Retail Express - 16 June 2020 by BetterRetailing

HEROES TO ZEROSent

Months after governm praises small shops for Covid-19 response, plans to axe Sunday trading restrictions are leaked 16-29 JUNE 2020 STRICTLY FOR TRADE USERS ONLY

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COVID-19 POLICY RISK

SOCIAL MEDIA SHOP

RETAIL CRIME

Experts warn shops holding higher stock volumes to ensure they are fully insured

Facebook launches free, online selling service for use by retailers

Three retailers explain how to protect staff and boost store security during the pandemic

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CORE IN YOUR STORE Find out the key lines you need to be stocking P14

16-29 JUNE 2020 STRICTLY FOR TRADE USERS ONLY

HEROES TO ZEROS

l al sm s se ai pr t en m rn ve go r te af s th • Mon to axe shops for Covid-19 response, plans ed Sunday trading restrictions are leak ite • Industry bodies and wholesalers un to fight back against betrayal of independent stores

COVID-19 POLICY RISK

SOCIAL MEDIA SHOP

RETAIL CRIME

Experts warn shops holding higher stock volumes to ensure they are fully insured

Facebook launches free, online selling service for use by retailers

Three retailers explain how to protect staff and boost store security during the pandemic

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our say

Megan Humphrey, editor

The five biggest stories this fortnight 01

We must rally against the axing of Sunday trading laws to

‘Holding extra stock puts your insurance policy at risk’

MEGAN HUMPHREY INDEPENDENT retailers have defied the odds during the coronavirus. When the country shut down, their doors remained open, putting their health at risk to ensure they were able to continue providing for their community. Despite being faced with ongoing availability issues, verbal abuse and some manufacturers cutting them out of their supply chains, shop owners have earned their ‘hero’ status. The government seemed to agree back in April, with environment secretary George Eustice praising them for “working around the clock to keep the nation fed”. But the government must have a short memory because I’m not sure a proposal to axe Sunday trading hours is an adequate reward. Leaked plans last week revealed that the prime minister, chancellor and business secretary are all in favour of larger stores opening for more than six hours in a bid to boost the economy. This will hit independent retailers hardest and is a huge kick THIS IS A in the teeth when convenience stores have come to the rescue of HUGE KICK IN the general public. This will create a pressured working environment THE TEETH for small retailers, who may lose a lot of trade to the multiples. All is not lost, however. The convenience industry has won this battle before, and we will rally against this until the government sees sense. I urge you to join wholesalers, trade bodies and unions in fighting against this by writing to your MP. Make as much noise as you can. Let’s not give the government the chance to deal another blow to independent stores.

RETAILERS holding a higher volume of stock due to the coronavirus pandemic must ensure they aren’t putting their insurance policy at risk, experts have warned. In a report by the ACS published last month, 83% of independent retailers said the pandemic has impact-

ed their supply to either a and it’s unlikely stores will insured stock is massively large, or very large, extent, be covered on a standard ba- over the usual limit that would normally be covered, resulting in stockpiling to sis,” she told Retail Express. “The best step is to con- and this may mean you are maintain availability. However, Capital Law’s tact your insurer and negoti- faced with increased premisenior lawyer, Catrin Povey, ate to see whether they ums,” she said. She also stressed how resaid it’s unlikely for policies would be willing to increase that include stock increases their cover on a tempo- sponsibility lies with brokers. “It’s important for the broker at traditional periods like rary basis.” However, Povey highlight- to speci�ically set out what is Christmas and Easter will ed that in some cases this covered in a particular policy, cover retailers at this time. “It’s cliché to say, but we might lead to increased costs. so that the store owner can are in unprecedented times, “There may be an issue if the understand it,” she said. If you are unsure whether your policy covers extra stock, call Retail Express on 020 7689 3357

FOR MORE ON HOW THE INDUSTRY IS REACTING TO PLANS TO SCRAP SUNDAY TRADING LAWS, SEE PAGE 3 @retailexpress betterRetailing.com facebook.com/betterRetailing Editor Megan Humphrey @MeganHumphrey_ 020 7689 3357 Features editor Daryl Worthington @DarylNewtrade 020 7689 3390 Insight reporter Tamara Birch @TamaraBirchNT 020 7689 3361 Editor in chief Louise Banham 020 7689 3353 Production editor Ryan Cooper 020 7689 3354 Sub editor Jim Findlay 020 7689 3373 Head of design Anne-Claire Pickard 020 7689 3391 Designer Jody Cooke 020 7689 3380

Editor – news Jack Courtez @JackCourtez 020 7689 3371 Senior features writer Priyanka Jethwa @PriyankaJethwa_ 020 7689 3355

Editor – insight Chris Dillon @ChrisDillonNT 020 7689 3379

Director of sales and marketing Matthew Oliver 020 7689 3367

Account manager (new business) Jimli Barua 020 7689 3364

Senior account director Charlotte Jesson 020 7689 3389

Sales support executive Michela Marino 020 7689 3382

Senior account manager Natalie Reed 020 7689 3372

Managing director Parin Gohil 020 7689 3375

Account manager Adelice Tatham 020 7689 3366

Reporter Alex Yau @AlexYau_ 020 7689 3358

Retail Express is printed and distributed by News UK at Broxbourne and delivered to news retailers free by their newspaper wholesaler. Published by: Newtrade Media Limited, 11 Angel Gate, City Road, London, EC1V 2SD; Phone: 020 7689 0600

Reach price rise

THE Sunday Mirror and Sunday People’s cover prices have risen by 10p alongside a cut on retailer percentage margins for the titles. This month, the cover price of both titles rose by 10p to £1.80, while the retail cash

margin rose by 1.15p to 36p, representing a percentage decline from 20.5% to 20%. Reach PLC chief operating of�icer Neil Jagger said the publisher’s decision was driven by “immense pressure” on its advertising revenues.

Rep visits return

FIELD reps from major suppliers have resumed their store visits with increased safety precautions amid the coronavirus pandemic. Reps from Camelot, JTI, Imperial, PMI, BAT, Mondelez, PepsiCo and CCEP have either

begun or are restarting visits to retailers this month. Suppliers stressed that hygiene is a priority for their support teams and have trained reps on social distancing. They will also be given hygiene equipment and PPE.

Digital content editor Jody Porter 020 7689 3378

Management accountant Abigayle Sylvane 020 7689 3383

Production coordinator Sarah Jarvis 020 7689 3368 Subscribe online at newtrade.co.uk/our-products/ print/retail-express. 1 year subscription: UK £65; overseas (EU) £75; overseas (non-EU) £85

47,895

Audit Bureau of Circulations 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019 average net circulation per issue

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.

Go to betterRetailing. com and search ‘reps’ to read more

Deliveroo ‘dark’ sites

DELIVEROO has launched 14 ‘dark sites’ to compete with partnered convenience stores. Dark sites refer to businesses that deliver products to customers from an industrial estate. Despite promising not to launch the format, the

online delivery provider has the ‘Essentials’ sites set up in major cities including London, Brighton, Manchester, Leeds, Reading, Cambridge and Nottingham. Products include tinned goods, alcohol and dairy.

Retail services boost

CAMELOT and PayPoint have predicted a rise in retail sales as lockdown eases. In interviews with Retail Express’s sister title, RN, senior heads from both companies predicted that the demand for parcel services and scratch-

card sales would recover. Camelot retail director Jenny Blogg said: “Availability is holding up well and scratchcard activation is coming through – these are signs retailers are recovering, and so are players.”

@retailexpress facebook.com/betterRetailing

16-29 JUNE 2020 betterRetailing.com

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

Gov’t under fire over plans to axe Sunday trading laws MEGAN HUMPHREY THE convenience industry is �ighting back against plans to relax Sunday trading laws that would steal trade away from independent shops. A proposal leaked last week revealed the prime minister, chancellor and business secretary were in support of supermarkets staying open for more than six hours on Sundays. The new legislation is said to suspend the 1994 Sunday Trading Act for a year in an effort to boost

the economy following the coronavirus pandemic. MPs voted against a similar move back in 2016. NFRN national president Stuart Reddish told Retail Express the plans will damage independent shops. “The government’s plans would see business diverted to the supermarkets, bringing no growth in sales, a decline in jobs and the closure of many smaller stores, depriving local communities of the amenities they offer,” he said. Polling conducted by Populus in May showed that

58% of consumers support the existing Sunday trading regulations, with just 21% opposed. ACS chief executive James Lowman added: “Changing the current laws would serve only to displace trade from the local shops that have been keeping communities going during this pandemic.” Nisa, Booker, Unitas Wholesale and Spar have also hit back at the government. Retailers are being urged to write to their MP to share how relaxation of the rules

will affect their business. Retailer Paul Patel, owner of Didben Purlieu News in Southampton, explained: “Suddenly retailers will have pressure to work longer hours and they won’t be able to spend as much time with their families.” Labour’s shadow minister for business and consumers, MP Lucy Powell, stressed: “It is wrong because the big supermarkets have seen increased trade, whereas it’s the small shops on the high street that have

suffered the most through this crisis.” To get access to a template letter to send your MP, call Retail Express on 020 7689 3357

82%

17%

of dedicated forecourts have started trading again

The rise in shops closing in office units

express yourself “WHOLESALE problems have been the most frequent issue reported over the crisis in the Yorkshire district. There’s been three-week waits on orders, bans on new memberships and ordering restrictions. As an independent, it can be hard to get a foothold with a cash and carry. A lot are looking at the past 11 weeks and don’t want to find themselves in that situation again – they want to feel looked after.” Andrew Taylor, Taylor’s Value & Convenience, Hull

1/3 The share of closed c-stores, newsagents and grocery stores that have resumed trading

the column where you can make your voice heard

PARFETTS: Wholesaler Parfetts is winning retailers from rival symbols Nisa, Costcutter, Bestway and Booker. The company’s retail director, Guy Swindell, said: “The pandemic has been the best showcase of our support. If we can work this well during such a challenging time, imagine what we can do when things are normal.” NFRN: Independent retailers are trialling a new in-store payments app in partnership with the NFRN and developer Jisp. The mobile app, which was previously only available to major supermarkets, offers customers home delivery and click & collect from participating stores. Customers can also scan items in the store on their mobile phone. A number of NFRN members will trial the app over the coming weeks.

BAD WEEK

How many c-stores forced to close due to Covid-19 have resumed trade?

of closed convenience, forecourt and CTN sites have reopened

GOOD WEEK

Go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘Jisp’ for the full story

NEWS WHOLESALER DATA

39%

PRE-SELL: Retailers are reluctant to make pre-sell orders over uncertainty on availability. Surrey retailer Kiru Nadarajah said: “I’m worried I won’t get the stock because of supply issues due to the coronavirus. I’ll order based on customer demand.” Symbol groups Nisa and Costcutter opened their Halloween and Christmas pre-sells last month. ADELIE FOODS: More than 2,000 retailers were left without a sandwich supplier after Adelie Foods went into administration. The food-to-go supplier, which also produced Urban Eat and distributed Wall’s and Pork Farms products, appointed Deloitte as administrators on 27 May and blamed its demise on the coronavirus pandemic. Go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘Adelie’ for the full story

How interested are unaffiliated retailers in joining a symbol group since the coronavirus pandemic?

“IT’S something I’ve thought about, but decided against. We have had the store for more than 37 years and have built up enough supply contacts for the support. I can see why you would need it if you had a competing symbol group nearby, or are a newer store. I’ve seen unaffiliated retailers at my cash and carry get frustrated because they’re claiming the symbol retailers are getting preferential treatment.” Ken Singh, Boghar Bros Stores, Pontefract, West Yorks

“A COUPLE of retailers have asked for help with enquiring about joining a symbol group. No model fits everyone. The first step is to visit the different formats in areas that are similar to your own size and demographics. A lot of it often comes down to whatever symbol group representative they click with, but it’s important to understand and judge each fascia on the terms.” Gwen Patterson, Sandycove Holiday Homes, Newtownards, County Down

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

Ken Singh

NEWS

Facebook opens online shop service MEGAN HUMPHREY INDEPENDENT retailers are taking advantage of a new, free online selling service launched last month, known as Facebook Shops. The social media platform lists shops and their products across its business pages, Instagram pro�iles and targeted adverts for customers to browse. Retailers need a website in

order to sign up, but Facebook con�irmed to Retail Express that those with an existing Facebook account, or Instagram pro�ile, will automatically convert to a shop. “Before customising their store, a business will need to have received an email or noti�ication that they can now use Facebook Shops,” said a spokesperson. Nisa retailer Amrit Singh said he will be focusing on

how he can use the service to promote his business. “Online was always our focus – we wanted to start with our own delivery app and then cover all platforms,” he said. “The coronavirus, however, has pushed us to do this quicker. I’ve hired three people to manage and process our online sales. We are actually �inishing off creating an Amazon account, but I’ll be adding this to the mix now.”

Facebook brought forward the launch because of the pandemic to help small businesses continue serving their customers. Eventually, the feature will be available to use on WhatsApp. “Many businesses are already using WhatsApp to help close sales with customers,” said a spokesperson. “In the future, we’ll make it possible to purchase something within WhatsApp.”

Build the most effective range for your store

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

Handbook

With 26 June issue of RN

WHAT TO STOCK

profit drivers analysed

Your core ranging guide for the next 12 months Alcohol

Crisps & snacks

Protein

Biscuits

Dairy drinks

Petcare

Cereal & cereal bars

Household & laundry

Soft drinks

Chilled tea & coffee

Ice cream

Tobacco

Confectionery

Medicines

Vaping

Don’t miss our essential What to Stock guide. With more consumers shopping locally than ever, it’s never been so important for you to get your range right. What to Stock’s easy-to-use tools will help you compare your range and pricing with retailers just like you. What to Stock is compiled using exclusive EPoS data from 3,529 independent stores across the nation, and covers 32 core convenience categories and areas of growth.

PLUS • What you need to know on Covid-19-focused market changes • Alcohol, confectionery, soft drinks and tobacco in-focus • Advice and a look inside one of the UK’s best-ranged shops

Order your copy of 26 June RN from your magazine wholesaler today or contact Kate Daw on 020 3871 6490

Facebook reassured retailers that sellers must adhere to its commerce and advertis-

ing policies, and if anyone is caught pro�iteering, their listing will be removed.

Retailers celebrate lockdown sales SMALL shops have beaten the multiples to achieve the highest percentage annual sales growth increase of 63.1% in the past three months. The 12-week report from Kantar revealed that local shopping trends driven by lockdown gave independent and symbol group stores their highest market share in more than a decade, at 2.5%, worth £781m. Kantar head of retail Fraser McKevitt remained optimis-

tic. “Extra meals, snacks and drinks will mean sales at grocers could be up 12% over 2020,” he said.

‘SCREENS ARE HERE TO STAY’

PERSPEX screens are likely to remain at store counters long after the pandemic ends, according to a shopfitting firm. Jordon Group managing director Paul Jordon confirmed that the company has had requests to install screens from retailers until the end of the year. “The pandemic has raised long-term concerns about hygiene,” he said. “Screens have become more normal as a result of the pandemic and

retailers are using this as an opportunity to increase their security.”

Costco grants trade extra hour access COSTCO has extended its depot-trade only time slots nationally by one hour following criticism from retailers. NHS employees and trade members can now visit from 9-11am, changing from 9-10am. The news comes after Mo Razzaq, owner of a Family Shopper in Blantyre, Glasgow, complained on two separate occasions last month that members of the public were allowed to enter during trading hours. Costco regional operations

director Peter Kelly denied the claims, and said the people in question had been NHS staff.

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PREMIUM WINE PRICEMARKED PERNOD RICARD UK is launching Campo Viejo Rioja Tempranillo as a price-marked pack. RETAIL EXPRESS reveals how stores can make the most of the opportunity

WHY LAUNCH AS A PMP? PRICE-MARKED packs (PMP) are a way for retailers to demonstrate competitive pricing, giving shoppers the confidence that they are getting the best value. In fact, 82% of shoppers look to purchase PMPs as part of their weekly shops1. Pernod Ricard UK has launched Campo Viejo Rioja Tempranillo as a PMP, with a £7.99 price point, to help retailers drive sales even further and build trust with shoppers. “Consumers know the average price of their favourite wines,” explains Chris Shead, off-trade director at Pernod Ricard UK. “With 61% of shoppers believing PMPs offer better value for money than a non-PMP1, we’re launching one on our most popular wine to give consumers the confidence they are being offered good value.”

WHAT’S THE OPPORTUNITY? EIGHTY-THREE per cent of retailers say PMPs sell faster in their stores than the equivalent plain packs1. For Meten Lakhani, from St Mary’s Supermarket (Premier) in Southampton, this rings true. “Most of the time, I can offer a non-PMP at the same price and it won’t sell. I’ve found customers have the perception that physically seeing a price makes it a better deal for them – they feel they aren’t getting ripped off,” he says. Campo Viejo Rioja Tempranillo is the UK’s number-one red wine2 and is currently growing ahead of the Spanish wine category, compared to its competitors. The brand’s new £7.99 price-mark is available now, in cases of six, from wholesalers and cash and carries, like Costco, and aims to lead the charge to restore overall category growth.

WHAT DO RETAILERS THINK? SOME retailers have told Retail Express that PMPs give shoppers a message that they are receiving the best value, which helps to drive sales and encourage repeat custom. For Glasgow retailer Natalie Lightfoot, of Londis Solo Convenience, PMPs help her to compete with nearby competition. “In wine, shoppers switch between brands, but shoppers who choose more premium brands, like Campo Viejo Rioja, usually know the category quite well,” she says. “I’ve noticed that if shoppers come in store to buy a premium wine, then it’s as part of a top-up shop, but having a price-marked option is more likely to capture shopper attention. Price is a top priority for customers now.” Anita Nye, from Eldred Drive Stores (Premier) in Orpington, Kent, agrees. “A product becomes more attractive when it’s pricemarked. Campo Viejo Rioja is a nice wine that customers want to try, but if they’re new to the category it’s hard to sell. We’ll be trialling the new £7.99 PMP to encourage new shoppers to the category,” she says.

HIM 2019, 2Nielsen Scantrack, latest MAT WE 21.03.2020

RETAILER

VIEW

Meten Lakhani, St Mary’s Supermarket (Premier), Southampton “PMPs work well for our store, but the effect of them depends on your customers. We have a lot of valueconscious customers who want to treat themselves and trade up, without going over budget, so a price-mark gives them confidence they are getting the best price. At the moment, we sell PMPs of a number of other wine brands and we go through multiple cases a week. “Wine sales have doubled since coronavirus, but it’s generally a strong category. We sell up to a case a week of Campo Viejo Rioja Tempranillo, but we would like to sell more. As a result, we will likely trial the pricemarked option to see if sales continue to improve.”

PRODUCTS

Pladis reveals biscuits trends RETAILERS should focus on promotions in the biscuit category, with 78% of biscuit shoppers saying they always look for endof-aisle deals, according to Pladis. In its annual biscuit review, the supplier said one in three shoppers say they are more likely to buy a product when it is on promotion. Pladis vice-president of customer Scott Snell said: “Healthier biscuits growth slowed slightly to 1.3% last year, despite 39% of snackers saying they look for health products all or most of the time. This is signi�icantly less than the 66% of con-

sumers who say unhealthy snacks are �ine as part of a balanced diet.” In this sub-category, Kellogg’s and Nature Valley both struggled, whereas Cadbury Brunch Bar and Nakd Bars performed well, and private label boasted another strong year. Meanwhile growth in savoury biscuits more than doubled from 2% in 2018 to 4.8% in 2019. Rice cakes became the largest sector in the category, driven by brands such as Kallo and Snack-a-Jacks, while Crispsbreads had a tougher time. In novelty biscuits, growth was up by 4% year on year in 2019, driven by Fox’s and

Mondelez. Jammie Dodgers was the leading brand in the market with 7.3% growth.

NESTLE has added limitededition Aero Creations hazelnut �lavoured chocolate mousse to its range, available to convenience retailers in packs of four. The four-pack comes with an RRP of £1.99, and when

sold at this price, offers a pro�it on return of 26.19%. It follows the launch of Aero Caramel in the confectionery market earlier this year, which is available in 100g sharing bags with an RRP of £1.

AVAILABLE now from all major wholesalers, Californian wine brand Barefoot has launched its Wine Seltzer range in the UK. It comes in two varieties, Pineapple & Passionfruit and Strawberry & Guava, in 250ml cans. Each can contains 70 calories, has a 4% ABV and is gluten-free. It is designed as a lighter alternative to wine. The launch of Barefoot Wine Seltzer will be supported by a social media campaign involving social media celebrities and YouTube advertising. The supplier says the brand has grown by 19.2% in value over the past 12 months, increasing

its revenue by £21m, making it the greatest contributor to growth in the still wine category.

WITH the menthol ban now in force, Vape Dinner Lady has added another minty �lavour to its Disposable E-cigarette range, Fresh Menthol, which joins its existing Blue Menthol �lavour. John Taylor, chief marketing of�icer at Vape Dinner Lady, said its Disposable Menthol E-cigarettes are pre-charged and pre-�illed, so that users can open the box, tear open the foil packaging and inhale to vape. The disposables cost less than a pack of 20 cigarettes. Overall, the supplier offers consumers seven premium menthol �lavours in a range of �ive formats. There are also �ive �la-

vour varieties of its Disposable products available.

CHRIS DILLON

Nestlé adds Aero mousse to range

For more from the report, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘Pladis’

Barefoot launches two wine seltzers

Petits Filous in £4m Fresh Menthol from ‘Goodness’ sales drive Vape Dinner Lady PETITS Filous’ new £4m ‘Goodness’ campaign will focus on the brand being a healthy snack for children. The advert will target parents with children aged three-to-six, promoting its core and no-addedsugar lines. Labelled as ‘A Smart Snack Choice with Calcium & Vitamin D’, the core range has a new educational component to its packaging. Ben Thompson-Star, brand manager for Petits Filous, said: “Petits Filous is already well-established within the category, worth £42.9m, so now we’re working to address parental concerns about how healthy the snacks are that they give to

their children, particularly within the yoghurt category.”

16-29 JUNE 2020 betterRetailing.com

New floral bottle for Black Tower wines BLACK Tower’s new limitededition bottle design will be available to retailers throughout the summer. The �loral design will appear on its Rosé and Fruity White varieties, and is designed for shoppers look-

ing to go on a picnic or have a barbecue. The brand says the Rosé tastes like strawberries and cream, and is best served chilled. It has an RRP of £5.99 and is on sale now.

Richmond’s meat-free sausages go frozen KERRY Foods is expanding its Richmond Meat-Free Sausages range with a frozen format. Richmond Meat-Free Frozen Sausages (eight-pack) is designed to help retailers grow sales in the frozen meat-free category, which grew by 18% in value and 4% in volume this year. It has an RRP of £2, and is available from Nisa. The supplier says that after launching last year, the variety became the second bestselling meat-free product in the market, worth £1.7m – equating to 10% of the meat-free sausage category in six months. The range has also brought new shoppers into the brand,

with 4.4% of new Richmond shoppers exclusively buying Richmond Meat-Free. These new shoppers are also staying with the brand as it has the second-highest repeat rate in the category. The new range has helped to grow the meat-free sausage market overall, adding 90,000 new shoppers to the category.

SPAR has extended its ownlabel chilled dessert range with six new additions. Available now, the range includes a Chocolate Sundae, Coffee Sundae, Caramel Panna Cotta twinpack pots, Chocolate Tri-

�le twin-pack, Blackcurrant Cheesecake twin-pack and Strawberry Cheesecake twin-pack . All six were launched on promotion, but from 17 June they switched to RRPs between £1.15 and 2.25.

Spar chilled desserts range expansion

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Boost increases its PMP RRP ENERGY drinks brand Boost is increasing the price of its price-marked packs (PMP) across three formats. Boost Energy 49p PMP 250ml is increasing to 59p, Boost Sport 50p PMP will increase to 59p, and Boost Energy 79p PMP 500ml will increase to 89p. A company spokesperson said: “For the �irst time in our history, we have repositioned the brand and this includes a new pack design and new price for some of our products. “We have only made the change after undertaking extensive consumer research

and ensuring we remain �irmly in line with the price consumers would expect to pay for our drinks. “Our decision is not about increasing prices across the board, it’s about looking at the quality and value of our products and ensuring the price re�lects that. “The brand continues to grow and elevate, and we are investing heavily in bringing exciting new products and �lavours to the market. However, our focus will always remain on offering fantastic-tasting drinks at great prices and ensuring we offer exceptional value across our range.” The energy drinks sector makes up approximately 5%

of the total soft drinks market. Elsewhere, Coca-Cola European Partners recently

PLADIS has added a new Strawberry Cheesecake �lavour to its Flipz range, available in 90g sharing packs, with an RRP of £1.50. With the pretzel brand now worth £13.3m, the supplier says it has a repeat purchase rate of more than 30%, and the latest addition joins the Chocolate, White Fudge and Salted Caramel �lavours.

Jonathan Bull, head of McVitie’s commercial and seasonal brands at Pladis UK and Ireland, explained that the brand also accounts for 30% of total growth in the everyday treat category. It attributes this growth to the 51% of shoppers who are on the lookout for new �lavours to try.

ORGANIC and �ine foods brand Clearspring has added three new �lavours to its Instant Miso Soups range: Ginger & Turmeric, Creamy Sesame and Hot & Spicy. All have a RRP of £2.89. The three soups are gluten-free, vegan and made using ingredients such as kombu and wakame sea vegetables. They are produced in the UK, using authentic organic Japanese miso. Each pack contains four sachets which consumers just have to add hot water to. Additionally, each sachet of soup is a source of protein, and contains up to 371 calories per serving.

PRIYANKA JETHWA

announced that it was reducing the RRPs across its PMP range.

Flipz launches a new Three new instant dessert flavour miso soup flavours

Wine sales grow by 24%, according to CYT

RETAILERS should focus on increasing their beers, wines and spirits displays, following a 24% increase in sales in the past 12 weeks. This is according to Concha y Toro, which announced that sales of beer, lager and cider have grown by 35% across retailers, mainly attributed to the closure of bars and restaurants. Other stats show that wines and spirits have increased by 22% each, pre-mix options by 20%, with champagne and sparkling drinks the only subcategory to have decreased, with sales down by 5%. In convenience stores, there has been 44.5% growth in grocery sales in the past four

weeks, with online showing the most growth at 80.6%. Meanwhile, in supermarkets, this �igure stands at only 11.6%.

GENERAL Mills is no longer including a single-use plastic spoon in its Häagen-Dazs mini cup multipacks. As a result, it estimates that it will save 126 tonnes of plastic, and will prevent the distribution of around 30 million plastic spoons

in the UK alone on an annual basis. The brand is also pledging to produce 100% recyclable packaging by 2022. The �irst mini cup multipacks without plastic spoons are already on sale with an RRP of £4.20-4.99.

Häagen-Dazs ditches its plastic spoons

Marigold focuses on Drynks launches two Proper pops off properly in new TV ad clearer pack designs ale and cider additions PROPER has announced the launch of its �irst TV campaign, ‘Popcorn done properly’. On screens now, the 20-second ad features exploding popcorn kernels. It is airing across a number of Sky channels and on video on demand. The supplier says the cam-

paign is a response to nationwide consumer trends. With the UK in lockdown, people watching TV together has grown by 37% and popcorn sales have increased by 14.4%. Propercorn sharing bags have grown by 6.2% in the past year.

MARIGOLD is is rolling out new pack designs on its cloths and scourers in a bid to better explain what each product does. The brand is known for its names, such as Let it Shine, Squeaky Clean and Cleaning Me Softly, but the

packaging now also includes a product description to make it clear to shoppers at �ixture what type of product they are buying and its primary uses. In addition, its No More Elbow Grease product will now be renamed as Scrub Away.

AFTER launching its �irst 0% beers and ciders at the end of last year, Drynks is adding two new products to the range. The new Smashed Pale ale and Smashed Berry cider come in bottle and can formats. The supplier said that as a result of the coronavirus

pandemic, more consumers are looking to focus on their health, which has increased the market for nonalcoholic drinks. Both drinks have an RRP of £1.99 and are available to convenience retailers from Epicurium and Eebria.

THE LOGICAL GUIDE TO VAPING

16-29 JUNE 2020 betterRetailing.com

In partnership with

RETAILER

PART FIVE

VIEW

THE LOGICAL GUIDE TO VAPING

Ferhan Ashiq, Day-Today Ashiqs, Prestonpans, East Lothian

GETTING YOUR RANGE RIGHT

“WE worked with JTI to install a stand-out display that is visible as soon as shoppers enter the store. We were the first store to receive the stand. The installation took an hour – with the whole process taking approximately four weeks. “Logic Epiq works well for us because of the low price, and Logic Pro also sells well. This is because it’s easy to use. It’s important that retailers stock the big brands, such as Logic, because they sell well and drive footfall. “The coronavirus lockdown has brought a lot of vape shoppers back to my store, so we need to continue to offer a range that meets their needs.”

Muststocks

In part five of a six-part series, RETAIL EXPRESS teams up with JTI to find out how retailers can best take advantage of the growing vaping category by ranging and merchandising effectively

DESIGNING YOUR RANGE ALMOST a third1 of existing smokers will choose to buy elsewhere if their preferred brand is unavailable. It is essential for retailers to maintain high availability within vaping and stock a full range to provide a strong offering to their customers. Getting the right range in your store is crucial, with resources such as JTI Advance available to help retailers

understand what devices, flavours and strengths are best suited to individual consumers. Nick Geens, head of Logic and reduced-risk products at JTI, says retailers need to demonstrate their knowledge and win shoppers’ trust. “Once a customer trusts a retailer, they are more likely to return, which allows retailers to profit in this category,” he explains. Choosing a range based on

long-term trends is likely to drive sales. Shoppers are looking to try new flavours, with 30%2 choosing fruit-flavoured e-liquids. E-liquids containing nic salts are also set to continue growing this year, so introduce lines like Logic Compact Intense and monitor sales data to determine the most popular flavours among your shoppers. As well as shoppers demanding new flavours, many want

a device that is convenient to carry and easy to use. Pod devices, such as Logic Compact, are currently the fastestgrowing segment3 within the category, due to their shape and size. According to Geens, innovation is key for retailers to range effectively. “Shoppers are looking for new and upgraded devices, as well more adventurous flavours,” he says.

MAXIMISE SALES WITH MERCHANDISING UNLIKE tobacco, vaping products can be displayed anywhere in store, which can help the category stand out. Retailers are beginning to invest in shop-floor display units to showcase their vape range, which allow customers

to browse what’s on offer. This can help drive repeat custom as shoppers won’t feel rushed at the counter and it helps them expand their knowledge of the different products available in your store. For some retailers, space is

limited. To combat this, Geens recommends investing in a counter-top unit. “A countertop display is a viable response for smaller stores, and for those looking to introduce vaping products for the first time to test consumer response,”

he says. Retailers can then invest in a larger display behind the counter if they choose to expand. JTI offers a variety of display solutions to help retailers make the most profit possible from the category.

Kantar W1 2019, 2Kantar/Online One Tracker: Wave 3 (Nov) 2019, 3IRi Market Place, Unit Sales, Total E-Vapor Category, Total UK, Latest 3 Months to Mar 2020 vs Latest 3 Months YA

Logic Compact Starter Kit Smart and easy to use, Logic Compact uses magnetic e-liquid pods that click into place, which are simple to change. The starter kit contains the device, charger and a pack of pods. RRP £10 Logic Compact Intense Logic Compact Intense is a range of pre-filled e-liquid pods that contain nic salts. With an RRP of £5.99, the new e-liquids offer a smoother and more intense flavour for the consumer. RRP £5.99 Logic Epiq JTI’s value e-liquid range, Logic Epiq, is available in essential, HVG and nic salts varieties with an RRP of £2.50-£2.99. Two new flavours, Coconut Macaroon and Berry Crumble, have recently been added to the range. RRP £2.50-£2.99

For more advice and insight, go to JTIAdvance.co.uk

PRODUCTS

Smirnoff launches seltzers PRIYANKA JETHWA DIAGEO has launched a new range of Smirnoff Seltzers in a bid to help retailers cash in on the growing low-alcohol market. Following the recent launches of Island Bay Seltzers and Barefoot Wine Seltzers into the UK market, Smirnoff Seltzer comes in two �lavours, Raspberry & Rhubarb and Orange & Grapefruit, with an ABV of 4.7%. It is available to Spar retailers now, and will be made available from Booker from 1 July. It comes in a 250ml can, RRP £1.80, and is best stocked chilled. The UK ready-to-drink cat-

egory has boomed in recent years, with sales growing by 28% from 2018 to 2019, following on from the growth of the hard seltzer market in the US, which was valued at more than $1.5bn (£1.1bn) in 2019. The supplier says that the launch of its seltzers taps into the consumer demand for spritz-style drinks. The drink, which contains 72 calories per 250ml serving, is an alternative for those looking for a lighter-calorie alternative to wine and beer. A 250ml serving of Smirnoff Seltzer contains 54% fewer calories than a regular 175ml glass of wine, and 49% fewer calories than a 330ml bottle of beer.

Spar cuts back on ownlabel plastic usage AS part of its environmental efforts, Spar has removed nearly 300 tonnes of plastic from 53 own-label products by revamping its packaging. The symbol group has a number of additional environmental initiatives in place, including offering retailers a range of options for carrier bags, such as a reusable bag costing 10p. It also offers a more durable £1 bag made from recycled plastic bottles, and is trialling a paper carrier bag, which retails at 25p, as well as a compostable bag. Cath McIlwham, head of CSR at Spar, said: “Our research showed that our customers wanted more

information on recycling and, as a result, we are putting the on-pack recycling logo on all our ownlabel packaging.”

SPROUD, the pea-protein milk alternative, has launched an Unsweetened version. The brand says that it has the closest taste to semiskimmed milk, with the same level of vitamins and minerals as skimmed milk. Maria Tegman, head of brand at Sproud, said: “Consumers are looking to eat and live smarter than ever before. Our new Unsweetened addition to the Sproud range supports the need for a health-focused, plantbased lifestyle. “Too much sugar is a key concern in diets across the UK, so by providing a healthy and nutritious alternative to semi-skimmed

milk, we can help consumers take a step to making better food choices.”

LINWOODS Health Foods’ new modern packaging aims to encourage shoppers to increase the amount of vitamins in their diet. The range now highlights the health bene�its of each product on pack. It includes

seeds, nuts and berries that are cold milled to protect the health properties and enable the body to better absorb the nutrients within them. The products can be added to anything, such as oats, and have an RRP of £3.99-£10.99.

DCS unveils biggest A ray of raspberry Unsweetened version non-food opportunities lights up Ribena launch released for Sproud

HEALTH, beauty and household distributor DCS Group has revealed eight pro�itable areas that convenience retailers should increase their focus on. The eight products, in order, include pregnancy tests, smoking cessation, premium products, adult incontinence, gift sets, antibacterial, skin care and oral care. The company’s convenience store customers have reported an up to 300% sales increase during the coronavirus lockdown due to increased footfall. Clare Bocking, DCS Group chief commercial of�icer, said: “To become a destination store and win a greater share of main-shop missions,

convenience retailers need to offer shoppers more than just a top-up. “This means offering larger pack sizes, premium products and new categories.”

FINE wine and spirits company Biggar & Leith is extending its Hotel Starlino range of vermouths and aperitivos with the launch of Maraschino Cherries. Hotel Starlino Maraschino Cherries will be available to retailers in 400g jars, with an

RRP of £10, aimed at shoppers who are looking for ingredients to make high-end cocktails at home. The cherries are matured for 15 days in natural marasca juice, and then rested for an additional seven days.

A classy cherry to garnish cocktails

LUCOZADE Ribena Suntory (LRS) has launched new Ribena Raspberry Rays, available now in 500ml bottles, price-marked at £1.09 or two-for-£2.20. The drink has a ‘specialedition’ stamp on it and claims to be rich in vitamin C. The supplier says it aims to tap into consumer demand for raspberry-�lavoured drinks, which are growing by 17% year on year. Ribena worked with a group of independent retailers to design supporting instore PoS materials ahead of the launch. Charlotte Flook, head of brand for Ribena at LRS, said: “Working alongside independent retailers was a

fantastic way to incorporate feedback from people who are close to our consumers every day and know what will stand out in store.”

NOISY Snacks has expanded its range of nuts and chickpeas with a 45g pouch and six new �lavours. The �lavours include Chick Peas Black Pepper & Berry,

Chick Peas Piri Piri Mango, Chick Peas Avocado & Lime, Nuts Pickled Onion, Nuts Smoky Bacon Jalapeno and Nuts Sweet Thai. All have an RRP of £1-£1.29.

Noisy Snacks goes big on new flavours

Lindwoods packaging backs healthy eating

16-29 JUNE 2020 betterRetailing.com

Advertorial

Freddo goes to space New fridge system for with new Treasures convenience retailers MONDELEZ International is expanding its Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo Treasures range with a new space-themed and white chocolate variety, RRP 65p-90p. The Space range will feature a new on-pack design backed by themed PoS to ensure it stands out from the �irst Freddo Treasures range, Hunters. It also includes new games and characters. The supplier is also launching Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo Treasures White, which will sit in the Space range, featuring Cadbury white chocolate buttons.

Nicole Dudley, brand manager for Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo at Mondelez International, said: “In consumer testing, our Space range theme surpassed the performance of our �irst series, Hunters. We know that it’s going to drive excitement among shoppers, and the Space theme gives retailers the chance to create impactful displays in store.”

BUTLERS Farmhouse Cheeses has launched The Perfect British Cheeseboard, which is designed for convenience retailers who want to offer speciality cheese, but need to manage space in store effectively. With an RRP of £4, the 155g box contains a wedge of Blacksticks Blue, Sunday

Best and Button Mill cheese, and the supplier says it is for impulse shoppers who want restaurant-quality products they can take home to eat. Matthew Hall, fourthgeneration owner of Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses, said: “We wanted to make it simple for retailers to tap into craft cheese, fuss-free.”

PASTORFRIGOR has unveiled a new range of refrigeration, Genova Overview, which is aimed at convenience retailers looking to replace their equipment overnight. The range uses the natural refrigerant R290 and has a maximum charge per system of 150g, which the manufacturer claims makes it a “very green solution”. The cabinets promise an additional 25% energy saving compared to the older Genova model. “The main bene�it of choosing our Genova Overview range is that by using our

integrals, it is an overnight change in refrigeration rather than days of work by using a remote option,” said Pastorfrigor managing director Simon Robinson.

REPUBLIC Technologies has designed a new countertop display unit, enabling retailers to increase visibility of Swan menthol �ilters. The card units, which hold �ive packets of each Swan menthol variety, are initially being made available to convenience retailers on a limited basis. Gavin Anderson, general sales manager at Republic

Technologies, said: “The Swan units enable retailers to showcase the breadth and choice offered by the brand.” The Swan menthol �ilters range includes Cool Menthol Extra Slim, Cool Burst Crushball and Fresh Burst Crushball, which joined the existing Menthol Extra Slim product earlier this year.

Will Kerr Impulse category controller, PepsiCo

How you can fulfil your shoppers’ snacking needs

Cheeseboard for New countertop units shops short on space for menthol filters

Explore nature with Country Life promo COUNTRY Life butter is partnering with English Heritage and Welsh historic environment service Cadw for the second year running, as part of its two-for-one entry campaign. The campaign will run for a year across promotional packs of Country Life butter, and offers consumers two-for-one entry with every

purchase of a full-price adult ticket to English Heritage and Cadw historic sites. Geethika Bhattacharya, Country Life brand manager, said: “The �irst year of our partnership proved successful for both partners, seeing more than 82,000 promotional codes accessed across the year, with 15% of those tickets redeemed.”

CONVENIENCE stores have benefited from continued strong growth as the nation comes to grips with social distancing and life in lockdown. We have seen that the frequency of shopping trips has inevitably dropped, a positive sign that the UK population is following government guidelines and staying at home. Despite this, shoppers have settled into a new rhythm, which offers larger basket sizes to retailers meeting new needs. We are seeing more families use convenience stores to top up on essentials, which presents retailers with an exciting opportunity to adapt the range in store into new areas. Within the savoury snacking category, we are seeing unprecedented growth of multipacks at 63% (vs preCovid-19)1 as consumers look to cater for a series of lunchtime and snacking occasions. Our bestselling multipacks that we recommend you stock are Walkers Variety six-packs and Quavers six-packs. Moving into juice, more households are taking on a new morning ritual and enjoying breakfast at home. Chilled juice has always played a key role during this occasion and we are seeing a resurgence of this in the market, with takehome juice growing at 52%, particularly as consumers are taking extra care of their health and consumption choices. The recommended daily serving of 150ml of juice offers consumers one of their five-a-day. We encourage stores to stock our bestselling takehome price-marked-packs – Tropicana Smooth 850ml and Tropicana Original 850ml – to cater to the changing demand. Why not look to repurpose space in the chiller to stock these larger lines more prominently for customers? Independent and symbol store owners and their staff are the heroes of their local community and play such a crucial role during this ongoing situation. We are here to support and listen to retailers’ needs, offering snacking products that can offer consumers a moment of relief during this stressful time.

Weetabix focuses on promoting protein WEETABIX is launching two digital adverts to increase awareness of its protein range and tap into the growing number of people looking for online �itness classes. The 15-second adverts will run on YouTube and Facebook for four weeks, and use the tagline ‘Have you had your Weetabix?’. The brand says advertising on social media allows

Weetabix Protein to target its key audience of active consumers. Anna Cheatley, brand manager for Weetabix Protein, said: “We know that due to current circumstances, more people are taking part and looking for online �itness sessions. Therefore, launching this campaign online is a natural �it for the Weetabix Protein brand.”

Nielsen Data to 18.4.20, Symbols & Indies Small Multipacks Weekly Average Sales Pre- vs Post-Lockdown 2 Nielsen Data to 18.4.20, Symbols & Indies Takehome Chilled Juice Weekly Average Sales Pre- vs Post-Lockdown 1

DON’T MISS THE 26 JUNE ISSUE OF RN

OPINION LEADING INDUSTRY OPINION ON THIS FORTNIGHT’S HOT TOPICS

What do you think? Get in touch for the chance to be featured in Retail Express

LOCKDOWN: What impact will the easing of restrictions have on indies? “I’M concerned the restrictions on the number of people in store will move our footfall to stores elsewhere who aren’t social distancing. I’m worried my staff will experience rude customers due to impatience. We’ve worked so hard to get this far for others to swoop in and take back our custom.” Natalie Lightfoot, Londis Solo Convenience, Glasgow

COVID-19: How will the NHS test and trace service affect shops?

Find out what the topperforming own-label products are, and how you can balance them with the big brands THE LEADING TITLE FOR NEWS AND CONVENIENCE RETAILERS THE LE ADING ILERS TITLE E RETA FOR NE ENIENC WS AN CONV D ead in

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The best independent retailers stay ahead by reading RN each week. Do you? ORDER YOUR COPY from your news wholesaler today or contact Kate Daw on 020 3871 6490 TO ADVERTISE in RN, please contact Matthew Oliver on 020 7689 3367

Les Gilbert, Chard Newsagent, Somerset

I’m worried about rude customers

Get the most from Facebook with our guide to boosting your community engagement PLUS

D WS AN FOR NE TITLE ADING THE LE

“FOOTFALL is down by about 50%, partly because of social distancing, but mainly because people want to wisely stay at home. Our focus to ensure bigger basket spend has been to add lines that customers have expressed a need for. This is what we will continue to do as more stores open.”

“I DON’T really understand it. Due to the amount of people coming through our doors, if one person has symptoms, then it could technically close down our shop. We desperately need more clarity. It’s frustrating because we are having to deal with a lot in our sector right now.”

We desperately need more clarity

“I’M worried about this. I have already had a chat with my staff about how important it is that we keep ourselves protected and safe, more than ever now. I’ve done risk assessments stating that I’ve done everything possible to reduce risk. We will be maintaining a twometre distance at all times.” Atul Sodha, Peverills Londis Harefield, Middlesex

Amrit Singh, Nisa Local High Heath, Walsall

HND: What support do retailers need from wholesalers? “WE’RE now delivering about 250 newspapers a day, alongside milk and bread. If I ask for extra newspapers, it will be okay for a few days, but a week later we’ll be back to pre-delivery numbers. I’ve been going to the Spar next door to buy newspapers to make the orders up.” Trudy Davies, Woosnam & Davies, Llandiloes, Powys

“WE’VE had to upscale quite significantly, and we do struggle with the wholesaler. We don’t want to come across as needy, but we have had problems. There’s a real opportunity there, but it could be lost because some newsagents are put off by the lack of support.”

There’s a real opportunity here

Vince Malone, Tenby Post Office, Pembrokeshire

HIGH STREET: What impact will reopening non-essential shops have?

Businesses need to support one another

“SHOPS on high streets trying to enforce social distancing in queues will create a logistical problem, especially when a queue starts going past another shop. You’ve got to reach out to businesses around you and provide consistent messaging for your area.” Thomas Brereton, analyst, GlobalData

“BUSINESSES need to support one another. If we have any chance of getting our high street back to the way it was before the coronavirus pandemic, then there needs to be an emphasis on working together. We need to return to a sustainable high street.” Barry Frost, owner, Commercial Plus

LETTERS

16-29 JUNE 2020 betterRetailing.com

of CHRISTINE Hopes Longtown, HOPE Hereford

Letters may be edited

Dream about the business you want to run

‘It’s been difficult, but we wanted to show our support’ IT’S been a dif�icult time for us. Our family has been running our store for 32 years, but we made the decision to close the shop on 27 March at a time when the majority of retailers were booming with increased sales. But we didn’t want to put

our family at risk, because they have underlying health issues – or our staff, for that matter. I decided, though, that I wanted to do something for the NHS and our community, so on the week commencing 30 March, I went around three hos-

pitals and donated 3,000 bottles of water and snacks for our frontline staff. I then delivered 30 bags of bread, milk and essentials to every vulnerable and elderly person in our local estate. I also donated toilet rolls and essentials to a local day care centre, Belview

TWEETS OF

House, where our family members have been going for the past 17 years. This was a very dif�icult time for us, and we felt like we had to serve the community with some support. Ahmed Amin, Premier Value Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne

THE WEEK

WIN £50-worth of Mars Milk Drinks

OFFER your customers the taste of their favourite chocolate bar in a delicious milk drink. Mars Milk Drinks offer the ultimate flavour combinations of smooth chocolate and creamy caramel. Each case contains 8x350ml PMP readyto-drink bottles. We have five prizes up for grabs – each containing five cases of Mars Milk Drinks.

TO ENTER Fill in your details at:

betterRetailing.com/competitions Our competitions remain online for four weeks from publication date. Editor’s decision is final.

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@retailexpress

During this crisis, convenience stores across the UK have played a vital role in providing goods and services to their communities. Relaxing the current Sunday trading laws will be a huge blow to the viability of many services that such stores provide, especially in rural areas. @ForecourtJJ

IT’S dawned on me in the past few days that although many retailers are currently experiencing the extreme highs and lows of running our own businesses, we are an incredibly adaptable bunch. Who knew that you could set up a personal shopper telephone service overnight and have customers the Each issue, one of seven top next day without retailers shares advice to a marketing plan? make your store magnificent Making things like this happen is about sticking to the most basic rules of running a business: if you are meeting a customer need – voila! – ambitious new plans will work for your store and your community. This adaptability can get you through all kinds of challenges, and help you make your business sustainable for the future. If trading is tough, you could consolidate your stock into one chiller or freezer to reduce your energy bills, or speak to your suppliers to renegotiate new terms that meet both your needs. If the worst happens and you have to close, you can continue to serve the community by trading online or over the phone. If things are going well and you’re trading up through the crisis, there are also important things to bear in mind. The first is whether it is sustainable for your team. It’s great to be doing more business, but if your staff start to burn out it’ll cost you in the long term. The second question, are you actually making a profit? There’s no point being busier if it’s not profitable. And finally, do you have enough stock? If people are coming to your store and not getting what they need, they might not come back, so consider teaming up with some new suppliers. Then dream! We might be in a crisis, but don’t lose track of your long-term goals for your store. What do you want your business to look like in six months’ time? Get a piece of paper, create, draw and write it down: now you have something to work towards. You see, it doesn’t matter if you are having a good or bad time, dreaming about the business you want to run and the customers’ expectations you want to meet are what we do every day. So, I’d like to wish you all success in this new world we’re facing, and success in adapting to realise your vision for your store.

A big thank you to @KatyBourne for taking the time to talk with us about #BusinessCrimeMatters and the importance of enabling and empowering local communities to work together to address these issues. Always great to hear a #PCC who gets it and acts accordingly, keep on keeping on all! @Ofﬁcial_SWBCC All ready to go @anita_nye

Get in touch

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

CORE IN YOUR STORE INTRODUCTION

HEART OF YOUR SHOP The RETAIL EXPRESS TEAM take a look at how to get your core range spot on

E R CO GES N A R

CONVENIENCE stores have faced great upheaval triggered by the outbreak of the coronavirus. Impulse shopping has declined while sales of multipacks have grown. Household and grocery have made a comeback as people look locally for products they would have gone to the supermarkets for previously. And convenience stores have started to stock product lines they would never have considered before to fill in the gaps left by other businesses forced to close by the crisis. Despite all this, getting your core range right remains crucial. Covid-19 has put independent shops in the limelight like never before and making the most of this challenging situation begins with getting the basics right. But what does a core range look like in 2020? Over the next five pages,

leading suppliers will explain why their categories are core in your store, which products you should be stocking to make that category soar, and the tips on ranging and merchandising for best results. KP Snacks and Mars Wrigley give an update on two well-established convenience lines – bagged snacks and gums, respectively – providing the latest stats and ranging advice you need to know to reinvigorate these two c-store staples. Westons goes in-depth on cider and how it can be a leading light in your alcohol section. Meanwhile, Grenade and Ella’s Kitchen make the case that protein and baby food are two categories that you should start thinking about as core if you’re going to keep driving footfall to your store.

£2.31 The average value of items sold per transaction in convenience stores

CORE IN YOUR STORE CIDER

TOP PERFORMER • Henry Westons Vintage

16-29 JUNE 2020 betterRetailing.com

CIDER Stock up on the bestseller to cash in on a

WHY IS CIDER A CORE CATEGORY?

£3,000

THIS year’s Westons Cider Report shows cider sales in convenience are worth £549m, representing more than 50% of total cider value and 48% of volume1. Craft cider is performing particularly strongly, growing 40.2% in May2. Henry Westons continues to perform extremely well. Interestingly, the convenience channel currently undertrades in craft cider. Despite the growth of craft cider in this channel being significantly ahead of the total market, it represents just an 8.1% share in convenience versus 11.6% in total market. So, there’s opportunity for independent retailers to unlock sales if they get serious about this sub-category.

opportunity

WHY SHOULD I STOCK WESTONS CIDER? THE Henry Westons brand is the largest glass-bottled apple cider in UK, growing at 9.1% and worth £46.6m. One in five bottled ciders sold in the convenience channel is Henry Westons3. The bestselling Henry Westons Vintage cider is up 6.7% this year, worth £43.3m, and 11.6 million individual bottles were sold in convenience in the latest year – that’s almost half a million more than the year before. This popularity highlights the growing appetite for premium, traditional ciders and – one of the biggest drivers of off-trade cider growth – craft cider, which is growing by 11.1% year on year4. Retailers stocking Henry Westons Vintage could cash in on a £3,000 annual sales opportunity5.

HOW CAN I GET THE MOST FROM THE CATEGORY? IN the current climate, retailers need to make the bestsellers their biggest priority and focus on stocking premium products which will sell through and drive value growth. Cider should take up one-third of a 2.5-metre refrigerated unit, with apple and fruit ciders taking priority, and bestsellers like Henry Westons should be paramount. It’s also important to note that craft ciders like Henry Westons are not just for summer, and retailers should maintain a well-stocked, chilled cider fixture year-round. westons-cider.co.uk/download-cider-report IRI 4 w/e to 25 April 2020 3 19.9% of all glass bottled ciders sold in convenience are Henry Westons, IRI w/e 2 March 202 4 IRI 52 w/e 25th April 2020 5 Estimate based on supermarket ROS, IRI 4 w/e 29 Feb 2020 1 2

*19.9% of all glass bottled ciders sold in convenience are Henry Westons, IRI, w/e 28 March 20.

**Annual opportunity, estimate based on supermarket ROS (IRI 4 w/e 29th Feb 20)

CORE IN YOUR STORE GUM

GUM

TOP PERFORMERS • Extra Peppermint Pellets • Extra Spearmint Pellets • Extra Cool Breeze Pellets

WHY IS GUM A CORE CATEGORY? WITH sales increasing by 4.5% in the past 12 months, confectionery remains core to the lives of shoppers and retailers alike. Mars Wrigley says this dynamic category growth is fuelled by a combination of strong innovation and a bestselling core range that is familiar to consumers. Mars Wrigley’s gum range is worth more than £248.6m1, with Extra’s core flavours of Peppermint and Spearmint worth more than £104m1 between them. Mars Wrigley is committed to boosting category engagement for shoppers, but also helping retailers maximise the gum opportunity in store.

WHY SHOULD I STOCK MARS WRIGLEY? THE gum category is a crucial component of successful confectionery sales – with significant impulse and planned purchase missions across the convenience channel. It’s therefore crucial core lines are available, visible and prominent at all times, boosting purchase intent from all shoppers. Mars Wrigley recently launched Extra Refreshers, which is aimed at delivering incremental sales to the gum category. Extra Refreshers combine a thin shell and a soft chew, to offer a longer-lasting flavour. The launch of Extra Refreshers aims to help reignite the enjoyment of gum for the UK consumer and drive category growth and awareness of new launches.

HOW CAN I GET THE MOST FROM THE CATEGORY? VISIBILITY is key in such an impulsive category, so popular confectionery items should be located just below eye level, at ‘buy level’, to take advantage of incremental sales. Core lines, such as Extra Peppermint 10pc single, should always be updated and constantly well-stocked as well as showcasing the newest product launches. Ensure shoppers can see the choice and range on offer by keeping a clear and tidy confectionery display, and merchandising by format and sub-category.

Nielsen Scantrack – Total Gum – Total coverage MAT w.e. 28.12.19

CORE IN YOUR STORE BAGGED SNACKS

TOP PERFORMERS • McCoy’s Fiery Steak • McCoy’s Muchos • Hula Hoops Big Hoops Range

WHY IS BAGGED SNACKS A CORE CATEGORY? BAGGED snacks remain a vital growth driver within convenience, and demand shows no sign of slowing. The crisps, snacks and nuts (CSN) category is worth £3.3bn1 and over the past five years, KP Snacks has delivered £142m retail sales in category growth2, almost one-third of overall growth and the biggest growth contribution of any single supplier. Price-marked packs (PMP) are an important part of the category in convenience stores, with 83% of retailers saying PMPs sell faster than non-PMPs. KP’s PMP range is worth £52.7m3 and is growing. The company offers 21 PMPs from across its range.

WHY SHOULD I STOCK KP SNACKS’ PRODUCTS? THE KP Snacks range is growing in value at 6.2%, ahead of the overall category at 2.7%4, with a range of products to suit all shopper missions and occasions. The number-one reason people buy from the CSN category is taste, and KP aims to produce great-tasting snacks that serve a number of customer and shopper occasions, across all snacking segments (crisps, snacks, nuts, popcorn), delivered in all formats (singles, multipacks, sharing), and up and down the value spectrum. KP Nuts, meanwhile, is the UK’s number-one branded nut, worth £68.3m RSV and growing in value at 8.8%4.

HOW CAN I GET THE MOST FROM THE CATEGORY? RETAILERS can maximise performance of the CSN category by stocking a strong core that covers the top-selling lines, which will deliver category growth. They should also block similar-type products together so it’s easier for shoppers to find what they need. Seventy-nine per cent6 of shoppers like commonly purchased products merchandised next to each other, so in order to maximise basket spend, place crisps, snacks and nuts next to other categories that shoppers buy together most frequently (e.g. soft drinks).

Nielsen Scantrack – 18.04.20 Nielsen MAT 2014 to 2019 3 Nielsen Scantrack 16.05.20

Nielsen Scantrack – 16.05.20 Nielsen Scantrack 16.05.20 6 Mintel 2018

BAGGED SNACKS

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CORE IN YOUR STORE BABY FOOD

BABY FOOD Comprehensive Range covering all age stages and snacking Account for 6 out of the top 10 best sellers in the market* Baby Power - driving sales across all meal occassions TOP TIPS: Merchandise by age from left to right for easy navigation. Stock the market best sellers with a range across all age groups. Include baby snacking lines as these are the growth drivers in the category.

Source: IRI value sales 52 w.e 28.12.19

TOP PERFORMERS • Ella’s Kitchen Strawberries & Apples • Ella’s Kitchen Chicken Casserole • Ella’s Kitchen The Red One

WHY IS BABY FOOD A CORE CATEGORY? WORTH £232.8m across total grocery, retailers have a great opportunity to capitalise on the current hot spots in baby food, so long as they stock the right products, explains Chris Eley, category insights analyst at RH Amar, distributor of the UK’s bestselling baby food brand – Ella’s Kitchen – throughout wholesale and convenience. “Sales within core baby food remain steady despite a falling birth rate, and there are still some big pockets of growth to be had in sub-categories like finger food,” he explains. Having the right range is vital is vital to success. “The key is getting the product mix right,” Eley concludes.

WHY SHOULD I STOCK ELLA’S KITCHEN? “WITH total sales of £67.1m in the past year across all retail outlets, and a 28.8% share of total baby food sales, Ella’s Kitchen is the UK’s leading brand and the one that parents expect to see stocked wherever they are shopping,” says Sam Higgins, brand controller for Ella’s Kitchen at RH Amar. “Many convenience retailers already understand this, with Ella’s Kitchen accounting for more than £1 in every £3 spent on baby food in impulse and convenience, to claim a 33.3% share of all sales in this channel.”

HOW DO I GET THE MOST FROM THE CATEGORY? WHILE your baby fixture may be limited in space, it’s vital there’s choice available across all key weaning age groups and eating occasions to make you a destination shop for baby food needs. Merchandise on the same shelf if possible. A suggested fixture for Ella’s Kitchen products is: Strawberries & Apples 120g (4+ months), Chicken Casserole 130g (7+ months), Tomato-y Pasta (10+ months), The Red One Smoothie Fruit pouch (6+ months), Strawberry & Banana Melty puffs or Sweetcorn & Carrot Melty sticks (7+ months). All figures IRI, 52 w/e 28/12/19

CORE IN YOUR STORE PROTEIN

TOP PERFORMERS • Carb Killa White Chocolate Salted Peanut • Carb Killa Dark Chocolate Raspberry • Carb Killa Birthday Cake

PROTEIN

WHY IS PROTEIN A CORE CATEGORY? THE way consumers buy confectionery has changed considerably in the past year. Customers are increasingly choosing healthier alternatives instead of typical sweet treats. On-the-go and impulse snacks are still popular, but instead of selecting traditional chocolate singles, people are choosing healthier alternatives. Forty-one per cent of shoppers want snacks with less sugar1 and search for the top health-conscious snack options. With this new generation of consumers, the trend for chocolate bar alternatives, including protein bars, has become clear. The protein bar market is now worth £88m, and is growing by 27%2.

WHY SHOULD I STOCK GRENADE? DRIVING 80% of category growth and dominating the market with eight of the top 10 bestselling lines3, Grenade is the number-one protein bar brand in the UK4. The Grenade Carb Killa range is worth more than twice the value of all other brands within the category combined and, throughout the Covid-19 outbreak, Carb Killa has been responsible for 49% of the value sales within convenience5. With a high cash rate of sale and PoR, particularly compared with chocolate singles, convenience stores offering a wide selection of Carb Killa flavours are benefitting from the sales the market-leading brand generates.

HOW CAN I GET THE MOST FROM THE CATEGORY? RETAILERS can maximise performance of the Carb Killa range by ensuring the products are available in multiple locations, such as part of a healthier snacking fixture and within impulse locations near the counter. When merchandising the fixture, keep it organised by occasion and offer choice. Consider a range that caters for the everyday treat, energy boost and naturally nutritional occasion. Ensure to place multiple bestselling Carb Killa flavours together to meet the everyday treat occasion. The power of snacking. Nielsen. July 2018 IRI Marketplace Total UK, Market Protein Bars £Value Sales 52we 19/04/20 3 IRI Marketplace Total UK Convenience, Protein Bars £Value Sales 12wks to 19/04/20 4 IRI Marketplace Total UK Market, Grenade Carb Killa. £Value Sales, 52w/e to 19/04/20 5 IRI Marketplace Total UK Convenience, Protein Bars £Value Sales 12wks to 19/04/20 1 2

16-29 JUNE 2020 betterRetailing.com

CATEGORY ADVICE FUNCTIONAL DRINKS

HIGH PERFORMANCE TOM GOCKELEN-KOZLOWSKI takes a look at the ever-changing world of functional and healthier drinks

KNOW YOUR FUNCTIONS LONG gone are the days when shoppers expect soft drinks to merely quench their thirst. A whole new sub-category – functional soft drinks – has emerged in the past decade, offering consumers the opportunity to improve their health or enhance their performance while rehydrating. Here, Retail Express focuses on this opportunity and discovers how independent retailers can improve their category management. Not all functional drinks do the same job. Having a good

idea of what different products offer – and how they can benefit shoppers – is key to building up a compelling offer, suppliers say. “Retailers should pay close attention to the needs of their shoppers and adapt their functional drinks range accordingly so retailers can support their communities,” says Matt Gouldsmith, channel director for wholesale at Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS).

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Matt Gouldsmith, channel director for wholesale, Lucozade Ribena Suntory “SHOPPERS’ spending on no- and low-sugar drinks has increased by 33% and 29%, respectively. There is now a higher volume of zero-sugar drinks bought than regular, showing how important this segment of the market is. “Having the right range available to shoppers will drive sales from those looking for healthier soft drinks options. This means retailers should ensure their chillers are stocked up on lower-sugar soft drinks such as Ribena Light and Lucozade Zero – now worth a combined £53m – to capitalise on the ongoing trend towards lower-sugar choices.”

16-29 JUNE 2020 betterRetailing.com

HIGH PERFORMERS COCA-COLA European Partners’ (CCEP) Reign Total Body Fuel is “designed to fuel performance during workouts and strength training”. Each 500ml can contains 200mg of natural caffeine as well as branch-chain amino acids and L-Arginine to prevent protein muscle breakdown and improve blood flow, respectively. Amy Burgess, senior trade communications manager at CCEP, says: “Reign Total Body Fuel enables retailers to tap into the performance drinks opportunity. “The segment is worth more than $400m (£313.9m) in the US and is growing by 41%, highlighting the untapped potential in this market.”

The drinks sit alongside a burgeoning range of functional drinks from protein shakes to natural energy drinks, and knowing what each product offers will help stores balance their range. This approach should also guide the choice of formats that stores stock. “Retailers should pay close attention to the needs of their shoppers and adapt their functional and healthier drinks range accordingly,” ,” says Gouldsmith. “This is particularly clear when it comes to multi-

pack and drink-later formats. We’ve seen strong growth of 20.7% in Lucozade Energy’s drink-later range in the past year, including 1l bottles and multipacks.”

YOUR NEW MUST STOCK.

ADAPTING TO THE SUGAR TAX THE sugar levy has had a big effect on the whole soft drinks category, but for an area that offers shoppers benefits that exist beyond quenching thirst, the impact has been particularly pronounced. “With consumers admitting that reducing sugar consumption is their number-one health priority, brands have been left with no other choice than to adapt their ranges accordingly – either by providing one or two low- or no-sugar alternatives, or in some cases basing their entire range on these criteria,” says Mike Simons, head of category at Grenade. “This has naturally altered the healthier and functional drinks sector, providing a more diverse range to the category for retailers and consumers to choose from.”

Even brands with no-sugar options already available, such as Red Bull, are expanding their ranges. “The new Red Bull Zero formula delivers a similar taste to the classic Red Bull Energy Drink, but with no sugar, giving consumers a zero-sugar product with a different taste than Red Bull Sugarfree,” the firm says. Another brand to adapt to this demand is Starbucks. “We understand the importance of providing consumers

the chilled coffee range display nutritional information on-pack to help customers make informed choices,” says Michael Lomas, commercial marketing manager at manufacturer Arla. The company has a range of options including Starbucks Doubleshot No Added Sugar, Starbucks Doubleshot Black, Lactose Free and No Added Sugar Skinny Latte. An almond milk coffee drink is also available.

TOP tips

Do your research

with ‘better for you’ opPeople buy functional drinks for a number of different tions and all reasons. Makeproducts sure youinunderstand your range, and

which drinks meet which customer needs.

Chilled coffee Coffee is still the perfect morning boost. Chilled coffee drinks are a fast-growing category, so this summer could be the time to try stocking some in your store. Communicate value For many retailers, PMPs are crucial for showing value, and there’s no reason why functional drinks should be any different. If value is your customers’ priority, make sure PMPs are prominent in your range. Check your no- and low-sugar range Ensure your range includes a good selection of lowand no-sugar options. Suppliers are launching new varieties all the time, which will help attract healthconscious shoppers. Strike the right balance Place higher margin newer brands next to the established top sellers to showcase the diversity of your range and boost sales of both.

RED BULL ZERO 250ML. NEW TASTE. NEW OPPORTUNITY. Zero is the fastest growing sub-category in Soft Drinks. Add your new must stock from the No.1 Energy Drink brand and see sales fly.

Source: IRI Infoscan, Total Coverage, Value Sales & Fastest Growing Sub-Category 52 w/e 28.03.20.

10556RB_Trade Press for June 2020_Retail Express_128x339mm.indd 1

28/05/2020 13:02

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CATEGORY ADVICE FUNCTIONAL DRINKS

16-29 JUNE 2020 betterRetailing.com

GET MERCHANDISING RIGHT IT’S recommended that retailers use prominent positions in the chiller to increase competition between established and challenger brands. “By placing high-margin products in such locations, savvy retailers have the opportunity to not only highlight these functional drinks, but, when placed next to high-profile bestsellers, it gives competitors the chance

to play off each other’s strengths,” says Simons at Grenade. “For example, established brands that have spent years cultivating a loyal following will see a new lease of life positioned next to trend-led drinks that are leading the way in innovation, and vice versa.” CCEP’s Burgess says that choosing PMPs continues to be a great way to have a fix-

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ture that is clear and communicates value. She says: “Research shows more than a quarter of shoppers say clear pricing is an important factor when deciding what to buy, with 62% of shoppers saying they purchase PMPs. To help retailers make the most of this, our performance energy range, Reign Total Body Fuel, has a PMP of £1.49.”

Michael Lomas, commercial marketing manager, Arla “READY-TO-DRINK coffee (RTD) is a relatively new concept for the convenience sector and the functional drinks category, but as the fastest-growing subcategory in soft drinks at 28.4%, with a prediction to grow at a minimum 15% every year for the next three years, it offers a huge opportunity for retailers. For retailers looking to capitalise on this largely untapped opportunity and stock RTD coffee to help boost their functional drinks range, Starbucks is a must-have. “The soft drinks category has been widely influenced by trends and regulation, and has led to consumers searching for healthier or more functional alternatives. Fresh recipes and flavours are entering the category and innovation has led to growth in dairy drinks – some of which are not affected by The Soft Drinks Industry Levy – and innovation across sub-categories such as RTD chilled coffee, which appeal to health-conscious and time-pressed consumers.”

FUNCTIONING AFTER CORONAVIRUS

new products

THE impact of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis cannot be overstated, and every retailer will have seen a change in shopping habits in their store. One clear trend is a growing concern on health and well-being. Suppliers have been quick to respond to this, and the results could be more shoppers entering your store looking for the associated brands. For instance, Lucozade Energy’s ‘Keep Us Moving’ initiative is aimed at supporting fitness coaches.

“The initiative will give fitness experts across the country the opportunity to host online classes through Lucozade Sport’s Instagram TV channel and YouTube channel,” says LRS’s Gouldsmith. “The classes will be available for free and all trainers will be paid for each piece of content used by the channel in return for their expertise, with an initial £100,000 fund up for grabs.” Now lockdown is gradually being eased, it’s also worth

thinking about what new habits will continue. “When life goes back to normal and Covid-19 restrictions are eased, we’re expecting that many of the healthier habits consumers have adopted during lockdown will continue,” speculates David Butcher, MD for Carabao UK and Ireland. “Energy drinks are no exception; indeed, in a category frequently vilified, this shift towards healthier alternatives could well be more pronounced than in other categories.”

Starbucks Almond Plant-Based Iced Coffee Launched last year after big increases were seen in plantbased coffee in Starbucks’ coffee shops. Grenade Carb Killa Strawberries & Cream Protein Shake A recent addition to Grenade’s protein shake range, this product offers a “low-sugar, high-protein and strong vitamin content” option. Lucozade Sport Anthony Joshua Fruit Punch After previous tie-ins with the England Lionesses and the Netball World Cup, LRS launched Lucozade Sport Anthony Joshua Fruit Punch in March 2019. Reign Total Body Fuel With no sugar, calories, or artificial colours and flavours, the 500ml cans have been formulated to enhance physical performance. Red Bull Zero The no-sugar variety of the bestselling energy drink offers a new option to shoppers that need a caffeine boost on the go.

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Mandi Duncan, Doonfoot Day-Today, South Ayrshire “WE stock Lucozade, Monster and Red Bull – they’re popular with customers from about 18 to 35 years old, and I think a lot of that is down to working people being busier these days. We get our stock through a mixture of wholesalers including United and Filshill. We shop around for the best prices and tend to follow which depot has the right offer on. We’re planning to build a range of protein shakes, but it has been difficult to get anything during the lockdown.”

FLAVOURED GIN

NO.1 VALUE CONTRIBUTOR IMPULSE*

*SOURCE: NIELSEN SCANTRACK. TOTAL IMPULSE. VALUE SALES. MAT. WE.21.03.20

MALFY GIN

+52% GROWTH YOY*

CATEGORY ADVICE EPOS

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NEW POSSIBILITIES

KEY WEBSITES

Henderson Technology henderson.technology HTEC htec.co.uk

DARYL WORTHINGTON finds out how store owners use EPoS systems to cope with the increasingly complex world of independent retail

WHAT’S THE OPPORTUNITY? THE growing complexity of independent retail makes it vital for retailers to use every tool at their disposal to grow profits and cut losses in their business. As Darren Nickels, retail technology operations director at Henderson Technology, explains, a feature-rich EPoS system can give retailers “control over all aspects of their business”. “It is also vital in a world where technology is playing and will continue to play a greater role in all aspects of

everyday life, so will ensure that a retailer can respond to the needs and expectations of shoppers,” he adds. EPoS systems allow easy access to insights that can help with ranging decisions, improve staff efficiency and manage deliveries. Retailers need to make sure they have the right system for their store and make use of the data in the best way possible, whether for ranging decisions, staff management or deliveries.

Payzone payzone.co.uk Point Four pointfour.co.uk Eposnow eposnow.com

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Darren Nickels, retail technology operations director, Henderson Technology “WE see retailers that use EDGEPoS across the UK are embracing mechanisms such as promotions, deals and customer coupons to drive repeat custom and enhance their value proposition to shoppers – key at a time of great uncertainty. Strong retail system reporting also allows the retailer to finely tune pricing and achieve the best margins and profitability. Efficiency is also a vital factor, given potential staff sickness and rising costs, so reducing time spent on in-store tasks, such as labelling, by using electronic shelf-edge labels and installing selfcheckouts prove to be big benefits.”

Coronavirus Retailer Support Hub betterRetailing.com/news/coronavirus

All the latest news and advice on dealing with the coronavirus pandemic in one place Information, tips and support to ensure you can serve and reassure your customers The help you need to secure your business for now and the future For advice on adapting to these unique challenges, call 020 7689 0500 Lead supporters

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CATEGORY ADVICE EPOS

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USING YOUR DATA HAVING access to a wide range of EPoS data is only the start – the next thing is making sure it is applied in the right way. Jodi Pritchard uses a HTEC Callisto system at Londis Oaktree Road in Southampton. One benefit of the system she has noticed is the ability to look at 28-day sales patterns. This is vital for determining what might be a long-term sales trend, and what might be a one-off. These insights help with planning orders. Amish Shingadia, from Londis Caterways in Horsham, West Sussex, also delves deep into his data to see where the new trends are. “Using EPoS, we can measure how much profit we’re making per shelf, bay and category, and use that to pin-point which products consumers are buying the most. This helps us range accordingly, and using this data, we can make logical decisions about our shop layout,” he says. The system has already revealed some interesting trends to him, about what is performing well in his store.

“At the moment, using EPoS data, we’ve been able to see that protein and sugarfree varieties are doing well in soft drinks, so we can give more facings to these lines and reduce others.” EPoS isn’t a catch-all solution, of course. It needs to be included as part of a wide-ranging approach to getting the best results for your business.

“We get insight from the brands we work with, as well as look at their planograms and use our own data,” says Amrit Singh, from Nisa Local High Heath in Walsall. “We will then use those to see what’s trending and what works in the local area to create what’s best for us. “However, what works for us might not work for another store.”

ADJUSTING TO THE TIMES IT’S impossible to escape the effects of the Covid-19 crisis. However, beyond its impact on buying habits among consumers, it shapes their expectations of a store’s services and facilities. These are all issues that an EPoS system can help tackle. “With convenience retail facing the challenges of Covid-19, all stores regardless of size or offering need to be able to provide customers choice,” says Nickels. “At Henderson Technology,

within our EDGEPoS system we have developed our own bespoke click & collect and home delivery mobile app to meet the new normal trends of increased usage of these services in the convenience sector, and are seeing stores regularly achieve more than £4,000 per week of additional sales via the app.” Although lockdown is being eased, social distancing is likely to remain a concern for a while – and this affects both staff and customers.

A number of EPoS systems allow integration with electronic shelf-edge labels. As well as delivering benefits in terms of saving staff hours, reducing wastage and making it easier to adjust prices, they also help with social distancing. “We are seeing strong orders for electronic shelfedge labels, again helping to keep shop floors free to maintain social distancing and ease the shopper journey,” Nickels reveals.

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ADVICE

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‘WE HAVE PANIC BUTTONS IN ALL OUR SHOPS’ THE RETAIL EXPRESS TEAM find out how to keep your store and your staff secure through the crisis

THE PROBLEM Crime is a constant concern for independent retailers and their teams, whether it’s shoplifting, break-ins or physical and verbal attacks. The Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t changed that, and in many ways has presented new challenges. So, how can you keep your staff and your business safe?

Stuart Reddish, NFRN national president and Londis retailer, Yorkshire

“WHILE the world has been focusing on the impact of coronavirus and the police have been reporting that crime was estimated to be down by 21% as the lockdown reduced opportunities for incidents of theft or burglary, the fact remains that retail crime has not disappeared entirely. “This was recognised early in the lockdown when West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson, in an update to his crime plan, stated those threatening retail staff should be dealt with ‘robustly’ by the police. “This support has, of course, been welcome, but as the public has adjusted to social distancing, and coped with challenges in the supply chain, some have sought to take their frustrations out on retail staff. The actions of a few, threatening staff with infection, are not acceptable, and it is right those incidents were reported and dealt with by the police.”

Hussan Lal, Park Licence Grocer, Paisley, Renfrewshire

“IN our district, there have been three break-ins in the past fortnight that I’m aware of. In my experience, it will usually take a retailer between six-to-nine months to recover from a break-in. The biggest issues will be stock losses, repairing damage and lost trading hours. “If people are looking to break into your store, there is very little you can do to deter them. So, you have to make your store as secure as possible for when you are the victim of crime. For many retailers, �inances are limited, but if you can, you should get a good alarm system and high-quality CCTV in place. If the images of the person who broke into your shop aren’t clear, the chances are the police won’t be able to use them. With everything that’s going on at the moment, having good-quality CCTV images will be crucial for any incident of crime in your store.”

Bay Bashir, Belle Vue Convenience, Middlesbrough

“FOR the �irst few months of the crisis, my staff faced a lot of abuse, and they were feeling unsafe. We’ve installed heavy duty, permanent screens over our checkouts to make my staff feel protected and secure, not just in terms of social distancing, but if someone in the shop is volatile or threatening. “We have panic buttons in all of our shops. This goes back to before the crisis – they’re usually one of the �irst things we install. You pay a fee to have them connected to a local police station, and you have a choice – they can either be silent, or have a loud alarm. We opt for the latter – the siren is really loud and is often enough to scare someone away when they’re causing problems. “You need to make sure your staff feel safe – no one knows how they’ll react in an incident, so you need to prepare them as best you can, and support them if something happens.”

Facing a challenge? We’ve teamed up with the betterRetailing.com Support Hub and the IAA to provide a helpline for the answers you need. Call 020 7689 0500, email iaa@newtrade.co.uk or visit betterRetailing.com/coronavirus