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08 Deposit Return Scheme Retailer Abdul Majid wins his legal challenge against DRS administrator Circularity Scotland.

09 Retail Crime ACS calls for a ‘most wanted’ list of shoplifters as theft from stores hits record high.

10 Wholesalers New Bestway initiative identifies key profitdriving lines that will help boost sales for retailers.

12 Services An extended partnership will see Jisp’s Scan & Save platform rolled out to a further 4,000 Payzone retailers.

14 Energy Prices The Treasury takes flak for failing to understand the pressures facing businesses.

18 News Extra Minimum Unit Pricing As a new report concludes that legislation has had a positive impact, there are calls for the minimum unit price of alcohol to rise.

24 Product News Rockstar and rapper Stormzy team up while Diet Coke reunites with supermodel Kate Moss.

26 Off-Trade News Rekorderlig urges consumers to be fruitier as WKD unveils new Love Island packs.

INSIDE BUSINESS

29 Competition Checkout Scotland Your chance to win one of four pairs of tickets for GroceryAid Scotland’s music event and see Example, B*Witched and the Supernaturals.

30 Two Minutes Of Your Time Kristine Moore Henderson Technology’s Retail Technology Manager talks EPoS, ESELs and self-serve checkouts.

32 Symbol Group Special Premier With the recent opening of Premier’s 500th store in Scotland, SLR looks back at the rise and rise of the UK’s largest symbol group.

34 SLR Awards The waiting is over, as the shortlist for this year’s SLR Awards is revealed.

38 Advertising Feature Imperial Tobacco A new range of Regal Signature products has been developed exclusively for the Scottish market.

40 Hotlines The latest new products and media campaigns.

58 Under The Counter The Auld Boy has a brush with Barbiecore, triggering an unpleasant childhood memory.

FEATURES

42 Tea & Coffee Britain’s love for a caffeinated drink remains as strong as ever and now is the time to reap the rewards.

46 Back To School The end of the summer holidays is a great chance for retailers to stock up on lunchbox essentials.

50 Tobacco The UK tobacco market continues to shine, buoyed by its many heritage brands.

52 Crisps & Snacks The snacking category still remains strong, with PMPs driving growth for the convenience sector.

56 Lunch-to-go Meal deals and snacks-to-go lead the way on the lunchtime occasion.

22 David Sands Group The final step of the integration of the David’s Kitchen and Pinkie Farm stores into Spar Scotland was completed last month in a major coup for CJ Lang.

Snappy Group goes from strength to strength

Snappy Group, the operators of home delivery app Snappy Shopper, has reported another record year. The group declared more than 50% year-on-year growth in order numbers, fulfilling over 5.5 million orders across the year, from its network of over 1,800 merchants. Snappy Shopper convenience stores have an average basket size of £26 versus £7 in-store.

Achievers Awards 2024 open for entries

The Scottish Wholesale Association has launched its Achievers Awards for 2024, which reward outstanding performance across the wholesale trade in Scotland. The event, which is returning to the O2 Academy Edinburgh, features 13 wholesale category awards and six supplier awards. Wholesalers and suppliers can submit entries online via the Achievers 2024 entry form on the SWA website.

PayPoint enables stores to partner with brands

PayPoint is rolling out its proposition that enables FMCG brands to partner with a network of 40,000 convenience stores, to boost product sales, and drive additional footfall and spend for retailers. PayPoint Engage offers FMCG brands the ability to drive consumer spend, create digital interactions, push new product development, and increase sales and distribution.

Geek Bar issues alert over illegal products

Geek Bar is warning retailers and consumers to be extra vigilant for potentially deadly illegal and illicit vape products. Independent testing of illegal vapes purchased in the UK revealed that they contained dangerous levels of lead, nickel and chromium. Allen Yang, Geek Bar CEO, said: “Unfortunately, as vaping gets ever more popular it attracts unscrupulous characters.”

Retailer wins DRS judicial review case

Independent retailer Abdul Majid has won his judicial review case against Circularity Scotland, which was appointed by the Scottish Government to administer the deposit return scheme (DRS).

Abdul challenged the legality of the retailer handling fees that Circularity Scotland was seeking to impose on retailers. He was concerned that the retailer handling fee levels would not cover his costs a er the introduction of the DRS and would be detrimental to his business both in the short and long term.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted to have won my case, one which I feel in many ways

was not just for myself but for the many other retailers who would have been negatively impacted if Circularity Scotland had been able to proceed with their plans for the setting of the retail handling fee. From the outset it was clear that there was an issue over the legality of the retailer handling fees but it is not as if this was not pointed out to them.”

In response, SGF Chief Executive Pete Cheema, said the decision “essentially stops the DRS progressing in its current form”.

He added: “It’s hugely disappointing however that it took a court action by an independent retailer when SGF had tried for

some considerable time to make the Scottish government listen to those directly a ected – indeed, we had personally informed Lorna Slater that Circularity Scotland were breaching their licence, but she refused to support us when it was obvious that we were right.

“Also, we had warned the Scottish government that it was never industry-led. Despite representing the largest number of return point operators, our voice was consistently not listened to.

“SGF is hopeful that the UK government will make this legal position binding when they introduce the UK-wide DRS scheme in October 2025.”

Spar Scotland opens new Highland store

floor, counter area, ceiling and shelving have all been added, as has a CJ’s-branded food-to-go area that offers a range of hot and cold treats. A Costa Coffee machine and a Calippo Slush machine are also available. New eco-friendly refrigeration has also been added.

Services provided include the Lottery, Post Office, PayPoint and an ATM.

CJ Lang & Son, the wholesaler for Spar in Scotland, has opene a new company-owned store in the village of Castletown.

The licensed convenience store is located where the Morrisons Daily store once traded on the Main Street. The store was previously an independent Spar store.

The 1,342sq ft store has been refitted internally and externally with the latest Spar designs. A new

STORE

Steven Irons, Company-Owned Stores Operations Director at Spar Scotland, said: “Spar Castletown is positioned at the heart of the community, and we are sure everyone in the area will enjoy the benefits of our investment. We have made considerable improvements to the in-store shopping experience, and we hope the great range of quality products and services will serve the area well for many years to come.”

Spar Castletown is open from 7am-10pm Monday to Saturday, and 8am-10pm Sunday.

Maybole’s improved Co-op opens

Co-op has opened a new larger store in Maybole, South Ayrshire.

e 5,000sq store is more than 2,000sq larger than the retailer’s existing store in the town, which has moved to the new Kirkoswald Road location.

e store features customer car parking, free-touse ATM, in-store bakery, hot food, a Costa Co ee

machine, Amazon Lockers, and a so plastic recycle unit.

Speaking ahead of the opening, Jonathan Kirkland, Co-op Store Manager, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to launch Co-op’s newest store, and the team is really looking forward to welcoming the community into their new and improved Co-op.”

RELOCATIONS New South Ayrshire store is bigger and better

DEPOSIT RETURN SCHEME Judicial review result essentially stops the scheme progressing in its current form

ACS seeks most wanted list of thieves as incidents hit new high

e Association of Convenience Stores has called on police forces to introduce a most wanted list for proli c shop thieves as part of new plans to tackle repeat o ending.

e call comes as gures from the ACS’ annual Crime Report shows that its the index has reached new record levels.

e report estimates that there were over 1.1m incidents of the reported last year. e most commonly stolen items are meat, alcohol and confectionery –typically high-value items that can then be sold on.

Additional key ndings from the Crime Report include:

Q 63% of shop the is committed by repeat o enders;

Q 79% of retailers believe that the cost-of-living crisis has led to an increase in the ;

Q 87% of employees working in convenience stores have experienced verbal abuse over the last year;

Q Retailers estimate that just 16% of crimes against their business are reported to the police;

Q £228m was invested by convenience retailers in crime prevention measures over the last year.

SUSTAINABILITY New legislation will tackle waste and increase reuse and recycling rates

Scottish government introduces Circular Economy Bill

e Scottish government has outlined new legislation that to tackle waste and increase reuse and recycling rates.

e Circular Economy Bill will give ministers powers to:

Q Set local recycling targets, building on the experience of Wales, which has the best recycling rate in the UK;

Q Set statutory targets for delivery of a circular economy to measure progress in reducing waste and the nation’s carbon footprint;

Q Ban the disposal of unsold consumer goods to prevent good products ending up in land ll;

Q Place charges on single-use items like co ee cups to encourage the move to reusable alternatives.

Local authorities will be given additional enforcement powers, allowing them to crack down on y tipping and littering from cars.

e Scottish government will also work with local authorities to codesign an updated national Code of Practice for household waste recycling to improve the consistency of services and increase the quality and quantity of recycling collected.

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “ e Circular Economy Bill with give local councils and the Scottish government the powers they need to transform our economy and tackle throwaway culture.

“ is legislation will support the growth of more green businesses and community organisations while cutting waste and climate emissions.”

ACS has called on police forces and the government to do more to take retail crime seriously and support local businesses. e ve-point plan includes:

Q Introduce a ‘Most Wanted’ list of shop thieves in each police force area, where proli c o enders can be banned from retail areas or referred for rehabilitation;

Q Review the impact of new legislation that makes attacking a public-facing worker an aggravated o ence;

Q Invest in rehabilitation programmes for o enders to break the cycle of o ending and ine ective punishment;

Q Encourage local forces to use the tools available to them to deal with anti-social behaviour;

Q Incentivise investment in crime prevention measures.

NEWSTRADE Deferred profit margin anger

The NFRN has slammed News UK’s decision to reduce newsagents’ profit margins for six months, as part of increases to the cover prices of The Times and The Sunday Times.

Weekday copies of the Times increased in price from £2.50 to £2.80 last month.

The Saturday edition also went up in price, from £3 to £3.50, while the Sunday Times rose from £3.50 to £4.

However, the current retail margin paid for each copy sold, either through subscriptions or over the counter, will be reduced and will not return to percentages equivalent to current levels until 9 December.

Proxy purchasing campaign commences

SGF and the Scottish Alcohol Industry Partnership have launched ‘It’ll Cost You,’ a campaign on proxy purchasing of alcohol that aims to raise awareness of the consequences of proxy purchasing, which could result in a fine of up to £5,000 and up to three months in prison. Some key campaign materials and more information can be found at itwillcostyou.com. The campaign runs until 18 August.

Snappy Shopper partners with ITS

Snappy Shopper has teamed up with EPoS supplier ITS to integrate its technology with Snappy Shopper retailers. The relationship is born out of Snappy Shopper’s desire to give its retailers the most cuttingedge tools and data to achieve quicker deliveries and control a bigger and more relevant store range to aid improved basket spend and store efficiency.

Nisa retailers save 150,000 meals

Nisa retailers have saved 150,000 meals with surplus food app Too Good To Go since 2019. Every week between 1,200-1,300 meals are saved across Nisa stores, which equates to a saving of 375 tonnes of Co2e. Nisa’s Ian Bacon said: “Every Nisa store that has so far partnered with Too Good To Go have given positive feedback about how simple the app is to use and the impact on the local community.”

JTI test purchasing discovers illicit sales

Test purchasing by JTI has found that illegal tobacco and vapes are widely available in stores across the UK. Of 186 stores visited this spring, 96 were found selling a mixture of illegal cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco, or vapes. Counterfeit RYO was bought for as little as £3.50 a pack as well as overfilled 3,500-puff capacity vapes.

East Linton store seeks permission for RVM

Co-op is seeking planning permission to put a reverse vending machine (RVM) at its store in East Linton. The RVM, which can be used to return plastic bottles and drinks cans, would be placed at the rear of the store at 53 High Street. East Lothian Council hopes to make a decision on the plans by the middle of July. The proposals can be viewed on the council’s website.

Aldi becomes Scotland’s third-biggest supermarket

Aldi is Scotland’s third-biggest supermarket by number of units sold, according to new Kantar data which finds Aldi’s volume share has increased to 11%, overtaking Morrisons and Sainsbury’s for the first time. Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland, said: “This is a momentous moment for Aldi in Scotland, as we continue to build our presence within the Scottish market.”

Prestonpans store wants to install cash machine

Usave Prestonpans Mini Market, in East Lothian, is seeking planning permission for a new free-to-use ATM. The machine would be located on the left-hand side of the building in front of the ramp so disabled users can access it safely. If installed, the machine would provide 24-hour banking facilities for people in the area. The machine would be operated by Euronet Worldwide.

Digital offer ‘a slap in the face’ for news retailers

The NFRN has slammed a promotional campaign from Scottish regional newspaper publisher Highland News and Media, which aims to lure customers away from printed newspapers, as “cynical, aggressive and a slap in the face for news retailers”. The publisher produces 12 titles including the Banffshire Journal, Forres Gazette, John O’Groat Journal, and Northern Scot.

Bestway helps retailers drive profit

Bestway has launched Bestway Pro t Drivers, which give retailers instant identi cation of key retail lines that are top-selling products. ese lines will receive continual focus, visibility, and marketing support.

Bestway’s Group Trading Director, Kenton Burchell, says up to 200 lines have been identi ed as top-sellers and, when including all variants, the collection will consist of around 300 SKUs.

Burchell said: “ ese lines are being continually benchmarked against competitors, both nationally and regionally. ey are price checked every week and will give our retailers total con dence that they are stocking the ‘right products at the right price’.

“ is is a major launch within our all-year-round promotional and pricing proposition and will give our retailers a real business advantage and greater value through retaining competitive pricing, and more sales mechanics.”

e scheme has been under development for some months and Bestway has been benchmarking and calibrating prices across key retail lines to enable it to launch from a position of knowledge and strength.

It has led to Bestway increasing its stockholding of those key lines, which in turn has ensured continued availability alongside increases in volume and sales for partner suppliers.

Burchell added: “We have worked collaboratively with our suppliers and taken a forensic approach to these key pro t-driving lines. ey now form the centre stage for our business, and we are working with our supply partner to give every support to retailers. at is by heightening their awareness of which products they should be making more visible on shelf, giving them the information to market them at the right price, and support those products through marketing activity that goes ‘through the line’.”

Margiotta confirms Longniddry ‘interest’

Family-run convenience store chain Margiotta is “interested” in plans for a new shop in Longniddry, East Lothian. e plans, which come from Lord Wemyss Trust, could see agricultural buildings at the heart of a new housing development become a shop. Drawings included as part of the planning application show the layout of an existing Margiotta store.

A spokesperson for the retailer told East Lothian Courier that discussions had taken place with the developer. ey added: “We have shown an interest but it is too early to do anything about; planning consent has not been received.”

NEWSTRADE National World has increased The Scotsman’s cover price, but reduced retailer margins

Retailer margin on The Scotsman cut

National World, the publisher of e Scotsman, has raised the cover price on all editions of the newspaper and cut retail terms.

From Monday 3 July, the cover price of weekday editions will rise 20p to £2.20, while the Saturday newspaper will rise 20p to £2.70. At the same time, the retail margin will be reduced to 22%.

e NFRN’s Head of News Brian Murphy said: “ e 20p a day price rise will hit readers in their pockets and the 0.5% cut in margin will have a serious impact on retailers. e Scotsman should recognise that in these challenging times, some of its stockists may decide to give the title less prominence in their stores so they can focus on products with more attractive margins.

“We are both frustrated and dismayed at these actions, especially given that rival titles, the Daily Record and Sunday Mail, have both increased their cover prices by 10p per day, yet maintained the retail percentage margin, while Scotland on Sunday’s forthcoming price rise will also be accompanied by pro-rata terms. Doing this demonstrates that these publishers recognise the support they receive from their retail partners.”

PLANNING Farm buildings could be transformed into store

WHOLESALE Bestway has identified key profit-driving lines that will receive continual focus and marketing support.

EV drivers ‘expect more’ from forecourts

The rise of EV drivers will shape UK petrol stations and service stations in the future, according to a new report commissioned by Fresh Food For Now Company. The Future of the Forecourt report reveals petrol drivers lean towards speedier visits, while EV drivers are more concerned about the facilities, drinks, and food on offer as they look to kill time on-site as their vehicle charges.

ACS briefs MPs ahead of Healthy Start motion

Emma Lewell-Buck MP has led a Ten Minute Motion Bill that proposes creating a law so those eligible for the Healthy Start scheme are automatically signed up to stop them from missing out. The scheme helps those who are at least 10 weeks pregnant, parents, carers and young children in low-income families buy healthy food and milk and get free Healthy Start vitamins.

Convenience stores ‘too expensive,’ poll finds

Three-quarters of consumers find the price of convenience store foods too expensive compared to larger supermarkets, while 45% struggle to find affordable food in c-stores, according to Which?. Its research found that 51% of those who rely on c-stores at least once a week are struggling financially, compared to 35% of consumers overall.

Usdaw seeks minimum wage of £12 per hour

Retail trade union Usdaw has called for a minimum wage of at least £12 per hour, as a step towards £15 for all workers, and for an end to “rip-off” youth rates. The comments were made in response to the Low Pay Commission call for evidence that will help shape the recommendations it will make to the government about the new minimum wage rates, which are expected to come into force on 1 April 2024.

PARTNERSHIPS Jisp and Payzone are to extend their partnership to enable retailers to help customers impacted by the cost-of-living crisis Jisp

extends partnership with Payzone

Aberdeenshire village set to lose post office

Rosehearty Post Office, in Aberdeenshire, will close on 22 July after bosses revealed they have so far been unable to recruit someone for the postmaster role.

Jisp is to extend its partnership with Payzone to reach the whole of the bill payment service provider’s estate.

Via the Payzone Plus device, thousands of retailers will have access to Jisp’s integrated home delivery, click-and-collect, Scan & Save and store loyalty scheme, as well as access to brand rewards and content.

Jisp launched the rst phase of its Scan & Save rollout to Payzone retailers in July 2022 giving them the opportunity to drive footfall, sales, and increase loyalty locally at no additional cost.

e rst phase saw approximately 200 stores sign up to bene t from the customer loyalty and rewards platform.

Phase two of the rollout will see Scan & Save rolled out to around 4,000 retailers, with the app being automatically added to the Payzone Plus device.

A third push later in the summer will target the rest of Payzone’s estate.

e latest phase of the rollout is timed to enable retailers to help customers impacted by the cost-ofliving crisis, with savings planned on key lunch lines.

Jisp Account Director, Tamara Fisher, said: “We’re delighted to be able to ramp up the rollout of Scan & Save to Payzone retailers with the addition of the Scan & Save app onto all of the AT150 devices for Payzone Plus retailers.

“ is will assist them in unlocking the bene ts of Scan & Save, such as increased footfall, basket spend and sales.”

Simon Lambert, Payzone Commercial Director, added: “In such a competitive retail landscape, impacted as it is by the cost-ofliving crisis, it is important we get our retailers o ering a rst-rate convenience experience.

“ rough Scan & Save from Jisp we’re giving them access to a best-in-class platform providing discounts and loyalty rewards for shoppers, while stores increase earnings at no extra cost to them.”

More than 70 Nisa stores across the UK are using the Snappy Shopper app

Post office bosses say they remain hopeful to find a replacement and have said the closure will be “temporary”.

Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid told the Press and Journal: “These facilities are a lifeline for places such as Rosehearty, especially for elderly or vulnerable people who struggle to travel elsewhere for these services.

“The closure now means residents face a five-mile round trip to Sandhaven or a 10-mile round journey to Fraserburgh to access their nearest post office.”

Snappy Shopper and Nisa reach sales milestone

Snappy Shopper and partner Nisa have delivered £12m in sales since they joined forces in 2020.

A total of 77 Nisa stores across the UK are using the Snappy Shopper app, and the number of orders hit nearly 500,000, with an average order value of £26.70.

e highest-performing store is Nisa Nitshill, in Glasgow, which has achieved £2.2m in sales since 2020, with £1m of those sales in the past year alone.

Meanwhile Nisa Bellshill and Megasave So e’s Nisa in Bridgend have both averaged more than half a million orders during the past year, with an average basket spend of £25.90.

Danial Nadeem, Nisa Bellshill Store Owner, said: “We’ve been with Snappy Shopper since January 2020 and what a journey it’s been. It’s become a fullblown operation, currently running at around 40-50 deliveries per day.

“Snappy did a lot of the work for us, including paid advertising in the local area. Customers are more than happy to jump on it and give it a try. Eighty per cent of customers are fully delivered and don’t usually shop with us, and Snappy Shopper’s promotional deals always do fantastic. e support and the retail feedback taken on is spot on. I wouldn’t change it for a single thing.”

HOME

ACS urges cautious approach to wage rates

ACS has called for a cautious approach to the setting of future National Living Wage (NLW) rates in a submission to the Low Pay Commission. ACS urged the commission to recognise the unique challenges faced by businesses, including local shops, as a result of the costof-living crisis and increased operating costs. In April 2023, the NLW increased by 9.7% from £9.50 per hour to £10.42.

Retailers benefit from Jisp’s Scan & Save app

Retailers signed up to Jisp’s Scan & Save mobile app have achieved more than £1.17m sales through the app in the year to date – a 52% increase on total sales for 2022. Data from Jisp’s top 10 performing stores show that, on average, Scan & Save boosts sales by £100,000 a year. The average Scan & Save basket includes six items rather than the industry average three.

Cost-of-living crisis causing less healthy diets

Around half of Scottish adults go without or have considered going without essential food items or skipping meals, according to a survey by Food Standards Scotland. The poll found just over one fifth said they were buying less fresh fruit and vegetables, which rose to just under one third in areas most affected by poverty. Around a third said their diet was less healthy as a result of the cost-ofliving crisis.

Plans to streamline green energy tech installation

The Scottish government is consulting on measures that will make it easier to install renewable energy equipment without a formal planning application. Proposed new legislation would make it quicker and cheaper for businesses to install equipment including solar panels and heat pumps, helping reduce their bills and cutting carbon emissions.

Committee criticises lack of understanding in Treasury on energy impact

e Association of Convenience Stores has again called on the government to take meaningful action on energy support for local shops in response to a damning Public Accounts Committee report on the operation of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme and Energy Bill Discount Scheme.

e Public Accounts Committee has criticised the Treasury’s understanding of the pressures facing businesses when the Energy Bill Relief Scheme came to an end in April, and has said a government ‘lack of bandwidth’ contributed to more than a million people getting support later than they should have done.

Recommendations made in the Committee’s report include:

Q e Treasury should, in parallel to its Treasury Minute response, provide details of its analysis of how the changes to business rates, taxes and energy support will a ect businesses across di erent sectors, and outline how it will ensure that businesses will not face a nancial cli edge a er March 2023.

Q e Department should consider whether Ofgem’s existing role in regulating the non-domestic energy sector is t for purpose in managing future unexpected events, such as high gas prices, and whether its remit should be extended to create a fair competitive market in this sector. e Department should urgently consider rectifying these concerns through the Energy Bill which is currently going through Parliament.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We made it very clear to Treasury and Department for Business o cials and ministers, and the Chancellor ahead of the Budget in March, that thousands of convenience stores would face acute di culties with the end of meaningful support on energy bills. is is an ongoing issue that retailers are dealing with right now, so it’s essential that the Treasury looks again at ways to support the businesses that have been hit the hardest by sky-high xed contracts signed in the second half of 2022.”

Spar Scotland relaunches Glenrothes store

Spar Scotland has relaunched its Bighty Avenue store in Glenrothes, in the heart of Fife.

Customers at Spar Bighty Avenue are now greeted with new branding externally and internally, a new sales counter, new shelving, and enhanced lighting. All refrigeration cabinets have been replaced with modern, environmentally friendly fridges and freezers.

e company-owned store, which employs 12 members of sta , is situated at 55-57 Bighty Avenue and is open from 7am-10pm MonSat and 8am-10pm on Sunday.

e store also features a freeto-use ATM machine, Paypoint, Lottery, Calippo Slush, Costa, and a range of food-to-go items.

Steven Irons, Company-Owned Stores Director at Spar Scotland, said: “We are delighted with how the store has turned out – it’s bright and modern and o ers a host of new and exciting retail technology.

It has been revamped to o er a more customer-focused layout and shoppers can browse our ranges with ease and avail of our extensive chilled o ering.”

To mark the relaunch, Spar Scotland presented cheques for £500 to local charities Lomond Court Care Home and Carleton Primary School.

Spar Bighty Avenue is the latest Spar company-owned store to receive a makeover as part of CJ Lang & Son’s aggressive store development programme, which is transforming stores across the country.

Dreghorn shop has signage plans approved

Scotsman Group, owners of OneO-One Convenience, has secured planning permission for signage for a store in Dreghorn, North Ayrshire.

e Main Street store, formerly Pete’s KeyStore, changed hands in February a er 38 years.

e planning approval means the store can have a sign that displays the One-O-One name, while the shop front will also change to blue, in keeping with the convenience chain’s branding.

In addition, the planning permission means the retailer can slightly move the ATM attached to the store.

Internally, and operationally, the planning application does not state any further changes.

e application was approved with no attached conditions.

PRICES The Public Accounts Committee has criticised the Treasury’s understanding of the pressures facing businesses

WIN THE WEEKEND

How we helped one lucky couple take some well-earned time off – and why it is important

Time off in retail can sometimes feel like the impossible dream. Research tells us that 49% of retailers hadn’t had a day off between September 2020 and September 2021; figures backed up by independent research from SBF GB&I, makers of Lucozade and Ribena, which showed that 27% of retailers had not had a day off in more than three years.

In a survey of 500 retailers, 78% told us they “value the health of their business over their own physical or mental health” – and a third of all retailers say they simply “don’t want to leave their business in the hands of anyone else”.

To raise awareness of this, SBF GB&I gave one lucky retailer a cash prize and the help they needed to take two days out of their business to unwind, recharge and relax. The winning store was Greens of Bassingham in Lincolnshire, run by Tracy Raybould & Michael Saunders.

SBF GB&I partnered with high-profile award-winning retailer Paul Cheema, who has more than 30 years’ experience in retailing and runs two stores near Coventry, to manage Tracy & Michael’s shop while they spent their prize money and took some well-earned time off.

While they spent time away from their daily responsibilities of newspapers, deliveries, cashing up and locking up, Paul and his team of SBF GB&I support staff looked after their store, allowing them peace of mind to relax knowing their store was in good hands.

40%

OF RETAILERS SAY PAPERWORK AND FINANCE ARE THE BIGGEST DRAINS OF THEIR TIME

64%

It's so important that retailers take time out of their business so they can recharge, reset, and take stock of the hard work they do. Win The Weekend started out with the idea that we could change one person’s life. If we could do that and help them understand how they can take some time out of their business and look after their mental health a little bit better, then why not raise that issue right across the wider convenience community?

There's been a brilliant response from Tracy & Michael’s customers, who recognise that they do so much for their community and rarely take a break away from the store.

We really do hope that by seeing how Tracy & Michael can take time out of their own store and reading the advice we’re pulling together in our Win The Weekend handout, other retailers will take a step back, look after themselves and put the steps in place to make sure they are doing so on an ongoing basis.

From talking to our retail friends, we’ve learned that it can be hard to make this change, but everyone can help train staff and put new processes in place to encourage time off. Not only does it allow retailers to save their own time, but also to realise they're not putting anybody out by taking a little bit of time for themselves and stepping away from their business.

OF INDIE RETAILERS SAY NO-ONE ELSE CAN RUN THEIR STORE CORRECTLY

THEIR STORE CORRECTLY

52% OF INDIE RETAILERS SAY THERE IS NO-ONE ELSE AVAILABLE WHO CAN MIND THE SHOP IN THEIR PLACE

We never managed to go on family holidays because my mum and dad did everything in the shop. They went home literally just for sleep. A lot of retailers are in their store for 12, 16 hours a day, seven days a week. They're not getting time with their family; they're not getting time for a break. Their break sometimes is going to the Cash & Carry.

It’s very important for retailers to take time away. It’s easy to get stuck in a box seven days a week. But when are you slowing down, giving yourself time to think, spending time with family? There are 1,001 things that go on in a convenience store every day. Is someone taking a chocolate bar, nicking a bottle of wine or driving off with fuel?

We need to take it away from thinking “is this going to happen?”. If you keep thinking of the “what if?”, you're never going to give your brain that time to switch off.

It's very easy to focus on the negatives within your business. But let's focus on the positives. How do we make our businesses better? How do we give our ourselves more time? How do we give responsibility to our teams, and help them get better as team members and people as a result?

ANDREW PHEASANT HEAD OF KEY ACCOUNTS, SBF GB&I

PAUL CHEEMA SPECIAL GUEST RETAILER

TRACY RAYBOULD & MICHAEL SAUNDERS GREENS OF BASSINGHAM

Why did you enter Win The Weekend?

It's important in retail to keep up with current thinking, how products are changing, how customers are changing and what's happening in the economy. Reading trade press is really important – and occasionally we come across these competitions which we like the look of. Win The Weekend was attractive because we thought we might win!

What did you do with your time off?

We took a mini spa break, some nice relaxing time out in a place with no phone reception – which really helped! We also got some great people to come and support our own team, so we could go with peace of mind – which we very, very rarely get.

This time out gave us the ability to be able to think about and plan the extra things we can’t usually contemplate because of the day-to-day running of our business. Although we live here and we love it here, you've got to have a wider perspective otherwise you don't run your business to the best of your ability. And that's really important, not just for us, but for the customers we serve.

How difficult is it for you to get time off?

It is very difficult to get time off purely because of the number of hours we cover between us. We've got a fab team but there are certain things they can’t do.

Even when we do get time off, it's not really time off. We still do the ordering, we're still looking at messages, responding

WIN THE WEEKEND II

to customers on the Facebook page and the website, sorting out the figures, answering questions.

How have your customers responded?

We've been blown away really by the reaction of our customers. We got more than 200 comments from people on a Facebook post we made telling them about our trip away. It is so kind that those customers have all told to us “You deserve it” and “we wouldn't have wanted anybody else to win it”. It’s truly amazing.

Would you encourage others to enter?

Definitely. This has been really good for us. It's a really good opportunity for retailers to do things they perhaps wouldn't be able to do.

Do YOU struggle to get time off? Or do you know another store owner who is deserving of a break for their hard work? We are delighted to announce that SBF GB&I will be running Win The Weekend again later this year – and we are expanding the scheme to help even more retailers get the time off they so richly deserve.

We will offer 10 lucky retailers a two-day break at a local spa near to them, and we will help cover their absence in store through our network of experienced retailers and SBF GB&I retail experts. To be in with a chance of entering simply email your name and your store name and address, with the subject line “WIN THE WEEKEND 2” to SBFTrade@hanovercomms.com

To download our Win The Weekend booklet, containing hints and tips from six leading retailers talking about how they manage to get time away from their business, go to www.suntorybeverageandfood-europe.com/enGB/gbi/competitions/win-the-weekend/

"For a lot of people that run small businesses, it’s their life, their livelihood. It's where you live, where you work, and where the people that you care about are. And that means it's really difficult to just switch off."

Scottish Grocers’ Federation

Convenience Matters with the SGF

Anti-social behaviour is on the rise, according to many core and frontline workers in Scotland. Not least, retail staff, emergency services personnel and public transport employees.

While exact figures are hard to come by, the damaging impact on staff wellbeing and communities is all too apparent. Not to mention the mounting costs for businesses and local economies.

Since August 2021, the Protection of Workers (Retail) Act has highlighted nearly 6,000 cases of retail crime, including over 2,000 assaults and 19 serious assault.

There remain fears of substantial underreporting, however, with many retailers feeling they have no choice but to put up with it. This is a point SGF raised with the Minister for Community Safety in the Scottish Parliament in June. As a former retailer, the Minister was receptive to our concerns, as well as the need for information on case results to be publicly available.

This summer, SGF and colleagues across the alcohol industry relaunched the ‘It’ll Cost You’ campaign, which is designed to raise awareness about the consequences of proxy purchasing and underage drinking. SGF is also a key member of Police Scotland’s ‘Your Safety Matters’ campaign, helping to protect frontline staff from abuse and violence.

SGF partner GroceryAid.org. uk can offer Workplace Critical Incident support to help colleagues who have been the victims of crime or critical incidents in the workplace. If you or your colleagues are faced with anti-social behaviour, please report it directly to the police. That way, we can shine a light on the adverse impact to people and businesses.

Minimum Unit Pricing set for review

Public Health Scotland (PHS) has concluded that Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) has saved lives, reduced hospital admissions, and had a ‘positive impact’ on health.

In a nal report of a series, researchers said that ‘robust, independent evaluation’ and wide-ranging evidence drawing on 40 independent research publications, showed that MUP has been e ective in its main goal of reducing alcohol harm with the reduction in deaths and hospital admissions speci c to the timing of MUP implementation.

is follows a study published in March by PHS and University of Glasgow showing MUP reduced alcohol consumption by 3%, deaths directly caused by alcohol consumption by 13.4% and hospital admissions by 4.1% compared to what would have happened if MUP had not been in place.

Drugs and Alcohol Policy Minister Elena Whitham commented: “We’re determined to do all we can to reduce alcoholrelated harm and, as this research demonstrates, our world-leading policy is saving lives, reducing alcohol harms and hospital admissions. Just one life lost to alcohol-related harm is one too many and my sympathy goes to all those who have lost a loved one.

“MUP has also contributed to reducing health inequalities. e study found the largest reductions in deaths and hospital admissions wholly attributable to alcohol consumption were seen in men and those living in the 40% most deprived areas.”

She added: “We will now carefully consider this research as part of ongoing work on reviewing MUP.”

e report has prompted campaigners to call for the minimum unit price for alcohol to increase from 50p to 65p.

Professor Ewan Forrest, a consultant liver specialist at Glasgow Royal In rmary, told the BBC that the price needs to rise.

e surgeon – who is also on the steering group with Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems – said: “ e 50p minimum unit price was established nearly a decade ago. Obviously, a lot of things have changed in that time, including in ation. It seems only sensible that the minimum unit price would increase in parallel with that.

“I would certainly be advocating for it going up to 65p or more. Its bene ts will be ampli ed at that higher level.”

Dr Alastair MacGilchrist, Chair of Expert Clinician Partnership at the Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems, agrees that the e ectiveness of MUP is being eroded by the e ect of in ation.

He told STV that MSPs “must now act” on the evidence and vote to keep MUP on the statute books and raise the level to at least 65p.

“Policy makers have a responsibility to protect and enhance our health by maintaining this life-saving policy,” he added.

e views have been echoed by the charity Alcohol Focus Scotland, the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and British Medical Association Scotland.

However, not everybody agrees. Christopher Snowdon, Head of Lifestyle at the Institute of Economic A airs, said the evaluation ignores the “bulk of evidence” which shows alcohol deaths are at their highest level.

He added: “Minimum pricing was promoted to politicians based on speculative modelling, so it is apt that a speculative model is being used to save it from the sunset clause – but minimum pricing has only ever worked in the imaginations of a handful of academics.

“It has cost Scottish consumers hundreds of millions of pounds and deserves to be ditched.”

A new report has concluded that the legislation has had a positive impact, but campaigners now want the minimum unit price for alcohol to rise.

SHIFTING SANDS

I was lucky enough to be in the audience at Spar Scotland’s annual conference in Aviemore last year and briefly managed a word with CEO Colin McClean before he took to the stage. He seemed a little over-excited, which I put down to nerves, although his nervousness struck me as odd given that he’s clearly used to speaking in front of large audiences.

It turned out it wasn’t nerves, it was just old-fashioned excitement. The standout section of Colin’s welcome was his announcement that the David Sands Group had decided to join Spar Scotland and Colin was like a retailer who’s just had a pallet of Prime delivered. To be fair to Spar, they’d managed to keep the news fairly quiet, so it did take most of the audience by surprise – myself included.

This was way back in September and at the time it was all-out warfare among the symbol groups. To a certain extent it still is. So securing the signature of David Sands was viewed by Spar Scotland, with some justification, as a major coup. Yes, it’s only four stores but securing the trust of a retailer as highly respected and notoriously canny as David was a major feather in Spar’s cap and, as Colin pointed out on the day, another milestone achievement in the revitalisation of the Spar Scotland brand.

In cases like this, the symbolism and the PR are as valuable to Spar Scotland as the extra wholesale business the deal generates.

Securing the Sands business must have been particularly satisfying because David’s father Lynsey, a man you might politely refer to as ‘straight talking’, had once declared publicly that he would “never work with Spar again”. David is unquestionably his own man, however, and you don’t get to be as successful as he has been in business without being able to make good, calm decisions, free of emotion and baggage. He moved to Spar because he felt it was the right partner to help take his business forward – and that’s a huge compliment to Colin and his team.

So, it’s taken a very long time since that announcement was first made but last month finally saw the famous red signage hoisted above the door at the three David’s Kitchen stores in Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy and Falkirk as well as Pinkie Farm in Musselburgh. The stores have been buying from Spar Scotland for a while but seeing that Spar Market fascia up above the door must be satisfying for Colin and his team.

As ambitious, hungry and progressive retailers, it’s unlikely that David Sands, Keith Fernie and Dan Brown will be the simplest customers to satisfy, but if Spar wants to keep the momentum going on its revitalisation, then servicing topclass customers like this is something it is going to have to do well and consistently. So far, so good, it appears.

EDITORIAL

Publishing Director & Editor Antony Begley abegley@55north.com

Deputy Editor Liz Wells lwells@55north.com

Features Editor Gaelle Walker gwalker@55north.com

Features Writer Elena Dimama edimama@55north.com

Web Editor Findlay Stein fstein@55north.com

ADVERTISING

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

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

DESIGN

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

EVENTS & OPERATIONS

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

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

55 North Ltd, Waterloo Chambers, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 6AY Tel: 0141 22 22 100 Fax: 0141 22 22 177

Website: www.55north.com

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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.

Scottish Local Retailer is produced monthly by 55 North Ltd.

ANTONY BEGLEY, PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

SPAR INTEGRATION COMPLETE AT DAVID SANDS’ STORES

The final step of the integration of the David’s Kitchen and Pinkie Farm stores into Spar Scotland was completed last month representing a major coup for the Dundee-based wholesaler and retailer.

BY ANTONY BEGLEY

It’s been a long time coming but last month saw Spar signage hoisted proudly above the David Sands Group’s three David’s Kitchen stores in Glenrothes, Falkirk and Kirkcaldy as well as its Pinkie Farm store in Musselburgh.

e move was rst announced way back in September of last year when Spar Scotland CEO Colin McLean stunned most of the audience at CJ Lang’s annual tradeshow in Aviemore by announcing that the four stores would be shi ing their allegiances to Spar.

‘NEVER AGAIN’

Unsurprisingly, McLean viewed the news as a major coup and another major milestone for him and his team as they continue to revitalise the once ailing Spar brand in Scotland. e move was especially signi cant given the fact that David Sands’ father Lynsey had famously once proclaimed publicly and vehemently that he would “never work with Spar again”.

David Sands, however,, is nothing if not a pragmatist and while the decision to move to Spar certainly wouldn’t have been taken lightly, it would have been taken with a cool, clear head.

Founded in 1812, David Sands is a familyowned, h-generation business that continues

A WORD FROM KEITH…

Keith Fernie, Managing Director of David’s Kitchen, said: “Credit to the CJ Lang team in Dundee for their exceptional support in swiftly resolving all issues. The range of products and pricing is good and the branding on stores looks great, it effectively incorporates the Spar brand while preserving our own unique local identity.

“The jewel in the crown for us has been service. Deliveries and communication have been excellent, we have not had one cancelled delivery and, as all retailers are aware, it’s all about getting stock, when we need it.”

to thrive more than 200 years later – and the fact that Sands trusts Spar Scotland to deliver for him, in every sense, is a badge of honour for McLean and the CJ Lang team in Dundee, as was abundantly clear when he made the announcement last year.

“David Sands’ father Lynsey had famously once proclaimed publicly and vehemently that he would ‘never work with Spar again’.”

JOB DONE

Fast forward nine months and the famous red Spar signage is nally gracing the four stores. All have adopted the newer Spar Market fascia, re ecting the importance of fresh and chilled as well as freshly prepared food-to-go in all four stores.

e David’s Kitchen group of three stores arguably started the food-to-go trend that the majority of the local retailing sector takes for granted these days. It was certainly among the very rst convenience store chains in Scotland to focus predominantly on freshly made food, ready for immediate consumption, or to take home.

e market has evolved since then, but Sands continues to set the pace in many senses. Each David’s Kitchen store has its own kitchen and up to 40% of sales come from freshly prepared products sold in the stores.

Run by former SGF President Dan Brown, Pinkie Farm convenience store operates a noticeably di erent model from the David’s Kitchen concept, more instantly recognisable as a convenience store, but with stunning execution and theatre across every category and a strong emphasis on fresh foods and kitchen products.

GAME ON

e signage may only have gone up recently but Spar Scotland has been supplying all four stores for several months and has been working with

the David Sands Group on the overall design, look and feel of the stores. A “huge amount of work” was also done, says Spar, on store layouts, overall product range and an increased range of Spar own-label products.

Additionally, a new sub-brand called Carla’s Kitchen has been created at Pinkie Farm and is incorporated into the in-store food-to-go area as well as featuring on external signage.

Brian Straiton, Independent Sales Director for CJ Lang & Son, said: “We are really pleased to be working with David, Dan, Keith and their teams. We have worked closely with them on range development and the internal and external branding of all four stores to Spar Market, whilst ensuring their local identity is retained throughout. We are looking forward to helping them grow their business and having a long partnership with one of the best Scottish independent retailers.”

FIRST STEP

As for David Sands himself, he declared the re-branding “only the rst step”, explaining: “Having the full support of the Spar brand and the team at Dundee means we can o er our local shoppers a substantial range of products and great service. It is really important to us that we exceed the needs of our customers every day. It is also hugely bene cial to have the Dundee depot in such close proximity to us, as supplies into our stores are now much more reliable.

“ e recent re-branding looks fantastic, and it is only the rst step. We will be doing lots more with promotions and the range of fresh foods so we can remain ahead of the competition.

“Our partnership with Spar Scotland and CJ Lang & Son is giving us the con dence to move our business forward. We are combining the best of David’s Kitchen and Pinkie Farm with the best of Spar Scotland – a powerful combination.

“Our vision is to continue to develop our business not just for today but for future generations and Spar Scotland is the only symbol group who can support us in our journey.”

A WORD FROM DAN….

Dan Brown, Managing Director of Pinkie Farm, said: “The Spar brand has been well received by our customers, and we have been impressed with the ranging and support available to us.

“In transitioning across to Spar, we have been able to maintain and grow a strong range of chill and fresh and have benefitted from some great promotions and NPD. The store design team has done a great job in bringing all of our points of difference to life, and we look forward to building upon these further in the future.”

JTI joins LinkedIn

JTI UK has launched a company page on business-focused social media platform LinkedIn. The tobacco manufacturer will be sharing even more about its people, its community work, its reduced risk product portfolio, and offering thought leadership pieces on key topics. In addition to the existing JTI Advance website, UK retailers that follow the page (linkedin.com/ company/jti-uk) will be able to engage directly with JTI.

Coke promises shoppers a ‘summer of music’

Coca-Cola has launched a new on-pack promotion that gives shoppers the chance to win a host of prizes including festival tickets, music merchandise and other summer-related goodies. The promo runs throughout the summer across Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Coca-Cola Original Taste packs. QR codes on-pack link to the Coca-Cola app, where consumers can enter the competition.

Müller unveils ‘Fresher for Longer’ filtered milk

Müller Milk & Ingredients has relaunched its branded filtered milk range under the new name of ‘Müller Good Stuff Fresher for Longer’. Formerly called ‘Müller Milk Fresh. Longer. Why? Filtered’, the rebranded milk lasts up to seven days when opened, or for up to three weeks unopened. It is the first product to land from the company’s new branded milk range, Müller Good Stuff.

Same but different

Barr Soft Drinks has relaunched its Rubicon ‘Made of Different Stuff’ campaign as part of a £4m investment in the exotic juice drink brand. The campaign runs until the end of August and takes in festival activities, as well as out-of-home and TV advertising, including spots during the new series of ITV2’s Love Island. Email trademarketing@agbarr. co.uk for supporting POS and display units.

Rockstar and Stormzy team up

As part of a partnership with Stormzy, Rockstar Energy Drink is giving his UK-based fans the chance to attend an exclusive gig the rapper is holding later this year.

To be in with a shout of a ticket, fans can purchase Rockstar Energy Drink cans as well as enter online via the Rockstar website.

Stormzy is also headlining a digital concert series to celebrate the launch of Rockstar’s new global ‘Press Play’ brand platform, which premieres live on Spotify at 5pm on Friday 21 July and will be available until 4 August.

SNACKS Catch a pair of Hundred final tickets

For the third year running, KP Snacks has teamed up with Bestway to offer retailers the chance to win one of seven pairs of hospitality tickets to The Hundred final at the home of cricket, Lord’s Cricket Ground. Each pair of tickets guarantees a VIP experience, including access to an executive box and expenses covered for travel and accommodation. Ten runners-up will also win £100 of wholesale credit each.

KP’s sponsorship of The Hundred is promoted across eight of its core brands: popchips, Butterkist, POM-BEAR, Tyrrells, KP Nuts, Hula Hoops, McCoy’s, and Skips, all of which feature on team shirts.

Every time retailers buy six of the eight The Hundred featured brands at Bestway, in any format, they will be automatically entered into a free prize draw for a chance to win.

The competition runs until 20 July.

SOFT DRINKS Born to be social

By clicking the ‘Press Play’ icon during the concert, viewers can navigate between ve immersive digital worlds. Stormzy will take to the virtual stage in these gaming- and nightlifethemed worlds through the use of motion capture sensory tracking technology. e concert will be free to watch, and a British Sign Language will be available on YouTube. is features Chris Fonseca, a deaf choreographer and dancer. Out-of-home viewing experiences will also be available in select regional UK locations.

Schweppes has unveiled a new marketing platform called ‘Born Social’ that is inspired by the change in ways that people socialise and interact post-pandemic.

The first Born Social consumer campaign aims to encourage young adults to break out of their comfort zones and say ‘yes’ to the thrill of socialising, mingling and letting loose with others.

It is live now and includes TV, digital and out-of-home advertising, alongside paid social media, influencer activity and PR.

The campaign follows the recent launch of the new Schweppes Flavoured Sodas range featuring Melon Watermelon and Peach Coconut variants.

Martin Attock, Vice President of Commercial Development at CCEP GB, said: “We’re confident this new multi-million-pound campaign direction celebrating everything that’s great about socialising, will inspire consumers to make the most of occasions this summer, keeping the Schweppes brand front of mind and helping to drive sales in-store for our customers.”

KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SLRMAG

BACK TO SCHOOL BONANZA – P46

Diet Coke and Kate Moss reunite

Diet Coke and Kate Moss have renewed their partnership for a second year of the ‘Diet Coke by Kate Moss, Love What You Love’ campaign.

is year, in her role as Creative Director, Moss has gone back 30 years to draw inspiration from the iconic ‘11:30 Diet Coke Break’ ads.

Kate Moss commented: “ e Diet Coke Breaks are classics, and I wanted to add a fashion twist to these moments. e campaign is very di erent aesthetically to the ‘90s and ‘00s but the narrative is the same. It’s all about a pause to love what you love and indulge yourself in that moment, without taking yourself too seriously. I’m excited to unveil the new campaign soon!”

With that in mind, ‘Diet Coke by Kate Moss’ Season 2 will see new high-fashion content, a new limited-edition collection and “many more exciting surprises” for Diet Coke fans to discover.

Win £150 in JTI competition

JTI is celebrating 150 years of its Benson and Hedges brand by giving retailers the chance to win £150.

Hosted on a new dedicated Benson and Hedges trade microsite – which can be found at jtiadvance.co.uk/150yearsuk – the ‘Great £150 Giveaway’ will see 50 retailers bag the cash in a series of prize draws that runs until 11 August. Winners will be picked at random, and any entry not selected as a winner will be placed into the next draw.

Mark McGuinness, Marketing Director, JTI UK commented: “It’s important for us to celebrate the brand’s heritage, but we know our success is also down to the support of our retailers throughout the years.

“So, in this very special year, we want to shine a light on our trade partners and this prize draw is just one way of giving back and thanking retailers, with other activities to follow later in the year too.”

SNACKS

When Walkers met Wotsits

Walkers has brought the flavours of Wotsits, Monster Munch and Doritos to its standard crisp format.

Walkers Wotsits Really Cheesy, Walkers Monster Munch Pickled Onion and Walkers Doritos Chilli Heatwave are available while stocks last in cases of 18x5x24g multipacks (RSP £1.65) and cases of 15x65g £1.25 PMPs. A 43g £1 RSP pack is exclusive to Tesco.

The launch is backed by a digital campaign including social media and shopper marketing support.

Jonny Roberts, Senior Brand Manager at Walkers at PepsiCo said: “We know that shoppers are after two main things when they turn to savoury snacks –enjoyment and excitement – and through some of our most iconic flavours and brands, Walkers new limitedtime flavours will help deliver on both of those needs.”

Butcher’s feeds 2.5 million needy dogs

Dog food brand Butcher’s has announced that it has donated more than 2.5 million meals for dogs in need under its #NourishEveryDog initiative. Butcher’s donates a meal every time the hashtag is used on social media and hopes to pass the three million mark by the end of 2023. The brand has called on everyone to use #NourishEveryDog on social media to help it reach its goal.

Cheesy chum

Philadelphia has launched ‘You’ve Got a Friend in Philly,’ a new campaign to remind shoppers that the cream cheese brand can be a true “friend in their fridge”. The campaign includes a new TV and cinema advert, which sees two lifelong friends at key moments of connection throughout their lives that are sparked and sustained over bites of Philly. The ad is supported by PR, digital and social media activities.

Love Horlicks or your money back

Horlicks has launched ‘Love the taste,’ a new on-pack ‘moneyback guarantee’ promotion that runs across Original, Instant and Chocolate variants on the brand’s new 400g format jars and aims to drive purchase and trial of Horlicks among non-users. It is supported by proximity media, digital out-of-home and mobile advertising, in-store and in-aisle media and POS.

Del Monte’s miraculous new promo

Fresh Del Monte has teamed up with TV series ‘Miraculous –Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir’ for a new promotion that gives shoppers the chance to win prizes including a family trip to Paris. It coincides with the launch of Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie and runs until 30 September and is supported by social media campaigns, online videos, print advertising, and POS materials.

SOFT DRINKS Supermodel turns back the clock for new campaign

TOBACCO B&H marks milestone with retailer giveaway

Ardray marks ‘new era’ in blended Scotch

Beam Suntory has unveiled a new blended whisky, Ardray (ABV 48%), which is available now with an RSP of £60. Ardray is non-chill filtered and presented in a textured bespoke bottle marked with the year of release. Nearly 200 different combinations of malt and grain whiskies were tested before arriving at a final blend.

Curling champs team up with Magnum

‘Team Mouat,’ Scotland’s world champion curlers have signed a deal to promote malt whisky cream liqueur brand Magnum that will see the foursome undertake a roadshow of promotional activities, special guest appearances, curling tutorials and tasting events across the country. Magnum will also sponsor Team Mouat’s official match kit this year.

KBE unveils spirits range

KBE Drinks has launched a four-strong premium spirits range. Rum brand Makai (ABV 40%) is inspired by the heritage of Polynesia and 5 Walla Chai Liqueur (ABV 17%) is a rumbased chai tea cream liqueur that blends five spices. The range is completed with Blackland Bourbon Whiskey (ABV 41.5%), made using Texas grain, and Blackland Texas Pecan Brown Sugar Bourbon (ABV 35%), a small-batch bourbon with a gentle pecan taste. To find out more visit kbedrinks.com or call 01622 351110.

Highland Park marks 225th year with Release No.4

Highland Park has unveiled new Cask Strength Release No.4 (RSP £80) ahead of the Orkney-based distillery’s 225th anniversary in September. Neither diluted nor chill-filtered, the 64.3% ABV whisky delivers “a robust and intense flavour”. The launch sees Highland Park bring a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-port casks to the series for the first time.

Be fruitier, says Rekorderlig

Swedish fruit cider brand, Rekorderlig, is back on screens this summer with a new campaign called ‘Be a Little Fruktig’.

e campaign celebrates individuality within social connection and encourages people to be more ‘fruktig’ – Swedish for fruity – “by embracing the playful spirit of Sweden and the fruity avour of Rekorderlig”.

‘Be A Little Fruktig’ runs across video on demand, out of home, social media and YouTube, reaching a total of 42 million UK adults. Rekorderlig is also be supporting the o -trade with out-of-home content in proximity to stores and outlets, and in-store POS.

RTDS New variant is “exotic and easy-going”. Blue Hooch arrives

Global Brands has unveiled Blue Hooch (ABV 4%), which it describes as “an exotic and easy-going alcoholic tropicade with that signature Hooch citrus kick”.

e new avour joins the original line-up of Hooch Lemon Brew, Pink Hooch and Orange Hooch.

Rekorderlig has seven avours in its current range, spanning berry, tropical and citrus, as well as a zeroalcohol variant. Its Wild Berries and Strawberry & Lime avours are in the top ve packaged fruit cider SKUs in the o -trade.

Karen Albert, Brand Director for Premium Brands at Molson Coors, said: “Our new campaign encapsulates the unique fruitiness, light-heartedness and stylish nature of our brand and the playful spirit of Sweden by encouraging people to ‘Be a Little Fruktig’.

“ e campaign will raise the brand’s pro le among consumers and help to drive more footfall into stores.”

in time for summer

Thatchers launches new ad and can packs

Thatchers Cider has unveiled a new TV commercial, ‘Pint-Sized Perfection,’ produced by Wallace and Gromit creator Aardman.

Aardman’s trademark stop motion animation gives viewers a light-hearted look at Thatchers’ production process.

The ad spearheads a campaign that runs through to August and includes TV, video on demand, cinema, YouTube, out-of-home advertising and a social media burst.

Alongside the launch of Blue Hooch, new 440ml Orange Hooch cans have also been revealed.

Blue Hooch and Orange Hooch 440ml cans are available from JW Filshill and United Wholesale Grocers, and 8 x 440ml mixed packs of all four Hooch avours are also available from United Wholesale Grocers.

e launches come as Neilsen gures reveal that 440ml cans are growing at 134% year-on-year.

Its launch coincides with the rollout of 10x330ml can packs for the brand’s Blood Orange Cider.

This is the first time Thatchers has used the 10x330ml format; it says the smaller cans are particularly popular with 18–30-year-old fruit cider drinkers.

CIDER New campaign celebrates individuality, Swedish-style

CIDER

KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SLRMAG

CRISP UP YOUR SNACK SALES – P52

WKD reveals Love Island 2023 packs

WKD has launched a new takehome avour and rolled out a major on-pack promotion to mark the RTD brand’s third year as the O cial Alcohol Partner of the ITV2 and ITVX series Love Island.

Extending a topical tropical theme, WKD Orange & Passionfruit is to be the brand’s hero avour for 2023 and is available to retailers as a limited-edition variant.

O ered both in 700ml glass bottles with a co-branded Love Island design, and in 250ml slimline cans in WKD variety 10-packs, the latest addition to the take-home range draws on the avour’s proven success in the on-

CIDER Competition marks return of TV ad

Retailers can win a grand courtesy of Aston Manor

Aston Manor Cider’s ‘Straight Outta Crumpton’ advertising campaign is back on screens this summer.

e advert forms part of a wider multi-channel marketing campaign, and airs across Channel 4, Channel 4 Music, Gold, Dave, Sky Music Channels, Sky Max, Sky Showcase, Sky Comedy and Comedy Central, among others.

e campaign will also feature on digital channels including ITVX, All4 and Skymedia, as well as out-of-home adverts and social media platforms.

An animated ad sees Aston Manor bring to life the world of cider through the lens of hip-hop, from break dancers and low riders

trade where it is the brand’s second fastest-selling variant.

Available in both standard and £3.79 PMP formats, bottle labels feature tropical palm tree ferns and Love Island’s sparkling gold heart motifs; the cerise and orange labels are complemented by campaignprinted cerise cap closures. e price-marked packs are available exclusively to independents.

e brand’s biggest Love Island promotion so far runs across WKD Blue 4 x 250ml can £5.49 PMPs and WKD Blue and WKD variety 10 x 250ml can multipacks. It gives shoppers the chance to win one of ve holidays for two people to

either Ibiza or Mallorca. ousands of other prizes are also up for grabs, including exclusive co-branded WKD Love Island merchandise items and £3-o -next-purchase vouchers.

Promotional multipacks will utilise existing barcodes and replace standard format counterparts for approximately 10 weeks.

Other plans to leverage WKD’s exclusive O cial Alcohol Partner status and maximise the tiein include depot displays with supporting POS, and extensive social and digital activity, working with in uencers Ron and Lana, runners-up in the previous series.

RTDs Funkin unveils first 0% RTD

RTD brand Funkin Cocktails has launched an alcohol-free version of its popular Passion Fruit Martini Nitro Can.

to golden mouth grills, and DJ decks.

To celebrate its return, Aston Manor is giving retailers and wholesalers the chance to win £1,000 cash. To enter, you need to buy any case of Crumpton Oaks before 31 August 2023, scan the QR code and upload a picture of your invoice. ere are no limits on entries, with one invoice per entry permitted.

Katie Walker, Brand Manager at Aston Manor Cider, said: “We are proud to share that Crumpton Oaks Cider is now the number one value cider brand in the impulse channel and we believe a lot of the brand’s success is down to our Straight Outta Crumpton campaign.”

Made with real fruit, the new cocktail also features the brand’s nitro format, which delivers a velvety, bar-quality pour. It is available in 200ml cans with an RSP of £1.80.

The launch marks Funkin’s first foray into the nonalcoholic category.

“The no and low category is clearly growing, particularly among younger shoppers, as more people choose to moderate their drinking habits,” said Ben Anderson, Funkin Cocktails Marketing Director.

Squealing Pig might fly during Summer of Love

Treasury Wine Estates’ wine brand, Squealing Pig, has launched ‘Summer of Love,’ its first ever out-of-home campaign, which is supported with in-store and social media activities. The brand is also official wine sponsor of both Brighton & Hove Pride and Manchester Pride weekends this month, where the six-metre-long Squealing Pig balloon will appear alongside sampling activities.

Madrí Excepcional connects to consumers

Molson Coors’ Mediterraneanstyle lager Madrí Excepcional has launched the next stage of its multi-million-pound ‘Soul of Madrid’ marketing campaign, with new on-pack QR codes taking consumers to the brand’s ‘Conectada’ platform. This gives access to personalised city maps directing users to Madrí Excepcional events, exclusive music gigs and the nearest Madrí Excepcional stockist.

Menabrea aims high

Menabrea has launched ‘Italian Alpine Birra,’ a new campaign that celebrates the qualities and ingredients that differentiate it from other Italian beers. Eight illustrations feature a subtle hidden bottle or bottle cap of Menabrea, accompanied by headlines that evoke the beer’s provenance. These feature in the brand’s biggest-ever out-ofhome campaign, supported by a Guardian partnership, podcast sponsorship and digital activity.

Magners moves outside for latest campaign

Magners Irish Cider is celebrating the cider season with ‘Gardens. Best Served with Magners,’ a new campaign that seeks to capture the magic of gardens and the enjoyment of relaxing with an ice-cold glass of cider. The seven-figure campaign includes out-of-home, digital and UK-wide radio advertising, as well as podcasting, on-trade and experiential activities.

WIN TICKETS TO CHECKOUT SCOTLAND 2023!

SLR has four pairs of tickets to give away for GroceryAid Scotland’s flagship event, Checkout Scotland, in August this year.

With the Checkout Scotland 2023 music festival on 31 August drawing ever closer, SLR has a fantastic reader competition where we are o ering four pairs of tickets to readers of SLR.

31 August, Barras Art & Design

To be in with a chance of winning one of the pairs, simply email fstein@55north.com and provide:

Q Your name

Q Your store name

Q Your telephone number

It’s that simple! Every entry will be placed in our magic SLR bag and four winners will be

drawn at random with the winners announced in next month’s issue of the magazine.

Checkout Scotland is GroceryAid

Scotland’s agship event and takes place at Barras Art & Design in Glasgow on 31 August.

e acts feature something for everyone, with crossover dance music star Example headlining the event. He will be joined by popular Irish girl group B*Witched and legendary Scottish songsters e Supernaturals.

e event is set to build on the phenomenal success of last year’s launch event and up to 1,000 industry colleagues are expected to attend the musical extravaganza.

Checkout Scotland will once again help raise

awareness of the free and con dential support that GroceryAid o ers to all industry colleagues in need of a little help. at support ranges from nancial and emotional to practical and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Contact peter.steel@groceryaid.org.uk to nd out more about sponsorship opportunities or with any other queries about Checkout Scotland 2023.

Buy tickets at groceryaid.org.uk

£75

If you’d prefer to be sure of having tickets, visit groceryaid.org.uk/event-bookings/CS2023 to buy them at £75 + VAT.

KRISTINE MOORE

WHY DID HENDERSON DEVELOP EDGEPOS?

In 2010, a er limits were put on them by other EPoS providers, Henderson Group made the decision to develop its own EPoS system. EDGEPoS was born and piloted in 2011 to deliver a future-proof, cost e ective solution for independent retailers. Since then, constant development has made EDGEPoS one of the most powerful yet easy-to-use systems available.

FACTFILE

Kirstine Moore celebrates her eighth anniversary with Henderson Technology this month and is now Retail Technology Channel Manager, managing all sales and marketing for Great Britain and Australia.

Kristine first joined Henderson to help upgrade the remaining Spar retailers in Northern Ireland from the legacy Spar EPoS system to EDGEPoS.

In 2017 EDGEPoS was made available to other retailers across Great Britain and Kristine has played a key part in the rollout of EDGEPoS system to retailers across Scotland.

WHAT INTERESTS YOU MOST ABOUT RETAIL TECHNOLOGY?

I love speaking to retailers and every store is di erent. I enjoy demonstrating EDGEPoS and managing the retailer’s EDGEPoS journey – from the initial conversation to the rollout and a er. Hearing how they bene t and watching their business grow is really exciting.

WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING?

Since 2018 there has been a huge change in the o ering of selfserve checkouts (SCOs). It has been really interesting to see retailers’ initial reservations adapt and change as customers’ demands adjusted and these became a norm within the convenience and forecourt market. More recently, it is all about Electronic Shelf Edge Labels (ESELs). In Northern Ireland we are installing two stores a week! is trend is quickly being adopted across Scotland and is becoming a core o ering, rather than a dream product for the retailer.

HOW CAN TECH HELP INDEPENDENT STORES?

Firstly, you need a future-proof EPoS system. EDGEPoS o ers that and will be continually developed as it is used by Henderson Wholesale retailers and company-owned Henderson Retail Spar stores. It will never be an end-of-life product. Henderson Group is rst and foremost a retailer and we used our experience to develop our EPoS system around convenience and fuel. e food-to-go functionality such as scale integrations, allergens, and nutrition information labelling, our fully integrated self-serve food kiosk and upcoming Deliverect integration are applicable to all retailers. Take for example, Henderson Retail’s SPAR Mallusk, an allnew forecourt and convenience store. It brought the rst ever Barista Bar Co ee Drive- ru exclusively to the local area. Our retail technology played a huge role in that development. On the forecourt, there are 10 lanes of EDGEPoS scanning of which three are cash and card self-checkout lanes, helping customers shop the store quickly and e ciently. Glory

Cash Management solutions have been integrated into the cashier and self-checkout tills, as well as the back of house operations. Two self-serve kiosks were installed at the foodto-go counters in the store. Customers can come into the store, order, and pay for their food on the self-serve kiosks, and go to the collection point instore to grab ‘n’ go.

DOES ALL THIS TECH MEAN A MAJOR INVESTMENT?

e biggest barrier to many retailers taking on new retail technology is cost. We have removed this barrier by o ering all of our products on a monthly lease agreement, from the installation of the EDGEPoS system to ESELs. We can install everything with no upfront costs, and all maintenance and support costs are included. Our support services are 24/7/365 and we include all EDGEPoS upgrades and unlimited remote training. e contract is a xed cost for the term, so retailers know there are no unforeseen price rises. e return on investment is trackable and with the addition of a self-service lane retailers can immediately allow customers to serve themselves and utilise sta in other areas of the store. ESELs create an instant margin increase due to wrong pricing being eradicated, and no promotional changeover crossovers as well as reducing sta time on sta labelling the store.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR EDGEPOS?

We have two exciting app integration launches upcoming this summer. e introduction of Fuel, Pay, Go! and Fuel, Pay, Assist! will be a market rst. e single app platform is a white label Pay@ e Pump app integrated with your EDGEPoS system and your pumps. Additionally, it allows your forecourt to o er Pay@ e Pump assistance. Blue badge drivers will be able to arrive on the forecourt, identify their pump on the app and request assistance from the team in the store. e assistant fuels up for the customer, and the transaction is processed and completed through the app.

Later in the summer, we will also be launching our Deliverect link, which allows EDGEPoS to link to multiple platforms, including Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eats and many more. See deliverect.com/en-gb/integrations/edgepos to nd out more.

500 AND COUNTING!

PREMIER THROUGH THE AGES

1994 Premier launched

2001 First Premier store launched in Scotland

2003 Premier reaches 1,000 stores

2007 Premier reaches 2,000 stores

2008 Bespoke Scotland leaflets launched

2014 Premier reaches 3,000 stores

2022 Premier reaches 4,000 stores

2022 Premier named SLR Symbol Group of the Year

2023 Premier reaches 500 stores in Scotland

With the recent opening of Premier Ali’s Convenience Store in Tranent on the outskirts of Edinburgh, the Premier symbol group reached another major milestone by reaching the 500 stores mark in Scotland, an impressive achievement.

It has been a remarkable couple of years for the Booker-owned group. In just three-anda-half years some 150 stores across Scotland joined Premier, taking the total to over 4,000 and cementing its position as the country’s biggest symbol group.

And, of course, Premier was named Symbol Group of the Year at the 2022 SLR Awards thanks in no small part to the commendable way it supported Premier retailers in Scotland in the a ermath of the Covid pandemic.

Premier has long o ered a no-nonsense, straightforward model that focuses rst and foremost on delivering the pro ts that independent retailers need to maintain and grow sustainable businesses. e simplicity and value of that o er came into sharp focus during the Covid years and the group’s established modular approach to helping retailers build

busy, pro table stores is helping attract retailers keen to squeeze every penny of pro t out of every square foot of space in their stores.

MILESTONE STORE

Two retailers that saw the value in the Premier model were husband-and-wife team Zul qar and Anila Ali, who were so convinced that the latest Premier thinking would work in their store that they were prepared to invest more than £210,000 in a full top-to-bottom re t.

e relatively small 1,400sq store has fully embraced Premier’s tried-and-tested modular approach that allows retailers to pick and choose from a range of solutions that focus on high margin, high volume, minimum intervention products and services.

at model has been evolved and nessed over the years in agship Premier stores such as Mandeep Singh’s Premier store in She eld and, more recently, Premier Talbot Village in Bournemouth. e approach o ers retailers a bank of proven high margin, high volume solutions. Retailers simply pick and choose according to the needs of their own customer base.

With the recent opening of Premier’s 500th store in Scotland, SLR looks back at the rise and rise of the UK’s largest symbol group and our reigning Symbol Group of the Year.

Among the ‘modules’ on o er in Tranent are a Refresh@Premier Zone featuring hot and cold drinks-to-go, a beer cave, a vape bar, a greatly extended fresh and chilled range and a strong frozen o er, all complemented by Premier’s rolling promotional programme.

e store also tted digital shelf edge labels and runs a home delivery service through Snappy Shopper.

e result? In just the rst 10 weeks a er the re t sales were up 50% and the store was seeing around 1,000 more customers a week cross its threshold. Refresh@ Premier Zone is taking over £3,500 a week from a standing start – with margins of around 65% – and the home delivery service has grown by about 30% since the re t and now takes around £6,000 a week. And both Anila and Zul qar feel that there’s still plenty of growth to come.

PHENOMENAL GROWTH

All of which is testament to the strength of the current Premier o er and doubly remarkable considering that the rst Premier store in Scotland only opened in 2001. Premier had been in existence for around seven years by then but the next couple of decades were to see growth turbo-charged.

Premier reached the 1,000-store milestone in 2003, then hit 2,000 in 2007 and 3,000 in 2014. Last year saw Premier open its 4,000th store and, north of the border, 2023 saw the 500th Premier store open in Scotland.

As for the future, Booker Wholesale, Sales Director Martyn Parkinson believes that the sky is the limit, particularly with so many retailers attracted to Premier’s blueprint model and so many prepared to spend the money required to deliver modern, highly pro table stores.

“ e really encouraging thing for us is that retailers are seeing what we are doing with the Premier model, they’re seeing other Premier stores reap the bene ts and they’re willing to invest in refurbishing their own stores to a very high standard,” says Parkinson.

“ e Tranent store, for example, saw £210,000 invested and none of that was on building work – that was all re t and that’s a considerable investment.

“We know how tough it is out there at the moment and that’s why we’re working so hard to get our Premier retailers’ margins up to 30%. Stores that follow the blueprint typically see margins increase by 6% or 7%. It’s all about

creating a great in-store environment and working smart in key categories, keeping costs down and maximising PORs. We believe that if you follow our blueprint, you will get margins to 30% and you can expect full payback on your investment within 12 months.”

500 CELEBRATIONS

To celebrate hitting the 500th Scottish store landmark, Premier has announced that it is going to plant 500 trees in Scotland as part of its ongoing sustainability plan. It will also be giving any retailer who joins the Premier family within the next six months the chance to win £10,000 to put towards the installation of a new Refresh@Premier Zone in their store.

Additionally, Premier has donated 500 family meals in Scotland through the Fareshare charity, helping to support families in need across the country.

“It’s an exciting time in Scotland for Premier,” concludes Parkinson. “We have a long and very successful history in Scotland and I’m looking forward to welcoming more Scottish stores to Premier in the future.”

“It’s an exciting time in Scotland for Premier. We have a long and very successful history in Scotland and I’m looking forward to welcoming more Scottish stores to Premier in the future.”

MARTYN PARKINSON, SALES DIRECTOR BOOKER WHOLESALE

SLR AWARDS 2023 THE SHORTLIST

The rst stage of the judging for the SLR Awards 2023 is now complete and the judges have drawn their conclusions. e result is the shortlist that you see on these pages.

With more stores taking part than in 2022, SLR extends its gratitude to each and every retailer who took the time to enter. Your e orts certainly made it di cult for our judging panel, who had their hands full narrowing down the eld, with a bumper crop of top-notch entries across 15 categories to consider.

e David Sands group of stores, the subject of this month’s cover story (see page 22) made its presence felt on the shortlist with its four stores cropping up a total of nine times between them.

Dan Brown, SLR Retailer of the Year in 2020 and boss of the group’s Pinkie Farm Convenience Store, will no doubt be pleased to see that it was responsible for ve of these.

Shamly Sud, the SLR Retailer of the Year for the past two years running, will also be smiling as her family’s RaceTrack stores, which trade under the Premier fascia, were shortlisted six times.

Another Premier store, Premier Ali’s Convenience Store, was shortlisted four times, helping propel the Booker symbol group to a total of 23 entries on the shortlist. is was rivalled by CJ Lang, with 17 appearances for Spar Scotland-supplied stores.

With the paper judging phase now complete, the judges will now begin the on-the-road judging which, as the name suggests, entails travelling the length and breadth of Scotland

The official shortlist for the SLR Awards 2023 has now been decided and we can reveal the stores and retailers in the running for this, the 21st edition of the Awards.

Sweettasteofvictory:NisaLocalCityStore(top),SparRenfrew (middle)andJaz’sPremierGrangemouth(bottom)areallinthe runningforConfectioneryRetaileroftheYear

Who’sgotitinthebag?EitherDavid’s KitchenGlenrothes(top),PinkieFarm ConvenienceStore(bottomleft)or CostcutterBaba’sKitchen(bottom right)willtakeawaythisyear’sFoodto-Gogong

Newstoresgalore:NisaLocalCity Store(topleft),PremierWhitehills(top right),Jaz’sPremierGrangemouth (bottom)andGreensofDundee(not shown)allmadetheshortlist

THE SHORTLIST

BREAD & BAKERY RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Q Premier Ali’s Convenience Store

Q Spar Drymen

Q Whytes of New Pitsligo (Nisa)

CONFECTIONERY RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Q Jaz’s Premier Grangemouth

Q Nisa Local City Store

Q Spar Renfrew

FOOD-TO-GO RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Q Costcutter Baba’s Kitchen

Q David’s Kitchen Glenrothes (Spar)

Q Pinkie Farm Convenience Store (Spar)

FORECOURT RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Q Ascona Refinery - Grangemouth (Nisa)

Q Cambuslang Service Station

Q RaceTrack Autoport Services (Premier)

Q RaceTrack Bearsden Services (Premier)

FRESH & CHILLED RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Q Pinkie Farm Convenience Store (Spar)

Q Premier Ali’s Convenience Store

Q Spar Drymen

Q The Broughton Market (Nisa)

OFF-TRADE RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Q Costcutter Fresh in Falkirk

Q Day-Today Blantyre

Q Greens of Dundee (Nisa)

Q Premier@DUSA

Q RaceTrack Pitstop Strathclyde (Premier)

SCOTTISH BRANDS

RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Q David’s Kitchen Kirkcaldy (Spar)

Q Greens of Ellon (Nisa)

Q Pinkie Farm Convenience Store (Spar)

Q Whytes of New Pitsligo (Nisa)

SOFT DRINKS RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Q David’s Kitchen Falkirk (Spar)

Q Day-Today Dalmarnock Road

Q Premier Girish’s @ Barmulloch

Q Premier Shak & Jens @ Sauchie

TOBACCO RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Q Day-Today Salamander

Q Spar Renfrew

Q Spar St. George’s Cross

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Q Bourtreehill Supermarket (Day Today)

Q Pinkie Farm Convenience Store (Spar)

Q Premier Broadway Convenience Store

Q Premier@DUSA

BEST NEW STORE

Q Greens of Dundee (Nisa)

Q Jaz’s Premier Grangemouth

Q Nisa Local City Store

Q Premier Whitehills

BEST REFIT

Q Premier Ali’s Convenience Store

Q Premier Shak & Jens @ Sauchie

Q Spar Crosshouse

Q Spar Drymen

SUSTAINABILITY

RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Q Premier Whitehills

Q Premier@DUSA

Q RaceTrack Autoport Services (Premier)

Q RaceTrack Bearsden Services (Premier)

#THINKSMART INNOVATION

Q Jaz’s Premier Grangemouth

Q Pinkie Farm Convenience Store (Spar)

Q Premier Ali’s Convenience Store

Q RaceTrack Bearsden Services (Premier)

TEAM OF THE YEAR

Q Cambuslang Service Station

Q David’s Kitchen Kirkcaldy (Spar)

Q Premier Girish’s @ Barmulloch

Q Spar Deveron Road Troon

visiting every store on the shortlist over the next month or two.

SLR Publisher Antony Begley commented:

“Once again, local retailing has proven how vital it is to communities all across Scotland – and I can’t wait to hit the road and start seeing all the shortlisted stores in person. Good luck to every store on the shortlist.”

“We are all familiar with how tough the trading environment is at the moment and how many challenges that retailers face every day in life, so it was particularly pleasing this year to see that entries were up on last year. Not only were the numbers up, so too was the quality of the entries and, indeed, the quality of the stores entering.

“Based on the entries we received this year, it’s crystal clear that major scale investment being made by independent retailers in Scotland that bodes very well for the future of our sector.”

Our winners will be unveiled on Wednesday 6 September at a glittering ceremony in the Radisson blu hotel, Glasgow.

Innovationinspirations:Jaz’s PremierGrangemouth(top left),PinkieFarmConvenience Store(topright),PremierAli’s ConvenienceStore(middle left)andRaceTrackBearsden Services(bottom)areupforthe #ThinkSmartInnovationAward.

Topteams:David’s KitchenKirkcaldy(left) andSparDeveron RoadTroon(right)will battleouttheTeamof theYearAwardalong withtheunpictured CambuslangService StationandPremier Girish’s@Barmulloch

CHAMPIONING SCOTLAND

Imperial Tobacco has recently launched a new range of Regal Signature products developed exclusively for the Scottish market. SLR finds out more…

The complexity of markets and supply chains mean that it’s rare for major international brands to launch products speci cally created for the Scottish market – but that’s exactly what Imperial Tobacco have done with the launch of its new Regal Signature range.

“Regal Signature was developed exclusively with the Scottish market in mind,” explains Tom Gully, Head of Consumer Marketing UK&I at Imperial Tobacco. “ e range is positioned under the strapline ‘ e New Champion of Scotland’ and o ers adult smokers the quality they have come to expect from Regal in a new signature blend that is tailored to modern tastes.”

Gully says the range includes new cigarettes and rolling tobacco products that o er premium quality and deliver “great value for shoppers”.

He comments: “Made with the nest tobacco blend, Regal Signature cigarettes provide highquality paper, a rm lter and a roundedcornered box for a more contemporary and premium feel.”

Meanwhile, Regal Signature rolling tobacco provides a high-quality blend with a portrait pouch for a modern look, as well as a resealable zip lock to ensure continued freshness.

e rolling tobacco packs come complete with both papers and tips in 30g packs, and papers in 50g packs, o ering shoppers added value and a convenient format.

While retailers are obviously free to set their own prices, Imperial is encouraging them to satisfy the demand for great value, high quality products by recommending an RSP of £11.60 for Regal Signature cigarettes, which are available in Kingsize and Superkingsize formats. RSPs for the rolling tobacco range are £16.30 for the 30g pack and £26.75 for the larger 50g pack.

ON TREND

“Staying on top of any new trends within the tobacco category is a great way to ensure maximum sales impact,” says Gully. “With many consumers looking to reduce their spending, value products are proving particularly popular at the moment, so retailers need to ensure they are responding to this trend by stocking ranges, such as Regal Signature, in order to grow their sales.”

Gully advises making sure that stock levels are continuously maintained to help improve sales. He explains: “If retailers run out of popular products, it can be costly, particularly within a category that is mainly driven by brand loyalty. With this mind, store owners and their sta should consistently check their stock levels to ensure they’re not missing out on any sales opportunities.”

RESILIENT MARKET

Despite the many challenges facing the category, the Scottish tobacco market remains extremely

resilient – and valuable – for retailers. e category is worth £14bn each year before tax1

It’s worth noting that Scottish consumers have slightly di erent tobacco preferences to the rest of the UK, with the Factory Made Cigarettes (FMC) market accounting for 66% of all tobacco sales vs. 53% for the rest of the UK2

“With more consumers looking for ways to reduce spending amid soaring household costs, we’re seeing a shi towards low priced propositions across the entire tobacco category,” comments Gully. “ is trend is particularly prevalent in Scotland where 21.2% of FMC sales are in the value price sector (vs. 11.4% in England)3 and 27.1% of RYO sales are in the value price sector (vs. 15% in England)4. erefore, stocking value tobacco ranges, such as Regal Signature, should be a key area of focus for retailers looking to tap into this trend.”

QUALITY COUNTS

“Given the continued cost-of-living crisis, we all that know value is going to be a major factor in shopper purchasing habits for the foreseeable future. While many smokers will be looking for greater value from the tobacco products they buy, no one wants to comprise on quality,” says Gully.

“ rough our new Regal Signature range, we’re o ering modern adult smokers a great solution with premium tobacco products and high-quality features from a well-known brand, all at a value price point.”

“The range is positioned under the strapline ‘The New Champion of Scotland’ and offers adult smokers the quality they have come to expect from Regal in a new signature blend that is tailored to modern tastes.”

Tropicana Ambient Range PepsiCo

Chilled juice brand Tropicana has launched its top three flavours –Smooth Orange, Original Orange and Apple – into the ambient juice category. All are available now in 850ml packs (RSP £2.99 and £2.75 PMP). Smaller 250ml packs are also available in Smooth Orange (RSP £1.60 and £1.25 PMP) and Apple (£1.25 PMP) variants. As with all Tropicana juices, the health benefits are clearly highlighted front of pack.

Skittles Desserts Mars Wrigley

Skittles Desserts launches as research finds that the number of under-35s consuming Fruity Confectionery as a dessert has risen by 42.5% since 2020. It rolls out in 152g packs (RSP £1) in five variants: Cherry Cheesecake, Strawberry Ice Cream, Choco-Orange Cake, Lemon Pie, and Blueberry Tart. The brand is confident that the launch will recruit new shoppers and drive relevance with Gen Z audience.

Chupa Chups Squeezee Freeze Pops Rose Marketing

New Chupa Chups Squeezee

Freeze Pops comes in ambient freeze-at-home bags of 12 x 45ml, with an RSP of £1.50. Packs contain an assortment of four flavours –Cola, Apple, Strawberry and Orange – and are available now from Booker or directly from Rose Marketing. The freeze pops are made with real fruit juice, natural flavours and no artificial colours.

Barratt soft drinks range rolls out

Unitas, Valeo Snackfoods and Whatever Brands have teamed up to launch a range of soft drinks inspired by classic Barratt sweet flavours.

There are 10 new SKUs in total – four fizzy drinks in two pack sizes and two spring water flavours.

Unitas member depots have exclusive access to the range until the end of 2023.

The fizzy drinks range contains Barratt Fruit Salad, Wham, Flump and Dip Dab, which come in 555ml PET bottles, RSP £1, and 850ml PET bottles, RSP £1.29.

Barratt Fruit Salad Spring Water and Wham Spring Water are available in 500ml PET bottles, RSP 69p, and are HFSS compliant. The drinks are created in partnership with Trederwen Springs.

All products contain no artificial colours or flavours and less than 5g of sugar. The 555ml and 500ml packs come in cases of 12, while the 850ml packs are in cases of six.

The range marks the first exclusive collaboration between Unitas and Valeo Snackfoods, which developed the new products in partnership with Whatever Brands.

Russell Tanner, Marketing Director at Valeo Confectionery, said: “We are delighted to be working with Unitas Wholesale members on this exclusive offer. From our experience working with Unitas, we

Juic’d Blood Orange & Raspberry Crush Boost Drinks

Juic’d Blood Orange & Raspberry

Crush launches with Orange currently the fourth-strongest flavour in Soft Drinks and second in Juice, and Raspberry the sixth-biggest flavour in Stimulation and growing by 58%. The new variant features alongside the rest of the Juic’d range in out-of-home, digital, radio and YouTube adverts in September. The range is made with 5% real fruit juice and comes in £1.09 pricemarked packs.

believe the scale of the buying group and quality of the membership will deliver an excellent plan for execution for this activity.”

Cheryl Hope, Unitas Trading Director, added: “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity to partner exclusively with Barratt on a range of exciting new products for our sector.

“The big brand flavours and different pack formats available in this exclusive to Unitas range will prove to be a huge hit with our wholesale members across retail and out of home, and their customers.”

Signature 60th Anniversary Limited-Edition Tins

Scandinavian Tobacco Group has launched a range of limited-edition tins to celebrate the 60th birthday of its Signature cigar brand. On-pack messaging highlights not only the longevity of the brand but also the consistent quality that has made it a preferred choice for well over half a century. In other news for the brand, STG has confirmed the permanent return of tins for packs of Signature

Blue 20s and

Signature

Original 20s.

Slix ANDS

ANDS, a distributor of alternative nicotine delivery systems, has unveiled Slix, a new 99% plus recyclable and recoverable single-use vape. Slix boasts an outer casing made of 100% recyclable highgrade cardboard, with a biodegradable silicone mouthpiece and end piece. It comes in eight flavours including blue raspberry lemon, cream tobacco, grape, kiwi passion fruit guava, mint, pink lemon, sour raspberry and watermelon.

Functional Lemonades

Gunna Drinks

Anti-plastic campaigning soda brand, Gunna Drinks, has launched what it says is the UK’s first range of aluminium bottled soft drinks. Three immuneboosting lemonades with added vitamin C and zinc – Tropical, Raspberry and Twisted – are available in £1.99 RSP 500ml infinitely recyclable bottles, tapping into a growing consumer demand for functional food and drink.

Nurishment No Added Sugar

Grace Foods

Nutritionally enriched milk drink

Nurishment has unveiled a range of no-added-sugar drinks in 330ml bottles. New flavours Hazelnut and Coffee make their brand debut, joining stalwarts Strawberry, Chocolate, Vanilla and Banana. The range offers the same amount of minerals and vitamins as Nurishment Original, as well as 17.8 grams of protein per portion.

Dreamy Oat Desserts

Oddlygood

Oddlygood, a plant-based brand widely known in Europe and the US, has made its UK debut with the launch of Dreamy oat desserts. The smooth ready-to-eat desserts are dairy- and glutenfree and available in two flavours: Lemon and Caramel. They come in cases of 6 x 130g packs with an RSP of £1.49 per pack. Retailers should get in touch with glenn@oddlygood.com for stock enquiries.

Bubbleology Bubble Tea

Aimia Foods

Two mixology kits (RSP £8.50), which can make four bubble teas, and two single serve packs (RSP £2.29) will be available from mid-September. Flavours include passionfruit and raspberry fruit teas with popping boba pearls, or taro and brown sugar milk teas with caramelised tapioca pearls. Packs contain jumbo straws and a QR code that leads to a video instructing how to make the teas.

Fizzy Vegan Peach Hearts / Fizzy Vegan Ring Mix

Bebeto

Peach Hearts are peach-flavoured gummies with a fizzy, tangy coating. Ring Mix are chewy, gummy rings in strawberry, apple and raspberry flavours with a tangy, fizzy coating. Both come in a 150g bags and are vegan approved with added real fruit juice and no artificial colours.

Alcohol Free Passion Fruit

Martini

Funkin Cocktails

RTD brand Funkin Cocktails has launched an alcohol-free version of its popular Passion Fruit Martini Nitro Can. Made with real fruit, the new cocktail also features the brand’s nitro format, which delivers a velvety, bar-quality pour. It is available now in 200ml cans with an RSP of £1.80. The launch marks Funkin’s first foray into the non-alcoholic category in its 24year history.

Pukka for the people

Pie brand Pukka has launched ‘Pukka for the people,’ a new campaign that encourages people to consume its range of products however and whenever they want. The campaign is spearheaded by seven TV ads and runs from June through to September. It is supported by digital audio and radio, along with social media.

Light-hearted lunch

Oasis is back with its light-hearted campaign designed to help retailers tap into the lunchtime occasion. It runs throughout the summer and aims to show that “while Oasis can’t change our characters… it can refresh them,” through targeted video content on social media, alongside digital out-of-home takeovers across high footfall areas.

Yes to fresh

Perfetti van Melle has launched a new £1.5m campaign to promote its range of Mentos Pure Fresh Gum. Running until mid-September with a ‘Yes to Fresh’ strapline, the campaign includes radio, video-on-demand, YouTube, TikTok, influencer and social media activities. It is expected to reach 78% of adults, and deliver an estimated 40m impressions.

Burger boost

Kepak’s ‘Boost Your Burger’ campaign encourages shoppers to buy additional items alongside Rustlers burgers to replicate a restaurant-style experience. Influencer-led video content shows consumers how to create the ‘ultimate BBQed Rustlers burger’. A range of POS includes shelf talkers, digital screen graphics, chiller vinyl and aisle fins.

Summer lift

CCEP’s new campaign for its chilled Costa Coffee RTDs is intended to give consumers a lift and drive trial of the brand’s Latte and Frappe ranges. The campaign includes video content on social media, out-of-home advertising and sampling activities at festivals including Pride, Mighty Hoopla, Barcode Festival, Car Fest, and Kendal Calling.

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

CAFFEINE BOOST

MÜLLER UNVEILS BARISTA MILK RANGE

Müller Milk & Ingredients has launched a mainstream dairy barista milk line in Tesco and One Stop stores.

Aimed at coffee lovers wishing to recreate professional-quality coffees at home, the Müller Good Stuff Barista Milk can be frothed with any domestic frothing gadget, warmed and whisked, or added cold.

The brand will roll out the range to more retailers this month.

With sustainability and sourcing in mind, Helen Priestley, Marketing and Category Director for Müller Milk & Ingredients, said: “We’re reinforcing the British milk and natural ingredients messaging on our fully recyclable packaging.

“The carton will also carry a QR code for consumers to scan and find out more about Müller’s sustainability plans as well as more information on Müller Good Stuff Barista Milk.”

BY ELENA DIMAMA

Some things hardly change – and Brits’ love for beverages is one of them. According to Mintel, 48% of British tea lovers say they sometimes drink tea as an alternative to alcohol. At the same time, sales of ready-to-drink (RTD) iced co ee rose to over £44m within independents by the end of 2022. e RTD segment is crucial to watch for convenience, as its increasing appeal can drive sales, especially in the summertime.

SMELL THE COFFEE

“ e surge in brand innovation around readyto-drink co ees presents convenience stores with a big opportunity to tap into the UK’s co ee market and capture the younger generations who are leading the way in the RTD sector,” says Scott Markham, Founder of Rokit Health. Indeed, revenue in the RTD co ee segment amounts to £87.30m in 2023 and is expected to grow annually by 5.12% (CAGR 2023-2027)

according to Statista, with research showing that Generation-Z shoppers are more likely to consume RTD co ee than brewed co ee. Caramel (+36%), Mocha (18.4%), Espresso (+16%) and Latte (+14%) are the top four avours in the space and account for 84% of the category’s sales value, according to IRI.

“We’re nding that consumers are increasingly looking for co ee products that do much more than just o er a ca eine hit. ey want something with great taste, more natural ingredients, and less sugar,” Markham adds. “Innovation is the number one driver for RTD dairy-free beverages, with brands like Rokit Health catering to avour and wellness trends with new product launches.”

Following these trends, Coca-Cola Europaci c Partners (CCEP) recently launched its rst-ever on-pack promotion for its Costa Co ee readyto-drink (RTD) chilled Co ee Latte range. e promotion is designed to reward Costa fans,

Britain’s love for a caffeinated drink – be it coffee or tea, and increasingly cold – remains as strong as ever and now is the time for convenience to reap the rewards.

keep the brand front of mind and help drive sales for retailers during the important summer period.

Running until 30 September, consumers can scan QR codes on promotional 250ml cans of Costa Co ee Latte, Caramel Latte and Vanilla Latte variants.

“Our rst-ever on-pack promotion and upli ing summer campaign will reward our Costa Co ee fans with exclusive experiences and prizes,” says Pippa Foster, Associate Director of Commercial Development at CCEP GB. “ e Costa Co ee chilled RTD range has already enjoyed tremendous value and volume sales growth over the last year, and is now the fastest-growing major chilled co ee brand in GB, so we’re con dent this will help maintain the growth momentum.”

“ e RTD chilled co ee sector in convenience is growing ahead of the total market so we wanted to further incentivise convenience retailers to get behind the on-pack promotion by giving something back to them and their local communities in addition to the existing prizes for their shoppers.”

Stocking up on brands that o er innovation and a diverse range of products appears to be key in tapping into this growing trend. “We know that the RTD Iced Co ee category is growing

rapidly at +24% volume and +31% value YOY, providing a huge opportunity for retailers to draw customers in and maximise sales,” Adrian Hipkiss, Marketing Director at Boost Drinks, notes. “To successfully capitalise on this trend, retailers and wholesalers should provide enough space to allow for future growth in the category and stock fast-growing brands such as Boost.”

CUPPA LOVE

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, Mintel research has found that a “posh” cup of tea is proving to be a viable luxury, as two-thirds (64%) of those swapping alcohol for tea believe that high-quality teas are an a ordable treat. And in a bid to tighten the purse strings, savvy Brits are turning to their faithful asks as half (48%) of tea lovers say they like to save money while out of home by bringing their own tea with them in a thermos or travel mug. is rises to 67% of tea lovers aged 25-34.

“Six in ten (61%) people think drinking tea is a good way to boost mood, rising to 70% of tea drinkers. e cost-of-living crisis will increase the appeal of this wellbeing, boosting perception as consumers seek out emotional support during stressful times,” Angharad Goode, Mintel Research Analyst, mentions.

EMMI CAFFÈ LATTE CELEBRATES LOVE ISLAND PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW FLAVOUR

Emmi has launched limited-edition Love Island packaging and a new popcorn flavour to mark the second year of its partnership with the ITV2 reality show.

The brand is also running competitions, with prizes including Love Island merchandise and two pairs of all-expenses-paid tickets to watch the final in Majorca.

John Mulvey, Head of Marketing at Emmi UK, said: “There can be a lot of FOMO about missing out on Love Island, so we’ll be supporting our partnership with a campaign amplifying the moments people love across traditional and social media, be that revelling in the gossip when we ‘spill the beans’ or connecting with friends over that morning coffee and a catch-up on the drama from the show.”

Great Taste reat

AUGUST AWAITS

TIPS FROM HOVIS

BY ELENA DIMAMA

Cost saving is front of mind for all shoppers, especially for those who need to plan ahead with lunch boxes. Preparing meals for school is always combined with the need to provide healthy choices for children, with no added or low sugar at front of mind.

HUMBLE SANDWICH

e traditional sandwich remains a key part of any lunchbox, with value for money and healthier options being the two main trends.

“Making sure there’s a good range of prepackaged bread on o er that caters for di erent tastes available at all times is essential to cater for the back-to-school trend,” says Alistair Gaunt, Commercial Director at Hovis. “Recent research commissioned by Hovis showed that the top sandwich llers are still some of the all-

time favourites: ham and cheese, egg with mayo or cress, and BLT.

“O ering a selection of these classic sandwich llers alongside a range of pre-packaged bread like Hovis with its extensive portfolio to suit all tastes and budgets, will help retailers ensure they’re well-prepared to respond to rising demand for packed lunches.”

Sales of white bread currently account for over 55% of pre-packaged bread units sold, according to Nielsen. “Given the current economic climate, many shoppers are buying fewer di erent types of bread for their households and are increasingly moving towards pre-packaged white bread, which is most likely to satisfy the needs of multiple people,” Gaunt adds. “It is therefore clearly important for retailers to stock white bread as it is a potential ‘crowd-pleaser’ for everyone in the household.”

Q Creating a back-to-school occasion display can really help to drive impact in-store. For example, displaying a range of lunchbox essentials, such as pre-packaged bread, sandwich fillers and fruit, next to or close to each other and offering cross-category promotions can help to boost sales. Where running promotions, using POS in-store can also help build shopper awareness of the different offers available and encourage them to buy multiple items in one shop.

Q We recommend ensuring the most popular products are displayed at eye level in convenience stores. These products will often have a single facing, so it’s important to ensure the customer sees them and knows they are available.

Q We’d also recommend that stores enhance their pre-packaged products wherever possible, e.g., cross-promoting with other favourites to help provide inspiration for shoppers to create a more special lunchbox for their children.

Going back to school is the perfect opportunity for retailers to stock up on lunchbox essentials for parents who seek the best ingredients for their children’s diet.

FIVE-A-DAY

Children getting their ve-a-day was recently cited as the most important factor for their diet, according to a recent survey of parents by Kantar. In addition, a recent survey by StreetBees of nearly 50,000 consumers showed that the number one attribute sought when deciding on what to eat and drink was ‘no added or low sugar’ content.

“At Dole Sunshine Company we are the UK category leader in packaged fruit snacks, with our entire product range containing 100% real fruit, with no added sugar in any of its fruit in juice range,” Andrew Bradshaw, UK Sales Director at Dole Sunshine Company, notes.

“Our latest data shows Dole has a value share of just over 58% of the fruit-in-juice cups category and a value share of over 85% of the fruit-in-jelly cups category. All the variants in our range are less than 100 calories per serving and come in convenient and recyclable packs which can be eaten at home or on the go.”

e brand has recently launched 198g Dole Tropical Gold Pineapple or Dole Tropical Fruit in Juice packs designed to suit the chiller, with a minimum delivered shelf life of over 90 days to minimise waste.

TIPS FROM KP SNACKS

Q Activate lunchbox occasions and maximise singles sales by siting commonly purchased products, such as soft drinks and crisps, together.

Q Make use of impactful branded display and POS, such as stackers and dump bins, to drive basket spend.

Q Give shoppers great value by using PMPs and promotional offers, sited in prominent locations in-store to maximise sales.

Q Stock the bestsellers your customers are seeking and use well-known brands to deliver strong shopper appeal – 42% of sales go through the top five brands.

KEEP THE SNACKS

With health remaining a top priority, snack brands are following suit by lowering calories and sugar intake.

“Bagged snacks are a staple in children’s lunchboxes making the back-to-school occasion a critical opportunity for retailers to drive CSN sales,” Matt Collins, Trading Director at KP Snacks, notes.

“For manufacturers and retailers looking to gain sales, it is key that they are o ering a core range boosted with the right promotions and instore merchandising.”

LEADING LIGHTS

The UK tobacco market continues to shine, buoyed by its many heritage brands.

BY GAELLE WALKER

The strength of the UK’s £14bn tobacco market has been demonstrated by a recent ra of milestone anniversaries, with a number of the UK’s biggest brands marking their ongoing success with celebratory packaging updates and engaging retailer activities.

Marking the 60th anniversary of its Signature cigar brand, STG UK recently launched a range of limited-edition packs to inject further excitement and interest to the cigar category over the buoyant summer sales period.

Available now, the celebratory packs highlight the brand’s longevity and “the consistent quality that has made it a preferred choice for well over half a century.”

In further exciting news for the brand, STG also recently con rmed that its iconic tins will be permanently returning for packs of Signature Blue 20s and Signature Original 20s.

STG’s UK Marketing Manager Nataly Scarpetta says: “ ere’s no doubt Signature has always been the jewel in our crown, representing 60 years of quality, experience and cra smanship.

“Here in the UK, the brand portfolio is currently worth nearly £50m in annual sales, with strong products in both the miniature and cigarillo segments. We’re proud to celebrate such an important anniversary for Signature and want to thank all the convenience retailers who have played such a vital role in its continued success.”

JTI UK meanwhile, is also celebrating the 150-year anniversary of its well-known Benson and Hedges brand. As part of the festivities, JTI is hosting a ‘Great £150 Giveaway’ for retailers. Hosted on the new dedicated Benson and Hedges trade microsite, the trade competition will reward 50 winning retailers with £150 each.

To enter the draw and be in with a chance of winning £150, retailers simply need to log

on to the JTI Advance microsite with their username and password. Winners will be picked fortnightly at random until 11 August.

Commenting on the landmark anniversary, JTI UK Marketing Director Mark McGuinness says: “We couldn’t be prouder to have reached this extraordinary anniversary and still have such a successful brand that retailers can rely on to provide their customers with great quality cigarettes and rolling tobacco.

“It’s important for us to celebrate the brand’s heritage, but we know our success is also down to the support of our retailers throughout the years.

“So, in this very special year, we want to shine a light on our trade partners and this prize draw is just one way of giving back and thanking retailers, with other activities to follow later in the year too. We want to continue looking forward for this heritage brand and can’t wait to see what the next 150 years of Benson and Hedges brings.”

With over 200 years of heritage, Imperial Tobacco’s Rizla brand is also continuing to play a pivotal role when it comes to helping independent retailers make the most of the Roll Your Own (RYO) tobacco opportunity, which is continuing to grow.

With many shoppers looking to cut down their household spending, Imperial Tobacco says it has “noticed a signi cant increase in the number of RYO sales,” with the category now accounting for almost half the total market. Within RYO, the economy priced segment accounts for 56% of sales and is growing at 5% year on year.

e growth in RYO is of course having a positive impact on accessories, with recent gures showing that lter tips are now worth a sizeable £114m of sales, according to Imperial Tobacco.

NEW PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Imperial Tobacco recently announced the launch of its new Regal Signature range, developed exclusively with the Scottish market in mind.

The latest edition from the Regal brand includes new cigarettes and rolling tobacco products which have been designed to offer adult smokers “premium quality” and “great value.”

The brand features a fine-quality tobacco blend, firm filter, high-quality paper and a rounded-cornered box for a “more contemporary and premium feel”.

The range includes Kingsize and Superkingsize formats and is available to now in packs of 20 at an RSP of £11.60.

The Regal Signature rolling tobacco range meanwhile, provides a high-quality blend with a portrait pouch for a modern look, as well as a resealable zip lock to ensure continued freshness.

Offering both papers and tips in 30g packs and papers in 50g packs, Regal Signature rolling tobacco provides shoppers with an added value format that Imperial says “offers the ultimate convenience”. The rolling tobacco range is available to buy now with RSPs of £16.30 and £26.75 respectively.

Regular papers also account for £44m, king size papers for £29m, and combi papers £33m.

“With over 200 years of heritage, Rizla is the No.1 Rolling Paper in the UK and the perfect brand to stock to tap into this trend,” Imperial’s Head of Consumer Marketing Tom Gully says.

“One product that is proving particularly popular with value-savvy tobacco customers is Rizla King Size Combi Silver.

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

“With household bills and inflation soaring, we expect value to remain the dominant trend shaping sales across the tobacco category.”

RRP £16.30 FOR 30g*

RRP £11.60 FOR 20*

SNACK AWAY

TIPS FROM JACK LINK’S

We believe that making a permanent home for jerky and biltong meat snacks on the main fixture with other bagged snacks, especially next to crisps and nuts will drive sales.

We know secondary merchandising of Jack Link’s Beef Jerky on clip strips drives high levels of incremental sales, building visibility across a store and prompt incremental purchases. Our clip strips are available in shelf-ready boxes for ease, which quickly aid merchandising.

The snacking category still remains strong with PMPs driving growth for the convenience sector.

BY ELENA DIMAMA

Snacking on-the-go while keeping tabs on the best value in this in ationary environment is still crucial for convenience, where shoppers turn to for a quick pick me up that doesn’t break the bank.

TRUST THE PMP

Price-marked packs (PMPs) remain incredibly popular with shoppers and brands alike, providing retailers with the opportunity to drive sales in the snacking and impulse categories. According to Lumina, 70% of shoppers purchase items on impulse and PMPs drive these sales through clear messaging and display.

“We’ve seen a recent increase in grab bag and large PMP sales as people are tempted by the bigger packs,” Matt Collins, Trading Director, KP Snacks, says. “Not only do

PMPs o er consumers great value for money, but the clear pricing also gives them assurance that they are not being overcharged. PMPs are a hugely versatile format that caters for multiple missions and occasions, whether that be hunger ll or sharing.”

As the cost-of-living crisis is predicted to continue through 2023, PMPs have a big role to play in driving pro ts for the convenience sector.

“In convenience, £1 PMPs are a must-stock,” Matt Smith, Marketing Director for Tayto Group, explains. “ ey have been the main driver of category growth – growing more than twice as fast as the market. In ation pressure is forcing many other brands to move above the all-important £1 price point, but Golden Wonder is committed to putting consumers and retailers rst.”

“As recessionary conditions prevail, operators need to stock trusted and familiar brands and offer the right product and price mix to deliver and demonstrate great value. PMPs have seen significant growth in the last number of years, with the format expected to continue increasing in both relevance and popularity.”

MATT COLLINS, TRADING DIRECTOR, KP SNACKS

TIPS FROM TAYTO GROUP

Q Entry-point – where great value for money is essential

Q Impulse – a core range for on-the-go occasions and lunchtime snacks

Q £1 Sharing – demands a big focus as the largest and fastest-growing segment

Q Pork Scratchings – with over 20% of shoppers unwilling to switch if scratchings aren’t available, you are missing out if you aren’t stocking scratchings.

Indeed, recent research by Tayto Group found that 95% of consumers were concerned about the cost of groceries, with almost 40% being very or extremely concerned.

“One way consumers are economising is to save petrol by shopping locally. is provides an opportunity for independent retailers to become the go-to place to purchase drinks and snacks for lunch or on the way home for a big night in,” Smith adds. “Whilst £1 PMPs have been the powerhouse of bagged snacks in recent years, independent retailers must also stock a strong range of impulse snacks to capture the resurgent FTG opportunity post-Covid. In impulse snacks, value for money is essential and having the right range of PMP snacks will drive sales.”

e Fox’s Burton’s Companies is also highlighting the importance of PMPs, encouraging retailers to stock a range of products that o er value to shoppers – with the brand focusing on its Fish ‘n’ Chips snack o ering.

“Price-marked packs o er retailers a competitive price point with a strong margin and

– importantly – give shoppers con dence in their purchase decisions. With the average price per pack now at £1.26 for savoury snacks in the impulse channel, an increase of +15% over the last year, Fish ‘n’ Chips o ers retailers and shoppers a more a ordable price point,” Colin Taylor, Trade Marketing Director at Fox’s Burton’s Companies, says.

“Fish ‘n’ Chips has seen +25% value growth over MAT in the impulse channel as distribution grows through the two PMP formats, with the introduction of the £1 PMP at the end of 2021.”

HEALTH

Health-conscious shoppers still look for tasty snacks to keep their energy up throughout the day, and there has been an upli in healthy snacking sales, according to KP Snacks.

“Exempt from HFSS legislation, nuts, with their natural and functional bene ts, are seeing huge growth. Packed with protein and bre which is highlighted through its labelling, KP Nuts is the number one brand in nuts, more than four times bigger than the nearest

“Having surveyed both retailers and consumers, it was clear how important the £1 price point is to both. In the current climate, consumers are feeling the pinch and independent retailers need to showcase great value for money.”

branded competitor, worth £91.8m RSV and growing at +12.5%,” Collins explains.

MEATY SNACKS ON THE UP

Another category that can get overlooked is meat snacks. Total sales for the jerky and biltong segment is growing at 41% value, according to Nielsen, while 26.7% units were sold in the year to date as a collective in the convenience sector.

“ e category is growing in both value and in units, and has more than doubled in value over the last ve years, with the headroom to double again as still less than one in ten households buy it,” Shaun Whelan, Jack Link’s Convenience/ Wholesale and OOH Controller, notes.

“ e jerky and biltong meat snacks category is becoming more popular in convenience sectors as we see more and more shoppers search out high protein, tasty convenient snacks that are seen to be healthier alternatives to

traditional snacks. e opportunity to meet shopper demand and unlock additional sales is huge.”

e company is investing £1.5m on an annual basis into media, along with sampling at tness and gaming events to raise category awareness. Sales of Jack Link’s Beef Jerky Original went up by 15.9% in value in the last 12 months, according to the company.

“We know shoppers looking to buy Jack Link’s Beef Jerky are predominately male, aged between 16-45 years old, with a keen interest in sports, healthy eating, and lead an active lifestyle. More importantly, these shoppers are willing to a premium for jerky and biltong meat snacks,” Whelan adds.

Meanwhile, sales of pork scratchings soared during lockdowns, as more people enjoyed the pub snack at home. “With over 20% of pork snackers unwilling to switch to another snack, the 42% of stores not stocking pork snacks are collectively missing out on £6.2m a year,” Smith says.

PICK ME UP BEFORE YOU GO-GO

Meal deals and snacks-to-go lead the way on the lunchtime occasion.

BY ELENA DIMAMA

Picking up a meal remains a favourite trend amongst shoppers, with weekday lunchtimes being the most popular time for eating on-the-go. According to Mintel, 62% of consumers say they enjoy picking meal deal combos, meaning – with the right o er – retailers can capitalise on this particular lunchtime habit.

“By 2027, we anticipate the food-to-go market will be worth £23.4bn, 28% more than 2019,” Richard Cooper, Senior Brand Manager at, Dr. Oetker UK, says. “In terms of current value, recent data reveals 30% of UK adults purchase food-to-go at least once a week, with pizza the most ordered takeaway dish of 2022.”

MEAL DEAL APPEAL

A recent study by IGD found that 53% of shoppers look for meal deals when buying food-to-go, with 34% of shoppers saying they would pay more than £5 for meal deals if the products were high quality.

What’s more, the increase of hybrid work led to foodto-go becoming more of a treat that is purchased less frequently, meaning a bigger opportunity for retailers to create premium lunch deals catered to part-time o ce workers.

“Food-to-go remains an important mission and scalable channel, serving a transient population and on-the-go society,” Matt Collins, Trading Director, KP Snacks, says. “ e Food-to-go market is rebounding with a return to pre-pandemic routines boosting footfall. We are con dent about the future of the category, having already seen signi cant recovery in the sector, and our portfolio is well-placed to capitalise on and drive singles recovery.”

Meanwhile, Cooper notes that food-to-go is “starting to diversify its o ering, moving away from the classic pies, pasties and sausage rolls and o ering more variety of product types, including pizza, wraps and toasties”.

Dr. Oetker Professional has launched a new snacking pizza, available in Margherita and Pepperoni, which can rest for up to three hours in leading hot holds, in a bid to help operators manage busy day parts and minimise waste.

DON’T FORGET TO HYDRATE

A rise in demand for high-quality premium drinks gives independent retailers the opportunity to trade up in their o ering.

In fact, the Proof Insight Summer 2022 Trends report found that the under-35s are treating themselves to better-quality drinks.

cost-of-living crisis, as shown by 39% of UK adults saying they’ve had at

“Now that people are more o en choosing not to dine out due to the cost-of-living crisis, as shown by 39% of UK adults saying they’ve had to cut back on eating out [YouGov], consumers continue to opt for premium drinks that can elevate their drinking experience,” Kat Jones, Marketing Director at Cawston Press notes. “High-quality so drinks are something we o er at Cawston Press with our premium juice range, maintaining a strong consecutive growth over 2022.”

e brand is running a summer marketing campaign, highlighting how to create sparkling so drinks from “simple” ingredients.

“With the saturation of the so drinks market, local retailers can make the most of the category by stocking new unique avours, a key trend to consider for attracting consumers,” Jones adds.

e Cawston Press Sparkling Juice Drinks range consists of traditional favourite juices such as Cloudy Apple and Sparkling Orange, but also o ers avours such as Sparkling Rhubarb and Sparkling Elder ower Lemonade.

BEEF UP THE CHOICE

e promising meat snack category is another way for retailers to capitalise on the lunchtime occasion.

“ e category is growing in both value and in units and has more than doubled in value over the last ve years, with the headroom to double again as still less than one in 10 households buy it,” Shaun Whelan, Jack Link’s Convenience/Wholesale and OOH Controller, says.

“ e jerky and biltong meat snacks category is becoming more popular in convenience sectors as we see more and more shoppers search out high protein, tasty convenient snacks that are seen to be healthier alternatives to traditional snacks. e opportunity to meet shopper demand and unlock additional sales is huge.”

DRIVING SALES THROUGH INNOVATION.

NAME: JACK MATTHEWS

STORE: BRADLEY’S SUPERMARKET

LOCATION: LEICESTERSHIRE

Innovation is key to increasing sales, delivering 29% of all category growth.* Stocking new launches brings excitement to your fixture.

MONSTER ENERGY

Monster delivers 67% of all innovation sales* so make sure new launches such as Lewis Hamilton Zero Sugar, Aussie Style Lemonade and Ultra Rosa are added to your range.

LIVING DOLL

After a regrettable incident when he clicked a link that included the word ‘hardcore’ while allegedly “researching a solid sub-base for his garden shed,” UTC was understandably twitchy when he received news of a new craze called Barbiecore.

There was no need for him to reach for his high blood pressure pills, though. It turns out Barbiecore is just a trend for all things pink – the hotter the better, apparently – and is all the fault of a new live action movie hitting cinemas this month based on Mattel’s fashion doll, Barbie.

It is also, as Under The Counter discovered after a concerted bout of googling, “a more kid-friendly version of its adult, jaded sister Bubblegum Bitch”. Which is itself not to be confused with Bimbocore. The Auld Boy could sense he was now very close to getting in a spot of Barbie-related bother, and not for the first time.

You see, UTC’s big sister was a proud Barbie owner when he was a nipper and she handed (or indeed footed) the young Auld Boy a righteous scheme booting after he inserted said doll into an oven, which – at gas mark seven – was hotter than the hottest pink. On the plus side, the doll’s demise secretly pleased UTC’s mother no end, as she prudishly disapproved of Barbie’s somewhat shapely figure.

At any rate, Under The Counter was in no rush to book tickets for Barbie the movie – until he discovered Margot Robbie was starring. However, it transpired that Mrs UTC had already arranged a trip to the cinema – after she found out Ryan Gosling was playing Ken.

HOOP DREAMS

True to his West-of-Scotland roots, the Auld Boy is all about the fitbaw. Purely in a non-participatory capacity, of course.

He hasn’t kicked a ball in anger since his neighbours carelessly lobbed a Mitre Five over the fence and upended an alfresco glass of Tennent’s the Auld Boy was enjoying in his back garden. UTC still maintains he didn’t mean to furiously skelp said ball onto an adjacent railway line instead of back next door.

He can take or leave other sports, apart from horseracing. He is not, by any means, a basketball fan. The nearest he gets to a hoop is when he dons his red-andwhite-hooped Hamilton Academicals scarf.

The Auld Boy did, however, follow the progress of the wonderfully named Denver Nuggets as the team finally managed to win what UTC assumes is basketball’s equivalent of the Champions League, the NBA Finals, thus ending 56 years of hurt.

This brought a tear to the curmudgeon-in-chief’s jaded old eye because, as a long-suffering Accies fan, Under The Counter knows what it is like to watch a team of nuggets for more than half a century and not have anything to show for it.

WHAT GOES UP...

Under The Counter is perfectly happy slaving (or more usually slavering) away at SLR Towers. However, the notoriously sweet-toothed Auld Boy was intrigued to discover that Island Bakery Organics on the beautiful island of Mull is seeking a couple to join its close-knit team of biscuit makers, accommodation included.

Staff were so excited that their ranks could soon be swelled by Mr & Mrs UTC that they spontaneously downed tools to rush outside and launch some boxes of biscuits skyward.

Their delight was plain to see –apart from one lady. Judging by her expression, she had either met UTC before or had a firmer grasp of the laws of gravity than her colleagues.

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