Talking Shop Issue 94 April 2018

Talking Shop ISSUE 94 – April 2018

The magazine for Premier retailers

PLUS

Central Billing

Premier retailers discuss the benefits

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Taking control Pharmacist turned retailer gives his career a new lease of life with Premier

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HEATED TOBACCO NO LIQUID

A NEW ALTERNATIVE TO SMOKING.

IQOS launched in 2017 and is now stocked in Independent Retail stores all across the UK, but what do you know about the revolutionary device?

WHAT IS IQOS AND WHY SHOULD YOU STOCK HEETS? IQOS uses revolutionary technology that heats tobacco without burning it, giving smokers a chance to experience the true taste of tobacco with no smoke, no ash, no tar and less smell – just tobacco vapour.

We all know about the dangers of burning tobacco but heating tobacco to a controlled temperature of 350°C (rather than 800°C) ensures there is no combustion and instead a tobacco vapour is produced.

IQOS has clinical evidence* showing it is likely to present less risk to your health than to continue smoking. IQOS generates on average 90–95 % lower levels of harmful chemicals**.

IQOS contains no e-liquid, instead using specially designed tobacco sticks (called HEETS). IQOS provides a similar taste and experience that smokers are accustomed to.

Right now, just over 4.7 million adult smokers across the globe have already switched from combustible cigarettes to IQOS. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This does not mean IQOS is safe or risk-free.

The best way to reduce tobacco related health risks is to quit tobacco use altogether.

To find out more about IQOS WWW.IQOS.CO.UK 0800 432 0000 This communication is for tobacco traders only.

This product is not risk free and is addictive.

This product is intended for adult use only.

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REAL TOBACCO

NO SMOKE

NO ASH

LESS SMELL

Our tobacco sticks contain real tobacco and no liquid. Giving you the true tobacco taste and satisfaction.

By heating tobacco rather than burning it, IQOS creates tobacco vapour, not smoke.

Unlike cigarettes, IQOS does not burn tobacco.

It therefore does not require a lighter and produces no ash.

IQOS vapour dissipates more quickly than cigarette smoke and the odour left on hands, hair and clothes is significantly reduced.

HEETs are specially designed tobacco sticks that are designed to be used exclusively with IQOS. HEETS are available to purchase from Booker Retail Partners and are available in the below variants:

AMBER LABEL A rounded and rich tobacco blend.

YELLOW LABEL A smooth and finely balanced tobacco blend.

TURQUOISE LABEL A smooth menthol blend.

9% POR

***

*8 clinical studies completed by Philip Morris International (PMI) in Europe, Japan and the U.S. with hundreds of adult smokers who were randomly assigned to using IQOS, continuing smoking their cigarette brand or abstain from smoking for the duration of the study. In conducting these studies, PMI followed international quality standards such as ISO, Good Laboratory Practices and Good Clinical Practices.

**Average of the reductions in the concentrations of a broad range of harmful and potentially harmful chemicals measured in the IQOS aerosol compared to those measured in the smoke of more than 1,600 cigarette brands in over 40 countries between 2008 and 2017. Aerosol and smoke collections performed under the Health Canada Intense machine-smoking regime.

Reduction calculations exclude nicotine.

***POR = Profit On Return. Margin is calculated on the stated RRP. All on shelf prices are selected by the retailer alone and margin may therefore be affected by the retailer’s chosen selling price. This communication is for the information of tobacco traders only.

This communication is for tobacco traders only.

This product is not risk free and is addictive.

This product is intended for adult use only.

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Talking Shop | April 2018

Welcome Talking Shop ISSUE 94 – April

A warm welcome to your next

2018

The magazine

issue of Talking Shop, crammed

for Premier reta

ilers

full of news, advice and insight to help you grown your profit, sales and footfall in-store.

We have fully relaunched our Premier Printshop to give retailers

PLUS

Central Billing

more control than ever before

Premier reta ilers discuss the benefits

when it comes to ordering and downloading all of the marketing materials they need to run efficient, profitable businesses. The new Printshop allows you to create your own professional-quality POS in-store quickly and easily using pre-made templates.

We are also taking an in-depth look at the profit opportunity open to Premier retailers from increasing their range of fractional spirits. Fractionals make the spirits category accessible to a much wider audience of shoppers who may not be willing or able to purchase full bottles. The BBQ and outdoor dining occasion is something we are highlighting in this issue too with a range of great deals on non-food BBQ essentials which you can use as the cornerstone of big basket spends.

In this issue we are also taking a look at a couple of areas where retailers may feel they have some challenges: staff theft and the soft drinks ‘sugar tax’. We

Fractional focus

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Taking control

Pharmacist turn gives his career ed retailer a new lea of life with Pre se mier

COVER STORY Ex-pharmacist takes control of his career by joining Premier.

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THE THREE BIG STORIES 29 Getting social

Retailer revolutionises her social media strategy.

33 Small bottles, big profits

Unleash new profit streams with fractionals.

45 Print shop launched!

Premier’s new print shop puts retailers in control.

offer some great, practical advice in both areas to help retailers deal with these challenges.

As always, we are also profiling four Premier stores to give you an insight into how your fellow Premier retailers are capitalising on the opportunities the future holds.

Martyn Parkinson, Brand Director Premier

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Share your shop news

If you’ve got news, tips or feaure ideas, get in touch with Talking Shop. Just pick up the phone and call:

0141 22 22 100 or write to: Talking Shop c/o 55 North Ltd. Waterloo Chambers 19 Waterloo Street Glasgow, G2 6AY or email: talkingshop@55north.com DISCLAIMER: Prices are correct at time of going to press, but may be subject to change.

April 2018

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43

Getting ready for BBQ season

24

Future-proofing in Wales

49

The lowdown on the sugar tax

33

39

Big profits from small bottles

Ones to watch

7

8

Premier News

22 Taking control

46 Print shop launched

Premier retailers to the four at the

Long-time pharmacist turns retailer

New service lets retailers print their

Scottish Grocer Awards.

to take control of his destiny.

own POS and marketing materials.

Social media sales

24 Future-proofed success

49 Sugar tax: the lowdown

Innovative retailer grows coffee

Major investment future-proofs

Everything you need to know

sales 25% through Facebook.

Welsh store for the next 20 years.

about the sugar tax.

11 Community News

29 Central Billing

Showing grit against the Beast from

Premier retailers discuss why

the East.

Central Billing works for them.

13 DRS gets green light Bottle and can deposit return scheme gets go-ahead in England.

15 Back in the game Kilmarnock retailer back in the trade after 20 years.

18 Seizing his chance

33 Fractional sales are soaring

53 Tackling staff theft Top tips from retailers on how to minimise staff theft in your store.

Smaller bottles of spirits are growing faster than the wider category.

39 One To Watch New lines to watch out for.

43 Prices Down

Bolton retailer sees his dream to join

Get ready for BBQ season with

Premier become a reality.

promo range of essentials.

8

25% sales hikes with Facebook

April 2018 TalkingShop

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PremierNews NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS PREMIER

Premier retailers to the four at the Scottish Grocer Awards!

Premier retailers had huge success at the recent Scottish Grocer Awards with four titles including Premier Broadway being named Independent Retailer of the Year.

Premier retailers were celebrating recently as they picked up no fewer than four titles at the Scottish Grocer Awards at the Hilton in Glasgow, including the biggest award of them all. Edinburgh retailers Dennis and Linda Williams, who run Premier Broadway Convenience, picked up two of those awards including the coveted Independent Retailer of the Year prize. They also collected the Health Promoting Retailer of the Year award for the great work they’ve done offering their shoppers more choice on healthier foods.

In the Retailer of the Year category, the judges highlighted how “it’s not been as easy year for Dennis and Linda with a longdreaded state-of-the-art Aldi store finally opening before Christmas just 200 yards up the road but they have faced the challenge head-on, using every tool at their disposal to improve their offer, retain their customers and boost basket spend. This has included the introduction of a bespoke food-to-go counter, a coffee offering, an improved spirits range and category-by-category remerchandising of the whole store”.

PDG member Dennis told Talking Shop: “We’re over the moon because it has been a stressful and difficult year but I hope we have demonstrated that independent retailers are more than capable of holding their own, even against the discounters.”

Also celebrating was Faraz Iqbal of Premier Linktown Local in Kirkcaldy who won the Tobacco Accessories Retailer of the Year award. The judges commented: “The store has been proactive in its approach to the RYO tobacco category following the changes brought about by EUTPD2 and

UP FOR IT: Dennis and Linda Williams were named Independent Retailers of the Year.

IN THE POST: Sukhi Sangha on stage.

HEALTHY PROFITS: Premier Broadway was rewarded for its work in growing its healthy offering.

STRATEGIC APPROACH: Faraz Iqbal’s strategic approach won him the Tobacco Accessories Retailer of the Year award.

has been strategic with its use of tobacco accessories. Faraz is very aware of changing trends at national and local level and engages well with customers.”

Faraz explained to Talking Shop: “We try to be strategic about everything we do in the store and our approach to coping was EUTPD2 was exactly the same. We methodically checked every line, got prepared early and communicated the chnages to our shoppers well in advance.”

Coylton Convenience Store also made it onto the stage as winner of the Post

Office Retailer of the Year award. The judges described the store as “a great local Post Office with real charm that serves its community well. The team has a comprehensive knowledge of Post Office products, with staff members providing quality service with a smile.”

Sukhi added: “It’s always nice to win an award as it lets you know that you’re doing things well. We’ve worked hard on the Post Office side of the business and we know it helps drive footfall so we’re really pleased that we’re the best in Scotland!”

April 2018 TalkingShop

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NEWS

Social media creativity drives 25% increase in sales Faraz Iqbal recently increased sales of Euro Shopper Instant Coffee by 25% after conducting a Facebook ‘like and share’ competition following ITV’s Save Money programme hailing the coffee as the ‘Shoppers Favourite Super Cheap Coffee’.

Kirkcaldy Premier retailer Faraz Iqbal has increased the sales of Euro Shopper Instant Coffee by 25% in his store after launching an innovative ‘like and share’ competition on his store’s Facebook page. Faraz got the idea after watching ITV’s Save Money television programme where Euro Shopper Instant Coffee was named the ‘Shoppers Favourite Super Cheap Coffee’ following a blind taste test against Tesco and Asda’s value brands.

A huge 64% of consumers said Euro Shopper was the tastiest of the three lowest priced instant coffees in the UK. Faraz told Talking Shop: “I saw the programme on TV and thought I would capitalise on that by putting out a post saying that I would offer a case worth of the Euro Shopper Instant Coffee to those who liked and shared

the post. I’m always looking for ways to use social media and this opportunity just seemed too good to miss.”

The post ended up reaching over 10,000 people and added 25% to sales of the coffee in-store. “I never expected to get such a massive reaction but it just shows the power of social media,” said Faraz.

He handed out a dozen jars of coffee in the store and puts the subsequent sales success down to the fact that, after trying the coffee, many shoppers were converted.

“I’ve had lots of shoppers say that they couldn’t believe how good the Euro Shopper coffee was and that they’ll be buying it from now on instead of much more expensive brands,” added Faraz.

He is now planning to offer in-store tastings of the coffee to help convert more

shoppers to the product and drive sales of the product even further.

GDPR: what does it mean for your business?

To ensure you are prepared for GDPR, The new General Data Protection THE PRINCIPLES OF GDPR use the following checklist: Regulations (GDPR) come into force 1. Data must be processed in a lawful, fair and 1. Understand your data – find out on May 25th and give shoppers greater transparent manner what data you hold, where it is stored and control of how their data is accessed and 2. Data must be held for explicit, legitimate how you can access it. processed by all companies, including purposes 2. Secure your data – ensure that Premier stores. As a retailer, you may 3. Data is adequate, relevant and limited to only only those who have a legitimate have obligations to your shoppers what is necessary requirement can access this data. Set up regarding how you collect, store and secure passwords and encryption where use their data. Booker Epos partner The 4. Data is kept accurate necessary.

Retail Data Partnership has provided the 5. Data is not kept longer than necessary 3. Control your data – as a data following guide to GDPR: 6. Data is protected against unauthorised intrusion controller you will be responsible for GDPR is a set or rules that will govern responding to requests from shoppers how companies are expected to hold regarding their data. Shoppers will have and process personal and sensitive data. a lot more power to request sight of data you hold on them and to Personal data refers to any information that may be used to identify request amendments or even deletions. Ensure you are aware of an individual such as their name, telephone number, home address the processes required to access, provide, rectify and delete data. and so on. Sensitive data includes information that an individual 4. Document your actions – it’s important to keep a log of the may not want to make public such as religion or health status.

GDPR actions you take. This will allow you to demonstrate Remember that as a retailer you may hold more shopper data your compliance in case of an access request from one of your than you realise. This can include credit card information, loyalty shoppers. scheme information, savings club information or mailing lists.

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April 2018

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NEWS

Anita named Responsible Retailer of the Year – again!

Orpington Premier retailer Anita Nye named Responsible Retailer of the Year for the second time in three years.

Anita Nye, who runs Premier Eldred Drive Stores in Orpington, has added to her growing list of awards by being named Responsible Retailer of the Year at the recent Convenience Retail Awards.

This is the second time she has secured this award in three years.

The judges said: “Eldred Drive Stores is an example to all aspiring responsible retailers: they’ve been ahead of the curve with their ban on the sales of energy drinks to under-16s; they give away fruit three times a week to primary school children; and work with the local secondary school by refusing to serve pupils after school starts. Their trading ethos has earned them respect and admiration from their many loyal customers.”

Anita told Talking Shop:

THE latest market data highlights that smaller format 30cl and 20cl spirits are growing much faster than the wider spirits category, presenting a great opportunity for retailers. Fractionals now account for 30% of all spirits sales by value in convenience.

WHAT’S

WINNING WAYS: Anita Nye collects her Responsible Retailing Award.

“As a true community store we take our commitments to our shoppers and our local community very seriously. We banned the sale of energy drinks to under-16s a couple of years ago and we’ve been refusing to serve school pupils after school starts to help prevent truancy for five years.

“Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday we give fresh fruit away to primary school kids because we want them to learn the benefits of a healthy diet.

“It’s wonderful to receive another award but we believe that what we do is just what good retailers should be doing for their communities anyway.”

Save money by becoming PCI compliant Payment service provider and Booker partner NetPay is advising Premier retailers that they can make savings of up to £35 by a month by becoming Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI) compliant.

Carl Churchill, MD of NetPay, said: “Just under 50% of merchants are not PCI compliant, which is a high percentage given the fees noncompliant merchants have to pay. You could save between £9.99 and £35 a month by

EURO Shopper Instant Coffee has been named ‘Shoppers Favourite Super Cheap Coffee’ following a blind taste test against Tesco and Asda’s value brands. The test was carried out by ITV’s Save Money: Good Food programme and 64% of consumers said Euro Shopper was the tastiest.

becoming PCI compliant.”

When you take card payments your number one responsibility is to protect your customers’ cardholder data. PCI compliance ensures that you implement ‘best practice’ and reduce the likelihood of a data breach.

Since 2010, 100% of businesses which suffered a data breach were noncompliant.

Data breaches may result in fines, additional costs customer damages,

reputational damage, a loss of custom and even the suspension or termination of your merchant account meaning you could no longer take card payments. It makes sense to become compliant and complete the relevant selfassessment.

If you are not sure how to become PCI compliant please speak to your payment provider or for more information on PCI compliance, please call NetPay on 0800 043 5991.

HOT What’s good and bad in the industry

WHAT’S

NOT THE National Minimum Wage has risen once again on April 1st. Those aged 25 and over must now be paid 33p an hour more, taking their hourly rate to £7.83. Those aged between 21 and 24 must now be paid a minimum of £7.38 while those aged 18 to 20 must earn a minimum of £5.90. The rate for under-18s has risen to £4.20.

THE Association of Convenience Store’s latest retail crime report reveals that nearly a million thefts from UK convenience stores happened in 2017, which represents a very significant 65% increase on the previous year.

April 2018 TalkingShop

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CommunityNews OPINION, NEWS AND ACHIEVEMENTS FROM PREMIER RETAILERS

Premier retailers tame INBRIEF the Beast from the East The recent Beast from the East brought the best out of many Premier retailers with some amazing efforts going on to ensure that shoppers had access to essential products.

EGGBOROUGH PREMIER RAISES ENOUGH CASH TO BUY TWO DEFIBRILLATORS

Eggborough Post Office and Premier Store has raised enough money to buy two life-saving defibrillators for the local village with the generous help of its shoppers.

The store raised £719.95 through bottle collections and the money will go towards installing the two new defribillators for the local

While the massive snowfall known as the Beast from the East brought many businesses to their knees, Premier retailers simply rolled up their sleeves and showed some exceptional commitment to ensure that their shoppers still had access to vital staple products.

Fife retailer Robert Kirkwood and Kirkcaldy retailer Faraz Iqbal were two retailers who showed immense commitment and ingenuity to keep the doors open and shelves and chillers stocked.

When the roads got so bad that deliveries to the store could no longer be made, Robert scoured the region himself to find bread and milk for his shoppers. He even received a visit from a shopper from a nearby farm who arrived on her pony as it was the only way she could think of to get to the store!

“The snow was so deep that we couldn’t get

any deliveries so I had to just jump in the car and travel around the area in treacherous conditions to source essentials,” laughs Robert. “It seemed a bit crazy but it meant we had milk on the shelf when no-one anywhere near us had any and our shoppers really appreciated it. We even got thank you cards from shoppers.”

Similarly, Faraz took it upon himself to put his 4x4 to good use by collecting milk and bread from the factory himself when the lorries could no longer make it. He also offered a delivery service to older and less mobile shoppers to ensure they got bread, milk, tea and coffee.

“We just did what we needed to do because our shoppers couldn’t get their essentials anywhere,” says Faraz. “Some of our shoppers were really worried so we thought we’d do all we could. The response we got was overwhelming.

We won a lot of new shoppers that week!”

community.

Steph Kular who helps run the store told Talking Shop: “We were delighted to be able to help. One of the defribillators will be sited in front of the store and while we hope they are never required, it’s reassuring to know that they are there.”

TALKING TACTICS What are you doing in-store to stand out in your local market?

Share it with us and your Premier retailer colleagues at talkingshop@55north.com 0141 222 5380

April 2018 TalkingShop

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IndustryNews A DIGEST OF NEWS FROM THE INDEPENDENT RETAILING INDUSTRY

Bottle and can deposit return scheme gets green light The Government has given the go-ahead to a Deposit Return Scheme that will see shoppers receive small cash incentives for returning plastic, glass and metal drinks containers to stores.

The Government has announced that all drinks containers in England, whether plastic, glass or metal, will be covered by a deposit return scheme, following a similar announcement in Scotland last September.

The controversial scheme is intended to reduce littering by incentivising shoppers to return bottles and cans with a small cash sum. There are similar schemes operating in 38 other countries and the Government has long indicated that it wished to introduce one in England.

Fees vary depending on the size of the bottle

or can and many use ‘reverse vending machines’ to automate the return.

Independent retailers are concerned however about the practicalities of operating such a scheme and how they would cope with a potentially significant volume of containers.

Association of Convenience Stores Chief Executive James Lowman commented: “We welcome the Government’s attention on this important issue but there remain concerns about problems that a deposit return scheme will cause in small stores, especially those that do not have space to install expensive reverse vending machines. We encourage the Government to continue to look at effective ways to tackle the problem of plastic recycling.”

At present, 43% of the 13bn plastic bottles sold each year in the UK are recycled, and 700,000 are littered every day. The new scheme for England is subject to a consultation this year and it is not yet clear whether all retailers of single-use drinks will be required to participate.

INBRIEF INDEPENDENT RETAILERS HIGH STANDARDS PRAISED

Camelot has congratulated National Lottery retailers for a second year running following confirmation that 91% of retailers visited in 2017 correctly asked for ID as proof of age on the first visit – up 2% on last year, and an impressive 5% on 2015’s results.

The company conducted 11,600 mystery shopping visits last year.

Duncan Malyon, Retail Director at Camelot, said that the success was thanks to National Lottery retailers working in partnership with the team at Camelot: “I’m delighted our National Lottery

National Minimum Wage rises once more The National Minimum Wage rose once more on April 1st 2018 affecting staff of all ages.

The new top line minimum wage for those aged 25 and over rose by 33p to £7.83 per hour while those aged between 21 and 24 must now be paid a minimum of £7.38, also a 33p increase on last year’s figure.

Those aged 18 to 20 see their minimum wage rise by 30p to £5.90 while under 18s must now earn an additional 15p per hour, taking their minimum hourly rate to £4.20.

When looking at minimum wage per month,

the United Kingdom is currently at the highest amount in 15 years. With over 1.4 million people employed at minimum wage and with one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, it is likely that the Government will continue to increase the National Minimum Wage each year going forward. The the retailing trade industry has argued however that the Government must attempt to strike a balance between offering a fair minimum wage whilst simultaneously not decreasing work opportunities.

retailer partners improved on their mystery shopping scores for a second year running, up against some fantastic results from 2016.”

TALKING TACTICS What are you doing in-store to stand out in your local market?

Share it with us and your Premier retailer colleagues at talkingshop@55north.com 0141 222 5380

April 2018 TalkingShop

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Kilmarnock | STORE PROFILE

game!

Back in the

Kilmarnock retailer Mohammed Razzaq is back in independent retailing after a 20year gap and is proving has hasn’t lost his touch with sales up over 300% in the first year!

BACK IN THE SADDLE: Mohammed and his wife Ferdous are back in independent retail after 20 years.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: It’s all about bonding with shoppers.

SOCIAL STATUS: The store has a Facebook page it uses frequently.

M

ohammed Razzaq, brother of Shahid ‘Mo’ Razzaq, was born to be a retailer, he says, growing up as he did in a retailing family and working in the family store from the age of around 10. “It’s pretty much all I remember from my childhood,” he says, “and I have really fond memories of helping out around the store and stacking shelves and talking to shoppers. It was just what we did and I loved it!”

Mohammed’s father first bought a convenience store way back in 1977 in Bellshill, just outside of Glasgow, and that’s where he and his siblings spent much of their youth. “The family then bought another store in Blantyre and also a hot food carryout shop so the entire family grew up in and around retail in one way or another.”

But after a hands-on apprenticeship, Mohammed decided that he wanted to try out some other options in life and went to University in Glasgow to study mechanical engineering. “I wanted to just try some new things in life, but it’s not that easy to April 2018 TalkingShop

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STORE PROFILE | Kilmarnock

Store CV:

Name: Premier MS Convenience Store, Bellfield, Kilmarnock Retailer: Mohammed Razzaq Time as a retailer: 21 years Time with Premier: 1 year Size: 1,000 sq ft Services: licensed, Lottery, PayPoint, ATM, hot drinks, slush machine Staff: 3 Nearest competition: Scotmid 50 yards away, Lifestyle Express ¼ mile away Trading hours: 7am – 10pm Mon to Sat; 7am – 9pm Sun

CHILL OUT: New refrigeration is set to improve an already impressive chilled beers, wines and ciders offer.

escape retail, as I soon discovered! Partway through my degree my dad asked me to come back and help run the businesses so I ended up taking a break from Uni to go back into retail before I returned to university to complete my degree.”

His life then took him on a number of different paths, jobs and even countries but a couple of years ago he started toying with the idea of getting back into independent retailing after a break of around 20 years!

“I had been living in Pakistan helping look after my elderly parents but I missed Scotland and I wanted to come back to where I’d been born,” he explains. “I spoke to my wife and my children and we decided that we would all return so I decided to come back and have a look around at what my options were. Retail was always near the top of the list so when I was back I had a look at a few stores and basically found the store I’m in now.”

Mohammed immediately saw the store as having huge potential and decided to go for it, even though it meant he would be in Scotland without his family for many months.

“It was just too good to pass up”, he explains. “So I sold the house I still owned in Scotland, bought this store and basically got stuck in from day one before my wife and kids joined me six months later.”

Undaunted that he got the keys on Friday the 13th, Mohammed recruited a host of family members from Scotland to help him get the store into shape in no time flat. “Not to be too harsh on the previous owner, but

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ATTENTION TO DETAIL: The store is immaculately merchandised at all times.

SPACE EFFICIENT: Mohammed has added more shelving to improve his range and remove ‘dead’ space.

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What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

EXTERNAL MATTERS: The whole exterior of the shop has been rebuilt and now dominates the entrance to the precinct.

the store wasn’t in great shape. The shelves were half empty and, to my mind, there weren’t even enough shelves in the shop in the first place. There was lots of dead space and little low shelving units that meant there wasn’t room to carry the range that a store like this requires.”

The result? A 50% increase in sales in the very first week! “We expected a sales increase just because we had stock on the shelves but you’re always nervous in a new store, so we were both relieved and delighted at the end of that first week!” he says. But the hard work was only beginning.

The store is one of three that sit in very close proximity in the heart of a housing estate in the Bellfield area of Kilmarnock which means that there is a lot of competition, but a largely captive audience.

“It’s a big estate with around 2,000 houses and while there are three shops, including a Scotmid almost literally next door, there is still enough trade to go round,” says Mohammed. “When I first bought the store in November 2016, the Scotmid had just been completely refitted so I was up against it from day one but I wasn’t daunted and I knew we could make this store great again.”

With every member of his family part of Premier, there was only ever one sensible option for Mohammed, although he did have a look around just to be sure. He says: “I looked at other symbol groups but nobody comes close to Premier if it’s profit and support you’re looking for.”

One significant challenge when

Mohammed first bought the store was a messy frontage. The store enjoys a great location right on the corner of the entrance to a small shopping precinct but the old signage was shabby and it had nine different sets of shutters to open and close every day.

“It was a nightmare,” he recalls. “It took half an hour just to open the shop in the morning! So we decided to refit the entire exterior, but unfortunately that required planning permission.”

While Mohammed had been accepted into Premier and had started buying from Booker, he decided not to rebrand the store until the planning application was granted and he could hit the ground running.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it took months – but the store finally opened under the eye-

catching new Premier signage in September last year and as a result, it’s the first thing every shoppers sees as they approach the precinct, regardless of where they are coming from.

The Premier team helped plan the relay of the entire store and the result was a striking new store that is going from strength to strength, with sales up an incredible 300% by the turn of the year.

“The sales figures have been amazing,” says Mohammed. “And best of all they’re still growing. In fact, six of the last eight weeks’ trading have been record weeks!”

And he isn’t finished yet. “We’re bringing in a new food to go unit at the front of the store by the till and we’re adding new refrigeration to let us chill all of our beers, ciders, white wines and rose wines,” he says.

“The tillpoint is a particularly important area of the shop and we do very well from impulse sales. Shoppers don’t leave my store with change – they always spend it on impulse lines we sell at the till!” he laughs.

A big focus too is continuing to engage with the local community. “We already sponsor the local football team, support local charities and have an active Facebook page, but we’re also organising a bus trip to Blackpool this year for our shoppers,” he says. “Some of them can’t afford a holiday and some of them have never been out of Bellfield, so we just want to do something to give them a wee day out and a bit of fun.

It’s all about building real relationships.

If we turn our shoppers into friends, we’ll have their business for life.”

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Mohammed believes the store must look its best at all times.

PASS IT ON MOHAMMED HAS THE FOLLOWING ADVICE FOR PREMIER RETAILERS: l Service – nothing is more important than letting shoppers know you care. l Pricing – Getting the pricing just right for your shopper base is the key to solid regular footfall. l Understand your area – knowing your local area and your shoppers inside out is what teaches you what your store should be like.

April 2018 TalkingShop

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STORE PROFILE | Farnworth, Bolton

Seizing the

opportunity When Farnworth retailer Krishna Das was offered the chance to join Premier after a long wait he seized it with both hands and saw profitability instantly rise by a whopping 4%.

ALL SMILES: Krishna has seen profits soar since joining Premier.

GREAT LOCATION: The store enjoys a strong position on the main street, visible from a long way away.

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ROOM TO GROW: At 2,700sq ft the store is spacious and enjoyable to shop.

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What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com PEOPLE POWER: Krishna is a master of building rapport with his shoppers.

Store CV:

Name: Premier Highfield Convenience Store, Farnworth, Bolton Retailers: Krishna Das Time as a retailer: 8 years Time with Premier: 16 months Size: 2,700sq ft Staff: 4 Nearest competition: Bargain Booze 50 yds; Co-op 100 yds; Aldi and Asda less than one mile Services: Licensed; Lottery; Post Office; ATM; hot drinks; vaping station Trading hours: 7am-9pm Mon-Fri; 8am-9m weekends

H

aving grown up stacking shelves and serving shoppers as a young boy, Farnworth retailer Krishna Das had the best apprenticeship going when it comes to independent retailing, but he admits that he never seriously considered it as a career option at the time. “My mum and dad had a store in Bolton and that’s basically all I knew as I young boy,” he recalls. “I remember really enjoying it and it was a fun, exciting way to grow up but I never really thought I’d end up as a retailer myself, particularly not when my parents retired and sold the shop in 2006!”

Krishna was around 18 at the time and ended up trying out a few different career options for himself before sitting down one day with his brother Hitendra to have a discussion that would change his life.

Krishna explains: “My brother said he wanted to talk to me, which was ominous at the time, but it turns out he wanted to buy a store and we would run it together. It was a bit out of the blue but the more I thought about it the more I liked the idea of owning our own business and controlling our own destinies.”

The store that the pair found was in Leigh, a borough of Wigan, and they were soon back in business after many years out of the industry. While they were keen to

open under the Premier fascia, the area was already served by existing Premier stores.

The pair encountered the same problem a few years later when they launched their second store in nearby Farnham in Bolton.

“We were very keen to join Premier as we’d been buying from Booker for years but there was a Premier store just 50 yards away from the new site.”

The second store was a huge project for the pair as the site had formerly been a pub so it required a huge spend and a massive amount of time and effort to convert it into a modern 2,700sq ft convenience store.

Krishna now runs this one while Hitendra runs the original store in Leigh.

Unable to join Premier initially, the pair jumped at the chance to eventually make their dreams come true when the opportunity to join arose.

“To be honest, we’d had our ups and downs with other symbol groups so we were genuinely delighted to finally be able to get that Premier name above the door,” recalls Krishna.

As the store had been built from scratch just a few years earlier there wasn’t much in the way of refurbishment required during the transition to Premier. “The store was still in very good condition so all that was required was some new signage and a lot of work by the Premier merchandising team!”

he says.

With the store well established and a good rapport with his shoppers, Krishna wasn’t expecting a major uplift in sales but it was the immediate hike in profits that blew them both away.

He recalls: “The truth is we didn’t think we would see a big rise in sales but what we did see was a huge improvement on our bottom line. Pretty much immediately and from roughly the same sales volumes we saw a 4% increase in profits which I can safely say we didn’t expect. It was fantastic!”

That improved profitability has been maintained over the last year or so, a fact that Krishna puts down to a number of factors. “Premier is really good at maintaining margins in a way that I don’t think some other symbol groups are,” he says. “The promotional programme is really cleverly constructed so that the margins you get are excellent in every promotional period. They manage to balance volume and margins really well.”

Which explains why Krishna chooses to run every Premier promotion, including the optional ones, every period.

While the last year has been all about bedding the Premier fascia in, Krishna has made a few changes to the store including the addition of a large new vaping station April 2018 TalkingShop

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23/04/2018 10:52:31

MAX PERFORMANCE: PEPSI MAX IS THE NUMBER 1 NO ADDED SUGAR COLA BRAND IN IMPULSE

1

MAX FLAVOURS: PEPSI MAX FLAVOURS OFFER THE LARGEST VALUE GROWTH IN FLAVOURED COLA

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What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com DRINK TO THAT: The alcohol range is very large and immaculately presented.

GETTING FRESH: Krishna sees the fresh category as vital for future growth.

GAINING AN EDGE: Krishna used the Edge range of e-liquids as the heart of his vaping offer.

ONE FOR ALL: Thanks to its extensive range, the store is used like a minisupermarket by many shoppers.

PASS IT ON KRISHNA OFFERS THE FOLLOWING ADVICE TO FELLOW PREMIER RETAILERS: l Get Fresh – The market is all about fresh and chilled and shoppers expect a great offering in their local store these days. l Top service! – Make your store a place that shoppers want to keep coming back to through exceptional service. l Availability rules! – Everything else you do will suffer if you don’t have fantastic availability every day.

at the tillpoint last May. “We knew that vaping was growing and there wasn’t anyone else doing a good offering in this area so we decided to go for it and try to do it properly,” he says. The result is an eyecatching fixture with a big range of e-liquids and accessories, including the Edge range of e-liquids.

“There’s no question the vaping station is bringing new shoppers to the store and the Edge range has been massive for us,” says Krishna. “It’s great quality and brilliantly priced. It’s worked so well for us.”

As for the future, Krishna is currently talking to Booker about converting a property they own next door to a food-togo deli to generate more footfall and drive profits.

“We know we need to get into food-to-go and even though we do have space in this shop, we reckon it would be better to make use of the building next door and really do it in style,” he comments. “I think we would build it so that shoppers could pass between the store and the deli internally which will hopefully drive sales in both businesses. We reckon it could work because the Booker catering range is fantastic now.”

Krishna’s commitment to leveraging his partnership with Premier has already reaped huge rewards and, as he concludes: “This is only the beginning!”

April 2018 TalkingShop

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STORE PROFILE | Waterlooville, Hampshire

control Time to take

When locum pharmacist Priyankkuma Modi wanted to build a more regular income stream with great prospects of growth, he turned to Premier and a career in retail to make his dreams come true.

IN CONTROL: Priyank and Alpa are enjoying being masters of their own destiny.

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A

fter 12 years as a locum pharmacist and the unreliable nature of earning a living on a freelance basis, Priyankkuma Modi decided towards the end of last year that he wanted a more reliable career and one with prospects of growth and success for him and his wife Alpa. Having been exposed to retail through his work as a pharmacist and with several friends who run Premier stores, he increasingly came to view independent retail as the perfect solution.

Priyankkuma, or Priyank as he is better known, explains: “It was enjoyable to workon a freelance basis but my wife and I wanted something that gave us a more regular and reliable income, and something that would allow us to grow and develop. Independent retail was the choice that was most appealing to us and, after speaking to some friends who run Premier stores, we decided the time was right. And we were so glad that we chose Premier because they have been so helpful in supporting us as we set up the store. We never realised quite how much work was involved in launching a store and we couldn’t have done it without the amazing support from Premier.”

At the time the couple were living in Birmingham but they were keen to start afresh so cast their net further in search of a store and found the perfect opportunity in Waterlooville, around eight or nine miles north of Portsmouth.

“Some of our friends had stores in this area and it made sense to move here,” says Priyank.

“The store we found ticked all the boxes for us and offered us a lot of potential for the future.”

At the time of writing, Priyank and Modi had only been in their new store for five weeks and were still in the process of finalising a lot of the details that will help make the store a huge success. Priyank comments: “We wanted to get up and trading as soon as possible obviously but we’re still in middle of having the Lottery, PayPoint, an ATM and Collect+ installed to give our shoppers as many reasons as possible to visit the store. Premier helped us focus on the fundamentals of a successful store: footfall, sales

April 2018

23/04/2018 10:52:37

What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com and profits.” The store already looks fantastic, thanks in no small part to the great work of the Premier merchandising team. “The Premier team have been just brilliant were so efficient and quick and they got the store looking amazing in just a few days,” enthuses Priyank.

“They helped identify the right range for the store and sorted all of the merchandising so we’re already seeing sales growth every week.”

It’s clearly still very early days but the pair have wasted no time in driving the store forward. A new coffee machine and a slush have been ordered and the store has already been through two Premier promotional cycles which has driven footfall, sales and profits.

“It has been a massive change for us but we’re really, really enjoying it,” he says. “It’s a great feeling to be in complete control of our lives now and we’re just excited about all the things we want to do in the store with a great partner behind us.”

The couple are also in the process of buying a new home in the area and are enjoying the opportunity to see each other more frequently, more often than not on the shopfloor!

“We’re learning fast and we have big plans, so we’re really looking forward to seeing the sales continue to grow as the new services and products are introduced and we will be trying very hard to engage with our local community, something we both feel is vital to the success of the store.

“We’re ready for the challenge and with Premier guiding us along the way we believe we have a great future ahead of us!”

AIM HIGH: Maintaining high merchandising standards is key to the couple.

PROMO PUSH: The store has already benefitted from two Premier promotional periods.

BRIGHT FUTURE: The bright new store promises a great future for Priyank and Alpa.

FAST LEARNERS: Despite being only weeks into retail, the pair keep the store immaculate throughout.

Store CV:

Name: Premier Hambledon Road, Waterlooville Retailers: Priyankkuma and Alpa Modi Time as retailers: 5 weeks Time with Premier: 5 weeks Size: 1,300sq ft Staff: 4 Services: licensed; PayPoint; Lottery; ATM; hot drinks; Collect+, slush machine; printing and photocopying Nearest competition: McColl’s and Mace across the road; Co-op and Sainsbury’s less than one mile away Trading hours: 6am – 10pm Mon to Sat; 8am – 9pm Sun

April 2018 TalkingShop

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STORE PROFILE | Drefach Felindre, Carmarthenshire

proof!

Future

C

ALL SMILES: Emyr is delighted with his new look Premier store.

When Welsh retailer Emyr Jones decided that it was time to future-proof the store he has owned for over 20 years, he decided to pull out all the stops with a huge extension and the addition of a warehouse.

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armarthenshire Premier retailer Emyr Jones is not a man to do things by halves, so when he decided that his store in the village of Drefach Felindre needed work to “futureproof” it he quickly decided that only a major overhaul would do.

Emyr explains: “This is the oldest of the four stores I’m involved with and it has a place close to my heart and while I’ve done a number of refits over the years, I realised that it was a little tired and needed some major work to really future-proof it for the next 15 or 20 years. I owned some ground behind the store and briefly considered building a property there but then decided it would be better to build a dedicated warehouse for the store and use some of the space to expand the shopfloor itself.”

That dream was rapidly turned into some architect’s drawings before being brought to life in bricks

ISLAND LIFE: The new island of chest freezers has unlocked new profit opportunities.

April 2018

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What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

and mortar, involving a very significant six-figure investment. The work took five months in total but the result is spectacular.

The shopfloor has been expanded from 1,300sq ft to over 1,900sq ft and the warehouse includes extensive ambient storage space as well as walk-in chiller and frozen rooms.

“The business is pretty much unrecognisable from before,” says Emyr.

“The extra space in the store has allowed us to add in huge amounts of extra chilled and frozen space and really grow our range in these categories in line with shopper trends.”

A new ‘island’ of chest freezers added 6m of new frozen space while the chilled bay has grown from 5m for all chilled and fresh lines to 6.25m for chilled alone plus 2.5m for fresh using all new chilled cabinets.

“In total we have four times more space for fresh, chilled and frozen and the store now looks like a proper 21st century Premier store,” he says. The chilled drinks space was also increased from 3.75m to 5m.

“We even replaced the floor which meant the store was closed for a day and a half as

we had to literally empty it to get the new floor down,” adds Emyr. And while they were at it, he added a defibrillator for use in emergency by the local community.

But all of that effort has been more than worth it with sales already up 10% – an exceptional achievement in a small, remote village. “We’re lucky in that we don’t have much in the way of competition,” he explains, “but it also means we have a limited target market so growing sales by 10% is just great news.”

And all of this has been achieved despite the fact that the nearest store re-opened last year after having been closed for a while previously.

“I’m delighted with the new store and I’m delighted that we’re seeing the benefit of the investment in the financial results,” concludes Emyr. “It’s not an easy decision to make to invest large sums in expanding the store and building a warehouse, but I see it as a way of guaranteeing the future of the store – and it’s that long term vision that I believe will keep us successful long into the future.”

COOL SALES: The increased range of chilled alcohol drives footfall.

COMMUNITY CARE: A defibrillator has been installed as part of the refit.

Store CV:

Name: Premier Siop Gwalia, Drefach Felindre, Carmarthenshire Retailer: Emyr Jones Time as a retailer: 20 years Time in this store: 20 years Stores in chain: 4 Size: 1,900sq ft Staff: 10 Services: Licensed; Lottery; Post Office; hot drinks; ATM Nearest competition: CK Supermarket 4 miles away Trading hours: 7am – 10pm Mon to Sat; 9am – 10pm Sun

FUTURE PROOF: The store is now a 21st century business.

SOFT OPTION: The drinks cabinet is now 5m long.

CHILL OUT: There is now four times as much fresh and chilled space in the store.

April 2018 TalkingShop

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23/04/2018 10:52:47

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Central Billing | FEATURE

Central Billing:

How is it for YOU! Booker’s Central Billing service provides a host of brilliant benefits for retailers, maximising choice and minimising cost, admin and profits. Talking Shop spoke to Premier retailers to find out why they love Central Billing.

IAN MITCHELL Premier Your Store, Girvan “What I particularly like about Central Billing is the fantastic range of products available across so many categories.

Being able to source specialist ranges like greetings cards, stationery and home essentials and have them all appear on a single bill is a real bonus.

Running a store these days takes a lot of time so anything that removes hassle and paperwork gets the thumbs up in my book. Central Billing allows you to streamline your ordering and stock management and frees you up to focus on other areas of your business.

Booker negotiating pricing is also a huge benefit.”

THE BENEFITS OF CENTRAL BILLING • Centrally negotiated pricing and low minimum order quantities.

• Exclusive discounts and high PORs from suppliers.

• Reduced admin, leaving you more time to run your business.

• Savings on bank charges with only one direct debit.

• Bespoke Booker promotions.

T

he ability to order directly from a vast array of over 200 suppliers but still be billed centrally has been a hugely important facility in the growth of many Premier retailers’ businesses over recent years. The service was relaunched last year, adding more than 156 new suppliers, making it easier than ever before to build a strong range tailored to their own store’s specific requirements.

Core to Central Billing is a simplified and harmonised pricing structure based on the previous best price available, to ensure

Premier retailers always get the very best deal. Booker’s buying team has negotiated the best possible pricing from suppliers on behalf of retailers.

Additionally, there are now over 150 small, local suppliers on the scheme with details available on the www.smallsupplier. com website.

To find out exactly why Premier retailers are increasingly relying on Central Billing to increase efficiency and reduce complexity in their businesses, Talking Shop got in touch with a group of them to get their thoughts on the benefits of Central Billing.

Contact the Central Billing team on 0845 850 5051 or email centralbilling@booker.co.uk to order now April 2018 TalkingShop

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FEATURE | Central Billing

FRANK DENNY Premier Poleglass Convenience Store, Belfast “Central Billing is an absolutely invaluable service for me and really helps me run the store with a minimum of fuss and maximum convenience.

It guarantees me the best possible price on all lines and it means I don’t have to deal with a mountain of invoices and delivery notes. I get one invoice, I make one payment and that’s it done.

“Being based on Northern Ireland, there are quite a few lines that we need to source locally for our shoppers and Central Billing lets me do that quickly and easily as I can source Irish-specific products and have them delivered direct but invoiced through Central Billing. We also buy all bread, milk and chilled through Central Billing and it couldn’t be simpler.

I’ve been using Central Billing for four years and it’s made a huge difference to my business.”

FOOD CATEGORIES COVERED BY CENTRAL BILLING: l l l l l l l l l l l l

Bakery Chilled Dairy Eggs Produce Food To Go Confectionery Fine Food Health Foods International Foods Frozen Local Breweries

NON-FOOD CATEGORIES COVERED BY CENTRAL BILLING: Vaping Home Essentials Stationery Greeting Cards Toys Mobile phone accessories l Pet Supplies l Flowers l l l l l l

EMYR JONES Premier Siop Gwalia, Carmarthenshire “For me, Central Billing is a no-brainer because it’s all upsides and no downsides. It gives me access to a huge range that I can’t get easily any other way, it guarantees me the best deals available and it all but eliminates admin in the store. I get one invoice which I quickly check and sign off – job done. We’ve been using it for years and we use it for a whole array of categories including things like the OTL non-food range which is very difficult to source and manage otherwise. It couldn’t be more convenient and removes all of the hassle of offering great choice to my shoppers, delivering great value and securing great profits for us.”

Contact the Central Billing team on 0845 850 5051 or email centr 30 TalkingShop TS.indd 30

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What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

SCOTT MURRAY Premier Cot House Services, Dunoon “I don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t use Central Billing because all it does is help improve your business and it doesn’t cost you a penny. It gives you access to a much wider range than you would otherwise be able to source, something that is particularly important in a relatively remote place like Dunoon. I used to have really long lead times on deliveries to my store when I used to buy products direct from suppliers but with Central Billing I get the delivery within a couple of days of the order, no matter where it’s coming from. We sell a lot of Devon Cakes, for instance, which we get through Central Billing and I get them within 48 hours of ordering them. Cuisine de France is another Central Billing range I get that does well in-store, so it has genuinely helped me develop my business. Over and above that, it also means I get one bill to check and one bill to pay.”

WENDY BOYCOTT Premier Morfa Convenience Store, Harlech “One of the key benefits for our store of Central Billing is the variety that’s available. We use Central Billing for a lot of categories and for a variety of reasons, but they’re all to the benefit of our business. We buy a lot of non-food that way, particularly the OTL range, as we sell a lot of toys and things like that as the store is on the coast near the beach. We also buy milk through Central Billing which allows us to get daily deliveries and we buy frozen from Eden Farm through Central Billing. It’s obviously a big benefit from the admin point of view that we then get all of these orders consolidated onto one bill which makes our buying easier to manage, track and control.”

ail centralbilling@booker.co.uk to order now

POPULAR CENTRAL BILLING SUPPLIERS TO HAVE IN YOUR STORE ARE: TREE OF LIFE “Tree of Life is the UK’s leading wholesaler of natural, healthy, protein, organic & free-from products. They offer the best range of premium brands within this key growth category with nationwide next-day delivery, free for orders over £200.”

CARD CONNECTION Free display equipment on loan, regularly serviced by the local franchisee with all stock supplied on consignment – only pay for what you sell. In excess of 50% POR for all lines.

OTL Supplier of non-food products across 52 categories in the ever growing Discount arena. Bay planograms are provided with a range of display options – FSDUs, Clip Strips & Display boxes available.

B&J TOYS B&J Toys supply ready-made and stocked display units of pocket money toys to over 10,000 outlets. Regular monthly visits, a merchandising service and guaranteed sale or return helps retailers mine a new income stream with no risk and very limited involvement. No minimum order or contract period.

CENTRAL BILLING COULDN’T BE SIMPLER: • The supplier begins delivery an on agreed date.

• Orders are delivered directly by the supplier with a detailed delivery note.

• Booker sends a weekly statement, including invoices and credits.

• Payment is collected via a variable Direct Debit.

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Fractionals | FEATURE

Smaller bottles drive

big profits

As shoppers continue to seek greater value for their money, one way of unlocking new profit streams is through expanding your range of fractional bottles of spirits and cashing in on PORs of at least 20%.

20%

Minimum POR on the entire Core In Every Store range of fractionals

AFFORDABLE LUXURY: Smaller format bottles open spirits up to a wider audience.

T

here’s no question that today’s shoppers are focusing just as intently as ever on ensuring they get value for money every time they shop – and retailers have to ensure they get maximum PORs at the same time. One great way of expanding choice and boosting profits is by offering a range of fractional spirits which offer PORs in excess of 20%.

The vast majority of shoppers have a limited budget to spend when they enter your store so it’s vital to make sure that your offer recognises this fact, particularly in higher priced categories like spirits. The majority of alcohol baskets in convenience

RETAILER VIEW FARAZ IQBAL Premier Linktown Local, Kirkcaldy “In the community that my store serves there’s a huge focus on value for money and a lot of my shoppers simply can’t afford to pay the money for a 70cl bottle of vodka or gin. By offering a strong range of 35cl and 20cl bottles, I’m bringing these products back within the range of shoppers who are working on tight budgets. It’s also clear that very few shoppers only buy a half or quarter bottle when they shop. They tend to pick up some other items when they are here so the fractionals range can really help unlock much bigger basket spends which is always welcome.”

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FEATURE | Fractionals

SHOPPING LIST

SALES GROWTH: Smaller format bottles are growing quicker than the main spirits category.

TALKING RECOMMENDS THAT PREMIER RETAILERS STOCK THE FOLLOWING CORE IN EVERY STORE FRACTIONAL RANGE TO DRIVE NEW SALES AND PROFITS IN-STORE: Jack Daniels PM12.99 Case size: 35cl WSP: £8.59 POR: 20.7% Bacardi White Rum PM9.49 Pack size: 35cl WSP: £6.29 POR: 20.5% Smirnoff Red PM8.49 Pack size: 35cl WSP: £33.95 POR: 20.0% Smirnoff Red PM5.29 Case size: 6 x 20cl WSP: £20.99 POR: 20.6% Gordons Gin Case size: 6 x 35cl WSP: £35.75 POR: 20.5% Christian Dupre Brandy Case size: 6 x 35cl WSP: £29.95 POR: 20.0% Chekov Vodka PM4.19 Case size: 6 x 20cl WSP: £16.59 POR: 20.8% Chekov Vodka PM6.79 Case size: 6 x 35cl WSP: £26.99 POR: 20.5% Jacobite Whisky PM7.99 Case size: 6 x 35cl WSP: £34.75 POR: 20.0% Glens Vodka PM7.29 Case size: 6 x 35cl WSP: £29.15 POR: 20.0% Glens Vodka PM4.49 Case size: 6 x 20cl WSP: £17.95 POR: 20.0%

retailing are under £10 in spend so offering your shoppers more choice in that price bracket makes sense.

When building a strong core range of fractionals, the best place to start is with Premier’s Core In Every Store range as detailed here on our Shopping List. Every line on the Core In Every Store range of fractionals delivers at least 20% POR The range covers all major categories – vodka, gin, whisky, rum and brandy – and the ideal selection of pack sizes – 35cl and 20cl – to meet the vast majority of shopper needs and budgets.

Note too that the entire Core In Every Store fractional spirits range is pricemarked, giving shoppers the confidence OWN THE CATEGORY: Fractional own label products drive rate of sale.

they need in the fact that they are getting a great price. Eye-catching price-marked packs also help drive impulse sales on-shelf and allow shoppers to make quick, simple buying decisions at the till.

Martyn Parkinson, Brand Director – Premier, believes that fractionals should now be considered a core element of all Premier stores’ spirits offering to the shopper: “As shopper budgets become ever tighter, the cost of buying a 70cl bottle of vodka, gin, rum or whisky may simply be too high for many shoppers – and if that’s all that’s on offer in-store, retailers will certainly be missing out on sales.

“Stocking a solid range of 35cl and 20cl spirits, particularly for the best-selling products in the Core In Every Store range, willprovide retailers with great PORs of at least 20% and give your shoppers the opportunity to buy the spirits they want but without the cash outlay.

Martyn also says that fractionals can help manage cash flow. He explains: “As well as

RETAILER VIEW ADIL SADYGOV Premier Express Raisa & Sons, Northamptonshire “Fractional bottles are useful in lots of ways. We stock a range of premium brands in smaller bottles because we find many shoppers will take a 35cl bottle of a premium brand as a little treat when they probably wouldn’t want to spend the money to get a full bottle. Spirits are quite expensive for many shoppers so offering more affordable options has got to be a good thing.

We also sell a lot of 35cl and 20cl bottles of the own label products at the value end of the spectrum, so I think there is a ready market for these smaller lines, and they all deliver good PORs.”

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What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

NEW SOURCES: Small bottles allow retailers to costeffectively stock a wider range.

RETAILER VIEW KRISHNA DAS Premier Highfield Convenience Store, Farnworth “We stock a big range of fractionals because that’s what my shoppers have been asking for. Many of them just can’t justify spending £13 or £14 on a full bottle so by stocking smaller bottles I’m letting them buy into a category that is often just too expensive for them. On quite a few lines like Captain Morgan’s Spiced, we sell almost as many half bottles as we do full bottles so the strategy is clearly working.

“In terms of stockholding, having a range of fractionals is also easier on the cash flow because I have less cash tied up in high value products which helps make the running of the business easier.”

PRICE IS RIGHT: Pricemarked packs help convey the value message.

12%

Increase in rate of sale of Gordon’s 35cl bottles year on year

MARKET TREND DATA

The shift towards fractionals is reflected in market trends over the last year, according to the latest IRI and Nielsen data. l Sales of 20cl and 35cl now account for 30% of all spirits sales by value in impulse and both formats are in year-on-year growth. l Diageo has seen sales of its 20cl range increase by 8% over the last year while sales of 35cl bottles have increased by 7% over the same period. l Smirnoff vodka 20cl sales have risen 7.3% by value l Rate of sale of Gordon’s Gin 35cl bottles has shot up by 12% in the last 12 months. l In the declining Blended Scotch category (down by 5.7% over the last year), sales of Bells 20cl have actually increased by 2.4%. l The rate of sale of Captain Morgan Spiced fractionals is almost matching the rate of sale of the 70cl variant – and Spiced Rum is the fastest growing spirits category across the whole trade.

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saleable unit code M226748

saleable unit code M226745

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Introducing goodnessKNOWS®. Each pack contains

4 delicious squares crafted with fruits and nuts, then dipped in dark chocolate.

4.6m planned media spend!

10% of profits go to a good cause ®/™/Design/Mars ©Mars 2017.

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New goodnessKNOWS® comes in 3 delicious flavours: Cranberry & Almond, Blueberry & Almond and Apple, Peanut & Almond.

Visit www.whatisgoodnessknows.co.uk for more information

23/04/2018 10:53:08

What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com RETAILER VIEW EMYR JONES Premier Siop Gwalia, Drefach Felindre “It’s just good sense to make less expensive versions of popular products available to my shoppers so we stock an extensive range of fractional spirits. If all we’re offering our shoppers is a take-it-or-leave it option on expensive 70cl bottles, we’re bound to be missing sales – so having half and quarter bottles works for our shoppers and for us. Price-marked smaller format bottles look good on the shelf too and I think shoppers appreciate the fact that they have some options, depending upon what their budget is when they come into the shop on any given day.”

CATEGORY DRIVERS: Smaller formats will grow sales in the key spirits categories.

providing PORs of at least 20%, stocking a range of fractionals also requires less cash outlay for the retailer. That means less cash tied up in high value stock on the shelves and in the store room, which clearly helps with cash flow.”

With recent market data showing good growth [see panel on p35] fractionals offer a very significant opportunity for Premier retailers to grow their spirits sales and profits at a time when shoppers are more aware than ever of what they are spending in-store.

PROFITS IN HAND: The time is right to increase your range of fractionals,

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To purchase these products now, visit www.booker.co.uk

Ones to

watch

A selection of key products that will deliver for you in-store

Chocs away with new lower price point!

WHAT? EURO SHOPPER CHOCOLATE BLOCK RANGE PM50 WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? With shoppers still looking for fantastic value and great products every time they shop in a Premier store, Premier is offering yet more ways to drive footfall and profits with its range of five 90g Euro Shopper chocolate blocks all now at a fantastic RSP of just 50p. The lines offer over 30% POR and the highly prominent price mark is sure to drive impulse sales all day long.

WHO? The range includes five variants: l

Euro Shopper Milk Chocolate Fruit and Nut

l

Euro Shopper Milk Chocolate Hazelnut

l

Euro Shopper Milk Chocolate

l

Euro Shopper Plain Chocolate

l

Euro Shopper White Chocolate

The lines appeal to a wide variety of shoppers and the price point will help boost sales and profits even further in Premier stores. All lines deliver amazing quality chocolate at superb prices with the Euro Shopper White Chocolate variant picking up a Highly Commended prize at the 2017 Quality Awards. The Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate and Dark Chocolate lines all feature in the Core in Every Store range. To help reduce cash outlay and make stock management easier, the range is also available in a smaller 26 unit case size.

WHERE TO STOCK? The range should be stocked within the block chocolate section of your confectionery fixture.

EURO SHOPPER MILK CHOCOLATE BLOCK RANGE PM50 Case size: 26 x 90g WSP: ÂŁ7.55 RSP: 50p PM POR: 30.3% April 2018 TalkingShop

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To purchase these products now, visit www.booker.co.uk

Set summer sales alight

Time to Blossom

WHAT? SANGRIA PANASOL 1L TETRAPAK

WHAT? BLOSSOM HILL PALE ROSE

WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

WHY? With growth in larger format pack wine and party drink sales, Booker has introduced new Sangria Panasol in one litre Tetrapak cartons, perfect for summer get togethers and parties. This pre-mix Sangria has a 5% ABV and comes in a resealable carton that makes it perfect for sharing and easy to serve. All shoppers have to do is pour it into a jug full of ice cubes, garnish with their favourite fresh fruit and enjoy. It also tastes great mixed with tonic water or lemonade.

WHY? Dry rosé wine is among the fastest growing sectors of the wine category with sales up 23% in the last year, a trend that Premier retailers can capitalise on with the launch of new Blossom Hill Pale Rosé.

Blossom Hill is the third biggest UK brand by volume and value and is a brand that is very popular with Premier shoppers.

WHO? The product will be perfect for summer parties, BBQs and a wide range of gatherings where its handy pack format and ease of serve will make it a big hit.

The product also delivers PORs of 20% for retailers.

WHO? Blossom Hill is targeting shoppers who prefer a dryer style rose with this new launch as the UK looks set to follow the trend towards dryer wines that has swept the US. Blossom Hill Pale Rosé offers Premier retailers the chance to cash in on this trend with a special introductory WSP of just £25.49 a case until September (standard WSP £27.49), delivering PORs of 31.9% for retailers.

WHERE TO STOCK? Sangria Panasol should be stocked within the wine fixture to help drive trial. Why not encourage your staff to upsell by telling customers how well the line works with ice and fresh fruit?

WHERE TO STOCK? The wine features a new eye-catching bottle shape very different from the existing Blossom Hill range and should ideally be sited in the chiller alongside other rosé wines.

SANGRIA PENASOL

BLOSSOM HILL PALE ROSE

Case size: 6x1litre WSP: £14.00 RSP: £3.50

Case size: 6 x 75cl WSP: £25.49 until September (standard WSP £27.49)

POR: 20%

RSP: £7.49 POR: 31.9% until September (standard POR 26.6%)

Create Monster profits WHAT? MONSTER ULTRA VIOLET AND MONSTER PIPELINE PUNCH WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? With much of the sales growth in energy drinks coming from exotic flavours, Monster has launched two new variants into its range: Monster Ultra Violet and Monster Pipeline Punch.

WHO? Monster Ulta Violet, price-marked at £1.19, contains zero sugar and zero calories and will be perfect for those looking for a guilt-free energy boost during the day. Monster Pipeline Punch is price-marked at £1.35 and combines passion fruit, orange and guava into an exotic blend that will appeal to those looking for exciting new flavours.

WHERE TO STOCK? The new lines should be stocked in the drinks chiller alongside other energy drinks where the famous Monster name will help drive sales and encourage trial.

MONSTER ULTRA VIOLET Case size: 12 x 500ml WSP: £6.99 RSP: £1.19 POR: 41.2% MONSTER PIPELINE PUNCH Case size: 12 x 500ml WSP: £8.45 RSP: £1.35 POR: 37.4%

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To purchase these products now, visit www.booker.co.uk

Vimto mix it up WHAT? VIMTO REMIX WATERMELON STRAWBERRY & PEACH PM100

Use your noodle WHAT? BATCHELORS SUPER NOODLE POTS WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? Vimto is extending its Remix range with the launch of new Vimto Remix Watermelon Strawberry & Peach in a £1 pricemarked bottle. The new product capitalises on the current growth in exotic flavours and delivers a POR of over 28%.

WHO? The new flavours will appeal to those seeking new taste experiences and is expected to be popular with both Vimto loyalists and those looking for unusual, fresh tastes.

WHY? Household-name brand Batchelors expanded its offer to shoppers recently with the launch of Batchelors Super Noodles in two popular flavours: Chicken and BBQ Beef. The new lines offer Premier retailers some new opportunities to grow profits and sales in an important category. Both lines deliver over 20% POR and are sure to drive trial and bring shoppers into the category.

WHO? The lines are likely to be popular among a lot of shopper demographics but particularly in stores near universities, schools and colleges or those in areas with a lot of office staff footfall.

WHERE TO STOCK? The new lines should be stocked in the main soft drinks fixture alongside other Vimto lines and related brands such as Ribena to maximise trial and repeat purchases.

WHERE TO STOCK? The lines should be stocked on the instant noodle fixture alongside similar products where the attractive packaging and trusted Batchelors brand name will drive trial. Why not consider offering your shoppers free hot water and cutlery to make instant consumption possible, if available?

VIMTO REMIX WATERMELON STRAWBERRY & PEACH

BATCHELORS SUPER NOODLES –

PM100

CHICKEN FLAVOUR AND BBQ BEEF

Case size: 12X500ml

FLAVOUR

WSP: £7.19

Case size: 8 x 75g WSP: £6.89 RSP:

RSP: £1 PM

£1.09 POR: 21%

POR: 28.10%

Burst open new sales WHAT? STARBURST CHEWING GUM WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? Mars Wrigley doesn’t launch a new gum very often but when it does it usually has big plans – and the launch of new Starburst Chewing Gum is no exception. The product is the first to combine the company’s experience in both candy and gum and the company believes the new product will grow the gum category by £15m over the next three years.

WHO? The new sugarfree gum is designed to deliver a ‘candy-like experience’ and, says Mars Wrigley, should help grow gum penetration by 3%. Gum is typically bought by shoppers of all ages so this new launch is likely to be popular with a wide range of shoppers.

WHERE TO STOCK? The gum should be merchandised on the gum fixture at the tillpoint to maximise sales and profits as well as create new impulse sales thanks to the unique combination of eye-catching packaging and one of the biggest brand names in confectionery.

STARBURST CHEWING GUM Case size: 20 x 5pcs WSP: £5.79 RSP: 50p POR: 30.5%

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PricesDown

FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITIES TO SAVE ON COSTS AND BOOST YOUR PROFITS

BBQ deals to set summer sales alight As retailers’ thoughts turn to warmer, summer weather, Premier has a great set of deals on BBQ lines to help retailers make the most of outdoor get-togethers this year.

W

hat with all of the recent snow and bad weather, it’s been easy to forget that the warmer spring and summer months are not too far off. With the summer sun comes lots of fantastic opportunities for Premier retailers to drive big basket spends and incremental growth through targeting the BBQ and outdoor gettogether shopping mission.

Nothing beats a good party with friends and family in the sun by the BBQ – and to make the most of those occasions, shoppers will be looking for a whole range of products including beers, wines, ciders, soft drinks, snacks and confectionery.

All of these categories represent great sales opportunities but it’s also vital not to miss out on the core non-food lines that make a BBQ possible in the first place.

That’s why Premier has launched a series of fantastic promotions to help you heat up your summer sales. These deals see WSPs tumble for Premier retailers on important lines like charcoal, BBQ lighting fluid, briquettes and disposable minigrills.

Importantly, these deals have been locked down for the whole summer from now until October 2nd 2018. By stocking up early on these lines retailers will ensure that they are fully prepared when the sun does make an appearance and give themselves the best possible chance of using these products as the basis of big basket spends.

To maximise sales, why not consider a dedicated BBQ fixture in-store to really set those summer sales alight?

Premier is driving down the price of a great BBQ range with the following deals in Periods 1 to 7: 5kg Lumpwood Charcoal Case size: 1 x 5kg WSP: £3.29 (standard WSP: £4.99) RSP: £5.99 POR: 34.1%

2kg Instant Light Charcoal Case size: 1 x 2kg WSP: £1.99 (standard WSP: £3.49) RSP: £2.99 POR: 30.1%

5kg Charcoal Briquettes Case size: 1 x 5kg WSP: £3.29 (standard WSP: £3.99) RSP: £5.99 POR: 34.1%

BBQ Lighting Fluid Case size: 12 x 1ltr WSP: £19.49 (standard WSP: £29.88) RSP: £2.99 POR: 34.8%

Disposable BBQ Minigrill Case size: 12 x 1sgl WSP: £15.48 (standard WSP: £29.88) RSP: £1.99 POR: 22.2%

Zip Firelighters 16s PM269 Case size: 6 x 16s WSP: £8.99 RSP: £2.69 POR: 33.2%

Zip Firelighters 20s PM179 Case size: 12 x 20s WSP: £11.49 RSP: £1.79 POR: 35.8%

Happy Shopper Firelighters Case size: 24 x 15s WSP: £11.49 RSP: £0.99 POR: 42.1%

RETAILER VIEW JAS AUJLA Premier Bawtry Convenience Store, Doncaster “Non-food products are just so important for the summer season because without them there is no BBQ or party. If shoppers can’t find a disposable BBQ or some charcoal or firelighters in your store, you run the risk of losing the whole basket which could have included alcohol, snacks, cigarettes, confectionery, soft drinks and more.

“By simply being prepared and having some basic lines in place you give yourself a great chance to capitalise on the sun when it does turn up.”

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Watch your sales grow with the new members area from P&G’s shelfhelp.co.uk

Justin Whittaker Premier in Royton.

P&G ShelfHelper

ShelfHelp has a brand new members area giving you everything needed to increase your sales – including exclusive case studies, the latest planograms and a social media calendar.

Visit shelfhelp.co.uk today

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23/04/2018 10:53:17 29/03/2018 13:21

BetterService IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

Welcome to the new Premier Printshop!

Premier’s invaluable new Printshop service has been fully created to make it easier and quicker than ever for retailers to order and download the marketing materials they need to drive profit, sales and footfall.

TO GET STARTED… To start using the new Printshop facilities, it couldn’t be simpler: 1. Visit http://printshop.premier-stores.co.uk 2. Log on using your username (your email address) and password (‘Prem’ plus your customer number eg Prem898314017)

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*

Base stationery

You should already have received a base stationery pack.

P

remier has launched a fantastic new one-stopshop for ordering and downloading all of the marketing materials that retailers need to run professional businesses and increase their profits, sales and footfall.

To start using the new service couldn’t be simpler. All that Premier retailers have to do is log on to the site (http://printshop.premier-stores. co.uk) using their username and password. Your user name is your email address and your password is simply the word ‘Prem’ followed by your customer number. For example, Prem898314017.

You should have received a free start-up pack of blank ‘base

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stationery’ by now that you can use to create a whole range of bespoke materials such as shelf talkers, posters, barkers and more.

With the base stationery pack, you are all set up and ready to begin creating your own high quality POS in-store.

The new Premier Printshop allows you to take full control of producing your own POS to your store’s specific requirements.

The website covers a whole selection of materials you can use for everything from posters for store launches and all current POS such as shelf talkers and barkers to editable templates, standard everyday stationery, Meal Deal promotions and even Premier uniforms. Everything you could possibly need all at the click

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of a mouse. Printing your own POS is quick and easy in just four steps: 1. Select the POS item you require from the site (e.g. shelftalker).

2. Type in the promotional deal you are looking to print using one of the handy templates provided.

3. Review your POS while you edit it to perfectly match your requirements.

4. Print the POS there and then instore onto the base stationery in seconds.

Premier will continue to develop the Printshop in the future with the

addition of a store equipment ordering facility and seasonal POS already in the pipeline. Of course, if you have any comments or suggestions on how the Printshop could be improved even further, make sure you get in touch.

Over the coming months, Printshop will also move to a more convenient centrally billed invoicing process, making admin even more hassle-free – so make sure that you have a central billing account set up so that you can take advantage.

For more information or to set up a Central Billing account, please contact your RDM.

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BetterService IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

The sugar tax: everything you need to know

6th April 2018

Sugar tax came into force

From April 6th, the Government’s new ‘sugar tax’ on drinks took effect in the UK. Talking Shop explains exactly what the changes mean and how they will affect you.

I

t has been planned for a very long time but the Government’s ‘sugar tax’ on soft drinks finally came into force in the UK on April 6th, 2018. Launched as part of the Government’s campaign to tackle obesity, the tax is intended to help shift shoppers away from buying soft drinks with high levels of sugar by basically making them more expensive at the till.

The tax was first announced over two years ago so the major manufacturers have had a long time to prepare for its implementation – but how the tax will affect sales in store remains to be seen.

HOW DOES IT WORK? How the tax operates is relatively simple. All

drinks with less than 5g of sugar per 100ml are exempt while those above that level fall into either the lower or higher tax banding, depending upon sugar content. Those with between 5g and 7.99g of sugar per 100ml are subject to a tax of 18p per litre, while those with 8g or more of sugar per 100ml will attract a tax of 24p per litre.

But what does that mean in the real world?

Well, a typical 330ml can will now be subject to tax of 7.1p (including VAT) in the lower tax tier while in the higher tax tier it will attract a tax of 9.5p. A 500ml bottle will see tax of 10.8p per bottle in the lower tax bracket and 14.4p in the higher band. The biggest difference in pricing will obviously occur in larger pack formats like 1.5l bottles which will attract tax of 32.4p in the lower

INCLUDED l Soft drinks with added sugar l Alcoholic drinks up to 1.2% ABV

EXEMPT l Soft drinks with no added sugar

l Pure fruit juice l Soft drinks with 75% milk content

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MERCHANDISING ADVICE Talking Shop offers Premier retailers the following advice for merchandising their chillers after April 6th: l Give more prominence on your shelves to the low and no sugar lines that will drive growth in the category going forward. l All of the big soft drinks brands are focusing their marketing activity on low and no sugar lines; capitalise on this by giving these lines prominent sitings in-store. l Communicate with your shoppers to let them know the tax is here and explain to them why prices are rising.

Encourage your staff to talk to shoppers and consider using POS, social media and leaflets to explain the changes. l Don’t delist popular ‘full sugar’ lines – many shoppers are expected to carry on buying these lines in spite of the price rises. l Give extra prominence to the Booker own-label soft drinks range which is entirely exempt from the soft drinks sugar tax.

100

% of Booker own label soft drinks are exempt

90%

of all soft drinks in Booker will be exempt

band and a significant 43.2p in the higher band.

WHICH PRODUCTS ARE INCLUDED? It is worth noting that soft drinks with no added sugar, pure fruit juices and soft drinks with at least 75% milk content will be fully exempt from the tax.

Great news for Premier retailers is that 90% of all soft drinks sold in Booker will be exempt from the tax, and even better news is the fact that literally all Booker own-label soft drinks will be exempt.

SHIFTING MARKET There is no question that shopper purchasing

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trends have been shifting towards low and no sugar soft drink products over the last four or five years but the prospect of the sugar tax has led many major manufacturers to move their attention, and their marketing spend, towards products that will not by affected by the tax.

The vast majority of products from soft drinks giants like Coca-Cola European Partners and Britvic now fall below the threshold level for the sugar tax while Lucozade Ribena Suntory’s entire product portfolio will be exempt.

There has also been considerable reformulation in the industry with many popular products having been reworked to reduce their sugar content to bring them

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!

HOW WILL IT WORK IN PRACTICE?

Encourage staff to explain the price changes to your shoppers

To give you an idea of the effect on pricing of the new sugar tax, we have given some examples below of how typical pack size products will be affected: LOWER TIER: 250ml – 4.5p tax per pack (5.4p inc. VAT) 275ml – 5p tax per pack (5.9p inc. VAT) 330ml – 5.9p tax per pack (7.1p inc. VAT) 500ml – 9p tax per pack (10.8p inc. VAT) 1.5l – 27p tax per pack (32.4p inc. VAT) HIGHER TIER: 250ml – 6p tax per pack (7.2p inc. VAT) 275ml – 6.6p tax per pack (7.9p inc. VAT) 330ml – 7.9p tax per pack (9.5p inc. VAT) 500ml – 12p tax per pack (14.4p inc. VAT) 1.5l – 36p tax per pack (43.2p inc. VAT)

THE SUGAR TAX BANDS EXPLAINED: l EXEMPT: Drinks with 0 to 4.99g of sugar per 100ml l LOWER TIER (18p per litre): Drinks with 5 to 7.99g of sugar per 100ml

either into the lower sugar tax bracket or to bring them below the tax threshold altogether.

Similarly, the main soft drinks manufacturers have now moved most or all of their marketing spend into low and no sugar products like Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Pepsi Max and Red Bull Sugarfree.

The consequence for Premier retailers is that demand for these types of products should grow in future. This is worth bearing in mind when merchandising the soft drinks fixture.

DON’T FORGET SUGAR While the market is undoubtedly moving towards low and no sugar, it is also likely

however that many shoppers will continue to remain loyal to classic, ‘full sugar’ products such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi as well as several of the most popular energy drinks – so it will make sense to keep these products on-shelf to capitalise on that demand.

Martyn Parkinson, Brand Director – Premier, advises: “The new sugar tax will have an impact in-store but we do not expect major upheaval. Booker has already moved to make every single one of its own label soft drinks exempt from the sugar tax while a remarkable 90% of all of the soft drinks on sale at Booker area already exempt.

“We would advise retailers to reflect the growth of low and no sugar products in their

l HIGHER TIER (24p per litre): Drinks with 8g or more of sugar per 100ml

soft drinks chillers, giving more prominence to the lines that are driving growth. Some shoppers will of course stick with their favourite products, even if they do become more expensive overnight – a can of Classic Coa-Cola will rise by 9.5p for example – but retailers would be well advised to maintain availability of these lines, even if they are reducing facings and prominence in-store.

“It will simply be a case of keeping a close eye on the soft drinks category over the coming months to ensure that you stay on top of what is a massively important category.”

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BetterService IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

Combatting staff theft RETAILER VIEW EMYR JONES Premier Siop Gwalia, Carmarthenshire “To prevent theft of scratchcards we make a note of the card numbers every morning at opening and every evening at closing. It’s not complicated – just a little notepad – but that way we can work out how many cards have been removed from the unit each day, then we run the Epos data for the day’s scratchcard sales. If the numbers don’t match, then you know you have a problem to deal with.”

While most Premier retailers will have a trustworthy and honest team behind them, it nonetheless makes good business sense to put in place procedures to eliminate the risk of staff theft, particularly in high value categories.

T

he vast majority of Premier retailers undoubtedly have complete faith in the hard-working team of staff that help them manage and run their businesses seven days a week. The fact remains however that it is simply good business practice to implement robust procedures in-store to eliminate the risk of staff theft, or at least minimise those risks. The problems of customer theft are well documented and are highlighted in the most recent Association of Convenience Stores’ annual crime report – yet theft by staff can be just as damaging to a store and can be much harder to detect.

Talking Shop has spoken to a number of Premier retailers to gather some great advice and tips for preventing staff shrinkage. To find out more, read on…

1 FOCUS ON HIGH VALUE CATEGORIES

First and foremost, the key to reducing or eliminating staff theft

is to focus on the high value categories most likely to be affected: tobacco, alcohol and scratchcards.

It’s in these categories that the temptation to steal can be strongest as the products are physically small, they are of high value and they can be very often not formally stock-controlled.

By focusing on these three categories alone, retailers can go a long way to ensuring that staff pilferage does not occur and cause significant damage to the business.

2 IMPLEMENT FULL STOCK CONTROL Ideally, retailers should implement a full stock control system in these categories covering both stock on the shopfloor and stock held in store rooms.

Regular full stock-taking of cigarettes, spirits and scratchcards can be time-consuming but the alternative is the risk of losing high value products, possibly regularly.

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Talking Shop_Half and Half_P_March2018 15/03/2018 16:27 Page 1

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THE WAIT IS OVER!

Iced Coffee is a rapidly growing market, this is the product the UK has been waiting for!

There is high demand for a great tasting iced coffee that is refreshingly cool, with the same caffeine hit. To meet their customers demands, all coffee retailers should be selling iced coffee too.

Now available, our own brand, great tasting iced coffee, served via our stylish Frappino chilled dispenser.

Made with Finest Arabica beans, Fair Trade coffee, Frappino gives a satisfying caffeine hit alongside a smooth, refreshing, pleasantly sweetened, satisfying beverage.

Most agree: “Frappino's great flavour beats the high street chains hands down”!

The iced coffee is supplied ready to serve, via bag in box.

• 40% - 60% POR • Zero VAT product • Low set up costs • Long shelf life

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This product can be served with or without ice, which is sourced separately. The addition of ice improves profit margin.

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RETAILER VIEW ANITA NYE Premier Eldred Drive Stores, Orpington “Cigarettes is a real risk area in-store so we make a point of doing a regular stock stake on them and comparing that data with the sales data through Epos. That way we can just keep ourselves content that we’re not losing and stock to theft. We also try to make sure that the stock-takes don’t happen at the same time every week, just so that the staff aren’t expecting it. Irregular checks mean staff never know when the gantry will be stock counted and that can help deter theft in itself.”

To begin the process, simply zero the stock holding levels on your stock control system in your Epos then carry out a full stock count in all three categories then update the Epos system. After that, it’s simply a case of ensuring that every new delivery of spirits, tobacco and scratchcards are diligently scanned into the system upon arrival at the store.

A regular stocktake afterwards allows for a quick reckoning to ensure that the stock remaining in the store added to the stock sold (using data pulled from your Epos system) matches the stock level in the Epos system. If the levels don’t match, then there may be room for concern and further checks.

3 MAKE YOUR CHECKING HIGHLY VISIBLE

One way of minimising staff theft is to make sure that all of your staff are fully aware of the fact that you check stock levels regularly in tobacco, spirits and scratchcards. The simple sight of stock levels being checked may be enough to dissuade potentially dishonest staff from taking the risk.

4 LOCK YOUR STORAGE CABINETS It is good practice to store all high value stock in the storeroom in a locked cabinet which only store managers or shift supervisors have access to. That way, you will be able to quickly identify who removed stock from the cabinet and ensure that stock counts are easier and more efficient.

In the case of cigarettes, it’s also a good idea to only remove full outers from the cabinet, again to make stock control and counting easier.

5 USE CCTV While many stores already do this, it makes sense to dedicate CCTV cameras on high risk areas such as the tillpoint, spirits fixture and tobacco gantry – and ensure that all staff are aware of the fact that these areas are filmed constantly.

If possible, you may also wish to consider installing cameras in stock rooms to monitor the areas where you store high value items.

6 DAILY SCRATCHCARD CHECKS

One simple way of eliminating issues with staff theft of scratchcards is simply to leave a pad next to the scratchcard unit and have staff list the ID numbers of the next scratchcards on the pad both at the beginning of the shift and at the end.

Scratchcard ID numbers run consecutively so it’s quick and easy to work out how many of each scratchcard have been removed from the unit during the day (simply subtract the opening number from the closing number for each type of card) then check that this number tallies with the numbers of cards sold (using Epos).

It may add a few minutes to the opening and closing routine each day but it could potentially save significant sums in stolen cards.

7 COMMUNICATE WITH STAFF

Keeping in regular communication with staff about theft issues can also help. Remind your staff that you will prosecute any instances of theft, either by customers or staff. And highlight to them the actions you are taking to control customer and staff theft.

This can often be enough to dissuade staff from taking the risk of stealing from your store.

RETAILER VIEW JAS AUJLA Premier Bawtry Convenience Store, Doncaster “Spirits is a vital category to manage well. It’s particularly important to keep a close eye on stock in the storeroom and we do stock takes in there even more carefully than we do on the shop floor.

It doesn’t take long at all but it helps ensure that we’re not losing any high value stock from an area not covered by cameras.”

April 2018 TalkingShop

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TS.indd 56Talking Shop Ad 210x280mm.indd 1 Sugarfree

23/04/2018 10:53:36 11/04/2018 17:34

LaunchReview FEEDBACK ON THE LATEST BOOKER PRODUCTS

E-liquid range drives profits in-store

61.7% POR £8,000

The Edge range:

The following flavours are available from Edge in two nicotine strengths: l British Tobacco l Very Menthol l Blackcurrant l Strawberry & Lime l Heizen l Cherry Menthol l Virginia Tobacco l Strawberry Milkshake l Blueberry l Forest Fruits

Extra profit to retailers from selling 100 bottles of Edge per week

Giving Premier retailers the Edge Since Booker first launched the British-made range of Edge e-liquids last year the brand has gone on to build a strong following and grow profits, sales and footfall in Premier stores.

The vaping category offers enormous potential to Premier retailers as more and more shoppers move into e-cigarettes. The launch in Booker last year of the Edge range of vaping e-liquids offered Premier retailers the ideal package to drive extra sales, profits and footfall: a high quality, British-made product at a fantastic price of just £2.50 and delivering PORs in excess of 61% for retailers.

At around half the price of the major branded equivalents, it’s no surprise that the range has been a huge hit with shoppers and Premier retailers alike, particularly as the range comprises 10 popular flavours and two different nicotine strengths.

Based on a typical store selling around 100 bottles a week,

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Premier retailers can expect to make an additional £8,000 profit a year from stocking the full range!

With the UK vaping market expected to grow to £1bn in the near future and with only around 25% of vaping sales coming through convenience stores, there is clearly a huge opportunity for Premier retailers to cash in – and Edge lines give them the perfect range to do just that.

The range has been popular with Premier retailers entering the vaping category for the first time and also with stores who already had a vaping offer but were keen to improve their high value offer, allowing them to add a high quality range at a fantastic price point.

April 2018

23/04/2018 10:53:37

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shopper’s view…

Kieran Craig, Macclesfield “I’ve been vaping for a few years now but it can be quite hard to find e-liquids that are reasonably priced but also taste great and are good quality. There are so many options on the market these days and I’ve tried a lot of them but the e-liquids at the value end of the market tend to be harsh and unpleasant. So I was delighted when I first tried the Edge range at my local Premier store. At just £2.50 they’re brilliant value but the also totally deliver on quality. The fact they’re made in the UK is reassuring and I also like the fact that there are lots of flavours to choose from. I tend to mix and match my flavours so the Edge range is perfect for me.”

IN SUMMARY

1

The range is made entirely in Great Britain to the highest standards guaranteeing quality and consistency every time.

2

Fantastic value RSP at just £2.50 per bottles, around half the price of branded equivalents from the major tobacco manufacturers.

3

Exceptional PORs of 61.7% for retailers, delivering an extra £8,000 a year for retailers selling an average of 100 bottles per week.

4

Extensive range of 10 different flavours, all available in two different strengths, provides a product for every shopper requirement.

RETAILER VIEW KRISHNA DAS Premier Highfield Convenience Store, Farnworth “We introduced a new vaping range last year as I felt we weren’t really getting hold of that category in-store and we were missing out on a lot of sales. It can be a fairly complex category for retailers but I found that the star performing range out of everything I added last year was the Edge range.

“As soon as it hit the shelves it was the one that was generating the most interest and driving the best sales figures – and it’s easy to see why. For me, the products look great on-shelf, the prominent price mark means shoppers notice it straight away and then, once they’ve tried it, they tend to buy and buy again.

“At just £2.50 it’s also not an expensive product to try for our shoppers so we found it very easy to get them to give the range a go and the feedback we got was just brilliant. With so many e-liquids available and shoppers not at all sure where they’re coming from or if they’re even safe, the fact that the Edge range is all made in Britain is a big selling point.

“Another thing that drives repeat sales is the size of the range.

There are 10 different flavours and while some shoppers tend to just stick to the same product every time, there are a lot more who like trying out the different flavours.

“Having them in two different strengths is great too. At the outset we were selling more of the higher 18mg version but more recently we’re seeing more growth from the 6mg range. There’s something for everyone.”

RETAILER VIEW BILLY BONE Premier Foreways Convenience Store, Carlisle “The Edge range was really the first e-liquids range that we introduced in the store that took off from day one. We have a nice counter-top unit that means shoppers can’t miss it and that typical Premier combination of a great value price and a high quality product has struck a chord with our shoppers.

“There are more and more of our shoppers trying to give up smoking to save money and for health reasons so we’re seeing more of them giving vaping a go. As retailers, it’s great to see them buying products with PORs at nearly 62%!”

RETAILER VIEW EMYR JONES Premier Siop Gwalia, Carmarthenshire “You’ve got to offer shoppers choice these days and give them what they want and that invariably means great products at great prices. Vaping is no different and while some shoppers might want the branded e-liquids at £5, many are looking for the extra value they get from the Edge range.

“At £2.50 a bottle, the prices are fantastic and I’m reliably told by my shoppers that the quality of the liquids inside is top notch. I think that’s what’s driving the high repeat sales we’re seeing and I expect that to continue long into the future.”

April 2018 TalkingShop

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Making Better Use of Epos | GUEST COLUMN

Faraz Iqbal, Premier Linktown Local, Kirkcaldy offers some great hints and tips on getting the most out of your Epos system.

Get more out of your Epos system Most modern Epos systems can manage a range of complex, time consuming tasks so it makes sense to spend time learning just what your system is capable of, says Faraz Iqbal.

A

modern Epos system is unquestionably one of the most indispensable tools available for helping Premier retailers run profitable, efficient businesses. In my experience it’s very easy to get into the habit of only using a small percentage of the huge functionality most systems offer. You can end up just running one or two reports and getting very little out of your Epos.

It’s true that powerful modern Epos systems might seem a bit daunting at first – but they are actually fantastic tools every retailer can use to enhance the business and gain real benefits in overall profit. All it takes is a little training and effort I use my Epos system (from The Retail Data Partnership) on a daily basis for a whole host of tasks like determining ranges, identifying effective product stocking strategies, managing stock control and, most importantly for me, full shop stock re-ordering.

The beauty of it is that I can do this all from my laptop anywhere in the country, or the world for that matter as it’s all done online.

I simply tell it which categories to re-order and when the delivery is expected and it automatically generates the order based on both current stock levels and previous sales data. It’s that simple.

The system effectively predicts from previous sales history exactly what stock you need in. This helps reduce stock holdings (and the cash tied up in it) and improves stocking efficiency.

It’s the stock control and auto-generated ordering through the Epos that is at the heart of our business. One tip I would add is that every retailer should start with a stock take on the tobacco category and use the system to re-order them. This alone saves me hours of work that I used to have to do manually every week.

Booker delivery notes are sent directly to the system updating the stock which means I

don’t even have to manually input deliveries.

Thanks to the integrations available on TRDP’s system I’ve also been able to seamlessly integrate chip and pin and the Zapper payment and customer insight solution.

Sales analysis is a critical part of my weekly routine. It’s amazing what sales data can reveal, from products that are selling better than you expected to those that aren’t selling very well at all. Even big brand products you think would sell can be appear on that list and I have delisted a few of these with no complaints or effect on sales.

I also analyse sales by category to see the overall benefit to the business of each category. That way I can add or reduce space for each category in-store according to sales.

Perhaps most important of all, Epos allows you to get a real grip on those all important margins. The system allows you to see exactly what each product is making you and what can be changed to improve those profits.

April 2018 TalkingShop

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Retail Crime | ACS Viewpoint

James Lowman The latest ACS Crime Report highlights that much more needs to be done to protect retailers.

ACS has recently published its latest Annual Crime Report and is working hard with policymakers and retailers to bring the issue much further up the political agenda.

W

e recently published our annual Crime Report, looking at the overall scale and impact of crimes committed against the convenience sector, covering everything from staff theft and fraud to robberies and ram raids. The headline figures in the report paint a stark picture with almost a million incidents of shop theft reported by retailers over the last year and the total cost of crime amounting to almost £200m, equating to a 7p crime tax on every transaction in the sector.

Measuring the national picture in our Crime Report is an important way of demonstrating to the government and the police why crimes like shop theft need to be taken seriously. It is clear that in many areas around the UK, the current response to what is considered ‘low level crime’ is neither consistent nor effective enough. We use the data in the

Crime Report to raise concerns with altogether where possible, but Ministers, MPs, PCCs and leaders when the worst does happen and in the police and have written to all serious crimes occur, also help to of them this week calling for more mitigate the human and business to be done to support retailers and impact and ensure that the police their staff. have all the information they need But beyond the statistics, it’s for their investigation. As part of important for us to highlight this work, we’ve launched a new IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO the very personal impact animation for retailers to share GET INVOLVED IN THE that crimes have on the with staff which details what POLITICAL WORK OF ACS people working in stores. to look out for and how to ....................... CALL ......................

Retailers and their staff manage the situations that are are on the front line, most likely to lead to abuse 01252 515 001 enforcing the law by and violence. ............. OR LOG ON TO ........... refusing underage sales, Dealing with crime remains www.acs.org.uk stopping the sale of alcohol an all too common part of to people that are drunk and running a convenience store looking out for shop thieves on a business. While there is no easy daily basis. answer to the question of how to We know that these are the things stop these incidents happening, that most often lead to violence and we can make sure that everyone abuse in stores, and that dealing in the system, from local police with that abuse regularly can take forces through to police and its toll. crime commissioners and central Alongside the main Crime government policymakers, Report, we provide guidance appreciate the seriousness of retail which helps people working in crime and work together think of stores prevent incidents happening new ways to tackle the problem.

April 2018 TalkingShop

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PG_Buxton_BSMarathon_Talking_Shop_April_210x280_vFNL.pdf

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27/03/2018

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they’l l be

e m o s g n i p p i s

AS they STRIDE

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YOURSHOUT GOT A QUESTION? Want to post a question or raise an issue with the Premier Team?

Get in touch by email at talking shop@55north.com or call 0141 222 5380.

YourShout WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND? RETAILERS PUT THEIR QUESTIONS TO PREMIER

World Cup plan?

Taking control of POS One of my pet hates is poor quality, homemade signage but in independent retail there are lots of opportunities that crop up when it would be great to have a POS solution that lets us produce high quality marketing material quickly ourselves. Does Premier have any plans for devising some sort of

solution that would help with that?

KRISHNA DAS, PREMIER HIGHFIELD CONVENIENCE STORE, FARNWORTH MARTYN PARKINSON, BRAND DIRECTOR – PREMIER SAID: Premier has just launched a new solution like the one you have described and you can read more about it on p45. Our new Premier

Printshop lets retailers take control of their POS needs from a central website. All you have to do is sign up at http:// printshop.premier-stores.co.uk and we’ll send you a pack of blank stationery you can use to create professional quality POS in-store. The Printshop features a whole range of templates for you to use for all common POS needs and we’re adding new functionality all the time.

Turning social media into profit Most Premier retailers use social media extensively but I was wondering whether Premier has advice on how to use it in to drive footfall, sales and profits? Much of what we post is just nice to do and helpful, but I’d like to make more use of Facebook to actually generate business.

ASIF AKHTAR, PREMIER SMEATON STORES, KIRKCALDY

MARTYN PARKINSON, BRAND DIRECTOR – PREMIER SAID: Social media is free and can be very, very powerful in boosting your bottom line if used well. Premier recently launched a series of Social Media Workshop to help retailers revitalise their social media strategies in ways precisely tailored to generate increases in sales, profits and footfall. Contact your RDM to find out how to get more support on social media.

I’m really looking forward to the World Cup for a whole host of reasons but mainly as it’s a fantastic opportunity to drive sales and basket spends. Do you have any basic advice on making the most of this global event?

MICHAEL HAITH, PREMIER SMILEY’S, BLACKPOOL MARTYN PARKINSON, BRAND DIRECTOR – PREMIER SAID: The World Cup is a great opportunity to create excitement and energy in-store to get your shoppers into the spirit and spending more money. In-store theatre is a great way of drawing attention to the World Cup, perhaps encouraging your staff to dress up football strips and possibly even with a dedicated fixture if you have the space.

You could run sweeps or competitions, or maybe award prizes on social media if any of the Home Nations win or score for example? Premier will also have a range of great promotions you can use to boost sales but it’s all about how much effort and energy you put into it yourself.

Thought and creativity will drive footfall, sales and profits.

April 2018 TalkingShop

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THE UNIQUE AND ICONIC TASTE OF DISARONNO EXPERTLY BLENDED WITH REFRESHING LEMON FOR THAT PERFECT COCKTAIL EXPERIENCE

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SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. SELECTED STORES ONLY.

23/04/2018 10:53:53

Talking Shop

Issue 94 April 2018