]
FOOD TO GO
Q Ritter Sport Mini – Cornflake / Whole Hazelnuts / Alpine Milk Chocolate / Butter Biscuit [Ritter Sport]
Q Quaker Porridge to Go Pricemarked Bars [Quaker]
Q KitKat Christmas caramelised biscuit [Nestle]
Q Ginsters Smoky Steak & Guinness Slice [Ginsters]
Q Jaffa Jonuts [Pladis]
Q Rustlers – Cook in Box Range (The Supreme Cheese Melt Burger and Sausage Muffin) [Kepak]
BREAD AND HOME BAKING Q Kingsmill 50 /50 Multi–Seed / Kingsmill 50 /50 No Bits Multi–Seed [Kingsmill] Q Dr Oetker Spectacular Science Cupcakes Stretchy Slime [Dr Oetker]
Q Weetabix On The Go – Cafe Latte [Weetabix]
Q Ginsters Festive Chicken & Stuffing Slice [Ginsters] Q Ginsters Bake Range including Cajun Spiced Chicken Bake / Philly Cheese Steak Bake / Mac & Cheese Bake / Harissa Spiced Chicken Bake [Ginsters]
Q Dr Oetker – Rainbow Magic [Dr Oetker]
FREE FROM
Q Dr Oetker Spectacular Science! Solar System [Dr Oetker]
Q Rustlers Meatless Maverick [Kepak] Q Nairns Oats Your Way Gluten Free [Nairns Oatcakes]
CANDY
Q Dietary Requirement Sandwich range James Hall (Vegan, Vegetarian and Gluten Free) [James Hall]
Q Bonds pick ‘n’ mix – Berry Mess Mix Shaker Cup / Just Desserts Chocky Road Mix Shaker Cup [Hancocks]
Q Cadbury Plant Bar – Smooth Chocolate / Smooth Chocolate with Salted Caramel pieces [Mondelez]
Q Tic Tac Coca–Cola [Ferrero] Q Haribo Sour Sparks / Haribo Starbeams (Vegetarian) [Haribo]
Q Taste & Glory Deli Slices – No–Ham / No–Chicken / No–Beef [Kerry Foods]
Q Skittles Giants Crazy Sours [Mars Wrigley]
Q Flora Plant Butter Spreadable [Upfield]
Q Chewits – Blue Raspberry / Cherry / Sour Lemon Xtreme /Sour Cherry Xtreme [Cloetta UK] Q Bonds Spring 2021 range [Hancocks]
GUM Q Blockhead strawberry prebiotic sweets [Blockhead] Q EXTRA Refreshers New Bottle Format and Tropical flavour
CHOCOLATE CONFECTIONERY
[Mars Wrigley]
Q Galaxy Smooth Orange Block [Mars Wrigley] Q Drumstick Chocolate [Swizzels]
HARD SELTZERS
Q Kinder Bueno Coconut [Ferrero]
Q Viper Hard Seltzer Lime [Asahi UK]
Q Cadbury inventor Bars – Roxy’s Cadbury Dairy Milk Fizzing Cherry / Josh’s Cadbury Dairy Milk Banoffee Nut Crumble / Sophie’s Cadbury Dairy Milk No Frownie Brownie [Mondelez]
Q 19 Crimes Seltzer Lime Bitters [Treasury Wine Estates]
Q Cadbury Caramilk [Mondelez] Q Ferrero Rocher Bars White, Milk and Dark Chocolate 90g
Q 19 Crimes Seltzer Raspberry and Black Pepper [Treasury Wine Estates]
Q Viper Hard Seltzer Cranberry [Asahi UK]
[Ferrero]
Q Aero, Milkybar and Rolo Combos [Nestle]
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JANUARY 2022 | SLR
23
Inside Business
Product of the Year Awards
ICE CREAM
SMOKING ACCESSORIES
Q Häagen–Dazs 2–in–1 [General Mills]
Q Swan – Flavour Fusion Cards FRESH BURST [Republic Technologies]
Q Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough ice cream – vanilla–based Rain– Dough /chocolatey Dough–ble Chocolate [Unilever]
Q Swan – Flavour Fusion Cards MENTHOL [Republic Technologies]
Q Magnum Double Gold Caramel Billionaire [Unilever]
Q Gold Leaf Carnival Edition Papers [Imperial Tobacco]
Q Wall’s Cornetto Soft / Twister Peek–A–Blue / Cornetto Go [Unilever]
Q Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough Peace Pop [Unilever] Q Walls Yummies Tropical and Berry [Unilever]
PROTEIN Q Chocolate M&Ms Hi Protein whey protein powder [Mars Wrigley] Q Nature Valley Protein Soft Bakes [General Mills] Q Snickers Hi Protein Crisp [Mars Wrigley] Q Grenade Gingerbread Carb Killa [Grenade Gingerbread Carb Killa] Q Bounty Hi Protein bar new look and updated formula [Mars Wrigley]
SOFT DRINKS Q KA – Tropical Krush / Strawberry Soda / Citrus Punch [Barr Soft Drinks]
Q Rubicon Raw – Raspberry & Blueberry; /Orange & Mango / Cherry & Pomegranate [Barr Soft Drinks] Q Tango Dark Berry Sugar Free [Britvic] Q Yazoo – Jaffalicious Choc orange launch and 1L format later in year [FrieslandCampina] Q Red Bull Cactus Fruit launched as a limited edition now permanent [Red Bull] Q Fanta Blue Shokata (500ml) [CCEP] Q Pepsi – Lime [CCEP]
Q Snickers Hi Protein White Chocolate bar / Snickers Hi Protein White Chocolate Caramel and Peanut [Mars Wrigley]
PERSONAL CARE Lifebuoy – Multisurface range [Unilever] Lil–Lets (reusable applicator) [Lil–Lets Group] Kleenex Protective Care range including Hygeine Mask and Antibacterial wipes [Kimberly Clark]
SPIRITS AND NO OR LOW ALCOHOL SPIRITS Q Jim Beam Peach [Beam Suntory] Q JJ Whitley Gold Filtered artisanal Russian vodka [JJ Whiteley] Q Dead Man’s Fingers – Banana Rum [Halewood Artisanal Spirits] Q Smirnoff Raspberry Crush [Diageo] Q Jameson Orange [Pernod Ricard]
HEALTHY SNACKS /BREAKFAST BARS Q Nature Valley Full Mix [General Mills]
Q Dead Man’s Fingers Black and White Rum [Halewood Artisanal Spirits]
Q Captain Morgan Sliced Apple [Diageo]
Q Soreen Malt Lunchbox Loaves (10) [Samworth Brothers]
Q Hooch Spirits Lemon Gin / Raspberry & Lemon Gin / Mango & Lime Rum [Global Brands]
Q Graze Oats Boost – Cherry Bakewell / Chocolate Cookie [Unilever]
Q Smirnoff Mango and Passionfruit Twist [Diageo]
PET FOOD Q Cesar Natural Goodness Cans [Mars Petcare] Q Noochy Poochy [McKinna Plant Labs]
ENERGY Q Irn–Bru Energy Big Can (500ml) [Barr Soft Drinks] Q Monster – Monster Mule / Monster Ultra Fiesta / Monster Juiced Monarch [CCEP] Q Lucozade Zero Tropical [Suntory]
RTDS
Q Purdey’s Natural Energy Refocus Dark Fruits [Britvic]
Q Rekorderlig Pink Lemon Cider [Molston Coors]
Q Lucozade Zero (330ml cans) [Suntory]
Q Gordon’s 00% (pre–mix) Can [Diageo]
Q Rockstar Original No Sugar [Britvic]
Q Lambrini (4 pack) [Acolade]
Q Lucozade Alert – Tropical / Cherry [Suntory]
Q Beefeater new RTD’s London Dry, Blood Orange, Pink Strawberry [Pernod Ricard]
Q Red Bull Cactus Fruit Permanent Addition [Red Bull]
Q Bombay Sapphire RTDs Bombay Bramble and Tonic and Bombay Sapphire and Light Tonic [Bombay Sapphire] Q Whitebox Cocktail Cans [Whitebox] Q Malibu Watermelon Lemonade RTD [Pernod Ricard]
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SLR | JANUARY 2022
www.slrmag.co.uk
Product of the Year Awards
Inside Business
SQUASH
CHILLED
Q Vimto Core Range re–launch, fortification and new Blackberry / Raspberry & Blueberry flavours [Nichols]
Q Babybel Plus – Babybel + Vitamins / Babybel + Live Cultures [BEL UK]
Q Robinsons Double Strength Blackcurrant [Britvic]
Q Müller Corner Creations Diana Asher Smith [Müller]
Q Capri–Sun Multivitamin Squash – Orange / Apple & Blackcurrant [CCEP]
Q Müller Rice Protein [Müller] Q The Laughing Cow Blends [Bel Group] Q Müller Kefir Smoothie [Müller]
TOBACCO
Q Petits Filous No Added Sugar Mess Free [Yoplait]
Q Embassy Signature Gold Superkings [Imperial Tobacco] Q Signature Action [Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK] Q Sterling Dual Capsule Leaf Wrapped 20s [JTI] Q Embassy Signature – New Crush [Imperial Tobacco] Q JPS Players Easy Rolling Tobacco [Imperial Tobacco] Q Sterling Rolling Tobacco Essential (30g and 50g packs) [JTI] Q HEETS Mauve Wave [PMI]
GROCERY Q Mission Foods – Convenience tortilla wraps / plain pitta bread / naan [Mission Foods] Q Weetabix Chocolate Melts – Milk Chocolate / White Chocolate [Weetabix Food Company] Q Old El Paso Tortilla Pockets Smoky BBQ [General Mills] Q Pot Noodle Fusions – Katsu Curry / Chili Chicken / Thai Green Curry [Unilever]
VAPING
Q Tilda – Katsu Curry Rice [Tilda]
Q RELX Infinity Deep Blue Device [RELX]
Q Bird’s Custard Pods [Premier Foods]
Q RELX Infinity Essential Blue Glow Device (Value price) £999 [RELX]
Q Dinnerlady Vape Pen new disposable range of eight flavours [Dinnerlady]
WINE Q Rutas de Cafayate – Malbec [Pernod Ricard] Q 19 Crimes – Revolutionary Rosé [Treasury Wine Estates] Q 19 Crimes The Deported Coffee Infused Red [Treasury Wine Estates]
OWN LABEL WINE Q Spar Crisp White Bag in a box 225L [SPAR UK] Q Spar Fresh Rosé Bag in a box 225L [SPAR UK] Q Spar Seashell Bay Sauvignon Blanc [SPAR UK]
SUSTAINABLE Q Absoult Vodka (Limited Edition sustainable glass bottle) [Pernod Ricard] Q Feel Good Sustinable Toilet Roll [Wepa UK] Q BrewDog Planet Pale [BrewDog]
SLR OF PRODUCT THE
YEAR 2021
NEW PRODUCT AWARD
SLR OF PRODUCT THE
YEAR 2021
NEW PRODUCT AWARD
To vote for your favourite products visit slrmag.co.uk/poty www.slrmag.co.uk
JANUARY 2022 | SLR
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Inside Business
Ferrero | InAction+
IMPULSE CONTINUES TO DRIVE SALES SLR’s ongoing project with Ferrero and Musselburgh retailer Dan Brown has demonstrated that impulse confectionery remains dynamic and full of opportunity.
O
ne of the most significant changes to shopping patterns experienced by retailers during the past two years because of the coronavirus pandemic has been a switch from on-the-go purchases to larger take-home packs in traditionally impulse-driven categories such as confectionery. As shoppers spend more time at home, many have opted for multipacks and larger formats of confectionery to share with loved ones or to enjoy their treats throughout the week instead of their usual impulse items. However, products such as confectionery retain strong appeal for impulse purchases, meaning there were new opportunities to grow this category once again when restrictions eased. To evaluate this, SLR worked with Ferrero and Musselburgh retailer Dan Brown of Nisa Pinkie Farm to explore opportunities to boost the impulse confectionery once again, particularly when it is stimulated by new product development. As part of the project, Dan and the store team merchandised key Ferrero lines within the impulse confectionery section at Pinkie Farm, including some new products such as Kinder Cards and Duplo, and new licensed Kinder Egg lines. The new lines proved to be successful introductions into the confectionery category
at Pinkies Farm. Dan says: “Th e standout performers from the new lines we brought in were Duplo and the Kinder Cards, and they are now consistent sellers for us. We found that the Kinder Cards were good lines to push at the till point: people hadn’t seen them before so there was lots of interest, and they really went well. “Impulse confectionery is picking up again. During the lockdown we saw a big move to multipacks but it has been moving back more towards impulse lines recently. “Anything with the Ferrero brand really stands out to the customer, and whenever the brand brings out something different it really helps to liven up the category.” Levi Boorer, Customer Development Director at Ferrero, maintains that the future remains bright for treat products purchased on-thego. He says: “The pandemic prompted a shift in shopper behaviour towards multipacks in place of single serves, offering better value to shoppers. “The future looks positive for the confectionery category, with a raft of opportunities for retailers to drive sales, particularly when it comes to seasonal events. Even with the changes seen to store footfall and impulse purchases, the category has remained resilient as consumers have found ways to incorporate their favourite products into treats at home.”
BRAND HIGHLIGHTS KINDER CARDS Kinder Cards deliver the distinctive milk and cocoa taste the brand is known for, between two thin wafers and with a creamy filling. The UK launch is being supported by a £1.82m media investment, which includes a TV campaign.
NUTELLA B-READY Nutella B-Ready singles are up +12.4% year-on-year in terms of value sales following the summer period (GB Total coverage, 17 weeks to 20th August).
DUPLO The Duplo biscuit bar features two layers of crispy wafer, sandwiched between a smooth hazelnut centre and coated in milk chocolate. Available in a variety of formats, the 18.2g single pack is ideal for shoppers who are looking for an on-the-go treat.
www.slrmag.co.uk
JANUARY 2022 | SLR
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Inside Business
Vaping
VAPING USE HITS RECORD HIGH
Research shows that the number of adult smokers in the UK currently stands at 13.8% of the population – its lowest percentage since at least 2015. BY LIZ WELLS
T
he number of people who vape in the UK has risen to its highest level since records began, according to new government figures. The Office for National Statistics’ annual report into smoking prevalence in the UK shows the number of UK adults who smoke has fallen below 14% for the first time in years. In 2014, when data on the number of UK vapers started being collected, 3.7% of the population reported using e-cigarettes. In 2020 that had risen to 6.4%, equivalent to around 3.3m people. The report also reveals that the number of adult smokers in the UK currently stands at 28
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13.8% of the population – its lowest percentage since at least 2015. However, according to monthly data from the Office for National Statistics, smoking rates rose sharply during the pandemic and national lockdown, reaching a peak of 16.3% in August before slowly decreasing to 13.8% by the end of 2020. John Dunne, Director General of the UK Vaping Industry Association, said: “While this rise in smoking prevalence during lockdown could be attributed to increased anxiety because of the pandemic, I would also point towards the fact that speciality vape shops were not granted ‘essential retail’ status and therefore had to close
their doors as another significant contributing factor.” Dunne added: “This is a hugely welcome announcement as everyone on the side of harm reduction knows that vaping is far less harmful than smoking – by as much as 95% according to the former health protection watchdog Public Health England – so more people vaping and less smoking can only be cause for celebration.” The ONS Smoking Prevalence Report highlighted that the number of ex-smokers who now vape had risen from 11.7% in 2019 to 12.3%, while the number of smokers who also vape increased from 15.5% in 2019 to 17.8% in 2020. www.slrmag.co.uk
Hotlines
Product News & Media Watch
Organic Chickpea Miso Clearspring Japanese and organic foods brand Clearspring has launched Organic Unpasteurised Japanese Chickpea Miso, made from whole organic chickpeas, mixed with rice and koji culture. The miso is 100% organic, GMO-free, live, fermented, unpasteurised and suitable for vegans. Available in a sustainable 150g glass jar, it can be used just like traditional Japanese miso to make miso soup, stews, casseroles, dressings or used as a seasoning or glaze.
Carabao Orange Blast Carabao Group Carabao has relaunched its Mandarin Orange flavour as Carabao Orange Blast after consumer research found that consumers were 50% more likely to buy a product called Orange Blast versus the previous name. It is available in plain and 69p price-marked 330ml cans. The launch is backed by Facebook advertising and activity linked to the brand’s sponsorship of the Carabao Cup and Hibs and Hearts.
Branston High Protein Bean Meals Mizkan Group Branston’s three new high-protein vegetarian/plant-based bean meals are all 390g and available now with an RSP of £1. Variants include Chickpea Dhal (plant-based); Mexican Style Beans (plant based); and Italian Style Beans (vegetarian). All are high in protein; at least one of your fivea-day; gluten free; low in fat and sugar; and free from artificial flavours, colours, and preservatives.
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Hancocks unveils Veganuary range
Confectionery wholesaler Hancocks has unveiled an extensive range of vegan sweets for this year’s Veganuary. Vegan confectionery has grown in popularity in recent years; around 3% of people in the UK following a vegan lifestyle and 7% are vegetarian. Veganuary is a perfect opportunity for convenience store to stock up on their vegan ranges and offer customers new sweet treats. Swedish confectionery brand BUBs has always worked to create some of the best vegan sweets around and these form an integral part of the Hancocks pick and mix range. The huge range of BUBs available include Skull Sweets in Cool Melon, Cool Cola, Sour Raspberry and Lemon and Sour Skulls. Kingsway also offers a huge range of vegan pick and mix favourites including Meerkat gummies, Tongue Painters, Flying Saucers, Flying Saucers, Dracula Teeth, and Giant Strawberries.
Cocchi Vermouth di Torino Extra Dry Speciality Brands Cocchi’s new variant is made to a ‘Piedmontese Recipe’ with all the main ingredients coming, or with strong links to the region. The base wine used is made of Cortese grapes and botanicals include wormwood, angelica, coriander, cardamom, lemon peel and Menta di Pancalieri. With an ABV of 17%, it is available in 50cl bottles at a £19 RSP. Email sales@ specialitybrands.com for trade enquiries.
For fizzy sweet lovers, Kingsway offers Fizzy Twin Cherries, Fizzy Cherry Cola Bottles and its topselling Fizzy Cola Bottles – which now feature a new, improved recipe. New Kingsway Veggie Bon Bons offer flavours for all customers to enjoy, available in Orange, Toffee, Apple, Lemon, Bubblegum and Cherry flavours. Chocolate lovers are also covered in Hancock’s vegan range with offerings from brands including Tony Chocoloney, Moo Free and Dirty Cow. Customers looking for vegan treats may be surprised to learn that they can enjoy the classic experience of PEZ. Hancocks offers refill packs in a range of flavours including fruit mix and fizzy mix as well as a variety of fun character PEZ dispensers. Hancocks also offers Sing 2 PEZ characters ahead of the release of Sing 2 in early 2022. Other sweet vegan-friendly treats available are Rowntree’s Giant Jelly Tots 130g and Fruit Pastilles Tubes 115g.
Baller Chilli Bacon Vodka Doghouse Distillery Doghouse’s latest innovation is available now in 70cl (RSP £32.95) and 5cl (RSP £4.99) bottle formats. The 40% ABV liquid is produced using super-premium wheat vodka ‘Baller’, Mexican-grown Habanero chillies and a secret ingredient which gives it a baconsweet smokiness. Doghouse says it “taps into the growing demand for exciting, flavoured vodkas with a firstof-its-kind chilli and bacon combination”.
Yellow Label Gin Foragers Spirits brand Foragers hand forages local botanicals from Snowdonia to produce its range of award-winning spirits. Yellow Label Gin (ABV 42%, 70cl, RSP £43) offers soft juniper tones, fresh apple and elderberry, and floral notes from gorse and heather flowers. Production is limited to 5,000 bottles. Foragers says Yellow Label Gin is “perfect in cocktails or on its own for truly unique flavour”.
www.slrmag.co.uk
*SOURCE: A.C. NIELSEN SCOTLAND IMPULSE 25.01.20. BASED ON AVERAGE STORE SIZE. TENNENT’S AND THE RED T ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF THE C&C GROUP
THE RIGHT RANGE FOR SCOTLAND
Introducing Tennent’s Rewards! Don’t miss out, by signing up you could increase your sales by up to £270 a week!*
What is Tennent’s Rewards? • A Beer & Cider focussed category plan designed specifically for the shopper in Scotland • A way to grow your sales delight your shoppers, and get rewarded for doing so • Encourage more people to make purchases in your shop.
Benefits For You Increased Sales and Support Grow your sales and earn rewards through support from the Tennent’s Rewards team. Increased Visibility and POS Easier to shop and maintain availability on fixture, enhancing value, growing sales, and delighting shoppers.
Insight for growth Shoppers in Scotland proportionally spend 42% more on the top 3 Beer & Cider brands than in England & Wales.1 This means more space is required to stop you losing out on sales across the biggest brands in Scotland. 1:A.C. Nielsen 25.01.20
Meeting shopper requirements in a changing environment We are here to support and guide on Scottish legislation and evolving shopper trends.
Unlock the value in your chiller now! Sign up today at www.tennentsrewards.com or email rewards@tennents.com for more information.
Feature
Burns Night
YOUR BARD! The annual festival of whisky and haggis is almost upon us so make sure you don’t miss out on the sales opportunities that exist around Burns Night.
TUESDAY, 25 JAN BURNS NIGHT
I
t’s nearly that time of year when customers around the country will be preparing for the annual whisky and haggis fest that is Burns Night. It falls on a Tuesday this year which isn’t exactly ideal for those shoppers intending to over-indulge a little on Scotland’s national drink, but it’s certainly a great time to pushing Scotland’s other national drink hard. Iconic products like the Irn-Bru range will be huge demand as the Saltires fly and the tartan swirls. “Retailers can maximise sales of soft drinks this Burns Night by stocking up on popular Scottish brands,” says Adrian Troy, Marketing Director at Barr Soft Drinks. Troy says Barr brands play a key role in offering choice, quality and value for shoppers looking for the perfect accompaniment to traditional Scottish celebrations. Burns Night boosts the total category, with 32,000 more units of take home soft drinks sold in the week before the occasion [IRI, Jan 2019]. “On Burns Night, shoppers are actively seeking brands which reflect their Scottish 32
SLR | JANUARY 2022
heritage, and Barr’s brands are perfectly suited to this occasion,” says Troy. He advises retailers to drive sales this Burns Night by stocking up on iconic Scottish brands like Irn-Bru and the Barr Family range. Irn-Bru is the number one Scottish grocery brand [Kantar, Sep 2018] and grew in value by 5% in the week preceding Burns Night in 2019 [IRI, Jan 2019]. Troy says Irn-Bru regular, XTRA, and Sugar Free variants are all must-stock products for Scottish retailers at Burns Night as they work well as a mixer or as stand-alone refreshing soft drinks. “Having a range of well-known Scottish brands and popular flavours to choose from is really important to shoppers, particularly when they are catering for large family gatherings,” he says, and urges retailers to stock up on larger sharing pack formats and multipacks. “Our advice is stock up on those iconic brands that shoppers recognise and enjoy, re-stock regularly to avoid missing out on sales and you will see great results this Burns Night,” concludes Troy.
DRAM FINE
Burns Night simply wouldn’t be Burns Night without a dram or seven, which is why Diageo recently announced a new look and feel for the UK’s second biggest blended scotch whisky [Nielsen], Bell’s Original Whisky. The new bottle was launched with a £1m media investment behind the brand’s first TV ad in six years. The new packaging was rolled out last month in 70cl and 1L formats with RSPs of £16 and £20 respectively. The refreshed bottle features founder, Arthur Bell, showcasing the brand’s heritage in a contemporary way to maintain its identity and stand out on shelf. The TV ad featured doorbell chimes ringing out to the tune of Burns’ Auld Lang Syne with the message to Drop by for a Bell’s.
www.slrmag.co.uk
Raise a BRU for Burns on January 25th
“
Stocking up with BRU’s the thing, If you want your till to go ker-ching
”
Feature
Healthy Options
A HEALTHY START TO 2022
The new year brings new opportunities to grow sales, as shoppers look to right the wrongs of an overindulgent festive season by eating and drinking more healthily. BY FINDLAY STEIN
I
t’s that time again when everyone tries to put the excesses of the festive season behind them and start the new year with a clean slate. People are bursting with good intentions – signing up for Dry January and Veganuary left, right and centre, while gyms see a brisk upturn in business. This, of course, presents a great opportunity for retailers as shoppers seek out products to match their new healthier lifestyles. With 6.5 million people taking part in the aforementioned Dry January [IGD Shoppervista], it’s no surprise that bottled water sales now see their second biggest peak after summer [IGD Shoppervista]. However, almost half of Brits dislike drinking plain water and say they prefer flavoured drinks [dunnhumby Health in 2021]. This leads to a massive incremental opportunity for retailers, where shoppers are looking for lower calorie soft drinks that don’t compromise on taste and give them a fruity flavour hit. One product that ticks all these boxes is Rubicon Spring, which Adrian Troy, Marketing Director at brand owner Barr Soft Drinks, describes as “the high taste, low calorie alternative that shoppers are looking for – a bridge between the healthiness of water and the taste of carbonated fruit drinks.”
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SLR | JANUARY 2022
Currently the No.1 flavoured sparkling water [IRI], bought by 1.6 million shoppers and bringing +52% more shoppers into the range over the last year [Kantar WPO], Rubicon Spring combines sparkling spring water and fruit juice, with only 15 calories or less per bottle. “It’s been a strong year for Rubicon Spring,” says Troy. “With the 500ml range shown strong recovery as on-thego sales picked back up, with a +66% increase in Drink Now sales and now growing at +38% since restrictions have eased [IRI]. However, we also saw a phenomenal +139% increase in Take Home over the last year, as more shoppers enjoyed at home.” Earlier this year, Barr Soft Drinks launched Rubicon Spring Pineapple Passion, targeting shoppers at the water fixture, who are looking for an exciting new flavour. Where stocked, this 500ml SKU has already grown to be the third best-selling flavour in the range, behind Black Cherry & Raspberry and Orange & Mango [IRI]. Rubicon Spring will benefit from a burst of social media activity running throughout January, in partnership with popular health and fitness Instagram influencers, building on the brand’s previous ‘No Added Boring’ campaign. Troy adds: “Stocking the full range of Rubicon Spring with the right space and
visibility, utilising exciting POS, will ensure that retailers maximise the sales opportunities created from shoppers trying to kickstart the New Year with a healthier lifestyle.” Another option comes from Britvic’s Aqua Libra brand, which offers a healthier alternative to full/low/no sugar drinks and is more flavoursome than plain water. Aqua Libra contains zero-sugar, zero-calories, is free from sweeteners and artificial ingredients, and is also suitable for vegans. Following on from a re-brand last year, Britvic has added a new Raspberry & Blackcurrant variant to the range, to offer a further breadth of flavour choice to health-conscious shoppers.
STICKING WITH FIZZ However not everyone on a health kick wants to give up their favourite fizzy drinks, as Troy explains: “Our research shows us that many carbonates shoppers are looking to reduce their sugar and calorie intake, so it’s really important for retailers to stock a range of choices in flavour and format.” Barr’s flagship Irn-Bru brand’s zero sugar Xtra variant delivered more than £20m worth of sales last year [AG Barr sales data] and allows retailers to offer a full flavour option for those looking to cut their sugar intake. www.slrmag.co.uk
Healthy Options
Phil Sanders, Out of Home Commercial Director at Britvic, agrees that offering a broad range is crucial at this time of year. “It’s vital to cater to those looking for low and no sugar alternatives, with products such as Tango Sugar Free and Pepsi MAX,” he says. “Pepsi MAX boasts an enviable flavour portfolio, including Pepsi MAX Raspberry, Pepsi MAX Cherry and Pepsi MAX Ginger, all of which are available in a range of formats that suit a variety of occasions and customer needs. This year Tango Sugar Free also introduced a Dark Berry flavour to the popular sugar free range, bringing a mouth-watering taste of sweet, tangy raspberries and rich blackberries, ensuring shoppers don’t have to compromise on taste when choosing a healthier option.”
HEALTHIER SNACKING Health-conscious consumers needn’t cut corners on taste in the healthier snacking category either. Gone are the days of cardboard-tasting products, as manufacturers respond to growing demand for more permissible options. This trend has been fuelled in part by the coronavirus pandemic, with 80% of consumers saying they will make greater attempts to stay healthier due to Covid-19 [FMCG Gurus]. As a result, healthier snack bars are forecast to grow 14% over the next three years [Euromonitor Snacking Forecast]. Cereal bar brand Nature Valley offers added health benefits through its core platforms Nature Valley Crunchy, made with 100% wholegrain oats and Nature Valley Protein, which is high in protein and fibre. Those key ranges are major contributors to the brand’s growth at +6.2% vs LY to £57.6m [Neilsen]. Alongside healthier snacking, the weight management snacks category also in growth, now valued at £120.7m [Neilsen]. January is a key month for the category, as consumers who
Feature
have put on a few extra pounds over Christmas now try to shed them. Fibre One, from General Milles, is now the third-biggest brand in the category, and a significant contributor to growth at +£6.5m [Neilsen]. Known for its 90-calorie brownie and square range, General Mills reduced its sugar content by 30% last year, without compromising on taste. KP Snacks is also reporting healthy sales growth on the back of healthier snacking. Its popchips core range is worth £38m RSV and is growing in value at +22.6% [Neilsen Scantrack]. Coming in at under 100 calories per serving, suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and with a third less fat than the market leader, popchips provides a more permissible snack option without compromising on big flavour. “At KP Snacks, our recent NPD has focussed on ‘better for you’ ingredients but with big tasting flavour cues that inspire consumers and add something totally new to the healthy snacking segment,” says Matt Collins, Trading Director at KP Snacks. “One of our newest product launches is popchips Veg Vibes, a light and crunchy new snack made of chickpea, rice and sweet potato combined with deeply satisfying flavours that consumers don’t usually see in vegetable based crisps. The range launched in Sriracha and Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar, guaranteed to meet the bold flavour notes and lasting after tastes that shoppers are looking for.”
BRITVIC’S TOP TIPS FOR HEALTHIER JANUARY SALES Q Back the best sellers, such as 7UP Free, Tango Sugar Free and Pepsi MAX with the potential to drive scale Q Cater for all need states with a variety of different pack formats for both on-the-go and at-home occasions Q Showcase NPD – new products should be given extra visibility to encourage customers to try something different. Include POS to highlight the fact that it is a new addition Q Cross-category merchandising – create dedicated fixtures to locate complementary products together, to encourage cross-category purchases and increase basket spend. For example, site single serve soft drink formats with healthier snacks and salads for meal deal occasions Q Use social media as a tool to promote any offers you are running in-store, this will encourage customers to come in and check them out, even picking up other items along the way
www.slrmag.co.uk
JANUARY 2022 | SLR
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Ian won’t tell you how to suck eggs Just help you sell more When you join Nisa, you get hands-on support from people who’ve been there, seen it, and done it, like Ian. Specialists who know retail and understand what your customers want.
See how Ian can support your business Visit nisalocally.co.uk/retailers or call 0800 542 7490
Nisa | Fascia & Franchise Focus
Advertising Feature
THE PARTNER OF CHOICE FOR INDEPENDENT RETAILERS
N
isa is proud to work with multi award-winning stores including Pinkie Farm, Nisa Local Motherwell Road, and Greens of Markinch to name a few, making us the proven partner of choice for many market-leading, independently minded retailers in Scotland. And with recent industry recognition including the Retail Industry Awards accolade for Symbol/Franchise Retailer of the Year for the second year running, retailers can depend on award-winning support, access to an extensive product range comprising more than 13,000 SKUs and around 2,500 Co-op own brand products. The roll out of Co-op own brand has continued to be a key USP for Nisa partners and has included Co-op’s innovative plant based GRO range and the Honest Value range, further helping retailers to provide their customers a great variety of products to suit all types of lifestyles and budgets.
A FASCIA AND FORMAT TO FIT YOUR STORE Retailers have the option to operate under a symbol fascia; Nisa Local, Nisa Express or Nisa Extra, or dual branded, whereby a Nisa partner can maintain their own local identity whilst also benefiting from the strength of the Nisa brand. Alternatively, a retailer can choose to trade under their own independent fascia. The latest format, Nisa Express provides a dedicated fascia option and store format for smaller convenience and forecourt sites, with the latest technology and contemporary design providing a first-class shopping experience for the consumer. Catering for retailers operating in more compact spaces, the option for stores up to 1,000 sq. ft. has been developed with three different format options available - food centric, forecourt and essentials – providing a tailored solution for a wide range of retailers. The Express format is continually evolving with latest additions including an enhanced sustainability range, integrated self-scan, customer facing vaping and much more to ensure retailers can fully utilise the space they have without compromise.
FRESH THINKING TO SUPPORT BUSINESS GROWTH
www.slrmag.co.uk
Retailers get access to best in class support through Nisa’s partner proposition, Fresh Thinking, including retail expertise and thought leadership to help continually improve customer experience through instore solutions, category insights, store format innovation and expert account management teams. Fresh Thinking also provides Nisa partners with access to convenience and symbol expertise through an in-house Insight team to help retailers truly understand their customers and their marketplace. Nisa’s rebate model, Fresh Rewards launched last year and built on simplicity and fairness, the model gives independent retailers the opportunity to unlock up to 5.5.% rebate with additional benefits available for those embracing Co-op own brand products and with a Nisa fascia store. Retailers can see how much rebate they could earn by visiting www. nisalocally.co.uk/fresh-rewards/.
AWARD-WINNING SUPPORT Nisa provides a complete retail support package which comprises a strong retail focused team, an enhanced category management system, a bespoke staff training facility and a comprehensive marketing package incorporating social media and PR support, leaflets, point of sale material, a personalised Nisa FM radio network and national advertising. A comprehensive support structure is provided to ensure retailers continue to push their business forward. Support comes from a strong field team including retail development managers and range implementation managers, as well as a specialist induction team dedicated to supporting new partners during their first 90 days with Nisa, ensuring a smooth transition process. And we know community involvement is key to independent retailers which is why we enable our partners to support local good causes through Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally charity. Since its formation in 2008, more than £14m has been raised for good causes across the UK and the charity was recently awarded Symbol Group Community Initiative of the Year at the SLR Awards. To join Nisa complete the form on www.nisalocally.co.uk/retailers/ becoming-a-partner or contact our development team on 0800 542 7490. JANUARY 2022 | SLR
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UTC
ONE FOOT IN THE KESGRAVE There’s nothing UTC likes better than indulging in a spot of schadenfreude, so he was overjoyed to take pleasure in Tesco’s misfortune for the second time in as many months. The first occasion was when the supermarket giant got pelters from the public for displaying cardboard cutouts of fruit and veg in a failed bid to cover up empty shelves. Now – to UTC’s ongoing delight – it’s getting clobbered once again, this time by the good people of Kesgrave which, it must be stressed, is a small town very slightly east of Ipswich. Kesgravians (not a real word) were outraged to discover their local Tesco had stuck up a huge poster proudly boasting it was “serving Ipswich’s shoppers a little better every day”. A certain Ms Marsh, member of the Kesgrave Community Facebook group, asked: “Why does the new fascia at Kesgrave Tesco say serving Ipswich shoppers?” “I don’t expect many people travel from Ipswich to do their weekly shop there,” she added, without offering any explanation as to why not. Especially since a sizeable chunk of its population lives closer to Tesco Kesgrave than the Tesco Extra at the western edge of Ipswich. Tesco, which must be used to this sort of thing by now, duly apologised and promised to update the offending artwork. As UTC chortled: “Between cardboard carrots and replacement posters, its printing supplier must be doing a roaring trade.”
DIPLOMATIC INCIDENT Before Christmas, brownie maker Bad Brownie,was punting what it called “this festive season’s must-have stocking filler” – a giant half-kilo Ferrero Rocher-inspired brownie. Bad Brownie deftly dodged Ferrero’s lawyers by coyly calling its creation the ‘Ambassador’s Golden Balls brownie’ in a nod to the classic ‘ambassador’s reception’ TV ad. This had UTC fondly recalling saying “Monsieur, with zees Rocher you are really spoiling us” in a dodgy French accent whenever someone offered him something in the mid-1990s. However, the notoriously sweet-toothed UTC was a bit put out that nobody in the office thought to buy him one of the huge brownies for Christmas. It was gently pointed out to him that the 500g monster, which has a solitary Ferrero Rocher nestling at its core, costs a not inconsiderable £26. Or about £25 more than any of his colleagues would be willing to spend on a gift for him. This prompted a spurt of abacus bashing from the tight-fisted old codger, who worked out that you could in fact buy 900g of the real thing for £26. And have 50p change left over. Or ten bob, as he still insists on calling it.
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SLR | JANUARY 2022
THE COLD-BLOODED TRUTH What with the Omicron coronavirus variant running rampant, the last thing beleaguered Britons – especially reptile owners – need is another reason to have to wash their hands. But we have one. The Food Standards Agency, along with every other public health watchdog under the feeble winter sun, has warned of an outbreak of human salmonellosis linked to frozen mice used to feed snakes. The FSA has issued a product recall and advises snake owners to wash their hands thoroughly after feeding their pets. This outbreak is a bit more of a slow burner than Omicron though, with almost 900 cases of Salmonella poisoning occurring since it was first reported. Way back in 2015. Despite having the appearance of a decrepit old galoot, UTC fancies himself as a man of action and wondered why the FSA waited seven years to issue a warning. More importantly, given that snakes are cold-blooded, he also asked – with a twinkle in his eye – if it wouldn’t be a bit kinder to warm the mice up before serving them.
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