RETAIL
THE WEEK IN
COVID-19
MASKING A PROBLEM? RETAIL STAFF AT RISK WHEN MASK REGULATIONS ARE REMOVED?
SHOPWORKER PROTECTION
WESTMINSTER FAILS RETAILERS ONCE MORE SYMBOL GROUPS
BESTWAY RESTRUCTURES SYMBOL TEAM
FIELD TEAM RESTRUCTURED FOR BEST-ONE AND COSTCUTTER
+
MPS VOTE DOWN PROTECTION AMENDMENT
NO SUGAR ROCKSTAR FLORETTE THANKS NHS NEXT-GEN QR CODES
IGD LAUNCHES NET ZERO GUIDE FOR RETAILERS Commercial Partner:
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Issue 63 Wednesday 7th July 2021
Symbol Partner:
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EDITOR’S COMMENT SHARE YOUR NEW S AND VIEW S W IT H M E AT ABEGLEY@ 55N ORT H .C OM
Retailers face being left with mask challenge The prospect of a UK free of Covid-19 restrictions is, of course, an enticing prospect for most, even if the government seems to be coming around to the notion that it doesn’t look we’re going to have an entirely Covid-free nation any time soon. As new Health Secretary Sajid Javid somewhat bluntly put it, we’ll just have to “learn to live with Covid”. It may be a blunt assessment, but it has the merits of being accurate and honest. But for retailers, the ending of legal restrictions on wearing face masks in-store opens a whole new can of Covid worms. Allowing people to choose not to wear masks is all good and well when those people have a high degree of control over who they come into contact with. But what about people who have no choice but to come into contact with all and sundry? People like retailers, for instance, whose job involves welcoming hundreds of people through their doors every day, many of whom could be strangers. The government asking customers to “act responsibly” is nothing but a hollow platitude unless it’s backed by proper guidance (for customers
and retailers) as well as some legally enforceable consequences for customers who choose to act irresponsibly. And experience shows us that there will be plenty of those. Some questions that need answered are pretty fundamental. If customers no longer need to wear masks, for instance, can retailers insist that they do so anyway, for the protection of store staff and other customers? There’s already more than enough incidences of violence and abuse in-store without introducing another potential trigger. And it’s not just a problem for store staff. There will undoubtedly be issues between customers themselves. Some may be delighted to lose the masks while others, such as elderly or vulnerable customers for example, may prefer to remain cautious. Neither of these groups is objectively right or wrong but it’s a very safe bet that we will see some flare-ups in stores across the country around this very issue. So let’s hope Javid and Co see a little sense and do more than just posture on this issue and instead offer clear, concise advice on how we can all transition successfully to a world without masks.
ANTONYBEGLEY ANTONYBEGLEY ANTONYBEGLEY
ANTONY BEGLEY, EDITOR
WEDNESDAY 7TH JULY 2021 / ISSUE 63 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 3
CONTENTS
WEDNESDAY 7 JULY 2021 / ISSUE 63 W W W.SLR M AG.C O.U K
6
10 THIS WEEK’S NEWS IN BRIEF
Morrisons agrees to a £6.3bn takeover and the government extends HGV drivers’ hours.
21 IN-STORE MASKS
COVID-19
The local retailing sector faces a fresh set of challenges as the legal requirement for customers to wear masks in-store is set to end.
Florette pays tribute to NHS frontline staff with a two metre-high colourful salad rainbow display and a financial donation for every pack sold.
9 Covid-19 update
16 Sustainability: Net Zero
24 Picks of the week
The latest coronavirus-related news.
Both IGD and SWA unveil important
12 Shopworker protection
updates on food and drink industry’s drive
to Net Zero.
MPs spurn the latest opportunity to offer shopworkers improved protection.
15 Symbol groups: Bestway Wholesale
19 New store: Welcome Co-op, Hayes
new 1,300sq ft franchise Co-op in Hayes,
structure for its field-based operations team
West London.
that work with the group’s symbol retailers.
TWITTER.COM/SLRMAG
marketing campaigns. 30 Out the box: next-gen QR codes
Retailer Kailasapillai Sivathasan opens a
Bestway Wholesale announces a new
22 Symbol spotlight: Nisa
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/SLRMAG
A look at the latest new products and
Colourful new QR codes help visuallyimpaired customers identify products in-store and access health and safety info.
33 Before you go...
Our latest Retail Randoms.
WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK
WEDNESDAY 7TH JULY 2021 / ISSUE 63 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 5
NEWS DIGEST
THIS WEEK’S NEWS FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/
DRIVING FORWARD Spar Scotland wholesaler
ACQUISITIONS
Morrisons agrees £6.3bn takeover
and retailer CJ Lang & Son
The UK’s fourth-largest supermarket has agreed to the biggest private equity
has invested in a new driver
takeover deal since Boots in 2007.
apprenticeship scheme to ensure the business meets the needs of its growing convenience store estate. The company has recruited new drivers and warehouse operatives in recent weeks.
NISA REGISTRATION OPEN Registration is now open for Nisa retailers to book their place at the 2021 annual trade show. Nisa Expo will once again be taking place virtually,
Morrisons has accepted a £6.3bn takeover bid led by American investment firm Fortress, which also controls Majestic Wine. Also involved in the bid are the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and the billionaire US industrialist Koch family. The agreed deal values the equity of Morrisons at £6.3bn, plus an additional
£3.2bn of net debt. A previous bid of £5.52bn from another US private equity firm had been rejected as too low. Andrew Higginson, Morrisons Chair, said: “The Morrisons directors believe that the offer represents a fair and recommendable price for shareholders which recognises Morrisons’ future prospects. “We have looked very carefully at Fortress’s approach, their plans for the business and their overall suitability as an owner of a unique British foodmaker and shopkeeper with over 110,000 colleagues and an important role in British food production and farming.”
held on 28 and 29 September. Find out more.
SUSTAINABILITY CHARTER Central England Co-op has signed up to an EU Code of Conduct designed to ensure it can work with other retailers across Europe to try and tackle the issue of food sustainability. The Society outlined a series of targets as part of the announcement including a 90% carbon footprint reduction by 2030 and a 50% food waste reduction by 2025.
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Track and Trace grace deadline From Sunday 18 July, HMRC will require new checks on the codes that are given to businesses to ensure that they are registered properly for the UK tobacco track and trace system. Businesses that are involved in the tobacco supply chain have an economic operator ID (EOID) code for their business, and a facility ID (FID) code for each site. Over the last eight weeks, any codes that weren’t recognised by the tsystem have been generating a warning, allowing businesses time to investigate by logging any issues with the ID Issuer website.
From Monday 19 July, messages containing codes that fail the new checks will generate an error message. Retailers that receive a message must correct the error before continuing to move tobacco products through the supply chain. ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We have worked extensively with HMRC to support retailers with the implementation of the tobacco track and trace system since its introduction. “We urge retailers to investigate any error messages immediately to avoid supply chain issues.”
NEWS DIGEST
THIS WEEK’S NEWS FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/
SHOPWORKER PROTECTION
MPs spurn chance to protect retailers
GO RAJ Entries for the new Raj
MPs voted on Monday evening to reject an amendment to the Government’s
Aggarwal
flagship policing bill which would have provided greater protection for shopworkers.
Trophy to celebrate
A vote at the House of Commons on Monday evening saw MPs reject the opportunity back an amendment to the Government’s flagship policing bill, which would have provided greater protection for shopworkers from violence, threats and abuse. The amendment was defeated by 350 votes to 233 and another clause looking to bring in similar provisions (new clause 90) was withdrawn. The vote came just days after the influential Home Affairs Select Committee, led by Rt Hon Yvette Cooper
outstanding community retailers are now open. For more info about the award and to submit an entry or nominate a retailer, email sarah.johnson@acs.org.uk.
OCADO UP 20% MP, made a series of recommendations to better protect shopworkers, including the introduction of a new offence for attacking a shopworker. For more information, click here.
Online grocer Ocado has posted a 19.8% increase in retail revenues to £1.2bn in the first half of its financial year to 30 May. Pre-tax losses for the period were £23.6m, a
HGV extended hours lifeline The government has today announced that HGV drivers’ hours will be temporarily extended from Monday. This means that wholesalers will then be able to help retail and hospitality customers ensure they get the stock they need.
James Bielby, Chief Executive of the Federation of Wholesale Distributors, said: “This is just what food distributors needed – an immediate and obvious solution to what could have been a catastrophic supply chain failure. The flexibility in drivers’ hours means those out-of-the-way shops, pubs and restaurants will get the stock they need for the big re-opening on Freedom Day, and will allow wholesalers to do as much as 15% more deliveries each day. Provided it remains in place into the autumn, it will avert possible school closures in September and shortages in the shops in the run up to Christmas.
significant improvement on the previous year’s £40.6m loss for the same period. Customer numbers are up 22% on last year..
CO-OP CYBER ATTACK Around 500 Co-op stores in Sweden were forced to close last week after a “colossal” cyber attack which stopped tills and self-service checkouts working. The Coop was among a string of organisations affected around the world by an attack on a software supplier to the retailer.
WEDNESDAY 7TH JULY 2021 / ISSUE 63 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 7
DISPLAY TO
WIN
WINNE EVERYR WEEK!
A HAT-TRICK OF
PRIZES PRIZE PACKAGE INCLUDES
£1,000 CASH SONY 43” SMART TV SONY PORTABLE BLUETOOTH SPEAKER
HOW TO ENTER BUILD YOUR BEST DISPLAY of promotional Pringoooals cans
EMAIL displays@pringlespromotions.co.uk with your PHOTO, STORE NAME, ADDRESS & PHONE NUMBER
A CHANCE TO WIN!
TM,®,© 2021 KELLOGG Europe Trading Limited. Convenience retail stores managers/owners only. Prizes may be transferred to store employee upon allocation. UK only. Entrants must be 18+. Open from 00:00 17.05.2021 to 23.59 11.07.2021. Internet access required. To enter weekly prize draws: (1) Create a display of Pringoooals promotional products (200g) in your store, (2) Take a picture of the display and email, along with your full name, store address and telephone number, to displays@pringlespromotions.co.uk. Entries judged on creativity to select winner. 8 x ’Hat-Trick of Prizes’ packages to be won. Each prize package includes; £1,000 cash prize paid via BACS, 1 x Sony Smart TV (RRP £595) and 1 x Sony Bluetooth Speaker (RRP £99).1 winner per week. 8 winners in total. Max 1 prize per store. See full judging criteria and full terms at: www.pringles.com/uk/tsandcs.html Promoter: Kellogg Marketing and Sales Company (UK) Limited, Orange Tower, MediaCityUK, Salford M50 2HF (company registration number 03237431).
NEWS SPECIAL
COVID-19 UPDATE FOR ALL THE LATEST CORONAVIRUS NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/
ACS wants self-isolation changes brought forward
TESCO SET TO OPEN AMAZON-STYLE STORE
ACS has written to Business Minister Paul Scully urging the Government to bring forward the change in self-isolation rules.
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has written to Business Minister Paul Scully urging the Government to bring forward its planned change in self-isolation rules. Under current Government proposals, from 16 August anyone who has had their second vaccine dose more than two weeks prior, or who is aged under 18, would not have to self-isolate due to being identified by NHS Test and Trace because of close contact. ACS is calling for this rule change to be brought forward to now to avoid significant operational challenges for retailers, staff shortages and unnecessary short-term business closures. As
it stands, anyone who is told to isolate through the NHS Test and Trace App must do so for the entire 10 days, regardless of their vaccine status or consistent negative test results. ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “Retailers are currently dealing with significant numbers of staff who have to sit out the self-isolation period, despite having two doses of the vaccine and testing negative. We welcome the Government’s plan to change this rule to get people back to work but encourage Ministers to take action to implement this now to avoid disruption in stores.” Read the full letter
Tesco has reportedly begun work on an Amazon-style autonomous store in High Holborn as it continues to develop its own version of the online giant’s famous Just Walk Out technology. The supermarket giant has already been testing the tech in the Tesco Express in its Welwyn Garden City head office for around a year but High Holborn will be the first genuine customer-facing store to implement that Trigo-
Figures over the last 10 days show that Scotland now has the highest rates of Covid in the whole of Europe. Six Scottish health boards are among the top 10 worst-hit regions in Europe, according to World Health Organization figures. NHS Tayside has the highest rate of all with 1,146 cases per 100,000 people. The latest ONS infection survey figures suggest levels of Covid in the Scottish population are 73% higher than in England, triple those in Wales and
more than four times higher than those in Northern Ireland. Scotland’s National Clinical Director Jason Leitch puts the problem down a a lack of “natural immunity” in the population and the fact that Scotland has been hit hard by the highly infectious Delta variant, particularly in Glasgow. Up until Monday, more than 23,000 new infections had been detected in Scotland in a week with 338 patients in hospital.
powered solution.
TECH SOLUTIONS
Scotland Covid rates ‘highest in Europe’
WEDNESDAY 7TH JULY 2021 / ISSUE 63 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 9
C OV E R
COVI
IN-STORE
Masking a problem? The local retailing sector faces a fresh set of challenges as the legal requirement for customers to wear masks in-store is set to end across the UK.
W
hile the relaxing of Covid-19 restrictions A clear expectation about whether they can set across the UK over coming weeks is being policies on social distancing and face coverings, for greeted with relief from most quarters, the the safety of their customers and colleagues new rules are set to introduce fresh challenges for local retail High level support from government, making it clear ers. Among the most concerning is the forthcoming ending of that business policies should be respected and that abuse of shopworkers and others for implementing legal requirements for customers to wear face masks in-store. The rules will change at different dates across the UK but these policies will not be tolerated Clarity on whether the government sees adhering all legal requirements to wear face masks could be dropped in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland by the end to social distancing and wearing face coverings in of August. The Scottish Government has, however, suggested shops as ‘best practice’. that there “will still be some ongoing need for face coverings, for example on public ACS Chief Executive transport and in retail”. James Lowman said: “We There are clear indiare already hearing mixed cations that many local messages from the Prime retailers intend to keep Minister, other cabinet most if not all Covid members and advisors. Ja mes Lowman, ACS protection measures in If the public are being place in-store, beyond asked to act responsibly, the dates when restricspecifically what are they tions will be legally released or removed, for the clear and being asked to do? Can operations ranging from transport obvious benefit of both their staff and of customers who networks to local shops set policies on social distancing and remain concerned. wearing face coverings, are the government asking people to respect those policies or to exercise their own judgement, In England, the need to wear masks ends in just a couple of weeks’ time on 19 July, prompting the Association of Conand will the government support business in implementing venience Stores (ACS) to demand greater clarity and support these policies? from Westminster. “Our members will be faced with a group of customers who ACS has been attending meetings and engaging with offiare uneasy about the lack of restrictions, and a group who are cials across government, and says its members need: eager to move on from social distancing. We cannot support
“If the public are being asked to act responsibly, specifically what are they being asked to do?” –
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S T O RY
ID-19
E MASKS
everyone without government messaging that customers should respect business’s policies. The tensions in government messaging will play out not in the corridors of government departments but on trains and buses and in the aisles of shops.” ACS is taking its plea for clarity and support to meetings with the Cabinet Office and other government departments this week. ACS will also be issuing new and existing resources to support retailers in their communications with customers. Shopworkers trade union Usdaw has explicitly demanded that face masks continue to be mandatory for shoppers after the relaxation dates across the UK to protect shop workers.
“Retail staff are working with the public every day and are deeply worried about catching Covid-19,” said Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary. “This is not the right time to water down safety in stores and the government should not be removing the requirements of face coverings and distancing in busy public areas like shops. “To speak about the wearing of face coverings in these settings in terms of personal responsibility ignores the reality that public-facing workers have no option but to interact with large numbers of people as a part of their job. These key workers must be valued, respected and protected.”
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SHOPWORKERS
POLICING BILL HOUSE OF
Good Lords, nothing doing here MPs have remarkably spurned the latest opportunity to offer shopworkers improved protection, leaving a promised Lords amendment as the next chance to deliver
D
much-needed support for retail staff.
espite enormous pressure from across the retail industry, MPs have rejected an amendment to the Government’s flagship policing bill, which would have provided greater protection for shopworkers from violence, threats and abuse. The amendment was voted down on Monday evening, leading to huge disappointment in all corners of the local retailing sector. It was defeated by 350 votes to 233 and another clause looking to bring in similar provisions was withdrawn. Shopworkers trade union Usdaw said its members were “gutted” by the result of the vote and General Secretary Paddy Lillis has now called on the Government to deliver on a promised Lords amendment. Lillis said: “[On Monday] MPs had the opportunity to back a new law to protect shopworkers, which is supported by our members, customers and retailers. We are deeply disappointed that they let that opportunity pass them by at a time when our members are facing unprecedented levels of violence, threats and abuse. “However, the Minister promised twice during the debate that they would bring forward an amendment in the House of Lords and we urge the Government to keep to their word and ensure that the measure they bring forward will be substantial and deliver much-needed protections. “When retail employers, leading retail bodies, the public and the shopworkers’ trade union call for legislation, it is time
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for the Government and MPs to listen. In Scotland, MSPs voted through a new ground-breaking law to give workers the protection they deserve. “We are now looking for the UK Government to end their opposition and deliver on their promise.”
S PROTECTION
L AMENDMENT COMMONS
PADDY LILLIS, USDAW
“The Minister promised twice during the debate that they would bring forward an amendment in the House of Lords and we urge the Government to keep to their word.”
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw
JAMES LOWMAN, ACS
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has also strongly criticised MPs’ decision to vote down the new clause, which would have created a new offence for assaulting a retail worker. The vote comes just days after the influential Home Affairs Select Committee, led by Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, made a series of recommendations to better protect shopworkers, including the introduction of a new offence for attacking a shopworker. ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We are disappointed that the Government has again refused to take action to bring to justice those who attack shopworkers. These offences must not be tolerated, and it’s clear that the existing legislation does not go far enough to deter offenders. “We urge the Government to take forward the recommendations made by the Home Affairs Committee, which include not just a new offence, but a wide range of measures to stop reoffending, intervene with rehabilitation for those with addiction, and increase reporting and response rates.” Figures from the 2021 ACS Crime Report show that there were over 40,000 violent attacks against people working in convenience stores and 1.1m incidents of theft over the last year, many of which committed by repeat offenders with a drug or alcohol addiction. The report also shows that there have been over 1.2m incidents of abuse over the last year, which often go unreported.
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SYMBOL GROUPS
BESTWAY WHOLESALE FIELD SUPPORT
Bestway restructures field support team for symbols Bestway Wholesale has announced a new structure for its field-based operations team that work with the group’s symbol retailers.
B
estway has unveiled the latest phase of its plans to bring together its convenience, franchise, company-owned and new business functions under one Bestway Retail team. The new phase sees the implementation of a new structure for its field-based operations team that work with the group’s symbol retailers. The new team will see current Best-one and Costcutter field-based colleagues combined to provide structured support to the group’s 2,544 convenience stores. Dedicated Business Development Managers will provide retail support and focus on developing joint business plans with symbol retailers to help grow their business and maximise sales and margin. The New Business team in the newly-combined Bestway Retail field team will also double in size to focus on attracting entrepreneurial new retailers to the group. The team will showcase the broad offer the group can provide to retailers from fresh-focused, full shop missions to leading value, impulse and alcohol-led offers. Commenting on the changes, Bestway Wholesale Retail Director Mike Hollis said: “Our teams have been working incredibly hard behind the scenes to harness the scale, talent and expertise across our newly-combined convenience business. “Bringing together our teams is an important step in delivering our ambitious growth plans for both Bestway and our retailers. This also paves the way for us to deliver new initiatives for our retailers in the future and enables us to extend to all our symbol retailers some of the existing high calibre support we
provide, such as access to our specialist store development team. “Providing targeted support that adds real value for retailers is a key element in the breadth of our offer and means that we are a genuine force in the market which can now meet the needs of any retailer.” The field-based MIKE HOLLIS team will be led by Head of Symbol Fascia Paul Adams and the New Business and Store Development team will be led by Jamie Davison. A newly formed Central Operations team, led by Frankie Haynes, will provide further strategic and operational support to the field teams and in turn enable retailers to maximise the central support on offer from Bestway Retail. Hollis concluded: “As we refine our service proposition drawing off our immense 45-year heritage in wholesale and responding to retailer needs across the UK, there will be more good news to come. The market is changing fast alongside changing consumer behaviours, and we are constantly looking ahead to shape our service and lead into the future.”
Bringing together our teams is an important step in delivering our ambitious growth plans for both Bestway and our retailers.
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S U S TA I N
NET Z IGD /
Industry focuses on Net Zero The food and drink industry’s drive to Net Zero is gathering pace with both IGD and the Scottish Wholesale Association unveiling important updates this week.
S
ustainability continues to be an increasingly important strand of much work being done by the UK food and drink industry, as it takes further strides towards achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions. The IGD has this week announced a new partnership with climate solutions expert South Pole to help the food and consumer goods industry take positive, tangible steps towards Net Zero and published a guide for business of all sizes. Meanwhile, the Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) has confirmed it has entered phase two of its decarbonisation project designed to help its members and the wider wholesale sector become greener and more sustainable.
IGD
The charity believes there is a huge opportunity for businesses of all sizes to innovate and lead the UK’s transition to a Net Zero economy. The guide includes the business case for urgent action and a new framework for building a robust Net Zero strategy, including how to make a start and build momentum. Susan Barratt, CEO of IGD, said: “Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world. We know there is a huge appetite to innovate and lead our industry’s transition to a Net Zero economy. We also know that for many businesses it’s not always clear where to start the journey. We hope you find this guide inspiring and helpful in driving action in your business and through your supply chain.” Companies can contact IGD for more information, best practice guidance and to share their Net Zero journey progress at sustainability@igd.com.
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world. We know there is a huge appetite to innovate and lead our industry’s transition to a Net Zero economy.
With its ambition to accelerate progress towards a sustainable food system, IGD yesterday launched a new guide, Building Your Net Zero Roadmap – A Guide For Industry Leaders And Decision Makers. The UK government has committed to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and an increasing number of UK food and consumer goods businesses and industry organisations are committing to Net Zero by 2040. IGD has partnered with South Pole to create this new guide, which is designed to help business leaders and decision-makers kick start their own Net Zero journey.
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SWA The Scottish Wholesale Association is moving into phase two of its decarbonisation project with ambitious plans to decarbonise the wholesale food supply chain and achieve net-zero emissions by 2045, if not before. Phase one of the Decarbonisation of the Wholesale Industry Project has seen the SWA examine the emissions
NABILITY
ZERO SWA
associated with its members’ vehicle fleets via a survey. The results will be analysed to calculated individual wholesaler’s carbon footprint. Colin Smith, SWA Chief Executive, said: “We will then present various options to our members so we can discuss the best way forward on our journey to decarbonisation. In addition, we are in the process of creating a bespoke toolkit to help members calculate, estimate and keep track of their own vehicle fleet emissions.” Phase two will examine emissions generated from buildings, including warehousing, cold storage and offices, and the energy consumed by them. A questionnaire has been sent out to the membership and the results, combined with those
of phase one, will enable the SWA to calculate the carbon footprint of the wholesale sector in Scotland. “A particular focus of phase one was on Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Electric Vehicle technologies. Phase two, which is shining a spotlight on energy and buildings, is now in progress and it is heartening that many SWA members are already forging ahead with their own plans to make their own fleets and buildings more sustainable and environmentally friendly.” For example, SWA member Lomond: The Wholesale Food Co will be trialling a fully-electric vehicle in November in the Glasgow area to coincide with the global COP26 climate change conference. Working with SWA and ULEMCo, Lomond hopes to adapt and initialise what is Scotland’s first private sector hydrogen-powered truck. Smith added: “All of this gives SWA a baseline and allows us to draw a route map to net zero for our sector which we will then present to the Scottish Government and its agencies, including Transport Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and HIE, to hopefully release some of the targeted £109m Scottish Government funding set aside for business investment in greener technologies.” In addition to ULEMCo, which aims to bring hydrogen technology to commercial fleets by converting traditional diesel-powered trucks to hydrogen dual-fuel technology, the SWA is working with Arcola Energy, a specialist in hydrogen and fuel cell systems, and East Lothian-based Logan Energy which designs, commissions, installs and maintains hydrogen refuelling stations.
WEDNESDAY 7TH JULY 2021 / ISSUE 63 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 17
Award-winning Teas
for
Four Generations Scottish Sales Manager James McFarlane james@punjana.com
N E W S TO R E
CO-OP HAYES
Siva opens new Co-op in Hayes Kailasapillai Sivathasan has just opened a new 1,300sq ft
K
franchise Co-op in Hayes, West London.
ailasapillai Sivathasan, known to his customers as ‘Siva’, has opened a new Co-op store in Hayes. The store, on the site of the Old Vinyl Factory on Material Walk in Hayes, launched under the Welcome co-operative brand, stocking local, ethical and Fairtrade products, and is open seven days a week, from 7am to 10pm. The store, a franchise partner of Southern Co-op, follows a £250,000 investment in the Hillingdon town. Southern Co-op, the regional, independent co-operative, has more than 200 stores in the south of England and a commitment to local communities. The opening of the store has created 10 jobs in both full- and part-time roles, providing a muchneeded boost for the west London community.
For two weeks from opening, customers of the store will be able to win a £100 voucher and grab other goodies – including £5 off a £20 spend, and £1 off fwip ice cream. Working with Southern Co-op’s team, Siva has created a 1,300 sq ft modern convenience store with grab-and-go hot freshly baked food. Siva said: “Our focus has been to get the new store up and running as quickly as possible, ensuring we service the needs of our customers. The support we’ve already had from local people has been amazing. “We couldn’t be more pleased with the finished store. It’s a fantastic working environment for staff and it’s great for customers. It’s been worth the investment and the hard work that’s gone into it and now hopefully we will see the rewards.”
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NHS THANK YOU FLORETTE
Florette says it with salad – and cash The UK’s leading salad brand, Florette, has paid tribute to NHS frontline staff with a two metre-high colourful salad rainbow display and a financial donation for every pack sold.
F
lorette, the UK’s leading salad brand, has paid tribute to NHS frontline staff with a striking two-metre-high colourful salad rainbow display. Hosted outside the NHS Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham, the creation was unveiled on Monday to mark NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day. Florette commissioned food artist Prudence Staite to create the rainbow artwork made from their signature salad ingredients, with the final piece seeing Prudence hand place each of the 1,218 ingredients. The rainbow took 128 hours to create. Florette also provided a healthy lunch to over 400 onsite NHS staff with goody bags and rainbow-themed cupcakes for every staff member. Additionally, 2p from every pack of the brand’s Rainbow Crunchy salad is donated to NHS Charities Together. Speaking on Monday, Antony Greenwood, Florette’s Commercial and Marketing Director, said: “Just like our frontline workers have throughout the pandemic, we wanted to go
above and beyond in saying thanks today on NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day. As a nation, we’ve relied on the NHS more than ever in the last 18 months. Our salad rainbow was created to showcase our appreciation and respect for the resilience and dedication of our key workers. It goes just a small way towards saying thank you.”
What’s In A Mural? Red – small cherry and baby plum tomatoes (800) Orange – sliced carrots (220) Yellow – yellow peppers (23) Green – spinach, rocket and frisee (40) Blue – a hand-painted ‘Thank You NHS’ message Indigo – red leaf lettuce, Lolla Rossa and Ruby
Chard (40) Violet – candy-striped beetroot. (95)
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PROMOTED
NIS
SYMBOL S
Fresh Thinkin
Nisa’s new Fresh Thinking partner proposition and a fully update even more compelling reasons to join the r
N
isa is proud to work with multi award-winning stores including Pinkie Farm, Ardeer Services, and Greens of Markinch, to name a few, making Nisa the proven partner of choice for many market-leading, independently-minded retailers in Scotland. And with a record number of retailers moving to Nisa Retail in 2020 and those investing in new and upgraded stores enjoying average sales uplifts of 11%, there has never been a better time to join us. 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. In addition, Nisa’s new rebate model is set to launch on 28 June. Built on simplicity and fairness, Fresh Rewards gives independent retailers the opportunity to unlock up to 5.5.% rebate with additional benefits available for those with a Nisa fascia store. Retailers can see how much rebate they could earn by visiting the Nisa website. Fresh Thinking also provides Nisa partners with access to convenience and symbol expertise through an in-house Insight team to help retailers truly understand their customers and their marketplace, access to planograms, marketing support, central helpdesks and expertise and the Co-op promotional plan. With recent industry recognition including
our Symbol/Franchise Group of the Year win at the Retail Industry Awards and the Grocer Gold Awards accolade for Symbol/Franchise Retailer of the Year, retailers can depend on award-winning support, access to an extensive product range comprising more than 13,000 SKUs and over 2,400 Co-op own brand products – all delivered by Nisa’s industry-leading supply chain. 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, offers a dedicated fascia option for retailers operating in spaces up to 1,000sq ft. A choice of three format design options – food centric, forecourt and essentials – helps to accommodate the individual demographic and shopping missions of each store, with formats and ranges that are tailored for the specific market. The Nisa format team works closely with partners and shop fitters to create the ideal solution for each individual location, and retailers can benefit from the bespoke service Nisa offers with an added incentive of a 10% saving on all new refits until the end of the year.
“Built on simplicity and fairness, Fresh Rewards gives independent retailers the opportunity to unlock up to 5.5.% rebate with additional benefits available for those with a Nisa fascia store.”
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D F E AT U R E
SA
SPOTLIGHT
ng from Nisa
ed rebate model launching later this month offers independent retailers ecord number of retailers aligning with the group.
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. A comprehensive support structure is provided to ensure retailers continue to push their business forward. Support comes from a strong field team including retail development
managers, regional retail managers and fresh food development managers, as well as an induction team dedicated to supporting new partners during their first 90 days with Nisa. Partners can also support local causes through Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally charity, which has raised more than £12.5m for UK communities to date. ● To Join Nisa complete the form or contact our development team on 0800 542 7490.
WEDNESDAY 7TH JULY 2021 / ISSUE 63 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 23
NPD AND MEDIA
PICKS OF THE WEEK – BIRDS EYE TO GET YOUR PRODUCT LISTED PLEASE CONTACT RAITKEN@55NORTH.COM
GREEN CUISINE BACKS TEAM GB
New Birds Eye £2.7m campaign sees plant-powered Green Cuisine range partner with Olympic Team GB.
Birds Eye has launched a new heavyweight
Sarah Koppens, Birds Eye UK & I Marketing
marketing campaign focusing on the link between
Director, said: “Our Team GB ambassadors share
its plant-powered Green Cuisine range and Team
our ambition to inspire more shoppers to consider
GB. Aired for the first time on Monday, the ad
making meat-free part of their everyday meals,
celebrates Green Cuisine becoming the official
helping to power them through their daily lives and
plant-based supporter of Team GB ahead of the
sporting activities. As the fastest growing frozen
upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
meat-free brand [Nielsen, Mar 2021], the recipe for
The ad features prominent Team GB athletes
our success has been the combination of launching
and ambassadors including five-time Olympic med-
original and exciting products with the support of
allist Max Whitlock (artistic gymnastics), Cheavon
heavyweight marketing campaigns.”
Clarke (heavyweight boxer) who is a two-time
To bring the campaign to life further, Birds
European Championship medallist and ranked
Eye will be giving consumers the chance to win
number five in the world and Laviai Nielsen (400m
hundreds of themed prizes as part of an on-pack
sprinter) who became double British champion at
promotion, featured on their special edition Team
the 2020 British Athletics Championships.
GB Green Cuisine packs. Prizes on offer will
With a direct nod to the event’s host, a bold and
include a once-in-a-lifetime lunch with a Team
eye-catching Japanese manga look and feel will be
GB athlete, highly-prized Team GB merchandise
included across all touchpoints. The campaign will
signed by athletes, exercise class vouchers, prod-
feature a wide selection of Green Cuisine products
uct vouchers and more.
with the ad focusing on meat-free burgers.
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See a full product list and further details.
NPD AND MEDIA
PICKS OF THE WEEK – BIRDS EYE TO GET YOUR PRODUCT LISTED PLEASE CONTACT RAITKEN@55NORTH.COM
BIRDS EYE ADDS MAGIC TO MEALTIMES
Birds Eye unveiled a £5.5m campaign on Monday for its chicken range.
Birds Eye launched a new TV marketing campaign
higher quality at-home dining experiences. As
on Monday to celebrate its chicken range. The
a family brand, we wanted to showcase how
activity will highlight the quality and versatility of
versatile our chicken products are for children
the Birds Eye products.
and adults alike.”
After an outstanding performance (+37%) over the last few years [Nielsen, May 2021], the ad will introduce a new character, The Chicken Witch of the West, seen helping transform every meal into something delicious using Birds Eye products. The ad will be amplified through social and digital assets. The campaign will focus two parts of the range – Chicken Grills, which currently holds 56.7% of the sector, and Chicken Dippers, the fifth biggest SKU within savoury frozen [Nielsen, May 2021]. Sarah Koppens, Marketing Director at Birds Eye, comments: “We saw so many buying into the frozen chicken category during the pandemic and using Birds Eye chicken products in
What You Need To Know £5.6m campaign supporting chicken
range Focus on taste and versatility to drive
consumption Launched on Monday with subsequent
bursts through to December Chicken Grills will be the first focus,
later switching to Chicken Dippers Birds Eye Chicken Grills (2 pack, RSP:
£1.75) Birds Eye Chicken Dippers (38 pack,
RSP: £4)
different ways across lunch time and in creating
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NPD AND MEDIA
PICKS OF THE WEEK – ROCKSTAR TO GET YOUR PRODUCT LISTED PLEASE CONTACT RAITKEN@55NORTH.COM
ROCKSTAR ORIGINAL NO SUGAR PMP UNVEILED This summer, Rockstar is expanding its line-up with the launch of Rockstar Original No Sugar for the convenience channel In the latest move since Britvic took over Rockstar in the UK, the energy brand is expanding its line-up
What you need to know
with the launch of Rockstar Original No Sugar for the convenience channel. The product offers the flavour, functional benefits and Vitamin C content of Rockstar Original but free of sugar. Stimulants are the number one growth segment in convenience [IRI, Mar 2021] and low calorie variants have been growing ahead of sugar versions, especially in the stimulants segment [Nielsen, Jan 2021]. With 27% of people actively reducing their
Same flavour, functional benefits and
Vitamin C content of Rockstar Original but without sugar £1.19 PMP 500ml can launches this
summer Plain pack and 4-pack launches in
October Supported by the brand’s new
sugar intake [IGD, Jan 2021], no sugar is a key area
international platform ‘Life is your stage’
of growth for the stimulants category.
– which includes digital campaign, in-
Rockstar Original No Sugar is available in a £1.19
store, out-of-home, and digital POS.
price-marked 500ml format, helping independent retailers drive impulse sales as more people return to on-the-go activities as restrictions continue to ease.
at Britvic, comments: “When purchasing energy
A plain (non-PMP) and 4-pack will roll out in October.
drinks, taste and functional benefits are the key
Phil Sanders, Out-of-Home Commercial Director
criteria consumers consider when making their selection. Rockstar Original No Sugar ticks both these boxes, offering the same much-loved flavour and added benefits of Rockstar Original, without the sugar. “Value for money is also a key priority for shoppers in the current climate. The PMP format was developed with the convenience channel in mind, to support independent retailers in clearly demonstrating every day value to their customers, helping to encourage purchase.” The launch will benefit from the brand’s new international platform ‘Life is your stage’ – which includes a digital campaign, in-store, out-of-home, and digital POS.
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NPD AND MEDIA
PICKS OF THE WEEK – SPRITE TO GET YOUR PRODUCT LISTED PLEASE CONTACT RAITKEN@55NORTH.COM
SPRITE’S GLOBAL CAMPAIGN SAYS ‘LET’S BE CLEAR’ Coca-Cola European Partners targets Generation Z its first-ever global marketing campaign for its Sprite brand.
Sprite, manufactured and supplied by Coca-
Louise Maugest, Marketing Director at Coca-
Cola Europacific Partners in GB, has launched
Cola GB, said: “As a brand, Sprite stands for
‘Let’s Be Clear’, a new, multi-million-pound global
individuality, self-expression and progress, and
marketing campaign for the brand.
believes that honesty and genuine self-expression
Airing now, ‘Let’s Be Clear’ is grounded in
are truly refreshing.
consumer research and is designed to appeal to
“We know that these principles matter to our
Gen Z – a generation of digital enthusiasts who
target audience of young adults – arguably the
are passionate about the world around them –
most informed generation ever, to whom gaining
encouraging them to take time to reset and refresh
clarity is vital.
with a burst of refreshment from Sprite.
“That’s why we’re confident that this campaign
The TV ad depicts young adults arriving home
will tap into their mindset, increasing the appeal of
after an all-consuming day, looking to reset, relax
the brand and helping drive sales for our customers
and enjoy some much-needed chill-out time. The
this summer and beyond.”
campaign will feature digital and snackable social
The ad features the Sprite 500ml clear plastic
media content, alongside out-of-home and print
bottle – which will be made from 100% recycled
executions.
plastic content in quarter four of this year.
Soft drinks consumption in the home has
Maugest concluded: “We moved Sprite from
increased significantly over the last year, which
green plastic to clear plastic bottles in 2019, making
has helped to drive £65.6m worth of additional
them easier to recycle – a key factor in shoppers’
sales of flavoured carbonates in GB.
buying decisions, especially young adults.”
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SUPPORTING GROCERY COLLEAGUES The GroceryAid Covid-19 Fund is designed to help colleagues who need support now and throughout the full impact of the pandemic. Grocery colleagues have access to:
“Amid the huge challenge of Covid-19 our trade has done a great job of keeping the nation fed. GroceryAid has raised a special Covid-19 fund to help our industry colleagues at this time of need. The 24/7 Helpline will deal with concerns and assist with financial stress caused by this terrible virus.” - Charles Wilson, GroceryAid President
Mental Health Support Offering ‘in the moment’ emotional and practical support for colleagues dealing with shock, anxiety and stress through BACP trained counsellors, our Health and Wellbeing portal and Woebot, our AI Robot App. Bereavement Financial Assistance Providing financial assistance for the loss of a loved one through Covid-19. Available to colleagues who lose a partner or the immediate family of a colleague who has passed away as a result of Covid-19 whilst working in our industry. Crisis Grants Non-repayable grants, designed to help with financial emergencies. This is available for colleagues experiencing unexpected financial difficulties due to Covid-19 with a year’s industry service.
GroceryAid Helpline: 08088 021 122 Visit: www.groceryaid.org.uk Follow us:
NPD AND MEDIA
PICKS OF THE WEEK TO GET YOUR PRODUCT LISTED PLEASE CONTACT RAITKEN@55NORTH.COM
DOUBLE UP
BALLS OUT
UP YOUR FLUFF
Ferrero UK has launched a new
Princes has launched Princes
Veetee Rice is partnering with
hazelnut and milk chocolate bis-
Chicken Meatballs in Tomato
comedian Katherine Ryan to pro-
cuit bar, Duplo. At 100 kcals each
Sauce and Princes Chicken
mote its new range of rice trays,
and individually wrapped, Duplo
Meatballs in Gravy. Both are
with a digital and social market-
is available in single, double, 5-
available now. At the peak of the
ing campaign focused on kitchen
and 10-packs, supported by a
pandemic, 3.7 million new shop-
hacks – Up Your Fluff Game.
multi-media campaign spanning
pers bought into total Canned
Veetee’s rice trays am to help
print and digital.
Ready Meals.
Brits make perfectly fluffy rice
RSP: 30p to £3
RSP: 69p
every time, quickly and easily.
DING DONG
SUMMER SPIRIT
COMMUNITY CLUB
Mars Wrigley’s Extra Chewing
Schweppes has launched a mul-
Skepta and rum brand Havana
Gum has launched the latest
ti-million-pound campaign which
Club and are back with another
instalment of its ‘Get Your Ding
celebrates the Great British pub-
creative collaboration that sees
Back’ campaign: a video game to
lic’s resilience and determination
the UK grime and hip hop artist
help people re-enter society. The
to enjoy the summer. The cam-
design his second limited-edition
web-based experience lets play-
paign launches with the return of
Havana Club 7 bottle, exclusively
ers simulate scenarios they are
two 10-second TV ads as well as
in convenience, “serving local
likely to encounter as they return
eye-catching murals and bright
communities first”.
to the post-lockdown world.
and bold digital creatives.
RSP: £24.99
WEDNESDAY 7TH JULY 2021 / ISSUE 63 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 29
NOW THAT’S A GOOD IDEA…
OUT THE BOX VISUALLY-IMPAIRED QR CODES
Look out for colourful new QR codes A Spanish company has developed colourful new QR codes that help visuallyimpaired customers identify products in-store and access health and safety info.
WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? QR codes that make it much easier for blind or partially-sighted customers to use in-store.
HOW DO THEY WORK? Traditional barcodes or QR codes can be very difficult for visually-impaired customers to use because they can be had to find on-pack and can also be difficult to scan using smartphone cameras, requiring a lot of dexterity and time. The new solution uses bright, impactful, colourful QR codes that are much easier to find and scan using a smartphone. They can also be scanned from up to three metres away and also work in low light conditions.
WHO’S CREATING THEM? A Spanish company called NaviLens
ARE THE NEW QR CODES ALREADY BEING USED? Yes, they’re used extensively in Spain across public transport networks and in places like museums. The New York City Subway system also uses it and
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Heathrow Airport had begun a trial, although this was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
AND THEY’RE COMING TO FOOD AND DRINK? Yes, Kellogg’s has confirmed that all of its cereal packets will ultimately feature the codes. The first one will appear on packs of Special K in January.
WILL THEY MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Almost certainly. The traditional method of communicating with blind or partially-sighted customers is Braille – but the Royal National Institute of Blind (RNIB) People says only 10% of blind or visually-impaired customers actually use Braille. Additionally, very few food and drink products currently feature Braille and there is no legal requirement for producers to include Braille. RNIB also says that an overwhelming 95% of its members are keen to be able to access new technologies like this to help them in-store.
WEDNESDAY 7TH JULY 2021 / ISSUE 63 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 31
PART OF THE BESTWAY WHOLESALE FAMILY
Scottish Grocers’ Federation
BEFORE YOU GO
RETAIL RANDOMS
Lobster debate hits boiling point Granted, not many convenience stores tend to sell live lobsters, but purely as a matter of interest, we thought you might be keen to learn that the House of Lords is proposing a ban on boiling lobsters alive. As all gourmet retailers out there will be aware, the traditional method of preparing Sunday lunch is to dunk a live lobster into a pot of boiling water before serving it alongside a slice of veal with some foie gras on the side. Well, those days may soon be over if shellfish campaigners have their way. Several of them, dressed up as crustaceans, gathered outside the House of Lords yesterday as Peers put forward amendments to the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill to recognise that crabs and lobsters can feel pain. The move
could see these animals given new legal protections, and means that restaurants and fishmongers could be banned from boiling crabs alive or sending live lobsters through the post. So, yeh.
Beans and toast, gin and tonic, Macallan and Bentley?
As niche hook ups go, the latest one from whisky brand Macallan and luxury car brand Bentley takes a bit of beating. Some things naturally go together – ham and eggs, gin and tonic, beans and toast – but whisky and fancy motors? For some reason, Macallan and Bentley have joined forces to, says the press release, “build on their rich heritage to develop distinctive collaborations and further their vision of a more sustainable future”. You may be wondering how a car that is lucky
if it gets 18mpg going downhill can create a more sustainable future by partnering with a whisky company – but apparently the partnership is centred around a new hybrid Bentley that presumably burns a lot less fuel than a fully-loaded 747. The collaboration will, we understand, “create immersive experiences and inspirational products that deliver timeless luxury balanced with a commitment to a more progressive world”. We look forward to learning more.
WEDNESDAY 7TH JULY 2021 / ISSUE 63 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 33
