4 minute read
LOCAL SOURCING
DESTINATION STORES: 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 FORFANTASTIC QUALITY PRODUCTS THAT CAN HELP SET THEIR STORES APART AND DRIVE SALES, SAYSSPAR SCOTLAND’S HEAD OF FOOD-TO-GO, STEPHEN BROWN.
While 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 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 retailers were forced to find alternative sources for the products they needed just to keep stock on the shelves. For many, that meant turning to local producers and suppliers. While it started out as a stop-gap solution to maintaining availability, most people I speak to tell me that their experiences of working with local suppliers, many of them small suppliers, has been nothing but positive.”
Has that been his experience at Spar Scotland? “Absolutely. We work with over 160 local suppliers and have sourced locally for a long, long time but there’s no question that we had to rely on local producers more heavily in the last year and I would have to say that, in the main, that has been a very rewarding and enlightening experience.
“For one thing, when you work with local suppliers, it tends not to be a straight transactional relationship where the only thing you talk about is price. When you talk to a company that puts its heart and soul into its products, you’re tapping into huge reserves of experience and passion. That often translates into something tangible like better, more tailored ranges in-store, sometimes even bespoke products just for the store, as well as a wealth of practical advice and support that you just won’t get from a global supplier.”
Brown also believes that shoppers have been changed by the pandemic and are more interested in all the things that local sourcing can deliver.
He explains: “Many shoppers now want to support small local stores, small local suppliers and just do their bit for the local economy. Sustainability is also an important issue for many shoppers so products with a bare minimum of food miles tick a lot of boxes.”
There is also the important issue of quality, as Brown explains: “In Scotland we’re blessed with, in my humble opinion, the best soft fruit on the planet, the best fish and seafood you can buy and so on.
“So there are plenty of good reasons why stocking local products will help drive footfall and sales for retailers. The demand is there.
“My advice to local retailers would be to take a fresh look at what’s on your doorstep and you might surprise yourself with what you find.”
