SLR October 2019 by 55 North

SIMON BROWNE

Burtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boss talks Paterson Arran

OCTOBER 2019 | ISSUE 198

SLRMAG.CO.UK

CHRIS SHEAD

Premium spirits key this Christmas, says Pernod Ricard

BIGGER THAN US

With the key factors in a wider retail crisis largely out of the control of retailers, is it time for government to put its money where its mouth is to protect a vital industry?

VAPING GETS THUMBS UP Experts dismiss US furore

PROGRESS IN TOUGH TIMES

SGF making steady progress in difficult market

FORECOURT FOCUS

Latest developments on the forecourts

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October 2019

Contents

Contents ISSUE 198

NEWS p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p8 p10 p18 p22 p24

New Stores Harris Aslam’s Eros Retail heads northwards for its latest acquisition. Vaping The UK industry reacts quickly to quell fears in the wake of American fatalities. Food-To-Go The second edition of the Scottish Government/SGF funding programme proves popular. Wholesalers Buying group Unitas appoints insight specialist TWC to handle its wholesale shipments data. Vaping Award-winning retailer Andrew Thornton partners with JUUL to offer smokers an instore switching clinic. Tobacco Test purchases reveal ‘unacceptable’ level of underage tobacco sales. News Extra Crime Retailers ‘repeatedly targeted’ by criminals as Scottish shoplifting hits 10-year high. Product News Aryzta brings some festive cheer to the bakery fixture while Cadbury is lost for words. Off-Trade News Jägermeister unveils Cold Brew Coffee and Global Brands brings some passion to its RTDs. Newstrade The Mirror leapfrogs the Daily Mail to become the UK’s second-biggest newsbrand.

INSIDE BUSINESS

p26 Research Digest A new report highlights opportunities for retailers to target ‘environmentally friendly’ shoppers. p28 #ThinkSmart3 A full review of the third edition of SLR’s festival of tech, data and digital for the convenience trade. p35 SLR Rewards Our Fresh & Chilled Retailer of the Year Saleem Sadiq gets all the fundamentals spot on and adds a few innovative touches along the way. p38 Hotlines The latest new products for retailers to consider giving shelf space to. p54 Under The Counter As a Lanarkshire lad, UTC is always keen to discover the latest NPD from Buckfast Abbey. FEATURES p40 Forecourts JET’s new forecourt design gets a thumbs-up as EdgePetrol offers a free trial of its profit-boosting sofware. p44 Scottish Brands Scottish shoppers love Scottish brands, so it makes sense to stock a good range of home-grown products then shout about it. p46 Cigars Making a success of the only tobacco category still in growth starts with stocking the top three brands. p48 Christmas Pernod Ricard reckons premium spirits can unlock a £15.5m opportunity for local retailers.

ON THE COVER p14 Crisis On The High Street Is it time for government to do more to safeguard the future of a vital industry?

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News STORE OPENINGS The Harris Aslam empire grows

NEW IRN-BRU ENERGY

Eros Retail heads north with new store

Eros Retail has added the Costcutter store in Ellon, Aberdeenshire to its estate. The store, which Eros said has seen little investment of late, will be refreshed and adopt ‘Greens of Ellon’ branding in line with the company’s other sites. As well as a relaunched food-to-go concept, the store will offer a Skwishee machine, F’Real milkshakes, a Greens Butchery counter, bean-pressed coffee and a bakery.

A spokesperson for Eros Retail said: “The location, framework, store team and customer footfall is perfect to adopt the Eros methodology and attract patrons not only locally but from all the surrounding areas.” Eros received a £945,000 finance package from HSBC Bank at the start of 2019 to fund its expansion. The Ellon launch follows the opening of a Greens Local in the Fife town of Cardenden in February.

FOOD-TO-GO Scotmid moves to grab share of £1bn market

Scotmid debuts seven-day evening takeaway service Scotmid has introduced an evening ‘takeaway’ offering in five of its stores. The menus are an extension of Scotmid’s existing food-to-go offer and are available every day from 4pm to 9pm. The news comes as insight agency MCA predicted 4.1% growth for the fast food convenience out-of-home market in 2019 and after the British Takeaway Campaign recently revealed Scots splashed out £1bn on takeaways last year. In Edinburgh and Drumnadrochit, Scotmid has partnered with Big Al’s Burger Bar to offer customers ﬂame-cooked burgers with Brioche buns. It has also teamed up with the Pizza Art brand in stores in Edinburgh, West Lothian and Elgin.

Both partners offer an extensive menu for customers made fresh to order, with the chance to personalise orders. The burger bar offers an array of salad, sauce and side options. The Pizza Art menu also includes a Chicken Tikka pizza choice, developed in the wake of customer demand. Burger deals start from £3.79 and a 12” Margherita pizza starts at £4. Scotmid hopes to roll the new concepts out to further stores. Danny Scobie, Food-To-Go Operations Manager at Scotmid, said: “In the majority of our stores, 50% of the footfall comes after five o’clock and we know from customer research over the last few years that they are looking for more options around meal solutions.”

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News VAPING Industry reacts to American fatalities

UK vapers safe, say experts after spate of deaths in US Health experts and the vaping industry have been quick to quell fears that UK vapers could be at risk following an outbreak of severe lung disease linked to e-cigs in the US. American health officials asked the public to “consider not using e-cigarette products” after 450 possible cases were recorded across the country, with 14 deaths confirmed when SLR went to press. Patients reported symptoms including nausea, coughing, chest pain and shortness of breath. Federal health watchdog the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said a lung infection didn’t appear to be the cause. The CDC has yet to identify a specific substance or vaping product linked to all cases, although many patients reported using products containing THC – the psychoactive compound in cannabis that provides a high. This is not to confused with CBD, which is found in many products legally on sale in the UK

and is thought by some to help in the management inﬂammatory-based illnesses like arthritis. Reports in America suggested that homemade products and those bought on the street were behind the outbreak. Public Health England still advises that vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking. Its Head of Tobacco Control Martin Dockrell stressed the connection between the outbreak and illicit products.

“Unlike the US, all e-cigarette products in the UK are tightly regulated for quality and safety by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and they operate the yellow card scheme, encouraging vapers to report any bad experiences,” he said. Dan Marchant of the UK Vaping Industry Association commented: “It appears that the incidents in the USA are linked to people using illegal liquids, most likely black-market marijuana products (THC oils). Products such as these are illegal in the UK. “That’s why Public Health England have rightly drawn a distinction between the situation in the USA and the UK; here in the UK there is a rigorously regulated market overseen by the MHRA. This means that vapers and smokers looking switch to vaping can therefore have the confidence that the products they are purchasing are of a high standard and safe.”

Jet’s new forecourt design gets thumbs up A 12-site trial of a new forecourt design – including Cothouse Service Station near Dunoon – went down well with both dealers and customers, Jet said. Improvements include a fabricated LED-lit logo, a softangled canopy with dual-colour LED illumination, an LED-lit fourprice pole sign. The new look will now be implemented across the Jet network.

Forecourt crime on increase Forecourt crime rose by 20.6% in the second quarter of 2019, according to new figures from the British Oil Security Syndicate. Forecourts recorded an average of 12.3 incidents per site in Q2. The average cost per incident rose to £48.80, from £47.90 in Q1. Sites lost 461 litres to so-called ‘bilking’ on average, up from 388 litres the previous quarter. The annual cost to retailers is more than £30m.

Applegreen proﬁts get a Welcome Break Forecourt operator Applegreen

RETAIL CRIME Daylight robbers hit afﬂuent town

saw its revenue leap by 73% to

Till stolen from Milngavie Londis store

EUR 1.5bn for the six months

Police are hunting two men who stole the till from a store in Milngavie in broad daylight. The thieves targeted the Londis store in the town’s Craigash Road around 3.35pm on Thursday 5 September. The pair burst into the shop and ripped the till – containing around £200 – from the counter before ﬂeeing in a silver Honda Civic. They were then spotted jumping into a silver Vauxhall Astra at College Gate in Bearsden. Both are white and around 5ft 8 to 10in tall. The first man was wearing brown and white trainers, a dark-

The Irish company’s numbers

coloured tracksuit, a blue Russian-style hat, grey gloves and a scarf covering his face. The second wore a blue long-sleeved Puma zip-up top, dark hat, grey and blue trainers and yellow workman’s gloves. Speaking to the Milngavie Herald, store owner Anita Lindsay – who runs the shop and sub post office with her husband Hugh – said: “Thankfully nobody was injured in what was a very scary incident for the staff who were working. It’s the first time in 19 years that anything like this has happened.”

to 30 June, while pre-tax profits rocketed 204% to EUR 58.9m. were helped considerably by its takeover of motorway services operator Welcome Break. Applegreen added five new UK sites over the period, taking its total to 163.

Mars Petcare appoints new pet nutrition lead Mars Petcare UK has announced

DEATH OF THE HIGH STREET Shopworkers’ union calls for action

the appointment of Chris Rodi,

Usdaw petition seeks to ‘Save our Shops’

as Pet Nutrition Europe Natural

Trade union Usdaw has launched a new ‘Save our Shops’ petition at the Trades Union Congress in Brighton, calling on the Government to take urgent action to tackle the ongoing and deepening crisis in retail. Hosted on the TUC’s ‘Megaphone’ website, shopworkers and shoppers

Marketing Director Pet Nutrition

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are asked to add their support for an industrial strategy for retail by visiting bit.ly/2llB1vE. Usdaw General Secretary Paddy Lillis said: “Usdaw’s petition calls for the urgent action needed to save jobs and protect our local high streets with a government-led clear

and coherent strategy for retail. The Government must address the growing crisis on our high streets. “Their ‘Towns Fund’ is a small sticking plaster for a crisis that threatens the jobs of hundreds of thousands of shopworkers and requires more fundamental reforms.”

Business Unit Director. He moves from his previous role as the UK. During his tenure at Mars Petcare, Rodi was integral in re-establishing the strategic direction for the brand portfolio as well as launching new brands into fast growing areas.

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News FOOD-TO-GO Second edition of funding programme proves popular

POWER UP YOUR SALES

Retailers still hungry for food-to-go grants Seventy-three convenience stores from across Scotland – including stores from island and rural communities – have benefited from awards from the 2019 Scottish Government-SGF food-to-go grant programme. Total funding available this year was £300,000 – up £50,000 on 2018. The current programme featured additional criteria on food waste and packaging reduction. Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy Fergus Ewing MSP said: “The food-togo fund has made a real difference to small retailers across Scotland, helping independent grocers to provide quality, locally-sourced and healthy food, as well as promoting the importance of reducing food waste. “I am pleased that in the coming year, we will extend the fund to more independent retailers to support them to invest in

equipment and activity, that will help them deliver more locally produced, healthy food and contribute to our climate change ambitions as well as widen their appeal to customers.” SGF boss Pete Cheema added: “This is a tremendous example of the effectiveness of working in partnership with the Scottish Government. This funding has gone directly to retailers and enabled them to stay competitive, respond to changing customer demand and connect more effectively with local suppliers. By working with the government SGF has leveraged in over half a million pounds of investment in our sector.” The 2018 programme was also extremely successful, with 69 stores benefitting from awards. The food-to-go market in the UK is now estimated to be worth more than £21bn.

WHOLESALERS Bestway boss recognised by outgoing PM

DISCOUNTERS

Zameer Choudrey made a Lord

Aldi to open new store every week

Bestway Group Chief Executive Zameer Choudrey has been granted a peerage in former Prime Minister Theresa May’s resignation honours list. Choudrey, who was awarded a CBE in 2016, said his appointment to the House of Lords was “an immense honour”. He added: “I have always viewed the UK to be the land of opportunity and I look forward to contributing to the continued advancement of our great country.” The appointment recognised his contributions to Britain’s domestic and foreign trade as a businessman and entrepreneur, his philanthropic work both in the UK and abroad, and his role as Chairman of the Conservative Friends of Pakistan. As Chief Executive of Bestway Group, Choudrey has driven growth in businesses across the UK and Pakistan. This led to his appointment as Deputy Chairman of the Pakistan Britain Trade & Investment Forum and serving on the Confederation of British Industry’s Economic Affairs Committee. His strong ties with Pakistan mean Choudrey will look to utilise his experience to build more bilateral trade, create more jobs in the UK and improve foreign relations between the two countries.

Aldi has announced a £1bn investment that will see it open – on average – a new store in the UK every week for the next two years. The news came as the discounter recorded an 11% increase in sales last year, compared to the previous 12 months. However, profits for the same period were down 18%, as the company cut prices in a bid to stay competitive. Despite adding over 800,000 new customers last year, almost half of the UK’s population currently doesn’t shop in Aldi – mainly because they don’t stay near a store. The discounter also intends to grow its ‘Aldi Local’ format. There are currently eight of the convenience-sized stores – all in London. Over time, that number could rise to 50 nationwide.

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News WHOLESALERS Buying group harnesses the power of its data

Unitas appoints insight specialist TWC to handle wholesale shipments data Wholesale data, analytics and technology firm TWC has been awarded the Unitas Wholesale contract to exclusively manage the wholesale group’s shipment data. Commenting on the news, Tanya Pepin, TWC CEO and cofounder, said: “It’s almost a year since Landmark and Today’s came together to create a £8.5bn turnover buying group of more than 170 wholesalers. “We are delighted to have won the contract to become Unitas Wholesale’s data partner. Everyone within TWC is passionate about the industry and wants to help the group’s wholesalers, in collaboration with its suppliers, to build strategies

based on quality data and intelligent insight to drive sustainable sales and profitable growth. “The harnessing of data, alongside the power of insights, is becoming increasingly recognised as essential against the backdrop of an increasingly competitive and challenging marketplace. We are committed to work tirelessly to support the sector and provide the ‘golden bullet’ that can underpin, and accelerate, success.” John Mills, Deputy Managing Director of Unitas Wholesale, said: “The TWC team lives and breathes wholesale, particularly independent wholesale, which means it is a great cultural fit with Unitas.”

Bargain Buys opens in Penicuik Discount chain Bargain Buys has opened a new store in Penicuik Shopping Centre. The chain, which is part of the Poundstretcher group, has agreed a 10-year lease, subject to a five-year break, for the 10,900sq ft unit on ground floor. The store will be the new anchor tenant for the shopping centre, re-placing B&M, which closed in January this year.

Soft drinks industry cuts sugar by a third The sugar content in soft drinks has fallen by 28.8% per 100ml

Tanya Pepin The new Unitas Data Service, combining shipment data from former Landmark and Today’s members via one reporting dashboard, managed by TWC, will launch in January 2020. For further information, visit twcgroup.net.

since the implementation of the Sugar Tax, according to new Soft Drinks Industry Levy data. Public Health England‘s second-year report found 30,133 tonnes of sugar were removed without reducing soft drink sales. In total, there has been an overall 2.9% reduction in sugar in everyday foods since 2015.

SYMBOL GROUPS Bestway increases choice for retailers

best-one reveals new Drop Shipment brochure Best-one has launched a new Drop Shipment Product Guide, giving best-one store owners access to an increased choice of specialised products across frozen, ambient and chilled foods, food-to-go, non-food and a large seasonal range. All products within the guide have been selected and negotiated by Bestway’s trading team, who have worked with over 140 suppliers to present an extended range in one place. The products have been chosen for the consumer need they meet and the high profit they will generate for retailers. To stock products from the guide, retailers agree a delivery date directly with the supplier and the goods are charged via their best-one account, at the prices negotiated by Bestway. Best-one retailers can use the guide to branch out into potentially new ranges including mobile phone accessories, stationery, toys and pet care.

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The guide also includes specialist fine food products for stores where the local area demographics demand this kind of range. Paul Adams, Head of Sales and Development for best-one, said: “By using the drop-shipment brochure retailers can eliminate some of the risk surrounding seasonal products, due to the small minimum order quantities and supplier support negotiated by Bestway.”

SYMBOL GROUPS

NisaExpo 2020 announced

Businesses losing millions by shunning disabled consumers, research ﬁnds

The date for Nisa Retail’s 2020 annual exhibition and gala dinner has been revealed. The event takes place on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 March 2020 and will be held once again at the NAEC in Stoneleigh. The event will see hundreds of suppliers in attendance, giving Nisa’s independent retail partners a chance to network with them as well as with other retailers. John McNeill, Chief Operating Officer at Nisa, commented: “We are, as always, really looking forward to NisaExpo and plans are already well underway to ensure we make the event a success. “I’m looking forward to seeing many of our suppliers and Nisa partners at Stoneleigh and am delighted to be issuing this ‘save the date’.”

A new poll of people who consider themselves to be disabled found more than half struggling to make purchases due to their disability. Some four in five told disability organisation Purple that businesses could do more to be accessible and 56% agreed that improving staff understanding about different disabilities would encourage them to spend more.

John West parent company takes sustainability crown Thai Union Group, one of the world’s largest seafood companies and the owner of the John West brand, has been ranked number one in the world in the Food Products Industry Index of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for the second year in a row. The company has now been listed on the index for six consecutive years.

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News VAPING Award-winning retailer teams up with JUUL

MERCHANDISE BESIDE OTHER ENERGY PRODUCTS

Store offers smokers switching service

JUUL has partnered with award-winning Budgens retailer and sustainability champion Andrew Thornton to offer adult smokers an alternative to tobacco by implementing a pop-up switching service inside his innovative Belsize Park store. The switching programme runs once every week. Interested customers are offered discounted JUUL Starter Kits and are then coached through the switching process by a smoking cessation specialist. Andrew, who has won numerous awards for both his community and sustainability work, is committed to offering products and services which offer positive impacts on both people and the planet. His store features a total of 28 plastic-free zones and uses a variety of plant-, paper-, glass- and

metal-based solutions as alternatives to plastic packaging. Commenting on the JUUL partnership, he said: “As a neighbourhood retailer totally focussed on helping the local community thrive and prosper, while being mindful of the harm that we are doing to the planet, I am delighted to be the first convenience retailer to offer an in-store switching service for my smoking customers. “Initial feedback from my team members switching to JUUL has shown me how effective the brand can be in helping transition smokers away from tobacco. As a community retailer, there is no better service I can offer my customers than improving their lives and the lives of those around them.”

AQUISITIONS Scots biscuit maker gobbled up

Burton’s buys Paterson Arran Burton’s Biscuit Co. has bought shortbread maker Paterson Arran for an undisclosed sum. Alongside Paterson’s shortbread brand, the acquisition sees the Brontë, Café Brontë and Arran Fine Foods brands join Burton’s portfolio. Paterson Arran employs around 200 people and runs two production facilities: the Royal Burgh Bakery in Livingston, West Lothian, which makes shortbread, oatcakes, biscuits and cookies; and the Old Mill in Lamlash, Arran, which primarily produces chutneys, mustards and preserves. The purchase is the second major acquisition by Burton’s this year. In February it bought premium sweet and savoury biscuit manufacturer, Thomas Fudge’s.

Burton’s boss Nick Field said: “Paterson Arran is a superb business with a first-rate product portfolio and baking expertise which combines time honoured methods with the very latest technology, to make outstanding products. “The acquisition is a further indication of our intent to increase our production capability, to extend our product offering and to continue growing our presence in the biscuit market.” Retiring Paterson Arran Chairman Alan Hardie added: “Paterson Arran and Burton’s have shared values of a commitment to baking excellence and to producing top quality, great-tasting products. Everyone associated with them can be extremely proud.”

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News UNDERAGE SALES Double-digit failure rate for spot checks

‘Unacceptable’ level of underage tobacco sales Test purchases conducted by local authority Trading Standards services across Scotland in the financial year 2018/19 found shops still selling tobacco and nicotine vaping products (NVPs) to children under the permitted age of 18. This was the first full year of enforcement action on controls over the supply of NVPs after new legislation came into force in Scotland on 1 April 2017 to protect young people. Figures released showed over 1,200 test purchases were carried out by Scottish local authority

Trading Standards services last year. In 101 of 925 tests, tobacco was sold to a young person, and in 50 of 378 tests, a nicotine vapour product was sold – 10.9% and 13.2% of spot check failures respectively. Over 4,000 advice visits were also made to premises selling tobacco and/or NVPs to make sure retailers were aware of the law and their obligations. In most cases sellers are hit with a fixed penalty notice but other action can be taken, for example a banning order preventing sales from the premises.

The Trading Standards Manager for Dumfries & Galloway Council Sandra Harkness commented: “This is a disappointing result after the publicity given by Scottish Government to this important area of public health, and the huge number of advice visits by trading standards officers to local businesses selling these products.” She continued: “The health of young people is of paramount importance and officers across the whole of Scotland have given a high priority to this area of work with great results.”

Greencore buys Freshtime Irish convenience food manufacturer Greencore Group – the world’s largest sandwich producer – has acquired supplier of food-to-go salads, chilled snacks and prepared produce Freshtime UK an undisclosed sum. Freshtime’s products are sold mainly in the grocery and convenience channels; Greencore’s direct-to-store network already distributes a large number of these.

Time for a reﬁll rethink? Almost three-quarters (71.3%) of UK consumers are interested in buying unpackaged food, according to a GlobalData survey. Among 2,000 UK respondents, 44.1% of 16 to 24-year-old food buyers had

RETAIL TECHNOLOGY Supermarket’s customers miss the point

FORECOURTS

Sainsbury’s till-free trial ends in tears

used a refill station in the past

Fillshill-serviced sites install EDGEPoS

12 months, compared to 35% of

Bypass Service Station Haddington and Rigg Service Station in Dunbar have become the latest Scottish forecourts to install Henderson Technology’s EDGEPoS system. The pair – along with Cooper Brothers Garage in Newmains, which also recently installed the EPoS platform – are the first Jet-branded sites to utilise EDGEPoS and its fuel features. All three service stations are also the first sites to benefit from the JW Filshill link Henderson has developed; the Paisley-based wholesaler has named EDGEPoS as one of its preferred EPoS suppliers for forecourts in Scotland and England. Scott and Andrew Aitken own both Bypass and Rigg Service Stations. Andrew said: “Henderson Technology has come up with the goods and EDGEPoS is the most cuttingedge technology of our times. It does more than what it says on the tin.”

would prove more expensive.

Sainsbury’s had to reintroduce checkouts to its Holburn Circus store in London, after a three-month till-free experiment didn’t go quite according to plan. Customers did their shopping through the Sainsbury’s SmartShop app, which let them scan and pay using their phones – with no need to go near a checkout. However, as Sainsbury’s said: “It’s clear that not all our customers are ready for a totally till-free store.” Some shoppers preferred to pay with cash or card, which meant they ended up queuing at the store’s helpdesk.

This prompted Sainsbury’s to install a staffed till and two selfcheckouts. A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “We want to be the most inclusive retailer where people love to work and shop, so it’s really important to us that our customers can pay how they want to. “We’ll take the learnings from this experiment to develop our technology even further to help make shopping easier and more convenient for all our customers.” Despite the reappearance of checkouts, till-free shopping using the app is still available in the store.

SUSTAINABILITY Soft drinks giant cuts 4,000 tonnes of plastic

Coke cans plastic shrink-wrap Coca-Cola has announced plans to use cardboard instead of plastic shrink-wrap on all its UK can multipacks. The move will affect 30 million packs annually and is part of a scheme that will cut 4,000 tonnes of plastic from Coke’s western European supply chain. The 100% recyclable, sustainably sourced cardboard will be introduced over the next 18 months on 4-, 6- and

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8-packs of cans across all brands. Multipacks of 10 cans or more are already wrapped in cardboard. The plastic shrink-wrap currently used is actually recyclable but only 10% of local authorities collect it, compared to 98% that accept cardboard. The switch is the latest move in Coca-Cola’s drive to ultimately ensure none of its packaging ends up as landfill.

25 to 34-year-olds and 25.4% of 35 to 44-year-olds. Amazingly, 19.2% of respondents thought buying unpackaged produce

AmazonFresh rolls out ondemand grocery deliveries AmazonFresh has added an on-demand delivery option for Prime members in London and the south-east of England. Customers can order grocery and household products including fresh flowers, electronics, toys, gifts and pet supplies from a range of suppliers – including Morrisons – to be delivered in on-hour slots, including on the same day.

Confex conference hailed as ‘best one yet’ The Confex buying group held its 7th Member Incentive event in Tenerife from 5 to 8 September. Eighty delegates took part in over 500 individual business meetings over two days. Members attended two forums to discuss the group’s current position and future plans, creating a “collaborative and transparent agenda” for the group moving forward.

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News Extra

Crime

NewsExtra WHAT’S FRESH IN THE FORECOURT SECTOR? – P40 CRIME Worrying double-whammy for c-stores

Convenience Matters with the SGF We shouldn’t underestimate the importance of convenience stores to Scotland’s island communities. We often claim c-stores are at the heart of communities but it’s absolutely true when we look at stores from Orkney to Lewis. These stores face the dayto-day challenges that impact on every store, but they have additional challenges of their own: even just getting stock on time (getting it all!) can be a major headache. Not being able to get turkeys at Christmas isn’t funny. The cost of deliveries is the most pressing issue. Lack of haulier competition means higher prices for island businesses, especially for independent retailers. It seems that hauliers can give preferential treatment on delivery timings to multiple store operators, leaving independent outlets to have to wait until the haulier decides it has the timing right to make their particular delivery. There are national supply companies who claim they cannot deliver beyond the central belt without applying high surcharges to highland and island delivery points. This is despite orders often being two or three times higher in value than from a typical mainland store. Another problem is something called the road equivalent tariff, which applies only to cars and campervans, but does not apply to commercial traffic; hence businesses pay grossly higher charges for delivery of goods with this having to be passed on to the island consumers. SGF is engaging directly at ministerial level to address these issues. Accompanied by SGF, the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills will conduct a series of visits to island stores to see the issues at first hand.

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RETAILERS ‘REPEATEDLY TARGETED’ BY CRIMINALS AS SCOTTISH SHOPLIFTING HITS 10-YEAR HIGH A new report from ACS highlights worrying signs that incidences of retailers being repeatedly targeted by criminals have rocketed year-on-year while the latest Scottish crime statistics show shoplifting has reached a 10-year high. Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw has called for government action in light of research from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) that has highlighted official figures from the Home Office which show that retailers who experience crime are being targeted more and more often. The 2018 Commercial Victimisation Survey revealed that crimes against retailers and wholesalers have risen year-on-year. On premises that have experienced crime, the rate of repeat victimisation has more than doubled from 32 incidents per premises in 2012 to 69 per premises. ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “These findings show that businesses are being repeatedly targeted by criminals that are not only committing thefts but are also being abusive and violent towards retailers and their staff. We need targeted action to deal with repeat offenders who are currently being all but ignored by the justice system.” These statistics back up an Usdaw survey of 3,272 retail workers across England and Wales, which found that 80% believe that abuse and violence have increased in recent years. Forming the basis of Usdaw’s response to the Home Office ‘call for evidence’, the survey also revealed: Q 62% have endured verbal or physical abuse. Q Almost a quarter describe threats of physical violence, with over half of these involving threats with weapons – most commonly knives, syringes or bottles. Q 15% describe actual physical violence, varying from workers being pushed, spat upon, punched or kicked or attacked with weapons. Usdaw’s call for action has been backed by retailers and their representative organisations. A joint letter sent to the Home Secretary and other Ministers called for tougher sentences for those who attack shopworkers, changes to the out of court disposals system (e.g. fixed penalty notices) which is failing

to have an impact on reoffending, and a full review into the response of police forces to incidents of violence in the retail sector. Usdaw General Secretary Paddy Lillis said: “Retail crime often triggers violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers. The mounting evidence from retailers, police and our own survey of shopworkers all show a disturbing increase in retail crime and they are backed up by Home Office stats. This cannot be allowed to continue; action must be taken. “We have long been concerned that retail crime is not taken seriously and sometimes regarded as victimless with only large companies affected, but the reality for shopworkers is very different. Life on the frontline of retail can be pretty tough and there needs to be government action to protect shopworkers. “The police must have the resources from Government to respond to incidents and investigate retail crime. We want the Government to legislate for stiffer sentences for the thugs that attack shopworkers. We want to see retailers, police and the courts working in partnership to ensure better protection for shopworkers. Retail staff are an important part of our communities; their role must be valued, respected and protected.” Meanwhile, the latest recorded crime statistics from Scotland’s Chief Statistician have shown that instances of shoplifting increased by 7% last year, to 33,500 incidents, the highest level in 10 years. David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: “These disappointing figures show shoplifting spiked further last year and reached a 10-year high. Far from being a victimless crime, the costs of shoplifting are borne by everyday shoppers and those who rely on retail for their livelihoods. It hampers retailers’ ability to service their customers and means less money is available for improving the business, for investing in staff training or store refurbishments.” www.slrmag.co.uk

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Comment

TIME TO FIND OUR OWN WAY FORWARD Listening to KAM Media’s Blake Gladman give presentations is always an entertaining and enlightening experience, thanks in part to Blake’s slightly leftfield view of the world and thanks in part to the fact his views are shaped entirely by data and insight. So hearing him present at our recent #ThinkSmart3 event was, once again, a real pleasure – but one thing he said really stayed with me. It was just a simple statistic but the implications of it are massive. As they often do for our events, KAM media had conducted some bespoke research among consumers, asking them questions related to the subject in hand, in this instance technology and data. The findings of that survey are fascinating but the one statistic that really nailed me was this: 61% of consumers interviewed believed that “convenience stores haven’t changed at all within the last five years”. Wow. Now this may simply be the consumer’s perception but, as Blake pointed out on the day, perception is reality. The majority of our shoppers think our sector hasn’t evolved at all in the last half a decade. Now put that into context by considering how much the rest of the world around us has evolved, within a tech and data context. To a certain extent the retail environment around us today is barely recognisable from five years ago – and remember that with the growth of food-to-go and the blurring of channels, we are no longer only competing with other convenience retailers or with just the mults and discounters. We are competing with everyone who sells food and drink, either through stores or online. McDonald’s has touch-screen order boards, most supermarkets have self-scan tills, Amazon Go has landed in the UK, Sainsbury’s has trialled a cashierless store, online food retailers are doing one-hour deliveries, some chains are already testing delivery drones, biometric payment technologies are evolving, the list goes on and on. Yet 61% of consumers think convenience stores haven’t changed at all. That’s a chilling thought. The connected world we now live in, and the one that younger shoppers have grown up in, is the new reality. And the rate of change is only going to accelerate as technology improves, Artificial Intelligence becomes more commonplace and data-driven decision-making becomes the norm. This represents a huge wake-up call for our sector. Embracing change and the technology that facilitates it is a daunting task for convenience retailers, of course it is. But sitting on our hands and hoping we can retain market share by effectively doing nothing is not a strategy. Many delegates at the #ThinkSmart conference voiced the same concern: “I know I need to start but I don’t know where.” The only useful answer to that question is ‘somewhere’. One thing is for sure: that journey has to start somewhere and it has to start now.

EDITORIAL Publishing Director & Editor Antony Begley 0141 222 5380 | abegley@55north.com Web Editor Findlay Stein 0141 222 5389 | fstein@55north.com Editorial Contributor Karen Peattie

ADVERTISING Advertising Manager Robert Aitken 0141 222 5302 | raitken@55north.com

DESIGN Design & Digital Manager Richard Chaudhry 0141 222 5388 | rchaudhry@55north.com

EVENTS Events & Operations Manager Kirsty McDowall 0141 222 5383 | kmcdowall@55north.com

CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS Scottish Local Retailer is distributed free to qualifying readers. For a registration card, call 0141 222 5381. Other readers August obtain copies by annual subscription at £50 (UK), £62 (Europe airmail), £99 (Worldwide airmail). 55 North Ltd, Waterloo Chambers, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 6AY Tel: 0141 22 22 100 Fax: 0141 22 22 177 Website: www.55north.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/slrmag DISCLAIMER The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or damaged in the post. All text and layout is the copyright of 55 North Ltd. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher. All copyrights are recognised and used specifically for the purpose of criticism and review. Although the magazine has endevoured to ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability may change. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. Scottish Local Retailer is produced monthly by 55 North Ltd.

ANTONY BEGLEY, PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

SLR | OCTOBER 2019

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High Street Crisis

Cover Story

TIME FOR REAL GO ACTION TO ‘SAVE O The Scottish Retail Consortium and shopworkers union Usdaw are leading the calls for immediate government action to tackle what they refer to as an “ongoing and growing crisis on Scotland’s high streets’. Has the time come for Westminster and Holyrood to take a more proactive role in safeguarding the future of a vital industry? BY ANTONY BEGLEY

he fact that the wider retail industry is in crisis is evident for all to see. A litany of failed businesses over the last five years hints at a problem that runs much deeper than simply badly-run businesses or businesses that didn’t evolve quickly enough to meet the changing demands of shoppers. The heart of the problem lies in what Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) Director David Lonsdale describes as “a perfect storm of structural, economic and regulatory changes”. Consequently, even well managed businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to turn a coin. Thusfar the major casualties have been the bigger players with their huge overheads and limited ability to adapt at speed – but the question is, how long before this perfect storm starts blowing the roof off of the smaller players that constitute the vast majority of the local retailing sector? With these structural, economic and regulatory changes Lonsdale refers to largely being outside the control of retailers, it’s high time that the Scottish and UK governments

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Usdaw’s Paddy Lillis collecting ‘Save our Shops’ petition signatures.

stepped up to the plate to support an industry that is utterly vital to the wellbeing of the UK economy, he believes. “There is a pressing need for a fresh approach from policymakers and an injection of confidence back into the economy,” he says. And that’s why the SRC recently met with shopworkers union Usdaw to discuss the state of Scotland’s high streets and examine how they could join forces to put more pressure onto government to tackle an issue they jointly see as nothing short of a crisis. The two bodies are calling for what they term an “industrial strategy for retail” and urgent action from policymakers. Stewart Forrest, Usdaw Divisional Officer for Scotland says: “The retail industry is experiencing turbulent and challenging times. It directly employs over 240,000 in Scotland and around 3 million across the UK, with many more in distribution and manufacturing reliant on thriving high streets in our towns and cities. Contributing 11% of UK economic output, it is clear that the retail crisis has a huge knock on effect, impacting the UK economy and a significant number of workers.” The union has long been running a ‘Save Our Shops’ campaign and has launched www.slrmag.co.uk

02/10/2019 15:42:29

High Street Crisis

on online petition (usdaw.org.uk/signsos U) that is calling on the government to take urgent action by adopting an industrial strategy for retail and implementing a number of comprehensive and co-ordinated policies: Q Review taxation, commercial rents and business rates to ensure a level playing field between ‘bricks and mortar’ retailers and online retailers, providing a new framework that supports local communities and the wider economy. Q Give retail workers a say over the future of retail and the introduction of new technology, with a designated inclusive body that ensures the Government recognises the crucial role retail has in the UK economy. Q Secure work and investment in skills and training to provide decent pay and job security for retail workers and drive up productivity. More controversially, from a local retailer’s point of view, the campaign also calls for a £10 per hour minimum wage for all workers. Usdaw has also been running UK-wide initiatives to collect petition signatures and generate awareness among shoppers of the problems facing our town and city centres. www.slrmag.co.uk

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Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary says: “Shoppers are very concerned about the future of our town and city centres. Usdaw’s petition calls for the urgent action needed to save jobs and protect our high streets with a government-led clear and coherent strategy for retail. The Government needs to show that it takes retail jobs seriously by listening to and acting on workers’ concerns.” Lillis also spoke at the recent Labour Party Conference in Brighton, calling for the next Labour Government to take urgent action to tackle the crisis. He said: “The retail sector, which is at the heart of our communities, is facing one of the most challenging periods in its history. In the last 10 years, nearly one million jobs have been lost on the high street. This crisis has seen the demise of household names like British Home Stores, Toys ‘R Us and Poundworld. At the same time, companies such as Debenhams, New Look and Marks and Spencer have been closing hundreds of stores. We have seen the collapse of Thomas Cook, which will see the closure of a further 600 stores. Another hammer blow to our high streets. “We need to tackle the structural issues which are crippling many high street retailers: A business rates system which penalises retailers for having shops on the high streets; a lack of decent public transport, meaning many people cannot access their town centres, and extortionate parking charges which are driving people to shop online. “All these issues need to be tackled to level the playing field between online and ‘bricksand-mortar’ retailers.” Lillis’s efforts were almost immediately rewarded when Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn gave a wide ranging speech at the conference promising to revive our high streets and give worker more rights. The campaign is highlighting very clearly how it is structural, economic and regulatory issues that provide the biggest threat to a vibrant retailing community – and that includes local retailers. As SLR has long been demanding, it’s time for government to act if it really does value the retailing sector as much as it often says it does.

OCTOBER 2019 | SLR

DAVID LONSDALE, DIRECTOR, SRC

GOVERNMENT E OUR SHOPS’?

“These are testing times for retailers with conditions the toughest in a decade and a perfect storm of structural, economic and regulatory changes.”

Cover Story

02/10/2019 15:42:29

News

Products

Aunt Bessie gets a facelift Like poor old Captain Birdseye before her, Aunt Bessie has been

ProductNews

traded-in for a younger model. A “more relatable” figure features on the brand’s new logo, which is part a major packaging overhaul that comes in the wake of consumer research. Updated packs, available from this month, feature new product shots and mark the return of the brand’s familiar blue tones. On-pack recipe inspirations also make their debut.

Coke signs on as UEFA Euro 2020 sponsor Coca-Cola has been named as the official soft drinks sponsor for UEFA Euro 2020. The tournament will be hosted in 12 cities across Europe – including Glasgow – to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the competition. Walter Susini, Coca-Cola’s Vice-President for Marketing for EMEA, said the soft drinks giant would feature a broader array of beverages than ever before to refresh teams and fans alike.

Scotmid showcases Scottish produce Scotmid has grown its range of Scottish products by introducing Fife-based Growers Garden broccoli crisps into selected stores. Two flavours of the crisps, made from broccoli grown in the East of Scotland, are now available in eight Scotmid stores in Edinburgh. Scotmid said it was “listening to the everchanging needs of customers” with the addition of the ‘better for you’-style snacks.

STG strengthens hand in European cigar market Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) is to purchase European cigar company Royal Agio, in a deal valued at around £186m. Royal Agio produces brands such as Mehari’s, Panter and Balmoral. The move will give STG leading positions in France, Belgium and The Netherlands, and significantly improve its

TURN A PROFIT WITH SCOTTISH BRANDS – P44 CONFECTIONERY It goes without saying that this Mondelez brand is still instantly recognisable

Cadbury left lost for words over Age UK campaign Cadbury Dairy Milk has launched a new brand campaign, Donate Your Words, in support of Age UK. For the first time ever, the brand has removed the words from its bars and ‘donated’ them to the charity in acknowledgement of the UK’s 225,000 over-65s who go a week without speaking to anyone at all. The limited-edition will be sold nationwide with 30p from each 360g bar going to Age UK to help provide vital services and support for older people.

SOFT DRINKS

Food-to-go can unlock £35.1m Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS) has said that if shoppers chose a soft drink with their meals and snacks, retailers could add £35.1m to the Soft Drinks category in c-stores. The research found that food-to-go in the convenience channel is expected to grow +4.9% by 2023; that 13% of convenience shoppers are on a food-to-go mission; and that an additional 98 million lunches were carried out the home in 2018 vs prior year. LRS said that to drive the With Food opportunity, retailers need to help shoppers buy drinks from categories like flavoured carbonates; juices and juice drinks; and tea infusions, water and squash on four more trips per year.

The campaign also encourages Brits to donate their words by pledging to reach out and have a chat with older people in their communities; in a typical week

almost 2.6 million people aged 65 and over speak to three or fewer people they know. New research from Cadbury and Age UK illustrates the impact of loneliness with over half a

million of those who’ve been lonely claiming it stops them going out and about in everyday life, with almost 4.5 million older people claiming to have felt lonely during later life. Laura Gray, Brand Manager at Mondelez, said: “We’re so proud to announce this partnership and to be supporting Age UK – it’s such an important charity that is really tackling the issue of loneliness.” For more information about the Cadbury Dairy Milk Donate Your Words campaign visit ageuk.org.uk/donateyourwords.

OWN-LABEL

Bestway plugs own-label gaps with rice, sweets and chocolate Bestway Wholesale has added eight new products to its bestone own label range for independent retailers, including five confectionery lines and three variants of rice. All offer a minimum 30% POR and all are available now. The new products were developed to meet retailer demand and to fill gaps in the range where products didn’t previously exist. The rice variants come in 500g block packs for easy display and include Basmati, Easy Cook and Long Grain rice, in three different coloured bags. The products are price-marked from 79p each. The confectionery lines include best-one White Chocolate Buttons and best-one Milk Chocolate Giant Buttons, both in 70g format and best-one Strawberry Laces, best-one Rainbow Belts and best-one Strawberry Pencils, available in 80g bags. The sweets are priced at 59p each or 2 for £1 and come in hanging bags. They contain no artificial colours, are Halal and suitable for vegetarians.

standing in key cigar markets such as Spain and Italy. KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SLRMAG

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Products

News

Nisa unearths wonky veg Nisa tackled the issue of food waste by rolling out a range of wonky fruit and vegetables into stores recently through its ‘Marvellous Mis-shapes’

IN-STORE BAKERY Nine-strong Christmas range unwrapped

Aryzta brings some festive cheer to the bakery ﬁxture

promotion. The event featured

Aryzta Food Solutions is hoping retailers will unwrap extra profits over the festive season with the launch of its Christmas sweet bakery and hot food-to-go ranges. The in-store bakery provider has unveiled a nine-strong seasonal range of sweet and savoury products, to tap into shoppers’ desire to give themselves an indulgent treat. New for 2019 is Aryzta’s range of festive pastries. These include the Turkey & Chardonnay Slice and the Christmas Cracker Roll. Vegan and vegetarian options have also joined the range, with a vegetarian Cheese & Cranberry Sausage Roll and – for a sweet treat – a Vegan Mince Pie Tart.

UK sales of misshapen produce

a range of misshaped autumnal root vegetables and fresh produce from the Co-op own brand range. Food waste has become something of a hot potato with consumers of late – tripled from 2017 to 2018.

Bassetts backs children’s charity with £100k Bassetts Vitamins has made a £100,000 donation to the BBC’s Children in Need charity. The donation will support a variety of family-focused local projects around the UK which work to make a positive impact on the lives of disadvantaged children and young people. Pudsey Bear

Alongside the new additions, Aryzta has brought back its Luxury Shortcrust Mince Crowns and Mini Mincemeat Pies. Also returning for 2019 are the Gingerbread Muffin, the Chocolate & Orange Flowerpot Muffin, and the Santa Triple Choc Muffin. “The run-up to Christmas provides a major opportunity for retailers to maximise their in-store bakery and food-to-go profits,” explained Paul Maxwell, Aryzta’s UK Marketing Manager. “We’re enabling retailers to use our high margin, limited-edition products with delicious seasonal ﬂavours to capitalise on the

festive feel good factor at a time when shoppers want to indulge. “In-store bakery shoppers already spend more than your average c-store customer, and shop more frequently, so a good range of seasonal bakery options is sure to appeal to those looking for a quick bite in between Christmas shopping, “Our festive range of sweet treats and winter warming savouries enables retailers to offer something to suit everyone this Christmas.” For further information, call 0845 437 9593, email retail. ordersGB@aryzta.com or visit aryztafoodsolutions.co.uk.

will now feature on two SKUs within the Bassetts Vitamins range, with special packs available now.

M&M’s characters get stuck in new campaign Mars Wrigley is supporting the launch of M&M’s Bars with a £1.4m digital campaign. Over 50 new pieces of content feature the M&M’s characters stuck in a chocolate bar. The campaign also marks the return of the brand’s ‘Bad Passengers’ Superbowl advert specially adapted for a UK audience. The campaign runs across social media and digital out-of-home, backed by influencer campaigns.

SOFT DRINKS

F’real range gets fruity

New Diet Coke cans are lit

Self-serve milkshake brand

Diet Coke has launched eight new limited-edition can designs, featuring words and phrases it alleges people use to express themselves. There are eight new 330ml can designs to give shoppers plenty of options when it comes to picking which one best suits their mood. These include: can’t even; get it; I’m in; I’m out; it’s lit; okay next; ok but no; and yaasss. Simon Harrison, Vice President of Commercial Development at Coca-Cola European Partners GB, said: “The limited edition cans are designed to stand out on shelf and drive talkability amongst young adults whilst helping to recruit new consumers into the Diet Coke brand.”

flavours to its range to cater

F’real has added two smoothie for consumers who are looking for a healthier alternative to the company’s existing ice cream-based drinks. Both Strawberry & Banana and Mango & Passionfruit variants are produced from real fruit and contain under 270 calories per drink. A Coffee Frappe option also joins the range.

www.slrmag.co.uk

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News

Off-Trade

Chivas opens Glasgow HQ Pernod Ricard brand Chivas Brothers has opened new

Off-TradeNews

Scottish headquarters in Glasgow. Around 200 back office staff relocated from the company’s former HQ in Paisley. The distiller is also expanding capacity at its bottling plant in Dumbarton to a million bottles a day before shuttering the Paisley site completely, with remaining production staff transferring to Dumbarton.

MSPs raise a glass to 525 years of Scotch The Scotch Whisky Association celebrated the 525th anniversary of the first recorded dram with an event at the Scottish Parliament (3 September). The first known mention of Scotch production appears in the 1494 Exchequer Rolls, which details that by order of King James IV, ‘eight bols malt’ be supplied to Friar John Cor to produce ‘aqua vitae’ – the water of life.

CAN CIGARS SAVE THE TOBACCO CATEGORY? – P46 RTDs On-trend ﬂavours drive NPD

Global adds passion to canned cocktail range Global Brands has added a new Passion Fruit Martini ﬂavour to its Flare range of value canned cocktails. The launch has also seen the drinks manufacturer redesign cans throughout the range, which is available exclusively to independent retailers. Flare cocktails are available in outers of 12 x 250ml cans, price-marked at £1.29. All four variants – Passion Fruit Martini, Mojito, Cosmo and On The Beach – have a 4% ABV. To stock, call Global Brands

Sales Telesales department on 01246 216 016. Christian Sarginson, Brand Controller at Global Brands, said: “In cocktail terms, passion fruit really is the on-trend ﬂavour, and

is the number one ontrade cocktail serve. “The new Passion Fruit Martini ﬂavour will enable retailers to drive further RTD cocktail growth in stores.” Global has also added a sixth ﬂavour – limitededition LLamartini – to its All Shook Range of RTD cocktails, exclusive in the convenience channel to One Stop retailers. A twist on the Gin Garden cocktail – and hitting on just about every 2019 trend going – it RSPs at £1.50 per 250ml can.

BEER

Watch Scotland pitchside with Tennent’s Tennent’s Lager is giving rugby fans the chance to win a money-can’t-buy experience to watch the national team from the ‘Best Seat in the House’ with its latest on-pack promotion. Packs of Tennent’s Lager with a new design that celebrates the home of Scottish rugby have unique batch codes for shoppers to enter online and potentially unlock prizes. The top prize offers a pitch-side seat in the Tennent’s dug-out for one lucky fan and four friends at the Scotland v England match at next year’s Six Nations. The match takes place at Murrayfield on 8 February 2020. Four £100 Scotland Rugby gift shop vouchers and 10 newly-released Scotland home tops are also up for grabs. The promo runs across 10-, 12- and 15can packs, available now.

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

SLR | OCTOBER 2019

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Off-Trade

News

Scotch on the box Glen Scotia, one of Campbeltown’s last three remaining distilleries, and Loch Lomond Whiskies will feature in an upcoming episode of the

LIQUEURS Mast-Jaegermeister takes a shot at the cold coffee market

Cool beans: Jägermeister unveils Cold Brew Coffee

Amazon Prime series The Three

In a global line extension for the brand, Mast-Jaegermeister UK has launched Jägermeister Cold Brew Coffee (ABV 33%) across the UK on- and off-trade. The new product is available now in 50cl bottles with an RSP of £18. It sees the Jägermeister recipe of 56 herbs and spices fused with cold-brewed Arabica coffee and a hint of cacao to create a new ice cold shot that is meant to be served straight from the freezer. The launch is supported with a new national £2.5m marketing campaign. ‘New Mix New Beat’

Scotland, visiting distilleries. It’s

leverages the brand’s credentials in music while reinforcing Jägermeister’s shot positioning. It airs across both out-of-home and digital channels, and is expected to reach half of the country’s 18 to 34-year-old consumers. Nicole Goodwin, Marketing Director at Mast-Jaegermeister UK, said the company was committed to a wide-scale launch and looked forward to supporting its off-trade partners, particularly in the run-up to the crucial Christmas and New Year trading period when consumers are at their most experimental.

Drinkers Do Scotch Whisky. The show – known as the “Top Gear of drinks” – returns in December. In it, spirits experts Helena Nicklin, Aidy Smith and Colin Hampden-White travel around a hard life.

It’s Tun for the money... The Balvenie single malt Scotch whisky has announced the release of the sixth bottling of its Tun 1509 series. Balvenie’s Malt Master David Stewart said Batch 6 is “delightfully rich on the nose with soft brown sugar, toffee, blossom honey and ginger oak spices, and presents a sweet and malty finish featuring swathes of oak vanilla.” You’ll have to be delightfully rich if you want to get your hands on a bottle, which RSP at £300 each.

BEER Call for duty cut in wake of poor figures WINE

Accolade bolsters Kumala Reserve range

In a sign of its ongoing commitment to the South African wine market, Accolade Wines has added a Pinotage to its Kumala Reserve range. The launch follows a £1m investment by Accolade into Kumala’s ongoing ‘Keep it Kolourful’ marketing activity. The campaign, which features across digital, outdoor, print and in-store, aims to highlight the vibrancy and energy of South Africa. The range also includes Malbec, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc varietals. Kumala Reserve Pinotage 75cl (ABV 13.5%) has an RSP of £8. For further information, email customerservices@accolade-wines.com.

Beer sales fall

Overall beer sales in the second quarter of 2019 were down 2.2% on the same period in 2018, according to the latest Beer Barometer sales data from the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA). Although sales in the off-trade were down 1.7% yearon-year, it was pubs and bars that took the biggest hit, with on-trade beer sales falling by 2.8%. The decline came against a particularly strong Q2 2018, where sales were boosted by a long period of good weather and the group stages of the World Cup. The BBPA called for the Chancellor to cut, if not freeze, beer duty in the forthcoming autumn Budget. Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “There is a very real threat that the Chancellor will increase beer duty at the next Budget. After two back-to-back beer duty freezes in 2017 and 2018, an increase would be a big step back.”

Sequel to Hooch’s ‘Movie On Us’ campaign Hooch has brought back its ‘Movie On Us’ promotion, with the on-pack offer now extended to 440ml cans, as well as 70cl and 500ml bottles. Redeemable on a dedicated Hooch movies website via a simple scratch off mechanism, the promo lets consumers watch thousands of blockbusters and TV shows at no extra cost. A “huge” marketing campaign will run throughout autumn in support.

Social media sees red Californian wine brand Apothic has launched a new marketing campaign for its Apothic Red variant. ‘Beyond Smooth’ looks to introduce new drinkers to red wine and encourage more priceconscious consumers to spend a little bit more. The campaign centres on a 15-second video that will air on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, which the brand hopes will be seen 24 million times.

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News

Newstrade

Marie Claire ends print edition The November 2019 issue of

News& Magazines

premium fashion and beauty magazine Marie Claire UK will be the final print edition of the title as owners TI Media confirm that the magazine will then go ‘digital-first’. First published in 1998, the magazine will cease its print edition after 31 years in a move the company says will enable it to best serve the changing needs

GET MERRY THIS CHRISTMAS WITH PREMIUM SPIRITS – P48 NEWSPAPERS Sun still number one as rivals battle for second place

MIRROR LEAPFROGS MAIL TO BECOME SECOND LARGEST DAILY The Mirror becomes the second largest newsbrand in the UK for the first time, overtaking arch-rival The Daily Mail.

of its audience’s mobile-first, fast-paced, style-rich lifestyles. TI Media CEO Marcus Rich commented: “For more than three decades, Marie Claire UK has led the conversation on the issues that really matter to women while providing a premium fashion and beauty positioning that reflects their everyday lives. With full focus on our digital platforms, we will be future-proofing our ability to report on these vital and engaging subjects, alongside our top-ranking fashion and beauty offering and media-first brand extensions, The Edit and Fabled by Marie Claire.” According to TI Media, marieclaire.co.uk already has two million monthly online users and a social media offering that is enjoyed by millions more each month.

The Mirror has become the second biggest newsbrand in the UK for the first time, overtaking The Daily Mail, according to the latest newspaper industry rankings from PAMCo. The PAMCo figures replaced the UK National Readership Survey last year as the industry standard audience measurement for news publishers and covers associated website readership as well as print readership. The Mirror claims to be “the only newspaper to retain its monthly print readership”, while the number of visitors to its website has risen by 10%. The brand now reaches 27 million people across the paper and online each month. The number one brand remains The Sun, a runaway leader with a PAMCo figure of nearly 33 million, up 4.7% year-on-year. The Sun was also the most read newsbrand on mobile in the UK (25.6m) and on tablet (3.4m). Lloyd Embley, Editor-in-Chief at Mirror publisher Reach, commented: “I’m delighted that the Mirror has been able to move into second place in the PAMCo rankings. Over the past few months our print and digital teams have been working more closely together than ever and I think both platforms are really feeling the benefit of this.” Mirror Online Editorial Director Ben Rankin

added: “We’ve been working hard this year on delivering the best in breaking news, showbiz and sport and it’s very gratifying to see our readers repay us with their loyal readership. The Mirror has become a true force to be reckoned with and it’s only just the beginning.” BIGGEST NEWSBRAND REACHES (JUL 18 – JUN 19) Brand Total monthly reach Sun 32,823,000 Mirror 27,413,000 Mail 25,278,000 Express 24,816,000 Metro 24,699,000 Guardian 23,931,000 Independent 22,939,000 Telegraph 21,509,000 Daily Star 8,775,000 Times 8,630,000 I 6,549,000 Daily Record 5,786,000 [Source: PAMCo UK]

ONLINE NEWS

Google invests ‘millions’ in its support of local news websites

It has been revealed that Google is investing ‘millions’ into an initiative named Project Neon that aims to look for a way to make local news pay online. The three-year partnership sees the US internet giant invest the money in Norwich-based privately-owned media company Archant. Archant serves geographical and specialist interest communities with over 140 brands and associated websites. It will receive millions of pounds in funding from Google to search for a way to make online local news provision commercially viable. Project Neon will see the launch of three news websites in communities which Archant has identified as being underserved by local news. Archant aims to make the websites profitable by the end of their third year. The first community to be targeted will be announced soon. Google will provide technology as well as funding but will have no say over editorial decisions. The new websites will be wholly owned by Archant.

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02/10/2019 15:42:38

Research Digest

CARD PAYMENTS PASS 75% MILESTONE For the first time the value of retail purchases made by card now accounts for more than three quarters of all retail sales, according to the BRC’s latest annual Payments Survey. This has partly been driven by UK customers increasingly using cards for lower value payments, traditionally dominated by cash. Cash fell again by more than 1%, accounting for just 22% of all retail sales. As card payments have become more dominant, retailers have expressed concern at the rising costs of accepting cards. The Survey revealed that retailers spent an additional £170m to process card payments in 2017, reaching almost £1bn for the year. The research showed that increasing costs have been driven entirely by card scheme fees, which jumped by 39% in 2017. The scheme fee increases to retailers in 2018 ranged between 30% and 100% for some transactions. The BRC is calling for action from the Government and the Regulator to address the problem of soaring scheme fees borne by businesses, which come at a time when retailers are facing cost pressures elsewhere. Commenting on the Survey’s findings, BRC Head of Payments and Consumer Credit Andrew Cregan, said: “EU payment regulation introduced in 2015 delivered savings for the retail industry and consumers, but these benefits have now been eroded by increases in other card fees. In fact, many smaller retailers have questioned whether savings were ever passed on by card companies. The BRC are now looking to the Government and Regulator to tackle the alarming increases to card scheme fees imposed on retailers, and for action to simplify the complex fees and charges levied by the card payments industry.” www.slrmag.co.uk

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Inside Business

80% of shoppers ‘environmentally friendly’ A new report into sustainability and what it means for shoppers highlights a range of opportunities for retailers wishing to target the 80% of shoppers who view themselves as ‘environmentally friendly’.

new survey of over 1,000 adult UK shoppers has revealed that the overwhelming majority – 80% – view themselves as ‘environmentally friendly’ and that environmental issues affect their buying decisions in-store. The survey was carried out by shopper research specialist Shoppercentric and discovered that 82% take environmental credentials as highlighted on product labels into consideration when making purchasing decisions. The ‘Window On… Shoppers and Sustainability’ study reveals that being ‘green’ has become the norm with a sizable 59% even claiming to actively avoid particular types of packaging.

HOW CAN RETAILERS WIN SHOPPERS’ HEARTS ETHICALLY? Q Enable shoppers to buy loose fruit and veg to reduce plastic waste – 29% say that they always look to make their purchases this way. Q Try to avoid single use plastic in general – a preference for 42% of shoppers. Q Look to use easy-to-recycle packaging options – chosen frequently by 43% of shoppers. Q Work towards banning non-recyclable packaging – a desire for two-thirds of shoppers who want the choice taken out of their hands completely.

Interestingly, those aged 75+ are displaying more environmentally-friendly behaviour than the younger generations. For example, 58% of this group will try to choose products packaged in an environmentally friendly way compared with just 40% of 18-24-year olds. Additionally, 92% of over75s would like to see paper bags replace plastic for fresh produce vs 71% of 18-24-year olds. When it comes to what would make shoppers buy more sustainable goods, the majority – 64% – said price parity with standard products would help, while 47% said that they’d purchase more sustainable goods if they were easier to locate in-store. There were also concerns expressed by shoppers over the quality of environmentally friendly products, with 34% of shoppers stating that “reassurance that these types of products were as good as standard ones” would encourage them to change over to sustainable goods. Finally, almost a quarter of shoppers (24%) said that more awareness of the impact of buying sustainable products and knowing which stores sell them would inﬂuence their spending. Packaging remains the key focus for shoppers with 29% saying want to buy packaging-free loose fruit and veg, 42% saying they tried to avoid singleuse plastics in general, 43% seeking easier-to-recycle packaging and around two-thirds of all shoppers looking for a complete ban on non-recyclable packaging to “take the decision out of their hands completely”.

BREXIT FOOD SHORTAGES CONCERN ‘A QUARTER OF RETAILERS’

ccording to a survey of 250 independent and symbol retailers conducted by shopper insight agency HIM last month, 27% are concerned about food shortages when the UK leaves the EU. Around 8% of retailers had already begun stockpiling before the 31 October deadline with 12% expecting to have to buy emergency stock from supermarkets as a result of Brexit. The top four categories that retailers think will experience Brexit related shortages are Fruit & Veg (36%), Meat (28%), Fish (26%) and Dairy (25%). The most common categories that retailers have been stockpiling in preparation for Brexit are Alcohol (11%), Tinned Foods (9%) and OTC Medication (6%). In addition, 50% feel their wholesaler isn’t providing enough support around Brexit and 22% believe wholesalers could do more to prevent food

shortages post-Brexit. In particular, 40% of retailers want their wholesaler to stock more British products, 14% want them to put more pressure on suppliers and 11% want them to increase warehouse capacity. Blonnie Walsh, Senior Insight Manager at HIM and MCA Insight said: “Uncertainty surrounding Brexit rumbles on. Half of retailers believe their wholesaler isn’t providing enough support, however, with confusion over the outcome of Brexit affecting everyone from consumers to head offices, I’m sure there is a case to be argued that wholesalers are as much in the dark as their customers. “Despite this, we have seen some great examples of wholesaler communications focusing on Brexit, however these results indicate that more can be done. The outcome of Brexit and the impact it will have is unclear, but there is an opportunity to reassure retailers that everything possible is being done to limit disruption.” OCTOBER 2019 | SLR

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Inside Business

The Big Interview | Simon Browne, MD, Burton’s Biscuits

SCOTTISH MARKET KEY IN BURTON’S ACQUISITION OF PATERSON ARRAN The sale of Paterson Arran to the UK’s second biggest biscuit manufacturer reﬂects “just how important Scotland is to us” says Burton’s Biscuit Co Managing Director Simon Browne. BY ANTONY BEGLEY

hen news filtered through that Burton’s Biscuit Co had acquired Paterson Arran, the immediate reaction from many retailers was concern that an iconic Scottish brand could be under threat as it was absorbed into the enormous portfolio of the UK’s second biggest biscuit manufacturer. Paterson Arran is, after all, one of Scotland’s leading independent food companies operating in both retail and foodservice with its own impressive collection of biscuit and chutney brands, including the ubiquitous Paterson’s shortbread but also extending to Brontë, Café Brontë and Arran Fine Foods. Burton’s Biscuit Co Managing Director Simon Browne, however, is quick to allay those concerns by confirming straight off the bat that “the Paterson brand is here to stay”. Browne is in fact positively ebullient about the potential that exists for the Paterson Arran range as part of a much bigger group. “When we bought Paterson Arran we knew we were getting a great brand and a great portfolio of products but as we’ve begun integrating the two business we’ve realised that what we’ve actually got is an amazing brand with an amazing portfolio of products. We are so excited about how we can help develop and grow the brand, particularly in Scotland, but also across the UK and even into export markets.” The acquisition is the latest development in what has been a transformative period for the nearly 100 year old Burton’s business. The company was purchased in 2013 by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, a Canadian pension fund that was committed to investing in and growing the Burton’s business for the long term. In 2016 the company sold its Cadbury licence back to Mondelez International which represented a major change of direction for the company.

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Simon Browne, MD, Burton’s Biscuits | The Big Interview

“The Cadbury products had been the jewel in our crown,” explains Browne, “but we believed that maybe a little complacency had creeped in and we needed to develop a new strategy to reinvigorate the company and build some fresh momentum. The new strategy we developed was centred around a very simple concept: we wanted to focus on baking great biscuits.” Browne says that the company also wanted to embrace private label more enthusiastically as it represented a huge opportunity and one that Burton’s was perfectly placed to exploit. That change in direction reaped rapid results; Burton’s is now, for instance, the biggest private label biscuit supplier into Tesco. “Around that time we also entered a new licence agreement with Mars,” he says. “That has proven to be a great move and we now produce a fantastic range of Mars biscuits that have been extremely popular.” A key focus in this period, says Browne, was in dedicating more energy to the premium, artisanal end of the biscuits market which the company believes offers some great scope for growth. He explains: “The traditional market for biscuit barrel type products is huge and important but it’s not growing, so we wanted to move more proactively into the premium end of the market.” That strategy led to Burton’s acquiring the Thomas Fudge’s business, a £10m turnover company that specialises in high end, high quality biscuits and bakery lines. The strategy ultimately also led to the very recent acquisition of Paterson Arran. Paterson Arran employs around 200 people and runs two production facilities: the Royal Burgh Bakery in Livingston, West Lothian, which produces an award-winning range of shortbread, oatcakes, biscuits and cookies and the Old Mill, Lamlash, Isle of Arran, which primarily produces a range of delicious chutneys, mustards and preserves. www.slrmag.co.uk

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Browne explains the thinking behind the deal: “Firstly, we weren’t very strong in shortbread, other than in private label where we supply M&S for example, but we had no strong branded offering. Secondly, we ween’t very strong in foodservice and that’s a fastgrowing market that Paterson Arran is expert in. And lastly, regionality wasn’t something that we had been particularly focused on, we tended to take a national UK-wide approach. Paterson Arran ticked all three boxes and it also came with some other very significant attractions for us.” Those significant attractions included some state of the art production facilities, a very experienced and successful team of people, and expertise in smaller portion packs. While there will undoubtedly be some consolidation, Browne insists that the plan is to grow production across the entire enlarged company and has already unveiled plans to invest in existing Paterson Arran sites in Scotland. He says: “There is a very small amount of duplication across the two companies so a very limited amount of consolidation will inevitably be required but we bought Paterson Arran as a platform to grow the enlarged company, to increase production and to leverage the power of the bigger business to grow in the future.” And the acquisition doesn’t mean that it’s all one-way traffic, says Browne. “We’ve been consistently amazed with the Paterson Arran business. The team are phenomenal, their expertise is superb and a lot of that expertise is in areas where we have traditionally been weak at Burton’s so we see lots and lots of benefits to the wider team now working together.” So, far from losing focus, Scotland is set to be more important than ever for Burton’s, as Browne explains: “For us, it’s all about baking great biscuits and Paterson Arran are

Inside Business

doing just that. They have invested in some really cutting edge technology and over the last few years they’ve been doing some really impressive reformulation work on their core products. Their relationship with Scottish retailers and the Scottish market is something we admire and want to build on.” He even goes as far as to say that he hopes to be able to “sprinkle some of the Paterson Arran magic onto the Burton’s brands in Scotland”. It’s worth noting at this point that Burton’s has had a long commitment to Scotland. It has had a bakery in Sighthill for over 60 years and recently opened a new development kitchen in Edinburgh. So it may be the end of an era but it’s also the beginning of what looks to be an exciting new chapter for Paterson Arran and indeed for Burton’s. Private label will continue to be a key opportunity with the combined company supplying everyone from Asda to the majority of the symbol groups, while the opportunities that abound for the branded side of the business are now far more likely to be fully exploited with the weight of a much larger business behind it. “There’s massive scope for growth for the Paterson Arran business, massive,” concludes Browne. “We can see growth coming in Scotland and across the UK and we also believe there is significant scope to target export markets. Burton’s already has a major export network and we can make use of that to take the Paterson Arran range to export markets across the globe.” Closer to home, however, it looks like Scotland’s local retailers can rest assured that the Paterson Arran brands aren’t going to disappear any time soon and, with the might of Burton’s behind them, there will be plenty of scope to grow sales and profits through these iconic brands. OCTOBER 2019 | SLR

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Awards Entry Portal Opens: 2nd Dec, 2019 Entry Deadline: 14th February 2020

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The SLR Rewards remain unique in the UK local retailing calendar in offering every winner on the night a valuable personal Reward. Next year’s event already shaping up to be the biggest and best so far.

Now in their 17th year, the SLR Rewards remains a truly unique event in the busy local retailing calendar. It is the only event of its type that offers winners on the evening highly valuable, often money-can’t-buy Rewards. Fancy trophies and nice certificates are all very well (and our winners get those too), but wouldn’t you rather win unique experiences and trips of a lifetime? In the last few years alone we’ve sent retailers to Atlanta, Las Vegas and Chicago; we’ve sent them to Amsterdam, Belgium, Lille and London; we’ve sent them to see Champions League matches in Paris and Commonwealth Games events in Glasgow. We’ve had them driving Ferraris around race tracks, eating meals in Michelin-starred restaurants and watching Celine Dion and Justin Bieber in VIP boxes. There really is no other event like the SLR Rewards – and next year we’re aiming for another treasure trove of fantastic Rewards that offer our winners something truly special to celebrate their successes. For a community that works so hard all year round, we feel it’s only right that they get the chance to live a little, let their hair down and just enjoy themselves for a while after all that hard work serving Scotland’s communities. This year we will be be opening the SLR Rewards entries portal on the 2nd of December and the closing date for entries will be the 14th of February 2020. Make sure you give yourself the chance of being among the winners on the evening by getting your entries in early! The event will once again return to the plush Radisson blu hotel in Glasgow and will take place on the 11th of June 2020.

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Inside Business

#ThinkSmart3

EYES ON TOMORROW The #ThinkSmart3 festival of tech, data, digital and innovation for the convenience channel took place on 25 September at Strathclyde University’s Technology and Innovation Centre, where the audience got a glimpse of what will be driving success in the c-stores of the future. BY FINDLAY STEIN

t has arguably never been harder to be a local retailer. In an increasingly crowded marketplace, the likes of Amazon are chipping away at the USPs that convenience stores have long enjoyed with a ruthless deployment of technology that gives them unimagined and unrivalled depths of customer insight. The recurring message from speakers at the #ThinkSmart3 conference was not one of doom and gloom, however, but that retailers could – indeed should – use technology and the data it generates to fight back. The event, chaired for the third time by industry veteran and #ThinkSmart regular Tom Fender, offered the audience a number of practical ways to do this. Read on for a glimpse of the future. 28

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#ThinkSmart3

Inside Business

KRISTINE MOORE

RETAIL TECHNOLOGY CHANNEL MANAGER, HENDERSON TECHNOLOGY Henderson Technology is a name Scottish local retailers are going to become increasingly familiar with, as the Northern Irish company continues to make inroads on the mainland with its EDGEPoS platform. Kristine Moore outlined some of the integrations that seamlessly plugged into the core system. These include electronic shelf labelling solution, EDGEPoS ESL. Implementation in a trial store resulted in a 2% rise in margin and 12 man hours saved per week. The system can change every price in a store in under a minute. EDGEPoS Appetite is a food-to-go integration that lets customers build an order on their phone or at an instore kiosk – not unlike McDonalds – then pay either on the app or instore before collection, and all fully recordable in the back office. The Gander waste reduction app allowis retailers with short-dated stock to push notifications of reductions to customers’ phones. An item is immediately deleted from the list of offers the moment it is purchased. Moore said Henderson was the first company to launch this anywhere in the world. Scan and Go lets customers build a shopping list then get guided by an app round the store to collect items. The EDGEPoS system got a lot of attention in the ThinkSmart exhibition space, not least for its self-checkout module. This allows the cashier to turn a second or third till into a customer-facing self-checkout at any time. It doesn’t take up any additional space instore, and the cashier can take control of the transaction at any time.

ASIM SARWAR

EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, UNITED WHOLESALE SCOTLAND United Wholesale Scotland’s Asim Sarwar showcased some big changes coming the company’s Queenslie depot soon. He said the ‘Depot of the Future’ would help revitalise cash and carrys. Sarwar said United’s customers would embark on a new purchasing journey that will see retailers – using the United Connect app – create a shopping list in their store, scanning products they require on their smartphones. They will then automatically connect to the system when they arrive at Queenslie, to be guided round the aisles in the most efficient manner by the app. LED shelf edge labels will ﬂash when the retailer gets near a product on their list. A scan-and-go system will also operate, where retailers simply need to have a QR code on their phone zapped at the till. Retailers will notice a number of other changes around the depot, Sarwar said, not least a 4m x 48m LED screen that will welcome customers on arrival. LED screens have also been added to the aisle ends. The number of aisles has been extended and the tobacco room has doubled in size. It too benefits from an LED screen. The wholesaler can now leverage the data it collects from the app to offer customised campaigns, and offer retailers tailored deals on products they’ve shown an interest in.

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#ThinkSmart3

Inside Business

TOM FENDER

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, TWC Specialist data insight company TWC recently won the contract to provide the data management portal for Unitas, and will exclusively manage the wholesale group’s shipment data. It also markets Alchemy Elements, a modular solution that lets businesses – retailers as well as wholesalers – develop a continuous cycle of identifying growth opportunities; sharing best practice; rewarding performance; engaging staff and customers; and enabling feedback management. As it is modular, businesses can just acquire the elements they need. The point, Fender said, “is to make data transparent, usable and then actionable afterwards”. The Alchemy Dashboard takes data from various sources, amalgamates it then presents it back “in a really visual and compelling way”, said Fender. The Snapshare module acts like Instagram and allows retailers to upload and share images of best practice, helping to improve campaign compliance. This, Fender said, is “in everybody’s best interests” as more compliance will lead to more investment from suppliers. It could also prove useful for retailers to help maintain standards when they are away from their stores. “It’s not to say you don’t trust your staff, but you just still want that reassurance,” said Fender. He also called on the sector to launch more innovations. Companies don’t appreciate just how tech-savvy the average UK consumer is, he said, adding that “businesses need to keep up with their customers”.

“Businesses need to keep up with their customers” TOM FENDER, DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, TWC

ANTONY BEGLEY ON BEHALF OF COLIN MUNRO MANAGING DIRECTOR, MICONEX

Colin Munro, Managing Director of Miconex, had been scheduled to discuss the company’s Mi Rewards city-wide loyalty programme that offers benefits to both retailers and they communities they trade in. However, unforeseen circumstances dictated otherwise and ThinkSmart conference host Antony Begley ably stepped in to give the presentation in his place. Mi Rewards is about as ‘frictionless’ a city or town-wide loyalty scheme you can get. No loyalty card or app is required – consumers simply register one or more credit or debit cards with the scheme’s online portal then pay for goods and services as usual. Points then get added to their Mi Rewards account, going towards a digital giftcard that can be redeemed with participating partners which include everything from retailers, cafes and bars to bus providers, local amenities and cinemas. One per cent of transaction values goes into a central pot to fund the scheme. The scheme initially rolled out in Perth with other 60 businesses involved. It aimed to breathe life back into the city by encouraging people to make more use of businesses in Perth rather than elsewhere or online. The scheme has to date garnered 1,900 users who have spent over £300,000 in Perth. What’s interesting, said Begley, is that every person who initially registered is still using Mi Rewards. As well as increased footfall into the city centre, the scheme captures a vast amount of data about customers that is shared with every participating retailer. This data then allows them to build a detailed picture of the people who are – and more importantly – aren’t visiting their store.

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#ThinkSmart3

Inside Business

DAVID MORGAN

RETAIL CONSULTANT, WISESHELF WiseShelf’s smart shelving solution improves shelf stock availability, replacement efficiency and planogram accuracy. Morgan said on-shelf out of stocks run at around 8% on average, but the impact is bigger as they tend to occur on key lines. This frustrates shoppers, damages a store’s reputation and ultimately makes customers go elsewhere. To reduce these, the WiseShelf solution consists of a shelf topper covered in an array of light sensors that are connected to cloud-based software that monitors the shelf in real time. The sensors detect 1,000 different light levels that means the software differentiate between a shadow or a dirty mark, for example. Or a bottle of Coke from a bottle of Sprite. The software alerts staff to items that are out of stock and operates a traffic light system so that key products can be

GORDON NEIL

STRATEGY & MARKETING DIRECTOR, McCURRACH According to Gordon Neil, retailers are crying out for more straightforward support and advice from brands. Furthermore, he said 70% of retailers would like all that information from brands all in one place. On the other hand, Neil said brands wanted retailers to stock the right products in the right place; wanted a cost-effective way of achieving that goal; and also wanted to have a two-way conversation with retailers. To address these concerns, McCurrach has – in partnership with News UK – developed MyStore+. This is an app that, as Neil put it, “brings brands and retailers together to sell more in ways that work for both”. Simple to use, it gives retailers access to category and brand advice, offers and financial rewards. These can be redeemed by snapping a picture of the relevant fixture. Retailers can also talk directly to brands through a chat function. To date, over 2,500 retailers are engaged with the app. Neil said this number was on track to hit the 7,000 mark by December. He said a campaign for Wall’s received over 8,000 engagement, giving the company valuable insights into what SKUs required focus. It is this sort of feedback that will ultimately benefit retailers, with the subsequent fine-tuning leading to better ranges and bigger sales.

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replaced first. Alerts don’t just appear in the back office, and can be pushed to mobile phones and staff handheld devices. The system also notifies staff if a shelf needs faced-up and helps with laying out planograms. It also gives a better understanding of when out of stocks are happening, allowing retailers to replenish shelves proactively. Morgan said stores using WiseShelf had experienced a 50% reduction in shelf out of stocks and a 40% drop in shelf replenishment times, adding that retailers could expect a return on their investment in between four and months. Future developments for system include integrated wide-angle shelf cameras for planogram compliance and “product taken” tracking, with a smart fridge solution also in the pipeline.

“Retailers are crying out for more support and advice from brands.” GORDON NEIL, STRATEGY AND MARKETING DIRECTOR, MCCURRACH

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Inside Business

#ThinkSmart3

BLAKE GLADMAN

STRATEGY & INSIGHT DIRECTOR, KAM MEDIA

“Technology is data... everything is data.” BLAKE GLADMAN, STRATEGY & INSIGHT DIRECTOR, KAM MEDIA

It’s fair to say that veteran ThinkSmart speaker Blake Gladman likes his statistics. It’s also fair to say not all his stats make for pleasant reading. Gladman kicked-off by informing the audience that only 15% of people think convenience stores are keeping up with modern trends. He warned that the convenience channel’s unique selling points – speed, customer relationships and location – were being eroded by the technology revolution, but that convenience could use the same tech to fight back, not only protecting its existing USPs but by creating new ones. He said customer experience was now the key issue. Speaking to consumers, KAM Media found 43% said the quality of service was the main reason they would choose one retailer over another. Gladman said prices and availability become secondary concerns when the customer experience is bad. With an astounding 44% of people actually looking forward to grocery shopping, he warned that too many retailers see it as a transaction and need to shift their focus towards the experience. And how to do this? By using data. “Technology is data” said Gladman, adding that ultimately “everything is data”. He used the analogy of a squirrel, storing nuts for winter. Retailers, he said, need to store data from EPoS, wifi logins, customer apps and mobile delivery, then maximise and make use of it. As people become more accustomed to the world we’re now living in and understand the give-and-take process with businesses, over half of them are happy to share their data if they can get a more tailored experience. Gladman went as far as to say to that If businesses don’t then use that data, they are breaking the bond of trust the customer has made by giving it in the first place. To put it more bluntly: if you’re not using data to tailor a customer’s experience, then you’re failing them.

STEVE LINTOTT

HEAD OF FIELD SALES, JUUL LABS American brand JUUL Labs is at the forefront of technological advances in the vaping category. The company’s Head of Field Sales Steve Lintott briefed the ThinkSmart audience on its new C1 device. This is Juul’s first connected device, which links via Bluetooth to the user’s smartphone. An app lets consumers start to control their usage by monitoring both puff count and puff duration. It displays the results on a dashboard similar to those found in fitness trackers. The C1 also has an auto lock feature to prevent anyone using the device when it’s out of Bluetooth range, which Lintott said would combat underage usage. The location feature is proving popular with absentminded users. If it’s in Bluetooth range, the C1 will emit a sound to help track it down when alerted via the app. If it’s not, then its last known location will display on a map. Lintott also urged convenience retailers to follow supermarkets in embracing closed pod systems. He said the convenience channel’s continued focus on open systems was reﬂected in its falling share of the market.

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#ThinkSmart3

Inside Business

WAYNE JEFFERY

MANAGING DIRECTOR, QUEUECHEETAH Queuecheetah initially launched solely as a queuebusting app to cater for the 85% of consumers who would like instore tech to help them with their shopping. At its simplest level it offers a solution that lets customers scan items on their phones as they go round the store and pay via a credit or debit card linked to the app. Wayne Jeffery, the company’s Co-founder and Managing Director, said it costs less then 13% of the price of a physical self-checkout and had the added benefit of not taking up any valuable space in-store. It can also help increase basket spend. It a customer scans a product that is included in a meal deal, for example, then the app will suggest the additional items and the saving that can be made. It has evolved quickly since its April launch to offer more functionality, and now captures data that can be used to build customer profiles. Push notifications allow retailers to talk to their customers and drive sales of targeted products. The app is developed based on retailer feedback; there are plans to incorporate home ordering, click and collect, pre-ordering, loyalty and voucher schemes. Referencing McCurrach’s MyStore+ app, Jeffery said the app “closed the loop” from suppliers to retailers to customers and back to suppliers. He said Queuecheetah would let retailers quickly communicate deals that brands passed onto them and then, via its comprehensive reporting features, allow sales data to be fed back to the brands. Jeffery said the platform was easy to implement and only needed a retailer’s Merchant ID to link up with. It can be deployed on a six-month trial basis and a ﬂat monthly fee is charged. Queuecheetah isn’t for everyone though. Jeffery laughingly recounted a meeting with one retailer who said: “I like queues, they make me look busy.”

“With the cost of doing business going through the roof, we need to change the way that we work. Technology and data are the things we’re going to have to embrace.” #THINKSMART3 HOST ANTONY BEGLEY

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Inside Business

Fresh & Chilled Retailer of the Year | SLR Rewards 2019

SALEEM GETS FRESH IN RENFREW

Spar Renfrew retailer Saleem Sadiq’s fresh and chilled offer is up to the same high standards as the rest of his store, getting all the fundamentals spot on and adding a few innovative touches along the way.

isit Saleem Sadiq’s Spar store in Renfrew and you’ll notice a couple of things immediately: one, the store is absolutely immaculate throughout; and two, he’s running out of space to display all the industry awards he’s won. That challenge recently got even harder when Saleem picked up the Fresh & Chilled Retailer of the Year award at this year’s SLR Rewards, in association with the SGF Healthy Living Programme. He’s gonna need a bigger mantelpiece the way he’s going! Always on top of the latest trends, Saleem long ago embraced fresh and chilled, and his offer has grown and grown, along with his merchandising efforts. We all know that fresh and chilled is as much about presentation and confidence as it is range. Customers will happily buy from a pristine, clean, fully-stocked fixture of great quality fresh produce, which explains why the huge fresh and chilled fixtures in Spar Renfrew are immaculately maintained. Saleem is lucky to benefit from a loyal team around him, many of whom have been there for more years than he cares to remember. That team has embraced Saleem’s commitment to high standards and nowhere is that more evident than in the fresh and chilled category. Staff regularly check the fixtures, removing any fresh produce that is anything less than perfect. “Yes, you lose a bit in waste but I believe that you more than make up for that

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through the sales you get from having a fully stocked fixture of top quality produce,” says Saleem. Most of the fresh produce is merchandised in rustic style baskets, enhancing the feeling of shopping in an old school grocers while the accompanying run of chillers boasts a comprehensive range of food and drinks that cater for all shopping occasions. The fixtures are carefully segregated into breakfast/lunch and meal for tonight sections, which makes shopping easier for customers and helps boost basket spend for Saleem. A number of impulse units, facing the deli for instance, help boost spur of the moment sales, many of them healthier options, something the Healthy Living Partnership is delighted about. The programme’s Director Kathryn Neil says: “Saleem was among the first retailers in Scotland to fully embrace the Healthy Living Programme and commit to offering his shoppers healthier options alongside the traditional range. That strategy has paid off handsomely and proves beyond doubt that there is a strong market for well presented, high quality healthier fresh and chilled produce.” As part of Saleem’s Reward for winning this year, he had the Healthy Living Partnership in-store for a day helping to raise awareness of the benefits of healthier eating – and shifting a huge amount of £1 bags of bananas into the bargain! OCTOBER 2019 | SLR

02/10/2019 15:43:05

Inside Business

SGF Interview

SGF MAKING ‘GOOD PROGRESS DESPITE CHALLENGING CONDITIONS’ It’s been another tough year for the local retailing sector in Scotland with another wave of challenges, but SGF has been working hard on behalf of the trade and has made ‘good progress’ says CEO Pete Cheema. BY ANTONY BEGLEY

here’s no denying that it’s been another very tough year for the Scottish local retailing sector as it wrestles with the latest wave of challenges. Costs are still rising, legislative pressures are intensifying and consumer spending has been dampened by a number of factors, not least Brexit – so it’s never been more important that the industry pulls together in the same direction. “It’s vital that our sector is united and speaks with a single voice,” says Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) Chief Executive Pete Cheema. “Convenience retail is a huge industry in Scotland, providing jobs for more than 40,000 jobs for people. However, it is by nature extremely fragmented, with thousands of independent businesses. The only way we can truly have our voices heard at the top tables is by speaking as one – and that’s exactly why the role that SGF plays is arguably more important than it has ever been in the 100 years of its existence.”

o r G h s i t t o c S

CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT

The challenges that have made this year so tough are many and varied, and they keep coming thick and fast, as all retailers are only too aware: the rocketing costs of doing business, Track & Trace, Deposit Return, Minimum Unit Pricing, tobacco and alcohol legislation, pensions, retail violence and crime, Making Tax Digital, the list goes on and on. “It’s easy for retailers to feel daunted when they wake up every morning and consider the mountains they are having to climb just to keep their business profitable so that they can continue to serve communities the length and breadth of Scotland, but by working together we can tackle all of these challenges – and 36

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that’s exactly what we are doing at SGF,” says Cheema. “And we are making significant progress.” One very recent example of that progress was the inclusion of an exemption for smaller local retailers in the Scottish Government’s draft Deposit Return Regulations. “We were very pleased to see that all the work we put into lobbying the Scottish Government paid off in the form of that exemption which will be critically important for many small Scottish retailers, I am sure,” he says. “It demonstrates that the relationship we have developed over the last few years with Holyrood is reaping rewards. “We will continue to lobby, however, as SGF remains strongly opposed to the inclusion of glass within the Deposit Return scheme. Its inclusion would be bad for the scheme overall and for convenience stores in particular. Glass is heavy, liable to break and takes up considerable space. It will also drastically reduce the number of stores which can use automated take back. “The convenience sector needs a united front on saying no to glass. I would urge all retailers to participate in the consultation which runs until 10 December and can be accessed at: consult.gov.scot.” Key to SGF’s improved, closer relationship with Scotland’s most important politicians is the Cross-Party Group on Independent Convenience Stores which meets regularly in the Scottish Parliament building. Here MSPs from all major parties debate and discuss issues currently affecting the trade. The forum ensures that the concerns of the local retailing sector are heard at the very top table and, having attended many of these meetings, it’s hugely encouraging to see such a solid turnout by retailers, wholesalers and suppliers. www.slrmag.co.uk

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SGF Interview

Inside Business

n o i t a r e d e F ’ s r e c o r G Critical topics such as women in retail, DRS, retail crime and under-age sales prevention have been discussed so far this year.

NETWORKING KEY

As well as its lobbying activity, SGF has also remained committed to increasing the levels of engagement it has with retailers, wholesalers and suppliers through a busy programme of events all year round, something Cheema feels is vital to bringing the trade together. He comments: “We have worked hard over the last couple of years building and growing our annual programme of events because we feel it’s a very important way of bringing the whole supply chain together to talk indepth about important issues, challenges and opportunities. Our annual Crime Seminar has proven very popular and inﬂuential, as has the Mini-Summit which allows us to tackle a wider array of topics. We have also introduced new events to embrace fresh opportunities like vaping, a category that has massive potential for local retailers in Scotland. “And of course, the most important event in our calendar is the annual SGF Conference which takes place later this month. I would urge everyone to make sure they get along for what has become a highlight of the annual calendar in the trade.” Cheema has scored another coup by once again succeeding in recruiting Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as headline speaker for the event. Given the current political turmoil, it should be fascinating to hear what she has to say.

INVESTING IN THE SECTOR SGF has also been instrumental in securing more Scottish government funding programme aimed at developing the important food-to-go offerings within www.slrmag.co.uk

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Scotland’s convenience stores. A total of £300,000 is being made available to the sector, with successful applicants receiving an award on a match-funding basis up to a maximum individual grant of £7,500. “I know that Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy Fergus Ewing MSP believed the first phase of the Food-to-go fund was very effective in supporting small retailers throughout Scotland to entice customers into their stores and generate a new income stream,” says Cheema. “So it’s great news that the SGF-administered fund has been both renewed and increased, which will help even more retailers provide people with access to quality, locally sourced and healthy food in addition to providing an important focus on reducing waste.” Cheema’s commitment to ensuring the entire supply chain works closer together in Scotland extends to actively seeking to grow membership of SGF among key suppliers. “We need the support of suppliers to allow us to continue the vital work we do on behalf of the whole trade and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to recruit many new members this year from right across the sector including JUUL Labs, Border Biscuits, Heineken, Loomis and Morrisons.” As 2019 begins to draw to a close and Brexit looks set to come to some sort of a head, it appears that the challenging times will be here for a while yet, but Cheema remains optimistic and upbeat. He concludes: “As long as we can all continue working closely together, we can ensure that local retailing in Scotland will continue to be a vibrant, profitable sector and the millions of people across the country that rely on our stores will remain well served. Local retailers have long been the very heart of Scotland’s communities and we fully intend to keep it that way.”

OCTOBER 2019 | SLR

02/10/2019 15:43:05

Hotlines

Product News & Media Watch

Nordic Spirit Japan Tobacco International JTI is introducing its Nordic Spirit range of tobacco-free nicotine pouches to traditional retail channels following a UK online launch earlier this year. Nordic Spirit is available in two ﬂavours (Mint and Bergamot Wildberry) and two strengths (6mg and 9mg) in cans of 20 tobacco-free pouches (RSP £6.50). For more info, retailers should speak to their JTI rep or go online to nordicspirit.co.uk and jtiadvance.co.uk.

Wall’s Vegan Jumbo Roll Addo Foods The Vegan Jumbo Roll is part of Wall’s first vegan range, alongside a BBQ Jackfruit Roll. Both RSP at £1.25 and are also available in packs of four 30g snack rolls (RSP £1.50). The Jumbo Roll is produced with a mixture of minced mushrooms, oats and seasoning. Wall’s hopes the range will “open the brand up to the 91% of consumers who now follow ﬂexitarian diets and the 3.5 millon Brits who follow a strictly vegan diet”.

Ben & Jerry’s Cookies on Cookie Dough Unilever Premium ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s has launched a dairy-free version of its popular Cookie Dough ﬂavour, made with almond milk, 100% certified vegan and a brandnew vegan cookie dough chunk. It is available now in 500ml tubs with an RSP of £6. To find out more visit benjerry.co.uk.

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AG Barr unveils Rockstar xxxxxx xxxx functional energy range Barr Soft Drinks is tapping into growing consumer interest in energy with additional functional benefits with the launch of new Rockstar XD Power. The new product is available now in outers of 12 x 500ml plain and £1.29 price-marked cans in two variants – Blue Raz and Hardcore Apple. Both are zero sugar and free from arti-ficial ﬂavours and colours. Each can delivers 200mg of caffeine, as well as branched chain amino acids to help fuel protein synthesis and muscle recovery. XD Power also contains Rockstar’s signature blend of B vitamins, which directly impact energy levels and brain function. Barr Soft Drinks recommended that retailers merchandise Rockstar XD Power in the ‘on the go’ section of the chiller, where nearly one in two purchases is an energy drink, to meet the needs of shoppers on the lookout for functional energy. “This new product offers a different proposition to current energy products and will appeal to the 61% of men in the UK aged 16-34 who use supplements,” said Adrian Troy, Barr Soft Drinks Marketing Director. “In addition low calorie energy is in strong double-digit growth, so we are confident that Rockstar XD Power will deliver incremental category growth for retailers.” For trade enquiries, retailers should call 01204 664 295.

Baker Street Sliced Seeded St Pierre Groupe This new 550g loaf RSPs at £1.79 is targeted at shoppers looking for a smaller-sized seeded loaf. It contains sunﬂower seeds and linseeds, as well as being high in fibre. The Baker Street brand is currently enjoying double-digit growth in the impulse channel. For more information, call St Pierre’s commercial team 0161 946 1355 or email enquiries@ stpierregroupe. com.

CDM Premier League Milk Chocolate Football Mondelez The 256g Cadbury Dairy Milk Premier League Milk Chocolate Football is available to order now in outers of four with an RSP of £6.99. The ball is individually wrapped and comes in a Premier League branded box. Boxes feature an on-pack digital game accessed via a QR code. For further enquiries, call Mondelez on 0870 600 0699, email retailer.services@mdlz. com or visit deliciousdisplay.co.uk.

Fruittella Koalas Perfetti Van Melle PVM’s first ever gelatine-free range is suitable for both vegans and vegetarians. Fruittella Koalas launches alongside Fruittella Sour Snakes. Both will be available later in the year in standard 120g bags (RSP £1.29) and exclusively in the convenience channel as £1 pricemarked 100g bags. The NPD will be supported by the brand’s biggest campaign in recent years, with a new TV ad, video-on-demand and social media.

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02/10/2019 15:43:07

Product News & Media Watch Cadbury Orange Twirl Mondelez Cadbury has launched a limitededition Orange variant for its Twirl single bar. The product is available now in cases of 48 x 43g bars with an RSP of 65p each. POS material is available to retailers. The launch follows hot on the heels of a £2m ‘What makes it so twirly?’ marketing campaign which finished last month. To find out more, retailers can telephone Mondelez on 0870 600 0699, email retailer.services@mdlz. com or visit deliciousdisplay.co.uk.

Festive Jammie Dodgers Burton’s Biscuit Company

Richmond Meat-Free Sausages Kerry Foods The brand’s first excursion into the meat-free market are from a soyabased protein and contain 57.5 calories per sausage. The bangers are available now with an RSP of £2.50 for a 336g pack of eight. To support the launch, Richmond will be working with retailers on clear signposting and marketing materials. Kerry Foods said the new range “looks and tastes just like a Richmond Pork Sausage – right down to the crispy skin”.

Brooke Bond Teabags Unilever

Burton’s Biscuit Company has unveiled new limited-edition designs for its Jammie Dodgers brand. For the first time, the biscuits’ embossed ‘splat’ is making way for three seasonal designs – a stock-ing, a star and a Christmas tree – all wrapped in a festive-themed pack. Shelfready outers of 18 x 140g packs are available now with an RSP of 89p. For further information call Burton’s Biscuits on 0330 6600 196 or visit burtonsbiscuits.com.

Unilever has relaunched Brooke Bond tea, 150 years after the brand was first unveiled in Manchester. Brooke Bond is available now at RSPs of £1 for 80 teabags and £2 for 160 teabags. Taking pride in its northern roots, each box of Brooke Bond features a historic map of Manchester on the lid as well as the little red van which featured in previous advertising campaigns.

Hotlines



MEDIAwatch xxxxx is the new Green for Sprite Clear Coca-Cola European Partners has unveiled xxxxx a new advertising campaign to support the launch of its re-designed Sprite bottles that are easier to recycle. The ‘Clear is the new Green’ campaign educates consumers on the recyclability of the Sprite packaging. The campaign features on over 6,000 display panels across the country.

xxxxx C4 swaps airtime for sausages Channel 4 has signed a seven-figure deal xxxxx with The Meatless Farm Co that will see the broadcaster take equity in the plant-based company in exchange for commercial airtime. The investment means The Meatless Farm Co’s brand-new TV advertising campaign will initially run regionally across Channel 4’s main channel and streaming service, All 4.

xxxxx Derek, 84 Meet Diet Coke has launched You Do You – a xxxxx new multi-million-pound campaign “that champions the love of mainstream cultural moments and language”. Two TV ads feature scenarios that see people unashamedly embracing mainstream trends. You Do You includes out-of-home, digital, social media and PR activity, and a special Snapchat lens.

xxxxx unveils ‘A Little, A Lot’ Kinder Iron Brew Millions Golden Casket Golden Casket has launched new Iron Brew Millions, adding the iconic Scottish soft drink ﬂavour to its range of tiny chewy sweets. Iron Brew Millions is available now in shelf-ready cases of 30 x 40g ‘ginger’-coloured packs that introduce new Millions character ‘Ron Brew’. Packs RSP at 50p. To find out more, retailers can call 01475 721099, email enquiries@ goldencasket.co.uk or visit millionssweets.co.uk.

Ultimate Sprinkles Dr. Oetker Home baking brand Dr. Oetker has made a further two additions to its Ultimate Sprinkles range: Rose Gold Blush Sprinkles (110g, 6 per case, RSP £2.29) and Mermaid Treasure Sprinkles (115g, 6 per case, RSP £2.29). The products can be sprinkled onto celebration and cup cakes before buttercream or icing sets. Alternatively, they can be used as a topping for ice cream. For more information, call 0113 823 1400 or visit oetker.co.uk.

Kinder’s new campaign targets parents xxxxx celebrating special family moments with a multi-channel £3.3m media investment. A new ad features a small boy who is unable to choose appropriate clothing and always wears a dinosaur costume no matter what – be it school, a wedding or a trip to the swimming pool.

xxxxx Fentimans invests for growth Fentimans has launched the biggest xxxxx marketing push in its history, as it looks to convert more consumers from mass market to premium soft drinks and mixers. The £1.2m national outdoor campaign is focused on key cities and metropolitan areas across the UK. The out-of-home campaign will be supported by digital, sampling and experiential activity.

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

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SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2019 | SLR

02/10/2019 15:43:08

Feature

Forecourts

NEW LOOK JET FORECOURT GETS THUMBS UP FROM DEALERS AND SHOPPERS A new forecourt design from JET has been given a resounding thumbs up by both dealers and consumers in a recent 12-store pilot and the new design will now be rolled out across the network.

s forecourts continue to get slicker and slicker and the shopper experience continues to improve, it’s never been more important for retailers to ensure their forecourt sends exactly the right message to their customers. That’s why JET has been working continuously to evolve and improve its forecourt designs with a recent pilot seeing a brand new design trialed in 12 sites. According to JET, the new forecourt design has received “an overwhelmingly positive response from consumers and dealers alike”. The pilot has now successfully completed, with two company-owned and 10 dealerowned sites taking part. The new design will now be rolled out across the JET network. The sites incorporate an array of forecourt design improvements to create a safe, friendly and welcoming environment for customers – and to help JET dealers widen their sites’ appeal and attract forecourt footfall. These include a fabricated LED-lit logo, a soft-angled canopy with dual-colour LED illumination, an LED-lit four-price pole sign and updated signage. With JET forecourts coming in all shapes and sizes, it was vital that the fuel brand’s 40

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new image would work perfectly across the whole network. In-depth research and testing were undertaken during the planning process. Consumer and dealer research was undertaken, input was received from JET’s Continental Business Unit (CBU) and best practice from Phillips 66 in the United States was also incorporated to help shape the new forecourt image. One of the sites that took part in the pilot was JET Cothouse Service Station near Dunoon. Scott Murray, who runs the site with his father Alistair and brother John, comments: “We really like the new image and logo. It looks very modern, dynamic and professional. The grey works particularly well and the new canopy is sleek. The modern pole sign design is definitely an improvement and having all the prices displayed is great for pricing clarity to customers. We’ll certainly see the benefits of the new LED lights when the winter nights draw in! The canopy sets us apart from competition with its angled edges, and the combination of uplighting LED and the LED strips looks fantastic. “Our customers really like the new design. A refresh is always welcomed by staff and customers as it helps to give a sense of pride

in our store. Customers like their local site to look the part!” Oliver Müller, JET’s Retail Business Manager, says: “The forecourt retailing market is constantly evolving and JET is fully committed to responding to changes in consumer expectations and retail trends. “Over the past 12 months, we’ve been working on an initiative to refresh our forecourt branding, make our sites more distinctive, support our dealers in their businesses and enhance our forecourt experience in order to reconnect with consumers. We’ve built on the strength of JET’s heritage, expertise and personality to come up with a new forecourt image that we are delighted to say has been welcomed with open arms by our dealers and their customers. “We’re delighted with the dealer and consumer feedback we’ve gathered so far. We’ve completed extensive consumer research at our pilot sites and have obtained feedback from our dealers, all of which has been overwhelmingly positive. 91% of consumers questioned agreed that the changes to the forecourt image improved the petrol station. We will continue to engage with both these audiences over the coming months and years as their ideas and input will help to shape any further improvements we introduce.” Following the success of the pilot, the new design will now be confidently rolled out across the JET network with a number of sites due to be reimaged before the end of the year. Müller concludes: “Our new image, along with our recently rebranded JET ULTRA Premium Fuels offering, is key to JET’s longterm retail strategy and our overarching goal of delivering a great forecourt experience for every JET consumer – every time they visit one of our forecourts. The success of this initiative to date demonstrates that we are making great strides in enhancing consumer perception of JET as a distinctive, modern, welcoming, friendly forecourt brand. Furthermore, we are confident that the changes we are implementing are helping to support our dealers in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace.” www.slrmag.co.uk

02/10/2019 15:43:09

Forecourts to shout about

(Not too loudly mind, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got neighbours to think about)

Our bright, modern forecourts are designed to help you stand out. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re clean, safe and fast - just what your customers are looking for. Better with

betterwithjet@p66.com | 0344 561 8842

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Feature

Forecourts

KEEPING A SHARP EDGE Juggling EPoS data, supplier prices and fuel deliveries is a problem forecourt retailers can avoid with a free trial of EdgePetrol’s cutting-edge software.

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rying to keep on top of profits and margins can be a complex and time-consuming process for any local retailer, and none more so than forecourt operators. As the cost of fuel constantly changes, it is a major headache calculating the blended price of wet stock as new deliveries fill tanks and sales empty them. Like most of life’s problems though, someone is always ready to come up with an answer, in this case tech company EdgePetrol. The EdgePetrol solution securely connects with any EPoS system, any fuel supplier and a forecourt’s tanks to display live volumes and calculate a live weighted-and-blended margin. It provides the key metrics retailers need without them having type a single digit into a spreadsheet to work out margins. Data is updated in real-time, giving upto-the-minute insight on volumes, margins,

competitors and other key metrics such as the live impact of fuel cards and bunkering commissions. The data can be accessed from any device connected to the internet. To celebrate the completion of its UK and Irish integrations to all major PoS, BoS, fuel suppliers, wet stock managers and competitor pricing providers, the company is giving forecourt owners and operators with less than 99 sites the opportunity to see their data live on EdgePetrol for three months with no fees attached and no commitment. EdgePetrol CEO, Gideon Carroll, says: “Using EdgePetrol, customers have found that knowing their live volume metrics and live weighted and blended margin in realtime have help boost their profits by as much as 18%.” Fuel retailers who would like to take part in a three-month trial should visit edgepetrol. com/getstarted or call 020 3865 8689. www.slrmag.co.uk

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02/10/2019 15:43:10

Scottish Brands

Feature

HOME-GROWN PROFITS Scottish shoppers love Scottish brands, that’s something we’ve always known – so it makes sense to not only stock a good range of Scottish home-grown products, but also to shout about it in-store and on social media.

eing the fine patriotic nation that it is, Scotland is renowned for both the quality of its products and the dedication of its consumers to home-grown food and drink. Local, regional and national sourcing is arguably more important than ever – which in part explains why we recently added a new Scottish Brands category to our SLR Rewards programme. Fittingly, that category was sponsored by one of the best loved Scottish brands of all, Barr Soft Drinks. Adrian Troy, Marketing Director at Barr Soft Drinks, explains: “Scottish shoppers are loyal to Scottish brands and take pride in choosing local, regional and national products, with the top 30 Scottish brands selling 30% of sales value through Scotland. [Kantar, 2018]. Within that context, Scotland’s £294m convenience soft drinks category continues to be one of the most profitable categories for convenience retailers growing at 11% and the second-highest bought category in Scottish convenience, after newspapers [HIM, 2017].” It will surprise few to learn that flavoured carbonates account for over one in five soft drinks products sold [IRI, May 2019], and the Scottish star of that particular show is the one and only Irn-Bru. Scotland’s other national drink is the number one Scottish grocery brand according to Kantar, and currently accounts for 55% of flavoured carbonate sales. Annual sales currently top £85m in Scotland. Despite their reputation for not eating the healthiest of foods, it seems Scots are starting to make better choices; an IGD report from last year reported that 85% of shoppers said they were actively trying to improve their diet. Barr Soft Drinks thus advises retailers to offer shoppers all three variants of IrnBru prominently to attract shoppers to the fixture. Irn-Bru sugar-free is Scotland’s leading low calorie flavoured carbonate while Irn-Bru XTRA has generated £27m worth of additional sales for Scottish retailers since launch [IRI]. But stocking the right products will only take you so far. It’s vital that they are easy to find in-store, says Troy. “It is critical for Scottish retailers to prominently stock key Scottish brands to meet shopper expectations, and recent data shows that by giving the total

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Irn-Bru brand more prominence in your store, all three variants will benefit and drive your total category sales. “The £17m Barr Family range is Scotland’s most popular range of flavours and offers unique, fun and exciting flavours that deliver on quality, taste and value. With 14 different flavours, offering great value for money, the range continues to appeal to a wide customer base.” Never a brand to stand still, Irn-Bru launched its Irn-Bru Energy variant this year, Scotland’s biggest brand launch of 2019. “Energy is an exciting and fast-growing part of the soft drinks market delivering the highest profit per litre for retailers, with over four in 10 soft drinks sold in Scottish convenience stores being an energy drink [IRI, Jan 2019],” says Jonathan Kemp, Barr Soft Drinks Commercial Director. “Scottish consumers spend 40% more on energy drinks than the rest of the market and 70% of Scottish energy consumers already drink Irn-Bru,” he adds. Provenance and product benefits are growing in importance to consumers, particularly in relation to water. People not only look for water brands they know and trust, they are also conscious about the source of the water. Strathmore Scottish spring water is a quality, trusted brand in Scotland worth £17m and is the top selling water brand in the Scottish on-trade [CGA, Jun 2018]. Also worth keeping an eye out for at the moment is the Peterson Arran range and in particularly, the Paterson’s shortbread brand. The company was very recently acquired by Burton’s Biscuit Co and is set to benefit from being part of the UK’s second-largest biscuit manufacturer. Shortbread remains a traditional Scottish product that is hugely popular with shoppers so it will be worth watching how the brand develops over the coming months and years as part of a bigger group. Golden Casket is also helping retailers cash in on the interest of all things Scottish with a cheeky Iron Brew variant of its hugely popular Millions brand. Vegetarian- and veganfriendly, gluten-free and featuring 3% orange juice, the treats are suitable for all and are sure to be popular with shoppers. www.slrmag.co.uk

02/10/2019 15:43:13

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02/10/2019 15:43:16

Feature

Cigars

CIGAR SUCCESS IS AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3... Making a success of the only tobacco category in growth starts with stocking the top three brands that account for the vast majority of sales, says category champion Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK.

s the only tobacco category currently in growth, cigars represent a beacon of opportunity in wider category that’s in terminal decline. IRI data shows that the total UK cigar market is actually in growth by value, up 0.9%, a remarkable statistic – and one that should remind retailers that there is still sales growth out there for those prepared to treat the category with the respect it clearly merits. But how should retailers go about making the most of this opportunity? For Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK (STG) Country Director Alastair Williams, it’s simple: “The first step to optimising cigar sales is by stocking three key brands: Signature, Moments Blue and Henri Wintermans. By simply stocking these three core brands retailers should be able to perfectly meet the needs of each and every one of their cigar customers.” Signature (formerly Café Crème) is the jewel in STG’s crown, the number one cigar brand and easily the best-selling miniature. It’s nothing short of a must-stock for all retailers in Scotland, as Williams explains: “Signature is by far the biggest player in the category and Scotland’s best-selling cigar. In fact, when it comes to cigar sales in Scottish independents and symbols, Signature SKUs have three of the top four places.” The Café Crème name change gave Signature brand consistency worldwide, but rebranding the UK’s biggest-selling cigar family caused some sleepless nights for Williamson. However, he was quickly reassured by the sales figures which clearly show there has been no noticeable impact. With the miniature cigars segment growing at 4.6% and the medium/larger segment growing at 2.7%, there’s little doubt that cigars still represent a huge profit opportunity and Signature, along with Moments and Henri Wintermans, make the core of a strong range that will meet most cigar shoppers’ needs. Miniature cigars represent a huge 74% of total cigar sales and, while Signature is perfect for adult smokers looking for a premium proposition, an increasing number of customers are looking for good quality, value for money propositions. This, says Williams, is where STG’s Moments brand 46

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comes into its own. Moments is in fact the UK’s fastest-growing cigar, so stocking it alongside Signature means you’ve got the vital miniature cigars segment covered. As for larger cigars, STG advises retailers to stock something for the many shoppers who still enjoy a more substantial smoke, with the obvious choice being the Henri Wintermans Half Corona, which holds the position as the UK’s favourite Medium to Large cigar. With that basic core range in place, all that retailers need to do is talk to their cigar

customers and identify the needs of their specific shopper base. Williams advises: “Our research has showed that shoppers want retailers to help them choose what products are right for them, especially if their usual brand isn’t in stock. If you take the time to forge a greater understanding of the products on offer and pass this knowledge onto your staff so they can effectively engage with shoppers, you will reap the sales rewards as a result. Shape your range with your specific customers in mind.”

“By stocking these three core brands – Signature, Moments Blue and Henri Wintermans – retailers should be able to perfectly meet the needs of each and every one of their cigar customers.” ALASTAIR WILLIAMS, COUNTRY DIRECTOR, STG UK

www.slrmag.co.uk

02/10/2019 15:43:18

Cigar

PROFITS are simple The UK’s No.1 selling cigar

The UK’s fastest growing VFM cigar

The UK’s No.1 selling medium/large cigar

Just stock the essential brands to ensure great profits

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02/10/2019 15:43:18

Feature

Christmas Preview

GROW YOUR GIFTING SALES Pernod Ricard UK encourages retailers to grow their gifting sales this Christmas and highlights its own gifting range as a great place to start: Plymouth Gift Box: 44% of UK consumers gave gin as a gift last year and to capitalise on this growing trend, Plymouth – which is growing +6.1% [Nielsen, Mar 2019] – has launched a premium gift box suitable for gin lovers looking for a British-made, craft gift. Available from November with an RSP of £26.69. Chivas 12 YO Gift Box: Scotch is a traditionally gifted category and Chivas, the number one premium blended whisky in the UK, has the perfect range to encourage tradeup as its taste falls somewhere between a single malt and a blend. Pernod Ricard UK recommends merchandising the full Chivas range (Chivas 12, Chivas Extra, Chivas XV) on the top shelf, with Single Malts and Jameson Irish Whiskey on either side. Campo Viejo and Brancott Estate: Premium wine volume peaks at Christmas, as consumers buy slightly more and look to trade-up [Nielsen, Jun 2019]. Campo Viejo, the UK’s number one red wine, and Brancott Estate, the UK’s number two white wine, are recognisable brands hosts will welcome receiving. Campo Viejo is also the only brand in convenience with a clearly colour-coded price ladder. Range Campo Viejo Tempranillo, Campo Viejo Reserva and Campo Viejo Gran Reserve next to each other to encourage trade-up into a higher price point. Beefeater Blood Orange and Beefeater Pink: Flavoured gin is driving 58% of the sales value within total gin [Nielsen, Sep 2019], and is likely to be the big money maker this year, so make sure it is visible on the middle shelf from the end of November through to New Year’s Eve. Stocking tonic in close proximity and offering garnishes, such as strawberries and oranges, will encourage increased basket spend. Jameson: Irish Whiskey is the second fastest growing category behind gin and is gaining momentum due to the decline of American whiskey, with Irish whiskey growing 10 times faster than American over the last two years [Nielsen, Jun 2019]. Over 49% value growth is forecast between now and 2023, and so should be given prominence on the top shelf next to single malts and premium imported whiskies. Absolut and Kahlua: from mid-December to New Year’s Eve, more and more consumers will be looking for at-home cocktails and the Espresso Martini is a Top 10 cocktail consumers want to re-create at home, with one in three households now owning an espresso machine. Standard Vodka is having a tough time; however, Absolut continues to drive growth of Premium+ Vodka (+14% vs. +6.5% total category). Stocking Kahlua next to Absolut will drive incremental sales, with 15% of Kahlua shoppers already purchasing Absolut.

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PREMIUM KEY TO UNLOCKING FESTIVE SPIRITS SALES

Pernod Ricard reckons that there is a £15.5m opportunity this Christmas for local retailers - and the key to unlocking it is premium spirits. BY ANTONY BEGLEY

evising the right strategy for the vital Christmas sales period is never easy, particularly in high value categories like spirits. But while many retailers may be tempted to simply join the promotional bun fight by focusing on delivering the cheapest prices possible under Minimum Unit Pricing, spirits giant Pernod Ricard believes that they would be far better served focusing on the premium end of the market instead. Chris Shead, Off-Trade Channel Director for Pernod Ricard UK, says: “We all know that premium Spirits increase in share over Christmas, however, convenience retailers continue to miss out in the crucial trading weeks.

We would urge convenience retailers to give stronger visibility to premium wine and spirit brands this Christmas in order to win back share from grocery and capitalise on what we calculate to be a £15.5m opportunity available to them.” In today’s local retailing climate there’s an undeniable logic to that strategy. With costs rising across the board retailers are – or at least should be – more focused on cash margins than ever before. Premium spirits typically offer far better margins and can help drive footfall too, as shoppers look to trade up to make Christmas and New Year that little bit more special. “Spend on spirits within the convenience channel has increased 33% www.slrmag.co.uk

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No.1 PREMIUM VODKA†

FLAVOURED

GIN FASTEST GROWING CATERGORY † †

†Source: Nielsen, Total Coverage, MAT to 15.06.19 ††Source: Nielsen, Total Coverage, Top 20 Categories, MAT to 15.06.19

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IRISH WHISKEY 2ND FASTEST GROWING CATEGORY † †

PREMIUM GIN IS IN 41% YOY GROWTH†

DRINK RESPONSIBLY

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Feature

Christmas Preview

BEST SELLERS BEST BET THIS CHRISTMAS Retailers should stock up on bestselling soft drinks brands and make the most of impactful seasonal POS in order to maximise sales during the Christmas period, according to soft drinks specialist Barr Soft Drinks. “Soft drinks are increasingly important to retailers in the run up to and during Christmas, showing continuous year on year growth for the last three years and adding a huge £150m to the category [IRI/Kantar, Christmas 2018]” says Barr’s Marketing Director Adrian Troy. Soft drinks generate double the value of spirits and seven times that of Christmas cakes over the festive period, according to the same data, further highlighting the importance of the category. Shoppers are willing to spend more over the festive period, with over a third preferring to shop brands and premium adult drinks, so there is a chance to increase sales by widening the choice available to shoppers. “It’s crucial to get your range right and stock up on those bestselling brands that shoppers will be looking for, in both multipack and larger pack formats, to cater to those preparing for parties,” adds Troy. Barr Soft Drinks offers a wide-ranging portfolio of different ﬂavours and pack formats, meaning there’s something to meet the needs of a range of consumers, including the Irn-Bru range, the Barr Family range and the Australian-owned Bundaberg range. The company advises retailers to stock up on a good range of mainstream and premium soft drinks in both still and sparkling varieties, to cater to a whole range of tastes and occasions this festive season. Visibility is key and retailers are also advised to use POS, and to create festive displays of bestselliers in-store to drive shoppers to the fixture and encourage impulse purchases.

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more than any other category in the but are spending more money, and the last year and with more people visiting leading premiumising product is spirits smaller stores than ever before [HIM [HIM]. CTP, 2019], there’s no reason retailers It’s worth noting too that consumer can’t win big this year,” says Shead. confidence declined in 2018, reaching Putting its money where its mouth is, a low at Christmas, meaning more Pernod Ricard UK is investing more people spent time entertaining than £5m to encourage “more festive friends and family at home. Home moments of conviviality” and drive meal occasions, for example, were up higher spend. 752m and dinner parties The focus on premium were up 38m versus could be key to unlockthe previous five years ing those new sales. The [Kantar Worldpanel]. This convenience channel inhas contributed to the rise creased its value share of of consumers wanting to premium spirits by just re-create their favourite TO FOCUS 3% in the last quarter of cocktails and mixed ON: 2018 [Nielsen, Jun 2019]. drinks at home, with Pernod Ricard That figure compares with Google searches for the recommends that grocery which saw an 8% Espresso Martini up 156% there are five key increase over the same over the last three years. categories retailers period. Worse, the figure So why is convenience should focus on for convenience in 2017 still missing out? As getting right: was a drop of 1%. Let that excitement builds over Gin sink in. Over the last three the festive period, so Irish Whiskey months of 2017, convendoes the average spend Blended Scotch ience retail’s share of the on premium wine and Vodka premium spirits category spirits but – critically – Wine actually fell. growth happens later in There are five key the month of December categories Pernod Ricard for convenience than UK recommends retailers focus on it does in grocery and the on-trade. getting right: Gin, Irish Whiskey, Consequently, the key to growing sales Blended Scotch, Vodka and Wine. time is encourage sales of premium These categories lend themselves to spirits earlier in the month. two key consumer drinking occasions Shead comments: “It was a good at Christmas: giving the perfect gift and Christmas for the convenience channel being the best hosts at home. last year, however, it continued to To drive awareness of these categories fall behind grocery as retailers failed and propel consumers into store, to maximise the premium spirits Pernod Ricard UK is also increasing its opportunity. The data all points towards above the line advertising spend by 38%, a third gin-dominated Christmas this with campaigns going live from this year, however, we also anticipate this month for Jameson, Plymouth, Chivas year to be driven by gifting outside and Campo Viejo. This contributes to of traditional categories, such as gin the overall investment in the Christmas and our new Plymouth Gift Box, as occasion of more than £5m, nearly 70% well as lead-ingredients for popular more than last year. cocktails and mixed drinks. That’s Shead says that consumer behaviour why we are investing significantly this at Christmas is changing, with more year to encourage more moments of households buying more products from conviviality, to get consumers spending convenience stores [Nielsen Homescan, more time with family and friends, as Dec 2018]. During these shopping trips, well as more money in the convenience people are tending to buy less products channel on premium wines and spirits.”

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Feature

Christmas Preview

MILLIONS GETS NEW MULTIPACK LOOK Greenock-based confectionery manufacturer Golden Casket has announced that it is unveiling a new pack design for multipacks of its iconic Millions Multipack Mix product this month. Launched in good time for Christmas, the Multipack is glutenfree, vegan and under 70 calories a pack, perfect for a bit of responsible indulgence over the festive period. The Multipack continues to grow for the Millions Brand and is now the number 11 biggest-selling brand out of 342 brands. According to IRI data from March this year, within the sugar confectionery category, kids singles and multipacks is now the second largest segment worth £160m. It is one of only four segments in growth and is expanding at 2.1% while multipacks are dominant and growing at 5.7%. Brands dominate 83% of the market while own label is growing at 16.7% but accounts for less than 18% of the overall category.

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FESTIVE FIRST FOR JAMMIE DODGERS In a festive first since the £21m brand was launched over 50 years ago, Burton’s Biscuit Company is unveiling new, limited edition designs of its iconic Jammie Dodgers, one of the nation’s most popular children’s biscuit brands. The biscuits’ embossed ‘splat’ is making way for three seasonal designs – a stocking, a star and a Christmas tree – plus a festive-themed pack for maximum impact on-shelf. The Jammie Dodgers seasonal special will be joined by limited edition festive packs of some of Burton’s much-loved biscuit brands, available now, helping retailers to drive sales and shoppers to treat themselves over the festive period. The Maryland Cookies brand is also having a festive makeover, becoming ‘Merryland’ on packs of Maryland Cookies 230g. They will join the ‘Merryland’ Mini Cookies Sharebox – a seasonal transformation of the UK’s No.1 kids mini biscuit brand Maryland Mini Cookies, perfect for adding some chocolate chip fun to sharing at home, gifting or as a stocking filler. Burton’s is also bringing back its festive limited-edition design on the Cathedral City Baked Bites Share Box. Cathedral City Baked Bites are made from the nation’s favourite cheese, baked into a great-tasting savoury snack (under licence from Saputo) – the perfect accompaniment to a seasonal glass of wine. “Seasonal biscuits are a major opportunity for retailers, worth £169m last year [Neilsen/Kantar, Dec 2019],” says Isabel Lydall, Category & Insights Controller at Burton’s Biscuit Company. “We’re enabling them to make the most of this opportunity by stocking a Christmas product range that caters for the three seasonal biscuit occasions: in-home treating, novelty and gifting. Merchandising by these key occasions will make life easier for shoppers, enabling retailers to capitalise on increased demand. “We’re confident that our colourful, festive-themed packs will attract shoppers to the biscuit fixture at a time when they’re looking for seasonal variations of some of their best-loved brands.”

2019 RANGE: Q NEW Jammie Dodgers – Limited edition festive biscuits - RSP 89p, 140g, case size 18 SRP Q Merryland Cookies – RSP £1, 230g, case size 12 SRP Q Merryland Mini Cookies Sharebox – RSP £1, 175g, case size 10 SRP Q Cathedral City Baked Bites Share Box – RSP £1.49, 140g, case size 10 SRP

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O T D E T T I M M CO

S R E L I A T E R OUR SINCE 1977 “I chose Nisa and have stayed with them because of the wide range of chilled and ambient products available just a click away, with the best prices in the market and great promotions for our customers. I’m so glad to be a part of Nisa as availability of stock is great with great delivery services.

I joined Nisa as an independent retailer many years ago, then I moved my store under the Nisa brand fascia in 2016, when we rebuilt the whole new building and we designed our store with Nisa’s outstanding designing and merchandising team. Recently we’ve also had a great chance to try Co-op’s best-selling own-label range which has increased my shopping basket.”

I’m looking forward to what’s to come in the future with Nisa. Mahmood Saleem, Nisa Local, Ardeer Services, Stevenston, Scotland

Join the family... visit www.join-nisa.co.uk 0800 542 7490 SLR October 2019.indd 53 14647_NISA_TradePress_Mahmood_Saleem_2019_A4_AW02.indd 1

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UTC

NOTHING SAYS BBQ QUITE LIKE... BUCKIE The veritable icon of Scottish local retailing that is Buckfast Tonic Wine has long been a favourite of experimenters keen to make a few quid off the back of the much-loved brand. The latest leftfield incarnation is Buckfast BBQ Sauce, because nothing says BBQ quite like Buckie, after all. A Lanarkshire boy, UTC will admit when pushed to having had a wee swig or two of electric soup back in the day, and he did attempt to make a half-hearted attempt at persuading his comrades at SLR Towers that Buckfast’s rich and powerful sweetness would probably work quite well in a BBQ sauce.

CAR SEX ‘MORE POPULAR THAN EVER’

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Having been an old hippie back in the 60s, UTC can still get quite hot under the heavily soiled collar of his M&S bri-nylon shirt when it comes to all things environmental. And not being a fan of Burger King – he’s more of a Gregg’s man – he was quietly tickled to see the US burger chain getting it tight from Greenpeace recently. The ever-enterprising organisation sent some climbers up Burger King’s flagship restaurant in London’s Leicester Square to unfurl two giant banners denouncing the fast-food giant’s links to Amazon fires and deforestation. A man with one of the best job titles going – Greenpeace Head of Forests Richard George – said: “The Amazon is still burning, yet Burger King keeps buying meat and animal feed from the companies responsible for the crisis. Their burgers are flame-grilling the Amazon.” The action comes just a week after Burger King UK’s CEO, Alisdair Murdoch, unwittingly accepted an award from Greenpeace at a restaurant conference in London for flamegrilling the Amazon rainforest.

PHOTO COPYRIGHT OF PAUL HACKETT / GREENPEACE

This month’s silly bit of sales pitch dressed as market research comes from commercial vehicle hypermarket Anchor Vans who for reasons not entirely clear commissioned a study into carnal relations in motorised vehicles and concluded that ‘car sex is more popular than you may think’. Which, as the auld boy was quick to point out, depends entirely on how popular you thought car sex was, if indeed you ever thought about it. It also begs the question ‘what exactly do they mean by car sex?’ It turns out that 64% of adults have had sex in a car, van or camper van. Furthermore, 10% admitted to having sex on the vehicle, rather than in it. How this research benefits Anchor is anyone’s guess.

BURGER BITES BACK

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