Retail Express - 11 January 2021 by BetterRetailing

LOW-SUGAR SOFT DRINKS Take advantage of health kicks now and high fat, sugar & salt legislation later this year 11-24 JANUARY 2022 betterRetailing.com

cider

ICE CATEGORY ADV T DRINKS LOW-SUGAR SOF

DRIVE LOWSUGAR SOFT DRINKS SALES

11-24 JANUARY 2022 STRICTLY FOR TRADE USERS ONLY

the stat

61.1%

SUPPLIER

soft switching to low-sugar those looking for low- drinks following the launch of cent of cater to “EIGHTY-NINE per improve and no-sugar alternatives, Coca-Cola Zero and Pepsi Max. and to is often asTango Sugar Free shoppers are trying “The phrase ‘diet’ specifi- such as negative contheir diet, with 29% reduc- Pepsi Max.” Local sociated with therefore diet cally focused on sugar Jai Singh, of MJ’s Nisa notations and Burgess, has also noticed something tion,” explains Amy ons in Sheffield, his customers. drinks are seen as want to with senior trade communicati consume when you Europa- this shift has forced you “Now, manager at Coca-Cola “The pandemic weight,” he says. lose their to think about more open to cific Partners (CCEP). to help shoppers it’s clear they don’t customers are option “It’s important but choosing a low-sugar right de- health, shoppers make the offering want to compromise on taste,” that doesn’t use this phrase.” by the pancisions for them, he says. But it’s not just about shoppers to low- or no-sugar options.” He was hesitant encouras demic that causeshealth. JanuThe pandemic has about stocking some lines, such think about their think Energy Zero Carib- ary is the time where shoppers aged shoppers to 59% people Lucozade introtheir health, with Crush, but since Year’s resolutions considering bean it as a trial, it’s now make New decisions, stating they are to make healthier be more when they ducing a permanent line. their health more become weight or simply lose out-ofI shop. Phil Sanders, “It was quite surprising. mindful in general. director at your it wouldn’t sell, but home commercial Make sure to review the health thought to Britvic, says: “These growth shoppers have continued EPoS data to determine the be stocking he adds. trends have driven wellness buy it,” also says shop- lines you should of the low-sugar and Singh throughout January. been more open to drinks segments. vital to pers have “As a result, it’s

WINNING THE WAR ON ILLICIT

• One year on from the start of Retail Express’ anti-illicittrade campaign, experts reveal how new penalties, illegal disposables and the pandemic will change the black market in 2022 P12 • Tobacco firms unveil latest set of plans to help crack down on sellers P3

RETAIL CRIME

ACCESS TO CASH

NATASHA’S LAW

Technology that makes reporting crime easier records 600 incidents since launch

Why Post Office’s ‘BankHubs’ came up trumps in latest pilot scheme

Four months on: how retailers have responded to new allergen labelling laws

BACK PAGE

on The growing penetrati of sugar-free varieties

ally in January when to consumers, especi BIRCH Health is important make healthier choices. TAMARA to a sure sales winner shoppers pledge gar soft drinks are explores why low-su

WHAT’S THE ? OPPORTUNITY

P19

Paid for by Britvic

VIEW

Phil Sanders, director, out-of-home commercial Britvic lines, such back the bestselling “RETAILERS should Free and Pepsi Max, with the new as 7Up, Tango Sugar sales, as well as showcasing This will potential to drive be given extra visibility. Include different. products, which should to try something encourage customersit’s a new addition. of different PoS to highlight that states with a variety “Cater to all need and at-home occasions,tary complemen pack formats for on-the-go fixtures to locate and create dedicated encourage cross-category to example, site products together, basket spend. For purchases and increase formats with healthier snacks drinks soft single-serve occasions. promote any and salads for meal-deal media as a tool to encourage “Finally, use social in store. This will offers you are runningand check them out, even picking in customers to come the way.” up other items along

our say

Megan Humphrey, editor

A new year brings new opportunity I’M sure I wasn’t the only one who struggled to stay in the festive spirit last month amid all the challenges of Omicron, but I made a conscious effort to stay away from news outlets and it definitely helped. Honestly, I can’t recommend this enough. Usually, every article tends to be filled with uncertain predictions which end up just causing me unnecessary stress. It’s inevitable the next few months will continue to be testing, so it’s a perfect time for you to try this. Not only will it be a great thing for your mental health, but it’ll also give you time to actually think about what you want to improve about your business this year. A new year brings with it the possibility of a lot of new opportunities. It’s time to finally give some attention to the jobs you’ve been putting off, whether it’s dipping your toe into IT’S FINALLY TIME the food-to-go category, or taking TO GIVE SOME the plunge and trialling the new products you’ve been too nervous ATTENTION TO THE to stock. JOBS YOU’VE BEEN This month, why not make PUTTING OFF a list of everything you’d like to achieve, no matter how big or small. Then, assess how long each one will take to complete, and choose one or two that are doable. Having something to focus on will give you a new sense of purpose amid uncertain times, and what better way to ring in 2022. If you need any inspiration, hopefully we can help. We will continue to provide you with all our top tips and advice on how to prepare for seasonal events, legislation and more generally to help keep customers flying through your door. I’ve already made my list, so I’ll let you get on with yours. @retailexpress betterRetailing.com facebook.com/betterRetailing Editor Megan Humphrey @MeganHumphrey_ 020 7689 3357

Editor – news Jack Courtez @JackCourtez 020 7689 3371

Features editor Charles Whitting @CharlieWhittin1 020 7689 3350

Senior features writer Priyanka Jethwa @PriyankaJethwa_ 020 7689 3355

Insight reporter Tamara Birch @TamaraBirchNT 020 7689 3361

Magazines reporter Tim Murray

Production coordinator Chris Gardner

Production editor Ryan Cooper 020 7689 3354

Head of marketing Kate Daw 020 7689 3363

Sub editor Jim Findlay 020 7689 3373

Senior account director Charlotte Jesson 020 7689 3389

tim.murray@newtrade.co.uk 020 7689 3368

Head of design Anne-Claire Pickard 020 7689 3391

Senior news reporter Alex Yau @AlexYau_ 020 7689 3358 Editor in chief Louise Banham @LouiseBanham

Crime-reporting tool hailed as a success by police MEGAN HUMPHREY

Six hundred crimes have been recorded in a pilot scheme launched by the Sussex police and crime commissioner (PCC) looking to make the process of reporting easier for retailers. ‘One Touch Reporting’, created in conjunction with National Business Crime So-

lution, is currently being operated in 22 Co-op stores in the region. Speaking at the latest AllParty Parliamentary Group on Retail Crime, PCC Katy Bourne con�irmed the technology had identi�ied 27 offenders, with 18 being listed as proli�ic, carrying out two or more of the crimes. When asked when it will

DRS start date

SCOTLAND will introduce its deposit return scheme (DRS) on 16 August 2023, after numerous delays caused by Brexit and the pandemic. Scottish minister for green skills, circular economy and biodiversity Lorna Slater con�irmed infrastructure to

carry out the scheme will be implemented across all retail outlets, with some working with the government on a voluntary basis on phased implementation which will see consumers returning their bottles and cans for recycling from November.

be rolled out to more stores, need for other forces to unBourne responded: “There derstand the importance of is a natural hesitation to having a team dedicated to switch it on to all 80 stores, dealing with business crime. “We’ve set up our own busibut we have to ensure what is reported doesn’t clog up our ness crime unit, and there are only two other forces in the contact centre.” The scheme aims to reduce country with one,” she said. the time spent by of�icers re- “It isn’t just about PCCs putcording crime from 30 min- ting this in their crime plans, but getting the force themutes to just a few. Bourne also stressed the selves to understand the importance of a dedicated unit.”

Cyberattack scare

SYMBOL groups have been urged to “wake up” to �laws in their online security after independent Spar stores were hit by a cyberattack costing them hundreds of thousands of pounds. More than a week after Spar wholesaler James Hall &

Co was �irst hit by a ‘ransomware’ cyberattack, expert Jason Finch warned stores to be mindful: “This will continue to happen until the sector wakes up – not just the retailers and their distributors, but the tech companies supplying them.”

Features writer Jasper Hart 020 7689 3384 @JasperAHHart

Designer News reporter Suhara Pavithri Jayasena Jody Cooke 020 7689 3380 @suharajourno

Sub editor Robin Jarossi

The five biggest stories this fortnight

Account director Natalie Reeve 020 7689 3372

Subscribe online at newtrade.co.uk/our-products/ print/retail-express. 1 year subscription: UK £65; overseas (EU) £75; overseas (non-EU) £85 Retail Express is printed and distributed by News UK at Broxbourne and delivered to news retailers free by their newspaper wholesaler. Published by: Newtrade Media Limited, 11 Angel Gate, City Road, London, EC1V 2SD; Phone: 020 7689 0600

Account Manager Marie Dickins 020 7689 3366 Management accountant Abigayle Sylvane 020 7689 3383 Managing director Parin Gohil 020 7689 3388

42,281

Tobacco warning

RETAILERS have been told to review their tobacco insurance-policy limit, following product price rises made in the Budget. Chancellor Rishi Sunak increased the duty on tobacco by 2% above in�lation, and by 6% on roll-your-own, result-

ing in price rises of 4.9% and 10.9%, respectively. Insurer The Retail Mutual’s manager, Jon Taylor, said: “In the event of a claim, if the values declared are lower than the stock value held in store, your claim settlement could be reduced proportionately.”

Audit Bureau of Circulations July 2020 to June 2021 average net circulation per issue

Retail Express’ publisher, Newtrade Media, cares about the environment. Reproduction or transmission in part or whole of any item from Retail Express may only be undertaken with the prior written agreement of the Editor. Contributions are welcome and are included in part or whole at the sole discretion of the editor. Newtrade Media Limited accepts no responsibility for submitted material. Every possible care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information. No warranty for goods or services described is implied.

For the full story, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘cyberattack’

For the full story, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘DRS’

Business delivery manager Ifzal Afzal 020 7689 3382

For the full story, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘tobacco’

Mask flouting

ONE in six shoppers and one in 10 supermarket staff are not wearing face masks despite enhanced coronavirus restrictions now in stores. Mystery-shop company Storecheckers carried out just under 200 visits across the UK since 13 December 2021 at

chains including Aldi, Co-op, Lidl, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. Compliance by customers and staff was lower than it had been during the same period last year. The visits showed Co-op had one of the highest rates of shopper noncompliance.

@retailexpress facebook.com/betterRetailing

11-24 JANUARY 2022 betterRetailing.com

megan.humphrey@newtrade.co.uk 020 7689 3357

Stores told to watch out for rising illegal vape products MEGAN HUMPHREY AN ex-detective chief inspector has warned independent retailers to be wary of the rising number of illegal disposable vaping products circulating in the market. Former detective chief inspector at Scotland Yard Will O’Reilly told Retail Express “the pool is widening” and is likely to be an increasing problem for convenience store owners this year. Last year, letters were sent to retailers by Highlands trading standards of�icer Catherine Cumming claiming “a recent rise in reports across the UK of illegal vaping products being found on sale, commonly referred to as ‘disposable vapes’ or ‘nicotine puffs’.” “This is obviously an upcoming problem for us to deal with,” said O’Reilly. “And I think it’ll be something we might have to keep our eye on going forward.” E-liquid manufacturer Love Flavours’ commercial sales manager, Nick Roman, urged stores to be mindful despite the “gold-rush” occurring in the category. “The chances of getting caught are so small and the punishment doesn’t �it the crime, which is why people think they can get away with it,” he said. “There is a gold-rush causing a huge problem and retailers need to be careful about where they are sourcing these

GOOD WEEK NISA: The wholesaler’s annual retailer conference in Stoneleigh is set to make a return this year. The Nisa Expo will take place 27-28 September 2022. The event was forced to go virtual the past two years due to the ongoing pandemic. A ‘save the date’ was sent out at the end of December. CARDS: Riverside Greetings is approaching its 4,000th site, after experiencing increased demand from symbol-group stores last year. The firms managing director, Andrew Glen, said: “We’ve got a variety of cards that change seasonally. Retailers don’t tend to buy cards from the cash and carry because it’s always the same product.” For the full story, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘cards’

BAD WEEK Former detective chief inspector at Scotland Yard Will O’Reilly products from.” In November, trading standards demanded that cash and carries removed a number of bestselling disposable lines from sale following ‘intelligence-led’ inspections. When asked how stores can make sure they are stocking legitimate goods, Roman said: “Retailers should always ask to see the paperwork and a VAT invoice. If the supplier can’t provide that, then you have to question the size of that company, and it’s likely they aren’t genuine. “There is usually a code on the side of the product which you can check on an of�icial website, and on the MHRA portal which lists all the compliant brands.” Despite this, the sale of il-

express yourself “It’s worse this time around, because the government is discouraging people from going out, which is having a huge effect on us. We rely on passing trade from people going to work, and without this, we have been dead. There has to be some distinction between essential businesses outside of high-footfall areas, and those dependent on it. Now the furlough scheme has ended, it’s likely we are going to have to let staff go, too.” Amjid Bashir, multiple Newsbox sites, Glasgow

legal cigarettes continues to be disrupted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “The pandemic affected travel, and we saw a reduction in the amount of contraband being sold at this time,” said O’Reilly. “Unfortunately, organised crime groups are switched on and they recognised that and �illed the void by producing more counterfeit versions and illicit whites. We saw that both products each increased by roughly £1 over a 12-month period.” This trend also drove a rise in the number of products being sold on social media during various lockdowns. “In the past, a lot of the sellers would be people coming back from abroad and bringing back �ive or six

the column where you can make your voice heard

cartons to upload online,” said O’Reilly. “But we have seen a rise in illicit whites and counterfeits being sold. It’s a lot less cartons, but more of a variety of illicit brands being sold by more professional sellers.” The easing of all restrictions resulted in normal trends being resumed, however O’Reilly stressed typical behaviour from sellers will continue to change dependent on the rate of infections. “If there is another lockdown, this equates to disrupted travel, which will bring us back to seeing activity like before,” he said. “It still remains a highly pro�itable, low-risk enterprise for organised criminal gangs.” However, this year, laws are expected to change to

make it easier for trading standards to issue instant �ines to retailers on the spot for selling tobacco without an economic operator ID. Speaking about the impact of this, JTI’s UK �iscal & regulatory affairs manager, Ian Howell, previously told Retail Express the move would remove the need for the case to go to court as stores would have their right to sell tobacco immediately suspended, or revoked. O’Reilly con�irmed this is likely to alter the level of illicit sold in convenience stores. “This has the potential to change the situation,” he said. “We don’t know exactly what effect it will have just yet, but we hope it will perhaps deter retailers from illegal products.”

VAPING: Edge is to slash the in-store support it provides to independent retailers as parent company NextGen360 struggles with the fallout from serious accounting failures. Sources at the firm told Retail Express that its more-than-30 fieldteam members were put under consultation at the beginning of November, with severe job losses expected early this year. For the full story, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘Edge’ FARMDROP: The online grocer ceased trading just over a week before Christmas last year. Hundreds of customers were left out of pocket and without their orders. On 15 December, customers received messages telling them their orders would not arrive and to seek refunds through their bank. For the full story, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘Farmdrop’

What challenges is the rising rate of Omicron infections creating for your store?

“It’s difficult trying to make sure we aren’t hit with a surge of staff absences because of the rise in cases at the moment. We are trying to be as cautious as possible, which can be hard when we remain open. We are encouraging every member of our staff to get the booster vaccine as soon as they can. We also closed on Christmas Day and reduced our opening hours after the festive period to reduce any potential risk.” Sue Nithyanandan, Costcutter Epsom, Surrey

“The work-from-home order has helped strengthen our position in the local neighbourhood as a residential store. People will be discouraged from going into the city and will turn towards community stores once again. Grocery delivery is also huge for us, and I think most retailers have seen an increase as people are making more frequent and spontaneous trips to stores as a break from working.” Avtar Sidhu, Kenilworth Budgens, Warwickshire

Do you have an issue to discuss with other retailers? Call 020 7689 3357 or email megan.humphrey@newtrade.co.uk

Avtar Sidhu

NEWS

11-24 JANUARY 2022 betterRetailing.com

Access-to-cash focus for bank tie-up MEGAN HUMPHREY POST Office’s (PO) ‘BankHubs’ reigned champion in an initiative launched by several banks to improve access to cash, following numerous high-street branch closures. The collaboration, achieved through the Access to Cash Action Group, saw eight pilots established last year, with communities able to request a

review of their community’s needs from summer 2022. The pilots trialled a range of services, including ‘BankHubs’, providing basic banking functions, such as counter services run by the PO, and rooms in which customers can see community bankers. Cashback from local shops, automated deposit machines for small businesses, digital services to make it easier for

people to get cash and manage small change, and new ATMs were also trialled. However, of all the solutions, PO’s ‘BankHubs’ met the widest range of needs. Two sites in Rochford, Essex, and Cambuslang, Scotland, reported 92 average daily customers, 40% cash deposit consumer transactions, 80% cash deposit business transactions and more than 4,200 deposited cheques.

One hub banker said: “Some of the local people cannot afford to travel to another town for banking, They are loving the fact that they can come in on a daily basis, take their money out and pay their cheques in without having to think about getting a train, bus, taxi or driving several miles to another town.” Speaking about the success of the imitative, ACS chief executive James Lowman said:

“Convenience stores trade across the heart of the community across the UK and we

Costcutter fee rise BESTWAY’S increased £12.50 weekly marketing fee for Costcutter retailers will help cover external and in-store marketing, such as TV, print and online advertising. “We have worked hard to mitigate and absorb inflationary cost rises for many years while expanding our support, so for the first time in almost a decade, we are changing our

High fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) legislation is coming*, and we are here to help

SNAPPY Shopper has celebrated £5m sales with its Nisapartnered stores, boasting an average basket spend of £28. The convenience delivery platform teamed up with the wholesaler in January 2020, and is currently running between 40-50 deliveries a day. The platform enables full integration with a retailer’s EPoS system, enabling stock data to be updated daily, meaning stores don’t have to manually

in any of our products to ﬁnd the latest information, insight and advice.

The Retail Success Handbook

HFSS restrictions to come into force in October 2022

If you have any questions about HFSS, or Newtrade Media products, please call the team on 020 7689 3363

For the full letter, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘Costcutter’

update price changes, helping them save time and money.

Jisp loyalty scheme

HFSS. We’ve got it covered.

marketing fee,” said Bestway retail director Mike Hollis in a letter sent to retailers. “We are proud to provide Costcutter-supplied retailers with sector-leading marketing support that drives shopper footfall and sales.”

SNAPPY SHOPPER CELEBRATES £5M

Look out for this logo

Visit betterRetailing.com/HFSS

know that cash is still very important to a large proportion of our customers.”

JISP will be launching a free loyalty scheme for independent stores to help them compete with Tesco Clubcard and Sainsbury’s Nectar. The firms chief customer officer, Greg Deacon, told Retail Express the scheme would be live by the end of this month, rewarding customers for every way in which they interact with a Jisp-partnered shop online and in store through the app. Shoppers will receive points for actions, including placing orders, scanning product barcodes and redeeming moneyoff coupons.

For the full story, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘Jisp’

ASSESS. COMPARE. IMPROVE

IAA

#IAA22

BENCHMARKING ARE YOU THE NEXT BEST SHOP? The Independent Achievers Academy gives you the tools to grow — it’s a springboard for success. Take part and see for yourself. Register your interest to take part Visit betterRetailing.com/IAA or contact Kate Daw on 020 7689 3363

PRODUCTS

Myblu launches blister packs PRIYANKA JETHWA IMPERIAL Tobacco has updated the packaging of its pod-mod vape system, Myblu. As part of the packaging update, the Myblu range will feature new blister pod packs with a perforated edge. The new developments will also bring improvements from a stability perspective, with the blister packs offering better pod protection, nicotine preservation and portability. In addition to the blister pods, the packaging design has been updated to include an improved vignette on the logo triangle, making it easier to navigate between

the Intense and regular ranges. This also makes it easier to read the �lavour and strength. Chris Street, UK market manager at Imperial Tobacco, said: “These latest packaging enhancements will help to ensure we continue to offer the best consumer experience possible. “With the new blister packs offering convenience, as well as a new consistent look and feel across the range, we’re con�ident Myblu will remain the pod-mod device of choice for consumers looking for an easy-to-use vaping solution.” The Myblu Intense starter kit contains a device, e-liquid and charger.

Lucozade Sport cuts Diageo modernises Bell’s Original Whisky back on plastic

16-29 NOVEMBER 2021 betterRetailing.com

Frozen sales set to boom in 2022 ONE in three convenience retailers have seen increased demand for frozen foods over the past 12 months, with 25% of retailers intending to invest further this year. This is according to research from Birds Eye, in partnership with KAM Media, after speaking to 200 independent retailers in the UK. The study also explored the potential barriers to expansion, with 39% of retailers citing “insuf�icient space for additional freezers” as the biggest challenge to growing frozen sales in store. Many retailers are also missing out on consumer trends, with 23% sticking

with the products they’ve always stocked. Joss Bamber, head of convenience at Birds Eye, said: “Our advice is always to listen to what customers are asking for, stock the core bestsellers, and topup with new products that will excite and attract shoppers to the category.”

growth further, with 51% of Green Cuisine sales coming from new products.

Growing Veganuary sales with Birds Eye

DIAGEO has updated the design of its blended scotch whisky, Bell’s Original. The new bottle has been launched with a £1m media investment behind the brand’s �irst TV advert in six years. This was also backed by radio advertising and marketing on social media at the end of last year. The refreshed bottle features its founder, Arthur Bell, and showcases the brand’s heritage in a modern way. The blended scotch whisky comes in 70cl and 1l formats, with an RRP of £16 and £20, respectively.

LUCOZADE Sport bottles will now feature a reduced plastic sleeve. This forms part of brand owner Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I’s ‘Growing for good’ vision, which has included a £7.8m investment in sustainable packaging. The new sleeve also helps make the bottle easier to recycle. It follows the news of the supplier having launched paper straws for Ribena cartons, and semitransparent sleeves across the Lucozade Energy range. Lucozade Sport’s new look will also help bring the supplier closer to its goal of making all of its plastic packaging sustainable by 2030.

BIRDS Eye Green Cuisine’s Veganuary campaign, ‘Do what you canuary’, will encourage shoppers to eat more plant-based products without feeling the pressure of going 100% meat-free for the whole month. The campaign spans TV, video-on-demand and outdoor advertising Last January, there was a 20% increase in household penetration of frozen meatfree foods. Nine per cent of total annual meat-free sales also occurred during January 2021 – providing a 22% boost to frozen category sales compared with other months. The supplier said its recent ‘chicken-free’ and ‘�ish-free’ launches have driven category

EXCLUSIVE to convenience and independent retailers, Red Bull is extending its multipack range with a sugar-free price-marked option. Red Bull Sugarfree comes in a price-marked four-pack with an RRP of £4.69, and is available from Booker, Premier and Family Shopper now. Multipacks are outperforming any other format in soft drinks, growing at 34% and driving 85% of incremental growth. Fifty-six per cent of impulse shoppers also indicate they would be more likely to buy a pricemarked pack, signi�icantly over indexing among 33-to44-year-olds.

MONDELEZ International has rolled out an on-pack promotion across Cadbury Drinking Chocolate 500g and Cadbury Instant Hot Chocolate 400g. The ‘Make it yours’ competition offers shoppers a chance to win £5,000 towards their ‘perfect weekend’, with festival tickets, spa days, football experiences and more up for grabs – as well as thousands of Cadbury Hot Chocolate hampers. ‘Make it yours’ will be on packs until mid-April and shoppers can enter by visiting makeityours. cadbury.co.uk and entering their details online.

NORTHERN Lights has launched a THC- and CBDfree cannabis-�lavoured vodka with an RRP of £34.99. Supplier Real English Drinks Distillery said the UK is now the second-largest consumer of cannabinoids in the world and the vodka category is in growth by 12% year on year. It also added that 45% of this growth in vodka can be attributed to �lavour innovations, with more consumers seeking new options. The brand is also offering convenience retailers a launch deal where you can buy �ive bottles and get one free. The vodka has a trade price of £22.25 each, excluding VAT.

Grow hot choc sales Redbull Sugarfree now in new four-pack with Cadbury promo

New cannabisflavoured vodka

cider

CATEGORY ADVICE LIST YOUR SHOP

GET YOUR STORE ON THE MAP In our easy-to-follow guide, RETAIL EXPRESS explains how to get your store on the map – Google Maps

GOOGLE IS KING GOOGLE is the most visited website in the world and Google Maps is by far the most popular navigation app, with more than 70% of smartphone users saying they used it frequently. So, getting your store listed correctly on Google is absolutely crucial if you want to be found online and should be a top priority in your digital marketing efforts.

“To get your business on there is easy,” says David Lomas, of Lomas News in Bury, Lancashire. “And it’s important, too. It’s the first port of call. No matter what you’re searching for, whether it’s a Ubend for the sink or finding out when the sun sets, people use Google. We get people coming in with Google Maps open and they’ve used it to find us.

“We’ve been using Google for the shop since we opened in 2007. We’ve not got our own website and we use a Gmail address. So we’ve always had that interaction with Google. We get information quite regularly from Google. They send us all the analytics about who’s been viewing our store online. But it’s a bit difficult to do the fiddly bits.”

11-24 JANUARY 2022 betterRetailing.com

CATEGORY ADVICE LIST YOUR SHOP

11-24 JANUARY 2022 betterRetailing.com

CREATING A DETAILED PROFILE

getting started

ONCE you’ve received the verification code and have confirmed that the business is yours, you can now start adding important details to your Google Maps listing, which will automatically go live once your code has been verified. Start by fleshing out the details of your listing with information such as your opening hours and your store logo, the

Unless your shop is new, chances are it will already be listed on Google Maps and all you’ll need to do is claim it. Get started by going to google.com/business and clicking the ‘Manage now’ button in the top right-hand corner. Enter your business name and address in the search bar. If your store appears in the results, select it and follow the steps to claim it. If it’s not there, click ‘Add your business’ and you’ll be asked to provide the following, so be sure to have all the information to hand: • The name of your business • The category that fits your business best • Any other locations you want to add that customers can visit, such as a store or office • Your store’s address • Whether you also serve customers outside this location • The contact details that you want to be made available to customers • Your contact phone number • Your website – there is an option to create a free website for your store through Google if you don’t have one already

services and key products you provide, as well as a description of your business and photos of the interior and exterior of your store. Imagery is important. Use good-quality photos to show off your products or services and let customers peek inside your store. Well-lit, straightened photos tend to be more impactful. It’s also worth including

things such as your amenities and the payment methods your store accepts. Think about what information will be important to different customers and make sure you’re providing it. For example, wheelchair users will be interested in a store’s accessibility, so if your store offers this, then making it clear on your Google listing will make the decision to shop with

you far faster and easier. You can also take this opportunity to talk a little about the history of your store. Listing when you opened it can be an opportunity to showcase how established your store is if it’s been there for a long time, or, if you’ve recently opened, that you’re something new that people should investigate and try out.

At this point, you’ll need to verify the business is yours by having a code sent to the address by postcard. In some cases, it’s also possible to verify by phone or email later in the process.

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR LISTING ONCE everything is verified, and you’ve added the crucial information and imagery for your business, you can take advantage of the many other benefits and tools Google Maps has to offer shop owners. Start by exploring the dashboard to find out what Google is doing for you and also what it is allowing you to do. For example, the insights tab is able to provide you with useful analytics into how your customers engage with your online presence and comparisons with

your competition, allowing you to monitor customer activity and focus your online efforts to drive further traffic. You will also be able to interact with customers via Google by creating posts of new products, events and announcements that will appear in Google search results and on Google Maps. Additionally, you can receive and reply to messages from customers and reply to Google Reviews that are left on your page. There is also free advertis-

ing credit available with Google Ads at ads.google.com/intl/ en_uk/home. Taking steps even further, retailers are able to create a free business website, with a custom Gmail business email address with their store listing. On top of this, it is also possible to add more users to the listing, along with varying levels of permissions, to allow other members of your team to make edits or add updates, according to their levels of skill or seniority.

WHAT NEXT? NOW your store is listed on Google, it’s important you keep the entry up to date so that your customers remain informed. Otherwise there is a risk that they will show up to the store expecting it to be open when opening hours have changed or expecting a special offer that is no longer in place. Retailers should keep a close eye on the following key areas: Opening hours and contact phone number must always be correct. Always reply to Google Reviews – when positive, thank the customer warmly. If a negative review is received, avoid being defensive or confrontational. Suggest they get in touch via email or phone so you can help resolve any difficulties they may have had. Upload fresh photos from time to time, especially if you have a refit or new fascia. Keep

on top of it like you would with any other social media account. “We use social media a lot: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram,” says Lomas. “But Google, it’s so important, yet I always forget about it. It’s quite good for posting stuff. You can use it like a social media hub, and you should. One of my big targets for 2022 is to make more use of it so it really benefits my business. There are pictures up, but I’ve probably not put a new picture up there in months. We used it during the lockdowns to let people know whether we were open or closed.” Once you have your Google page set up and running effectively, you might want to consider listing your store on other directory sites and search engines. These include Yelp, Foursquare and Bing.

How to win customers and grow sales in 2022

The Retail Success A MUST-READ FOR PROFIT-DRIVEN INDEPENDENT RETAILERS

Handbook

RUN A BETTER SHOP IN 2022

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A new year means new opportunities, new challenges and new customers. This edition of The Retail Success Handbook will give you the guidance you need to thrive in 2022. This not-to-be-missed issue will include:

• Shopper trends that retailers need to pay attention to in 2022, including products to stock, and ranging and merchandising advice • An update on new legislation, including an in-depth focus on how you can prepare for HFSS, with a category-by-category guide covering key impulse lines • The latest thinking on how to successfully market an independent store to grow footfall • How leading local shop owners are using best practice, routines and processes to make their stores more proﬁtable • A close look at the latest PoS and display solutions available from suppliers • Analysis of the most effective customer-service tools and techniques

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to get 2022 off to the best-possible start – order your copy from your magazine wholesaler today or contact us on 020 3871 6490

OPINION

COMING UP IN THE 14 JANUARY ISSUE OF RN

RETAILER OPINION ON THIS FORTNIGHT’S HOT TOPICS

What do you think? Call Retail Express on 020 7689 3357 for the chance to be featured SCOTLAND: How will the change in business rates affect you? “ALTHOUGH this is good news for businesses under £15,000, those who will lose the 100% discount will struggle. The NFRN was pushing for further relief, and we wanted more than a 50% discount to be announced [which comes into effect in April].”

00 WIN £1r ,0 store,

for you ff or your sta unity – m your com giveaway e iv s lu c x e aders for RN re

Abdul Qadar, Capital News, Edinburgh

Spring Confectionery: new launches, the most profitable lines and sales-boosting ideas

PANCAKE DAY: How are you preparing for the event in store? “YOU do get people who buy in advance, but more often than not it’s multiple parents running in to buy what’s left. I don’t panic if there’s lot of stock left at 3pm on Pancake Day, because I know that by 5pm it will all be gone – taken by the afterschool people.”

Learning from the supermarkets: the latest insights that you can make work in your own store

The key thing is availability PLU S THE LEADING TITLE FOR NEWS AND CONVENIENCE RETAILERS THE LE ADING ILERS TITLE E RETA FOR NE ENIENC WS AN D CONV D CONV WS AN NE ENIENC R E FO E RETA G TITL Get your next ILERS IN AD THE LE refit right

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How Jack Matthews put seasonality, value and local goods at the heart of his refurb STORE PROFILE Page 14

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“WHILE I welcome the changes, I don’t feel it is a real solution. A cliff-edge is coming in April. Inflation will continue to rise, alongside the Living Wage, and the reintroduction of rates for those eligible to pay will be another pressure, all of which will be dealt with by independents.”

21/12/

2021

15:35

Sophie Towers, Kibble Bank One Stop, Burnley

Jeet Bansi, Meon Vale Londis, Stratford-upon-Avon

PURCHASING: What was it like being a first-time buyer during the pandemic? “WE were always looking to buy, and the convenience market was booming. We realised this was a good time as they were in demand. We were first-time buyers, and we had a lot of hurdles to jump through. It took a long time to secure funding.”

Sajeev Gowrinathan, Greenacre Garage, Cheshire

“I PURCHASED the property in 2018, but we opened during the first lockdown. It was an odd experience, and we did have availability issues. But because we are a local store, we hardly had any competition, so our footfall was high.” Lewis Prager, Best-one Preens, Wakefield

It took a long time to secure funding DRS: How are you getting ready for the August 2023 rollout?

The best independent retailers stay ahead by reading RN each week. Do you? ORDER YOUR COPY from your news wholesaler today or contact Kate Daw on 020 3871 6490

“WE start stocking up in the first week of January and then we’ll start merchandising it in the first week of February. The key thing is availability, making sure that we’ve got the product and we’re selling it at a good price as well. It’s very wise to stock up early.”

We can’t be expected to make a decision

“WE as retailers won’t be able to figure out what will financially work for us. We can’t be expected to make a decision on whether a reverse vending machine is better for us, or taking back containers manually, without knowing what level of handling fee we’ll receive for providing the service.” Mo Razzaq, Premier Mo’s @ Blantyre, Glasgow

“THERE is much work still to be done, but we can now start to focus on delivering a deposit return scheme that will work for all retailers – large and small – and achieve its aim of increasing the availability of highquality recycled plastic, metal and glass.” Ferhan Ashiq, Day-Today Ashiq’s, Prestonpans

LETTERS

11-24 JANUARY 2022 betterRetailing.com

BAY BASHIR

Letters may be edited

Belle Vue Convenience (Go Local), Middlesbrough

Look out for each other

‘We’re continuing to see a steady recovery in retail’ ALTHOUGH in-store sales of National Lottery products were down 15% on pre-pandemic levels for the �irst half of 2021/22, we’re continuing to see a steady recovery in retail despite the ongoing chal-

lenging circumstances (‘Good Week, Bad Week’, 14 December 2021). Total National Lottery sales were up 2.7% on the �irst six months of last year and in-store sales were up 4.5%, with retailer com-

mission up 5.1% – totalling £133m, which is equivalent to around £3,000 per store. We’d like to once again extend our sincere thanks to our retail partners for continuing to sell The National Lottery in their stores. By

doing so, they play a major role in helping to raise more than £30m a week for good causes across the UK. Miranda Crees, head of corporate communications, Camelot

COMMUNITY RETAILER

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TO ENTER Fill in your details at:

betterRetailing.com/competitions This competition closes on 11 February. Editor’s decision is final.

Christine Hope, Hopes of Longtown, Hereford – @HopesofLongtown

‘We offer a cleaning product refill’

OUR customers can come in and refill their cleaning products every Thursday between 3pm-6.30pm, using Bio-D. We’ve been doing this for three years and it remains really popular. On other days of the week, we prefill bottles that someone has bought back which we’ve then refilled. There is a definite appetite for it, but it depends on your customer base. We’ve got the right audience who are motivated to reduce their plastic use. We refill bottles ourselves and in a different area to the shop as we have a lot of elderly customers and have to be mindful about slippages.

IN this first issue of 2022, I could talk about what the future holds this year, but at the moment, we just don’t know. We’re taking things as they go and we’re focusing on keeping everyone safe. That’s the most important thing at the moment. We’re refitting the shops at the moment and there’ll be new spreads on the counter, but in reality Each issue, one of seven top we daren’t make retailers shares advice to plans for the longmake your store magnificent term future because of where things are in this country at present. We’re just taking things day by day and reflecting on the job we’ve done so far. Business has been alright recently, and, in fact, we’re still up 40% year on year from two years ago, so we certainly can’t complain. You’ve got to go with what’s happening right now and keep everyone – family, staff and customers – safe in the current climate. I don’t see or look any further ahead. We’re just going to try to keep doing the best we can, because the pandemic could see our whole area shut, just like that. Things are going to get a lot tighter than they have been. I appreciate that there’s lots going on in the new year, but I wouldn’t be making plans for things that are even happening in January. Occasions such as the World Cup or the Queen’s Jubilee are just too far away at the moment. People might think that they need to engage with these things, but, at the moment, people’s health is more important to me than anything else. It’s about investing in my staff right now and getting through this difficult period of time. That’s at the forefront of everything we’re doing. It’s unfortunate that these are the times we’re living in, but we’re fortunate to be in this industry making a difference. I’m trying to keep that family atmosphere in my store. We don’t want to end up in freefall because of this. I’ve lost friends in the industry because of this pandemic and that’s given me some perspective. We can all get tied up planning for things, but plan for what? There’s too much at stake and too much that’s not in our hands. We can just do what we can. That’s my philosophy. Just appreciate the fact that we’re still open and we can look after people. If I help one person in one life, that makes all the difference for me. The money will come and go. I spend 10 minutes whenever I can talking to staff and putting their minds to rest. We do a lot of work on safety and welfare. We’re just having words with them all the time. Their safety is paramount. If they need anything, then we’re there for them. I don’t want to be bigging anything up right now. Money comes and goes, it’s the least of my concerns. Family, staff and the people we serve every day are my concerns, and we’ll get through this pandemic as best we can.

Get in touch

@retailexpress betterRetailing.com facebook.com/betterRetailing megan.humphrey@newtrade.co.uk 020 7689 3357

CATEGORY ADVICE FIGHTING ILLICIT TOBACCO

THE FIGHT TO STUB OUT ILLEGAL TOBACCO SALES The sale of illegal tobacco continues to be a prevelant issue for convenience stores. CHARLES WHITTING and MEGAN HUMPHREY look at how retailers, industry bodies and the police are fighting back

THE FIGHT GOES ON ILLICIT tobacco is a scourge that has hurt independent retailers for many years, not to mention society as a whole. As well as taking away valuable sales and profits from honest suppliers and retailers, the sale of illicit tobacco products funds other illegal activities, puts subquality and even toxic products into circulation, and makes underage smoking a far harder problem to police and reduce. “I don’t think Covid-19 has changed the situation at all, and my customers say they’re

still getting it all the time. It’s on Instagram, people saying that they’re going to get it,” says Sophie Towers, from Kibble Bank One Stop in Burnley, Lancashire. “And people are selling it on Facebook.” Retail Express has been working tirelessly to support retailers and police forces fighting illicit tobacco, and, last year, launched the ‘Stubbing Out Illicit’ campaign, which removed many counterfeit cigarettes from the country. But the scale of the problem is considerable.

“According to the latest KPMG report on illicit tobacco, the UK is ranked second for illicit cigarette consumption of the 30 European nations included in the study. More than 17% of cigarettes here were recorded as counterfeit and contraband (C&C) – that’s a staggering 5.2 billion individual cigarettes. Scotland’s consumption of C&C soared from 9% of all cigarettes consumed in 2019 to 15% in 2020 – the highest rise recorded for any part of the UK last year,” says a

spokesperson for Philip Morris. “Perhaps most worryingly of all, counterfeit cigarettes alone are at a five-year high in the UK, up 9% versus 2019.” It has been thought that the pandemic and the resulting drop in international travel might have reduced the spread of illicit tobacco, as sales from vast purchases in duty-free became far less frequent. A KPMG report analysed cigarettes consumption in the UK and other countries and found that cigarettes brought into the

country legally by consumers declined by 66%, while dutyfree cigarettes declined by 52%. But it has not made the problem go away. “Research conducted for JTI shows that, despite lockdowns and travel restrictions, more than 30% of smokers are still able to purchase tobacco that is not subject to UK taxes,” says Ian Howell, fiscal and regulatory affairs manager at JTI UK. “HMRC estimates that close to £49bn in tax revenue has been lost through tobacco smug-

gling since 2000, including the £2.3bn lost in 2019 and 2020. “Our analysis of media coverage on illicit trade suggests that November 2020 saw the highest monthly volume of cigarettes seized in the UK in the past five years – including one of the largest seizures of its kind taking place just outside of Dudley, with HMRC finding more than 30 million cigarettes, worth a staggering £11.6m in unpaid duty, showing that this issue is still prevalent.”

11-24 JANUARY 2022 betterRetailing.com

the stat

£49bn Tax revenue lost to tobacco smuggling since 2000

THE ILLICIT E-CIGARETTE PROBLEM The issue of illicit tobacco sales isn’t limited to just cigarettes, either, with criminals eager to take advantage of the growing demand for, and relative novelty of, next-gen nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and disposables, producing and selling illegal and potentially harmful counterfeits of these as well.

“Preventing the production and sale of counterfeit e-cigarette products is one of the main challenges currently facing the e-cigarette industry. Counterfeit e-cigarette products pose serious potential health risks to consumers,” says Chris Aitkens, external affairs manager at Relx International.

“While governments and local authorities work to implement stronger enforcement methods to rid the market of these harmful products, international e-cigarette companies can and should do more to assist this global fight to offer consumers products that abide by safety standards by undergoing stringent quality checks.

Why should you care about illegal tobacco? EXPERT

VIEW

Crimestoppers spokesperson

“THE illegal tobacco trade is linked to criminal activity, and it brings crime into local areas across the country. All tobacco products have health implications, however counterfeit tobacco has been found to contain six times the level of lead, five times the level of cadmium and three times the level of arsenic compared to ordinary cigarettes. Mouse and rat droppings, dead insects and floor sweepings have also been found in illicit tobacco. “Information is the lifeblood of many criminal investigations. It is often the process of piecing this together which leads to convictions. If you suspect or know of somebody selling illicit tobacco, you can report it 100% anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers, via our UK-based, 24/7 contact centre on freephone 0800 555 111. Alternatively, you can complete a simple and secure anonymous online form at crimestoppers-uk.org. “Crimestoppers is not interested in who you are, just what you know. Increasing the quantity and quality of information received from shop owners and the public will lead to more arrests, charges and convictions.”

The illicit tobacco trade is a global industry that damages the livelihoods of honest retailers and communities. Imperial Tobacco does not and will not support any activities associated with the sale of illegal tobacco. Together we can make a positive difference. If you Suspect It. Report It. You can report any suspected illicit trade activity anonymously to your local trading standards office.

0800 0495992 Visit suspect-it-report-it.co.uk or scan the QR code to find out more

“Retailers can easily report counterfeit e-cigarettes and products to trading standards in the UK.”

CATEGORY ADVICE FIGHTING ILLICIT TOBACCO

EDITOR

OPINION Megan Humphrey, editor, Retail Express

“OUR ‘Stubbing Out Illicit’ campaign, launched last year, has seen us physically remove counterfeit cigarettes from streets across the country. It was created with the intention of using our leverage to help crack down on the illicit trade and, 12 months on, I’m confident we are fulfilling our mission. “Of course, this isn’t an issue that can be solved overnight, nor will it truly ever be solved, but there have been some wins and it’s my job to shine a light on them. Our coverage has kept a close eye on consultation proposals looking to give trading standards more power to give dodgy shops on-the-spot fines, as well as a new tool to help return stolen cigarettes back to genuine sellers through track and trace. I’ve also been lucky enough to go undercover with a team dedicated to fighting your corner, seizing illicit tobacco, and seeing it result in raids and shutdowns. “This year could potentially see a lot of change in how law-breaking retailers are punished, and I will endeavor to give you a front-row seat. It’s possible the tide is turning, for the first time in a while. We intend to continue our fight, by giving you more of the same, alongside a more in-depth look at how counterfeit products make their way from factories abroad into shops across the road from you. It’s essential to look at how other countries are dealing with this, as well as drill down on regional efforts to ensure change. “So, please, stay with us and do call me on 020 7689 3357 if you have any suggestions on how our campaign can better help you.”

WHAT RETAILERS CAN DO IN the face of this problem, it can be easy for retailers to feel there is nothing they can do to make a difference. But the best way to beat this is by consistently reporting infractions to the relevant authorities. There are potential dangers of doing anything yourself, as these are criminals we are talking about, so anonymity is always advised when reporting illegal activity. “If it was another retailer selling illicit tobacco, then I’d definitely report it,” says Andrew Dunning, from Stanwix News in Carlisle, Cumbria. “It’s a very difficult situation, but if I was aware, then I think I would report it anonymous-

ly. These services are widely known to the retailers and the tobacco companies. JTI always does a lot in partnership.” JTI UK’s Don’t Be Complict in Illicit microsite has a “quick and easy” report function. “Law enforcement agencies depend on retailers’ support to tackle the problem head on, so the more staff are aware of the issue and the warning signs to look out for, the better,” says Howell. “We know that many retailers feel these reports fall on ‘deaf ears’ and that ‘nothing ever seems to happen’, and the real challenge can be in encouraging them to step forward. However, we assure retailers that everyday enforce-

ment action is taking place and the criminals depriving honest retailers from legitimate sales are being brought to justice. “By encouraging more people to report suspicious activity to the relevant authorities, retailers can help protect their local communities and prevent underage tobacco sales.” The more information that authorities have, the more effectively they can act. Additionally, the more complaints and tip-offs from your area, the stronger the response will be. The sale of illicit tobacco is a flood that’s grown drop by drop. The dam must be built brick by brick, complaint by complaint. Every report brings

us closer to defeating it. “Trading standards have already seen a positive result in 2021 via Operation CeCe, with more than £2.7m-worth of tobacco goods seized,” says James Hall, anti-illicit trade manager at Imperial Tobacco UK. “We have found that the more we share trading standards’ successes, the more information we get in return from retailers, which then leads to further action. With this in mind, we strongly encourage retailers to report any suspected illicit tobacco trade activity to trading standards directly, or contact their Imperial rep.”

RETAILER

VIEW

Terry Caton Londis Chesterfield, Derbyshire “WE’RE all affected by this and I don’t think it matters who you are or what kind of store you run. If I had any advice to give those retailers who are feeling the effects of illegal tobacco – whether on the streets or someone setting up a so-called ‘pop-up shop’ – you have to report it to trading standards and JTI. The guidance is out there, from associations such as the ACS or the NRFN. There are points of contact to notify if it’s happening in your area. You need to make sure the relevant authority is notified so they can do something about it as soon as possible. “JTI and all the manufacturers, they’re on it because they don’t want illicit tobacco in your area any more than you do. It’s about reporting it when you see it because it’s not a financial loss, it’s a health thing. There are things in those products that aren’t good for people. The best thing is to report it as soon as possible and make sure the relevant authority acts on it straight away. That’s what I would do.”

11-24 JANUARY 2022 betterRetailing.com

what suppliers are doing

Philip Morris “We invest significantly in preventive and protective measures within the supply chain, implement trackand-trace solutions worldwide, and support both our customers and suppliers,” says a spokesperson for Philip Morris. “We also work alongside regulations such as the FCTC Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, and the tracking and tracing provisions under the EU Tobacco Products Directive. “Our work through PMI Impact, a global initiative supporting third-party projects against illegal trade and related crimes, also enables Philip Morris to eradicate illicit tobacco. “As lockdown restrictions have eased over the past few months, Philip Morris has resumed sending testpurchase teams to shops across the UK, with visits to Scotland imminent. We gather intelligence which assists local authorities and law enforcement with their ongoing efforts to clamp down on illegal trade.” JTI UK “We’re committed to supporting retailers and providing them with the tools they need to become more knowledgeable when communicating the dangers of the illicit tobacco trade to their customers. Our Don’t Be Complicit in Illicit campaign and dedicated microsite, which features a host of useful articles and advice, helps retailers join the fight against illicit tobacco in their area by providing them with more information on the scale of the issue,” says JTI’s Ian Howell. “If retailers are aware of anybody selling illicit tobacco, we encourage them to contact HM Revenue & Customs’ Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887, trading standards via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Retailers can also visit jtiadvance.co.uk/dontbecomplicit.” Relx International “As part of Relx International’s Pledge, the company established its Golden Shield initiative in response to the growing issue of counterfeit products with the goal of safeguarding adult e-cigarette users’ right to access quality products,” says Relx International’s Chris Aitkens. “Relx’s Golden Shield team monitors and tracks illicit e-cigarette products sold online around the world. Through in-depth investigations, the team is able to discover and track the complete illicit product supply chain, including the production, distribution and sale of illicit e-cigarette products. “Relx’s Golden Shield team has helped authorities launch 28 criminal cases related to the illegal production and sale of illicit or copyright-infringing e-cigarette products. More than 77,000 websites and 6,000 social media accounts have been taken down due to the Golden Shield team’s efforts, and 550,000 illicit products have been removed from the market.” Imperial “Our dedicated anti-illicit trade app, SARA (Suspicious Activity Reporting App), launched in January 2018, has now received nearly 3,000 reports of potential illegal trade activity which we have shared with law enforcement,” says Imperial’s James Hall. “We also recently launched a new and improved anti-illicit trade website as part of our continued ‘Suspect it? Report it!’ trade campaign to tackle illegal sales of tobacco. “The redeveloped website is a valuable resource for information about the illegal tobacco problem in the UK, with the site containing information about the latest developments in illicit tobacco via an updated news page and Twitter feed.”

INDUSTRY

OPINION Mark Wainwright, enforcement officer, Liverpool Council Public Protection “Without reports from retailers tipping us off about potential illegal sellers, we would be nowhere near as successful. You are only as good as the intelligence you receive, and retailers lead us to areas of use. I try to explain to them that if they point us in a direction, then we will always go. It’s especially good when we get information about a new illegal seller as they will likely not expect a visit from us. “Sales for genuine retailers drop dramatically when someone nearby is selling illicit, and a lot of the time these stores are located in socially deprived areas. We had some reports come in recently complaining about a shop who was selling illicit to children. Retailers are our most important source, and without them our success rate in seizing illicit cigarettes would be severely impacted.”

CATEGORY ADVICE FRESH & CHILLED

FRESHENING UP SALES Changes both seasonal and behavioural will affect how retailers should present their fresh and chilled ranges, reports JASPER HART

THE STATE OF FRESH AND CHILLED WHEN the first lockdown hit, Sarj Patel saw an influx of customers looking for fresh produce at his Pasture Lane Stores in the Nottinghamshire village of Sutton Bonington. “With Covid-19, it went absolutely crazy because no one wanted to go to the supermarket,” he says. To handle the influx and rush, he even found himself going to a nearby discounter as early as possible to ensure he could provide for his supermarketaverse clientele. Through the fluctuating

severity of Covid-19 since, Patel has retained his customer base because he has marked himself as a point of local availability. “Since then, people have noticed we sell these things and it’s carried on well over the summer and up to now, so hopefully this year we’ll see similar as they’re aware we have fresh and chilled products,” he says. He adjusted his ranging over the summer months to add chilled meats such as chicken drumsticks. The surge in the Omicron

variant of Covid-19 in the run-up to Christmas, and the government’s sudden switch to ‘Plan B’, is a reminder that uncertainty remains. And this means adaptability in your business is key to meeting community needs. As many retailers found themselves stepping up and supporting customers in the place of supermarkets during the first lockdown, they should keep categories such as fresh and chilled at the forefront of their minds, with uncertainty running high.

11-24 JANUARY 2022 betterRetailing.com

THE VALUE PROSPECT THE key task for retailers when evaluating their fresh and chilled ranges is to achieve the balance of quality brands and value for money. For example, when catering to a large on-the-go customer base, retailers can offer a targeted range of specific brands that stand out in the chilled sector. Cathedral City Mini Mature is one key example, experiencing 78% revenue growth in the 52 weeks leading up to September last year, as are Bel UK brands The Laughing Cow and Babybel,

which are enjoyed along with Bel’s other brands by 45% of all UK households. For retailers who attract more top-up or weekly shoppers, block formats and larger milk drinks will serve them better, so consider incorporating these if you haven’t already. As the larger cumulative spend means shoppers will seek value, they can be more brand-agnostic, but will be drawn to price-marked packs (PMPs), according to Saputo Dairy UK. “PMPs can be one means

of delivering value reassurance and driving an improved rate of sale, notably when they appear on well-known reputable brands that instil consumer confidence,” says a spokesperson. “This is especially true in staple categories of the fresh top-up shop – such as cheese, butters and spreads – which continue to carry a significant price premium in convenience, perceived and real, over the multiple grocers. Indeed, the top category for PMPs is currently chilled foods, at 13.06%.”

RETAILER

VIEW

Dennis Williams, Premier Broadway Convenience Store, Edinburgh

GETTING HEALTHY A GROWING trend across fresh and chilled is the move towards dairy-free and plantbased foods. “No longer purely driven by a medical necessity, but rather an active lifestyle choice, 2021 had more and more consumers adopt avoidance diets as a perceived means of supporting their well-being and sustainable living,” says a Saputo Dairy spokesperson. “With the most ever sign-ups for Veganuary

recorded in 2021, we expect a new record to be set this year.” Within spreads, the dairyfree sector is now valued at £49.6m, a volume growth of 45%, while dairy-free cheese alternatives have reached a retail sales value of £50.6m, a volume growth of 17%. Meanwhile, when it comes to drinks, there are a variety of dairy-free alternatives, including oat and almond milk. “We stock a lot of soya milk,

and have four varieties of almond milk as well,” says Sarj Patel. “All of a sudden it’s quite popular.” Even without this trend, cheese snacks already have a healthy perception, especially when bought by parents for their children. Nearly threequarters of consumers see cheese as an easy way to get protein, while 55% see it as a healthy snacking choice for children.

“FRESH and chilled is certainly a massive part of the business, and since we’ve added new chillers it’s really helped. We did a refit in 2020, and since I added the Jack’s range, it’s been really positive. They do everything, such as fresh onions, artichokes and asparagus. But chilled is fantastic as well. Grocery sales went up during lockdowns, but since we went back to more normal times, grocery sales have dropped again, so fresh and chilled is the way forward. I’ve also noticed a big growth in frozen. “We’re doing another refit in January. I’m putting a new chiller in, and taking the older ones out, putting one in with doors and a few new freezers in. We’re looking at staying green as well. We’ve got LED lighting and all our chillers will have doors. We’ll also look to do a range revamp in January. We’ll certainly increase it because that’s where the growth is.”

CATEGORY ADVICE FRESH & CHILLED

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Allison Wallentin, convenience category manager, Saputo Dairy UK

“CONSUMERS are more mindful than ever of the nutritional benefits their choices provide. According to Lumina Intelligence, 29% of convenience store shoppers claim to be eating more healthily than they were before the Covid-19 pandemic began, and 46% of c-store shoppers are trying to make healthier decisions when it comes to snacking. “A trend that should, without a doubt, be on retailers’ radar is the rise of the plant-based, dairy-free sector. While the past year has seen underlying category growth muddied by the Covid-19 pandemic and acceleration of in-home consumption occasions, consumer movement towards plant-based diets seems set to stay, and the number of consumers either not eating dairy or actively reducing their dairy consumption continues to grow. “Indeed, around 15% of UK consumers have reportedly cut back on dairy consumption since the Covid-19 pandemic and Kantar recently cited an influx of more than 1.5 million new shoppers to plant-based dairy in the 52 weeks to 29 November 2020, taking penetration to almost 45%. “As the market continues to evolve post-pandemic, c-stores need to remain agile, offering the right products at the right prices to suit their customers’ needs. Notably, to remain credible for main and top-up shop missions, meal solutions and home-cooking essentials are increasingly important.”

SEASONAL SHIFTS SEASONAL shifts mean retailers need to be prepared to adjust their ranges when needed. “Retailers should equally pay close attention to topical and seasonal behavioural trends and flex their range accordingly,” says Allison Wallentin, convenience category manager at Saputo Dairy UK. “For example, dial up on warming winter staples such as toasted sandwich and pasta bake ingredients when cold weather hits, or include products that can quickly and easily be assembled to make up an al-fresco meal or snack, to capitalise on outdoor en-

tertaining and picnics when spring and summer emerge.” But the pandemic has also had an impact on people’s movements which won’t necessarily correlate with the changing of the seasons. Retailers should also be prepared to not view changing seasons as an arbitrary cutoff point for certain products. Jeet Bansi introduced watermelon slices into his Londis Meon Vale store in Stratfordupon-Avon, Warwickshire, over the summer, only to continue stocking them into the winter due to sustained demand.

CROSS PROMOTION AVAILABILITY issues are ongoing, with no simple fix in sight. Retailers can incorporate the need to keep shelves as full as possible into creating an effective range for their display that leans on cross promotion. “Cross-promoting complementary products, such as bread and cheese, is another way to increase basket spend,” says Heloise Le Norcy-Trott, group marketing director for Lactalis UK & Ireland. “Forty-seven per cent of [Lactalis cheese brand] Seriously con-

sumption occasions feature bread and are predominantly enjoyed at lunchtime, meaning there is an opportunity for retailers to tap into the working-from-home lunch occasion with a dedicated display.” Susan Connolly, of Spar Pennings Road in Tidworth, Wiltshire, saw this first-hand upon visiting another store. “I went to Spar Carnon Downs [in Cornwall] and they have been putting ambient products in chilled, which looks great. I’ve got metres and metres of chilled space but we’re struggling to fill it. It’s about being

clever with it, and making it look pretty with cross-merchandising opportunities to put beer in with ready meals and pizza if you’ve got the availability.” As cross-merchandising means bringing more products into the space, it opens up a variety of combinations, from meal deals for on-the-go shoppers to big-night-in offerings. Retailers should be aware of their customer base’s preferences and be prepared to adapt their ranges if circumstances cause widespread behavioural changes.

cider

CATEGORY ADVICE LOW-SUGAR SOFT DRINKS

11-24 JANUARY 2022 betterRetailing.com

DRIVE LOWSUGAR SOFT DRINKS SALES

the stat

61.1%

Health is important to consumers, especially in January when shoppers pledge to make healthier choices. TAMARA BIRCH explores why low-sugar soft drinks are a sure sales winner

WHAT’S THE OPPORTUNITY? “EIGHTY-NINE per cent of shoppers are trying to improve their diet, with 29% specifically focused on sugar reduction,” explains Amy Burgess, senior trade communications manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP). “It’s important to help shoppers make the right decisions for them, by offering low- or no-sugar options.” The pandemic has encouraged shoppers to think about their health, with 59% people stating they are considering their health more when they shop. Phil Sanders, out-ofhome commercial director at Britvic, says: “These health trends have driven the growth of the low-sugar and wellness drinks segments. “As a result, it’s vital to

cater to those looking for lowand no-sugar alternatives, such as Tango Sugar Free and Pepsi Max.” Jai Singh, of MJ’s Nisa Local in Sheffield, has also noticed this shift with his customers. “The pandemic has forced shoppers to think about their health, but it’s clear they don’t want to compromise on taste,” he says. He was hesitant about stocking some lines, such as Lucozade Energy Zero Caribbean Crush, but since introducing it as a trial, it’s now become a permanent line. “It was quite surprising. I thought it wouldn’t sell, but shoppers have continued to buy it,” he adds. Singh also says shoppers have been more open to

The growing penetration of sugar-free varieties

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switching to low-sugar soft drinks following the launch of Coca-Cola Zero and Pepsi Max. “The phrase ‘diet’ is often associated with negative connotations and therefore diet drinks are seen as something you consume when you want to lose weight,” he says. “Now, customers are more open to choosing a low-sugar option that doesn’t use this phrase.” But it’s not just the pandemic that causes shoppers to think about their health. January is the time where shoppers make New Year’s resolutions to make healthier decisions, lose weight or simply be more mindful in general. Make sure to review your EPoS data to determine the lines you should be stocking throughout January.

Paid for by Britvic

Phil Sanders, out-of-home commercial director, Britvic

“RETAILERS should back the bestselling lines, such as 7Up, Tango Sugar Free and Pepsi Max, with the potential to drive sales, as well as showcasing new products, which should be given extra visibility. This will encourage customers to try something different. Include PoS to highlight that it’s a new addition. “Cater to all need states with a variety of different pack formats for on-the-go and at-home occasions, and create dedicated fixtures to locate complementary products together, to encourage cross-category purchases and increase basket spend. For example, site single-serve soft drinks formats with healthier snacks and salads for meal-deal occasions. “Finally, use social media as a tool to promote any offers you are running in store. This will encourage customers to come in and check them out, even picking up other items along the way.”

CATEGORY ADVICE LOW-SUGAR SOFT DRINKS

WHAT’S TRENDING? STOCKING trending low-sugar soft drinks lines will help determine what to stock. For Singh, sharing formats and flavours continue to thrive. “Shoppers use the 2l formats as mixers and they’re conscious of what they want to pair with it,” he explains. “For example, if someone is actively choosing to buy a spirit, it’s usually based on taste and the fact it’s low-calorie, so they are less likely to choose a regular Coca-Cola or Pepsi as a mixer.” Singh says his shoppers are more conscious of sugar content when buying as a mixer, but will be more than likely to choose a flavoured option. Flavour continues to be a key trend independent retailers need to cater for, especially as a take-home purchase. This rings true across the soft

drinks category. Within the energy category, shoppers are moving towards those with added benefits and lower sugar, such as Britvic’s Rockstar. Britvic’s Phil Sanders says its Rockstar Original No Sugar provides the same flavour of its fullsugared counterpart. “When purchasing energy drinks, taste and functional benefits are key 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,” he says. Rachel Austerberry, head of convenience & high street at Grenade, echoes this and says: “Interest in functional ingredients within products continues to skyrocket, with

energy drinks evolving to include an array of compelling ingredients, appealing to consumers who are now intent on leading healthier lifestyles. “More can be done to harness this interest, with 72% of category shoppers agreeing that energy drinks with added health benefits appeal to them.” The health benefits of consuming protein is becoming widely known, including keeping people fuller for longer. This is where protein shakes can help meet shopper missions. “Protein-packed products offer a helping hand in encouraging shoppers to not make unhealthy snacking decisions,” says Austerberry.

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Jai Singh, MJ’s Nisa Local, Sheffield “LOW-SUGAR soft drinks are slowly starting to outperform their full-sugar counterparts. People are more conscious about their sugar intake than ever before – especially since Covid-19 – but they don’t want to compromise on taste. The market has come a long way in the past few years as suppliers have managed to improve the quality on previously launched lines and they’re spending more on marketing that helps to sell the product and benefit independent retailers by informing the consumer. “Pepsi Max and Diet Coke in 2l varieties are our top sellers, with Pepsi Max slightly outperforming Diet Coke. But Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Cherry is doing well, as is Pepsi Max Cherry and Raspberry. Flavours are doing incredibly well and are a key mission for us to cater for.”

the stat

29%

of shoppers are specifically focused on sugar reduction

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STRIKING A BALANCE IT’S important to know lowsugar soft drinks doesn’t just apply to colas and carbonates. Bottled water will also be in demand this month. “With 6.5 million people participating in Dry January, the popularity for bottled water increases,” says Adrian Troy, marketing director at Barr Soft Drinks. “Drinking more water is currently the number-one healthy change that shoppers are looking to make. However, almost half of Brits dislike drinking water and say they prefer flavoured drinks.”

Offering flavoured water is vital and means shoppers are more likely to consume their daily water intake, with a choice to incorporate their favourite flavours. “Rubicon Spring is a must-stock as the high-taste, low-calorie alternative that shoppers are looking for,” says Troy. “It’s a bridge between the healthiness of water and the taste of carbonated fruit drinks.” Britvic’s Phil Sanders says the company is noticing an uplift in shoppers adopting a more natural approach, including natural or plant-based di-

ets. “To align with this trend, brands need to provide naturally healthier options, that are also free from artificial ingredients, yet still deliver on taste,” he says. “Aqua Libra plays into this, offering a healthier alternative to full or low- and no-sugar drinks and a more flavoursome option than plain water.” Make sure to offer prominent space to other lines that aren’t colas and carbonates, striking a balance between this sub-category and others, including energy drinks, water and juice drinks.

DRinks products

Rubicon Spring

A bridge between the healthiness of water and the taste of carbonated fruit drinks, Rubicon Spring is bought by 1.6 million shoppers and 52% more shoppers bought from the range over the past year. The drink combines sparkling spring water and fruit juice, with 15 calories or less per bottle.

Coca-Cola light cola range

CCEP’s light colas range comprises Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and their respective flavours, which are now worth more than £830m in retail. “Our zero-sugar flavoured carbonates are worth more than £111m and growing, highlighting the popularity of products such as Fanta Zero and Dr Pepper Zero,” says CCEP’s Amy Burgess.

Monster Ultra range

“Our Monster Ultra range is the number-one no-sugar energy drinks brand in Great Britain and is in 56.8% growth. Two-thirds of our volume sales now come from low- and no-sugar varieties – that’s 40% more than 10 years ago,” says Burgess. The range includes seven fruity flavours all with no sugar, including the supplier’s most recent launch, Monster Ultra Fiesta, which mixes a mango flavour with the Monster Energy blend.

Red Bull sugar-free

A spokesperson for Red Bull says: “In the past six months, Red Bull sold 21.4% more sugar-free volume through multipacks – with the varieties also growing penetration by 20.4%. We expect to continue seeing this demand for low-sugar soft drinks alternatives increase over the course of 2022, so ensure each line has a sugar-free alternative easily available to consumers who are increasingly choosing them.”

Grenade

Health doesn’t always have to be low sugar, but can be high protein. “Without compromising on taste, Grenade is packed full of flavour, with each vegetarian-friendly shake containing 25g of protein and low-sugar,” says Grenade’s Rachel Austerberry. “At less than 211 calories per 330ml bottle, they’re an ideal choice for diet-conscious drinkers who want to be satiated without compromising on taste.”

Aqua Libra

With zero sugar and calories, Aqua Libra is free from sweeteners and artificial ingredients, and is also suitable for vegans. Following on from its rebrand last year, Britvic launched a new flavour, Raspberry & Blackcurrant, which aims to offer a breadth of flavour choice to health-conscious shoppers.

Pepsi Max

Boasting an enviable flavour range, the Pepsi Max range is part of Britvic’s low- and nosugar range. Flavours in the range include Raspberry, Cherry and Lime, all of which are available in a range of formats that suit a variety of occasions and customer needs.

CATEGORY ADVICE LOW-SUGAR SOFT DRINKS

UPCOMING LEGISLATION THE high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) regulations are due to come into effect from October and will affect stores over 2,000sq ft with more than 50 members of staff. Similarly, the legislation will also impact those with more than 50 members of staff, even if they’re under 2,000sq ft. It will impact placement of food and drink products and promotions, including soft drinks. CCEP’s Amy Burgess says: “For soft drinks, we see the changes as an opportunity – especially given the extent to which soft drinks already comply with HFSS regulations, and the variety of shop-

per missions the category caters for. “Seventy-three per cent of soft drinks value sales already come from HFSS-compliant products – significantly more than other HFSS categories, many of which are still far below even 10%.” It’s recommended to upweight low-sugar varieties as they can remained displayed at the front of store, near the tills and on aisle ends to replace those impacted by the upcoming legislation. Burgess warns not to reduce space for your current bestsellers, though, as shoppers still want choice.

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“Locate in different areas in store and support with clear communication to help shoppers find and buy the products they want,” she says. “We recommend those impacted adopt a dual promotional strategy, whereby HFSS-compliant products are still available on multibuy promotions, and where HFSS-impacted products benefit from temporary reductions only.” The HFSS regulations aren’t affecting meal deals, so utilise this to the best of your ability. This can help you maintain sales on non-HFSS soft drinks, a concern for many retailers.

the stat

73%

The total soft drinks value sales from HFSScompliant products

top tips Amy Burgess, senior trade communications manager at CCEP, offers her top location tips when HFSS comes into effect 1. HFSS-compliant planograms Food-to-go displays (in 2,000sq ft-plus stores) close to the store entrance will need to remove HFSS products, including chocolate and crisps, and apply an HFSS-compliant planogram to the fixture. For soft drinks, this will mean an extended low- and no-sugar range. 2. Reverse the display Alternatively, and if able, reverse the flow of what’s already on display to move HFSS products farther from the door. 3. Soft drinks chillers If a soft drinks chiller is freestanding, an option could be to move it to a non-restricted location, retaining the original layout inside. Alternatively, apply a HFSScompliant planogram in a restricted location. 4. Tillpoint displays There may be an opportunity to install a small soft drinks chiller to fill space left by the removal of nonHFSS-compliant impulse categories. 5. Queuing areas Place freestanding displays of ambient soft drinks such as water or juice to encourage impulse sales while shoppers are waiting to pay.

Paid for by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

Oliver Crick, category development director, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners “LOW- and no-sugar soft drinks are a big opportunity for retailers in 2022, particularly with the HFSS restrictions coming into force from October. The good news is that 73% of soft drinks value sales already come from HFSScompliant products, meaning soft drinks are ideally placed to fill the spaces on shelves when non-compliant products are relocated elsewhere in store. Visit our trade website, my.ccep.com/topics/hfss, or speak to your CCEP sales rep to find out what the restrictions mean for your store. “Whether or not your store’s affected by the HFSS regulations, it’s important to retain choice in your soft drinks range. It’s just a question of where and how to locate and promote non-compliant products. We know there will be some challenges, but there are opportunities, too, and we will work with customers to help them capitalise on these.”

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NATASHA’S LAW The RETAIL EXPRESS team talks to retailers about how they’re coping with new regulations around allergens and labelling, four months on

I know the importance of making sure that everything is listed correctly, but Natasha’s Law is a bit more serious. How are retailers coping with it? – Christine Hope, Hopes of Longtown, Herefordshire

Bart Dalla-Mura, Tysoe Village Stores, Warwickshire

“WE use Planglow [for food labelling] and we’ve started making our own sandwiches again. We used to be able to handwrite the labels for our sandwiches, just saying what they were and what they cost. But we can’t do that any more. You need to have a clear warning box stating everything you’ve put in there – all the ingredients and allergens. We made our own mince pies over Christmas and we had to the same for them, too. “But the support has been very good. People are very good at providing labels. There are label companies that provide the software and support mechanisms for it. It just takes some investment in a label printer or the software. But having the printer has saved 40 minutes off my sandwich-making because I don’t have to write the labels out. However, to make things simpler for us and our customers, we’ve reduced our range down to six or seven sandwiches now.”

AJ Singh, Premier Morley, Leeds

“WE’VE had massive help from the likes of Just Eat for our deliveries and Rollover for our hot dogs. Most customers just want to see that your store and the preparation areas are clean. Covid-19 has heightened people’s attention as well, and that goes hand in hand with Natasha’s Law. “The labelling of our products is outsourced, so in that way it’s been quite easy for us. We’re using a local supplier, and they’re really on top of it. It’s key to have good communication with your supplier to make sure they know what you want. “We’re looking at expanding our food-to-go options, so if Natasha’s Law labelling is something that we have to do, then we’ll do that happily. We’re talking to our food suppliers to see if they can provide some training for our staff. But as long as the labelling is there and we have the right standards, then things are quite straightforward.”

Harj Dhasee, Village Stores Mickleton, Gloucestershire

“OUR breakfast offer is a lot more geared towards croissants and similar things now. They’re premium treats for people and they’re baked in store. That’s meant that we have to prelabel everything. But we prepared quite early for the changes in the law, so our labelling technology was updated back when Natasha’s Law �irst came in. “Our suppliers were very on board with it as well and they were very quick to react. We use Country Choice and they’ve been excellent – really helpful. They’ve given us all the support and information that we’ve needed. I think that’s the most important thing. Just make sure that you’re a part of the conversation and have a good working relationship with your suppliers. If you’re talking with them regularly, and asking for advice and help for �inding the labelling things your store requires, they’ll be able give you the help that you need.”

In the next issue, the Retail Express team finds out how retailers are preparing for Valentine’s Day. If you have any problems you’d like us to explore, please email charles.whitting@newtrade.co.uk