RETAIL THE WEEK IN Issue 17thWednesday118August 2022 CAN A VACUUM-PACKING FRIDGE HELP FIGHT FOOD WASTE? + Brought to you by: DEPOSIT RETURN SCHEME ONE YEAR TO SUDDENGOIMPACT CHARITY SURGE IN DEMAND FOR GROCERYAID SERVICES COUNTDOWN BEGINS TO SCOTLAND’S DRS SPLITNORTH-SOUTH ACCESS TO CASH ‘NOTICEABLE’ DIVIDE IN CASH USE ● Baskets bursting Bedminsterin ● Inflationshoppingchanginghabits ● Hitler wineoutragesparks Commercial Partner:
Scotland has a long and often unenviable history of being the guinea pigs when it comes to new legislation. Anyone old enough to remember the infamous Poll Tax in 1989? Since then, Scotland has led the way (usually unwillingly) on everything from the tobacco display ban to Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP). The latest bit of legislation set to land north of border before it hits England is the new-fangled and much misunderstood Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). Yesterday was an important day on that front as it marked the start the of the ‘year to go’ count down for DRS in Scotland with the new scheme set to go live on 16 August 2023. As most retailers will be aware, it hasn’t been an easy journey. The introduction date has been subject to lengthy delays and, to be honest, the initial interest in DRS among retailers has long since waned in Scotland. But with a year to go, it’s time to start firing up some enthu siasm and start viewing DRS as a real opportunity for independent retailers, rather than viewing it as just another bit of costly, irritating legislation that won’t achieve what it was created to bring about. It’s fairly clear – unlike the tobacco display ban or even MUP – that DRS will have an instant and
THE WEEK IN RETAIL EDITOR’S COMMENT
The DRS clock is ticking... a long-term significant, positive effect. The same cannot be said of the tobacco display ban or of MUP. Broadly speaking, DRS is likely to rapidly double the current rate of recycling which is cur rently achieved largely through kerbside systems. Every country around the globe with a DRS has seen an instant and huge effect. Scotland will be no different.Thebenefits of the system are obvious, but some benefits are less obvious. As producers scrabble to make all of their drinks containers recyclable and, increasingly, recycled, the major problem is a dearth of materials. There’s not enough recyclable plastic around to meet the demand from producers keen to move to rPet containers. DRS will go a long way to sorting that in very short order. Yes, it’s more hassle for retailers but surely as a sector we should be embracing something with such obvious and clear benefit not only to our own communities but to the entire planet? Sustainabil ity is a massive issue, particularly among younger shoppers, and it isn’t going away. Neither is DRS. So it’s time to grasp that thistle and make DRS a huge success that delivers community, sustaina bility and commercial benefits for local retailers.
WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2022 / ISSUE 118 / SLRMAG.CO.UK I 3 ANTONY BEGLEY,EDITOR ANTONYBEGLEY ANTONYBEGLEY ANTONYBEGLEY
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CONTENTS WEDNESDAY 17 AUGUST 2022 / ISSUE 118 WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2022 / ISSUE 118 / SLRMAG.CO.UK I 5 THIS WEEK’S NEWS Scotland is leading the UK’s high street spending recovery and new research reveals that 16% of Brits don’t bother to recycle. FOOD - TO - GO Northern England Spar wholesaler James Hall & Co updates its food-to-go range just as its sandwich sales raise £250,000 for Marie Curie. COVER STORY With one year to go until the country’s deposit return scheme goes live, Scotland’s retailers are urged to begin preparing now. 20106 9 Covid-19 update The latest coronavirus-related news. 13 Store refits A refurbished Nisa Local store in Bedminster sees sales double since relaunching in March this year. 14 Support GroceryAid’s latest Impact Report reveals a surge in demand for the industry charity’s services over the past year. 15 Access to cash A north-south divide is ‘noticeable’ in cash use, new Co-op research finds. 17 Shop prices Grocery price inflation jumps to 11.6% over the past four weeks, its highest level since Kantar first started tracking the data this way in 2008. 18 Cost of living Consumers are changing their shopping behaviour as inflation starts to bite, Barclaycard data has revealed. 19 Off-trade At-home consumption of alcohol has increased, despite the end of lockdowns, according to new IRI research. 21 Picks of the week A look at the latest new products and marketing campaigns, including a sleigh-ful of Christmas confectionery from Cadbury. 26 Out the box: food waste Vacuum packing food in a fridge is touted as a fresh hope in the fight against food waste. 29 Before you go... Our latest Retail Randoms see a Hitlerthemed wine range roundly condemned and a dream job opportunity for someone with a very sweet tooth.
Scotland leads the way in high street spending recovery, according to new data from Takepayments.
Dundee-based home delivery plat form Snappy Shopper has teamed up with Gander, an app that provides real-time information on reduced item goods, to enable independent retailers to decrease waste, increase revenue, and support their local com munities.Gander will integrate into product menus on the Snappy Shopper app, highlighting reduced products that would otherwise go to waste, increas ing impulse purchases, and boosting overall basket spend. The feature aims to improve bot tom lines, with an average 90% of reduced items sold instead of becom ing surplus and 77% of shoppers buy ing a full-price item as well as reduced stock.
The UK’s smaller towns are outpacing city centres in terms of growth.
CONSUMER
6 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 1XX / WEDNESDAY XX XX 202X Aviemore ‘22 We’re Back! To find out more contact the SPAR 22ndTradeshowScotlandTeamon01382512000ThursdaySeptember2022TradeshowThankyoutoourkeysponsors!ExhibitionareaisnowSOLDOUT! NEWS DIGEST FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/ THIS WEEK’S NEWS
Snappy Shopper joins forces with Gander SPENDING
Scotland leads the way in high street spending
The card payment provider’s research into high street spending finds that Kirkwall (22%), Inverness (10%), and Paisley (7%) have the strongest year-on-year growth. Across the board, it is the smaller towns and cities that are outpacing the rest of the UK in terms of growth in high street spending.
Sandra Rowley, head of marketing for Takepayments, said: “Consumer spending is firmly in the spotlight at the moment amid the current costof-living crisis. Naturally, spending is down year-on-year as millions are cutting back to save money where they can. It comes as no surprise in that case that our report found overall spending is down 1% year-on-year and 3% over the past six months. “The after-effects of lockdowns and restrictions are likely to be felt for a long time to come. Workers con tinue to reduce the amount of time spent in offices, for example, which means less footfall through busy city centres. This goes some way towards explaining why smaller towns and cities are outpacing the giants when it comes to spending power.”
NEWS DIGEST FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/ THIS WEEK’S NEWS
GS1 UK commissioned the research to gauge consumer awareness and atti tudes ahead of the implementation of deposit return schemes across the UK.
Deposit return schemes encourage recycling by charging a deposit on drinks containers which is refunded when items are returned to a collection point. Only 42% of consumers have heard of the schemes and understand how they worked, according to GS1 UK. Its research also found 26% of respondents had no idea what deposit return schemes are at all.
New research has revealed that 16% of Brits don’t bother to recycle, with a lack of knowledge about what can and can’t be recycled cited as the most common reason.Anew poll of 2,000 adults found that a third (34%) believe recycling is unnecessarily complicated, whilst 45% think that simplicity would be the most important aspect of the recycling system were it to be redesigned. In fact, recent figures from DEFRA show that the amount of household waste recycled in England fell by 1.5% in 2020 to 44%, 6% below the EU min imum target of 50%.
SUSTAINABILITY CJ Lang & Son Ltd, Longtown Distribution Centre, 78 Longtown Road, Dundee, DD4 8JU www.cjlang.co.ukandSparScotlandOfficialwww.sparscotland.co.uk@SparScotland@SparScotlandCJLang&SonLimitedTofindoutmorejoinourawardwinningteamemailRecruitmentManager,CraigLynn:craig.lynn@cjlang.co.uk • Up to 6% rebate • Delivery to your store –anywhere in Scotland • A smooth onboarding process including market leading aftercare support • Dedicated yourcontactDevelopmentBusinessManagertosupportongoingbusinessneedswith GROW YOUR BUSINESS SymbolGroup of the Ye ar WINNER
JW Filshill acquires local competitor Iain Hill Paisley-based food and drink wholesaler JW Filshill has taken over Iain Hill Ltd for an undisclosed sum. Linwood-based Iain Hill is a deliv ered wholesaler that specialises in soft drinks, confectionery, snacks and other impulse products. The acquisition comes as Filshill plans to move to a new 123,034sq ft dis tribution centre near Glasgow Airport. It also means that Filshill is look ing to recruit locally for additional drivers and warehouse operatives. “Iain Hill Ltd is a perfect fit for Filshill given the many synergies between the two businesses – both independent family-owned compa nies with the same values and peo ple-focused culture,” said Filshill chief executive Simon Hannah. 16% of Brits unaware of plans to transform recycling system Simplicity has been cited as the most important aspect of recycling if it was to be redesigned.
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The UK’s medicines regulator has approved an updated version of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine that targets two variants (known as a bivalent vaccine). In each dose of the booster vaccine, half of the vaccine targets the original virus strain from 2020, while the other targets the Omicron variant.
The Medicines and Healthcare prod ucts Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) deci sion was based on data from a clinical trial, which showed that a booster with the bivalent Moderna vaccine triggers a strong immune response against both Omicron (BA.1) and the original 2020 strain.
NEWS SPECIAL COVID -19 UPDATE
DELIVERIESCITYELECTRIFIESTESCOCENTRE
SOLUTIONSTECH
In what it’s claiming as an industry first, Tesco has become the first retailer to launch a zeroemission electric lorry to make deliveries from its distribution centres to stores in city centres. The first electrically powered lorry of its kind, made by Renault, is now delivering to more than 400 stores in Greater London, with further electric lorries entering service in the coming months.
The UK has become the first country to greenlight a bivalent vaccine.
In an exploratory analysis the biva lent vaccine was also found to generate a good immune response against the Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5. “The first generation of Covid-19 vaccines being used in the UK con tinue to provide important protection against the disease and save lives,” Dr June Raine, MHRA chief executive said. “What this bivalent vaccine gives us is a sharpened tool in our armoury to help protect us against this disease as the virus continues to evolve.” UK coronavirus cases are currently falling, with around 2.5 million people testing positive in mid-to-late July.
The lorry has a range of up to 130 miles and can carry the same payload as the diesel truck it replaces. To power it, Tesco has installed electric charge points at its Dagenham distribution centre.
WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2022 / ISSUE 118 / SLRMAG.CO.UK I 9
First vaccine booster to target two approvedvariants
SCOTLAND DRS Scotland’s DRS, the first in the UK, has the goal to ensure that 90% of drinks containers are recycled and aims to drive the country’s move to a circular economy. Every business that makes or sells drinks in single-use glass or plastic bottles or cans will be impacted by the Formalscheme.registration for the scheme will open in December and those who will operate return points across Scot land are being encouraged to sign up to the Circularity Scotland website now to receive all the information they will need to help them prepare. Of course,
Circularity Scotland (CSL) has called on producers, retailers and hospitality venues across Scot land to begin preparing for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), due to go live a year from now (16 August 2023).
Scottish retailers urged to There is one year to go until
10 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 118 / WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2022 DAVID HARRIS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CIRCULARITY SCOTLAND
COVER DEPOSIT RETURN
“Withoneyeartogountiltheschemegoesliveforconsumers,Iwouldencourageallbusinessesandorganisationsthatproduce,shiporselldrinkstogetinvolvedwiththeschemenow.”CirculareconomyministerLornaSlater
SCHEMES to begin preparing for DRS until the scheme goes live. there is plenty more to do before August 16th, 2023, and we know that both drinks producers and those who will act as return point operators will need to make changes to how they operate,” said David Harris, CSL’s chief executive. “We’re here to support them in their preparations and would encourage them to sign up with us now to access all the information they need. We know that by working together we can make a huge difference in tackling climate change and support the growth of the circular economy in Scotland.”
SUPPORT In recent months CSL has secured £18m in commercial loans to support the set-up phase of the scheme; in July, it appointed sustainable waste management firm Biffa as the official logistics service provider, with responsibility for collecting and processing the recycling of the billions of drinks containers purchased by Scot tish consumers each year. The move is expected to create 500 jobs in Scotland. Estimates by Zero Waste Scotland suggest that the scheme will reduce emissions by an average of nearly 160,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year – the equivalent of 109,000 return flights from Edinburgh to New York. The 20p deposit also aims to provide an incentive to reduce littering, helping to cut the number of bottles and cans discarded in streets and green spaces.
RETURNSTORY
Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “Scotland is leading the way in the UK on delivering a circular econ omy. By putting in place a deposit return scheme, we are delivering on the public’s desire to see action on plastic and other waste, and making an important con tribution to the response to the climate emergency.“Thisscheme is being delivered by the industry for the industry. By putting businesses in charge, we are making sure that it works for them. With one year to go until the scheme goes live for consumers, I would encourage all busi nesses and organisations that produce, ship or sell drinks to get involved with the scheme now.”
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THE SCOTTISH BUYING GROUP FOR INDEPENDENT RETAILERS SINCE 1976 Delivery direct to store, small minimum order 14,000quantities.SKU count across all categories including Food to Go Access to the excellent Co-op Fresh Range 3 weekly promotion cycle available Year round Seasonal sales opportunities Fascia and branding opportunities through the well established brand Rebate scheme for qualifying members, spend level applies Extensive supplementary Direct to Store ranges and services Central Invoicing*, 1 weekly statement and 1 Direct Debit Scotland’s best kept retail secret, working with independent retailers for over 40 years providing access to one of the leading convenience retail groups while allowing you to run your store, your way with great ranges and great support delivered direct to your store. www.pgma.co.uk If you want to remain independent and have the support of PGMA behind you, drop us an email at pgma@pgma.co.uk or call Martin Devlin, Commercial Manager on 0131 343 7607. Scan here to be taken direct to the PGMA website
Basket spend has more than doubled, with meal solutions and the fresh range selling well. Fresh Co-op pizzas are prov ing particularly popular. “I didn’t use to think that shoppers would want to buy lots of fresh food from a convenience store but now I have realised that if you make the store look and feel good, and the products are there, shoppers will buy them,” added Nik.
WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2022 / ISSUE 118 / SLRMAG.CO.UK I 13 NISA LOCAL BEDMINSTER BEFORE (INSET) AND AFTER (ABOVE)
Arefurbished Nisa Local store in Bedminster has seen sales dou ble since its re-launch in March thisTheyear.1,800sq ft shop underwent a full refit, with every fixture and fitting removed and replaced, after the owners – three brothers – decided to give it the “wowThefactor”.store has been in the family for 12 years, but until recently was left “to run itself” while the owners focused on other things.
STORENISAREFITS
“We looked at all the symbol groups and when we visited a Nisa store, it was the only one that provided the fresh range we wanted,” co-owner Nik Patel said. The family decided to create their “dream store” with the aim of a com munity-focused store that met all the demands of local shoppers and removed the need to go to a large supermarket. “We have really changed our mind set,” said Nik. “We’re backed with the Co-op brand which we are seeing have a real impact as it is a brand that customers know and trust. And people are coming in and are filling up their shopping bas kets with us now.”
The new-look shop has more than doubled basket spend.
Re-fitted Nisa store enjoys sales growth since March
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The industry charity puts the increase down to an unprecedented year of challenges and growing awareness of how it can help colleagues. unprecedented year of challenges and an increase in awareness of the charity. According to the report, issues such as illness, the need to shield, home school, care for loved ones, spiralling bills and bereavement have impacted industry colleagues’ wellbeing, finances and avail ability to Throughoutwork. last year, GroceryAid has also ran several awareness cam paigns to raise the charity’s profile throughout the industry, from shop floor through to head office, ensur ing more colleagues are aware of the support available to them 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In April of this Industry charity, GroceryAid, expe rienced a 61% increase in instances of welfare support for colleagues last year, according to its recently launched Impact Report. The report also details a 98% increase in the number of Relate counselling sessions delivered in 2021, and a 101% increase in legal advice referrals. The GroceryAid Welfare Team also dealt with an average of 744 applications for financial support per month, a rise of more than 150% compared to the pre viousTheyear.increase in demand for the Gro ceryAid’s services is the result of an year, more than 220 companies took part in its annual GA Day campaign: #LetsTalkGroceryAid.AllanLeighton,GroceryAid pres ident, commented: “In the past year, GroceryAid has provided more emo tional, practical and financial support than ever before in its 165-year history.
GroceryAid report reveals surge in demand for support
“Our industry is still feeling the fall out from the pandemic. As employ ers take admirable steps to protect colleagues from the emotional and economic aftermath of Covid, we are helping record numbers cope with the unforeseen changes to their personal circumstances.”
GROCERYAIDSUPPORT
The Co-op’s ‘Way we pay’ report has found that, whilst cash use has fallen from 54% to 28% since 2016, in many areas cash payments remain as high as 44%; counties in Northern Ireland, the Northeast, Wales and Scotland top the Thelist. same areas have also been hit by bank closures, with half of all banks closing since 2015, while the majority are also affected by poverty and high unemployment levels, according to the retailer.
The data also revealed that many people who do not regularly use notes and coins would use more cash to help manage finances as budgets are squeezed during the cost-of-living crisis.
In terms of the areas least dependent on cash, English counties made up 80% of the list – with 50% of those in the Southeast and 25% in the Southwest – where unemployment levels are low. The only northern English county with a reduced reliance on cash is Greater Manchester.Additional research from Which, also featured in Co-op’s report, finds those most likely to use cash are people in the lowest income households and it suggests that a third of respondents whose annual income was lower than £20,000 found cash easiest to budget.
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A new Co-op report also reveals that cash use has fallen from 65% to 28% since 2016.
ACCESS TO CASH CO - OP
The Co-op has also launched a char ter aiming to safeguard easy access to cash, which includes protecting the use of cash in stores; offering free-touse cash machines while also retaining free-to-use cashback facilities at stores without ATMs; and supporting access to cash through banking services provided through its post office counter network and One Banks in-store services.
New research by Co-op into cash use has shown a “clear” northsouth divide that highlights ine quality issues, the retailer said.
North-south divide ‘noticeable’ in cash use, research finds
Although London tops the list of places where contactless payments are most common, some boroughs still see one-in-three shoppers paying by cash.
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Grocery price inflation has jumped to 11.6% over the past four weeks, Kantar has found, marking the highest level since the ana lyst first started tracking the data this way in Products2008. like butter, milk and poul try, in particular, have seen some of the biggest jumps, meaning that the average annual shop is set to rise by a staggering £533, or £10.25 every week, if consumers buy the same products as they did last year. As a result, own-label ranges are at record levels of popularity, with sales rising by 7.3% and holding 51.6% of the market compared with branded prod ucts, the biggest share Kantar has ever recorded.Theanalyst said people are shopping around between retailers to find the best-value products. In comparison, during the 2008 recession, there was a much greater reliance on promotions. “It’s harder to hunt out these deals in 2022 – the number of products sold on promotion is at 24.7% for the four weeks to 7 August 2022, while 14 years ago it was at 30%,” Fraser McKevitt Head of Retail and Consumer Insight, Worldpanel Division, UK, said. “Instead, supermarkets are currently pointing shoppers towards their everyday low prices, value ranges and price matches instead.”What’s more, own-label value prod ucts increased by 19.7% this month. Overall, supermarket sales rose by 2.2% in the 12 weeks to 7 August, the fastest growth the industry has seen since April 2021. Lidl remains the fastest-growing gro cer, with sales up by 17.9% over the latest 12 weeks, raising its market share to 7%. This is its highest rate of growth since September 2017. Aldi also performed strongly, and its market share increased by 0.9 percentage points to 9.1%.
Grocery price inflation hits 11.6% in past four weeks WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2022 / ISSUE 118 / SLRMAG.CO.UK I 17
BUSINESSKANTARINTELLIGENCE
The shocking figure comes as the UK’s headline inflation rate reaches 10.1%.
What’s more, over half (52%) of this group are paying closer attention to the prices of items they buy regularly, and the same proportion (52%) are cutting down on luxuries or one-off treats for themselves. In addition, almost half (47%) have been opting for budget or own-brand goods over branded items.
Finally, after a surge in online shop ping during the pandemic, consumers are increasingly returning to brickand-mortar stores. In-store shopping grew faster than online in July, with the value and volume of face-to-face transactions up 8.5% and 12.9% yearon-year respectively.
Consumers are changing their shopping behaviour as inflation starts to bite, Barclaycard data has revealed.
18 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 118 / WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2022 COST OF BARCLAYCARDLIVING
Brits using smaller basket sizes to keep track of budget
Almost two-fifths (37%) of Brits are purchasing on a ‘need-tobuy’ basis to help limit their spend at the supermarket till, new data from Barclaycard has revealed. According to the latest insights from Barclaycard’s monthly Consumer Spending Index, the average value of a supermarket transaction has dropped from £23.67 in January 2021 to £19.33 in July 2022, while the average number of monthly supermarket purchases per person increased from 8.70 to 11.91 over the same Shoppersperiod.have been opting for smaller basket sizes, to help them keep track of their budget. Nearly two-fifths (37%) are purchasing certain items on a need-to-buy basis to save money and avoid waste, resulting in an emerging trend for smaller baskets and more fre quent trips to the supermarket to restock when items run out. Meanwhile, almost nine in 10 (89%) Brits report seeing increases in the prices of everyday items at the supermarket, with the majority noticing that butter (53%), milk (51%) and meat (47%) are more expensive than in June. As a result, 45% of shoppers report looking for ways to get more value from, or to reduce the cost of, their weekly shop.
Celebrating and socialising at home is showing no signs of waning, despite the end of lock downs.According to research by IRI, at-home consumption of alcohol has increased, as a result of rising prices and supply chain “Consumptionchallenges.trendscontinue to fluctuate with the impact of supply chain challenges and rising inflation, but opportunities for growth remain,” Scott Scanlon, executive vice-president of the Beverage Alcohol Vertical, IRI, said. “Consumers are looking to indulge and create entertaining experiences at home, and retailers should emphasise premium products and products with unique attributes in this space.”
In the meantime, demand for betterfor-you products has also increased, along with the desire to create positive moments.Theresearch has also shown that peo ple continue to drink across multiple categories, meaning that if this trend con tinues, the combination of beer, wine and spirits consumers is expected to increase to 30% within one to three years. What’s more, ready-to-drink spirits are taking off, with a pattern similar to sparkling water, cold-brew coffee and sports drinks.
“Ready-to-drink cocktails are a growth opportunity, but brands need to have a point of differentiation. Consider premium, value, interesting flavour com binations and better-for-you attributes,” addedIRI’sScanlon.findings came as PayPoint revealed what the nation’s top-trending tipples were on International Beer Day (Friday 5 August). Based on data from 28,000 c-stores, there was a surge in demand for Hol sten Pils Lager (+39%), Kestrel Super (+36%), Heineken NRB (+31%), Corona Extra (+23%) and Stella Artois (+23%) compared to the previous Friday.
At-home consumption of alcohol has increased, despite the end of lockdowns, according to new IRI research.
Stay-at-home drinkers in no rush to go out
WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2022 / ISSUE 118 / SLRMAG.CO.UK I 19
OFFIRITRADE
Available in Spar stores across the North of England, new sandwich flavours include the Chicken Club, Honey & Mustard Chicken, Cheese & Carrot Chutney, and a Seafood Cocktail. The new products are part of a 24-strong range of sandwiches made by the Great Northern Sandwich Com pany, one of James Hall & Co’s group of companies, and are included within Spar’s lunchtime meal deal.
Other additions include lunch box-size quiches in Cheese & Ham and Cheese & Onion flavours, made by Clay ton Park Bakery; the new Clayton Park Bakery Sausage and Cheese & Onion rolls complete the revamped range. “Food-to-go is a huge part of our business and we refresh our offer peri odically to ensure customers are seeing an evolving range in our Spar stores, and that they have something new to try,” Rebecca Billington, junior trading manager for fresh food-to-go at James Hall & Co, said.
Marie Curie sandwich sales reach £250,000 in donations.
James Hall & Co freshens up Spar food-to-go range
Complementing the new sand wiches are three new wraps that have been introduced to the range including a Cajun Chicken, Onion Bhaji, and a Tomato & Basil offering. One penny from every Spar sandwich or wrap sold in a store in Northern Eng land goes to Spar UK’s principal charity partner Marie Curie, and the new fillings have launched just as sale donations have hit the £250,000 milestone for the UK’s end-of-life-care charity. All the new Spar-branded products are benefiting from revised, eye-catch ing packaging too, with designs in a variety of standout colours.
20 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 118 / WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2022 FOOD TO GO JAMES HALL & CO
WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2022 / ISSUE 118 / SLRMAG.CO.UK I 21 NPD AND MEDIA PICKS OF THE WEEK – ROCKSTAR
Britvic’s energy drink brand Rockstar is launching two of its top-performing flavours, Juiced El-Mango and Tropical Punch, in price-markedpacksThe(PMPs).moveis designed to further drive impulse purchases and bring new shoppers into the category, as 66.9% of sales in the soft drinks channel now come from PMPs, an increase from 66% in 2021. The two flavours are available in wholesale and convenience now, with the rollout supported by in-depot activations, retailer POS and field support.
“Nine out of 10 shoppers say taste is the most important consideration when buying a soft drink, so flavours, in particular, are important for piquing shoppers’ interest and generating excitement in the category,” Ben Parker, retail commercial director at Britvic, said. “As a trusted and recognisable brand, the Rock star range comes in a variety of great-tasting flavours, and also offers the functional benefits needed for consumers to keep their energy levels up. The addition of Juiced El-Mango and Tropical Punch in a PMP format will offer shoppers price reassurance and a greater perception of value for Withmoney.”HFSS legislations on the horizon, Rock star recently announced a reduction in the sugar content across its range of energy drinks to be fully HFSS compliant, including Juiced El-Mango and Tropical Punch.
ROCKSTAR LAUNCHES TOP FLAVOURS IN PMPS
Price-marked packaging is a strong sales driver in the soft drinks category.
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The campaign started this week and runs until 9 October 2022. It aims to reinforce Walkers’ ambition for 50% of its snack sales to come from products classified as non-HFSS, or from products sold in portions of 100 calories or less by 2025. This year’s media activity follows the 2021 ‘100 calories or less’ campaign, which saw Walkers Top Five family snacks six-pack multipacks grow +8% during the campaign period versus the prior year.
The company is deploying a multichannel approach to get the message across, including digital, out-of-home and social in conjunction with the TV campaign, alongside influencer activity with comedian Aaron Crascall.The move aims to drive public awareness that Walkers’ current portfolio of multipack snacks contain 100 calories or less per pack.
WALKERS UNVEILS SURPRISING CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE LESS CALORIFIC MULTIPACKS
Walkers is also planning a social media competition where consumers will have the chance to win £1,000 when they send in their best surprised face. “More permissible choices are a key purchase driver for families when considering snacks,” Katherine Cook, marketing manager for Walkers Snacks at PepsiCo, said. “However, 69% of UK consumers are still not aware that Walkers’ current portfolio of multipack snacks contain 100 calories or less per pack. We want to change this narrative by shining a light on our family snacks multipack range – which spans Wotsits, Quavers, Squares, French Fries and now Monster Munch. Our hope is to pleasantly surprise the public and drive further sales for our customers.”
NPD AND MEDIA PICKS OF THE WEEK – WALKERS
Walkers has revealed a ‘heavyweight’ marketing campaign to highlight that its Walkers Family snacks multipacks are less than 100 calories per pack.Brands promoted include Wotsits, Quavers, French Fries, Squares and Monster Munch and Walkers will use a tongue-in-cheek TV creative showing shoppers who are “surprised and delighted” to find out the products are 100 calories or less per multipack inner.
The new lines aim to help retailers drive incremental
NPD AND MEDIA PICKS OF THE WEEK – BELVITA
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HEALTHIER OFFERING WITH NON-HFSS LAUNCHES
BELVITA GROWS
Breakfast biscuit brand Belvita has expanded its portfolio of healthier products with three new non-HFSS additions. Belvita Fruit Crunch and Belvita Soft Bakes Filled Apricot aim to help drive incremental sales for retailers by combining a unique recipe and healthier credentials. The new Belvita Fruit Crunch Bars contain under 100 calories per biscuit, offering a lighter option for afternoon snacking and as fuel for in-be tween mealtime moments. It comes in Raisin & Currant and Apple & Pear flavours. Meanwhile, Belvita Soft Bakes Filled Apricot brings a fruit flavour to the belVita Soft Bakes range for the first time, with an apricot jam filling. All three new snacks from belVita are nonHFSS, meaning they won’t be subject to restrictions coming into place in October and retailers can site the snacks anywhere in the store. The new bars are also low in saturated fat, giving consumers healthier alternatives to other category offerings.
“These latest tasty additions to the growing Belvita range are set to offer shoppers exciting, healthier options,” Amy Lucas, Brand Manager for Belvita at Mondelez International, said. “We know there is a real opportunity for retail ers to drive interest and grow sales at both the morning and afternoon snacking occasions now that consumers’ routines have returned to normal, so the new Fruit Crunch and Filled Apricot biscuits will be a delicious snack for them to enjoy at home or on the move.” With an RSP of £2.99 for each multipack of individually wrapped packets, the new variants will be available from mid-August (Soft Bakes Filled Apricot) and September (Fruit Crunch).
Cadbury Mini Snowballs Bar sees the combination of the Mini Snowballs with Cadbury. The treat comes in the Cadbury heartland tablet format, which is suitable for both sharing and self-treat occasions. RSP £1.49.
Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Mint Crisp is a top performer at Christmas and is now available in a 360g block format. RSP £3.99.
FAVOURITES SELECTION
CHRISTMAS
MINI SNOWBALLS BAR
Small Tin (396g) RSP £5.99. Big Tin (850g) RSP £12. The brand has also rolled out a new version of its Heroes tin that features a built-in version of the game Who Am I? RSP £12.
WHITE JINGLY BELLS
KICK OFF Cadbury has unveiled a sleigh-ful of new products ahead of Christmas, as well as a brand-new look across its seasonal range.
CHUNK COLLECTION
The brand new Cadbury Favourites selection box offers several Dairy Milk treats includ ing a sharing bag of Buttons, a box of Fingers, a Twirl bar and a 100g tablet. The stand-out design includes the label “for someone special”. RSP £5.95.
DAIRY MILK WINTER MINT CRISP
Tins are growing in Christmas confectionery and Cadbury has launched two new addi tions to the category, filled with Cadbury Chunks.
Cadbury Jingly Bells is expanding its range with a brand new White addi tion for 2022. Jingly Bells are individually wrapped in large sharing pouches and have an eye-catching seasonal design of snow flakes on a cosy knitted background. RSP £1.49.
NPD AND MEDIA PICKS OF THE WEEK – CADBURYS
The Cadbury Dairy Milk Advent Bar is sectioned into 25 individually numbered chunks that can be broken off and consumed each day in the lead-up to Christmas. Retailers can join in the fun by encouraging shoppers to take part in the ‘One Chunk A Day Challenge’. RSP £3.49.
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WHITE SANTA Mondelez is rolling out a brand new chocolate Santa, made from indulgent Cadbury White. The flavour is accompanied by a design of Santa wearing white, rather than his traditional red. RSP £2.99.
DAIRY MILK ADVENT BAR
DAIRY MILK TINS/ GAMEHEROESTIN
The brand new Cadbury Chunk Collection offers individually wrapped chunks of Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramel and Cadbury Dairy Milk Wholenut. Mondelez said the product has an aspect of versatility that allows retailers to tap into various seasonal shopper gifting occasions. RSP £5.
FOOTIE CRAZE Cadbury has launched a new on-pack promotion to engage football fans in stores across the UK. Win a Worldie is appearing on packs of Cadbury chocolate – as well as selected Maynards Bassetts, Trebor and Cadbury Biscuits products – through to November.
NO IFS, NEW BURTS
COLOURFUL XMAS Oreo aims to bring a twist to Christmas this year with new Oreo Festive Colours. For the first time across Europe, Oreo biscuits will have red, green and white coloured crème in their centres. Despite the different colours, the biscuits retain their Original Vanilla flavour.
Burts Chips has introduced two flavours of popcorn, adding to its range of flavoured snacks as it focuses on building its brand in premium bagged snacks. The new additions include Lightly Salted (20g) and Sweet & Salty (28g). Popcorn is now a £147m category.
GOLD LOVE Toblerone has expanded its range with a new limited-edition Golden variant, combining the nougat of a traditional Toblerone with a blend of caramelised white chocolate that has been newly developed for the UK and Ireland. The launch is backed by PR activity and in-store support.
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WHITE SWEETNESS
Toffifee has launched a lim ited-edition white chocolate flavour in 125g boxes, which offers the brand’s usual hazel nut in caramel but with a light crème filling and topped with white chocolate. The new prod uct is expected to tap into white chocolate’s popularity.
PMP COMEBACK Rustlers has added Rustlers Hotdog to its PMP range in the convenience market. The addi tion aims to help the brand tap into demand for PMP products. It joins the Quarter Pounder, BBQ Rib, All-Day Breakfast Sausage Muffin and Southern Fried Chicken Sub.
NPD AND MEDIA PICKS OF THE WEEK
DOES THAT REALLY HELP?
26 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 118 / WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2022 NOW THAT’S A OUT THE
Food waste? Just Vacuum packing food in a fridge is touted as
Vacuum packing is a decades-old idea for saving space, but it is now making a comeback as a fresh innovation to tackle food waste.
WHAT’S THE CONCEPT? Food waste is a big problem in the whole world – and one that needs to be dealt with urgently if climate change is to be brought under control. According to estimates, the UK produces around 9.5 million tonnes of food waste, despite 8.4 million people in the country being in food poverty. Meanwhile, a study by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) in 2017 showed that the aver age UK household spends over £470 annually on binned food – with 70% of the food thrown away having had the potential to be eaten.
Now Hitachi believes it has found a silver lining: a refrigerator that con tains a vacuum compartment that drives down food waste.
HOW DOES IT WORK? The tech giant’s new Vacuum Compart ment technology aims to significantly extend the storage life of fresh food in the refrigerator by extracting air from a sealed food drawer to create a partial vacuum around fresh, chilled foods such as vegetables, fruit, meat and fish. The process is thought to not only increase food longevity through reduced oxygen (slowing the oxidation/decom position process), but to also help keep meat and fish moist, retain nutrients and colour in fruit and vegetables, and main tain the flavour and texture of cheeses. Once shut, the vacuum compartment uses a small pump to withdraw air from the sealed drawer and maintain around 0.8 atm air pressure. To open the drawer, owners have to lift the handle to release the vacuum seal, accompanied by a ‘whoosh’ of air returning to the compartment.
Independent tests at the Suranaree University of Technology in Thailand showed the Hitachi Vacuum Compart ment retained 97% of the vital omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, in fresh fish (mackerel) after three days compared to just 93% in a standard chiller compartment. In fresh fruit, vitamin levels can drop dramatically in the fridge, yet
Just hoover it up!
A new feature from Farmstead reminds you what’s in your refrigerator to reduce food waste.
to double the storage life and nutrient retention time of fresh foods, helping to reduce food waste and save money on food shopping bills.”
a fresh hope in the fight against food waste.
WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2022 / ISSUE 118 / SLRMAG.CO.UK I 27
the Hitachi Vacuum Drawer retained 30% more vitamin C in pineapple than a typical refrigerator over the same three days, the company noted. “In the home, where most food waste occurs, our latest Vacuum Compartment tech nology offers one solution to reduce waste by keeping food fresher for longer,” Hitachi Europe’s Head of Consumer, Richard Bass, commented.
AND WHAT ABOUT RETAIL? It is not in the realm of impossi ble to see something like this enter the retail world in the future. Food agenda and retailers are not immune to it. Waitrose and Marks & Spencer have already decided to remove ‘best before’ dates on 500 products to help tackle food waste. If vacuum packing proves to be a successful household solution, why could it not help retail ers extend sell-by dates by extending shelf life?
A GOOD IDEA… THE BOX
01.09.2022 George Bowie • DJ Cassi • Pretty Ugly Simon Cordiner • Rebecca Vasmant Money raised from this event will go to GroceryAid, the grocery industry charity. A Registered Charity Reg No. 1095897 (England & Wales) & SC039255 (Scotland). A company limited by guarantee. Registered in England & Wales No 04620683 GOLD SILVERPARTNERSSUPPORTERS OUTSOLD
The sale of products featuring swasti kas and other Nazi imagery is verboten across most of Europe, though not so much in fascism’s birthplace, Italy.
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BEFORE YOU GO RETAIL RANDOMS
A winemaker in Italy has come in for widespread condemnation after bottles of wine featuring images of Adolf Hitler were discovered on sale in stores across the country. Bottles from the “Der Führer” range also carry slogans including “Seig heil,” “Heil Hitler,” “Mein Kampf,” and
SWEET SORROW
This isn’t the first time the wines have drawn flak, with the Simon Wiesenthal Centre calling for a boycott as far back as 2013. With the hate-filled bottles still on shelves six years later, the Jewish human rights organisation then went as far as condemning Italy as “the hate-monger ing wine waiter of Europe”. stocks wines dedicated to communist dictators. Indeed, it does: a whopping total of five, compared to over 70 that pay tribute to Hitler, Mussolini and Franco. But if there’s any humour to be extracted from this sorry tale, it’s in the wine dedicated to Joseph Stalin, which is described as “an intense red”. Since this latest storm erupted, Lunardelli has added a message to its website stating: “This is a commercial site only. We deny any kind of political propaganda.” Good for it. It would also probably counter any accusations of extreme right-leaning ten dencies with the argument that it also
The only thing worse than not getting what you want is getting it. So, beware if you think the position of Chief Candy Officer sounds like your dream job. If you enjoy con suming confectionery, what’s not to like about the post with Canadian-based Candy Funhouse? It pays the equivalent of around £65,000 a year, for starters. Not too shabby, considering you can work from home and that no previous experience is necessary. “All you need is a passion for candy, pop culture, and a sweet tooth!” as the job ad on LinkedIn states. However, the CCO role is “much more than just fun and games. It’s serious candy business!” Indeed. The job entails taste-testing more than 3,500 products on a month ly basis. According to The Week In Retail’s in-house boffins, that equates to eating at least 115 sweeties each and every day. So yeah, once you’ve beaten off the other 6,500 and counting applicants, life will indeed be sweet. Apart from the false teeth and type 2 diabetes.
NEIN DANKE, WINE FÜHRER WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2022 / ISSUE 118 / SLRMAG.CO.UK I 29
Make sweet profits Grow your confectionery sales Chances to win monthly and quarterly cash prizes Join the 4,500+ retailers who have already signed up “It’s already helped us to grow our sales in such a short period of time” Samual, Valley Convenience Store Manager and the latest winner of a £1,000 Buy A Gift Voucher with For further detail please contact the team at Mercieca E: perfettivanmelle@mercieca.co.uk scan the QR Code to access a membershipcopydigitalofthebrochure copy of membershipthebrochure
