DESTINATION STORES
LOCAL SOURCING STEPHEN BROWN, SPAR SCOTLAND
TIME FOR RETAILERS TO CHECK OUT WHAT’S ON THEIR DOORSTEP CONVENIENCE RETAILERS IN SCOTLAND SHOULD BE LOOKING A LOT CLOSER TO HOME FOR FANTASTIC QUALITY PRODUCTS THAT CAN HELP SET THEIR STORES APART AND DRIVE SALES, SAYS
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SPAR SCOTLAND’S HEAD OF FOOD-TO-GO, STEPHEN BROWN.
hile convenience retailing has been one of the very few industry sectors to have benefitted commercially from the Covid-19 pandemic, the increased focus on local retailers means that competition has intensified and retailers are having to work harder than ever to give shoppers reasons to visit their store rather than someone else’s. One of the most effective ways of doing this is by stocking a broader range of locally sourced products, says Spar Scotland’s Head of Food-to-go, Stephen Brown. Brown is one of the most well kent faces in the Scottish convenience retailing sector, having spent decades in the industry with the David Sands, Scotmid and Spar Scotland businesses – and for the vast majority of that time he was heavily focused on local sourcing. In other words, he knows his stuff. “The world has changed in the last year, we all know that,” he says. “And convenience retailing has changed too. The focus on becoming ‘destination stores’ is more intense than ever, and a great way of becoming a destination store is by offering a differentiated range.” What exactly does he mean by that? “In the past, convenience stores offered broadly similar ranges and competed mainly on issues like price,” he explains. “Over the past year, more and more retailers are realising that one of the best ways to drive footfall and sales is to offer shoppers a
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differentiated range, a range of products that shoppers can’t easily find anywhere else in the area.” And one of the best ways of doing that, he believes, is by taking a fresh look at local sourcing. “One of the most effective things local retailers can do is take a closer look at what’s available on their doorstep,” he comments. “The pandemic has helped drive this trend as the global supply chain came under real pressure and many
