TalkingShop December 2022

A very warm welcome to the final issue of Talking Shop for 2022 and it looks like we are set to end an at times challenging year on a very positive note with a footfall-driving World Cup tournament and a busy festive period.

Before we turn out thoughts fully to 2023, however, there are still a few more opportunities to go in the current year, not least of which will be squeezing some more sales and profit out of 2022 and you’ll find some great ideas on exactly how to do that inside.

One of the biggest opportunities is last-minute Christmas drinks as your shoppers top up for the big day and beyond. While value may be a massive focus, there’s some clear signs that shoppers are looking to trade up and treat themselves and their friends and family to affordable luxuries like a premium bottle of spirits or some nice wine or beer.

As it has done for most of this year, the vaping category is performing well and represents another good opportunity over Christmas and the new year as the party season truly gets underway. The new year is also likely to see the category do well as shoppers commit to healthier living new year’s resolutions.

And, of course, the start of the new year is the perfect time to take a fresh look at your store and identify any areas that could do with a little bit of attention so that you’re fully prepared and ready for everything that 2023 is set to bring.

I wish you all fantastic trading this festive period and I look forward to a successful 2023 together.

Parkinson, Sales Director – Booker Wholesale

Martyn

PremierNews

NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS PREMIER

Premier stores steal the show at Asian Trader Awards

Premier stores from across the UK claimed a number of prestigious awards at the recent Asian Trader Awards 2022.

Shera’s Premier in Birmingham was named Off Licence of the Year, Premier One Stop Shop Methil claimed the Food To Go Retailer of the Year award and Premier Barmulloch was named Vape Convenience

Retailer of the Year.

Martyn Parkinson, Sales Director – Booker Wholesale, said: “Huge congratulations to all four stores and their teams. It’s fantastic to see so many Premier stores collecting awards once again for their hard work and commitment.”

FOOD TO GO RETAILER OF THE YEAR

PREMIER ONE STOP SHOP IN METHIL

The judges said: “Owned by Faz Latif, the store underwent a spectacular refit in 2020 including an overhaul of its food-to-go offer. The store now features a dedicated food-to-go counter manned by full-time staff, and an enticing range of hot and cold meals. During the pandemic, Faz also introduced a new delivery service for elderly and vulnerable shoppers which has since expanded to become a significant part of the business with 70% of deliveries being food-to-go.”

VAPE CONVENIENCE RETAILER OF THE YEAR

PREMIER BARMULLOCH, GLASGOW

The judges said: “Owner Girish Jeeva is a trailblazing retailer who has immersed himself in the world of vape. After an extensive refurbishment the store showcases its vape offering in a beautifully merchandised three metre display. His vape fixture was especially commended for its hygienic presentation and its flawless merchandising, backed up by a comprehensive social media presence”.

OFF LICENCE RETAILER OF THE YEAR

SHERA’S PREMIER, BIRMINGHAM

The judges said: “The store is a beer enthusiast’s dream! After a complete refit, Neha Phoughat has developed his store with the help of Premier and the results are stunning. The store boasts a wide selection of wines and spirits catering to every price point and taste, all perfectly merchandised. But at the heart of the store is its spectacular beer cave, featuring an impressive selection of beers and lagers, all beautifully merchandised, creating great in-store theatre.”

Premier stores claimed several awards at the recent Asian Trader Awards 2022 during a very successful evening for Premier.

Government unveils business rates support

INFLATION SET TO PEAK

The rate of food price inflation will peak at 1719% in early 2023 but will then begin to slow over the next 12 months, a new forecast by grocery insight provider IGD suggests.

The Government responded to retail industry concerns in its recent Autumn Statement, unveiling a package of support on business rates. The package will provide business rates support in the following key areas:

l The business rates multiplier will be frozen at its current level in 2023-24.

l Business rates relief for eligible retail businesses will increase from 50% currently to 75% in April 2023, up to a maximum of £110,000 of relief per business.

l A new Supporting Small Businesses Scheme (SSBS) will cap the bill increases for those losing their eligibility for Small Business Rate Relief or Rural Rate Relief to a maximum of £50 extra a month in 2023-24.

The Autumn Statement also confirmed that the second round of the Levelling Up Fund will allocate at least £1.7bn to priority local infrastructure projects. However, there was no announcement about the level of energy costs support being provided to businesses in the spring.

Food-to-go eating occasions increasing

Food-to-go and out-of-home eating occasions continue to increase, up 15% year-on-year in the 12 weeks ending 3 October, the latest MealTrak figures reveal.

The figures also revealed that convenience stores (+4%) and forecourts (+9%) are outperforming the total market, representing an opportunity for Premier retailers.

The figures, from TWC Group in partnership with food-to-go and out-of-home tracking programme MealTrak, show there were 813 million eating out of home occasions in the 12-week period.

In addition, the data shows value sales are up 30% on a 52-week/MAT basis and up 15% on a 12week ending basis versus 2021.

The forecast finds inflation will likely remain above zero at the end of 2023, although price reductions may occur beyond that point if market conditions permit. Harvests in 2023 and the value of sterling will be key factors. The bulk of inflation pressure is likely to come from four major product categories: meat, fruit and vegetables, dairy and bread.

James Walton, Chief Economist at IGD, said: “We know that inflation will eventually come to an end, and we will start to see significant drivers of overall inflation begin to drop off over the coming months.

Businesses will need to focus on maximising efficiency to deliver the best possible prices for shoppers”.

The government unveiled a significant business rates support package in the 2022 Autumn Statement.

living

Christmas set to be as merry as

ACS UNVEILS DRS EXPLAINER

The Association of Convenience Stores has launched a new video and briefing for retailers providing a comprehensive explanation of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) which is due to go live on 16 August 2023.

Despite the cost of living crisis, most people in the UK are planning to enjoy Christmas just as they do every year without cutting their spending, according to new research from NielsenIQ.

A NielsenIQ Consumer Insights study showed that 54% of consumers in the UK view enjoying the holidays with their family and friends as very important and will have Christmas they always have. Only 39% of consumers questioned said are likely to reduce spending over the festive period.

The data revealed that expected expenditure this Christmas will be equal to last year for many. Some 63% of households said their food, drink

and gifting budget will be the same as last year’s. A tenth of shoppers said they plan to increase their budget this year.

Cheese (68%), bread (66%) and chocolate (60%) are the top three food categories which UK consumers plan to buy this Christmas while beers (52%), soft drinks (49%) and wine (37%) top the drinks list. Despite looking for more promotions, UK shoppers would not give up premium purchases during Christmas, with 37% of the respondents stating they will purchase food products, 35% planning premium beer purchases and 36% set to choose premium wines.

Frozen ‘key’ to off-setting cost of living crisis

Frozen food is perfectly placed to help shoppers off-set some of the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, according to the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF), creating new growth opportunities in this already flourishing category for retailers.

In an address to 750 business leaders at the Federation’s Annual Luncheon at London’s Hilton Park Lane, BFFF President and Chair Ian Stone said prolonged shelf-life, reduced wastage and competitive pricing mean frozen food can help consumers and foodservice operators cope with pressures of doubledigit food inflation.

Stone said: “I believe that the frozen food category is perfectly placed to be part of the solution, not the problem. We can garner the newfound enthusiasm for frozen food gained during the pandemic, an enthusiasm that saw retail sales increasing by £1bn and sales of freezers rise by nearly 50%.”

The video explainer and slide deck includes everything retailers will need to know to prepare for and operate DRS. Circularity Scotland, the administrator for the DRS scheme in Scotland, will be releasing more information and publishing resources for retailers in the coming months ahead of the implementation date.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “It is important that retailers in Scotland are aware of and understand DRS ahead of its implementation next year and we will continue to engage with the Scottish Government and Circularity Scotland ahead of implementation to communicate the key priorities of our sector.”

The video and slide deck can be found at www.acs.org.uk

Most UK households are planning to celebrate Christmas like they have always done without cutting spending, says new research.

ever, despite cost of

Charity Christmas thanks to Premier Girvan

FUTURE FUNDS

Premier Stocket Parade, Aberdeenshire, is raising funds for Future Choices.

The retailer is holding an in-store tin collection for the charity, which provides social inclusion and recreational activities for the disabled community and provides respite for carers.

HEARTWARMING EFFORT

Premier Store Merrick Drive, East Ayrshire, is hosting a defibrillator for its local community.

Premier Girvan in Carrick, South Ayrshire, is generously holding a charity Christmas raffle to help families in need in the local community.

The funds raised will be used to buy presents for less fortunate children to open on Christmas morning. The store is also acting as a drop-off point for toys to be distributed among families in need.

Food for Thought

Store owner Ian Mitchell said: “We have to say a massive ‘thank you’ for the amazing toys that our shoppers have started to donate. It’s absolutely heart-warming to see people coming together to help less fortunate children in the community, so that they can open a present on Christmas morning too.”

Backwell Post Office and Stores, in Bristol, has donated raffle prizes in aid of charity For-Ethiopia.

The charity’s mission is to relieve poverty and sickness, to preserve and protect health, and advance education among the people of Ethiopia who are in need. The raffle raised more than £320 for the charity.

Raffle organiser Bridget C Petty said: “The amazing creators and businesses that were able to support this charity and make the fundraising happen to help others in Ethiopia – thank you.”

The 24-hour accessible defibrillator and safe box was donated by Fire Scotland.

The defibrillator went live in mid-November.

IN THE DEEP END

Premier Happy Shopper Convenience Store

New Earswick, in York, has donated a range of products to a fundraising drive being organised by Friends of New Earswick Swimming Pool. The group is fighting to keep the pool open amid rising costs.

IndustryNews

A

Independent convenience stores are ‘central’ to nearly 60% of people’s Christmas shopping plans this year, according to new research commissioned by Ferrero and carried out by KAM Media.

The research shows that shows that 42% of shoppers are planning to do top-up shops at their nearest independent store in the final days before Christmas.

In addition, the research found that 55% intend

to spend more or the same as last year on home entertaining, 56% plan to spend the same or more than they usually do on gifts and 52% said they will spend more and opt for more premium chocolate over the festive period.

Alcohol is bought alongside chocolate on 68% of occasions and almost half of shoppers purchase snacking products and cards when buying chocolate.

WALES TO BAN SINGLE-USE PLASTICS

The Welsh Government has introduced legislation to ban or restrict the sale and supply of single-use plastics across Wales in an effort to reduce plastic pollution. The legislation will take effect in autumn 2023 and covers a range of single-use plastic items including cutlery, plates, stirrers and drinking straws.

Also included will be food-to-go containers including expanded and foamed extruded polystyrene fast-food containers and cups, polystyrene lids and thin plastic single-use carrier bags.

A new report compiled by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), shows that the UK vape sector grew by 23.4% from 2017 to 2021, which represents an increase of £251m. The market is now worth £1.325bn.

The contribution vaping made to the Exchequer through taxation was £310m in 2021, the data shows.

Owen Good, Head of Economic Advisory at Cebr, said: “Whilst many categories have suffered in recent years, the vaping sector has bucked the trend, with significant growth both in-store and online. Even the effects of the pandemic have not significantly hampered the sector’s growth.”

John Dunne, Director General of the UK Vaping Industry Association, added: “In little over a decade vaping in the UK has grown from very much a ‘cottage industry’ to one of the fastest-growing sectors in not just retail, but the whole economy. More people than ever are vaping and by all measures this is a true British success story, creating employment and wealth, generating precious revenue for the government through taxation while at the same time saving the NHS more than £300m a year through people switching from smoking to vaping.”

The law will give local authorities the power to enforce the offence of supplying or offering to supply the commonly littered items – even if they are free of charge.

The Bill allows the Welsh Government to review and revise the list of banned or restricted products in the future.

Independent convenience stores are central to nearly 60% of shoppers’ Christmas plans this year, new research reveals.

IndustryNews

A DIGEST OF NEWS FROM THE INDEPENDENT RETAILING INDUSTRY

Retailers urged to remind shoppers about energy scheme vouchers

Premier retailers with PayPoint terminals are being asked to remind any of their shoppers that received Energy Support Scheme vouchers that they must cash them in before the end of the 90-day deadline.

All households in England, Scotland and Wales began receiving the first £400 instalment of the government’s Energy Bill Support Scheme in October.

For customers who have a prepayment meter, which requires topping up via a key or card in a local newsagent or Post Office, the help with energy bills comes in the form of a credit voucher sent out by suppliers each month.

By the end of October, however, PayPoint revealed that only half of those eligible had redeemed the first vouchers.

The NFRN’s National Vice-President Muntazir Dipoti said: “Because of the warmer weather we’ve had, or because they are saving them until nearer Christmas, some people may be hanging on to their vouchers. But it is important that they are aware that the vouchers expire after 90 days, so they must use them or lose them.”

Retailers that focus on earning their shoppers’ trust, amid the cost-of-living crisis, stand to generate stronger loyalty, footfall and sales, new research has revealed.

A poll of 1,000 people by The Institute of Customer Service found that trust “held the key” to maintaining customer spending in the current challenging times, with 64% of customers willing to spend more with businesses that they trusted.

Some 81% held trust as a “very important” factor

in deciding whether or not to use a business, while 95% said they were “likely” or “very likely” to remain a customer of a business they trust.

The top drivers of customer trust in organisations are that products and services are good quality (61%), reliable (56%) and that prices are transparent from the very beginning (46%).

In addition, 82% of customers also reported that they would be more likely to trust an organisation that gave them better customer service.

SHOPPERS SEEKING VALUE

Almost 90% of shoppers intend to reduce the number of big brands they buy, and a similar number intend to buy a better-value alternative, according to new research by rewards app Jisp.

The research shows loyalty is becoming increasingly important with 61.2% of Jisp shoppers wanting an in-store loyalty scheme and 45.2% of shoppers wanting exclusive deals on leading brands.

Jisp is supporting thousands of shoppers with a weekly loyalty voucher. These shoppers visit 2.8 times a week and add 5.5 Items per visit, helping them save £4.43 per visit, the data reveals. Loyalty shoppers add three more items per visit, visit one more time per week, and save £3.87 more per visit than non-loyalty Jisp shoppers.

The NFRN is urging retailers with a PayPoint terminal to remind shoppers who have received Energy Support Scheme vouchers to cash them in before the 90-day deadline.

Trust ‘key to unlocking shopper spend’ in economic crisis

Save the Date: GroceryAid Day 2023

GROCERYAID DAY MILESTONES:

l Today: Add GroceryAid Day to your personal and team calendars.

l December/ January: Make your GroceryAid Day plans

The GA Day 2023 theme will be launched in January via email and Linkedln.

l February/March: Order your materials. GroceryAid will inform you by email and about ordering times and deadlines.

Independent retailing industry charity GroceryAid has announced that its official GroceryAid Day awareness-raising event for 2023 will take place on 10th May 2023.

GroceryAid Day was created to be a high-profile opportunity for the entire industry to come together and make sure everyone in our industry is aware of the free and confidential support services the charity can offer to industry colleagues in need of financial, emotional or practical help. Support is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The charity works on behalf of the entire industry from head office through to factory and shop floors and, unfortunately, demand for its services has never been higher following the challenges of the last few years.

Last year over 220 companies in the trade took part in GroceryAid Day and the charity reached millions of people through company engagement. This increased level of awareness contributed to

a 61% increase in incidences of support last year, but there are still so many people who don’t know about the free and confidential support available to them.

By getting involved in GroceryAid Day 2023 you and your team can help share the message and ensure that everyone within your business knows that professional help is available, free and confidentially, should they ever need it. Remember too that it is a great time to remind your team about the welfare services GroceryAid provides as the festive season approaches. To order a free pack of posters, leaflets and wallet cards for your store, please visit: groceryaid.org.uk/getinvolved/order-printed-materials/.

Additionally, GroceryAid has also produced a special ‘Save The Date’ kit to share internally with colleagues to make sure everyone has the date in their diaries. Visit www.groceryaid.org.uk to download a kit.

l April: Let GroceryAid know you’re taking part.

Taking part in GroceryAid Day earns you one point towards a GroceryAid Award and helps the charity track engagement levels.

l 10 May: Enjoy GroceryAid Day! GroceryAid can’t wait to see your pictures and posts on the day.

Industry charity GroceryAid has announced that its official GroceryAid Day for 2023 will take place on 10th May and is encouraging retailers to get involved.

Hitting new heights

What started out as a straightforward plan to upgrade chillers ended up in a top-to-bottom refit of Premier Gill’s Food and Wine.

In the words of Yazz: “the only way is up” and no truer lyric could be sung about Peter and Kora Gill’s Premier store in Newcastle, which is now enjoying a melodious rise in both footfall and sales following a radical store development project.

What started out as a relatively simple plan to expand an upgrade the store’s refrigeration soon morphed into a full-scale re-development project that

has elevated its offer to new heights and lifted shoppers’ spirits in the process.

The couple, who in 2006 took over the business originally established by Peter’s parents, explain. “The business was established 40 years ago and had already changed quite considerably over that time but at the start of this year we knew there were some key upgrades that we needed to make,” Peter says.

“Shopping habits have changed and what local shoppers want from their convenience stores now is not what it was a decade ago, or even five years ago. Demand for fresh and chilled produce is much higher now, as is demand for new products and services, such as hot drinks to go and

slush and we had to respond to that.”

Originally, the plan was just to increase the amount of refrigeration in the store and upgrade its old inefficient chillers in the process, but as Peter explains: “Once we started looking into it, we realised that we might as well do a much larger refit.”

So, with Premier’s support, a show-stopping plan to revolutionise the store’s offer was made. Work to begin the transformation commenced at the end of October 2022, with the store closed for a full 11 days, while the magic happened.

“Basically everything was ripped

Shoppers are now using baskets and are picking up things that we never sold before such as ready meals, lots of fresh fruit, vegetables and of course the slushies, coffees and cakes.

Peter Gill

increase in range

out, ceilings, shelving, fridges, counters, you name it, it went!” Peter says.

Once new floors were laid, the inside of the 1,400 sq ft store was cleverly fitted with new slimmer, yet higher, shelving that would enable it to expand its range by 30% - growing its total number of lines to more than 4,000.

“The new shelving has made a huge difference,” Peter says. “The extra height has enabled us to expand the number of lines that we stock and because they are slightly less deep, we’ve also been able to increase the width of the aisles which has led to the whole store feeling much larger.”

The store’s old bulky fridges have also been replaced with 16 metres of slimmer, taller and far more energy-efficient models with doors – enabling it to increase its chilled range by around a quarter. The old chest freezers have also been swapped out for five metres of smart, upright freezers, which

allow its larger range of frozen foods and strong promotions to shine.

Additionally, a brand-new chilled cabinet, brimming with locally-made cream cakes, has also been fitted by the counter – much to the delight of local shoppers.

“Our RDM Vicky Chapman encouraged us to install the new unit and helped us to source the supplier,” Kora adds. “It comes from a fantastic local bakery in Saltburn which supplies a lot of famous places – including the set of Coronation Street. They do things like premium cheesecakes for £3, which despite their more premium price-points, fly out.”

Also brightening the front of the store are new blue-sky light panels which draw shoppers in from the entrance and light a pleasant path to the first aisle and counter.

“Lots of retailers tend to install these types of lights in beer caves or in the BWS section but we think it works really well here, and

helps to draw people in,” Peter adds. “The amount of positive comments we get about the lights is incredible, I genuinely think they brighten shoppers’ days – especially in the winter.”

The store’s confectionary range has also been expanded, including the addition of a whole bay of American candy. More space has also been allocated to vape, with a dedicated free-standing Vaping@Premier unit beside the counter, which allows adult vapers to browse the full range and its many promotions at their leisure.

“Vape sales are up by 40% since we relaunched the store” Peter says. “Before the refit we just had lots of counter-top display units and I used to put an order in once every 14 days. Now that’s jumped to every four or five days, with sales being led by disposable brands.”

A footfall and margin boosting Refresh@ Premier zone featuring Costa Coffee, Tango

16m of energyefficient chilled space added

Ice Blast and Reece’s and Hershey’s Freeze, has also been fitted.

“We never offered anything like this before,” Peter says. “We used to have a small slush machine which we only brought out in the summer, so having a permanent Tango Ice Blast offer is a massive change. We can’t believe how popular it is, even now in the winter months we’re selling dozens of cups a day so we can’t wait to see how it performs in the summer. It’s the same story with the Hershey’s and Reece’s Freeze - the younger generations can’t get enough of it.”

The store’s BWS has also been expanded and given “a good tidy up.”

“We used to have one beer fridge which also had a bit of wine in it too but as part of the refurbishment we installed an extra chiller with doors,” says Peter. “We now have one chiller dedicated to beers and ciders and a whole fridge for chilled wines. We also did a lot of work on the wine range, delisting slow sellers and increasing the number of facings that we give to topselling wines. We introduced a number a new lines that Premier recommended, such as the Jam Shed brand. We didn’t stock it before and it’s quickly become a strong seller. We’re also participating in far more of Premier’s wine promotions than we were before. The ‘Two for’ promotions are particularly popular. Our RDM Vicky was a great help with this exercise and the results have been amazing. We’re definitely selling more wine than we were before.”

All in all, total sales volumes have risen by almost a quarter in the four weeks since the store re-opened in early November.

“Shoppers are now using baskets rather than just coming to the counter with three or four things in their hands. They are picking up things that

we never sold before, such as ready meals, lots of fresh fruit, vegetables and of course the slushies, coffees and cakes. Shoppers have really taken to the Jack’s brand too. It looks great on shelf, especially when supported with all the POS and shoppers are very complementary about the quality and of course the price.”

“Some of the best feedback we get is about the look and feel of the store itself though. The doors on the chillers mean the store feels so much warmer than before and thanks to the new shelving and Premier’s clever merchandising, it feels so much bigger and brighter. It’s a really pleasant place to shop.”

“We’re so delighted with the results, especially my mum, who established the store 40 years ago and has seen it change beyond belief. We can now all stand back and be really proud.”

The golden touch

Since opening his new Premier store under a year ago, Glasgow retailer Girish Jeeva has seen everything he touches turn to gold, with store sales more than doubling to £55k a week.

Having worked in the retail trade for many years and gained experience of all aspects of running stores, it should come as little surprise to Glasgow retailer Girish Jeeva that his latest venture, a Premier store in the Barmulloch area of the city, should have proven to be a runaway success – but the scale of the success surprises even Girish.

“When we first took over this store, it was pretty run down and we had built our business plan around building sales to £30k a week in the first year – and we would have been perfectly happy with that – but we’ve actually

hit £55k a week in under a year, so we’re both surprised and delighted!”

The store sits in a heavily residential area in the north-east of Glasgow and as soon as Girish first saw it, he knew it had potential, even if it would require some serious investment to unleash that potential.

“I had worked for my uncle for six years running two of his stores which were part of MFG,” he explains. “So I had done my apprenticeship, if you like, and I understood every aspect of how to run a store from ordering and staffing to ranging and merchandising. A few years back, aged 25, I decided I wanted to go and have a go on my

own with own business. I also wanted to be an entrepreneur and a businessman, and I felt ready for the challenge.”

His first steps into running his own company saw him take over a small store on London Road in the east end of the city. This was the perfect venue for him to hone his skills, learn the ropes of running a store of his own and develop his thoughts for the future.

“It was a pretty tired store when I took it over,” he says. “It had been closed for a couple of years, so I had to tidy it up then pretty much start building a shopper base from scratch. But I stuck at it, and I worked hard and we managed to get the turnover up from just £5k

a week to £15k a week, and I realised that I was ready to take the next step. I had built up some confidence and I was ready to look for a bigger store.”

As luck would have it, he learned that a family friend with a bigger store in Barmulloch was retiring, so he moved quickly and decisively.

“At almost 3,000sq ft it was big enough to give me scope for all the big ideas and plans I had,” he says. “I had been visiting stores and reading Talking Shop and trade magazines and generally just keeping up with the latest trends, so I was itching to get started.”

That was back in November 2021 and, having closed the deal, he promptly shut the store down for a month for a full-scale, top-tobottom, back-to-front refit.

“In the end I spent £370k on it, which is a lot of money, but I knew what I wanted, and I was prepared to spend whatever it took to bring my dream to life,” he recalls. “I visited about 20 different stores across all the fascia groups and other types of stores but by far the

best I saw was Premier. I took so many ideas from stores like Premier Singh’s in Sheffield, and I knew I could make my store special.”

It turns out that he was absolutely correct on that front. Premier Barmulloch is a special store that brings together the very best of current Premier thinking as well as adding in a liberal dose of Girish’s own creativity.

“I like the creative side of the business,” he laughs. “And doing the refit was great fun. I worked closely with the team from Premier and we managed to fit in everything I wanted, everything I though the local community needed.”

Despite having a small Post Office almost next door and a Nisa Local only a few hundred metres away, Girish was undaunted and set about creating a store that had something for everyone.

“The store was a Best One and about 30 years out of date when I took it on,” he says. “It had virtually nothing in the way of services or a range that was appropriate for modern shoppers.”

That all changed last January when the refit rendered the store unrecognisable and no opportunity was missed.

“One the most successful changes was the implementation of a Refresh@Premier zone with Fanta and Coke Freeze, Tango Ice Blast, Jolly Rancher Fizzy, Hershey’s, Costa and Snowshock. The success of that small part of the store is astonishing. We can sell 150 cups a day on a good day and we average about 80. The zone brings in between £4k to £5k a week.”

A new vaping zone has been similarly successful. “We used to have a little bit of vape before but we only did about £300 a week,” says Girish. “So we created a Vape Zone on the shopfloor that shoppers could

browse at their leisure. These days we’re doing £4k or £5k a week on vaping sales, mostly disposables like Elf Bars, Geek Bars, Lost Mary and the latest big hit, Crystal Bars.”

Despite being in a solidly working class area, Girish was confident that fresh and chilled had some major scope for growth, so he doubled the size of the fresh and chilled refrigerated section to 14m and it’s now doing £6k to £7k a week.

“Lots of people told me fresh and chilled wouldn’t sell in this store, but it’s actually my third-biggest category behind alcohol and tobacco – so I think I got that call right,” he says with a smile.

Similarly, he had a hunch that the resurgent frozen category would be important for his

shoppers, so he created a huge 12.5m frozen zone and, lo and behold, sales are flying.

“We sell a lot of frozen,” comments Girish. “We do the Premier Frozen Deals and those definitely help, and we also run the Premier Meal Deal as well as all the Premier promotions.”

Alcohol is Girish’s biggest category by sales value, which explains the 22.5m of space dedicated to all things alcoholic, including 10m of refrigerated space for chilled beers, ciders, wines and RTDs.

There’s also an eye-catching backlit spirits gantry behind the three tills which helps drive high-value impulse sales.

Unsurprisingly, soft drinks, crisps and confectionery have been allocated a lot of

One the most successful changes was the Refresh@ Premier zone – we can sell 150 cups a day on a good day and we average about 80.

Store CV

space in the store, particularly large format and multipack products.

“We sell a lot of soft drinks, crisps and confectionery,” explains Girish. “Particularly bigger packs and multipacks. That’s what’s really driving the growth at the moment. We used to order around 20 cases of soft drinks every three or four days, for example. Now I’m ordering 30 cases a day!”

Something that may come as a surprise is that grocery is a very important category in the store, the fifth-biggest category of all in fact.

“We try to have a kind of mini-supermarket offer,” says Girish. “We try to carry a bit of everything so that our shoppers can get everything they need all in one place, which might explain the success of the grocery category.”

The store also sources a range of bakery and butchery products from smaller Scottish and local companies to help support the local economy and offer a point of difference. “We use Stuart’s Bakers and Colin & Son butchers,” he says. “The quality is great, they deliver when I want and the shoppers love the products.”

Girish also says that the Jack’s own brand range is performing strongly, helping to deliver “reliable value and quality to shoppers who really need great value at the moment”.

A modest man, however, Girish doesn’t believe he’s performing any miracles here, as he explains. “We’re just trying to give our shoppers

what they want: great value and a great range. If we get the range right, the prices right and the promotions right, we won’t be far away.”

With almost a year under his belt at the store and having targeted £30k a week in the first year, Girish is a happy man who is certainly looking forward to 2023. “We’re regularly hitting £55k a week and we think there is still scope for more growth. We think we can get to £70k a week.”

One opportunity that might help him achieve that aim was the introduction of a home delivery service with Snappy Shopper six months or so ago.

“We knew that home delivery was another important opportunity,” says Girish. “We were only doing £500 a week at the start but that’s up to £8k or £9k a week now and there’s still plenty of room for growth. We have six local drivers and have two or three on at any one point in time. They keep the delivery fee and we pay the fuel. It’s simple but it works and we’re doing around 55 deliveries a day during the week and about 350 in total every week, but it’s rising every week.”

As for the future? “I’m staying 100% focused on the store for the time being,” concludes Girish. “We’re still investing in it, and we still want to unleash all of its potential. But I will start having a look for more stores when the time comes.”

Warm front

Sales and goodwill are hotting up after a huge £200,000 investment at Premier Michaels Superstore in Westerhope.

There’s a warmth emitted from inside Michaels Superstore in Westerhope – and it’s not just from the state-of-the-art underfloor heating fitted during its recent £200,000 development – although that does help! No, this warmth radiates from the astonishing levels of community support that owner Omran Awan and his wife Noreen gift to their valued local shoppers.

As successful independent retailers, Omran and Noreen wholeheartedly believe that it is their duty to give back to the community which has so loyalty supported them over the 39 years since it was established by Omran’s father in 1983.

That support is manifested in many different ways, from sponsorship of local teams to charitable donations, including donations to the local foodbank and homeless shelter, but also through a raft of free product giveaways to those in need. Once a week, the store quite literally gives away a mini mountain of bread, encouraging shoppers in need to “help themselves” to a free loaf from any one of the 15 trays stacked outside the store.

Baby food is also routinely given away to

struggling families and in-fact on the day that Talking Shop visited, free pouches of Ella’s Kitchen Baby Food were up for grabs.

“Some shoppers feel embarrassed about taking the products for free, so in that case we just put things like baby food through the till for 1p to save them from feeling awkward,” says Omran, who has run the shop since he was 19.

The store’s outstanding community care was amplified even further during the long months of lockdown when Omran ensured that store-cupboard essentials, including pasta, tins of tomatoes milk and eggs were also given away to those in need.

“Those first few months of lockdown were so tough on people, particularly the elderly and the disadvantaged,” Omran says. “I would get heart-breaking private messages on Facebook from local shoppers who were struggling and I couldn’t sit by and see that happen. We are fortunate to be in a position where we can give back and so we do. I grew up in this village and have a deep connection with the local community here. I’ve known many of our shoppers since I was a child and seen their children grow up. It’s a wonderful, close-knit community and I honestly believe

that it’s my duty to help out wherever I can.”

And now the lovely local shoppers of Westerhope have even more reasons to cherish Michaels Superstore – thanks to a first-class £200,000 store development project which took place over the autumn of 2022. The store was closed for a full two months while the inside was “gutted” to make way for a total overhaul of its range and offer. A large internal concrete pillar was also removed as part of the process, to create a far more usable 750sq ft of prime shop floor space.

“It’s not a big store but thanks to the removal of the large pillar and Premier’s incredible planning and merchandising, we’ve been able to pack a surprising amount of newness in while still retaining the space and light,” Omran explains.

The store re-opened on 4 November 2022 featuring a fresh new offer that has shoppers smiling from ear to ear. More than £60,000 was invested in refrigeration as Omran doubled the amount of chiller space in a bid to introduce new fresh and chilled lines.

“We now have a 7.5-metre bank of chillers of the store which features soft drinks along with fresh and chilled foods including ready meals, deli items and a small range of fruit and vegetables which we never offered before,” he explains.

“We’ve also replaced our old chest freezers with a new three-door upright freezer plus a separate single door freezer. Frozen sales have been flying since we re-opened and we are easily selling 10-times the volume of frozen foods that we were. Shoppers love the multi-buy deals, the ‘2 for £2 or £3 mechanic is really powerful and popular with families.”

The store’s BWS section has also been doubled to 10-metres, including a bold back-lit display for spirits and vapes behind the counter. Space for groceries and confectionary has also been extended, including the addition of a new bay for footfall-driving American candy.

An eye-catching ‘Refresh’ zone featuring Costa Express and Tango Ice Blast was also introduced as part of the development. The reaction from shoppers has been “incredible”

Omran Awan

It’s not a big store but thanks to the removal of the large pillar we’ve been able to pack a surprising amount of newness in while still retaining the space and light.

Sales have grown by a quarter since the store re-opened on 4 November

with footfall and sales both “flying” week on week since re-opening.

“Shoppers are gobsmacked by the change,” Omran says. “The most common thing I hear is that they can’t believe it’s the same store. It was a good store before and we’d invested in mini refits over the years but nothing as comprehensive as this. Existing shoppers are buying bigger baskets with us now thanks to the new larger range but were also seeing lots of new faces which is great. BWS and vapes sales in particular have soared since reopening but groceries have also leapt too.”

Those new faces are also being treated to an array of cutting-edge retail technologies including the latest energy efficient lighting,

refrigeration and yes, under-floor heating.

“I have it at home and am a big fan,” Omran laughs. “It’s a very efficient medium for heating and we’ve had it fitted under the walkways and behind the counter so it feels nice for the staff too. Shoppers definitely notice that the store feels warm and comfortable. It makes a difference, especially at this time of year and it encourages them to browse for longer too.”

Sales in the first three weeks of opening were up by just under a quarter and are growing steadily week on week.

“I’m beyond thrilled with the result,” Omran says. “It’s re-invigorated the store and everything around it. None of this would

have been possible without the incredible support that I’ve had along the way though, especially from Premier, who I have been with since 1994. My RDM Vicky Chapman has been an absolute godsend and went above and beyond in so many different ways.

“My family, particularly my cousin and fellow Premier retailer Shad Salim has also been a rock and my wife Noreen has been fantastic. Our loyal local shoppers have been the stars of the show though. The support and goodwill they have shown for the project and their positive reactions now that it’s complete have blown me away. I feel positively blessed.”

We are fortunate to be in a position where we can give back and so we do. I grew up in this village and have a deep connection with the local community here.

Omran Awan

All change!

Life for Kani Siba and her family has changed beyond recognition since relocating to the North East and establishing a new career in retail with Premier at her back.

Less than two years ago Kani Siba was working for the NHS in a microbiology laboratory in London. Today, she’s swapped test tubes for Fruit Shoots and is now the successful owner of a brand-new Premier store on the outskirts of Durham.

Life for Kani, husband Siba and their three children – including her store’s namesake Aran, has done a complete 180 – and the family are so much the better for it.

Kani explains: “I enjoyed working in the NHS and did so for over a decade, but deep down I’d always wanted to run my own business and retail had always been at the back of my mind.

“My husband felt the same; he’d been working in the bus service for a long time and we were both keen for a fresh start and big change. Living and working in London was getting tough, the cost of living was high, work was stressful, and we have three small children who we wanted a better future for.”

So, in 2021 the family made the bold decision to the sell their house in London and relocate to Sunderland where they also bought a small convenience business for Siba to run. “Siba’s family had run convenience stores, so he took to the business brilliantly and before long an opportunity to acquire a second site for me to run in the nearby town of Durham came up in the spring of 2022,” Kani explains.

Sales hit £10,000

in the first week of opening and have been growing slowly and steadily ever since

The site in question was a 500sq ft unit on a busy and bustling residential road in Durham which had lain vacant for 18 years.

Kani could “immediately see the great opportunity” that could be gleaned from breathing new life into the old unloved unit.

“There’s a lot of housing around the store and it’s also located on a busy main road so it gets a lot of passing trade. It’s also very easy to pull up and park outside,” she explains.

The sale was completed in May and Kani “immediately” decided to join Premier.

“The offer was quite simply the best” she explains. “The pricing and margins were strong, and we had an instant connection with our RDM John Carter who has been an excellent support ever since.”

PERFECT PLANNING

Kani, John and the Premier team worked together on a plan that would transform the old unit into a state-of-the-art small-format convenience store, featuring the best of Premier’s offer.

Work started in July and in early August the doors to Kani’s new Premier store opened –much to the delight of eager local shoppers.

Sales immediately hit £10,000 a week and they’ve been growing slowly and steadily ever since.

“For a small store, it certainly boasts lots of tech, including the latest EPoS system from RDP, media screens and energy-efficient lighting and refrigeration,” Kani says.

Inside, the store also boasts a comprehensive range of bestselling products from across all the key convenience categories, cleverly merchandised on 2.2m-high shelving reaching almost up to its smart LED-lit ceiling.

Shoppers are delighted that life has been breathed back into this empty unit and they now have this excellent convenience offering on their doorstep.

Kani Siba

Bays have been kept a neat 800mm wide to maximise space in the aisles – a key consideration for the many young families with prams and elderly shoppers that the store now attracts.

“The layout is beautiful,” Kani says. “It’s been so cleverly planned so as to fit a great range in without it feeling at all small or cramped.

“Shoppers are consistently surprised at how much range we have,” she adds.

That range includes four metres of fresh –which has instantly become one of the store’s biggest sellers.

“Shoppers are just so pleased that they have this new store where they can pop in for a pint of milk and key meal accompaniments,” Kani says. “Our dairy fridge is one of the busiest areas, it’s certainly very popular with young families and we sell a lot of lunchbox items such as Cheese Strings and yogurts. Sandwiches are also a strong seller, especially the Chicken Caesar wrap!

“On the weekends we also sell lots of Sunday Roast accompaniments such as fresh vegetables and frozen Yorkshire puddings. The Jack’s Yorkshire puddings fly out! It’s a similar situation with the Jack’s Garlic Bread which is one of our fastest-selling frozen lines,” she adds.

Soft drinks are housed in a further doubledoor chiller, where sales are fuelled by energy drinks and the Jack’s-branded fruit juices, including Jack’s Apple Juice, which Kani says is a particular hit with local school children.

The store also boasts five metres of alcohol, including a smart double-door chiller for wine and beer.

“Bread, cakes and biscuits are also very strong sellers,” Kani adds, “this is a highly residential area, so we get lots of shoppers popping in every day for fresh bread and cakes, especially the tea cakes.”

REFRESHING PROFITS

has even been dedicated to a modest

yet margin-rich Refresh@Premier zone featuring a treble SnowShock slush machine and a competitive coffee offer served up by the Douwe Egberts Vitesse coffee machine available through Premier.

Kani says that shoppers are “thrilled” with the new coffee offer. “Shoppers are constantly telling me how delicious they think the coffee is and at just £1 the price point is brilliant,” she says. Offering a POR of just under 70% for each cup, the new coffee offer is equally pleasing to Kani too.

“We are currently selling around 10 cups a day at the moment but that number is growing and we expect it to keep on doing so, as awareness of our offer grows locally,” Kani says. “There’s been no shop here for the past 18 years, so raising awareness will be a big focus going forward,” she adds.

The store also features an 800-unit Vaping@ Premier display, majoring on profitable disposable formats such as Geek Bar and Elf Bar, which offer margins of around 40%.

“We really do have everything,” Kani laughs, “even cards, stationery and envelopes. It’s all there!

“Shoppers are just so happy that we are here and every day we are seeing new faces.

“It’s only been three months, but footfall and sales are growing week on week which is simply the best.”

Also growing week on week is Kani’s conviction that she and her family “absolutely made the right decision.”

“Relocating here and establishing a new business in retail is without doubt the best decision we could have made.

“Shoppers are delighted that life has been breathed back into this empty unit and they now have this excellent convenience offering on their doorstep.

“The store is the perfect fit for this area, and we have been welcomed with open arms,” Kani says.

Premier was also definitely the “right fit” for Kani too.

“I can’t fault any aspect of the Premier offer or the support that I have received. Both have

been fantastic,” she says.

“The deals are very strong, particularly the Mega Deals which are a really big draw, especially at this time of year when shoppers are looking to stock up on larger formats to share, or gift.

“The rebate is also incredibly helpful and the range of long-life chill is great. We get a really good shelf- life on the majority of our fresh and chilled lines, including the sandwiches, which is so important.

“We get one delivery a week at the moment, which is very reliable, and I top up a couple of times at the cash and carry, which I really enjoy!”

“All in all, this transition has totally changed my life for the better, financially, emotionally and physically. I feel more energised, more productive and far more positive than I ever have before – running around the cash and carry is also great for fitness!

“It’s also wonderful knowing that we still have so much more room to grow here. We’re still reaching new shoppers every day and I’m so excited to see where we go from here.”

Premier’s offer was quite simply the best. The pricing and margins were strong, and we had an instant connection with our RDM John Carter who has been an excellent support ever since.

Kani Siba

Get into the spirit

The festive season is upon us and bringing with it a sleigh-load of very merry opportunities for Premier retailers to put on a show and set their drinks sales singing.

To help them do just that, this year Premier is offering retailers a truly sparkling range to cater for all tastes, budgets and occasions.

Products will also be supported with a variety of footfall driving promotions and, in fact this festive period, the number of Group deals on beer and cider is up by 20% on last year, while the number of wines and spirits on

promotion has increased by a quarter.

So, here’s a last-minute reminder about some of the key products and big trends to be on board with this year to really get your Christmas and New Year sales rocking around the clock.

PREMIUMISATION

The Christmas 2022 period is promising to be one of the biggest and best in recent years, as shoppers look to celebrate in style – treating themselves and others to premium drinks, despite the spending squeeze.

Mark Oldfield, Booker’s Category Lead for

Wine & RTDs elaborates: “Everyone wants to treat themselves at Christmas so there is a huge opportunity for retailers to upsell more premium products at this time of year.”

For Oldfield, sparkling options, including Prosecco and Champagne, plus red wines look set to shine particularly brightly this year and fortunately Premier has a fantastic range to help them do so with options to suit all budgets. Premier shoppers seeking greatvalue sparkling options can bag bottles of Dino Prosecco DOC which is available on a Group Exclusive deal for an RSP of £7.49, offering retailers a promotional POR of 10.04%.

TREND ALERT!

SHOPPERS ARE SNAPPING UP SWEETER WINES

When it comes to wine, Booker’s Mark Oldfield says there’s one trend that’s more noticeable than all the rest: a move towards wines with sweeter taste profiles.

This trend lends itself to naturally sweeter Australian wines and Mark encourages retailers to make more of wines from down under in their stores.

“Australia is the biggest country in terms of sales volume so it’s really important that retailers also have a good core Australian offering across each of the price brackets,” he advises.

Premier’s range of great-value Australian wines includes Jam Shed’s Shiraz, Rosé and Chardonnay variants, all currently available on a Mega Deal promotion for an RSP of just £6 and a promotional POR of 15.17%

World beers, super premium ciders and premium ales, which are all growing ahead of the core category, according to Kantar Worldpanel data, also look set to sparkle as shoppers trade up their tipples over the festive period and on the big day itself.

In fact, according to Statista data from Molson Coors, one-fifth (18%) of UK adults would prefer to enjoy a beer alongside their Christmas dinner. With shoppers looking for product quality and perhaps something a little bit different to their usual purchases, there is also a big opportunity for Premier retailers to drive additional sales with locally produced

ales. If you don’t already stock local ales, your Premier RDM may well be able to help you with sourcing and don’t forget, a number of quality regional and small producer products are also available via Central Billing.

FLAVOURS

Shoppers’ seemingly insatiable appetite for new and exciting flavours is continuing to enliven the spirits category and the festive season looks set to be no exception as in-home revellers seek to get creative with cocktails and spritzers.

Berry, citrus and tropical flavours, such as

Win big with wine

Rack up merrier wine sales this festive season with Mark Oldfield’s top tips:

RANGE

l Delist lines that aren’t working to make space for big sellers.

l Offer a solid range across the key price points.

l Follow the RSPs.

l Sweeter wines are on trend, so try to reflect this in your range. Australian wines are a great option.

MERCHANDISING

l Have at least two or three facings of your best-selling wines.

l Run the Premier promotions and support them with displays in prominent sites in your store like gondola ends.

l Chill all white and rosé wines, where possible.

l If space allows, why not create a dedicated festive display.

raspberry, watermelon and passionfruit have dominated the white spirit scene in 2022, especially in vodka, where flavoured varieties are currently the fastest-growing segment at +51.9% according to Nielsen data compiled for the premium Ciroc brand.

This winter and over the festive season, expect to see demand for more spiced, coffee, and dessert flavours as shoppers seek to create more warming and indulgent drinks.

MULTIPACKS

Multipack formats have been a key focus for many of the UK’s leading lager brands

Over 300 wines and spirits are on promotion across the Group this festive season – up 25% on last year

Gin is still in!

Despite speculation that the gin bubble would soon pop, the category continues to grow by 12.3% from a value perspective and 3.3% in terms of volume – so the signs remain strong for a juniper-scented Christmas.

And with Booker stocking 125 different varieties of gin, Premier retailers will certainly have a lot to choose from.

Gee up your gin sales by offering a good mix of flavoured products as well as more traditional London Dry gins from across the pricing spectrum to cater for all tastes and pockets.

{Nielsen2022}

this year and the format certainly looks set to shine over the coming weeks, as shoppers come together for an array of different social and celebratory occasions.

Take-home formats have been growing steadily throughout 2022 according to IRI convenience data compiled for Molson Coors. In fact, chilled small multipacks – ranging from four-packs to 10-packs of cans or bottles now account for 72.8% of impulse lager sales, with 10-packs in particular seeing the strongest growth in the last year.

Premier offers a great value range of multipacks to help shoppers share the good

times including Heineken Silver in packs of 4x330ml which in NP10 will have a special offer RSP of just £4, offering retailers a POR of 20.5%. Retailers will also be able to offer 10x330ml multipacks of Peroni for an RSP of £11, offering them a POR of 16% and 10x440ml cans of Stella Artois for an RSP of £10, offering a POR of 16.12%.

LOW TO NO

The number of consumers reducing their alcohol intake has increased gradually over the past four years according to Kantar data. In fact, more than 14% of households are thought

Shake up your spirit sales

l Flavoured spirits, in particular vodka, are in demand at the moment – so retailers would do well to include these in their ranges.

l Tropical fruit and floral flavours shone brightly over the summer months, while over the winter and festive period, dessert, spiced and coffee flavours could see an uptick in demand.

l If space is an issue, don’t feel you have to offer every flavour – just the core bestsellers, supported by any big new or Exclusive products.

l Use the Premier POS to highlight your range and offers especially on Exclusive products.

l A growing number of Premier retailers are also investing in backlit spirit displays to give their ranges an extra edge.

ENERGISE YOUR SALES AND PROFITS WITH RAPTOR

Partied-out Christmas shoppers will also be able to re-energise tired minds and bodies this festive season thanks to Booker’s launch of a brand new and ultra-competitive own label energy drinks brand.

Available through Booker branches, Raptor has been launched in three on-trend flavours – matched to best-selling branded energy drinks.

Flavours in the new Raptor range include Orange & Mango, Tropical Cherry, and Citrus – all in line with shopper demand for fruity and tropical flavours.

Pricemarked at just £1, each can also offers Londis retailers an equally energising POR of 51.1%.

The new Raptor range is also fully HFSS compliant.

to have purchased a low or no alcohol drink this year, meaning that offering a good balance of low and no alcoholic options is becoming increasingly important.

The low to no category is making particular inroads with wine, where, according to Booker’s Mark Oldfield, low to no alcohol products are growing at around 900% year on year.

For retailers looking to introduce or expand a low or no alcohol wine offer, Mark suggests McGuigan Zero as a “safe bet”. He explains: “McGuigan Zero is one of the better-flavoured no alcohol wines. It really stands up well. There’s also a really good no alcohol sparkling wine available from Booker too called Nozeco which is a great option as an alcoholfree alternative to Prosecco.”

RTDS

With their ultra-convenient formats, innovative flavours and disruptive style, the RTD category also looks set to help stores ring up additional sales and profits this year.

In fact, according to IWSR data compiled for Halewood Artisanal Spirits, RTDs continue to see good traction, and have continued to grow faster than any other drinks categories since 2018.

Premier’s range includes a variety of best-selling RTDs including Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold Rum & Cola, Smirnoff Raspberry Crush and Gordon’s Premium Pink Gin and Tonic, all of which are available on a ‘Any 3 for £5.50’ deal. Offering retailers a promotional POR of 19.73% on case sizes of 12, these RTDs also pack a profitable punch.

RETAILER VIEW

“Drinks are one of our top-selling categories all year round and this festive season we’re expecting sales to take off. The World Cup has paved the way for what we anticipate will be one the business festive sales period in a very long time. We are expecting chilled multipack beers to be in particularly high demand and so thanks to our large dedicated Beer Cave we have increased facings here. We’re also anticipating strong wine sales and have worked hard to strengthen our range in time for the busy festive season. Wine sales have been growing month on month as shoppers look to dine in at home more amid the cost-of-living crisis and interestingly, we are also noticing a rise in the number of male shoppers buying wine. Australia and New Zealand are the most popular countries of origin and when it comes to white wine, which outsells red in our store, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are the top selling varieties.”

UNLEASHTHE

NEWENERGYDRINK50%POR

NEW

PETER SALEEM

Premier Blyth, Northumberland

Value and quality: a recipe for success

Booker’s ever-growing Jack’s brand offers the perfect combination of value and quality, perfect for allowing Premier retailers to help their shoppers cope with the cost of living crisis.

The festive season is well and truly upon us with shoppers up and down the country decking their halls and baskets with an array of festive frivolities. However, while spend on sparkling wines, premium beers and indulgent treats may well be up, the current squeeze on consumer spending is likely to mean that shoppers will be keener than ever to bolster their baskets

with great quality everyday products that offer fantastic value for money. And that’s even more likely to be the case when the new year rolls around and shoppers looks to tighten their belts after the excesses of the festive period.

This is precisely where the exceptional Jack’s own brand range comes into its own. Offering the perfect blend of value and quality while also delivering great PORs for retailers,

the range continues to grow with a number of new lines launched in the last month or two across key everyday categories such as personal care and first aid.

Thanks to new additions such as Assorted Waterproof Plasters, Jack’s now has shoppers with Christmas Lunch-induced cuts, bumps and scrapes covered!

From crunchy apples to crumbly pies and warming ready meals, the Jack’s range now

covers all of the key product categories that shoppers look for in a quality independent retailing offer.

As Talking Shop went to press, almost 380 Jack’s products had been launched, representing 96% of the entire range of just under 400 products that will soon be available to Premier retailers.

The vast majority of products in the Jack’s range are price-marked, reinforcing shoppers’ trust and confidence in the range.

Products are also supported by a wide array of different promotions, including showstopping ‘2 for’ deals across many categories.

And of course, Jack’s offers far more than just great value for money from a trusted and well-known brand. Quality is also a major string to the brand’s bow and a key driver of repeat purchases, according to Premier retailers.

Ash Patel of Premier St Martins Hill in Canterbury, which trebled the size of its chilled food offer in March 2022 as part of a major refit

RETAILER VIEW

KANI SIBA Premier Aarons Convenience, Durham

“The Jack’s range is helping us to make a name for ourselves as one of the best places for shoppers to top up locally. Shoppers have really embraced the range and I’m constantly getting great feedback about the quality and of course the excellent price points, which sweeten the deal yet further.

Sales of Jack’s branded fresh fruit and vegetables are very strong and always pick up on the weekends when we sell lots of Sunday Roast accompaniments such as fresh potatoes, broccoli and Yorkshire puddings. The Jack’s Yorkshire Puddings fly out! It’s a similar situation with the Jack’s Garlic Bread which is currently one of our fastest-selling frozen lines.

“Bread, cakes and biscuits are also very strong sellers, especially the recently launched Jack’s 6 Bramley Apple Pies. The £1.45 price point is so strong, and we make a POR of 33.4% on that.”

SAMPLE STATION

There’s no better time than Christmas time to add a sprinkle of valuable in-store theatre to your shop floor.

One great way to do this is through in-store sampling. Why not try offering your shoppers samples of key Jack’s festive lines such as its mouth-watering mince pies? With an RSP of just £1.25, six-packs of Deep Filled Mince Pies are sure to leave your shoppers full of festive cheer and leave your shop floor smelling wonderful.

It’s a simple and delicious way that could help to introduce more shoppers to the Jack’s brand and drive loyalty and trust in the process.

Remember however, that allergens must be clearly visible when sampling products.

says: “The Jack’s range is doing really well for us. From ready meals to vegetables, deli and dairy items, everything is selling well. The brand’s eye-catching packaging and POS gives it great standout on shelf and I’m constantly getting positive shopper feedback about the quality and the price, especially the quality of the fresh fruit and vegetables. It really does deliver on all fronts. The range is also backed by a fantastic array of promotions, particularly ‘2 for’ deals, which are particularly powerful at the moment.”

Strong retailer PORs are of course another major boon. While most Jack’s lines deliver at least 30% POR, a large number of the 380 products already launched also carry even juicier PORs of more than 40%, with some, such as Pedal Bin Liners, offering as much as 55.7%!

SOCIAL SELLING

Social media is another great medium through which to shout about the fantastic array of quality Jack’s products and great promotions available in store.

Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok can help you to reach shoppers wherever they are, be that at home, on the bus or at work.

Booker offers a wealth of social media assets to help you showcase your Jack’s range, making it as easy as pie to create high-impact posts.

For more information and advice, ask your friendly RDM.

American dreams

From shaking up soft drinksto-go to giving crisps and snacks a whole lot of extra bite and whipping up food-to-go, American brands are continuing to take the UK convenience sector by storm.

One category where the power and pull of US brands continues to be felt particularly strongly is, of course, confectionery.

Despite the cost-of-living crisis and the need for many shoppers to rein in their spending, retailers are still reporting sweet sales of often pricier ‘American Candy’ products, as shoppers remain keen to buy into their added-value propositions and innovative and engaging flavours and formats.

With their vibrant packaging and often surprising flavour and texture combinations – dirty dishwasher flavoured Jelly Bean anyone? – American Candy brands continue to offer shoppers a taste of lightness and fun in what are still for many people, quite uncertain times.

In fact, according to research from The Hershey Company, 35% of shoppers agree that practising self-care includes enjoying sweet treats and indulgences.

American Beauties

l American Candy displays can be a great way to create excitement on your shop floor. Be sure to support your range with the relevant in-store signage and POS to make it pop.

l American Candy lines tend to be fast sellers, so be sure to keep a close eye on availability and fill gaps on shelves quickly to keep your display looking at its best.

l Review your range regularly to ensure that every inch of space is working as hard as it can.

l American Candy lends itself per fectly to promotions on social media. Think about supporting new products and bestselling lines with social content including images, reviews and in-store videos to build excitement.

“Candies and other sweet treats play many different roles in consumers’ self-care experiences – ranging from a reward, to being an instant mood lifter or a source of comfort on rough days,” a spokesperson for The Hershey Company says. “Sweet treats can also be a way to indulge in moderation or help shoppers “break out of monotony,” they add.

The festive season is also guaranteed to give American Candy brands a further boost, with shoppers expected to bag even more of the sweet treats over the coming weeks as they stock up on stocking fillers and fun-

Candy products from across the pond can help you make an even bigger splash this festive season and beyond.

Flavour of the moment

From Sweet & Salty to Sweet & Sour and Tropical, all of the products within Premier’s expertlyhoned range tap into the key trends driving shopper demand at the moment.

filled sharing formats.

Helping retailers to make the very most of the American Candy trend, Premier offers a compelling range of bestselling lines from key US brands, including Hershey’s, Reese’s, Jelly Belly and Mike & Ike.

All items in the range give retailers the opportunity to bag minimum PORs of 27%, with some products offering as much as 40%!

From Sweet & Salty to Sweet & Sour and Tropical, all of the products within the expertly honed range tap into the key trends driving shopper demand at the moment.

One Premier retailer who is certainly bagging bigger and better footfall, sales and profits due to his range of American Candy products is Imtiyaz Mahmode, of Premier Wych Lane in Gosport.

Thanks to its range and social media support, the 2,600sq ft store has become a destination for US candy, with many shoppers travelling miles to get their hands on it and some spending as much as £275 in a single trip.

Imtiyaz heavily promotes his range of American Candy on Facebook, including fun in-store videos of shoppers tasting and reviewing products. The reviews are also posted on YouTube and generate valuable

feedback and engagement with the store’s 5,600 Facebook followers.

Another Premier retailer reaping the benefits of his American Candy range is Guv Johal of Premier Birnham Stores in Kirkcaldy.

“We were one of the first stores to get in on the American Candy trend and it’s been a great success for us,” Guv says.

“However, with more stores now in on the trend and competition having got fiercer, now is a great time to re-focus on the category to ensure that your range is working as hard as it can,” he adds.

“We’ve been focusing hard on our range and analysing what products are selling fast and which are slowing down in a bid to offer shoppers the best possible range in the run up to Christmas.

“We’re anticipating very high sales over the festive period as American Sweets work as excellent stocking fillers, gifting items and obviously just as self-treats. I would advise any retailers who haven’t yet invested in the category to give it a go as it really does attract a very broad range of shoppers – not just children and teens.

“The profit margins are also great. The category does need to be given

MIX-UPS

With shoppers keen to enjoy “added value” from their confectionery-buying and eating experiences, some brands such as Jelly Belly are adding further fun and excitement with new Mix Up formats.

Jelly Belly’s Bean Boozled brand goes one step further, with the on-pack Bean Boozled Challenge. Shoppers who are “brave enough” to play the game will taste an array of “outrageous” flavour pairings, including tasty and “not so tasty” flavours. Some of the “weird and wild” flavours that shoppers may encounter include Stinky Socks and Liver & Onions.

JELLY BELLY BEAN BOOZLED

WSP: £34.69 Case size: 24x45g

RSP: £2.35 POR 26.20%

SWEET & SOUR

The clashing combo of sweet and sour continues to drive excitement within the total sugar confectionery market and within American Candy in particular, where it remains a dominant trend.

Answering the call for sweet & sour treats with an “intensely fruity flavour” are IceBreakers Sours, which are available in Strawberry and Mixed Berry and on-trend Watermelon & Green Apple.

ICEBREAKERS SOURS WATERMELON & GREEN APPLE

WSP:£7.89 Case Size: 8x42g

RSP: £1.69

POR: 30%

MAKE MORE OF AMERICAN EVENTS

While American Candy ranges can and do grab-attention all year round, there’s a trio of key US Federal holidays and events which can provide UK retailers with further opportunities to promote their ranges and drive excitement in-store and online.

Key US events and Federal Holidays

12 February: Super Bowl LVI

4 July: Independence Day

23November: Thanksgiving

TASTY TAKEAWAYS

l Even a small range of American Candy can create welcome excitement on the shop floor. Premier retailers have access to a range of bestselling SKUs to help retailers build an eyecatching offer whatever their store size.

l American Candy products don’t just appeal to teens! Older shoppers also buy into the category too for gifting and nostalgic reasons.

l American Candy products tend to command higher price points than their UK counterparts – and higher PORs too. Premier retailers can make a minimum of 18.17 POR, with some products offering up to 40% POR.

l The imminent festive season is sure to give American Candy brands a further boost, as shoppers snap up more products for stocking fillers, gifts and fun treats to share with friends and family.

SWEET & SALTY

This much-loved flavour combination is certainly showing no sign of slowing down. Premier’s range includes several products from the famously sweet & salty peanut butter and chocolate brand Reese’s, including its iconic cup formats and newer Reese’s Sticks.

REESE’S STICKS

WSP: £9.63

Case Size: 20x42g

RSP: 2 for £1.50

POR: 23%

attention though. Displays should be well merchandised to ensure maximum standout and you do need to keep it well stocked as lines sell very fast. Promoting it on social media is also a great way of building excitement both in-store and on-line,” Guv adds.

As Premier retailer Praga Balasubramaniam, of Premier Hartley’s in Littlehampton demonstrates, you don’t need to have a large store or vast range, in order for American Candy to create a positive impact in your store.

Praga’s 500sq ft store includes one bay of

American Sweets which he says “fly out”.

“The interesting thing is that the price points are quite high compared to standard UK-branded bagged sweets but when it comes to American products, shoppers are clearly willing to pay the more premium price points,” Praga says.

“It’s not just teenagers and twentysomethings buying them either, we get large number of adults doing so to.

“It’s a small range but it’s perfectly formed, and I certainly wouldn’t do without it, especially at this time of year, when I expect sales to fly even higher,” he adds.

PricesDown

As energy and fuel costs continue to challenge retailers, Premier is reminding retailers that they can secure an additional 2% POR on leading tobacco products by joining the Premier Tobacco Club - and is reminding retailers too that they must sell the Tobacco Club lines at RSP in order to be eligible for the bonus POR.

The Premier Tobacco Club was recently expanded with the addition of five new lines, offering Premier retailers even more opportunities to add an extra 2% POR on their tobacco sales.

The new Chesterfield and Marlboro Gold Rolling Tobacco lines benefit from reduced WSPs which help deliver the POR increases on every pack sold.

To take advantage of the Premier Tobacco Club and benefit from reduced WSPs, all that retailers have to do is sign up and agree to sell the qualifying lines at RSP or below.

The lower WSPs are charged on invoice so there are no credits required. It couldn’t be simpler.

To find out more about the Premier Tobacco Club or to sign up, speak to your RDM

IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

Electric opportunity

The UK’s dynamic vape sector has experienced some major shifts in 2022 providing excellent opportunities for retailers who have their finger on the pulse.

When it comes to dynamism in the convenience sector, there’s few categories quite as electric as vape at the moment.

With a current estimated value of well-over £1.2bn in the UK and more than 30% of sales being made in traditional retail, according to Imperial Tobacco, vape products are well on their way to becoming one of the biggest footfall and profit drivers in local stores.

Growth has sky-rocketed over the last 12 months, with 4.3 million people in Great Britain now using e-cigarettes – equivalent to 8.3% of the adult population.

This growth, according to ASH and YouGov’s latest Smokefree GB survey, is being driven by the mounting number of adult smokers continuing to switch to vape products for health and cost reasons.

The peak age group for e-cigarette use has

also experienced a massive shift in the last 12 months, with 18-24 year olds now the largest users of e-cigarettes at 11%, up from 5% in 2021.

The second-largest peak age for e-cigarette use is among 25-34 year olds, closely followed by 35-44 year olds, and 45-54 year olds.

People aged 55 and over currently account for the lowest rate at 4.9%.

The significant growth in the volume of 18-24 year olds now vaping, instead of smoking, has also led to a dramatic shift in the type of vape products being used and purchased.

The past 12 months have witnessed a massive take-up of ultra-convenient disposable devices, which are now available to vapers in a vast range of different flavours.

Use of disposable vapes has soared from 2.3% in 2021 to 15% in 2022 according to the Smokefree GB survey, and that growth is showing no signs of slowing as we head towards 2023.

The success of the disposable vape market is being driven by younger adult vapers and according to the Smokefree GB survey –almost half of 18-24 year-old vapers said disposables were their main type of vape in 2022 – up from just 2.8% in 2021.

Usage of devices which use pre-filled pods and cartridges meanwhile, has remained at a strong and stable 17%, while usage of tank products and refillables has continued to slide.

Given the amount of change experienced by the vape market in the past 12 months, and with more dynamism on the cards, keeping on top of the key vape trends has never been so important for local retailers.

Understanding how challenging that can be for busy store owners, Talking Shop is here to help with even more insights, handy hints and top tips to keep sales on track and profits in the fast lane.

A YEAR OF OPPORTUNITIES

The UK’s dynamic vape market offers a fantastic opportunity to generate year-round sales but there is also an array of key times and annual campaigns that retailers can get on board with to really supercharge footfall, sales and profits.

In 2023 these will include:

l New year quitting opportunity: The first few months of 2023 will provide retailers with a sizeable opportunity to boost vape sales by helping the many existing smokers who will be looking to quit tobacco with the use of a vape.

l VApril: Run by the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) the annual VApril campaign will run throughout the month of April to help educate smokers on how to successfully quit conventional cigarettes by transitioning to vaping.

l Stoptober: The government-led national smoking cessation campaign will run throughout the month of October, working hard to promote the message that “nicotine vaping is one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking.”

Premier is also supporting with its highly competitive and on-trend range of vape products from leading brands including Geek Bar and Elf Bar.

Helping retailers to make even more out of the growing popularity of disposable formats, Premier has also bolstered its existing disposable vape range with the addition of new brand Elux.

Targeting smokers attempting to quit or cut down with the help of a vape, Elux vapes have been designed to deliver a smooth experience that feels closer to a cigarette.

The e-liquid inside offers a smooth vape and features 2% nicotine salts for faster

nicotine absorption and provide a more satisfying user experience.

Elux vapes are available to Premier retailers now in a range of six on-trend flavours including Sweet Blueberry Ice, Sweet Watermelon Ice and Pink Lemonade.

The range also includes a variety of unique flavours such as the sweet and tangy berryflavoured Mr Blaze and Tiger Blood – a fruity, energy drink flavour.

Each disposable stick also offers 600 puffs – equivalent to around 20 tobacco cigarettes. If sold at the RSP of £5.99, each case of 10 Elux vapes also offers retailers a POR of 48.9%.

Usage and awareness of e-cigarettes

REASONS FOR VAPING?

l 29% of ex-smokers who now vape say they used a vape to quit.

l 19% of ex-smokers said they vape to prevent relapse.

l 14% of ex-smokers said they vape because they enjoy the experience.

l 11% of ex-smokers said they vape to save money.

(Source: Smokefree GB survey, YouGov March 2022)

make use of a high quality Vaping@Premier display unit which you can order direct from the Premier Printshop? (Source: Smokefree GB survey, YouGov March 2022)

RETAILER VIEW

“Vape has become a big success story in my small store. Despite only introducing it in March 2022, vape and tobacco sales combined now total just under £1,000 a day with vape growing week on week.

“We offer around 50 lines of predominantly disposable products which we sell from a glass-fronted unit on the shop floor.

“Its positioning on the shop floor, but next to the counter, allows shoppers to browse the range at their leisure, but we’re close enough to assist with any questions and serve them as soon as needed.

“Sales are dominated by the disposable Elf Bar brand. We sell them individually for £5.99 or on a ‘2 for £10’ deal, and most shoppers buy two, with some buying four at a time.”

PRAGA BALASUBRAMANIAM

Premier Hartley’s, Littlehampton

IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

Facing the future

For retailers and shoppers alike, the start of a new year has always represented a great opportunity to start a clean page: cutting out the fat, clearing out the clutter and resetting the dial, in a bid to regroup, refresh and refocus.

Following the festive frenzy, January is traditionally a quieter trading month for retail businesses, making it the perfect period for retailers to take the time to look at their stores through fresh and objective eyes.

One great way to do that is by taking a step back and trying to see your store the

way your shoppers do, then drawing up a list of what you’re doing well, and where there could be room for improvement.

That could be as simple as a spring clean, a re-merchandise, or a lick of paint, or it could mean instigating a new programme of online staff training or checking that all hygiene, health and safety documentation and rules are up to date.

One store owner who will most certainly be looking to use the post-Christmas lull wisely is award-winning Peter Saleem, of Premier Blyth in Northumberland.

“Today’s shoppers want so much more

from their local stores, and standards, cleanliness, availability and accessibility are more important than ever,” he says.

“Shoppers want to shop in stores where freshness, availability and standards are high. They want the freshest-possible products; clean shelves; wide, uncluttered aisles that they can navigate easily; and clear signage.

“We work so hard to ensure that we deliver all year round, but January is a great time to go over all these things with a fine-toothed comb.

Things are generally quieter in January so it’s a great opportunity to use that time wisely

The New Year is the perfect time to an objective look at your store to ensure that your range, service and offer is tip-top and your business is on track for the year ahead.

RETAILER VIEW

Exterior

The best place to start is outside as that’s the first thing new and existing shoppers see when they visit your store – and first impressions count:

l Is the signage neat, tidy and clean?

l Are all posters up to date and in good condition?

l Has the exterior been swept and is it litter-free?

l Do the exterior walls need fresh paint or professional cleaning?

l Are the windows clean, tidy and free of clutter?

l Do you have a bin available for shoppers?

and take stock. For us, January will be about going back to basics, getting the stock off the shelves, doing date rotations and ensuring that everything is in its best possible shape for the year ahead.”

Another Premier retailer planning to step back and sharpen up at the start 2023 is Gov Johal of Premier Birnham Stores in Kirkcaldy, who is planning a comprehensive re-merchandising exercise over the period. “Store standards and first impressions are so important these days.

Every day we ensure that the exterior is swept and there’s no litter, while inside

After the festive rush, the first few months of the year tend to be a bit quieter, making it the perfect time to channel a bit more energy and focus into certain areas. Our store is located on a main road with a fair bit of traffic which means the exterior can get fairly dusty. Keeping it clean and tidy is an on-going challenge but a very important one. While our store standards are very high all year round, we do find that January is a great time to carry out a full deep clean, outside as well as in. Inside, we take it aisle by aisle, and literally remove all products from the shelves before giving every millimetre a thorough deep clean. We tend to repeat this process again in the summer months when it can be quieter due to the holidays.

INTERIOR

Once your shoppers step inside, what is the first thing they see? Does it make a good impression and is it how you want your store to be perceived? After that, take a good walk around the store, just the way a shopper would, and make sure that everything is just as you want it. Ask yourself:

l Are the floors clean?

l Are aisles easy to navigate for shoppers with mobility issues or prams?

l Do all the lights work?

l Is the ceiling clean and free of marks?

we have a strict rota for cleaning and merchandising to ensure everything looks at its best. However, the start of 2023 will see us take this to a new level as we work to streamline a number of categories and ensure that every product is earning its place, focusing on the bestsellers and cutting back on slower-selling items,” he says.

Peter and Guv are both very clear on the areas in which they plan to focus their energies at the start of the new year but if you need a bit more of a guide, Talking Shop is here to help, with key tips and advice to get your store ship shape for 2023.

l Are the shelves clean, neat and well merchandised?

l Is there any old POS that’s dirty or no longer relevant?

l Is all in-store signage accurate and in good condition?

l Are all shelf-edge labels and price tickets clean, tidy and up to date?

KORA GILL Premier Gill’s Food & Wine, Newcastle

© 2022 European Refreshments UC. All rights reserved. SCHWEPPES is a registered trade mark of European Refreshments UC.

HEALTH, SAFE AND LEGAL

With the basics dealt with, it’s time to move onto more complex areas. Health, safe and legal are massively important issues and no more so than if you operate a hot food-to-go counter. Areas to pay particular attention to are those with specific hygiene challenges like milk chillers, hot and cold food storage, and preparation areas.

l Is the milk chiller spotlessly clean?

l Have any hot food storage units been deep cleaned recently?

l Have all chillers been serviced as specified by the manufacturer?

l Are your temperature checks up to date, accurate and within safe guidelines?

l Has the shelving in the soft drinks cabinet been thoroughly cleaned to remove sticky residues?

l What about your food prep areas? It is a legal requirement that these must be cleaned and sanitised then left for 30 seconds before using again.

l Is your EHO certificate displayed as it should be?

l Is your CleanPro+ manual available to staff, and are they aware of it?

l For products that you yourself package for sale, is the ingredient labelling fully compliant with Natasha’s Law?

Store teams

Clearly, one of the most important factors on how shoppers judge your store is your team. Some basic questions to ask yourself include:

l Do any unifor ms need replacing?

l Does your team greet every shopper with a hello and a smile?

l Are your team that handle food wearing the appropriate aprons, bibs, gloves and hair nets?

STORAGE AREAS

While the shopper-facing parts of the store naturally get the most attention, it’s still vital that all storage areas are kept in good shape to avoid accidents, hygiene issues and out-of-date stock. Ask yourself:

l Are the floor areas of any store spaces clean, tidy and trip hazard-free?

l Has all shelving been checked recently to ensure it’s safe and sound?

l Has all the stock in the storage room been rotated properly to avoid out of date stock and wastage?

l Do all the lights in the storage spaces work?

l Could reconfiguring the stockroom make restocking of the shopfloor easier and quicker?

Vaping

hen a convenience store opens, the first and most important responsibility of that retailer is to ensure that all the products they sell are legal, and that they’re only sold to customers who are of legal age to purchase them. We believe that, as a whole, the convenience sector has a very strong record on responsible retailing, due in no small part to the successful implementation of Challenge 25 as an agechecking procedure not just for alcohol, but for all age-restricted products.

One of the fastest-growing categories in the convenience sector is the e-cigarette or vaping market. With great margins, lots of customer interest and a huge range of product SKUs on offer, vapes are now on the shelves of the majority of stores after being a pretty niche product just a few years ago. To help retailers with this category, we have a dedicated Assured Advice guide, highlighting

Wthe importance of a robust age-restricted sales policy such as Challenge 25, as well as detailed guidance on the types of products that are (and aren’t) legal to sell.

The most common illegal product being sold is one that is essentially larger than it is allowed to be. The

Tobacco and Related Products Regulations introduced in 2016 put a maximum capacity of 2ml on an e-cigarette tank, and a maximum of 10ml of e-liquid for refill containers. The 2ml limit equates to around 600 ‘puffs’, which tends to be the measure for which most consumers judge these products by. Vapes that claim to provide significantly more usage than that are not legal to sell in the UK, but you don’t have to go far to see products advertising 3,000 puffs in one disposable device.

Promoting responsible retailing is at the heart of what we do at ACS, through our partnership with Surrey and Buckinghamshire Trading Standards to provide Assured Advice on age restricted products, our work with CAP (Community Alcohol Partnerships) to reduce local alcohol harm, with the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) to accredit forms of ID, and our engagement with Government on regulations affecting all age-restricted categories. We have a wide range of resources available on our website to support you and your colleagues in implementing and communicating a robust age restricted sales policy.

Visit our website for the latest guidance and please get in touch if you have any questions.

©2022 AB InBev UK Limited, all rights reserved.