Retail Express - 12 December 2023

19 TOP PRODUCTS OF 2023

• From viral trends to value spends, here are the bangers that kept shopkeepers’ tills ringing this year

P18

12 DECEMBER 2023-15 JANUARY 2024 STRICTLY FOR TRADE USERS ONLY

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NATIONAL LOTTERY

VAPING

RETAIL CRIME

Post offices to get improved remuneration terms under Allwyn

The major changes to top-selling brands ahead of expected legislation

New police chief constable urged by MP to get tougher on shop attacks

P2

P3

P4

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A MU A MUST-READ FOR PROFIT-DRIVE N INDEPENDENT RETAILERS ST-READ FOR P ROFIT-D RIVEN IN DEPEND ENT RET ALSO AILERS IN THIS

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10 THINGS TO CHANGE IN YOUR STORE IN 2024

December 2023

IES, 2024 TOOLKIT: THE 2024 NITTHE NEW OPPORTUNITIES, U T TOOLKIT: R E PO R NEW OPP P O T T O R E S N TRENDS D & RESOURCES FOR ORTUNITIE YOUR W STORE S R & RESOURC NE OU : Y T S, I R E K S L O F O F R O Y OUR STOR 2024 To 2024 Toolkit: From training to ES TO C olkit: Fro 4 e key h R mar t 2 ket , tren E s ds, U 0 the m trainin resourc resources you need to make t trend g to key es you n your store thrive in 2024 THE 2 S & RESO marke 2024 market eed to m to key rive in trends, D h g t ake you in e N r in o a the t r s t r store r m u o o TRE r y Decembe

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4

2024 PLANS

Top retailers reveal how they’re preparing their store for the new year ahead BACK PAGE JANUARY 2024 12 DECEMBER 2023-15betterretailing.com

ADVICE

34

PLANS FOR 2024 SS team finds The RETAIL EXPRE are excited out what retailers ing year about for the upcom

12 DECEMBER 2023-15 JANUARY 2024 STRICTLY FOR TRADE USERS ONLY

next door, so we’re We have a fish & chip What are other retailers looking at using that. – Arjun Patel planning for next year?

Square, Swindon, Wiltshire Premier Cavendish

1

2

Sudesh Patel, Londis Coulsdon,

3

Marty Uppal, eld, Fixby Stores, Huddersfi West Yorkshire

but Dhan Amin, south London before Covid-19 hit, do a re�it for the store We want to do one big One Stop Stoke Aldermoor, “WE had plans to to do it. store. We’ve got Coventry we’ve got the opportunity and that means we’re �inances to re�it the walk up the now lots of little changes, it. We’ve got all our looking for some change rather than stores. “WE’RE along about �ive minutes’ time with are acquiring more competition coming – so we need to smarten the store going to do it right and take our our business and moment more we’re going to do. got us – a big Co-op “WE’RE expanding the market at the and it’s time it was ducks in a row and we know what community. We’ve of opportunities in industry, and we’re �ind- road from been in the shop for several years for us and for the There are plenty is looking up. We’ve the times. are leaving the “It needs to be right road and our store at need to move with because a lot of people sector is growing.

We’re ripgetting built up the built into the garden freshened up. We of space and have and new houses and doing a full refurb. categories. bit we hope to have a it down that wall created ing that the convenience stores extending that “We’ve So, we’re t with new another seven space to knock and starting again extra space, tired. and “In total, we’ve got Now we have the all down to managemen the store. With the lacking at ping the whole store out looking at more chilled products end of the year. It’s are run the same way the back. elaround and enlarge we’re opened up by the is really up. The food-to-go Most of my stores “At the moment, others. move things our fresh food offering, which my cold because that’s pickedinto as well. On top of and communication. difference between one or the being I can expand I want to double that and also increaseproducts, more frozen as well want to get and there’s not muchgives you, they pride themselves on eco-friendly the moment. something that we store for our customintroduce some more and change the cream ement is convenience and good for a That’s what One Stop I like it and back it. need offering drinks �loors that, it’s about being to go to Asda to get what they why side of things and like re�ills. I also want to put in new uniform, which is need to the recruitment what ers, so they don’t different look.

“It then comes down we have in the stores understand If you re�it your to teak to give it a them shelving that night.” those risks as a retailer. the way we want making sure the people “You’ve got to take to you just because of that.” so they can run them adequate staff for us come we require of them store, people will agencies which recruit use We Stop.” run.

One be by to of mostly taken care and the training is

you have any staff absences. If retailers deal with o.uk team finds out how g@newtrade.c the Retail Express email charles.whittin In the next issue, us to explore, please problems you’d like

19 TOP PRODUCTS OF 2023 • From viral trends to value spends, here are the bangers that kept shopkeepers’ tills ringing this year P18

NATIONAL LOTTERY

VAPING

RETAIL CRIME

Post offices to get improved remuneration terms under Allwyn

The major changes to top-selling brands ahead of expected legislation

New police chief constable urged by MP to get tougher on shop attacks

P2

P3

P4

our say

Megan Humphrey, editor

Products reach new heights this year THIS year, viral products have taken the UK by storm.

The most notable being Prime, with the flavoured soft drink reaching millions through a click of a button on social media.

The need for shoppers to get their hands on this product left them queuing for hours, and unafraid of breaking the bank. During the process, it was great to see the majority of independent retailers stay responsible, and away from profiteering, with some even giving away bundles for charity.

The use of social media platforms, in particular TikTok, has led to new and different products taking over the market in quick succession like we’ve never seen before. On p18, you can see our rundown of some of the bestselling products across convenience stores, including the usual favourites, alongside the more unique.

When we speak to store owners about the most valuable lessons VIRAL they’ve learned from this year, a lot of them say it has been to jump PRODUCTS HAVE on viral trends quickly.

TAKEN THE UK Going into next year, I advise

BY STORM you all to speak to each other if you notice a product getting a lot of attention to find out where to source it and how promote it.

Although the Prime pandemonium has calmed down, there is still demand for the drink. Early days are crucial – let your customers know they can get it in your store, and be quick to adapt to changes.

Whenever there’s an opportunity to bump up your sales, think outside the box to make sure you don’t get left behind.

The five biggest stories this fortnight 01

Post Office retailers to get boost in lotto commission

ALEX YAU

POST Of�ice retailers are to see a 20%-25% increase in commission levels when Allwyn takes over as the National Lottery operator in February.

Payments for draw-based sales will increase from 4% to 5%, while scratchcard gross margins will rise from 5% to 6%. The change means

branch owners will receive the same remuneration levels as other lottery partners.

Post Of�ice had previously taken 1% as an admin fee, but this will no longer be the case when its relationship with the National Lottery ends next year.

One retailer told Retail Express: “Post of�ices under the Allwyn contract will now receive the same remuneration

levels as other retailers. It represents a 20-25% increase in returns, depending on your sales mix.”

Commenting on the increase, an Allwyn spokesperson said: “Post of�ices play a vital role in their communities and an increase in National Lottery sales commission is great news for these retailers.

For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘Post Office’

@retailexpress betterretailing.com facebook.com/betterretailing Editor Megan Humphrey @MeganHumphrey 020 7689 3357

Editor – news Jack Courtez @JackCourtez 020 7689 3371

Senior features writer Priyanka Jethwa @PriyankaJethwa_ 020 7689 3355

News editor Alex Yau @AlexYau_ 020 7689 3358

News reporter Alice Brooker @alice_brooker 07597 588955

Features editor Charles Whitting @CharlieWhittin1 020 7689 3350

Editor in chief Louise Banham @LouiseBanham Features writer Jasper Hart @JasperAHHart 020 7689 3384 Specialist reporter Dia Stronach 020 7689 3375

Production editor Ryan Cooper 020 7689 3354

Production coordinator Chris Gardner 020 7689 3368

Account director Lindsay Hudson 07749 416 544

Sub editors Jim Findlay 020 7689 3373

Head of marketing Kate Daw 020 7689 3363

Account managers Megan Byrne 07530 834 009

Robin Jarossi

Head of commercial Natalie Reeve 07856 475 788

Lisa Martin 07951 461 146

Head of design Anne-Claire Pickard 020 7689 3391 Senior designer Jody Cooke 020 7689 3380 Junior designer Lauren Jackson

Senior account director Charlotte Jesson 07807 287 607 Commercial project manager Iff y Afzal 07538 299 205

Cover image: Getty Images/Shaumiaa Vector

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Management accountant Abigayle Sylvane 020 7689 3383 Managing director Parin Gohil 020 7689 3388 Head of digital Luthfa Begum 07909 254 949

40,152

In addition to increased commission, we’ll be supporting them to maximise sales opportunities for scratchcards and draw-based games.”

A Post Of�ice spokesperson added: “It’s good news that those postmasters who continue selling National Lottery products will bene�it from increased remuneration.”

02

Vaping fines

RETAILERS risk being hit with unlimited �ines, if they do not operate a disposable vape ‘take-back’ scheme.

The Of�ice for Product Safety and Standards has increased the �ine from £5,000 for businesses who fail to offer consumers a disposable

03

PayPoint terminal

vape recycling point under PAYPOINT has begun installthe Waste Electrical and Elec- ing its ‘next-generation’ Mini tronic Equipment regulations. terminals into stores, as the Experts said the stricter pen- service provider claims the alties were due to a lack of device improves transaction prosecutions. speeds and ease of use.

All stores selling more than Chief executive Nick Wiles £100k of electronics per year told Retail Express 30 stores must offer recycling. have the device, following

For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘vaping’

04

Horizon payout

A GOVERNMENT bill has been introduced to ensure victims of the Horizon IT scandal are given a payout.

It means victims would still be eligible for compensation past an initial 7 August 2024 deadline. Commenting on the

bill, minister for postal affairs Kevin Hollinrake said: “The Post Of�ice scandal is widely described as the biggest miscarriage of justice in our history, and it is imperative the victims get the justice and compensation they deserve.”

initial pilots in November, and that it would be rolled out in phases.

He added: “We need to get the balance right with bringing Mini into the estate. Retailers using Mini are enjoying it.

It’s what you’d expect from the next-generation terminal.”

For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘PayPoint’

05

Costcutter hybrid

THE �irst Costcutter Wine Rack hybrid is to open in Guildford.

The former Bargain Booze site closed on 19 November for a re�it and reopened this month. Social media advertising for the store said: “Not long now until we can welcome you

to our brand-new Costcutter featuring a Wine Rack. Your local convenience and premium wine range all in one place.”

SimplyFresh founder Kash Khera also plans to open a hybrid SimplyFresh Wine Rack shop.

Audit Bureau of Circulations July 2022 to June 2023 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 ‘Horizon’

For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘Wine Rack’

@retailexpress facebook.com/betterretailing

12 DECEMBER 2023-15 JANUARY 2024 betterretailing.com

megan.humphrey@newtrade.co.uk 07597 588972

Vaping overhaul ahead of expected gov’t crackdown ALEX YAU SOME of the most popular vape brands are to ditch �lavours and packaging deemed appealing to children, as suppliers and trade bodies have submitted recommendations to the government ahead of expected legal clampdowns.

El�bar and ACS have both called for the limitations, with the top-selling supplier taking a decision to drop “dessert and soft drink” �lavours from its products, and those of its sister brand, Lost Mary. The vaping �irm’s Bubble Gum, Cotton Candy and Rainbow Candy �lavours are the �irst in a line of El�bar �lavours which have been renamed.

Meanwhile, 88Vape also said it would only use “ageappropriate” �lavours and has become one of the �irst vaping suppliers to move to plain packaging by axing bright colours.

Both ACS and El�bar have provided submissions to a government consultation on potential restrictions to vaping sales and products. The consultation, which closed on 6 December, was sparked by concerns that vaping products were appealing to underage consumers. The UK government has vowed to “urgently” introduce enforcement in early 2024.

An El�bar spokesperson said the �irm wants licensing restrictions similar to

alcohol and cigarettes for retailers. They added: “It is not acceptable that vapes are sold widely in premises that have little or no experience of selling age-restricted products.

“We made our views on licensing known to the government in our submission to the consultation alongside other suggestions, including calling for a signi�icant increase in the sanctions for those found to be selling to children.”

In its submission to the government consultation, the ACS said: “We support the retention of the widest range of �lavours to adult vapers, while ensuring that the description and marketing of these �lavours is not targeted at children. It is important that for vapes to deliver value as a smokingcessation method, regulation must enable access and promotion of this category, and innovation with �lavours and vaping experiences that will attract adult smokers.

“We agree that no part of vape packaging should be able to directly target children. We believe [limiting how vapes are described] in the consultation strikes the right balance between stopping vaping products being targeted at children while still enabling a properly functioning vaping market.”

However, the trade body warned against overregulation of vaping products in stores. It said: “We believe

express yourself “WE understand the Scottish government’s wish to raise the MUP to 65p because inflation has eroded the real value of the current price. But ministers seem to be so focused on this for curbing problem drinking, when there is mixed evidence that it works. It is vital that the Scottish government also provides treatment for Scots who are addicted to alcohol and prevent this happening in the first place.”

Hussan Lal, St Mirren Food Store, Paisley

03

GOOD WEEK NEWSPAPERS: McColl’s is making a return to acquiring HND rounds from independent shops, after a hiatus was caused by its collapse last year. Retail Express understands the convenience chain and new owner Morrisons are pursuing a new HND strategy, describing the area as an opportunity for “growth.”

For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘McColl’s’ NATASHA’S LAW: Food-to-go wholesaler Country Choice has appointed an ambassador to help retailers comply with the allergen restriction. The ambassador will help raise awareness of common allergens in food to go, while highlighting the support Country Choice has on offer to stores.

For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘Natasha’s Law’

BAD WEEK

Vape concession in convenience store with compliant products

vaping products should be allowed to be displayed within close vicinity to the checkout and other areas of the store where age-restricted products are positioned.

“Instead of restricting the sale of disposable vapes, we believe that governments across the UK should seek to increase the availability of recycling infrastructure, increase consumer awareness of how to dispose of vapes and make suppliers of vaping products contrib-

the column where you can make your voice heard

ute towards the recovery of single-use vapes.”

The ACS also urged the government not to increase the prices of vapes, adding any price increases could discourage smokers from switching.

Meanwhile, 88Vape recommended that vapes should be displayed away from confectionery products, and pledged it would only trade with retailers who can prove they have “robust” veri�ication measures in place.

Sandy Chadha, chief executive of 88Vape’s parent company, Supreme, said: “In light of our growing presence across the UK vaping sector, we remain highly vigilant to the growing problem of underage vaping and welcome any preventative measures that prevent the supply of vape products to underage individuals, while acknowledging the important role the vape industry will continue to play in delivering the government’s ‘smoke-free 2030’ initiative.”

GOVERNMENT: The Fed has warned proposed changes to school holidays in Wales risk impacting trade in local shops across the country. The Welsh government launched proposals last month to cut the six-week summer break to five weeks, while adding an extra week to the half-term break in October. Fed Wales president Vince Malone said the move would have “unintended consequences”.

TESCO: The supermarket has promised customers it is “constantly searching for the perfect shopping formula”, after its ‘scan-free’ store in Fulham had trapped customers. On launch day, customers were unable to leave the checkout area due to a lack of staff. However, one staff member told Retail Express: “It was working a lot better after a couple of weeks.”

How will a proposed minimum unit price (MUP) increase from 50p to 65p affect you?

“I THINK it’s the right thing to do. With inflation, it’s not as applicable now – if the MUP is below the current price, it doesn’t make a difference. It’s only effective on strong ciders and lager for me. The whole point is to make it more expensive to discourage antisocial drinking. Previously, it stopped young people buying cider from me, and curbed issues of antisocial behaviour due to large amounts of alcohol consumption.”

Faraz Iqbal, Premier Linktown Local, Fife

“I THINK it’s a bad thing. The price of drink will go up again. In the current climate of the cost-of-living crisis, it will be tough. The last thing we want is to put anything up. In my experience, people who drink antisocially will drink anyway, it doesn’t matter on the price. But I’m also worried about the growth of the black market when you increase product prices, and you won’t know what you’re drinking.”

Dennis Williams, Premier Broadway, Edinburgh

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

Dennis Williams

NEWS

04

12 DECEMBER 2023-15 JANUARY 2024 betterretailing.com

Police chief shop-crime pledge ALEX YAU

SCOTTISH Labour MSP Daniel Johnon has called for tougher action on the “scandal” of shop abuse in a letter to Police Scotland’s new chief constable, Jo Farre.

In the letter co-signed by several trade bodies including the Fed, Scottish Grocers’ Federation and Scottish Retail Consortium, Johnson warned more must still be done to

keep shopworkers safe. He wrote: “It is a scandal that so many shopworkers face violence and abuse at work.

Workers are too often bearing the brunt of retail crime, and the astonishing number of crimes being reported exposes the scale of this crisis.

“The new legal protection offered by my bill was an important step forward, but it must be backed up with a comprehensive plan to pre-

vent these crimes as well as prosecute them.

“Shopworkers must be safe at work and the SNP must ensure the new chief constable has the support and resources she needs to make that a reality.”

Johnson notably helped make the Protection of Workers Act in Scotland law over two years ago, making it a criminal offence to assault, threaten or abuse shop staff.

The letter stated there have been nearly 8,000 reported cases of shop abuse since the Act came into force.

Fed Scottish president Hussan Lal said: “The fact that shop crime is going up not down confirms that many more measures are needed.

Above all, shopkeepers would like to see a policy commitment from the police to treat the shop-crime epidemic as a priority.”

NEW LOOK,

SAME GREAT FL AVOUR

Doughnut opportunity A NEW doughnut supplier is seeking partnerships with convenience stores and wholesalers.

Project Doughnut has already established its name through its own branches in three cities, as well as exist-

ing partnerships with coffee shops and Merlin, operator of the Sea Life and Legoland attractions.

One seller said they sell 200 of the premium doughnuts in a two-week period at £4 each at 50% gross margin.

UNLEASHING THE POWER OF HALLS WITH STRIKING REDESIGN For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘doughnut’

NO.1

RELIEF CANDY BRAND IN THE UK*

IMPORTED PRIME WARNING RETAILERS are being warned not to stock Prime drinks imported from the US, otherwise they risk selling products with unauthorised ingredients in the UK market.

The Food Standards Agency issued the warning about Prime Energy and Hydration variants last month, adding some US-imported products contain the banned ingredient zinc aspartate.

It also said some of the illegal products incorrectly cited coconut as a tree nut allergen on the labelling.

Morrisons loyalty MORRISONS is in the early stages of launching the first supermarket-branded loyalty scheme into independent convenience stores.

Several senior sources confirmed to Retail Express the multiple was in discussions

32.3%

to make its ‘More’ rewards scheme available through EPoS in Daily franchises.

Available as an app and as a physical rewards card, customers earn points every time they spend. Points can be redeemed for discounts.

MAT GROWTH * *Nielsen IQ, Total Market Including Discounters, MAT Data to w/e 09.09.23

For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘Morrisons’

GOLDEN GIVEAWAY

WIN £1,000!

To celebrate the launch of Mayfair Gold we’re giving five lucky retailers £1,000 cash!

For your chance to win simply scan the QR code or go to betterretailing.com/competitions/gold

*T&Cs apply. Open only to tobacco retailers located in the UK. Prize draw runs from 08:00 Monday 4 December 2023 and closes at 23:59 on Monday 8 January 2024.

The prizes are: 5 x £1,000 prizes to be selected by a random draw. No purchase necessary.

21516_Newtrade_Mayfair_Gold_advert.indd 1

07/11/2023 3:07 pm

PRODUCTS

06

Cadbury Creme Egg Campaign PRIYA KHAIRA MONDELEZ International has brought back its Cadbury Creme Egg ‘Find the Winning Egg’ campaign, offering shoppers and retailers the chance to win cash prizes, ahead of the launch of a Creme Egg Bar next year.

The supplier is set to release several half-milk chocolate, half-white chocolate Creme Eggs. If a shopper unwraps one, they will be rewarded with one of hundreds of cash prizes on offer, including the top prize of £10,000.

Retailers who sell a winning egg can also win cash prizes ranging from £25

to £500, as well as the top prize of £1,000 and Amazon vouchers.

This campaign accompanies the launch of the Creme Egg Bar in February 2024, the �irst time the brand will be available in a tablet format, at an RRP of £1.80, alongside an expanded 360g Mini Eggs bar.

Mondelez has decided to expand the Creme Egg brand again following the launch of its White variety last year, which made up 25% of all �illed singles sales this year.

Charlotte Parkes, senior brand manager for Cadbury Easter, said: “Easter is a season that is continuing to grow in importance for retailers and shoppers as they look to gather with family.”

NAIRN’S has launched a 24case format of its Pop Oats snack range, responding to increased consumer interest in healthy savoury snacks.

Pop Oats are non-HFSS and gluten-free, available in Salt & Vinegar, BBQ and Sour Cream & Chive varieties at an RRP of 89p-99p.

The supplier claims it the range is the �irst-ever glutenfree popped oat snack.

Ken Cameron, national

account controller at Nairn’s, said: “There is a growing number of customers interested in innovative, healthy and free-from snacks which don’t compromise on taste.

“With new regulations, such as HFSS or the School Food Standards, wholesalers and retailers need to be able to offer options to their customers that are compliant and in line with customer needs.”

Nairn’s unveils 24-case format

HOVIS has launched its limited-edition ‘Ho Ho Hovis’ seasonal pack design.

The festive packs are available until early January across the brand’s topselling lines including Soft White and Best of Both.

Soft White Medium is currently the biggest-selling medium-sliced large loaf of pre-packaged white bread

Spirit Cartel, said: “Now the time’s right to speak to a wider, younger audience.”

Four Roses is available to independent retailers from Amathus, Booker, Enotria, LWC, Matthew Clark Bibendum and Venus. A 70cl bottle carries a £25.99 RRP.

in Britain.

Hovis has launched an online competition offering the chance to win Ho Ho Hovis-branded Christmas jumpers and bobble hats.

It is also continuing its partnership with charity FareShare, ensuring more than 250,000 loaves of bread are donated by the end of this year.

Quality Street’s Kettle launches Christmas campaign w(rap) video KETTLE Chips has launched a £500,000 Christmas marketing campaign, which it says is its biggest ever, across print and social media.

The campaign includes advertising in key titles including The Weekend (Daily Mail), Telegraph Magazine, The Times Magazine, Sunday Times Magazine, Weekend (Guardian Saturday Mag), Observer Magazine, Olive and BBC Good Food.

Kettle anticipates these adverts will reach 11.3 million adults. It will also run a paid social media campaign targeting 9.8 million people, focusing on an audience that loves crisps, entertaining and socialising with friends.

An advent-style competi-

tion, offering 24 prizes over 24 days, will also run on Kettle’s Instagram page. Prizes range from a Christmas food shop to a make-your-owncrisp-seasoning day with Kettle’s innovation chef.

LOVE Drinks has added vodka to its growing selection of high-class drinks after con�irming the UK distribution for Sweden’s handcrafted, organic Virtuous Vodka brand.

The Virtuous collection, now available in 700ml bottles through Love Drinks, includes four different �lavours containing a 40% ABV. This includes Virtuous Rye, which contains brown bread, pepper and vanilla �lavours; Virtuous Chili, which provides a chilli-andpepper taste; Virtuous Ginger, with ginger and citrus notes; and Virtuous Bitter Lemon, which is made using real lemons; and Virtuous

Raspberry, a berry-�lavoured vodka with a 38% ABV, made using real raspberries.

Four Roses bourbon Love Drinks unveils UK campaign adds vodka line BOURBON brand Four Roses has launched its �irst-ever UK consumer advertising campaign, targeting younger adult whiskey drinkers.

The £400,000 ‘Don’t Mention It’ campaign focuses on London and Manchester, which are two of the UK’s most popular places for bourbon sales.

It consists of outdoor marketing, including a sevenmetre spray-painted wall in Shoreditch, east London, which is mock-vandalised to hide the brand’s name and pique interest.

Further activity across different media is planned for 2024.

Jane Bulankina, head of marketing at distributor

Hovis releases seasonal packaging

QUALITY Street has collaborated with former footballer John Barnes on a rap music video spotlighting the brand’s recyclable paper wrappers.

The Christmas-themed ‘Street (W)rappers’ music video features Barnes rapping about the importance of recycling the brand’s wrappers, which were introduced last year.

According to the supplier, the move to paper from cellulose and foil has removed almost two billion pieces of packaging material from the supply chain.

Barnes has previously lent his rapping skills to New Order’s 1990 number-one single ‘World in Motion’ and

songs released by Liverpool FC players, ‘An�ield Rap’ and ‘Pass & Move (It’s the Liverpool Groove)’, which went to number three and four in the charts, respectively.

WORLD of Sweets has unveiled four new licences from Pez, which include Barbie; characters Poppy, Branch and Viva from Trolls World Tour; Gabby’s Dollhouse; and The Smurfs.

The new Pez range has a £2 RRP, with each pack including two re�ill packs.

Pez is a candy brand that includes various characters from the likes of Marvel and Disney.

Retailers can choose to merchandise their Pez on a Pez-branded rotating display unit available from World of Sweets.

The medium rotating display unit allows for 56 dispensers and 72 re�ills,

while the larger version features 168 dispensers and 144 re�ills.

World of Sweets announces Pez range

12 DECEMBER 2023-15 JANUARY 2024 betterretailing.com

Country Choice rebrands Savour It bake-in-pack range giving the ‘Savour It’ concept a new identity means that it will continue to stay aligned with contemporary tastes.

“We have worked hard to make ‘Savour It’ one of the most recognisable and successful hot-food concepts for convenience retailers.

“In what is a very competitive and crowded market, giving the brand a new identity will ensure it stands out.”

PREMIUM chocolate brand, Lindt, has introduced Lindor Irish Cream for the festive season.

Lindt is also releasing a new Lindor Festive Edition Milk and Assorted box and a new Lindor Sharing tin for this Christmas.

A spokesperson from Lindt & Sprüngli said: “Lindor Irish Cream is the newest addition to the Lindor range ahead of the festive season.

“With its creamy �lavour and Lindor’s smooth melting �illing, Lindor Irish Cream contains 0.26% Irish Cream liqueur and provides the ultimate indulgence.

“With the strapline ‘Experience bliss with Lindt Lindor’, the new festive edition Lindor Milk and Assorted boxes, and new sharing tin, will undoubtedly drive excitement among consumers.”

Lindt releases Lindor Irish Cream flavour

Yogurt, Berry & Yogurt and Choc Chip.

The options retail at £1 and £1.20, respectively.

ROLLING TOBACCO

ROLLING TOBACCO

ROLLING

ROLLING TOBACCO RRP £15.80*

ROLLING TOBACCO

ROLLING TOBACCO

NOW AVAILABLE IN

OUR FASTEST SELLING AND FINEST TOBACCO BLEND** *Based on ITUK RRP as of October 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, customers are free at all times to determine the selling price of their products.

For Tobacco Traders Only. **EPOS data from Independents in Scotland June 2023.

ROLLING TOBACCO

ROLLING TOBACCO

ROLLING TOBACCO

ROLLING TOBACCO

ROLLING TOBACCO

Irish whiskey.

“Having demonstrated the unique �lavours from our �irst peated Single Farm Origins, we decided to dial up the smoke.”

ROLLING TOBACCO

Lastly, the Giant range includes a range of �lavoured �lapjack bars in Blueberry, Cranberry, Pecan, Banana &

ROLLING TOBACCO

SPECIALITY Brands has introduced a new Irish whiskey, Waterford Peated: Lacken, to the UK market.

Waterford Peated: Lacken is made from single-farmorigin barley and utilises traditional methods of whiskey production.

The product has an RRP of £90 and is available in the UK this month, exclusively distributed by Speciality Brands.

It is the latest addition to the distillery’s Arcadian Farm Origins series, joining last year’s release, Peated: Ballybannon.

Mark Reynier, founder and CEO of Waterford Distillery, said: “Our ongoing exploration into the old ways of whiskey-making have taken us to forgotten �lavours: Irish peat, the original taste of

EPICURIUM is expanding its range with new products, Barebells and Bio & Me, as well as adding Giant to its portfolio.

Barebells is a soft protein bar that is retailing for £2.50.

It contains 16g of protein per bar with no added sugar.

Bio & Me is a Sticky Toffee�lavoured Porridge Pot, a plant-based breakfast-to-go option with an RRP of £1.35.

ROLLING TOBACCO

New Waterford Peated whiskey

N E W

ROLLING TOBACCO

Epicurium adds protein bars, yoghurts and flapjack lines

ROLLING TOBACCO

COUNTRY Choice has rebranded and given its bakein-pack ‘Savour It’ concept a new look.

‘Savour It’ includes a comprehensive range of hot, ready-assembled toasties, wraps and paninis.

Phil Carratt, head of marketing and strategy at Country Choice, said: “Consumer preferences and trends evolve over time and

07

ROLLING TOBACCO

PRODUCTS

08

BuzzBallz expands availability PRIYA KHAIRA BUZZBALLZ Cocktails has expanded its availability and is now listed in three of Spar’s four wholesalers in Great Britain.

Following a listing with AF Blakemore, the RTD cocktail range is now also available from CJ Lang for Scottish stores and Appleby Westward for Spar retailers in the West Country.

David Relph, country manager UK and Ireland for BuzzBallz Cocktails, said: “Over the past year, we have really put all our energy and investment into supporting stores and driving sales in the convenience sector.

Spar stores have already

been instrumental in getting BuzzBallz into consumers’ hands, encouraging trial, and driving repeat purchase, so we’re thrilled to be rolling out the range to further outlets across the UK. “Premixed cocktails are booming as shoppers recognise the convenience, �lavour exploration and ease of preparation of RTDs, and with cocktails in the home here to stay, we’re con�ident BuzzBallz will continue to thrive in the UK. “We’re excited for Christmas 2023 as we’re expecting gatherings in the home to dominate socialising habits to manage budgets, and for hybrid evenings to be become the norm – drinks in

the home followed by visit to local hospitality venues.

“Spar stores are a prime opportunity for us, with

tail boxes of three chocolate-dipped frozen bananas in milk or dark chocolate.

Pukpip added a third white chocolate variant in July alongside the launch of singles available to hospitality and convenience stores.

KERVAN Gida UK is launching Dexters Dynaeggs for Easter 2024. Dexters Dynaeggs are candy-coated milk chocolate eggs with a chewy centre.

The product is available to convenience stores and is available at an RRP of £1.

Each case contains 12 bags, and each bag is 80g.

Jonathan Drake, national account manager at Kervan Gida UK, said: “Stocking up early will ensure an extended selling period for this Jurassic-ally delightful treat, offering multiple purchase occasions. The £1 price point also presents a strong opportunity to drive pro�it.

“This is a delicious and

Real Banana Bites from Pukpip PUKPIP is launching three frozen varieties to be released in March 2024.

Following on the successful launch of Real Frozen Bananas Dipped in Chocolate at the beginning of the year, Pukpip is now launching Real Banana Bites. The new variety comprises of 16 bites of frozen banana dipped in milk chocolate, dark chocolate or peanut butter.

The variants will be packaged in resealable pouches and each pouch will contain four servings.

The dark chocolate and peanut butter varieties will be vegan.

Pukpip �irst launched in January this year with re-

shoppers on their way to pubs and parties, or for weekend impulse purchases.”

Kervan Gida launches Dynaeggs fun product to �ill a gap in the market and will bring in new consumers to the seasonal confectionery aisle.”

12 DECEMBER 2023-15 JANUARY 2024 betterretailing.com

Just Desserts expands range JUST Desserts Yorkshire has expanded its ownbrand retail range with the launch of a new cheesecake range housed in retail packaging.

The new cheesecake range is available in 12 �lavours, including Creamy Dreamy, Ferrero Rocher, Oreo, Salted Caramel, White Chocolate Orange, Lotus Biscoff, Strawberry Glaze, Lemon, Terry’s

Chocolate, Milk Lindt Chocolate, White Lindt Chocolate and Raffaello.

The expansion follows on from the success of the Just Desserts Yorkshire’s retail sponge cake range that was launched in August this year.

The new cheesecake retail range was released at the end of November.

The cheesecakes retail at £2.70-£3.20 per unit.

09

Gordon’s Gin unveils new campaign INTERNATIONAL gin brand Gordon’s has launched a new marketing campaign entitled ‘Many nights in’.

The hero �ilm, ‘Many Evenings In’, takes the audience on a journey through the many social moments that modern life presents.

From a catch-up in the kitchen to a house party and a long-overdue dinner with friends, the video depicts the many social occasions people coming together over a Gordon’s & Tonic culminating in a voiceover stating “there’s only one Gordon’s”.

Tayara Sousa Linke, global head of marketing at Gordon’s, said: “With

the vast selection of gins on the market and the era of premiumisation we �ind ourselves in, consumers have more choice than ever before.

“To reignite pride for the brand, this campaign aims to shine a spotlight on its heritage and frame.”

WEETABIX is petitioning to create a brand-new UK county. The breakfast cereal company is campaigning for the creation of ‘Weetabixshire’, which would encircle a 50-mile radius from the Weetabix mills in Burton Latimer.

Weetabix has also rebranded the local Burton Latimer Town Cricket Club as Weetabixshire Cricket Club, and Meadowside Primary School in Burton Latimer is now Weetabixshire Primary School.

To reward the residents of Weetabixshire, the brand is inviting members of the public to get behind the creation of the new county.

As an incentive, 100

people randomly selected to declare their allegiance via the website will receive a free breakfast delivered to their door.

Fynoderee Distillery Weetabix lobbies announces new rum for new county THE Fynoderee Distillery has announced details of Refuge Manx Rum, the second premium spirit to be launched as part of its Coastal Collection of Spirits range.

The barrel-aged Refuge Manx Rum will be a limited-edition organic spirit launching in 2024 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

The rum is currently

locked away in the Tower of Refuge on the Isle of Man and will mature until released for sale at the end of 2024.

Paul Kerruish, co-founder at The Fynoderee Distillery, said: “When considering how we could make this rum extra-special, we were struck by the idea of taking it out to the Tower of Refuge to barrel age. It feels somewhat surreal now to think we did it.”

PRODUCTS

10

Hancocks’ Veganuary range PRIYA KHAIRA HANCOCKS is releasing their Veganuary range of vegan sweets ahead of January 2024.

The range includes a pick-and-mix selection from Kingsway, including Tongue Painters, Giant Strawberries, Sour Dummies and Dracula Teeth.

Fizzy Twin Cherries, Fizzy

Blue Jelly Babies, Fizzy Cola Bottles, Fizzy Sour Apples and Fizzy Cherry Cola Bottles are also included in Kingsway’s range.

Bub’s is launching a vegan range that contains Skull Sweets in Cool Melon, Cool Cola, Sour Raspberry and Lemon, and Sour Skulls. Pez sweets are also available to vegan customers, along with Rowntree’s Fruit Gums,

Fruit Pastilles, Swizzels Vimto Chew Bar and the Vimto Roller Licker Liquid Candy.

Retailers wanting to expand their dietary-speci�ic range should also look to the vegetarian sweet selection from Hancocks.

The veggie range includes brand-new Bonds Baby Meerkats Kids Bag, Bonds Chocolate Oranges Bag, King-

sway Veggie Pandas and Bonds Giant Strawbs Shaker Cup.

Haribo unveils festive Bingo game HARIBO has launched Haribo Christmas Mishap Bingo this festive season.

The game was made available for free from 23 November. The Christmasthemed game looks like an advent calendar, but instead of chocolate there are 25 Haribo mini bags inside.

The Haribo Christmas Mishap Bingo is intended for customers to open when-

ever an issue takes place on Christmas day.

The launch coincides with research run by Haribo into Britain’s biggest festive mishaps.

SMIRNOFF has launched a marketing campaign, ‘We Do Us’, to promote accessibility and inclusion.

The campaign is being activated in more than 20 countries through a series of partnerships and promotional activities. Smirnoff is partnering Stonegate Group and Tilting the Lens as well as hosting a launch event with ‘Sink The Pink’.

The campaign will be sup-

ported by a TV campaign, ‘Atomic’, which aims to highlight the message in the lead up to Christmas.

Stephanie Jacoby, Smirnoff global brand director, said: “We’re so excited to be revealing Smirnoff’s latest campaign, ‘We Do Us’, as we look to champion the power of the collective.”

Wholesalers and independent retailers will have access to PoS kits.

Smirnoff releases new campaign

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Soreen relaunches festive line SOREEN has brought back its ‘Deliciously Snowy Christmas Loaf’ and limited-edition Mini Loaves.

The winter range contains 87% less saturated fat and 38% less sugar than the average Christmas pudding choice. The items are also vegan.

The loaf contains citrus notes and winter spices to taste similar to a Christmas pudding.

Liz Jacobs, marketing director at Soreen, said: “We know that 79% of UK households like to buy from the cake aisle in the run up to Christmas, which is 30% more than the rest of

the year.

“We understand that this is a time of indulgence for tasty treats and �lavoursome snacks. However, we �ind that families are also interested in healthier choices in the build up to the holidays.”

BAT GANTRY

In partnership with

12 DECEMBER 2023-15 JANUARY 2024 betterretailing.com

11

Promotional feature

BAT’S LATEST GANTRY IN ACTION

RETAIL EXPRESS speaks to Santosh Kc, Bobby Singh and Rizwan Mohammed to see how BAT’S new gantry has improved their alternative nicotine category

THE next-gen nicotine category is continuously evolving. Three retailers are among the first to have BAT UK’s new gantry installed. It organises and consolidates the category in one area and uses LED lighting to make it easy for customers to see what’s on offer.

We find out how the gantry has boosted the category.

FOCUS ON SANTOSH KC

BEFORE

Marylebone News, London

MY CHALLENGE “THERE are a lot of vaping and nicotine alternative products around nowadays, so it’s difficult for customers to decide what they want and it’s challenging to manage the category. It’s hard to handle what to display and how to display it. If we had all the products in one place that customers could easily see, it would be easier to serve them, and they would spend less time deciding what to buy.”

BENEFITS OF THE GANTRY

Cleanliness: It’s much tidier now the new gantry has been installed.

Before, products were all in different places, now they’re together.

Management: Bringing all the products in one place helps Santosh manage his products – the drawers help him with his cigarettes as well.

Speed: Customers can choose what they want much more quickly, and he can serve them much faster as the products are easier to find.

SANTOSH SAYS

“THE gantry looks amazing – we and our shoppers can see the display much more effectively through the LED lighting and overall layout. All the vapes are in one place, so it’s easier for us to manage and stock them. This will be good for the tourist customers during tourist season, as they can be in and out quickly.”

AFTER

BAT GANTRY

12

I’m very happy with having had the gantry installed and the effects it’s had

FOCUS ON BOBBY SINGH

AFTER

BB Featherstone Superstore, Pontefract, West Yorkshire

MY CHALLENGE “BECAUSE there are new products coming out all the time, our customers are always thinking about what to go for and what stands out. They can be indecisive, especially when there’s so much variety out there. It’s challenging in terms of space and merchandising.

We’ve tried stocking vaping products in front of, on top of and behind the counter – we’ve been a bit all over the place with positioning.”

BENEFITS OF THE GANTRY

Positioning: Bringing all the vapes and other products together in one location helps to promote the full category to Bobby’s customers.

Presentation: The LED lighting and digital screen help to highlight the category, and brighten the counter.

Service: Uniting the products in one well-lit area has meant customers can quickly choose what they want and Bobby can serve them quickly.

BOBBY SAYS

“I’M very happy with having had the gantry installed and the effects it’s had. Over the past six weeks we’ve seen an uplift in our sales because the products are so well presented.

It’s all about customers being able to make their mind up and see what they want.”

BEFORE

In partnership with

12 DECEMBER 2023-15 JANUARY 2024 betterretailing.com

13

Promotional feature

FOCUS ON RIZWAN MOHAMMED

BEFORE

Knightswood Newsagents, Glasgow

MY CHALLENGE “WE used to have a gantry with shutters on it, which meant there wasn’t enough space to have all the vapes together with our other nextgen products. Customer awareness is low, so getting everything out in view of the customers in a prime spot would look a lot better, and I think it would help increase sales. We also find it difficult to manage and make a list of what we need and what’s selling.”

BENEFITS OF THE GANTRY

Excitement: Sales are up because customers can actively see everything on offer.

AFTER

Visibility: The products on display are right in front of the customer, with increased visibility while uniting the products in one well-lit area.

Emulation: Thanks to these benefits, Rizwan has had another gantry installed in another of his stores.

RIZWAN SAYS

“MY sales are clearly up because customers are able to see everything we have on offer now. Previously, the area behind the counter was all dead space because of the shutters on it. It’s also much quicker for us to serve the customers and monitor the category now, which makes my team’s and my job much easier.”

BAT UK TIPS FOR YOUR GANTRY

1 2 3 4

Consolidate your nicotine alternative products together in one place to promote your full range.

Use lighting to draw the customers’ attention, making it easier for customers to see what’s on offer.

Organise your range logically to speed up transactions, increasing customer satisfaction.

Keep nicotine alternative product displays stocked behind counters.

GET INVOLVED

EXPERT ADVICE EDDIE DEVINE

Regional manager – North UK, BAT UK

“AFTER receiving feedback from retailers on the pilot gantry in Glasgow, we’ve started to install these updated gantries across the whole of the UK. They have really helped to organise the category. The gantry helps to consolidate everything in one place, making it a lot easier for retailers to manage, as well as supporting the reduction of theft and increasing retailer security. It’s made the job a lot simpler for the retailer.”

For more advice and tips, and to see more of Santosh, Bobby and Rizwan’s stores, go to betterretailing.com/bats-latest-gantry-in-action

OPINION

14

COMING UP IN THE 15 DECEMBER 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 AUTUMN STATEMENT: How will the announcement affect you?

“THE rise in tobacco never helps, but that’s expected, and we’ll have to pass the costs on. There was no mention of energy bills support. With the minimum wage going up, too, we’re going to have to put prices up.”

Planning permissions: your step-by-step guide to approving your stores' works

Vikas Sharma, Thrifty’s, Liverpool

“MINIMUM wage will affect a lot of retailers. We’re going to be paying for the Statement in the long-term. The next government will be Labour, I think. But the Conservative chancellor won’t leave them any money.”

Arif Ahmed, Ahmed Newsagents, Coventry

+ Vegan and vegetarian: how to develop and promote strong ranges

We’re going to have to put prices up

Pricewatch: see what other retailers are charging for sugar confectionery bags, and boost your own profits

SALES: Have you seen good demand in the run-up to Christmas?

“SALES are steady at the moment. It’s peaks and troughs.

I’d expect Christmas to be a bit slower than previous years as incomes are a bit tighter. Customers will spend more on essentials, rather than expensive gifts. Everybody would like more sales, but I am happy right now.”

At RN, our content is data-led and informed by those on the shop floor

3,451

retailers’ sales data analysed for every issue

69+

unique retailers spoken to every month

71%

of RN’s news stories are exclusive

Sales are steady at the moment

Serge Notay, Premier Notay’s, Batley, West Yorkshire

“I WANT customers to come to the shop. It’s not as popular as it used to be, and I assume it’s because of the cost-of-living crisis.

We don’t have any choice but to keep it, but it wasn’t really a difficult process to switch over.”

Vinod Chouhan, Woodbury Post Office Store, Woodbury, Exeter

“WE applied for the National Lottery and got accepted. It was fine to switch. We’re keeping the service mainly for the footfall. It doesn’t bring in massive sales, but it’s an extra fix – like newspapers. It brings people in.”

Penny Dumbarton, Porthyfelin Post Office, Porthyfelin, Holyhead

Like newspapers, it brings people in NEW YEAR: How are you preparing your store for 2024?

ORDER YOUR COPY from your magazine wholesaler today or contact Kate Daw on 020 7689 3363

betterretailing.com/subscribe

Sue Nithyanandan, Costcutter Epsom, Surrey

NATIONAL LOTTERY: Will you be keeping it in your post office?

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“IT’S been kind of steady.

I was a bit concerned last month, as I felt people had reined in their spending, it had slowed down. But it seems to have picked up and we saw demand increase for the traditional seasonal products.”

I can’t see 2024 being better than 2023

“WE’VE taken over our third site, and we’re doing whole refurb. We’re putting a beer cave in. It’ll be a complete refit. Our energy bills have been extremely high, so we’ll have new energy-efficient fridges that will cut costs. Energy efficiency is key, and we could save thousands a year.”

Simon Grewal, Premier Crabbs Cross, Redditch, Worcs

“OUR first quarter of 2024 is about tightening our belts.

We’ll be looking into saving whatever we can on wastage and bills. We’ll take it a few months at a time and fingers crossed there will be an upturn, and the Autumn Statement helps us. I can’t see 2024 being better than 2023.”

Maqsood Akhtar, Blackthorn News and Food, Rotherham

LETTERS

12 DECEMBER 2023-15 JANUARY 2024 betterretailing.com

15

Londis Solo

natalie Convenience, lightfoot Baillieston, Glasgow

Letters may be edited

Get ahead of viral trends

‘Early Easter stock is causing storage issues’ WE started getting Easter stock delivered to us

by Booker in November, which is much earlier than last year.

I appreciate Booker has been trying to help us get ready for the seasonal demand in advance, but I feel this is a couple of months too early.

Easter next year is at the end of March.

Creme Eggs aren’t an issue as they’ve become a popular product outside of Easter, but we’ve had products such as KitKat Bunnies come in.

This becomes especially challenging when you consider our stockrooms have already been �illed with

COMMUNITY RETAILER

OF THE WEEK

Ian Lewis, Spar Minster Lovell, Oxon

Christmas products.

I also have a concern about wastage. They do have longshelf lives, but I’m doublechecking the products to make sure customers will still have plenty of time to eat them.

What if we get sent products that will be out of date by the time Easter does

come around?

I know some retailers will prefer to get this stock in advance, but it does create some problems for us.

Anonymous retailer

Booker was unable to respond as Retail Express went to print.

COMMUNITY RETAILER

OF THE WEEK

Kaual Patel, Nisa Torridon Convenience, London

Walking for Prostate Cancer Research

‘Mosaic celebrates our community’

“MY dad Dave decided to raise money for Prostate Cancer Research, because he has a good friend who is battling prostate cancer. We had a member of staff lose their husband to it, too. I’ve had cancer, too, and most of our charity work is around Macmillan. My dad is 81 years old and he raised £1,300 walking 60 miles in November – I think Blakemore may match those funds, too – out in his T-shirt walking all these different routes.

I’ve had loads of people contacting me asking to send money. He’s delighted with £1,300.”

“ON 1 December, we held an event to celebrate a mosaic installed outside my store. The piece was done by local artists who live in the area, in partnership with two nearby schools. It comprises artwork the children were asked to draw during the pandemic, representing what they believe community is. It’s important that we continue to celebrate the community as it is what’s kept the store going since it was established in 1984.

Without the support of residents, we wouldn’t be here as a business. It’s one way we’re giving back to them.”

WE’VE been selling bubble tea for nearly two years and we got involved because we could see that it was a growing trend. Now most convenience stores have some kind of bubble tea offer.

We also got involved with CocaCola Creations – the AI-generated CocaCola – because we got in touch with the suppliers and Each issue, one of seven top worked with them retailers shares advice to on activation plans. make your store magnificent We did some fun stuff in store and showed it on social media.

It’s hard for manufacturers and multiples to get on TikTok because of all the bureaucracy they have to go through, but that’s where our viral trends were coming from. If we find a viral trend, get that product in store and shout about it, we know 30 people are coming into the store just for that. As independents, we’re so much more responsive than supermarkets.

These days, manufacturers are coming to us for our opinion on launching their products. They’re asking to work with us on their brand launches or to try out some influencer-led marketing. They’re thinking of independent retailers like us because we’re reactive, we can make things happen quickly, and we can micro-influence one another and our communities. At Londis Solo, we’ve built our network forwards and backwards, so we’ve always got our ear to the ground.

Most of our staff are on TikTok and their friends have TikTok as well. And we communicate with each other and other retailers, and find out what’s happening really quickly, whether it’s Pickles or Lorenz crisps. Gone are the days where you go to the cash and carry, fill up your store and sell it. Now you’ve got to be listening and making connections with manufacturers, cash and carries, wholesalers and online wholesalers, and also listening to your community network. Because of my reputation in my community, if someone wants a viral product, they’ll think of me and DM me first on social media asking if I have it.

That means that even if I don’t have it, I can go and get it and be the first store in the area that does.

A good example is Arthendas Tikka Marinade, which is produced locally in Wishaw, and I’m always advocating for the brand. They’ve got a huge Facebook group, and every time I get it in, I can sell 120 in a day.

Get in touch

@retailexpress betterretailing.com facebook.com/betterretailing megan.humphrey@newtrade.co.uk 07597 588972

CATEGORY ADVICE EASTER

16

YOUR GUIDE TO EASTER PRIYA KHAIRA finds out how retailers can get ahead and best prepare for upcoming Easter sales

product launches

BUILDING AN EASTER RANGE EASTER is a major holiday that presents retailers with an opportunity to drive sales across a range of categories including confectionery, flowers, cards and alcohol.

Easter Sunday falls on 31 March in 2024, and there are various ways that retailers can prepare for the occasion.

Before Christmas has even arrived, you should be thinking about what categories you want to highlight for your East-

er offering. Easter eggs and Easter-themed confectionery are a key driver for sales during this time.

According to research gathered by SparkEmotions, 85% of adults in the UK purchased Easter eggs last year.

Consider creating a fixture dedicated to seasonal confectionery and promote your Easter egg range on social media.

Retailers can also take to social media to display any prod-

ucts that are perfect for Easter gifts, egg hunts or even baking.

Everyday baking items can be great additions to your fixture.

This is also the time to display any deals or promotions that you have on flowers or seasonal decorations and cards.

By offering a full Easter range outside of confectionery, retailers can boost incremental sales.

By placing your flowers or gift cards close to your Easter egg offering, you can drive

New for Easter incremental and impulse purchases.

Beyond this, Easter is the only four-day bank holiday weekend of 2024, with Christmas taking place mid-week, so there are lots of opportunities for get-togethers with friends and families.

Retailers should build and promote their big-night-in offerings, with soft drinks, alcohol and sweets in dedicated sections.

Mondelez International is bringing back its ‘Find the Winning Egg’ campaign in 2024. Shoppers will be encouraged to keep an eye out for a winning Cadbury Creme Egg. Winners will be rewarded with a cash prize of up to £10,000. Retailers selling a winning egg could win up to £1,000.

Mondelez International is expanding its Cadbury Creme Egg format with the launch of a Cadbury Creme Egg Tablet to be released next year.

Kervan Gida has launched Dexters Dynaeggs, a bag of candy-coated milk chocolate eggs available in 80g bags with an RRP of £1.

12 DECEMBER 2023-15 JANUARY 2024 betterretailing.com

STARTING EARLY RETAILERS need to think ahead in order to make the most out of Easter. This means thinking carefully about your offering months ahead of the holiday.

With Easter starting slightly earlier next year, retailers can think about building momentum from holidays close to Easter, as there will be opportunities to continue to drive

similar sales and promotions before and after.

“To make the most of the season, retailers should split Easter into three phases: getting off to a fast start (from 1 January to Valentine’s Day); building momentum (from Valentine’s Day on 14 February, to Mother’s Day on 10 March); then gearing up for a ‘gift fin-

SUPPLIER Tips ish’ for the final three weeks of the period,” says Susan Nash, trade communications manager at Mondelez International.

Evolve your Easter offering in terms of ranging, promotion and product placement as you get closer to the event itself.

“We get our Christmas gift offers done and dusted and see that through into the new

year,” says Serge Khunkhun, from One Stop Woodcross in Wolverhampton, West Midlands.

“We start introducing Easter products, such as Creme Eggs or Mini Eggs, between Christmas and the new year. We then slowly drop in our Easter products. The five-to-six months before Easter are critical.”

Susan Nash, trade communications manager at Mondelez International, advises retailers to follow these tips to boost their Easter sales Ensure you have a full Easter range Be ready on day one of the season with sufficient stock of seasonal treats and sharing favourites from brands such as Cadbury Creme Egg and Cadbury Mini Eggs.

Use social media Create awareness of the season with your customers using campaigns, competitions and promotions as talking points.

Merchandise effectively Use PoS from shoppers’ favourite Easter brands to highlight products and optimise incremental sales.

top categories What to look out for Confectionery Retailers can expect a surge in confectionery sales in the Easter period. While this is the perfect time to create an Easter egg range, retailers should merchandise their displays close to other confectionery products such as cakes, affordable treats and baking items for price-conscious shoppers.

Chocolate The start of the year is a good time to slowly introduce small chocolate treats to drive awareness of the Easter season. Small chocolate eggs and bunnies will help engage shoppers before the holiday commences.

Alcohol Over the Easter break, it is likely that retailers will notice an increase in alcohol sales as customers celebrate at home. It is important that retailers stock a range of chilled wines, ciders and beers, along with multipack offers.

Gifts and cards Easter presents retailers with opportunities to gain incremental sales. One way to do this is by building an Easter gift range that includes Easter cards, gifts, gift bags and chocolate gifts. This can help drive sales and place your store as the go-to destination for last-minute Easter shoppers.

Flowers Easter season is the perfect time to boost sales of flowers. With Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day occurring in the lead-up to Easter, retailers should highlight any deals or promotions they might have on their flower selection. Retailers could also consider offering bundle offers on gift cards, or Easter eggs, with flowers.

Plan ahead of time Retailers need to plan ahead of time and split Easter into three phases to make a fast start on sales, and gear up for a ‘gift finish’ for the final three weeks of the period.

Focus on ‘fast start’ sales The ‘fast start’ phase (from 1 January to Valentine’s Day) focuses on shoppers looking for small treats for themselves. Seventy per cent of Easter sales pre-Valentine’s Day are of small confectionery treats. Retailers should highlight their offers to make fast starts to the season.

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CATEGORY ADVICE TOP PRODUCTS OF 2023

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THE BESTSELLING PRODUCTS OF THE YEAR CHARLES WHITTING finds out what were the big winners in the biggest categories and the viral success stories in 2023

THE VALUE OF VALUE THE past year has seen a lot of product launches in a variety of categories.

Some have been short-lived fads and crazes that nevertheless got people talking and visiting convenience stores.

Others were reactions to changing customer trends, as new flavours, ingredients and sugar levels were introduced.

But perhaps the most significant launches across a variety of categories was the introduction of more price-marked packs (PMP) or the lowering of certain prices on those packs.

Retail Data Partnership provides our sister title, RN, with data on the bestselling new barcodes over a three-month period, and the number of PMPs which dominated these lists across 2023 speaks to the growing importance of value for customers and, indeed, a switch among retailers’ priorities from margins to volume sales.

“PMPs continue to play a strong role within savoury snacking. Sharing PMPs account for 42% of salty snacks value sales in the segment and

continue to grow at 20.1% versus the previous year, demonstrating how important PMPs remain,” says Mike Chapman, head of wholesale at PepsiCo. “This is particularly the case when you consider this format is the number-one contributor to crisps and snacks growth in value versus other segments.”

Beyond PMPs, own-label products have also been on the rise, with many retailers slimming down their ranges in certain categories to simply include one branded option for

brand loyalists and one ownlabel option for those seeking a better deal.

“One key area has been consumers switching to ownbrand and seeking branded promotions as the cost-ofliving crisis bites,” says Jamie Ferguson, head of marketing at Parfetts. “As a business, Parfetts provides a wide range of own-brand products that deliver great retailer margins while also giving great consumer value. The range of products continues to expand, and sales are growing every year.”

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CATEGORY ADVICE TOP PRODUCTS OF 2023

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2023 product launches

Next-gen nicotine Lost Mary – Quaq Mesh, Cell and Capsule In November, Lost Mary introduced three new technologies: Quaq Mesh, Cell and Capsule. These technologies are compatible with Elfbar and Lost Mary-branded products.

“Quaq Mesh, with its Bionic Honeycomb Structure, helps deliver an intense burst of flavours and vapour almost instantly, as well as flavour consistency and ultra-fine vapour particles,” says Frankie Chen, a spokesperson for Lost Mary.

“Quaq Cell is the industry’s first integrated power unit. This presents a battery and printed circuit board assembly, lifting its power output to ensure a consistent delivery of flavour, and facilitating the dismantling and recycling of vaping product components in the future. Quaq Capsule is a vape cartridge technology that delivers freshness in an instant with a vastly improved anti-leakage performance.”

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THE EVOLUTION OF NEXT-GEN NICOTINE TOBACCO sales may be on the decline, but those lost sales are being more than made up for by the burgeoning next-gen nicotine category. It was dominated by disposables in 2023, and disposables are now worth 83% of all vape sales, according to the ITUK EVP Report.

“In 2023, sales of singleuse products have maintained momentum,” says Chris Kader,

head of PR and communications UK for Elfbar. “Notably, our introduction of the Elfbar 600V2, the latest iteration in our pioneering single-use vapes series, builds upon the success of its predecessor, the Elfbar 600.”

However, disposables are currently under the microscope for a variety of reasons, with concerns about under-age ap-

peal and the wastage problems they threaten. With this in mind, some retailers have already started to see a growing interest in reusable vaping products like pods, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches, while suppliers and retailers have worked to introduce recycling stations in store.

“In 2023, sales in nicotine pouch and prefilled pod sys-

tem vapes saw the strongest growth. This is in tandem with the introduction of our Tacja nicotine pouch to the UK, and Elfa Pro, an iteration of our widely welcomed pod system,” says Kader.

“In 2024, we anticipate that e-liquid will be a growth driver, and in response have introduced Elfliq, our e-liquid brand to the UK.”

Imperial Tobacco – Blu disposables Blu announced the expansion of its disposable range with seven new flavours in 2023. Available to buy at an RRP of £5.99, the new additions include Blueberry Ice, Blueberry Sour Razz, Berry Mix, Grape Ice, Tropical Mix, Apple Ice and Mint Ice, taking the total flavour range up to 13 variants.

Crisps and snacks PepsiCo – new Wotsits and Doritos lines With new products contributing 22% of crisps and snacks sharing growth in the past year, PepsiCo introduced new formats and products throughout 2023. Two new Wotsits Giants varieties helped to deliver £9.3m in value sales over the past year.

With Walkers Prawn Cocktail the third bestselling Walkers single flavour, PepsiCo made it available in a PMP format. The new line has since contributed 28% to the brand’s PMP growth.

In addition, Doritos and Burger King launched Flame Grilled Whopper-flavour Doritos earlier this year, which are also HFSS-compliant.

Confectionery Mondelez International – Cadbury Dairy Milk Salted Caramel, Twirl Mint and White Creme Egg With products containing salted caramel flavour seeing 17% growth over the past two years, Mondelez International launched Cadbury Dairy Milk Salted Caramel tablet (120g, RRP £1.49), which contains classic Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate with a salted caramel centre.

Cadbury also launched a limited-edition flavour: Twirl Mint. “Limited-edition bars have brought fresh excitement in store and set retailers’ ranges up for success. Mint is an incredibly popular flavour among shoppers, as one of the top five flavours for standard chocolate,” says Susan Nash, trade communications manager at Mondelez International.

Mondelez also introduced Cadbury White Creme Egg, the latest product innovation for the brand, in the lead up to the Easter season.

HOW SOFT DRINKS FARED THE soft drinks category, like confectionery and snacks, saw products arrive in the UK with huge interest and excitement driven by social media.

Prime is perhaps the bestknown of these, but global soft drinks options continue to give fleet-footed independent convenience retailers a real edge over competitors.

Health and wellness were also behind more customer decisions in 2023, with brands launching more lowsugar variants of their products. For example, Lucozade unveiled two Zero Sugar lines in 2023 – Lucozade Sport Zero Sugar and Lucozade Alert Zero Sugar Mange Peachade.

“We have been talking about low- and no-calorie soft drinks for some time now, and sales within that segment show no sign of stopping,” says Matt Gouldsmith, channel director, wholesale at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I (SBF GB&I). “Volume sales of low- and no-calorie soft drinks grew by 8.7% during 2022, and this segment now makes up almost 70% of total soft drinks sales.

“Within the energy segment specifically, consumers continue to seek healthier low-sugar or more natural options, with low-sugar energy in 25% growth and natural energy in 23% growth.”

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CATEGORY ADVICE TOP PRODUCTS OF 2023

ALCOHOL TRENDS IN 2023

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Jamie Ferguson, head of marketing, Parfetts “WE’VE seen some clear trends in beer, wine and spirits, with ready-to-drink and flavoured spirits proving key sales drivers, and we expect this to continue into 2024. Cocktails and mixed spirits are growing, and there are product launches planned by a number of key brands next year. Fractionals are also a key driver – as people have less disposable income, they are sticking with brands, but going for smaller pack sizes.

“In non-licensed, it is all about impulse. Confectionery, crisps, nuts and soft drinks are performing well, while confectionery saw sales grow almost 40% year on year.

“We expect confectionery to continue to lead the growth in 2024 since the category aligns with consumer trends by delivering an affordable treat that is likely to be consumed at home. The only risk to this continued growth is around supplier capacity, which is constrained across sugar and chocolate confectionery.

Within the confectionery category, chocolate sharing continues to deliver, but the continued strength of children’s novelty confectionery shows no signs of weakening.”

THE alcohol category is a diverse one that includes beer, cider, wine and an array of spirits. Not all retailers have an alcohol licence, but those that do will have seen vodka and whisky enjoy success in the spirit section, with rum enjoying a period of growth and gin starting to plateau from its massive surge in popularity over the past decade. Within beer, there has been a split as people opt either for value or look for more premium, craft options.

“Craft beer has been a growing category leading up to and throughout 2023, bucking the trend to out-perform the total beer market,” says Stuart Harrison, head of grocery at BrewDog. “There are no signs of this slowing down as consumers prioritise more quality drinks over quantity.”

Perhaps the biggest winner within the alcohol category was, in fact, low- and no-alcohol products, with demand growing in 2023 and more suppliers launching non-alcoholic versions of their bestselling brands. According to Kantar, 40% of adults now say they are looking to moderate their drinking, with that number increasing among young adults who are turning away from alcohol more and more.

“This year, Captain Morgan entered the alcohol-free market, unveiling Captain Morgan Spiced Gold 0.0%, an alcohol-free alternative to the Original Spiced Gold,” says Lauren Priestley, head of category development off-trade at Diageo. “The brand also teamed up with Nick Fraser to challenge people to stop asking, ‘Why aren’t you drinking?’”

hot list Retailers reveal which products had success in 2023 Bipin Chawla, Late Stop 24, Bangor, Gwynedd “Au Vodka is a social media spirit. It’s been very cleverly created and the bottles are a marketing genius. The Cherry Au Vodka has done particularly well for us this year.”

Chris Tomes, Costcutter & The Food Shop, Swanage “We actually found that Pepsi Max is our fastestselling cola. It flies out, whereas we don’t sell a lot of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar or Diet Coke.”

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Susan Nash, trade communications manager, Mondelez International “THE convenience sector has seen shopper behaviour adapt to changing times, with the confectionery and biscuits categories remaining a significant part of any retailer’s range. Stocking the core products from brands, such as Cadbury, Oreo and Maynards Bassetts, is incredibly important as consumers look to enjoy small treats from brands they know and love.

“Retailers should also tap into different shopper needs by ensuring a wide range of formats are on offer and visible in store, including singles, duos, tablets, bags and gifting offers.

“For extensive advice and insight into snacking sales, retailers can visit SnackDisplay.co.uk or speak to their local Mondelez representative.”

Rana Ali, Spar Errol, Perth “Gold Bar and Crystal Bar disposables are famous now. And when we’re buying those products and putting them in the shop, we’re getting a good margin as well. Cigarette sales haven’t declined, either. They’re still doing well.”

Barry Patel, Nisa Marsh Farm, Luton, Bedfordshire “We’ve concentrated a lot more on fresh fruit and vegetables this year and microwave meals for people who have less time for cooking. We have mixed portions of cut and washed vegetables for two people and the sales have been strong. It’s the quiet-night-in option. Vapes are still selling well, it’s a category that’s grown by 400% for us and we’re getting good margins from them.”

Richard Inglis, Welcome Stores, Southampton “We’ve been selling Cook frozen meals for a few years, but this year we’re selling so many more and selling them consistently. In the city centre where people are cooking for ones and twos, ready meals are a no-brainer. The other thing we’ve been experimenting with are unique product ranges. We got into Mogu Mogu and Bomb Energy Drinks. They don’t always sell, but they’re a talking point and people will come in to try them.”

12 DECEMBER 2023-15 JANUARY 2024 betterretailing.com

SNACKS AND CONFECTIONERY GO HEALTHIER THE snacking category – from confectionery to crisps, biscuits to cakes – was impacted by the introduction of half the HFSS legislation in October 2022, which drove many snacks suppliers to introduce healthier versions of their products or new innovations entirely.

This has led to 26% growth

in the healthier snacking section, according to KP Snacks.

“Health has become an important purchase driver over the past year and is the fourthmost-important need for snack shoppers,” says PepsiCo’s Mike Chapman. “We have made a significant shift in the past 12 months after transforming our snacks portfolio.”

The search for healthier and more functional options, particularly in the morning, continues to grow. For 2024, retailers should consider introducing ‘healthier’ options.

“We know that consumers look for ‘healthier’ ingredients such as oats and other wholegrains, but will not compromise on taste,” says

Mondelez International’s Susan Nash. “Functional benefits can certainly be an added draw to the category for consumers who may be looking for a little something extra from their favourite snack.

These benefits must be combined with a great taste, too, though.”

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Dee Sedani, One Stop Etwall, Derbyshire “PRIME was the biggest trend of the year. There have been new products this year, but the problem is that innovation in every category has slowed down everywhere because you can only reinvent a product so many times. M&S did chocolate custard creams this year, but it’s not exactly inventing the wheel.

“For me, 2023 saw growth through innovation in stores themselves. We’ve started making our cakes and fresh doughnuts, like at the fun fair. We’re making baguettes, which are making us £700 a week, and launching fresh pizzas. There are other things we’ve tried and failed. But it’s about getting extra people in for a different reason with a different product.”

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CATEGORY ADVICE TOP PRODUCTS OF 2023

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VIRAL PRODUCTS OF 2023

Natalie Lightfoot Londis Solo, Glasgow “IT’S important to build your network, forward and backward. You need to be making connections and having that big presence in your communities so you can find out what’s happening. I love looking at people’s shopping habits and working out how to fulfil their needs.

“We’ve been doing bubble tea for nearly two years now. We found a local supplier and we make a big deal about it on all our social media channels. They’re good as well, doing lots of funny TikToks. Most convenience stores have some kind of bubble tea, usually the American ones that are ready-packed. Ours have three-week sell-by dates, so they’re quite fresh, which is a useful point of difference. We’re doing an at-home bubble tea kit for Christmas, and they’re good as well.

“Arthedas Tikka Marinade is a product we found that’s produced locally and every time I get it in, I can sell 120 units in a day. They’ve got a huge Facebook group following.”

Prime Energy Drinks This energy drink, driven by social media crazes, was a massive hit for retailers, who found that customers were willing to travel to get hold of them, even with a £7 price tag.

RETAILER

Van Holten Pickles A social media craze that was a challenge in its own right, pickles were very successful for many retailers in 2023, with Mark Dudden stocking them after his daughter informed him of ‘The Pickle Challenge’.

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Mark Dudden Albany News & Post Office, Cardiff “YOU need to build your relationship with wholesalers and listen to young people. They’ll tell you what’s going on. Samson’s Cash and Carry in Cardiff deals in odd things and they told me about US Pickles. I didn’t go for it at first, but then my 16-year-old daughter told me about it being the latest trend on TikTok, so I went back to the wholesaler and bought some.

“I wouldn’t say they made me loads of money, but it does generate interest in your shop as the place to go for things that are trending. That’s been very healthy for my business. Prime is the biggest one this year. You’ve got to keep an eye on these trends. Get stuff in, but don’t overbuy it. Make a quick buck and then get out. The last thing you want is a trend to die and then you’re stuck with lots of stock.”

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Mike Chapman, head of wholesale, PepsiCo “SALTY snacks, like crisps, have been a critical sales driver throughout 2023 within the convenience channel, with the segment growing at 19.5%. This growth is set to continue into 2024, and the real engine driver continues to be price-marked packs (PMPs). Sharing PMPs remain the number-one contributor to crisps and snacks growth in value, compared to other segments in the channel. We expect this format to continue helping retailers to offer an accessible price next year.

“Bold flavours remain key to driving sales in savoury snacking in 2024. Demand for new and exciting flavours presents a massive opportunity for retailers to maximise sales. By stocking the latest NPD and pairing with the right PoS, retailers can appeal to shoppers and stay up to date with the consumer demands.”

MrBeast chocolate Another social media phenomenon, MrBeast’s four different Feastables chocolate bars were a huge success, with Judith Mercer, of Spar Greenway in Belfast, telling Retail Express that the eight cases of Feastables they ordered were sold out within hours, equivalent to £200 in sales.

Mogu Mogu This Thai soft drink that combines real fruit juice with nata de coco was a big hit, particularly over the summer months.

Strawberry and blueberry disposables The category of the year, which some retailers have cited as the reason their stores have been able to stay open in 2023. With almost a third of users choosing fruit flavours, blueberry and strawberry have been fighting it out to be the top-selling flavour. “However, we’re also seeing berry increasing in popularity, with the flavour growing rapidly by 60% month on month,” says Tom Gully, head of consumer marketing UK at Imperial Tobacco.

Alcoholic slushies Not so much a product launch, but retailers had some fun with their alcoholic slushies, in particular by using Au Vodka and getting involved with Jose Curevo’s Frozen Cocktail Machine.

The Pink Stuff This cleaning product went viral on social media with its bright colours and dynamic videos. Although not as impactful for convenience retailers as other viral trends, it shows how many more categories beyond soft drinks and snacks are open to these opportunities.

PAID FEATURE NEWTRADE INSIGHT

In partnership with

12 DECEMBER 2023-15 JANUARY 2024 betterretailing.com

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This feature is created by Newtrade Insight. Data is gratefully received from the three retailers who participated in a 12-week trial of Signature. Any data from other sources is cited.

DRIVE YOUR SALES WITH

SIGNATURE STG’s Signature brand, the world’s first small cigar, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The supplier partnered with RETAIL EXPRESS’ Newtrade Insight service to help three retailers trial its products in their stores and boost cigar sales

A SIGNATURE SELLER THE trial took place from August to October with three retailers from Birmingham, Northampton and Dartford.

Its objectives were to highlight the importance for convenience retailers to stock the full Signature range, which is the UK’s bestselling traditional cigar brand, worth nearly £50m in annual sales1.

Signature’s 60th anniversary also helped the retailers to start a conversation about the brand.

Each retailer stocked the full range of Signature products – Blue, Original, Red Filter and Action.

During the trial period, Signature Blue was the most popular line overall, accounting for 77.2% of trial product sales across the three stores.

This is reflective of its status as the UK’s bestselling

traditional cigar1.

In two out of three stores, Signature Blue was the top seller. It was only in Andrew Cruden’s Market Square News store in Northampton that sales across the four varieties were more evenly split.

In fact, by the end of the trial, Signature Original had narrowly outsold Signature Blue in his store.

Nishi Patel’s Londis Bexley Park store in Dartford had the highest quantity of sales during the trial, contributing 61.1%, which he attributed to his affluent customer base.

As with other tobacco products, brand loyalty is a big factor influencing cigar purchases, and each retailer said their biggest challenge came from persuading shoppers to try cigars they were unfamiliar with.

PREMIUM PURCHASES THE retailers reported that customers were not put off by price when it came to buying cigars, as they saw them as a premium purchase.

According to customer feedback, Signature Blue was the most popular line because of its smoother and lighter flavour as well as a higher level of recognition

among shoppers than the other products.

Patel and Cruden said that, given the entrenched nature of tobacco shoppers and the restrictions on advertising tobacco products, more product information which they could share could encourage shoppers to diversify their purchasing habits.

ABOUT STG/ SIGNATURE IT has been a busy year for STG’s leading cigar brands.

Aside from marking Signature’s 60th anniversary with limited-edition tins, the supplier has also launched redesigned packaging for its Mo-

ments miniature cigar brand, and limited-edition packaging for its Henri Wintermans Half Corona brand in two different colour schemes, to drive excitement ahead of Christmas.

full Signature range meant he could open a dialogue with his cigar customers about persuading them to try different products. If they trusted a brand, they would be more likely to try different products under it, which contributed to the even spread of sales in

his store. However, as cigars are a more niche category, the retailers felt more specialised advice from the supplier about how its products distinguished themselves would have helped drive more sales.

Signature’s 60th anniversary was also a good talking

point, and Cruden was able to switch some customers to Blue having brought it up.

Blue overall was more accessible; Patel said his customers viewed it as “more of a cigarillo or a cigarette”, which made it more accessible outside of special occasions.

For more information on the cigar category, visit stgtrade.co.uk or email enquiries.uk@st-group.com to request a rep visit 1

IRI MarketPlace, Value and Volume sales, Time Period: w/e 16.04.23

Harj Gill, The Windmill Select & Save, Birmingham “THE challenge with tobacco products is making customers aware of the products you’ve got. I can only dedicate room to products that sell well, so I have to be careful with what I stock. Signature Blue did very well against the rest of my range and was my top seller. Brand loyalty motivates customers more than anything. More information on what sets certain products apart from others, to get past advertising restrictions, would be a big help.”

Nishi Patel, Londis Bexley Park, Dartford, Kent “I STOCKED Signature Blue before the trial started, so I wasn’t surprised to see it continue to perform strongly. Customers know it and trust it, and they’re happy to pay for a brand they trust. All the products did very well compared to my overall cigar category. Holding a full portfolio from one brand can work with the right customer base. But it’s important to be flexible because otherwise you can end up with stock that won’t sell.”

BRAND LOYALTY BRAND loyalty is a defining feature of tobacco products sales, especially as it has become harder to market them beyond directly communicating with customers. This presented a challenge for the retailers, as well as an opportunity.

In Cruden’s view, having the

insight in action

Andrew Cruden, Market Square News, Northampton “HAVING a brand’s full range can definitely work as long as you have customers who trust the brand, because it gives them plenty of options. Customers might not like a product I recommend, but because they trust the brand, they’ll switch over to another one of its products. Having that overarching brand is important for customers to move between products.

I sold more cigars than usual and told customers about Signature’s 60th anniversary.”

CATEGORY ADVICE SUSTAINABILITY

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BE MORE SUSTAINABLE IN 2024 Implementing more sustainable practices in 2024 will help cut overhead costs. TAMARA BIRCH talks to retailers about their cost-effective plans to be more sustainable from the new year

WHY INVEST IN SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES? IT’S no secret consumers are becoming more sustainable and want their local shop to adopt these practices, too.

However, with 48% of convenience stores prioritising sustainability over the next 12 months, retailers are clearly adapting.

“Sustainability and sustainable habits are of growing importance to consumers,” explains Cheryl Allen,

head of sustainability at Nestlé Confectionery UK & Ireland. “A recent Lumina Intelligence report found that more than two-thirds of shoppers (67%) considered themselves very sustainability-conscious.”

The reality, however, is that adopting sustainable initiatives must benefit businesses, whether this is increased sales or reduce overhead costs.

Under the current economic climate, finding costeffective ways to improve your environmental impact can achieve a reduction in overhead costs.

Sensors for your stock room, for example, can be purchased online at a low cost, and can reduce your overall electricity usage.

Richard Inglis, owner of three Welcome stores in Southampton, invested in

motion sensors, along with other simple measures, and cut costs.

“We installed LED lighting, timer switches throughout the store and turned the heating off when the store is closed,” he says. “Even our staff take their breaks in the cash office because it’s cheaper to heat the small room compared with the stock room.”

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FOCUS ON REDUCING WASTE WHILE reducing waste is not a new phenomenon, it is a simple process to review that will reduce costs and help you become more sustainable.

“Shoppers look out for responsible use of packaging, recyclable packaging and appropriate pack sizes for their needs to avoid food waste, and also for responsibly sourced ingredients,” says Allen.

Reducing waste comes from being sensible about food or-

ders and regularly reviewing your range. Do you sell every fresh product before its sell-by date? If not, and you’re consistently reducing food, consider reducing your order.

You need to be on top of your EPoS data to achieve this, particularly when it comes to fresh products.

Similarly, Inglis recently joined Too Good to Go, which has been a huge footfall driver.

“We’re using it for bakery and

general shop stuff. Some of our customers have requested bags every day. It’s been great in reducing waste,” he says.

Meanwhile, Pricewatch Group, a family-owned-andoperated independent group for forecourts and convenience stores across Sussex, partners with Gander, a food-reduction app. “Prior to Gander, our sell-through rate was 57%, but since adopting it, that rate has increased to 86%,” Claire

Goodard, marketing manager at Pricewatch, says.

Gander uses real-time technology to highlight reduced-toclear food items in stores near homes. According to Goodard, Gander has the ability to reach thousands of people in the vicinity of a store, allowing shoppers to pick up selected products while enabling retailers to reduce their food waste.

It’s important to note that food-waste apps aren’t the

answer for everyone, but it’s worth finding out what other retailers think about them.

Other ways to reduce waste include reducing prices throughout the day to encourage sales.

Many retailers reduce by 25% in the morning, reducing further to 50% in the afternoon, which helps grow sales.

Samantha Coldbeck, from Wharfedale Premier in Hull, recommends above all ensuring

your team is aware of the importance of being sustainable.

“It’s about reinforcing the idea that we need to reduce waste effectively, especially with prices going up,” she says.

“Reducing waste goes hand in hand with sustainability, and having staff understand how to cut overheads is important.

“Cutting overheads means we can continue to pay them, so it’s about holding them and us accountable.”

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Cheryl Allen, head of sustainability, Nestlé Confectionery UK & Ireland “OUR size and influence carries great responsibility, and we know what we do as a business has tremendous impact. We’re working hard to reduce landfill waste to zero, using satellites to help tackle deforestation, moving to 100% renewable electricity and continuously improving the sustainability of our packaging. We’re also investing in regenerative agriculture, reforestation and biodiversity schemes.

“In the UK, we have launched a pilot to assess whether cocoa shells from a confectionery site in York can be used to create a low-carbon fertiliser. The two-year trial is designed to evaluate the fertiliser’s performance on crop production, soil health and greenhouse gas emissions. If successful, up to 7,000 tonnes of low-carbon fertiliser could be produced per year and offered to farmers in our supply chain.

“We know that to make the largest positive impact we can, we need to make it easy for shoppers to choose more sustainable products. Collaborating with retailers to showcase sustainability benefits through on-pack communications, PoS materials and events is an important part of this. Additionally, retailers can increase their own sustainability practices, for example using plastic-free and recyclable PoS materials, and recycling wherever possible.”

INVEST IN RECYCLING “WE send cardboard and plastic back to our main supplier, Co-op, which has a burner on site that helps to generate electricity,” says Inglis.

Many wholesalers take cardboard and plastic as part of their deliveries, but retailers should make sure these are separated accordingly, and find out if there are minimum-spend requirements. If your wholesaler doesn’t offer this, consider asking if it can in future.

For your customers, encourage them to recycle by investing in a recycling bin outside

your store. This will help drive footfall, as many will pick up items in store. Go one step further by offering a recycling bin for clothes. Bins can often be obtained by contacting your local council.

Coldbeck says the importance of recycling cannot be understated.

“We constantly monitor recycling and our sustainability efforts, so we know where we are as a business,” she says.

“We don’t look at sustainability as being good for the planet, but as part of being a responsible retailer.”

CContains Co ntai nta ain ins ns milk, white m mi ililk lk,k, whi hititete an hi aand nd nd dark dar da ark rk chocolate! cho h cola ho lat la atete!

*NielsenIQ Scantrak data to 21 WE 24.12.22

© 2023 Mars or Affiliates.

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Richard Inglis, owner of three Welcome stores in Southampton “LOOK at joining Too Good to Go to help reduce food waste and monitor your ordering. Can you reduce waste by reducing your order? Are you selling everything you’re ordering before its sell-by date?

Get in touch with your wholesaler and see if there’s a recycling system you’re unaware of. If not, consider if it’ll be cheaper to install a recycling bin to avoid unnecessary waste.”

Goran Raven, Raven’s Budgens, Abridge, Essex “LOOK at your business from a consumer’s point of view. Ask what you’d like to see and improve on from a sustainability perspective and work out a plan from there. Simple things, such as plastic straws, have been done, but have you looked into sensors, LED lighting and so on?”

SUSTAINABLE SOURCING AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES WORKING with more sustainable suppliers can instantly improve your environmental impact, as could shopping locally.

Local suppliers often don’t need to travel far, meaning fewer emissions are used.

As small businesses, they often have the means to work more sustainably within their supply chain. Work with other retailers to buy in bulk, reducing the number of journeys

needing to be made.

Similarly, work with your current wholesalers to determine if there’s anything further they could be doing to improve their own sustainability initiatives.

Get involved in activities in your local community, such as litter picking. “We are seeing independent retailers show up for their local communities,” says Allen. “In fact, 79% of in-

dependent retailers engaged in some form of community activity in the past year, with 5% of this including litter picking, or other local campaigns.”

If there aren’t any community events happening nearby, consider hosting one yourself.

Gather interest by speaking with customers in store and advertising any events on social media.

Retailers can also work with

suppliers to help them become more sustainable.

Inglis says: “There’s only so much within our control. For example, how cases of soft drinks are delivered is up to suppliers, but there are constraints they face. By fixing one issue, you might create another.

“We must be careful with sustainability efforts to make sure we don’t make changes that are counterproductive.”

Samantha Coldbeck, Wharfedale Premier, Hull “MAKE sure you’re recycling everything from cardboard to plastic to ensure as much as possible avoids going to landfill. Look towards your community to reduce food waste, reviewing your range and reducing where possible. Reducing prices also benefits your customers during hard times. Make sure you’re not overusing electricity – use LED lighting, invest in chiller doors and turn lights off.”

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PLANS FOR 2024 The RETAIL EXPRESS team finds out what retailers are excited about for the upcoming year

We have a fish & chip shop next door, so we’re looking at using that. What are other retailers planning for next year? – Arjun Patel Premier Cavendish Square, Swindon, Wiltshire

1

Dhan Amin, One Stop Stoke Aldermoor, Coventry

“WE’RE expanding our business and are acquiring more stores.

There are plenty of opportunities in the market at the moment because a lot of people are leaving the industry, and we’re �inding that the convenience sector is growing.

“In total, we’ve got another seven stores that we hope to have opened up by the end of the year. It’s all down to management and communication. Most of my stores are run the same way and there’s not much difference between one or the others.

That’s what One Stop gives you, they pride themselves on being uniform, which is why I like it and back it.

“It then comes down to the recruitment side of things and making sure the people we have in the stores understand what we require of them so they can run them the way we want them to be run. We use agencies which recruit adequate staff for us and the training is mostly taken care of by One Stop.”

2

Sudesh Patel, Londis Coulsdon, south London

“WE’RE looking for some �inances to re�it the store. We’ve got more competition coming along about �ive minutes’ walk up the road from us – a big Co-op – so we need to smarten the store up. We’ve been in the shop for several years and it’s time it was freshened up. We need to move with the times.

“We’ve created a bit of space and have built into the garden at the back. Now we have the space to knock that wall down and move things around and enlarge the store. With the extra space, I can expand our fresh food offering, which is really lacking at the moment. I want to double that and also increase my cold drinks offering and introduce some more eco-friendly products, like re�ills. I also want to put in new �loors and change the cream shelving to teak to give it a different look.

“You’ve got to take those risks as a retailer. If you re�it your store, people will come to you just because of that.”

3

Marty Uppal, Fixby Stores, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

“WE had plans to do a re�it for the store before Covid-19 hit, but now we’ve got the opportunity to do it. We want to do one big change rather than lots of little changes, and that means we’re going to do it right and take our time with it. We’ve got all our ducks in a row and we know what we’re going to do.

“It needs to be right for us and for the community. We’ve got new houses getting built up the road and our store is looking tired. So, we’re extending it and doing a full refurb. We’re ripping the whole store out and starting again with new categories.

“At the moment, we’re looking at more chilled products and more frozen as well because that’s picked up. The food-to-go element is something that we want to get into as well. On top of that, it’s about being a good convenience store for our customers, so they don’t need to go to Asda to get what they need for that night.”

In the next issue, the Retail Express team finds out how retailers deal with staff absences. If you have any problems you’d like us to explore, please email charles.whitting@newtrade.co.uk