SLR October 2021 edition by 55 North

OCTOBER 2021 | ISSUE 222

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Christmas confectionery NPD worth listing!

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ANAND CHEEMA

Irn-Bru Energy driving sales

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OCTOBER 2021 | ISSUE 222

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PayPoint launches commission-earning solution to let shoppers withdraw cash at the counter. Christmas confectionery NPD worth listing!

McColl’s boss hails 1,000th Morrisons Daily

IRISH AYES

The best of Northern Ireland

GIGHA GLORY

Island store on Channel 4

RAJ’S LEGACY

First Raj Aggarwal Award winner

October 2021

Contents

Contents ISSUE 222

NEWS p6 p7 p8 p10 p11 p12 p18 p20

Trading UK shopping habits shift towards convenience. Vaping Trading Standards officers in North Lanarkshire sieze illegal disposal vapes from local shops. Home Delivery A Motherwell One Stop retailer celebrates after making £1m-worth of sales through Snappy Shopper. Trading The average weekly spend at c-stores dips as shoppers become more budget-conscious. Technology Nisa trials Jisp’s augmented reality vouchering system, Scan & Save. News Extra Labour Shortage The UK Government takes steps to help ensure shelves are full this festive season. Product News Monster unveils a legendary gaming promo while Walkers teams up with Ghostbusters. Off-Trade News A football team from Denny stars in a new Carling campaign and JJ Whitley unveils a blue variant.

INSIDE BUSINESS p22 Post Office A new loyalty scheme for parcel senders rewards Drop & Go customers. p23 Murder Island The Isle of Gigha Post Office and store stars in a new Channel 4 series. p24 Invest NI SLR highlights a host of products, many awardwinning, from suppliers in Northern Ireland. p31 McColl’s The chain is making big progress on the rollout of its Morrisons Daily format stores, recently hitting the 1,000 store landmark. p32 Sustainability IGD aims to develop a labelling scheme by the end of 2021 that shows a product’s green credentials. p33 New Stores EG Group opens a new forecourt and Spar store at the Buchan Gateway Retail Park in Peterhead. p35 Raj Aggarwal Award Shropshire retailer Julie Kaur Duhra has won the first ever Raj Aggarwal Award, with Edinburgh’s Sophie Williams also recognised. p36 Hotlines The latest new products and media campaigns. p54 Under The Counter The Auld Yin abandons his typewriter to watch daytime TV, all in the name of ‘research’. FEATURES p38 Beer BrewDog ramps up its commitment to planet-friendly beer with a new pale ale and recent TV ad campaign. p40 Retail Tech Many recent tech developments have helped tackle important societal challenges. p42 Cigars Cigarillos account for over 65% of all cigars sold in independent stores – so does your offer reflect this trend? p48 Christmas Confectionery SLR offers a few new products worth listing in the run up to the big day. p52 Medicated Confectionery Winter presents a great opportunity for retailers to cash in on sales of medicated confectionery, especially after the last 18 months.

ON THE COVER p16 PayPoint rolls out its Counter Cash service nationally, letting customers withdraw up to £50 at the counter.

www.slrmag.co.uk

OCTOBER 2021 | SLR

News TRADING C-stores outperform supermarkets

Fireworks reminder The Association of Convenience Stores is reminding retailers to ensure that they are aware of the rules and guidelines that apply to the sale and storage of fireworks. ACS recommends that retailers adopt the ‘Challenge 25’ policy when selling fireworks and has produced Assured Advice Guides to support retailers.

Scottish retailers pick up Nisa awards Nisa has awarded MacLennans Supermarket, on Isle of Benbecula, its annual Nisa Expo prize for Store of the Year for Over 3,000sq ft. PGNJ – which owns several Nisa stores in Renfrew – picked up the Innovation of the Year title.

Post Office and CitizenCard launch PASS Cards Post Office has teamed up with photo-ID scheme CitizenCard

UK shopping habits shifting towards convenience channels Grocery spend at convenience stores grew by +3.3% in the four weeks ending 11 September 2021, outperforming growth at UK supermarkets, which rose by +0.6% during the same period, data from NielsenIQ reveals. NielsenIQ says this shift toward convenience is a result of a gradual return of pre-pandemic consumer habits, as workers return to offices and children are back in schools. The data shows visits to all stores are up 10% compared with last year. However, visits are still down 6% compared to 2019, showing there is still headroom for growth at stores. The online share of sales remains

steady at 12.4%, slightly down compared with the same period (13%) last year, with the trend towards smaller online baskets. NielsenIQ data reveals that total till grocery sales for the four-week period rose to +1.8% compared to the same period last year. This is an improvement from +1.1% in August 2021 and a +7.3% growth in sales against 2019. Meanwhile, shoppers spent £9.8bn at the major supermarkets over the four weeks, which is £526m more than the same period in 2019 (+6%). Mike Watkins, NielsenIQ’s UK Head of Retailer and Business

Insight, said: “UK shopping habits are shifting once again, this time towards convenience channels, as Brits return to more impulsive shopping behaviours that correspond with a return to prepandemic lifestyles. “However, there remain some clouds on the horizon as rising energy costs and inflation could hit disposable incomes, whilst availability concerns could present challenges. However, grocers can still expect to look forward to a short-term boost as some of the incremental spend has not yet returned to the hospitality channels.”

to issue Post Office Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) Cards. A Home Office and police-endorsed PASS hologram on each card means it can be trusted as a valid form of proof of age/photo-ID.

EG Group buys Cooplands EG Group has bought CS Food Group, the owner of bakery chain Cooplands. The forecourt operator said the purchase will “provide a platform to diversify the Cooplands brand into the transient petrol forecourt and retail convenience store channel, alongside the bakery chain’s traditional store formats, through EG Group’s extensive UK network.”

Spar wins BBC Good Food Drinks Taste Awards Spar has won two medals at the first BBC Good Food Drinks Taste Awards 2021. Spar Harmonist Rhubarb and Ginger Flavoured Gin was crowned Best Pink Gin and the Spar Premium French Grain Vodka was crowned Best Vodka. The symbol group will be supporting

WHOLESALERS Company-owned Spar stores refresh planned

CJ Lang unveils biggest investment CJ Lang & Son, the Spar wholesaler and convenience store operator, is to make its biggest investment in its company-owned store estate. The investment – the largest by the board of CJ Lang – will cover multiple projects, including new energy-saving refrigeration, which will also improve its customer offer across chilled foods and produce. In addition, the group is also planning store refits focusing on the store format. The investment will go into large and small-scale development work where they will modernise the layout, look and feel of Spar Scotland stores. Colin McLean, Chief Executive of CJ Lang & Son, said: “In recent years we have successfully rolled out Costa Coffee, our ‘CJ’s’ food-to-go offer, and improved our fleet of vehicles that travel millions of miles a year across the country. This investment demonstrates our confidence in the future direction of the business.”

APPOINTMENTS

Rondepierre leaves Snappy Shopper Snappy Shopper Chief Marketing Officer Philippe Rondepierre has left the Dundee-based home delivery platform for personal reasons. Rondepierre joined the company in September 2020, having previously worked in senior marketing roles at Spar Scotland, Spar UK, and Nisa. He told SLR: “I thoroughly enjoyed my time as part of the Snappy team in a year of exponential growth for both the business and the sector, but right now I have to find a better balance between my career and family life. I have every confidence that the business will continue to go from strength to strength.” Mark Steven, Snappy Shopper’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Philippe has been a big part of our journey so far. We wish him all the best.”

the wins on social media and with in-store POS.

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

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News VAPING Trading Standards clamps down

Illegal disposable vapes seized in North Lanarkshire North Lanarkshire Council’s Trading Standards officers have seized disposable vapes, which cannot legally be sold in the UK, from local shops. The team had previously carried out test purchases at the shops to gather information about the products, following a complaint from a concerned parent. The complaint alleges that children are buying the disposable vapes, that look like highlighter pens. Disposable nicotine vapour products must contain no more than 2ml of liquid – the equivalent amount of nicotine in one packet of cigarettes or around 600 puffs in a vape product. Some of the products seized contained more than 1,500 puffs. STOCK AVAILABILITY Driver shortage bites

One in five Scots unable to buy essential food in past fortnight One in five Scots were unable to purchase essential food items between 22 September and 3 October, new research from delivery management specialist Urbantz has revealed. The research found that 18% of people in Scotland could not buy essential food items – the third-highest percentage of people in the UK. The study also found that almost a quarter of Scots were unable to purchase non-essential food items. The study also found that as a result of the shortages 12% of people in Scotland bought less food than usual.

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In addition, the products did not comply with statutory labelling requirements and had no required information leaflet or importer details. Paul Bannister, Protective Services Manager, said: “Disposable vapes are sold in bright packaging designed to appeal to young people in flavours like strawberry and bubble gum, for as little as £5. They contain very high levels of nicotine and we have anecdotal evidence that young people using them have coughed up blood, experienced nose bleeds and nausea. “We will be writing to retailers with guidance on these products and advising them to return any stock that does not comply with the legal requirements.” NEW STORES

EG Group opens new Spar store and forecourt in Whitburn

Petrol forecourt retailer EG Group has opened a new Spar convenience store and forecourt at junction 4A off the M8 at the Heartlands Business Park, Whitburn. Heartlands is on the site of a former coal mine and has undergone a large regeneration project. The 3,000sq ft Spar Scotland store offers food-to-go options including sandwiches, hot and cold rolls and pastries, as well as a Starbucks unit and Greggs bakery. It also features fresh produce, Lottery and Paypoint services, and free WiFi.

ANAND CHEEMA, SPAR FALKIRK “The IRN-BRU brand is a huge part of our business and is the driving force in our soft drinks category. IRN-BRU is iconic in Scotland and it drives footfall, sales and profits for us every day of the year. The IRN-BRU Energy line is a fantastic addition to the range and lets our many energy drink customers buy a top quality energy product from a brand that they love. It sells really well I both the 330ml and 500ml formats and it’s definitely worth stocking both.”

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MASSIVE SAMPLING CAMPAIGN WILL DRIVE DEMAND

POWER UP YOUR ENERGY SALES OCTOBER 2021 | SLR

News HOME DELIVERY One Stop store celebrates

Asda launches first refill store in Scotland Asda has introduced its first refill store in Scotland featuring a range of branded and own-brand products sold in loose format. The supermarket has partnered with a host of brands – including Kellogg’s, Napolina, Yorkshire Tea and Unilever – to introduce more than 60 products sold loose and unpackaged within specific aisles of its Toryglen store.

Edinburgh retailer attends opening of Scottish Parliament Edinburgh retailer Linda Williams attended the opening ceremony of the Scottish Parliament on 2 October and met members of the Royal Family. Linda was selected to attend by the Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone for setting up a coronavirus hardship fund at the Premier Broadway Convenience Store, in the Oxgangs district of

Motherwell retailer hits £1m of home delivery sales One Stop franchisee Adeil Hussain, based in Airbles, Motherwell, is celebrating after hitting £1m of sales through Snappy Shopper. The retailer has racked up more than 19,660 orders and 800 customers since he started the service in February 2020, just before the pandemic took hold. Adeil says things didn’t take off immediately and he was fulfilling just a couple of deliveries a day to begin with. However, a couple of orders per day turned into 15 and this figure increased each week to reach 55 deliveries a day, and could run anywhere up to 100 daily. He said: “The figures really speak for themselves. We’ve achieved this through repeat customers –they trust us and come back time and time again. Working with Snappy

Shopper we’re a little different to other delivery services as we offer the same in-store price, including promotions. It’s then delivered in anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour later.” John Miller, Head of Franchise at One Stop, added: “Lockdown

has shown us what the future of convenience retailing looks like and how customers are preferring to shop. People are working differently – needs are changing and convenience is ever more in demand. This is a fantastic milestone for Adeil and his team.”

Edinburgh, that raised more than £10,000 to help locals pay for essentials.

Perfetti Van Melle to provide sweet rewards for retailers Perfetti Van Melle, the manufacturer and distributor of confectionery, is urging retailers to sign up for its new loyalty reward scheme, which includes a £100,000 giveaway. The £2m programme that features a range of stocking and merchandising initiatives to help them boost profits and reap other rewards.

UK government rolls out consultation on boosting flexible working rights The government has launched a consultation on enhancing flexible working rights. The ‘Making Flexible Working the Default’ consultation proposes the right to request flexible working to become a day one right, simplifying the administrative process for managing requests, and how employers can suggest alternatives. The consultation closes on 1 December 2021.

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

HOME DELIVERY Forecourts sign up

FORECOURTS

Shell and Uber Eats strike national partnership

EG Group sells 27 forecourts

Uber Eats has added more than 340 Shell forecourt convenience stores across the UK to its app. The move means households across the country will be able to have groceries from Little Waitrose, Jamie Oliver Deli, and Budgens delivered within minutes through the Uber Eats app. Customers can order items from 183 Shell locations nationwide, including London, Manchester and Glasgow, with a further 158 Shell stores set to join the app in the coming months. More than 250 of the Shell stores joining the app are available for orders 24 hours a day as Uber Eats taps into the increased demand for treats, food, drink, baby essentials and everyday groceries for 24/7 delivery. More than 750 items will be delivered to customers’ doors in as little as 30 minutes. Sunjiv Shah, General Manager of Uber Eats in the UK, said: “As demand for grocery and essential items continues to soar on the Uber Eats app, we’re delighted to bring Shell to the app as an exclusive partner.” Bernie Williamson, GM of Retail in the UK at Shell, added: “We offer our customers convenience onthe-go and with this new collaboration we can now also offer a wide selection of food and essentials, available for delivery to your door in less than 30 minutes.”

EG Group has agreed to sell 27 petrol stations, located throughout the UK, to Park Garage Group. The move follows the Competition and Markets Authority’s announcement in June 2021 that it had agreed formal undertakings offered by Mohsin Issa, Zuber Issa and TDR Capital to divest some of EG Group’s forecourts to address the competition concerns relating to their separate acquisition of Asda Group. All existing EG colleagues employed at the sites will transfer to Park Garage Group.

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News TRADING Convenience spend dips

PayPoint launches refer a retailer scheme PayPoint has launched a ‘refer a retailer’ scheme for PayPoint One customers. Retailers that refer someone to sign up will receive a free month’s service fee and the retailer that is referred can claim back their first month’s service fee for any new site. The initiative runs until 29 October 2021.

EG Group boosts pay across petrol stations EG Group has increased rates of pay across its petrol stations and foodservice brands. Every employee aged 18 and above is now paid a minimum of £9.50 per hour and more experienced colleagues are paid a minimum of £10.00 per hour. The changes represent an average hourly wage increase of over 5%.

Unitas Wholesale launches new category guide Unitas Wholesale has launched new category guidance for the grocery, non-food, chilled, and frozen categories. The

Shoppers becoming more budget conscious, research reveals The average weekly spend of convenience store shoppers decreased by 1% during the four weeks ending 25 July. The latest data from the Lumina Intelligence Convenience Tracking Programme shows the average weekly spend of a convenience store shopper declined from £23.56 in the four weeks ending 27 June to £23.27 in the four weeks ending 25 July. During the same period, the average basket size remained stable at 2.8 items per trip. This indicates that shoppers are becoming more budget conscious and opting for cheaper alternatives to higher value items. This is apparent in a decline in impulse purchasing, which decreased by 0.7ppts during the

four weeks ending 25 July, as consumers increasingly restrict spending on non-essentials. Impulse items were increasingly bought due to promotions, further emphasising a move towards value conscious shopping. The average visit frequency of convenience shoppers has also fallen slightly, from 2.8 times per week to 2.6, reflecting the easing of restrictions and pre-pandemic shopping habits returning. This is further highlighted by a decline in the proportion of shoppers using delivery and click-and-collect services. The proportion of shoppers using delivery fell 4ppts, from 7.1% to 3.1%. Click-and-collect saw a decline of 1.9ppts, from 2.2% to 0.3%.

Senior Insight Manager at Lumina Intelligence, Katherine Prowse, said: “With restrictions easing, convenience stores are having to compete with other grocery channels, as well as hospitality. Shoppers are becoming more comfortable out and about, so larger shops within supermarkets are more prominent. As hospitality reopens and events return, there is also a challenge around budgets. “Shoppers will be keen to make up for lost time, which could result in them becoming more budget conscious with their groceries. This is already apparent with spend declining and impulse purchasing on promotions increasing. Retailers can lean on this demand for promotions to drive footfall and highlight value.”

guidance identifies the best sellers, features planograms, and provides category insights. Copies are available in selected Unitas Wholesale member depots, as well as digitally.

AWARDS Scottish retailers are NFRN finalists

Retailers recognised for efforts during the pandemic

Post Office launches parcel loyalty scheme Post Office has launched its first loyalty scheme for parcel senders, with financial rewards for users of its fast-track Drop & Go service. Post Office will reward customers that spend £100 or more per month with the service during November and December at their local branch.

Nisa launches pre-sell event for spring Nisa has launched its pre-sell event for spring 2022. The symbol group’s range combines Co-op own-brand alongside branded options and features favourite lines and a wide selection of new products, including an Easter NPD from Galaxy that is exclusive to Nisa and Co-op.

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

Retailers Jawad and Asiyah Javed from Falkirk and Dennis Williams from Edinburgh have been named as Shop Local, Shop Little Heroes for going above and beyond for their local communities during the pandemic. The retailers were presented with framed certificates and hundreds of pounds worth of free stock from the sponsors – Mondelez, Boost and Booker, and the NFRN. They will now go forward to the national NFRN Awards, taking place in January 2022, where an overall winner will be revealed. NFRN National President, Stuart Reddish, said: “Our members’ stores really are hubs in their communities and already do a lot of great work to support their local charities and good causes, but during the pandemic so many of them stepped their efforts up to another level.”

CHARITY

One-O-One extends charity partnership One-O-One Convenience Stores, which has a portfolio of 46 shops in Scotland, has extended its year-long charity partnership with Cash for Kids. The partnership has delivered £50,000 of funds raised by One O One colleagues, with additional £125,000 from the retailer’s sponsorship of the CFK 5k a day campaign on Clyde 1. Jim Harper, Retail Area Business Manager at OneO-One, said: “Cash for Kids in conjunction with Clyde 1 fits perfectly with our iconic brand, so with the awesome fundraising and awareness raised of our business in 2021 it’s an easy decision to extend the partnership for another year into 2022.”

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News TECHNOLOGY Digital coupons launch in 12 stores

Nisa unveils augmented reality vouchering system

Scan & Save will also support brands and retailers’ marketing efforts once HFSS (high in fat, sugar and salt) legislation comes into force in Scotland. The system is already prepared for the October 2022 implementation of HFSS rules south of the border. As the AR vouchers will only appear to those customers that are actively looking to purchase a product in the HFSS category, Jisp ensures compliance with the regulation and allows brands and retailers to hyper-personalise their offers by fascia, location and customer. Julian Fisher, Chief Executive of Jisp, said: “This is truly disrupting technology that will revolutionise the way brands advertise their products in physical stores whilst maximising sales for retailers. With a crowd of marketing and promotional materials taking up space, messaging can be diluted or, at worse, confuse customers. With Scan & Save by Jisp, chosen promotions are delivered directly to consumers’ mobile phones.”

McColl’s hits Morrisons Daily milestone McColl’s Retail Group has opened its 100th Morrisons Daily store at 6 Cromwell Road in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire – two months ahead of schedule. McColl’s continues to roll out Morrisons Daily ahead of the targets set at its capital raise earlier this year, with a capability to implement six store conversions per week.

IT’S ON

Nisa has partnered with Jisp to launch augmented reality (AR) vouchering system Scan & Save. Scan & Save, which combines Scandit’s AR technology with Jisp’s consumer app, reads product barcodes and presents exclusive promotions, which customers can then save and redeem with their mobile phones. The solution will help brands focus on minimising carbon footprint and waste through reduced need for in-store POS, optimising budgets, improving commerce/communications and growing sales in store. Retailers will also be remunerated for each scan and redemption of the voucher, creating an opportunity for brands to incentivise store owners and build loyalty. The solution will initially be launched in 12 Nisa stores across the UK and will allow customers to save up to 60% on more than 65 products across the store from brands such as Mondelez, PepsiCo, Kelloggs, Molson Coors, and Nomad Foods.

Trade bodies call for government to protect access to cash Association of Convenience Stores has signed a letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, alongside other business groups, calling for the government to protect access to cash. Key recommendations contained in the letter include acting without delay to prevent further deterioration of cash infrastructure, protect ATMs, and protect key schemes including Link and the Post Office framework.

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OCTOBER 2021 | SLR

News Extra

Labour Shortage

NewsExtra BOOST YOUR BEER SALES – P38 LABOUR SHORTAGE New measures will counteract the effects of Brexit and coronavirus.

Scottish Grocers’ Federation

Convenience Matters with the SGF The COP26 conference landing in Scotland shortly will make it almost impossible to ignore climate change and environmental issues. No industry sector can afford to ignore its responsibility to operate in a more sustainable way. Government policy will also push us in that direction. The convenience sector wholeheartedly embraced the carrier bag charge and has played a big role in making the policy a success. If nothing else, Deposit Return will put retailers at the front and centre of a flagship environmental policy. Retailers want to make this work but there could be a danger that DRS will have such a big impact and tie up so much resource, that retailers will have very little capacity to look at and implement other netzero initiatives. The push from government won’t stop there. The Extended Producer Responsibility regime is being overhauled, and industry is likely to have to fund all local authority recycling and waste management – with new compliance costs for retailers. The Plastic Tax will impact mainly on producers and importers, but it could lead to increasing costs being passed along the supply chain. One area that the convenience sector in Scotland is being proactive on is the move toward local sourcing and supply. SGF’s Go Local programme is leading the way on this. The benefits of local sourcing to retailers and suppliers are obvious but there’s no doubt that having shorter supply chains can play a massive part in reducing emissions and enabling the transition to net zero. One way or another, retailers are playing their part.

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

Government steps in to ‘save Christmas’ Government implements measures to help ensure retailers’ shelves are full this festive season. The past month has seen the government act to save Christmas after the supply chain was hit by the effects of the pandemic and Brexit. Recent weeks have seen a shortage of drivers halt fuel deliveries and close Felixstowe port as containers piled up. Recent ONS figures show that driver numbers have fallen by 53,000 over the past four years. Meanwhile, the number of job vacancies in UK poultry businesses has hit one million for the first time since records began – one firm lost 50% of its workforce over the past four months. Firstly, the government temporarily added truck drivers and poultry workers to the existing visa scheme. Up to 5,500 poultry workers and 5,000 drivers will be able to work in the UK ahead of Christmas 2021. Recruitment for additional short-term HGV drivers and poultry workers began in October and this route will be valid until 24 December 2021. Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “It is a top priority to ensure that there are enough workers across the country’s supply chains to make sure they remain strong and resilient. “We have listened to concerns from the sector and we are acting to alleviate what is a very tight labour market.” The Food and Drink Federation’s Chief Executive, Ian Wright, said: “This is something UK food and drink manufacturers have asked for over the last few months to alleviate some of the pressure labour shortages have placed on the food supply chain. “This is a start, but we need the government to continue to collaborate with industry and seek additional long term solutions.” The government has also announced several measures to simplify the HGV licencing regime and bring forward legislation that would remove the current staged process for getting an HGV licence. In addition, it has slightly relaxed drivers’ hours rules, which means drivers will be able to increase their daily driving limit from nine hours to 11 hours twice a week, and is offering £7,000 per person funding for the Large Goods Vehicle Driver apprenticeship scheme. The Department for Transport has also written to HGV licence holders to tell them about the current driver shortage and the existence of job opportunities.

The letter encourages those who have left the profession to return to the industry. The government is also proposing a possible temporary unilateral extension of road haulage legislation to let foreign companies undertake unlimited work in the UK in two-week blocks. Road Haulage Association Managing Director for policy and public affairs, Rod McKenzie, said: “This proposal undermines the good work done already on training, testing of drivers and the improved pay and conditions we have started to see for drivers.” Meanwhile, the government has also ensured UK food and drinks manufacturers will have a sustainable supply of CO2 after a deal was struck with the industry. In September, the government agreed an exceptional three-week arrangement with CF Fertilisers that allowed the company to continue operating while the industry moved towards this agreement. Now suppliers have agreed to pay CF Fertilisers, which produces around 60% of the UK’s commercial CO2 requirements, a price for the CO2 it produces that will enable it to keep operating while global gas prices remain high. The deal runs until January 2022 and means that key sectors are ensured supplies of CO2. Environment Secretary, George Eustice, said: “The government has taken decisive action in these exceptional circumstances to allow a deal to be reached which will continue the supply of CO2 to businesses – including thousands of food and drink businesses – up and down the country.” However, the government is now coming under pressure to reinstate mandatory Covid safety measures, such as face coverings, in stores and speed up the booster jab roll out to help save the festive period. www.slrmag.co.uk

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RIPPING IT UP AND STARTING AGAIN If we were under any illusions that the ‘end’ of Covid-19 would bring with it a return to some sort of normality, or at the very least, some sort of ‘new normal’, I think we can fairly safely assume that our illusions have been shattered. If anything, it feels like we’re at the start of something, rather than the end of it. Broadly speaking, everything that we know and are familiar with has been turned on its head. You could be forgiven for feeling dizzy in the current environment, because it still feels like we’re spinning, sometimes out of control. The many direct challenges of the pandemic may have eased a little, but the consequences of the last 18 months are only beginning to reveal themselves – and we have a long, long way to go before things settle down and we get anything that resembles clarity on what the future holds. A quick glance through this edition of SLR will give you half an idea of what I mean about the state of flux we’re currently in. Evolutions and revolutions are affecting everything that local retailers do and how they do it. PayPoint is working on a replacement for ATMs, McColl’s has opened it’s 1,000th Morrisons Daily store, more and more home delivery retailers are topping incremental sales of £1m inside a year, everybody is working in partnership with long-term competitors, every retailer is buying from every wholesaler, tech solutions are changing how we do many things, the supply chain remains in bits, staffing challenges are tougher than ever, customer buying patterns are largely unrecognisable. I could go on, but you get the picture. I may be exaggerating slightly for effect. But only slightly. So, it feels very much like we’re ripping up the local retailing model and starting again – and at times like this, opportunities always abound. It’s the retailers that respond most positively to this perfect storm of challenges that will come out the other end stronger than they went in. And there’s lots of evidence of that across Scotland, as we discovered during the judging for this year’s SLR Awards. The levels of creativity and innovation we encountered were matched only by the levels of in-store investment. This is a daunting time for many, but it’s also an exciting time for most. We have been presented with the biggest challenge of our lives. It’s how we respond to it that will matter most. I wish you all the very best of luck in the weeks and months ahead, starting with the monumentally epic challenge that Christmas will bring this year.

EDITORIAL Publishing Director & Editor Antony Begley 0141 222 5380 | abegley@55north.com Deputy Editor David Rees drees@55north.com News Editor Liz Wells lwells@55north.com Web Editor Findlay Stein 0141 222 5389 | fstein@55north.com Editorial Contributor Karen Peattie

ADVERTISING Sales & Marketing Director Helen Lyons 07575 959 915 | hlyons@55north.com Advertising Manager Robert Aitken 0141 222 5302 | raitken@55north.com

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

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

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

ANTONY BEGLEY, PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. Scottish Local Retailer is produced monthly by 55 North Ltd.

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

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Cover Story

PayPoint Counter Cash

NO ATM? NO PROBLEM. PayPoint is rolling out its Counter Cash service nationally, allowing customers to withdraw up to £50 at the counter free of charge with no purchase necessary – and retailers earn a commission on every transaction. BY ANTONY BEGLEY

RETAILER VIEW PayPoint Counter Cash trial participant Imran Hamid of Dennyloanhead said: “Denny is a town where we used to have TSB, a Royal Bank of Scotland, a Bank of Scotland, a Clydesdale Bank and now they’ve all shut. I think it’s just a community thing where we try to help and give back something. “We’ve also got people who are on benefits here and they want access to their cash. That’s another good thing about this – they can withdraw anything from a penny to £50. If someone on benefits has only got £3.50 left in their bank account and they want that £3.50, I can give it to them and it’s not going to cost them anything.”

ith bank branches closing in droves across Scotland and, indeed, across the rest of the UK, access to cash has become a real problem in many areas. Couple that with the ongoing debacle that is the world of ATMs and we are rapidly entering a world where it can be exceptionally difficult for many communities to simple get their hands on their hard-earned cash. PayPoint is helping address this with the nationwide rollout of its Counter Cash solution which allows customers to withdraw cash and/or check their bank balance safely and conveniently at a counter at participating convenience stores for free with no purchase necessary. The service is provided through PayPoint’s own terminal, and customers can take out sums from 1p to £50. Devised specifically to improve access to cash, the nationwide rollout of Counter Cash from 1 November will kick off initially in areas that currently have little or no cash access. The rollout, however, will have significant benefits for retailers too. Counter Cash is a first-of-its-kind solution in scale and ambition beyond the traditional ATM. Participating retailers in the scheme will gain benefits including: Q Earning commission on every transaction they process – including withdrawals and balance enquiries Q Save on banking charges by recycling cash they take in for PayPoint services Q Offering a vital, high profile service to their local community. The move follows PayPoint research into the most cash reliant areas of the UK, combined www.slrmag.co.uk

PayPoint Counter Cash

Cover Story

“Denny is a town where we used to have TSB, a Royal Bank of Scotland, a Bank of Scotland, a Clydesdale Bank and now they’ve all shut.” IMRAN HAMID

with PayPoint sales data, and looking at cash as an overall percentage of transactions in its network of 28,000 UK stores over the 202021 financial year. The survey generated ‘cash reliance scores’ for each area. Of the 48 UK counties included in the study, 43 had an overall cash reliance score of more

than 50%, indicating that the need for cash by millions of people to support day-to-day expenditure is still of major importance across the whole of the UK. The study also revealed that one in five (21%) people across the UK still use an ATM two to three times a week.

“The service will not only enable people to make exact withdrawals, down to a single penny, unlike an ATM, but will also be completely free to customers and profitable to the retailers that offer it.” NICK WILES

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More than two-thirds (67%) of all purchases in PayPoint’s network were made in cash over the period. While 62% of people in Wales and 64% of people in England thought more should be done to protect cash, the figure was highest in Scotland at 67%. Nick Wiles, Chief Executive of PayPoint, said: “Bank branches and ATMs have been disappearing at an alarming rate over the last few years and the UK’s rapid growth in digital payments, across every corner of the economy, has left millions of people who use cash every day at risk of being left behind. “Today PayPoint is laying out its long-term commitment to do everything it can to ensure easy, free cash access, working with partners across industry and government, ahead of the official launch of PayPoint Counter Cash on 1 November. The service will not only enable people to make exact withdrawals, down to a single penny, unlike an ATM, but will also be completely free to customers and profitable to the retailers that offer it. “I’m incredibly proud of the support that PayPoint’s network offers local communities across the UK, and I would like to congratulate our participating Counter Cash retailer partners for providing yet another vital community service.” OCTOBER 2021 | SLR

News

Products

Green tray Snack packs within the Cathedral City Adult Cheese Snacking range have moved to a new recyclable tray, backing Saputo Dairy’s commitment to reduce the impacts of its supply chain on the environment. Made from widely recycled white PET, the

Product News CIGARILLOS MAKE THEIR MARK – P42 SPORTS & ENERGY CCEP brand preparse for battle

Monster unveils legendary video game promo

new trays feature on ‘with Pickle’ and ‘Lunchpack’ packs. Formed with a reduced thickness, the new trays also use up to 33% less plastic and contain up to 80% recycled content.

Food and drink businesses take action on fibre The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has launched a new initiative – Action on Fibre – to help people boost their fibre intake. A number of food and drink companies have signed up to a wide range of pledges from highlighting higher fibre options on product packaging, to launching new products that

Monster Energy has announced a new partnership with Apex Legends, a battle royale-style video game played by more than 70 million people globally. An on-pack promotion is live now on variants from Monster’s core, Monster Juiced and Monster Ultra ranges. Running until the end of the year, unique codes can be found under the ring-pulls of cans (and cans

within 4 x multi-packs) of Monster Original, Monster Absolutely Zero, Monster Ultra White, Monster Juiced Mango Loco, Monster Juiced Pipeline Punch and refreshed Monster Assault. Consumers have until 31 March 2022 to enter their codes online, giving them points towards exclusive Battle Pass prizes and in-game content. Promotional pack designs feature two of the game’s biggest legends to drive standout on-shelf and POS materials are available from My.CCEP.com from the middle of October. The promo will also be supported through several high profile social media partnerships. Martin Attock, Vice President of Commercial Development at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB, said: “We ran a hugely successful gaming promotion this time last year, and we’re confident of the same again. That’s why we’re encouraging retailers to get behind us and take full advantage as we bring together these two iconic brands.”

are higher in fibre. Only 9% of adults currently meet the dietary recommendation of 30g per day.

Ascona welcomes Newco products to forecourts Forecourt operator Ascona Group has signed a deal with Newco Europe UK for the supply of car care, truck accessories, AdBlue, oils, lubricants and screenwash across all 59 Ascona forecourt stores. A fresh new range of car care accessories has already been installed across Ascona’s portfolio. The deal lets Ascona consolidate a number of existing suppliers into one route to market.

Calbee profits up Snack and crisp manufacturer Calbee UK has filed its first consolidated accounts since its acquisition of Seabrook in October 2018. The company’s accounts to 31 December 2020 show a turnover of £43.7m with EBITDA of £5.8m. Like-for-like comparisons to the previous year of the consolidated Calbee and Seabrook businesses show a £2.9m increase in turnover and a £0.8m uplift in EBITDA.

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

MEAL KITS

Mark Day of the Dead with Old El Paso Old El Paso has released nine meal kits and sides in limited-edition packs to help people across the country mark the Day of the Dead (2 November) – the Mexican holiday centred on celebrating the lives of loved ones that have passed away – by throwing their own fiesta. Five of the SKUs, which are on shelf now until mid-November, feature a different skull mask to cut out and collect. Each pack also displays a QR code for shoppers to easily access Old El Paso’s special Day of the Dead landing page, which features recipes, quizzes, and tips to create the ultimate Mexican fiesta at home. Activity will be amplified by a six figure media investment, which includes a TV advert running from 4 to 31 October. Jose Alves, Senior Brand Manager at Old El Paso, said: “We’ve gone bigger and bolder with limited edition packaging across more products than ever before, plus our new landing page with all the tools you need for the perfect party. “The Day of the Dead celebration is truly aligned with the mission at the heart of our brand – bringing people together to inspire the good noise that happens when we truly connect. And what better way to brighten up a cold dark evening than with family, friends and a fiesta.”

TEA Tetley brews up first promo in six years

Tetley shares the love

Tetley has unveiled its first onpack promotion in six years, which encourages shoppers to “send your loved one a free cuppa on us”. Appearing on packs of Tetley Original 240s and 80s, the offer lets consumers show a loved one that they are thought about and cared for. Scanning a QR code printed on the promotional packs will link to a form to have a small set of tea samples sent to someone special, with a personalised message. The promo is supported instore and in-depot with pre-filled shippers and shelf strips. A mix of PoS is also available, as well as print and digital assets. Apoorva Goyal, Senior Brand Manager for Tetley. “With advice to remain cautious through the autumn and winter seasons, our promotion is a warm way for people to connect with their loved ones and give their zoom cuppas an extra lift to bring a smile.”

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Products

News

Ferrero boxes clever Ferrero Group is launching a new eco-designed box for its Ferrero Rocher range, starting with 30- and 16-piece boxes. New boxes are made from

SNACKS Multi-brand promo offers some scarily good prizes

Walkers calls Ghostbusters

Walkers is giving shoppers the opportunity to win prizes every hour via an on-pack promotion to celebrate the release of Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The promotion, which runs until 30 November, is the first major collaboration to run across Walkers’ top five snack brands in years. It features a prize pool including VIP screenings of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Sony gadgets, and a grand prize of a trip for two to New York. It is hoped the on-pack promotion will evoke nostalgia among parents and place Walkers

polypropylene, which enables easier recycling and reduces the use of plastic. The move will save approximately 2,000 tonnes of plastics globally in its first year. The confectionery

front and centre for those looking for a Halloween snack. Will Robinson, Portfolio Lead for Walkers Snacks at PepsiCo, said: “The collaboration between Walkers and Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the perfect treat for Halloween. With eye-catching imagery from the film across the packs, they’re sure to jump out at shoppers. As a key occasion for retailers to tap into, we’re also driving further awareness of the promotion instore, with a range of POS materials and displays to create further visibility. They’re sure to help

retailers drive savoury snack sales during the run-up to Halloween.” Jeffrey Godsick, Executive VicePresident of Global Partnerships and Brand Management and Head of Location Based Entertainment at Sony Pictures Entertainment, added: “What better way to celebrate the return of the iconic Ghostbusters than to partner with the UK’s biggest snack brand. The unprecedented scale of our relationship with Walkers Snacks is truly incredible, ensuring audiences across the UK and Ireland will get a taste of the exciting movie to come.”

giant’s R&D team trialled over 29 different plastic resins during the development process.

Sharwoods’ cooks up retailer competition Sharwood’s has launched an convenience-only competition, in which two lucky retailers will win over £50 worth of product each, with a store visit from brand owner Premier Foods to help re-merchandise the fixture and make the most of the ‘meal for tonight’ occasion. To enter, email your name, store name, address and number to

SPORTS & ENERGY 200,000 cans to be given away

Irn-Bru Energy goes big on sampling Irn-Bru Energy has launched its biggest-ever sampling campaign in Scotland, getting more than 200,000 cans into the hands of Scottish energy drinkers. Live until December, the campaign targets core energy shoppers via i-movo digital sampling and workplace sampling, as well as reaching students heading back to university and college through in-fridge and accommodation sampling and sponsorship of Freshers Festivals. A partnership with Checkout Smart will drive further trial in selected retailers, including McColls. The activity is part of a £6m brand investment and is supported by digital and social media advertising. “Energy is the biggest and most profitable Drink Now segment in Scotland and Flavoured Energy is leading the charge, now accounting for 34% of mainstream energy market sales, and outperforming Original Energy,” commented Adrian Troy, Marketing Director at Barr Soft Drinks. “Retailers that stock both 330ml and 500ml Irn-Bru Energy cans are seeing +70% growth in sales, with half of all sales coming from shoppers who are buying it in addition their usual energy drink.”

CHEESE

Prepare for a Christmas cheese sales surge, says Lactalis Lactalis has urged retailers to maximise the potential of the cheese category in the run up to Christmas. The dairy company recommends stocking up on a variety of cheeses including hard and soft speciality, premium, hot eating and blue cheese, as well as selection packs, as they see the highest sales uplift during December. Héloïse Le Norcy-Trott, Group Marketing Director for Lactalis UK & Ireland, commented: “Over the last three years, 72% of December cheese volume sales resulted from a cheese type that sees higher than average sales during this month. This is why we recommend retailers stock up on premium, hot eating, blue, selection packs, as well as hard and soft specialty cheeses in the run up to Christmas. With so many of these cheeses benefitting from increased sales in December, it is important to meet consumer demand.”

sharwoodscomp@cirkle.com before 30 October.

Tyrribly festive KP Snacks has unveiled limitededition Christmas packaging for its premium snack brand Tyrrells. Designed to excite and disrupt shoppers, the new pack design adds a pinch of festivity to familiar and well-loved images by using a snow globe, an object synonymous with the festive season. The special Christmas packaging will feature across Tyrrells Hand Cooked Crisps (RSP £2.29) and Veg Crisps sharing bags (RSP £2.50).

Richmond rebrands Imperial Tobacco has unveiled a new look for its Richmond brand that features a bold new look with prominent outer branding. The Richmond portfolio will also now offer a simplified range, which includes the former Real Blue variants – now called Richmond Original Superkings and Richmond Original Kingsize – as well as Richmond Bright Superkings and Richmond Green Filter Superkings.

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OCTOBER 2021 | SLR

News

Off-Trade

Royal visit Prince Charles has toured the Glen Garioch Distillery in Oldmeldrum, amid its ongoing restoration and upgrade project to reinstate traditional production processes and reduce the distillery’s carbon footprint. The prince toured the distillery with the local team and learned how Glen Garioch is returning to its roots to further enhance the quality and complexity of its small batch, hand-crafted Highland single malt.

New route to alcohol-free for Innis & Gunn Innis & Gunn has unveiled a 0.0% alcohol version of its Innis & Gunn Lager Beer, which has been brewed at 0.0% without producing or removing any alcohol from the process. This new method is rarely used and helps create a beer that’s as

Off-TradeNews CONFECTIONERY KEY TO CHRISTMAS SUCCESS – P48 BEER Denny Warriors team up with Ashley Cole in Carling’s new mental health campaign

Denny Ash yersel’ A football team from Denny has taken a starring role alongside Ashley Cole in a new campaign from Carling and mental health charity the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). Denny Warriors – set up to help heavier players get fitter and be a place where players can speak openly about their struggles – appears in the first of a series of films that champions the positive role grassroots football can play in helping people deal with problems. The ‘More Than a Game’ campaign aims to recruit 20 clubs across the UK that embrace an open approach to mental health and wellbeing to become ‘Caring United’ clubs, providing accredited Mental Health First Aid Training to players, captains and managers. Gary Thorn, founder of Denny Warriors, said: “Coming together and playing football is more than

a game for us, it’s about encouraging people to talk about how they’re feeling with their teammates and others around them. It’s a privilege to be part of Caring United and we urge other clubs to do the same.” Visit thecalmzone.net to find out more about CALM and the support it provides.

close as possible to its 4.6% parent. It will be initially available

RUM

Ron Santiago extends range

in 4x440ml can format from mid-

Hot on the heels of the relaunch of Ron Santiago de Cuba this summer, comes Ron Santiago de Cuba Añejo 8-year-old (ABV 40%, RSP £24). It joins Carta Blanca, Extra Añejo 11-Year-Old and Extra Añejo 12-Year-Old, all produced by Corporación Cuba Ron and distributed through Justerini & Brooks in the UK. Aged for a minimum of eight years, the liquid is matured in white oak barrels and offers hints of honey, vanilla, cacao and tropical fruit. The launch comes at a time when the premium rum segment is growing at 79% year-on-year. Ron Santiago de Cuba Rum Master, Tranquilino Palencia Estruch, commented: “The new Añejo 8 is undoubtedly a rum from the Santiago de Cuba region. The aroma invades us upon the opening of a bottle. The combination of flavour and aroma of this new liquid is perfectly balanced and unique. As a Master of Cuban Rum, I am extremely proud of what we have created. We want this to be the pinnacle of an 8-yearold aged, Cuban rum.”

November in 106 Tesco stores throughout Scotland.

Craft cocktails British Honey Company’s craft spirits brand Two Birds has launched a new range of premium ready-mixed craft cocktail pouches, in eight flavours: Cuckoo Collins, Cherry Mai Sky, Yellow Hammer, Nestroni, Parrot Punch, Feathertini, Gold Crested Gimlet and the Fan-Tailed Foghorn. These are available in four gift box options, each containing four 100ml cocktail pouches (two each of two flavours). VODKA

Awards for Aston

Boë branches into vodka

Aston Manor’s range of ciders

The maker of Boë Gin has expanded its offering, unveiling a brand-new range of vodkas. The range launches with three flavours: ‘Pink’, a combination of raspberries and white chocolate; ‘Azzura’, a fruity mix of kiwi, watermelon, cucumber and mint; and ‘Dark Fruits’, offering blackberry and blackcurrant flavours. The latter changes colour dramatically when mixed with lemonade or tonic. Presented in decorative bottles in a range of colours, each vodka is 40% ABV and has an RSP of £32. All are available now from wholesalers. The vodkas are distilled four times then filtered six times and, like all Boë’s products, are made with only natural flavours. Carlo Valente, Director at Boë Vodka, said: “One of, if not the biggest spirit in the industry, vodka was the obvious and right move for Boë when looking to expand our offering. We’re very much looking forward to customers trying the latest additions from The House of Boe.”

has seen success at the 2021 World Cider Awards and Great Taste Awards, taking home 20 titles in total. Its Friels brand was awarded ‘World’s Best Range Design’ at the 2021 World Cider Awards. It also took silver for its First Press Vintage and three more bronze awards for its signature blend, low alcohol cider and rhubarb cider respectively.

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

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Off-Trade

News

WINE TWE offers luxury holidays in £1m promotion

Wolf Blass goes for a secret escape VODKA Halewood brand taps into flavoured spirits trend

JJ Whitley unveils Russian Blue JJ Whitley has launched a brand new Blue Raspberry Russian Vodka variant. Available now, the latest addition to the JJ Whitley portfolio is distilled at the brand’s distillery in St. Petersburg using premiumquality Russian winter wheat and water. JJ Whitley said it “boasts ripe muddled raspberry and blueberry compote on the palate, with rich summer raspberry on the nose, and a smooth, silky finish”. The launch coincides with a burst of marketing activity from the brand, including a recent sponsorship of ‘Night’s In On Sky One’, and an upcoming out-of-home campaign which will run up to Christmas.

Simon Jackman, Senior Global Marketing Manager White Spirits at Halewood Artisanal Spirits, said: “Following the successful launch of our JJ Whitley Artisanal Gold Vodka earlier this year, we’re continuing to expand our range with the addition of our new Blue Raspberry flavour. “This latest release offers the same eye catching metallic bottle, which is guaranteed to stand on shelf. Plus, the brilliant, bright blue liquid not only tastes great, but also provides shoppers with a great opportunity to create a range of impactful, Instagrammable serves at home.” JJ Whitley Blue Raspberry Russian Vodka (ABV 38%) is available to order now with an RSP of £16.

WHISKY

Australian single malts land in UK Australia is perhaps better known in the off-trade for its wine production, but now premium spirits distributor Mangrove has brought the Morris Australian Single Malt Signature Whisky and the Australian Single Malt Muscat Barrel Whisky to the UK. Both are available now in 70cl bottles (ABV 40%) with an RSP of £54.99. Finished in vintage fortified and premium wine barrels, both have won several awards, including gold medals at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Morris Whisky is produced in the Rutherglen Distillery, based in a small town north east of Melbourne and named after the Scottish town of the same name. Mangrove boss Nick Gillett commented: “As the demand for new and interesting whiskies from non-traditional regions continues to explode, Mangrove looks to bring brands into the family which really encourage both the trade and consumers to explore the category.”

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Treasury Wine Estate’s (TWE) premium wine brand, Wolf Blass, has launched a new campaign – Why Settle When You Can Soar? – in partnership with luxury travel company Secret Escapes. TWE has invested over £1m in what is the biggest Wolf Blass campaign in the UK to date, with in-store, PR, influencer and social media activity. Consumers can win a share of redeemable travel credit and prizes worth £1m. The campaign runs until December 2021 and encourages consumers to engage with the brand, providing the chance to “not settle for anything short of extraordinary” by offering worldwide travel prizes. It sees just under 900,000 bottles across the UK tagged with QR codes. Entrants scan the QR code to be in with the chance of winning instant prizes and credits. These include a luxury boutique hotel stay in L’Anse Aux Epines, Grenada; a Barbados stay at a beachfront hotel; a Kenya beach stay with safari; a trip to Sri Lanka and the Maldives; a winter Lapland wildlife break with optional igloo. In addition, there are five £250 vouchers available to win and redeem on the Secret Escapes site, and 40,000 winners will be given £25 vouchers to use on an escape of their choice. All entrants need to do is purchase their Wolf Blass wine of choice and scan the QR code on the tagged label. Ben Blake, TWA’s Marketing Director, commented: “As the UK has been under lockdown and subject to numerous travel restrictions, we wanted to give Wolf Blass customers the chance to soar once again and to take part in new experiences. “We’ve invested heavily in marketing support for Wolf Blass and plan to continue taking the brand from strength to strength, engaging in memorable activations that put experiences and exploration at the forefront of our consumer engagement strategy.”

OCTOBER 2021 | SLR

Inside Business

Post Office Loyalty Club

POST OFFICE LAUNCHES LOYALTY SCHEME FOR PARCEL SENDERS Drop & Go customers will be rewarded during November and December at their local branch. BY LIZ WELLS

ost Office has launched its first loyalty scheme for parcel senders, with financial rewards for users of its fast-track Drop & Go service. The service could help increase footfall to stores with Post Office facilities in the run up to Christmas. The number of Drop & Go customers increased fourfold in the run-up to last Christmas. The service is popular with small businesses, marketplace sellers, and customers who started ‘bedroom businesses’ during the lockdowns. Post Office will reward customers that spend £100 or more per month with the Drop & Go service during November and December at their local branch. There are two ‘reward periods’ – 1 to 30 November and 1 to 31 December 2021. Existing or new customers need to spend at least £100 in one or both Reward Periods. Whatever is spent over £100 – regardless of the number of parcels or price of parcels – during each ‘reward period’ will earn the customer a reward that can be redeemed to their Drop & Go account.

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

Customers will receive confirmation of the value of their promotional reward along with a barcode that can be used in their local branch to apply credit to their Drop & Go account. The loyalty scheme ends on 31 December 2021. Nick Read, Chief Executive at the Post, said: “The parcel market will see fierce trading throughout the critical Christmas period and Post Office will challenge for increased share with our first-ever loyalty scheme for customers. “Our physical presence in every local community across the UK, combined with the expert knowledge and advice postmasters provide regarding postage, means we are well placed to support small and independent businesses during the busiest time of the year.” Post Office is launching a multi-channel marketing campaign to support the launch, including a partnership with eBay; advertising across Instagram, Facebook and Twitter; a Google My Business campaign; and advertising on podcasts popular with small and medium enterprises.

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Murder Island

Inside Business

GIGHA POST OFFICE STARS IN ‘MURDER ISLAND’

An island post office and store featured in Channel Four’s new TV series Murder Island with the population of Gigha nearly doubling when filming took place. BY LIZ WELLS

“We had to ensure that the shop could still serve the community.”

he Isle of Gigha Post Office and store found its 15 minutes of fame recently when it played a central role in Channel Four’s new TV series, Murder Island, which features four teams of amateur detectives trying to solve a murder mystery. The six-part series is based around a murder plot written by Scottish crime novelist Ian Rankin. This sees members of the public take on the role of detective and conduct an investigation. They have one week to compete to solve the murder. Filming took place at the post office, and actors and the wannabe detectives also often popped in to speak with Postmaster Joe Teale and his wife Hannah to tap into their local knowledge of the island. The production team had to allow the shop and post office to open for set hours each day, so that the community were not inconvenienced. Isle of Gigha Postmaster Joe Teale said: “We had to ensure that the shop could still serve the community. There was lots of filming here. On one particular night there was filming at the post office and outside until 1am in the morning, with lots of action going on. They had huge amounts of lighting, so it looked like it was actually filmed during the day.”

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The population of the island nearly doubled when filming took place with 10 actors, teams of wannabe detectives, and production crew. The Isle of Gigha could not accommodate everyone, even with the island’s hotel and holiday lets, so 42 camper vans had to be brought by boat from the mainland, along with supplies to build a police station for the detectives’ briefings. Teale said: “When Ian Rankin wrote the story based on a remote Scottish island, he didn’t specifically have the Isle of Gigha in mind, but we have more facilities than many islands, some great buildings and beautiful landscape to provide an interesting setting for filming. “There has been a buzz on the island since we heard that filming was going to take place and chatter amongst the islanders about the murder mystery. We have not seen the series ahead of time so people are wondering which parts of our island will be shown and who they may recognise. The Isle of Gigha community still don’t know who the ‘murderer’ was. We will have to watch the series, like everyone else to find out.” The series, made by STV Studios, can be seen on Channel Four on Tuesday at 9.30pm. The first episode was watched by 1.2 million people. OCTOBER 2021 | SLR

Inside Business

New Products | Northern Irish suppliers

ACCESSING THE BEST OF NORTHERN IRELAND SLR has teamed up with the Scottish Retail Food and Drinks Awards and Invest Northern Ireland to bring Scotland’s local retailers the best products that Northern Ireland has to offer.

n an increasingly competitive marketplace, it’s important you make your store stand out from the crowd. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by offering your customers products that your competitors don’t, and one source for new products is closer to Scotland than you think. With only 12 miles of separation at the closest point, Northern Ireland is practically within touching distance for Scottish local retailers and what’s more, it hosts a number of suppliers – many award-winning – who are keen to get their products on your shelves.

With that thought in mind, SLR has partnered with the Scottish Retail Food and Drink Awards and Northern Ireland’s economic development agency, Invest NI, to help Scotland’s retailers grow and differentiate their ranges. We’ll be working with major retailers, symbol groups and independent chains to introduce them to high quality, retail-ready products that are likely to appeal to Scottish consumers. Here’s a small selection of suppliers and their products to whet your appetite…

HINCH DISTILLERY HINCH PEATED SINGLE MALT Hinch is a grain to glass distillery in County Down that has been custom built to produce a very particular style of Irish Single Malt Whiskey, using water from the Mourne Mountains and traditional Irish mashing processes. Its mash house contains not one but two mashing vessels, allowing the distillery to maximise its flavour profiles. Hinch Irish Whiskey Peated Single Malt is one of Ireland’s only Peated Single Malts, tripledistilled in the classic Irish Whiskey style. It has won multiple awards across the globe for excellence in its bold spirit. A ppm of 55 gives it a wonderful earthy and smoky nose with the peat on the pallet warming and lingering with no sense of the 43% ABV. WEBSITE: WWW.HINCHDISTILLERY.COM EMAIL: MICHAEL.MORRIS@HINCHDISTILLERY.COM

BIG POT SWEET POTATO RED LENTIL & SPINACH Alison and her team have been making delicious soups and meals in the heart of Co. Tyrone for over 10 years. Big Pot’s products use both traditional and on-trend flavours – all of which are made by hand in small batches to ensure consistency and great taste, time after time. The Great Taste Award-winning Meal Pot is made using only fresh and natural ingredients, and is perfect on its own or with a side of rice, quinoa or couscous for a more substantial meal. The warming vegan-friendly pot of dhal contains chunks of sweet potato, topped with spinach, spiced with chilli, garlic, ginger, cumin & turmeric. WEBSITE: WWW.BIGPOTCO.COM EMAIL: MALCOLM@BIGPOTCO.COM

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

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Northern Irish suppliers | New Products

Inside Business

DAVISON’S DAVISON’S STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING Over 40 years ago, the Davison family grew and harvested its very first crop of Irish Bramley apples. Four decades on, the family firm now boasts over 120 acres of orchards and brand-new grade AA BRC-accredited factory facilities on site. While its roots are in apple growing and processing, over the last four decades the business has branched out to meet the changing needs of its customers and diversified to stay ahead of food trends. Davison’s is now one of the UK’s leading producers of speciality fruit, fruit compotes, jams and bakery fillings, responsible for such delights as this irresistibly moist and rich buttery sponge with dates, smothered in a deliciously sweet and sticky toffee sauce. WEBSITE: DAVISONCANNERS.COM EMAIL: CLAIRE@DAVISONS-PUDS.COM

GENESIS JAM BAKES For Genesis, baking is the perfect mix of creativity and science. It uses only the finest quality ingredients, combined with care and attention and then baked in precisely the right heat for exactly the right time. Genesis is a craft bakery, which means that it still has bakers kneading, rolling and piping by hand, creating fabulous treats everyone loves to eat. The business also makes a lot of delicacies for retailers such as Waitrose and Marks & Spencer, which are then sold all over the world. One of the bakery’s stand-out products is its Jam Bakes 4-pack, which boasts a buttery pastry base, with raspberry jam filling and a rich, moist sponge. WEBSITE: WWW.GENESISBAKERY.CO.UK EMAIL: SALES@GENESISBAKERY.CO.UK

GLENS OF ANTRIM SHINDIGS Originating in the heart of the Glens of Antrim, on the side of Lurigethan Mountain, Glens of Antrim has been packing potatoes since 1972 in the picturesque landscape of the glens, overlooking the Irish sea. It has spent years refining its award-winning flavours and perfecting its packaging to ensure that its Shindigs hand-cooked crisps are fresh, vibrant and bursting with great flavour. A shindig is renowned all over the world as a great party. Our party box style packaging is eye-catching and offers customers something different for sharing and helps create a great shindig. For more information contact info@weareshindigs.com or call Amy on 07703594541. WEBSITE: WWW.WEARESHINDIGS.COM EMAIL: INFO@WEARESHINDIGS.COM

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OCTOBER 2021 | SLR

Inside Business

New Products | Northern Irish suppliers

HELLBENT CHAKALAKA BOEREWORS Hellbent’s coiled sausages, burgers and meatballs are made to a 100-year-old South African recipe from Irish beef for a unique taste that can’t be found anywhere else. All products are high in protein and contain no added gluten or rusk. Boerewors is a sausage made from premium-quality ground beef and seasoned with a hint of nutmeg, coriander, black pepper, cloves, allspice and cinnamon. Chakalaka is a spicy vegetable relish traditionally served warm or cold with bread, pap, stews or curries. Hellbent has created a fusion of these two iconic South African staples to offer “the most delicious sausage you may ever have tasted”. WEBSITE: WWW.WEAREHELLBENT.CO.UK EMAIL: LOUIS@WEAREHELLBENT.CO.UK

McATAMNEY’S SALT & SIZZLE STEAKS In 2003 K&G McAtamney Wholesale Meats opened a purpose built 18,000sq ft meat processing plant to prepare, package and distribute a wide range of meat and fresh produce. It supplies quality meat products to over 350 of Northern Irelands leading hotels and restaurants and prepacked meats to supermarkets throughout the UK. McAtamney’s aims to create great produce from quality hand selected beef, pork, lamb and poultry. It continually develops innovative new products on a regular basis to meet with the everchanging demands of its customers. Take its Salt & Chilli Sizzle Steaks, for example. These offer locally produced hand selected beef sliced into lean steak strips then coated in a salt & chilli crumb. WEBSITE: KGMCATAMNEY.COM EMAIL: ALVIN@KGMCATAMNEY.COM

McCOLGAN’S MCCOLGAN’S QUICHE The McColgan family began serving food in Strabane from a tea shop in 1940. A café, butcher and bakery followed. Production of the company’s sausage rolls started in 1978. These proved so popular that new premises had to be built to keep up with demand, and today McColgan’s ships all manner of savoury pastries from a state-of-the-art facility, fewer than two miles from the original tea shop. This award-winning McColgan’s Quiche is made with Shortcrust pastry filled with goat’s cheese and caramelised red onion, in a creamy egg filling with a goat’s cheese disc placed centred on top. EMAIL: WWW.MCCOLGANS.IE WEBSITE: STEPHEN@MCCOLGANS.IE

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

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We work with local producers to help identify new trends, bring forward innovative products and grow their business.

Northern Ireland.

Bringing our world-class food and drink to your table. When you source food and drink from Northern Ireland you can be sure of its pure, natural, quality. Our award-winning artisan food and drink producers are embracing growing demand for innovative, speciality food and drink at home and further afield and the industry is thriving. That’s why Invest Northern Ireland’s Food and Drink division works with local producers to help them take their products around the world. Whether it’s helping companies to find new markets in the Republic of Ireland, or working with UK supply chains to drive new sales, Invest NI partners with our local producers to help them identify new trends, bring forward innovative products and grow their business. Learn how you can serve our quality food and drink.

Northern Ireland. Altogether more.

For further information contact Michelle Charrington, Invest NI E: michelle.charrington@investni.com M: +44 78 1717 3514 Drew McIvor, Invest NI E: drew.mcivor@investni.com M: +44 78 1354 4535

Inside Business

New Products | Northern Irish suppliers

PREPHOUSE PREPHOUSE WHISKEY SAUCE PrepHouse is a family business based in Crossgar, County Down. It has been producing restaurant quality sauces for well over a decade, supplying many wellknown hospitality chains across Ireland. With a strong base in foodservice stretching back over 20 years, it turned its attention to supplying the retail sector. Since then, it has extended its range to include dressings and dips, picking up Great Taste and Blas awards along the way. One of several sauces PrepHouse is known for, its Whiskey Sauce is a Great Taste Awardwinning moreish, full-bodied gluten-free sauce brewed with real Irish whiskey. EMAIL: WWW.PREPHOUSE.CO.UK WEBSITE: DAVID.DOUGAN@PREPHOUSE.CO.UK

THOMPSON’S TEA THOMPSON’S SCOTTISH BLEND Founded in 1896, this family-run business is now managed by a fourth generation of Thompsons. Ross and David Thompson’s grandfather, James, frequently visited Scotland. He fell in love with the beautiful landscapes, wonderful wildlife, and the welcoming, down-toearth people. His love of these trips, with so many happy memories, that inspired him to create Thompson’s Scottish Blend, perfect for Scotland’s softer water, fed by its abundant lakes and reservoirs. Specially selected teas from the foothills of Mount Kenya have been perfectly partnered with North India’s finest growth to produce an award-winning tea with a rich and satisfying flavour. The perfect cup of tea at any time of the day. EMAIL: WWW.THOMPSONSTEA.COM WEBSITE: JAMES@PUNJANA.COM

WILSON’S COUNTRY YOU SAY POTATO FRESH CUT CHIPS Since Angus Wilson launched Wilson’s Country from his family farm in the 1980s it has grown from strength to strength. The business now employs over 70 staff who work from a six acre site in County Armagh. Investment in Wilson’s premises, staff and growers ensures a quality product and excellent service. Prepared from specially selected chipping varieties Wilson’s freshly-cut chips are a convenient, tastier, fresh alternative to frozen that are performing well beyond expectation in all retailers who currently stock. They are also extremely popular with Slimming World members for cooking in ActiFryers and are available in 500g (two portion) or 1kg (four portion) packs. WEBSITE: WWW.WILSONSCOUNTRY.COM EMAIL: JOANNE.WEIR@WILSONSCOUNTRY.COM

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

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Northern Ireland.

Bringing our world-class food and drink to your table. When you source food and drink from Northern Ireland you can be sure of its pure, natural, quality. That’s why Invest Northern Ireland’s Food and Drink division works with local producers to help them take their products around the world. Whether it’s helping companies to find new markets in the UK, or working with supply chains to drive new sales, Invest NI partners with our local producers to help them identify new trends, bring forward innovative products and grow their business. Learn how you can serve our quality food and drink.

Northern Ireland. Altogether more.

For further information contact Michelle Charrington, Invest NI E: Michelle.Charrington@investni.com M: 078 1717 3514

Comber Potatoes, Co. Down

We work with local producers to help identify new trends, bring forward innovative products and grow their business.

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McColl’s

Inside Business

MCCOLL’S OPENS 1,000TH MORRISONS DAILY “McColl’s continues to roll out Morrisons Daily ahead of the targets with a capability to implement six store conversions per week.”

McColl’s is making big progress on the rollout of its Morrisons Daily format stores, recently hitting the 1,000 store landmark. BY LIZ WELLS

cColl’s Retail Group has opened its 100th Morrisons Daily store, two months ahead of schedule. The retailer says the rollout of Morrisons Daily stores is a key component of its strategic focus on food-led convenience, driving incremental sales, and sales-mix improvement across the store. The conversion of the McColl’s store in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, gives local customers “a wider product choice and better value, through new lines, and Morrisons own-label”. McColl’s continues to roll out Morrisons Daily ahead of the targets set at its capital raise www.slrmag.co.uk

earlier this year, with a capability to implement six store conversions per week. The Morrisons Daily conversions take somewhere between two and three years to pay back the investment, McColl’s says, and it expects to be operating 350 Morrisons Daily stores across its total estate of more than 1,200 stores by November 2022. Jonathan Miller, Chief Executive of McColl’s, said: “We are redefining neighbourhood retail in the communities we serve, putting us in the best possible position to meet customer demand in the future. Alongside an enhanced customer offer, we have a proven store conversion

blueprint that offers a strong return on investment, delivering double-digit sales uplifts and rapid payback.” David Potts, Chief Executive of Morrisons, added: “The Morrisons Daily convenience format is proving popular with customers and is a great way for us to broaden the reach of the Morrisons brand into more and more local communities. “It’s been a very impressive collective effort by the McColl’s and Morrisons teams who have worked together so quickly and effectively. We look forward to hundreds more Morrisons Daily stores springing up across Britain.” OCTOBER 2021 | SLR

Inside Business

Sustainability

IGD LAUNCHES ENVIRONMENT LABELLING INITIATIVE Trade body IGD is aiming to develop a labelling scheme by the end of 2021 that display’s a product’s sustainability credentials. BY LIZ WELLS

GD has kicked off a new environment labelling project, which aims to develop a method of displaying products’ sustainability credentials that the whole sector can get behind. The project’s initial focus is on creating a strategic framework for an environment labelling scheme that will provide consistent and transparent information for consumers, enabling them to make more informed choices at point of sale. The project builds on IGD’s experience in nutritional labelling, where the organisation has previously led a joined-up industry approach to make it easier for consumers to use and understand nutrition labels and to enable them to draw comparisons between products in a consistent way. IGD has commissioned sustainability experts Anthesis to develop a recommended industry framework. Product footprinting experts from ERM will also provide support, while IGD will also seek input from other experts across academia, non-government organisations, and government. 32

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Susan Barratt, Chief Executive of IGD, said: “We recognise there is a growing appetite from all parts of the food system to measure and communicate the environmental impact of individual products, to drive positive change in consumption habits. We also know there is a real desire for collaboration, to champion a science-based approach to environment labelling supported by robust consumer insights.” Barrett added: “This agenda is moving at pace. Without a coordinated approach from the whole UK food sector, we risk confusing consumers and undermining the credibility of any labels that are being trialled. Environment labelling is a very complex area, with many unanswered questions in terms of data accessibility, governance, relevant impact indicators and scoring methodology, as well as the most effective way to visualise the information on-pack.” IGD is aiming to develop a recommended strategic framework for environmental labelling in the UK by the end of 2021. www.slrmag.co.uk

Spar Scotland

Inside Business

EG GROUP OPENS PETERHEAD FORECOURT AND SPAR STORE Petrol forecourt retailer EG Group has opened a new forecourt and Spar convenience store at the Buchan Gateway Retail Park in Peterhead.

etail giant EG Group has finally opened a new forecourt and Spar convenience store in Peterhead in Aberdeenshire after more than a year of building works. Located on the A90 at the Buchan Gateway Retail Park, the new site has a drive-thru Starbucks and will serve motorists and shoppers travelling around Peterhead. With 10 lanes as well as dedicated parking for shoppers, the new 24-hour 3,000sq ft convenience store has an external ATM, a host of food-to-go options including sandwiches, hot and cold rolls, and pastries, as well as a Greggs bakery. Other in-store services include lottery, PayPoint and free Wi-Fi throughout. The store also offers news and magazines, tobacco, fresh produce, chilled food and snacks. The store employs 10 people from the local area. Mike Leonard, Sales Director for Spar Scotland, said: “We are delighted to open a Spar store on the outskirts of Peterhead. The store is ideally located for people travelling in and around the area.” He added: “We are broadening our reach and distribution around Scotland, and we will continue to grow the business and explore new opportunities.” Meanwhile, Spar Scotland has also extended its support of the SGF Healthy Living Programme by giving out free fruit to children at a further four stores around the country. Spar Scotland distributed free fruit to primary school children at Spar stores in Abronhill, Garthamlock, Thornliebank, and Erskine from 4-10 October. The Healthy Living team were also on hand at each store to promote the weeklong initiative.

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Spar stores in the east of Scotland will take part in the campaign at the beginning of 2022. Colin McLean, Chief Executive of Spar Scotland, said: “We enjoy supporting Healthy Living Scotland’s programme which connects local school children with healthy options available from Spar convenience stores. It is important that we continue to encourage children to eat fresh fruit and vegetables.” OCTOBER 2021 | SLR

Winner | ACS Raj Aggarwal Trophy

Inside Business

COMMUNITY RETAILERS CELEBRATED WITH FIRST RAJ AGGARWAL TROPHY Shropshire retailer Julie Kaur Duhra has won the first ever Raj Aggarwal Award with Edinburgh’s Sophie Williams also recognised. THE JUDGES Q Sunita Aggarwal, Raj’s wife and owner of Spar Wigston Q Jonathan James, Managing Director of James Convenience Retail Q Avtar Sidhu, owner of Budgens Kenilworth Q James Lowman, Chief Executive, ACS

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CS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has announced that Julie Kaur Duhra is the first winner of the Raj Aggarwal Award, a new trophy celebrating exceptional community retailing. Sophie Williams, daughter of Edinburgh retailers Dennis and Linda Williams, was also recognised as a finalist at the Awards. Julie was announced as the winner following a panel discussion on exceptional community retailing at ACS’ Heart of the Community conference. Julie runs a convenience store just north of Telford in Shropshire with her husband Joey. Julie has played a vital role in her local area, providing home deliveries to customers, leading local fundraising efforts and supporting other retailers. ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “Throughout the pandemic, Julie has gone above and beyond to support her customers and fellow retailers, Julie has made the local community feel like her family and friends. This is a well-deserved award and we would like to congratulate Julie for the outstanding contribution that her store has made to the local community.” ACS also congratulated this year’s finalists: Nico Ali from Tasa Shops in Jarrow, and Sophie Williams from Broadway Convenience Store in Edinburgh.

OCTOBER 2021 | SLR

Hotlines

Product News & Media Watch

Mr Kipling Toffee Apple Pies Premier Foods This new product spearheads Premier Foods’ Halloween range and is available in a six-pack with an RSP of £1.50. Mathew Bird, Brand Director for Sweet Treats at Premier Foods, said: “The latest addition will help retailers target an even broader range of consumers, as the pies and tarts sector is traditionally enjoyed by post-family shoppers.”

Plot9 Princes Group These plant-based meal pots (260g, RSP £2.50) are available in three different variants: Thai-Style Chickpea Curry with Aromatic Rice; Rich Lentil Bolognese with Wholewheat Pasta; and Smoky Chipotle Bean Chilli with Long Grain Rice. Each comprises two separate recyclable pots containing a sauce rich in pulses, vegetables and spices, alongside a portion of rice or pasta.

Nuts For Sun Valley Sun Valley has launched its directto-consumer brand Nuts For into the retail channel with a five-strong range – Punchy Smoked Paprika, Indian Spice Infusion, Rocky Road Riot, Chocolate Brownie Chaos and Simply Dip’d Almonds in Dark Chocolate. All come in single serve 30-35g bags, with an RSP of £1. Contact the Sun Valley sales team on 0151 482 7100 or email enquiries@ sunvalleynutco. co.uk.

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

Cadbury unveils vegan Dairy Milk alternative, Plant Bar Cadbury Plant Bar, a plant-based alternative to Cadbury Dairy Milk, will be available from November. Developed over two years at Mondelez International’s Global Centre of Excellence for Chocolate Research and Development in Bournville, the bar retains a creamy taste by replacing milk with almond paste. Mondelez said almond paste provides a similar taste and texture to milk ingredients while offering a hint of nuttiness. Available in two flavours, Smooth Chocolate and Smooth Chocolate with Salted Caramel pieces, the 90g bars (RSP £2.50) are suitable for vegans and are registered by the Vegan Society. The range will be wrapped in 100% plant-based packaging made from ISCC certified bio-sourced plastics from renewable sources. Louise Stigant, UK Managing Director for Mondelez, commented: “With 500,000 participants in this year’s Veganuary – double the number of participants from the year before, the increasing public appetite for varied snacking options and plant-based alternatives has never been more apparent. At Mondelez, evolving consumer demands have long informed our ambition to provide a wide range of products that work for everyone and the new Cadbury Plant Bar range is the latest stop on this journey.” Ericka Durgahee, Vegan Trademark Marketing Manager, Vegan Society, added: “As we approach

Deli Slices Kerry Group Taste & Glory has launched new Deli Slices, its newest plant-based venture in the meat-free category. The range is available in three flavours – No-Ham, No-Chicken and No-Beef – with an RSP of £2.25 for a 90g pack of six thick-cut slices which recreate the sensory experience of meat, with a textured protein that replices its natural chew. The SKUs are backed by a dedicated shopper campaign.

World Vegan Day on 1 November, the Vegan Society is thrilled that anyone who misses Cadbury chocolate as a vegan can now enjoy their favourite delicious chocolate bar without the use of animal products. We know how hard Mondelez has worked to bring this bar to life and give more options to everyone. We look forward to trying them when they launch!”

Boursin Hot Cheese Bites Groupe Bel

Cadbury Twirl Orange PMP Mondelez

Boursin has unveiled its first-ever range of hot cheese, Boursin Hot Cheese Bites, which launches with two variants, Red Pepper and Mushroom, flavours which ranked strongly in consumer research. Both are suitable for vegetarians, and contain no artificial flavours or colours, and can be cooked in less than ten minutes. Boursin Hot Cheese Bites is available in cases of 6 x 150g, with an RSP of £3.

Cadbury Twirl Orange, the brand’s most popular single bar, is now available in a 60p price-marked pack, in cases of 48 x 43g bars. Cadbury Twirl Orange was introduced as a limited edition in 2020, becoming the number one singles NPD and one of the fastest selling chocolate bars of that year. Earlier this year, based on popular demand from Twirl fans, it was made a permanent addition to the Cadbury portfolio.

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Product News & Media Watch Bird’s Custard Pods Premier Foods



Thin Sev Cofresh

Premier Foods hopes to expand the ambient desserts category with this latest addition to the Bird’s range, that offers shoppers a convenient new way to make smooth, lump free custard every time, by simply adding milk or a milk alternative to the new wet pod format – offering the chance to create a vegan friendly custard. This comes at a time when Bird’s already boasts a 64% ownership of the ‘to make’ custard segment. Four-packs RSP at £1.50.

Reusable tampon applicator Lil-Lets Group Period product brand Lil-Lets has unveiled a sustainable and reusable tampon applicator, which is made from medical grade material and is free from latex, BPA and phthalates. The company says the applicator is easy to clean and sterilise, lasts for years, is slimline and smooth with a flexible, rounded tip to ensure easy insertion, has grip lines to help hold, and comes with a handy lid and certified organic cotton storage bag.

In response to what it described as “almost fanatical”consumer demand for a thin version of the sevian noodles found in its Bombay Mix, Asian snack brand Cofresh has launched Thin Sev (325g, RSP £1). Available now, it can be sprinkled on traditional Indian dishes or used to accompany masala dahls and chaat. For more information, email sales@ cofresh.com or call 0116 234 0246.

PepsiCo flavours SodaStream SodaStream has launched four of PepsiCo’s most popular drinks as flavours: Pepsi MAX, Pepsi, 7UP Free and 7UP. This marks the first time that SodaStream consumers will be able to make PepsiCo drinks at home, reflecting an increased demand from consumers over the past year for athome convenience. The new flavours are available now with an RSP of £4.99. Each 440ml bottle makes up to nine litres of fizzy drink.

Hotlines

Magic cola Coca-Cola has launched a new film, ‘One Coke Away From Each Other,’ as the first campaign activity under Coke’s new global brand philosophy and platform called Real Magic. Blending real and virtual worlds, the film celebrates everyone’s common humanity with the belief that what unites us is greater than what sets us apart.

Who’s a good boy? Dog treat brand Good Boy has launched its first TV ad campaign, which focuses on the joy dogs experience when they get a treat. The brand hopes to harness the funny side of the UK’s favourite pet with super slow motion action shots of dogs ‘trying’ to catch treats. The campaign is also backed with YouTube and Facebook ads, alongside PR activity.

Del Monte roars back to TV Del Monte is returning to the UK’s TV screens for the first time in 30 years, with a 20-second ad as part of its Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous partnership with DreamWorks Animation and Universal. The new ad forms part of a wider campaign, which includes on-pack QR codes directing consumers to a bespoke Dinosaur Challenge game.

Fizz on Four Spectacular Science! Solar System Dr. Oetker

Plant-based soups Baxters

Home baking brand Dr. Oetker has expanded its popular ‘Spectacular Science!’ cupcake mix range with a new cupcake kit: Spectacular Science! Solar System (RSP £2.50). The pack comes with everything needed to bake 12 cupcakes and decorate them to look like the planets in our solar system, and includes a step-by-step guide through the baking and decorating processes.

Baxters has added three new vegan-friendly flavours to its Plant Based Soups range: Spiced Red Lentil; Sundried Tomato & Thyme, and Thai Yellow Vegetable Curry. A serving of each provides one of your five a day and the new flavours are available now with RSPs from £1.55. The new variants follow the success of last year’s Plant Based launch which has seen over 1.1 million tins of the range sold, generating over £1.6m in sales.

Ribena Sparkling and Channel 4 have launched a new three-month partnership that will see the juice drink brand sponsor Friday Nights In on 4. This will see a series of five specially-created 10-second idents run throughout Channel 4’s Friday night schedule from 8pm to 11pm until Christmas Eve, aimed at Ribena Sparkling’s ABC1 target audience.

New ad rubs it in Mentholatum’s anti-inflammatory gel brand, Deep Relief, is back with a new ad starring a suspiciously cheery couple showing how they use the produce to relieve their aches and pains, and help them stay active. The ad is supported with a social and digital campaign plus consumer PR support across the autumn and winter into next spring.

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

OCTOBER 2021 | SLR

Feature

Beer

BREWDOG CONTINUES COMMITMENT TO PLANET-FRIENDLY BEER Scottish carbon-negative brewer BrewDog has ramped up its commitment to planet-friendly beer with a new pale ale and a recent sustainability-focused TV ad campaign.

cottish carbon-negative brewer Brewdog is stepping up its mission to connect people through great beer that is good for the planet with the launch of BrewDog Planet Pale. Available across grocery and convenience in 330ml & 440ml cans, the new sustainable beer will join the core range and follows the re-launch of Lost Lager earlier this year. Creating an accessible offering with wide appeal, BrewDog Planet Pale offers local retailers a great way to capitalise on the continuing evolution of craft beer with pale ale recognised as a key driver to bring new drinkers into craft. By providing an accessible ABV at 4.3% and an approachable taste profile, BrewDog aims to make people as passionate about great beer and our planet as they are. The new product replaces BrewDog Pale Ale, with a new recipe and stronger brand proposition. Alex Dullard, Head of Customer Marketing, comments: “We want to make great beer that people love, whilst also being great for the planet. Following the re-launch of Lost Lager in the Spring, we established that 70% of beer drinkers are more likely to purchase a beer made in a sustainable way [YouGov, Sep 2020] presenting a huge opportunity to grow frequency and penetration with a planet-friendly beer offering, that can be enjoyed responsibly.” The launch is being supported by a full marketing roll-out, including digital, social media and in-store POS, featuring the strapline, ‘Enjoyed Responsibly Worldwide.’ The formats available include 4pk 330ml, RSP: £5.00; and single 440ml cans, RSP: £2.25. 38

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The launch follows hot on the heels of the Ellon-based brewery’s ‘The Planet’s Favourite Beer’ campaign which celebrated Brewdog’s pioneering environmental commitment to being the world’s first carbon negative brewery. The campaign, which aimed to reach 26m adults throughout August and September, showed the different lives that its customers – and even non-customers – lead, and highlights that its carbon negative credentials mean that it is here for the planet and all its inhabitants. BrewDog offsets double its entire carbon footprint through tree planting initiatives around the world. It also brews using only renewable energy, uses packaging made from easily recycled materials, and prioritises local ingredients, as well as transporting its beer in the UK’s first electric 19-tonne truck. The ad campaign set out to challenge the stereotypes in traditional beer advertising, “take the worthiness out of woke”, and offer a comical take on the array of people inhabiting planet earth. The TV and video-on-demand advert was supported by out-of-home, digital, social and print ads which reinforced BrewDog’s ecological message. Furthermore, the production of all assets in the campaign has also been offset through planting trees, making it a sustainable campaign in every sense. BrewDog’s Special Projects Director Lauren Carrol comments: “The campaign reinforced BrewDog’s commitment to having a positive impact, both on our diverse audience and the planet. We’re proud to be a beer for all and to serve our amazing global community. As a carbon-negative brewery, every beer that is enjoyed around the world can have a positive planetary impact.” www.slrmag.co.uk

THE PLANET’S FAVOURITE BEER BREWDOG IS THE WORLD’S FIRST CARBON NEGATIVE BREWERY

70% of shoppers would be more likely to purchase a beer made in a sustainable way*

* YouGov BrewDog Commissioned Survey – Beer Drinkers – Sept 2020. Unweighted base: All UK adults who drink beer every month (1735)

Feature

Retail Tech

TECH HELPING SOLVE SOCIETAL PROBLEMS While store technology is most often implemented to grow sales and profits, many recent tech developments have helped tackle important societal challenges – with retailers on the front line as ever, helping communities across Scotland thrive.

COUNTY CASH RELIANCE SCORE Q Q Q Q Q Q Q

s has been widely accepted, the last 18 months have helped massively accelerate the implementation of new in-store tech solutions in local retailing outlets across Scotland. In a tech sense, the sector has probably advanced a decade in the space of 18 months. Most of the new solutions are, of course, aimed at growing sales and profits. Home delivery apps, in-store scan & go solutions and contactless ordering apps have all helped retailers grow their businesses – but we should never forget that they have also enhanced the customer experience and provided vital new services for shoppers struggling under the weight of a global pandemic. Yes, the sector has benefitted financially – but why shouldn’t we, when we are giving shoppers what they want and need, and often can’t find anywhere else? A great example of this is the recent rollout of PayPoint’s Counter Cash Service which lets shoppers withdraw up to £50 for free at any participating PayPoint retailer. They can even take out however much they want, rather than just increments of £10. Want £23.43? No problem. Additionally, retailers earn commission on every transaction they process – including withdrawals and balance enquiries – and they save on banking charges by recycling cash they take in for PayPoint services. All of this for offering a vital, high profile service to their local community. The national rollout of the Counter Cash from 1 November is prioritising areas where access to cash has become

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

Lanarkshire 64% Midlothian 63% Renfrewshire 63% Stirlingshire 62% Fife 61% West Lothian 59% Aberdeenshire 54%

increasingly challenging for local communities. Look at the table on this page and you’ll see how reliant many counties in Scotland are on cash. The initiative follows PayPoint research into the most cash reliant areas of the UK, which combined PayPoint sales data, and looked at cash as an overall percentage of transactions in its network of 28,000 UK stores over the 2020/21 financial year. The vast majority of the 48 UK counties included in the study (43) had an overall cash reliance score of more than 50%. In other words, cash remains vital. With banks closing at an alarming rate and ATMs a constant source of grief for local retailers, this solution could be ideal for many. Imran Hamid, who runs a store in Dennyloanhead, was part of the Counter Cash trial. Here’s what he said: “Denny is a town where we used to have TSB, a Royal Bank of Scotland, a Bank of Scotland, a Clydesdale Bank and now they’ve all shut. I think it’s just a community thing where we try to help and give back something. “We’ve also got people who are on benefits here and they want access to their cash. That’s another good thing about this – they can withdraw anything from a penny to £50. If someone on benefits has only got £3.50 left in their bank account and they want that £3.50, I can give it to them and it’s not going to cost them anything.” The power of tech is only beginning to be appreciated, but it’s always great to see that doing good is good for business. www.slrmag.co.uk

Everything a modern convenience store needs

paypoint.com

PayPoint and Snappy Shopper fast home delivery service PayPoint retailers get 50% off the set-up fee!* Sign up today Scan the QR code or visit snappyshopper.co.uk/paypoint-enquiry-form ** Normal fee £500, discounted for PayPoint retailers to £250. For refund, retailer must exceed £2,000 ex VAT of basket sales in a week within 17 weeks of launch. Further terms and eligibility criteria apply. Please see retailers.snappyshopper.co.uk/terms-conditions/ for more information.

Feature

Cigars

CIGARILLOS MAKING THEIR MARK Despite being a relatively new format, cigarillos already account for over 65% of all cigars sold by volume in independent stores – so does your offer reflect this trend?

JTI’S ADVICE ON BUILDING A STRONG CORE RANGE Availability and range – Through stocking a full, range and maintaining good availability of products, retailers and their staff can provide a successful cigar offering and service to their customers. It is also important to recognise which cigars are proving particularly popular with customers so that retailers can meet this demand and customers can get their preferred product without having to shop around. Knowledge is key – Having up-to-date knowledge on the latest products is key to offering an informed and good level of customer service. To confidently talk about new products, retailers and their staff should use all the platforms available to them – including JTI’s trade retailer website, JTIAdvance.co.uk. This will help them to understand key category insights and product developments. Display it right – For retailers, there is now a larger category solution available, which includes backlighting where vaping, next-gen and tobacco products can be stored in the same gantry. The solution incorporates the entire category and is available in a variety of widths. If this is of interest, speak to your JTI representative about our new category management solutions.

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ust a few short years ago, cigarillos were little more than a niche, novelty item on any gantry where you could find them – but the sub-category has flourished in the last few years, driven by a whole range of factors including plain packs and the menthol ban, but the latest market data suggests they are rapidly becoming mainstream and represent an opportunity that no local retailer can afford to ignore. Alastair Williams, Country Director at Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK (STG UK), says: “If we look at the total UK picture, we can see that the cigar category has grown hugely over the last year or two, now standing at just over £273m in annual sales. This is predominantly due to the rapid growth of the cigarillo segment, which is already worth just over £75m and accounts for just over 39% of all cigars sold in volume terms [IRI, Aug 2021].” www.slrmag.co.uk

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Cigars

The growth is also partly down to the continual rise in the medium / large segment, albeit from a smaller base. Miniatures are still the largest segment within cigars, currently worth just under £105m in annual sales, while the small cigar segment appears to be continuing a slow but consistent decline. If you dig a little deeper, however, things start to get interesting, as Williams explains: “Now looking at the data for independents and symbols specifically in Scotland, we see that cigarillos account for just over 65% of all cigar volumes sold, with miniatures the next biggest segment at 23.4% [IRI, Aug 2021].” Possibly equally interesting is the fact that Medium / Large cigar sales in Scotland do not currently mirror the wider UK picture and are not yet enjoying the same success. Is that an opportunity we see before us?

Q The total value of the cigar market in the UK is approximately £270m [IRI, Jul 2021]. Q Cigarillos is the leading cigar category, with a current market share of 39% [IRI, Aug 2021]. Q In June 2021, cigar sales volumes were up 17.6% versus the same month last year, mainly driven by the strong growth of the cigarillo category this year [IRI].

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“With Christmas on the horizon, this might be a good opportunity for Scottish retailers to talk to their customers and see if they can trade them up to a larger cigar as part of their festive celebrations,” advises Williams.

CIGARILLO STORM So, with cigarillos already accounting for 65% of sales in independents, it makes sense for local retailers to ensure that their cigar offering in-store is in line with this huge shift. “The menthol ban has seen adult smokers try a variety of different options over the last 18 months or so, of which filter cigarillos like our Signature Action brand are clearly a very credible one,” comments Williams. “In terms of the impact from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the tobacco category, and cigars within it, have proven to be pretty robust thus far, but it has perhaps highlighted and even sped up the existing trend towards adult smokers looking for value products, due to the current challenging economic conditions.” Cigarillos meet this demand for value by offering relatively low outof-pocket spend products that are fairly familiar in terms of smoking experience to cigarette smokers, or former cigarette smokers. Ross Hennessy, Sales Vice President at JTI UK, agrees that the festive period offers a great opportunity to grow cigar sales: “Every year, cigar sales follow a very similar pattern with a volume uplift trend in the run up to December [IRI, three years to Jun 2021]. Therefore, now is a good time to stock up on cigars such as Sterling Dual Capsule Leaf Wrapped to take full advantage of this seasonal profit opportunity. “Products like Sterling Dual Capsule Leaf Wrapped have been a crucial footfall driver for retailers in recent months and will continue to be. Retailers should monitor this category trend to ensure they’re able to capitalise on any developments and potential profit opportunities.” Sterling Dual Capsule Leaf Wrapped is the UK’s best-selling cigarillo brand with a 93.9% share of the UK cigarillo market [IRI, Jun 2021]. The product includes a mentholated Virginia blend tobacco and capsule filter that when crushed releases a peppermint flavour. “Sterling Dual Capsule Leaf Wrapped offers a good value and high-quality product,” says Hennessy. “We’d recommend retailers stock up on both the 10s and 20s formats to offer more choice to customers and make the most of this successful brand.”

NPD Despite the major restrictions on the wider tobacco category, cigar manufacturers continue to benefit from being excluded www.slrmag.co.uk

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How My BAT Rewards works 3 simple steps: Sign-up to My BAT Rewards, Stock the required SKUs, Earn rewards. STEP 1 Become a member of My BAT Rewards by signing up through your BAT Sales Representative.

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Cigars

from many of the EUTPD2 regulations and continue innovate with new products and formats. Back in the summer STG UK introduced a new pack format for its Signature Red Filter brand, which is the UK’s best-selling aromatic filter cigar. The new pocket friendly sized pack comes with the low out of pocket price of just £5.79, and perfectly matches the current trend towards a more convenient smoking experience. “Signature Red Filter is currently the ninth best-selling cigar brand in the UK with an annual sales value of just under £8m,” says Williams. “It’s smooth taste and vanilla flavour prove consistently popular with those adult smokers who enjoy an aromatic cigar, and it plays an important role in the market leading Signature brand family, perfectly complementing Signature Blue, Signature Original and the more recent addition Signature Action.” But Williams also reminds retailers that, while cigarillos are driving the growth, miniatures remain vital to the category. He says: “Sub-segments like cigarillos and medium / large cigars will probably continue to grow in importance, so retailers need to ensure they are stocking the right brands to meet consumer demand. But let’s not forget it is miniatures which are still very much the engine room of the category so ignore the top brands like Signature and Moments at your peril! “In terms of merchandising and ranging, it’s more important to stock the right range rather than a broad range as the top 10 cigar brands account for nearly 90% of sales. And 46

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as cigars are exempt from the plain packaging legislation, we recommend retailers stock them on the middle shelf of the gantry where they are visible, and more likely to be purchased by adult smokers who can see them.”

STAFF TRAINING Williams concludes on a cautionary note about the vital importance of ensuring that store stuff truly understand the category. He comments: “In general, talking to your customers is key, but particularly with your tobacco customers, who may well be the most loyal you have, so it makes sense to treat them accordingly. We all know that their associated basket spend can often be significant too, so always keep their brands in stock and don’t give them a reason to shop elsewhere. “Also, with summer gone and Christmas approaching, some of your adult smoker customers may start to think about larger format cigars to enjoy as part of their festive celebrations so ensure your staff are equipped with the knowledge to have those kinds of conversations. Retailers can use our new trade website (stgtrade.co.uk) as a good reference point to increase their knowledge and that of their staff. They are also very welcome to request a visit from an STG sales rep, by simply sending an email to enquiries.uk@ st-group.com and someone will come and visit them to talk about the cigar category and ensure they are well placed to maximise sales.” www.slrmag.co.uk

PROTECT YOUR PROFITS

TAKE

RRP

.99 3 £

E PRIC* T S E LOW SHELF ON

THE PEPPERMINT CLICK FILTER CIGARILLO

PACK PEPP E RM INT CLICK FILTE R

WI T H VI R GI N I A B LEN D

*Lowest price for a similar peppermint click product. £3.99 is the Reccomended Retail Price only and correct at September 21. Increased stock rotation is not guaranteed by Scandinavian Tobacco Group Ltd.

EX T R A LO W O U T O F P O C KET P R I C E

FOR THE INFORMATION OF TOBACCO TRADERS ONLY

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Christmas Confectionery

SWEET CHRISTMAS

It’s all about the confectionery this Christmas, so SLR offers a few new products worth listing in the run up to the big day.

ith chaos reigning all around us, one thing nonetheless remains certain: shoppers will be buying confectionery in the next couple of months. The festive period is always a boom time for sweet treats whether they’re for gifting and sharing or just for personal consumption. To help you make sure you’ve got an interesting range this year, we caught up with Christmas confectionery kings Mondelez International to offer a guide to some new products that might be worth listing for this festive period to drive excitement, footfall, sales and profits.

NEW THIS YEAR CADBURY DAIRY MILK WINTER ORANGE EDITION The new launch comes with an impactful winter-themed design for strong standout on shelf and is a great size for a stocking filler. RSP £1.49.

CADBURY PUDS Returning to retailers’ shelves for the first time in nearly 20 years, this iconic festive favourite was last on sale in 2003. This is a key launch for the season, with impactful packaging to stand out on shelf and capture shoppers’ attention. RSP 60p.

CADBURY ADVENT CALENDAR: BUILD YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS TREE This year Cadbury is introducing an all-new advent calendar, allowing shoppers to build and decorate their very own pop-out Christmas tree throughout the month of December. With every Cadbury chocolate door opened, there’s a festive decoration to add to the pop-up Christmas tree featured inside the pack, with an innovative design for strong stand-out on shelf. RSP £5.99

CADBURY FREDDO COLOUR ME IN ADVENT Cadbury is helping retailers tap into key seasonal rituals with new Freddo Colour Me In Advent, with playful and interactive colouring pages, driving growth of the advent segment for retailers. RSP £3

CADBURY DAIRY MILK CHOCOLATE HOUSE 2020 saw families develop new snacking rituals, with an increase in the baking occasion. Cadbury is tapping into this with the launch of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate House. The NPD is a great activity to be shared with family and friends over the festive season. Made up of Cadbury White Buttons, Cadbury Dairy Milk Gingerbread, Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Wonderland, Cadbury Dairy Milk tablets and Cadbury Flake, there is something for every tastebud. RSP £14

CADBURY DAIRY MILK COLLECTION OF FESTIVE FAVOURITES All of shoppers’ Cadbury seasonal favourites are wrapped up in one delicious festive collection this year. Consisting of 2 x Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Wonderland bars, a Cadbury Dairy Milk Gingerbread bar and brand-new Cadbury Dairy Milk Orange Winter edition bar, the collection makes an ideal Secret Santa gift for a friend or loved one, with recyclable packaging. RSP £5.95

CADBURY FESTIVE FINGERS SELECTION Also new for 2021 is Cadbury Festive Fingers Selection, combining shopper favourites: Cadbury Dairy Milk Fingers, Cadbury Bournville Fingers and Cadbury Orange Fingers, while tapping into the adult gifting segment. The new launch is a great present for a loved one, or to be shared with family. RSP £4.50

SLR | OCTOBER 2021

www.slrmag.co.uk

*Consumer Test Cadbury Puds 01.12.2020

Advertising Feature

Fascia | Nisa

NISA:

THE PARTNER OF CHOICE Nisa works with some of Scotland’s leading independent retailers, providing expert retail support and a range of fascia options to suit all sizes of operation.

isa is proud to work with multi award-winning stores including Pinkie Farm, Ardeer Services, and Greens of Markinch, to name a few, making us the proven partner of choice for many market-leading, independently minded retailers in Scotland. And with recent industry recognition including the Retail Industry Awards accolade for Symbol/Franchise Retailer of the Year for the second year running, retailers can depend on award-winning support, access to an extensive product range comprising more than 13,000 SKUs and around 2,500 Co-op own brand products. Retailers have the option to operate under a symbol fascia; Nisa Local, Nisa Express or Nisa Extra, or dual branded, whereby a Nisa partner can maintain their own local identity whilst also benefiting from the strength of the Nisa brand. Alternatively, a retailer can choose to trade under their own independent fascia. The latest format, Nisa Express, provides a dedicated fascia option and store format for

smaller convenience and forecourt sites, and the latest technology and contemporary design providing a first-class shopping experience for the consumer. Catering for retailers operating in more compact spaces, the option for stores up to 1,000 sq. ft. has been developed with three different format options available – food centric, forecourt and essentials – providing a tailored solution for a wide range of retailers. Retailers get access to best in class support through Nisa’s new partner proposition, Fresh Thinking, including retail expertise and thought leadership to help continually improve customer experience through instore solutions, category insights, store format innovation and expert account management teams. Built on simplicity and fairness, the model gives independent retailers the opportunity to unlock up to 5.5.% rebate with additional benefits available for those embracing Co-op own brand products and with a Nisa fascia store. Retailers should visit nisalocally.co.uk/freshrewards to see how much rebate they could earn.

Nisa provides a complete retail support package which comprises a strong retail focused team, an enhanced category management system, a bespoke staff training facility and a comprehensive marketing package incorporating social media and PR support, leaflets, point of sale material, a personalised Nisa FM radio network and national advertising. And with its own insight team Nisa, helps retailers truly understand their customers and their marketplace, enabling them to modify their offer to match the ‘local’ demographic. Support comes from a strong field team including retail development managers and regional retail managers, as well as a specialist induction team that is dedicated to support new partners during their first 90 days with Nisa, ensuring a smooth transition process. And we know community involvement is key to independent retailers which is why we enable our partners to support local good causes through Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally charity, which has raised over £13 million for good causes to date.

To Join Nisa complete the form on www.nisalocally.co.uk/retailers/becoming-a-partner or contact our development team on 0800 542 7490. 50

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www.slrmag.co.uk

Scan the QR code to see Tom’s story.

Fresh thinkers wanted Find out more about becoming a Nisa partner at

nisalocally.co.uk/retailers or call 0800 542 7490

Nisa’s fresh thinking has helped Tom double the turnover of his store. Here’s how we could help you drive basket spend and add value to your business:

• Access to the Co-op own-brand range • A best in fresh range • The latest retail insight and expertise • Innovative store design You can also earn up to 5.5% rebate as part of our Fresh Rewards scheme.

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Medicated Confectionery

IT’S MEDICATION TIME!

It’s winter again and with more consumers than ever careful about their health after the last 18 months, this presents a great opportunity for retailers to cash in on sales of medicated confectionery.

niffles and coughs have never been more front of mind for consumers after 18 months of a pandemic, so as the winter months hurtle towards us, it’s a great time to be taking a fresh look at your medicated confectionery offer. Susan Nash, Trade Communications Manager at Mondelez International, says: “There has been much publicised around the expectation of a greater incidence of colds and flu this season, with many immune systems weakened due to staying at home and being less exposed to germs. Paired with the fact that there are no further lockdown restrictions planned at the time of writing, it is anticipated there will be increased demand for relief products throughout this winter season.” With seasonal products like this, it’s always wise to go with the big household name brands that consumers trust. You’re not likely to be stocking an extensive range, so sticking with well-known products from big brands should do the trick. “Whether it be for menthol clearing or gentle soothing, shoppers will look for brands they know and trust – such as Halls – in store,” advises Nash. “Brands like Halls, the number one relief candy brand in the UK [Nielsen, Jul 2019], must be readily available in store to fulfil increasing 52

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“It is anticipated there will be increased demand for relief products throughout this winter season.” SUSAN NASH, MONDELEZ INTERNATIONAL

shopper needs, with the brand accounting for 50% of cough-drop sales worldwide. “Halls has a cohesive look and feel across the portfolio, allowing consumers to find their chosen solution with confidence and ease, including best-sellers Halls Mentholyptus Extra Strong and Halls Soothers Blackcurrant. “We advise retailers to stock the full range of the No.1 relief candy brand this winter, to meet all shoppers needs and flavour preferences and the anticipated increase in demand.” Another trusted brand worth stocking is Lockets from Mars Wrigley. Victoria Gell,

Fruity Confections Portfolio Director, says: “As a familiar and trusted brand, Lockets has helped to keep Brits going through the winter months for many years. A brand consumers depend on to help them get through the day with a clear head, Lockets contains a soothing liquid centre and clearing menthol, whilst its double action formula is one that can be relied upon to calm stubborn coughs and colds and ease discomfort. Each pack contains 10 sweets and the range includes three delicious flavours – Honey & Lemon, Extra Strong and Cranberry & Blueberry.” Gell says Mars Wrigley has a dedicated range of eye-catching POS to help make the most of over the counter medicines and encourage customers to buy on impulse. Having a fullystocked display will help maximise profit potential and guarantee repeat custom. “Over the counter medicine is increasingly important to stock during the colder months as consumers become more reliant on stores that can cater to all of their top-up-shop needs,” she says. “Lockets is a trusted brand which helps many people get through the day, easing colds and coughs so families can get on with what’s important. With this is mind, our great range of POS will support retailers and help boost their sales during the winter season.” www.slrmag.co.uk

*Nielsen, Total coverage, value sales , Mat 19.06.21

UTC

IKEA, THAT’S PISH

DOM’S ‘BIG MONEY SHOT’ ‘Fascinating’ and ‘entertaining’ are two words seldom found in the same sentence as ‘logistics’ but this month saw the launch of a fascinating and entertaining new BBC1 programme about logistics. UTC was, as you can imagine, positively erect at the prospect. Occupying the prime ‘Cash in the attic’ 10am slot, ‘Dom Delivers’ stars that doyen of daytime TV, cheeky chappie Dominic Littlewood. As excuses to avoid working go, it was pretty thin, but the auld boy assured his Editor that tuning in for Dom was ‘invaluable research’. Episode one showcased the Post Office’s “crucial role” in the journey of cash and climaxes in a busy city centre branch where customers are seen “withdrawing and depositing” money. Apparently, one of Dominic’s favourite moments in the episode was the opportunity to empty a huge bag of coins into a coin sorting machine. He describes it as “the big money shot”. Much to his colleagues’ surprise, UTC was back at his desk by 10.05am.

Over the years, the auld boy has been known to discuss how he sometimes feels like he’s being watched when he nips to the bog for a single fish after a few drams at his local. Having seen his local, the chances are fairly good that he IS being watched, but we’ll leave that one there. So his hackles were raised when he learned that flat-pack and meatball specialists Ikea have found themselves in hot water after surveillance cameras were discovered in a ceiling void above staff toilets and locker rooms at one of its distribution centres. Speaking to the BBC, ironically-named former employee Shannon Bodily expressed dismay that her bodily functions may have been caught on camera. “I feel vulnerable, I feel violated,” she quite rightly said. Ikea’s response? Make sense of this, if you can: “For the purpose of maintaining a safe workplace for all co-workers, surveillance cameras were installed in the void above the ceilings in the bathrooms and locker areas.”

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, EH CRISTIANO? One good thing about the recent fuel shortage is that we were all in it together. Well, almost. We may all be equal, as UTC’s favourite author George Orwell once wrote, but some of us are more equal than others. Step forward footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese soccer wizard is just like the rest of us in that he’s got a car that needs filling up. He’s actually got closer to 20 cars, worth around £17m in total, but that’s another story. Unlike the rest of us, however, Ronaldo has staff to take care of life’s menial matters. Therefore, an unfortunate lackey spent the best part of seven hours queuing outside a Shell petrol station in Cheshire waiting to spend the maximum of £30 on fuel that the forecourt allowed each customer. Given that the Manchester United star’s runabout of choice is a £220,000 Bentley Flying Spur, 30 quid’s worth of petrol was probably just about enough to get the car back to Ronaldo’s modest gaff. UTC was heart-broke to learn that after waiting for seven hours, the tanks were dry by the time Ronaldo’s loyal servant got to the front of the queue and he drove off with just a coffee from the forecourt’s Spar store to show for his trouble.

SLR | OCTOBER 2021