TalkingShop December 2020

Talking Shop ISSUE 109 – December 2020

The magazine for Premier retailers

PLUS

Delivering profits

Premier retailers share home delivery secrets

Hit the ground running Solihull retailer sees 100% increase in a month

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Safe and sound

Maintaining a safe environment key to growing footfall

Christmas crackers How to drive profits this Christmas

25/11/2020 10:23:07

INTENSITY

INTENSITY

INTENSITY

MENTHOL TOBACCO TASTE

CAPSULE

TOBACCO TASTE

INTENSITY

INTENSITY

INTENSITY

INTENSITY

INTENSITY

PRE-CLICK POST-CLICK

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NEW HEETS Teak Selection Now your customers have even more choice.

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This material should not be made available to the public or sent to anyone else. This product is addictive and is not risk-free. Not for sale to persons under the age of 18.

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Talking Shop | December 2020

Welcome Talking Shop ISSUE 109 – Decem

ber 2020

A very warm welcome to the final issue of Talking Shop of 2020 after an unprecedented year. It has been a difficult year for everyone across the country but Premier retailers have met the challenges they have faced and I thank every one of you for your heroic efforts.

In this issue we look ahead to Christmas with a special focus on alcohol and confectionery, two vital categories. As always, we have a fantastic selection of promotions available to help Premier retailers end the year on a high with maximum footfall, sales and profits.

Home delivery is another key growth opportunity and in this issue we speak to several Premier retailers who have really embraced home delivery to learn their secrets.

With basket spends typically remaining higher than pre-Covid levels, driving footfall is clearly key at the moment. A great place to start is with vital categories like bread, milk, eggs, sugar and bakery that bring shoppers to your store on a daily basis.

If you don’t yet have a coffee machine or if you do but want to upgrade, then we have a great deal that’s right for you. Check out the feature in this issue to see how you can make more of coffee in-store.

And with shoppers more careful than ever, maintaining a safe store environment is vital in maximising footfall, so be sure to read our special guide to making sure your store is visibly safe and hygienic.

I wish you all fantastic trading over the festive period.

Martyn Parkinson, Brand Director Premier

4 TalkingShop

The magazin

e for Premier

retailers

PLUS

Delivering profi

Hit the ground running

Solihull retailer sees 100% increase in a month

Premier reta ts ilers share hom deliver y sec e rets

Safe and sound

Maintaining a safe environment key to growin g footfall

Christmas crackers How to drive profits this Christmas

COVER STORY Solihull retailers gets off to a flyer with 100% sales increases in a month.

THE THREE BIG STORIES 25 FESTIVE FOCUS

Alcohol and confectionery to set sales alight.

35 DELIVERING GROWTH

Premier retailers share the secrets of home delivery success.

49 BEAN SCENE

Exclusive coffee machine deals for Premier retailers.

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.

December 2020

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41

21

15

Ones to watch

Solihull is up and running

Refit for purpose

35

Home delivery

BOOKER EXCLUSIVE

57

Launch review

7

8

Premier News

61 GroceryAid

Alcohol and confectionery key this

Help is at hand for anyone that

favourite group for the third time.

Christmas.

needs it.

New disabled guidance

30 Daily essentials

63 ACS Viewpoint

The Equality and Human Rights

Drive footfall with a strong daily

James Lowman offers his Lockdown

Commission issues new retailer

essentials offer.

2.0 play book.

guidance.

9

25 Festive focus

Premier named the shopper’s

Faraz shines Kirkcaldy Premier retailer claims two Convenience Awards.

11 Community news Julie Dhura recognised for Covid-19 fundraising efforts.

13 Sector growing The independent retailing sector is growing, says ACS Local Shop Report.

15 Refit for purpose Sidcup store drives sales growth with refit and extension.

21 Instant hit

35 How to deliver growth Premier retailers unlock home delivery growth.

41 Ones To Watch The newest products to hit the shelves.

49 Cash in on coffee

45 Prices Down Grow sales with Christmas essentials.

49 Brewing a boom Exclusive coffee machine deals for Premier retailers.

53 Safe means profitable Creating footfall through a safe environment.

Premier store in Solihull doubles sales in a month.

December 2020 TalkingShop

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PremierNews NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS PREMIER

Premier named as Shoppers’ Favourite once more Premier has come out on top as the Shopper’s Favourite Convenience Fascia for the third consecutive year at the recent year’s Convenience Awards 2020.

Premier’s place at the heart of communities across the country has been cemented once more with shoppers voting Premier as their Favourite Convenience Fascia for the third year in a row at the recent Convenience Awards 2020, the top award available on the night.

Held virtually for the first time, the event was hosted by TV presenter Konnie Huq and saw Premier win an amazing three of the most coveted awards: Shoppers’ Favourite Convenience Fascia 2020; Shoppers’ Favourite Symbol Group 2020; and Shoppers’ Favourite Convenience Fascia for BWS 2020.

The awards recognised the very best people,

retailers, businesses and initiatives from across the convenience retail industry.

Lorraine Hendle, Managing Director at The Grocer and Conveniencestore.co.uk said: “Convenience retail has been on the frontline since the beginning of the pandemic, ensuring local communities have access to the essential produce that they need. Last night saw the entire convenience community come together to recognise the achievements of individuals, initiatives and businesses that are at the forefront of our brilliant industry. Huge congratulations must go to our winners, however every single award was incredibly closely contested, showcasing the high standards set across the industry.”

Premier Brand Director Martyn Parkinson commented: “I’d really like to say a very big thank you to all of our Premier retailers and this shows they are doing a fantastic job for their shoppers and serving their local communities.

This is the third consecutive year Premier has won this prestigious award and it’s an absolute honour to accept it on behalf of our customers.

“It has been an extraordinary time for independent retailers and this awards demonstrates the extra mile that our Premier customers have been going for their shoppers. We always encourage our retailers to focus on choice, price and service to deliver what their shoppers are looking for from a convenience store. It is then our job at Booker to support this and give our customers what they need to succeed. I hope this award will really inspire our retailers to know that they’re really being appreciated by their shoppers and we can continue to build on this this amazing success. Thank you - this means the world to everyone at Premier, the Booker team and our fabulous Premier retailers.”

INBRIEF PREMIER SHINES!

Shoppers’ Favourite Convenience Fascia 2020

Shoppers’ Favourite Symbol Group 2020

Shoppers’ Favourite Convenience Fascia for BWS 2020

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

December 2020 TalkingShop

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News

INBRIEF New guidance on doing HFSS AD BAN CONSULTATION The UK government has opened a new consultation on proposals to ban online adverts for foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) in the UK as a way to tackle the obesity crisis.

The consultation runs for six weeks and will gather views from the public and industry stakeholders to understand the impact and challenges of introducing a total ban on the advertising of these products online.

Health and social care secretary Matt Hancock said: “I am determined to help parents, children and families in the UK make healthier choices about what they eat.

We know as children spend more time online, parents want to be reassured they are not being exposed to adverts

more for disabled shoppers The Equality and Human Rights Commission has issued new guidance on how retailers can to more to help disabled customers in their stores.

In response to growing concerns over the accessibility of convenience stores and supermarkets during lockdown, the Equality & Human Rights Commission has issued new guidance on how retailers can to more to help disabled customers in their stores during the pandemic.

The guidance explains how retailers should anticipate the needs of disabled shoppers and make reasonable adjustments so that they can shop with confidence – especially for food and essential items. The new guidance includes four steps: l Provide a service that meets the needs of all shoppers – anticipate, prepare and make reasonable adjustments for disabled shoppers. l Plan ahead to think about the needs of your disabled shoppers – consider and make changes to policies and procedures, as well as provide extra support and equipment, where necessary. l Communicate with your shoppers – inform shoppers about how they will be supported

through a variety of ways such as easy to read signs and spoken announcements. l Train your staff – ensure that staff are supported with the right tools to help disabled shoppers, in line with the latest government guidelines on coronavirus.

Rebecca Hilsenrath, Chief Executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: “Shopping has changed for everyone during the pandemic. We’ve read extraordinary stories of the efforts made by retailers to provide help where it was needed. Nevertheless, a task which already carried particular challenges and barriers for disabled people has become almost impossible for some.

“It is essential that disabled people are not left behind as retailers continue to meet the challenges of the ongoing pandemic.”

For advice, visit www.equalityhumanrights.com

promoting unhealthy foods, which can affect eating habits for life.

“This will be a world-leading measure to tackle the obesity challenges we face now but it will also address a problem that will only become more prominent in the future.”

8 TalkingShop

ACS issues Brexit guidance for retailers The Association of Convenience Stores has published an ‘EU Exit Readiness Briefing’ for the independent retailing sector to help retailers consider how their business may be affected at the end of the transition period on 31st December 2020. The document has been developed in consultation with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and other relevant government departments.

The briefing covers three core elements: trading environment, workforce & people, and regulations.

It also provides information on the government’s Reasonable Worst Case Scenario for border delays, sell-through periods of particular products, and the expected changes to labelling of goods that will be sold within convenience.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “Local shops have been concerned about the impact of our departure from the EU on their businesses and we have been working to provide convenience

store operators with clarity on what they can do to prepare ahead of the end of the transition period.

“This briefing provides convenience retailers with an outline of the key areas to consider within their business as we move through the next stage of the EU exit. This should form the agenda for retailers’ planning meetings over the coming weeks.”

The full ACS briefing is available on the ACS website at www.acs.org.uk.

December 2020

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News

Faraz stars at Convenience Awards Kirkcaldy Premier retailer and PDG member Faraz Iqbal secured not one but two awards at this year’s Convenience Retail Awards.

INBRIEF STAY SAFE, STAY PROFITABLE

Premier offers a huge array of professionally created in-store POS materials that retailers can use to highlight important safety, hygiene and social distancing measures during lockdown.

One of the biggest concerns that shoppers have when visiting a store is just how safe, hygienic and welcoming it feels to them. The importance of maintaining a visibly safe environment cannot be overstated when it comes

PDG member Faraz Iqbal claimed two separate awards at the recent Convenience Retail Awards, held virtually recently and hosted by TV presenter Konnie Huq. Faraz, who owns and runs Premier Linktown Local in Kirkcaldy, scooped both the prized Small Convenience Retailer of the Year and Community Retailer of the Year awards.

Organised by Conveniencestore.co.uk, The Grocer and Lumina Intelligence, the awards aim to recognise the very best people, retailers, businesses and initiatives from across the convenience retail industry.

Faraz told Talking Shop: “It’s been a very difficult year for the entire independent retailing industry so it’s fantastic for me and my team to the end the

year on a high. We’ve always been a very community-focused shop but under coronavirus our community has relied on us more than ever. These awards demonstrate that we’ve risen to the challenge and we’ve been there for our shoppers when they needed us most.

“A huge thank you to my team for helping ensure that the community can rely on us when they need us.”

to keeping shoppers and staff safe as well as in driving footfall.

It’s critical that Premier retailers not only ensure their stores are safe and secure but also communicate that fact to shoppers efficiently and often – both inside and outside the store, and on social media.

Materials available cover vital subjects including social distancing, contactless payment, temporary opening

Own brand ice cream is a winner!

Booker’s own brand Classic White Ice Cream has come up trumps at the recent Quality Food Awards. The creamy vanilla ice cream smothered in smooth white chocolate came out top in the Hand Held Ice Cream category, a fantastic result considering the fact that the rules for the competition were changed this year meaning that retail products were also competing with supermarket own brand products for the first time.

Despite the tough competition, the quality of the Classic White Ice Cream shone through – and Premier retailers now have another awardwinning product to offer their shoppers at the fantastic value price of just 75p with an outstanding POR of over 40%.

hours, out of stock alerts and home delivery.

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

December 2020 TalkingShop

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CommunityNews OPINION, NEWS AND ACHIEVEMENTS FROM PREMIER RETAILERS

Julie and Joey are INBRIEF Community Champions!

COMMUNITY HEROES RECOGNISED

Big-hearted community retailers Julie and Joey Dhura have raised over £4,000 for local charities under lockdown and their efforts have been rewarded with a prestigious NFRN Community Champion Award.

Community-minded Premier retailers Julie and Joey Dhura, who run Jules Convenience in Telford, have found time over many years to raise thousands of pounds of much-needed

money for a range of local charities and good causes – and their amazing efforts have been rewarded with a prestigious NFRN Community Champion

Award 2020.

The pair have raised over £4,000 under lockdown alone with a constant programme of activity. Julie explains: “We’ve been here for 30 years so we are very community-minded.

Every year we choose three principal charities and this year we’ve been delighted to be able to surpass our £3,000 target by raising an amazing £4,000 for Severn Hospice, Children with Cancer UK and The Georgia Williams Trust – and we’re not finished yet.”

Activities have included cake sales, raffles, running and cycling challenges, and more.

Premier

retailers across the country, including Dennis Williams of Premier Broadway Convenience Store in Edinburgh and Anita Nye of Premier Eldred Drive Stores in Orpington, have been recognised as community heroes by the NFRN. The awards were made as part of NFRN’s ‘Shop Local, Shop Little’ campaign during the summer to encourage shoppers to use small, local stores more often.

The winning retailers received framed certificates recognising their outstanding “contribution to your community during the Covid-19 pandemic”.

Dennis told Talking Shop:

Galashiels retailer’s community efforts rewarded

“Every Premier retailer

Steve Wilson, who runs two Premier stores in the Scottish Borders, has been recognised by the local Rotary Club for the community work he has done in his area during the pandemic.

Steve runs Premier Tweedbank Late Shop and Premier Scott Street Stores and has played a vital role in his communities throughout the coronavirus pandemic, efforts that were rewarded with a Community Champions Award from the Rotary Club.

Among his community activities, Steve set up a charity collection for the family of a local nurse who unfortunately passed away due to coronavirus.

Steve told Talking Shop: “In an area like this, we felt it was important that we helped pull the communities together and galvanise our efforts for maximum effect. We have simply been helping out where we can and helping our communities, which have faced really tough times over the last six or seven months.”

we have all played a crucial

deserves this award because role at the heart of the communities we serve since the pandemic begun in March.”

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

December 2020 TalkingShop

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IndustryNews A DIGEST OF NEWS FROM THE INDEPENDENT RETAILING INDUSTRY

Sales and jobs in growth, says ACS Local Shop Report The ACS Local Shop Report 2020 has found that the independent retailing sector in the UK has seen sales flourish in the last 12 months.

INBRIEF ‘GENERATION P’ OPPORTUNITY

Global industry charity IGD has highlighted an important growth opportunity for Premier retailers and a sector that is often overlooked, shoppers aged between 50 and 64.

The latest Association of Convenience Stores Local Shop Report for 2020 has found that the independent retailing sector has seen huge spikes in sales since the coronavirus pandemic first struck in the UK, as shoppers proved unwilling to visit larger stores.

The report revealed that the 46,955 stores in the UK convenience sector currently employ around 412,000 people, generating sales of over £44.7bn over the last year.

Its findings demonstrate how important the UK’s network of convenience stores is to thousands of communities and millions of customers.

Average basket spend jumped from £6.38 in 2019 to £7.46 this year with categories such as canned packaged grocery and soft drinks seeing significant growth year-on-year.

In the last year, convenience stores have invested over £585m in improving their businesses and introducing new services for customers while the number of people employed by the sector has been increased by over 7,000 to 412,000.

The so-called ‘Generation P: The Perennial Shoppers’ are, says the report, “digitally savvy, experimental and willing to spend more for quality” and will account for 30% of all food and drink spend in the UK. According to the IGD research, Generation P shoppers: l are increasingly engaged online grocery shoppers with over half (56%) shopping online for food ‘sometimes’. l have an affinity with brands that they have grown up with, but also hold own label products in the same high

Healthy Start payments increased The government will increase the value of Healthy Start payments as part of measures to safeguard children’s food security. The move welcomed by independent retailers and industry trade bodies across the UK. The Healthy Start initiative provides pregnant women and parents with young children who are in receipt of qualifying benefits with vouchers which can be used to purchase certain products in-store, including fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, cow’s milk, and infant formula. In October the scheme was extended in England and Wales to include pulses and tinned fruit and vegetables.

The government plans to increase Healthy

Start payments from £3.10 to £4.25 a week from April 2021.

Premier retailers can sign up to accept vouchers by visiting the Healthy Start website at www. healthystart.nhs.uk/for-retailers/.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We welcome the government’s decision to increase the value of Healthy Start vouchers.

Local shops play a vital role in feeding their communities, including providing their customers with a healthy food provision.

“Around a third of convenience retailers currently accept Healthy Start vouchers in their stores and we are committed to growing this number further.”

regard. l value convenience and quality over price. l would like to select products with specific ethical or environmental credentials but tend to prioritise other factors in their purchasing decisions.

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

December 2020 TalkingShop

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Sidcup | STORE PROFILE

Refit for

purpose BROTHERS IN ARMS: The Singh brothers and their fantastic new store.

Brothers Jaipal and Kulvir Singh fully refitted and extended their Premier store in Sidcup during the summer in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and saw immediate 20% increases in sales.

U

ndertaking a massive refit and store extension in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic is a daunting task to contemplate for anyone, but for Sidcup retailing brothers Jaipal and Kulvir Singh it was just another step in their strategy of constant investment in their store. “There’s no doubt that completing the refit and extension during the pandemic complicated a lot of issues for us,” says Jaipal, known better to his shoppers as Jai. “But we felt that, despite the added challenges, we really wanted to keep moving the store forward and take it up another level or two to help us make the most of both the current buoyant trading period and the period that will follow once coronavirus finally recedes. It’s really a case of future-proofing the business.”

The project initially began in July

2019 but due to a number of unforeseen challenges, most of them around building issues, the newly extended and refitted store only opened in its impressive new guise in August 2020.

“It was very frustrating period but we were delighted to finally be able to complete it earlier this year,” explains Jai. “And the fact that we hit coronavirus half way through the project didn’t put us off. If anything it reinforced the importance of investing in the store to allow us to capitalise on all the opportunities that we’ve seen develop since March.”

The store formerly had a small 1,000sq ft shopfloor but a major extension all but doubled that space to 1,900sq ft, allowing for the introduction of a range of new and important categories including hot and chilled food to go and coffee.

December 2020 TalkingShop

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STORE PROFILE | Sidcup

20% Sales increase after refit

BIGGER IS BETTER: The new store has almost doubled in size after the extension.

CHILL OUT: The fresh and chilled range has been expanded significantly.

SPACE RACE: The expanded store allows for wider aisles for shoppers.

ISLAND LIFE: The centre of the store is dominated by a chilled ‘island’ which helps set the tone.

Store CV:

Name: Premier Newsmarket Retailers: Jaipal and Kulvir Singh Time as retailers: 4 years Time with Premier: 4 years Size: 1,900sq ft Staff: 4 full time; 2 part time Services: licensed, Post Office, Lottery, hot food to go, coffee, American candy, Tango Ice Blast Nearest competition: Waitrose and Co-op within 200m Trading hours: 5.30am – 9pm Mon to Sat; 7am – 7pm Sun

16 TalkingShop

SOFT OPTION: Fastselling soft drinks now enjoy a much larger chiller.

December 2020

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

CUSTOMER CARE: A Post Office drives footfall while a refitted counter with spirits gantry drives profit.

THAT’S A DEAL: A dedicated chiller highlights Meal Deals.

“The idea behind the extension was to allow us to really grow the choice we could offer our shoppers,” says Jai. “What today’s shoppers are looking for has changed dramatically in the last year or two and coronavirus has accelerated those changes even more – so we knew we had to keep up and the only way we could see to do that was by physically increasing the size of the shop and giving it a fantastic new look and feel.”

The store sits very close to the main A2 road with a junction nearby, so it enjoys a significant amount of passing trade as well as benefitting from the custom of the local area. There are also four schools nearby and, having a Post Office in-store, Jai and Kulvir – or Kay as he is better known – have never struggled for footfall.

PROMO FOCUS: Premier promotions are a vital part of the store’s offer.

GOOD TO GO: A new food to go section has been a huge hit.

“We’re in a great location and we’ve always had good footfall levels, in part

900SQ FT Added to shopfloor during extension

thanks to the Post Office,” explains Jai. “But with the extension and refit we wanted to turn that footfall in bigger sales and profits.”

At the heart of the new store’s offer is food to go and chilled. A new Country Choice hot food solution has been added as well as a coffee machine. Jai and Kay also significantly grew the chilled space in the store with extra

space for the standard chilled range as well as for an increased chilled food to go range.

Jai comments: “With all the passing trade from the A2 as well as all the trade we see from schoolkids, locals and builders in the area, we knew that food to go was a must for the new store,” he says. “Now hot food is available from 6am and we serve right through the day and it’s been a huge success, as has the addition of a coffee machine and a Tango Ice Blast machine. We’ve added some really eye-catching island chillers too which helps demonstrate to shoppers what the new store is all about. It basically just looks like an entirely different, more modern store these days and our shoppers are loving it.”

The refit has been so successful that sales instantly leaped another 20% almost December 2020 TalkingShop

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chilled Christmas coffee.

From Starbucks.

In a festive red cup.

Like a Christmas gift.

coffee

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

THE ESSENTIALS: Daily essentials are highlighted in a special bay.

IN THE SPIRIT: A new backlit spirits gantry is a highlight.

overnight – and that’s on top of the growth in sales that the store had already been enjoying during the pandemic.

“We have some big stores near us but nothing that compete with us in the areas that we now consider to be core to the store’s offer such as food to go, fresh and coffee,” says Jai. “The refit has allowed us to unlock a whole new incremental revenue stream and we’re seeing growth every day.”

As well as the food to go improvements, the expanded store has also allowed for increased space on all other key categories such as alcohol, soft drinks, confectionery, crisps and snacks and frozen. “We’ve also added in entirely new categories for us like American candy which is working well but once the schools get back to something

PAPER PROFITS: Magazines and stationery help broaden choice.

resembling normality we would expect it to really kick on again.”

While normality may be a little while off yet, Jai and Kay are using the pandemic period to strengthen their growing relationship with local shoppers and have been very active helping out where they can.

“We’ve been delivering free of charge to the vulnerable, elderly and self-isolating,” says Jai, “because we feel it’s our role at the heart of community to help those who need our help in these difficult times. We started out delivering newspapers but over time we’ve been adding in essentials like bread and milk and just helping make sure that our vulnerable shoppers are looked after. It’s important that our local community can rely on us when they need us and it’s very clear

HOT STUFF: Hot food to go drives regular footfall.

GET FRESH: Fresh fruit and veg is growing in popularity under lockdown.

to me that they really appreciate the support we’ve been offering. Independent retailers have demonstrated how valuable they are to communities during this pandemic and I think a lot of shoppers will remember that long into the future.”

While Jai and Kai could have had no idea what lay ahead when they first started their refit and extension, their commitment to the project has been more than rewarded. Jai concludes: “Constantly investing in your store is vital if you want to keep up with shopper trends at the best of times, but in times like this when so much is changing so quickly, it’s even more important. Our store is now more than just a convenience store: it’s an invaluable community resource and we take that responsibility very seriously.”

December 2020 TalkingShop

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Solihull | STORE PROFILE

Off and

running Solihull retailer Mudassir Naweed only took over his second Premier store in September, but a massive refit has helped him hit the ground running.

W

hen Solihull retailer Mudassir Naweed got his hands on a second store this year, there was never any debate about who his symbol partner in the business would be. “We owned an unaffiliated independent store for around seven years and when I finally persuaded my dad before he retired that we should join Premier, we saw an overnight increase of 200% in sales,” he recalls. “That was back in 2015 and for the last couple of years I’ve been looking for the right second store. When we finally found it, Premier was the only option for me.”

Mudassir only took the store over in September but it required a full-scale refit before it could re-open under the Premier banner. “The previous owner had it for 20 years and it was a very traditional 750sq ft CTN-style shop and was badly in need of updating,” he says. “I knew the previous owner and bumped into him one time in the local Booker branch and he told me he was retiring. One thing led to another and we did the deal within a couple of months.”

The refit was a major project, as Mudassir explains: “It was a real back-to-bare-

FAST TRACK: Mudassir has seen 100% growth in sales within a month of his refit.

200% increase in sales when he first joined Premier December 2020 TalkingShop

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STORE PROFILE | Solihull

100% increase in sales in new store in a month

brick refit and we had to replace literally everything. It took us two and a half weeks and it was an anxious time, but we got there and it looks fantastic now. My customers agree because virtually every shopper that comes into the store has that ‘wow’ look on their face. They can’t believe it’s the same store they’ve known for 20 years!”

A JTI rep in a former life, Mudassir has seen the inside of a lot of stores and had a good idea of what he wanted to achieve with the refit, but he also leaned heavily on the Premier team. “As far as I’m concerned, one of the key benefits of being with Premier is that they free me up to get on with the day job. As busy retailers we don’t always have the time to keep reviewing ranges and keeping up with the latest trends but Premier does an amazing job of looking after that bigger picture for me. So when we were planning the new store, I worked extensively with the team from Premier to plan which products and services we wanted to bring in, how much space each category should have an so on. Their support was invaluable.”

At 750sq ft, the store is relatively small but Mudassir has succeeded in bringing in pretty much every category considered key in modern independent retailing. “We added a lot of categories that the store had never stocked like fresh fruit and veg, a big chilled range, hot and chilled food to go, coffee and locally sourced bakery products,” says Mudassir. “Plus we expanded the space given over to important categories like alcohol, soft drinks, confectionery and crisps and snacks. There’s more of everything that there was before.”

The store sits on a through road in a densely populated area so Mudassir enjoys a good mix of local custom and passing trade and the striking new frontage helps attract shoppers in.

“It’s quite an affluent area and I think that the locals believe, for the first time, that they have a store that’s in tune with their requirements,” he says. “I’ve lost count of how many times shoppers have commented

22 TalkingShop

COOL SALES: The chilled alcohol section has been expanded.

SMALL BUT PERFECT: It’s a small store but it offers everything shoppers need.

FRESH OPTIONS: The store now has a fresh range for the first time.

Store CV:

Name: Premier Olton Convenience, Solihull Retailer: Mudassir Naweed Time as a retailer: 17 years Time with Premier: 5 years Stores in group: 2 Size: 750sq ft Staff: 3 Services: Lottery, PayPoint, Hermes, cashback, food to go, coffee, local bakery products Nearest competition: Tesco Express and Co-op within ½ mile Trading hours: 7am – 9pm

on how ‘posh’ the store looks now!”

One challenge that Mudassir faces is that the previous owner didn’t use Epos so he only has the most basic information to go on when judging how well the store is now performing with Premier, but he says he has enough data to be confident that sales “are up at least 100%”.

“Because the store has been here forever and lots of locals never used it, it’s taking a little time to spread the word,” he says, “but we’re seeing new faces every single day and once they’ve visited once they usually come back. Footfall has grown consistently since we first opened the doors and I think my shoppers appreciate that they can get everything they need locally now, without having to travel further to supermarkets or discounters.”

Proving particularly popular are the Premier Meal Deals and Evening-In Deals, with lots of shoppers buying into them and returning regularly specifically for them.

“I’d have to say that everything is working at the moment – promotions, daily essentials, Hermes, PayPoint, alcohol – but I have been impressed by how successful the Meal Deals have been,” he comments.

December 2020

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

SERVICE CULTURE: New services like Hermes and PayPoint are value by shoppers.

BEAN SCENE: A new coffee machine has driven footfall, sales and profit.

The food to go and coffee offer is another star of the show so far, particularly in the morning and at lunchtime. “Food to go is something that the local community haven’t been able to access until now so it’s proving really popular and I think my shoppers really appreciate it. Adding PayPoint into the store has also been something that the community appreciates.”

Perhaps the most talked about element of the refit, however, has been the addition of digital media screens at the front window.

“We’re famous in the local area as ‘the shop with the tellies in the window’,” laughs Mudassir. “It’s just a little thing but for some reason it’s really landed with my shoppers and that’s fine with me. It adds interest and excitement and it’s something a little different.”

While the store is still very much in its infancy under its shiny new Premier guise, the signs are entirely positive that Mudassir’s latest acquisition has a bright future ahead of it. “I’m definitely looking forward to Christmas,” he concludes. “And I’m looking forward to serving my community over the festive period and making their lives easier and more enjoyable.”

SUB ZERO: A new upright freezer features a big range and highlights Meal Deals.

ESSENTIAL RANGE: Essentials and fresh keep shoppers coming back.

BIG FEEL: The small store feels spacious and offers a wide range across all key categories.

December 2020 TalkingShop

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Menthol JUULpods now available.

The newest addition to our flavour portfolio.

Booker M Code M251569 M254505 M251602 M251607

Product JUUL Starter Kit JUUL Device & USB Charger Only Royal Crème 18 mg/ml JUULpods Glacier Mint 18 mg/ml JUULpods

Case Quantity 4 8 8 8

Designed for adult smokers.

WSP £69.97 £93.28 £51.28 £51.28

RRP £29.99 £19.99 £10.99 £10.99

% POR 30% 30% 30% 30%

Booker M Code M251609 M251613 M251605 M258868

Case Product Quantity WSP Golden Tobacco 18 mg/ml JUULpods 8 £51.28 Alpine Berry 18 mg/ml JUULpods 8 £51.28 Mango Nectar 18 mg/ml JUULpods 8 £51.28 Menthol 18 mg/ml JUULpods 8 £51.28

RRP £10.99 £10.99 £10.99 £10.99

% POR 30% 30% 30% 30%

Not for sale to minors.

JUUL is an e-cigarette. This is an age-restricted product and age verification is required at sale.

TM and © 2020 JUUL Labs, Inc. All rights reserved.

WARNING: This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance.

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Christmas Alcohol & Confectionery | FEATURE

A Christmas like no other

Christmas looks set to be a bumper sales period for Premier retailers so it will pay to make sure you have a great range of fantastic value products in the vital alcohol and confectionery categories.

25%

Minimum POR on new PMP fractionals

C

hristmas 2020 looks set to be a Christmas like no other with millions of shoppers planning to spend much of the festive period at home as it looks increasingly likely that many pubs, clubs and restaurants will remain closed due to coronavirus restrictions.

Lockdown has seen many drinking occasions shift back into shoppers’ homes and Accolade Wines estimates that there have been seven million additional off-trade occasions. That trend is more than likely to accelerate over the festive period which presents Premier retailers with a once-in-alifetime opportunity to drive footfall, sales and profits – and two of the most important categories will undoubtedly be alcohol and confectionery.

PMP FRACTIONALS Booker is helping Premier retailers maximise this opportunity with an outstanding array of activity including some great new product launches and an extensive selection of fantastic promotions.

One of the most exciting developments that will help retailers unlock additional sales and profits is the launch of a new line up of price-marked spirits fractionals.

The Christian Dupre, Grosvenor and Cane Trader Rum ranges are all now available in brand new price-marked packs and join the existing Jacobite and Chekov ranges which are already available in price-marked packs – and every line delivers at least 25% POR for retailers.

Additionally, the Christian Dupre range has been given a fresh new look to give it

NEW PMP FRACTIONALS RANGE Chekov Vodka 20cl Case size: 6x20cl WSP: £16.79 PMP: £4.49 POR: 25.2% Chekov Vodka 35cl Case size: 6x35cl WSP: £27.29 PMP: £7.29 POR: 25.1% Christian Dupre 20cl Case size: 6x20cl WSP: £19.79 PMP: £5.29 POR: 25.2% Christian Dupre 35cl Case size: 6x35cl WSP: £29.95 PMP: £7.99 POR: 25.0% Grosvenor Gin 35cl Case size: 6x35cl WSP: £29.95 PMP: £7.99 POR: 25.0% Cane Trader Dark Rum 35cl Case size: 6x35cl WSP: £29.95 PMP: £7.99 POR: 25.0% Cane Trader White Rum 35cl Case size: 6x35cl WSP: £29.95 PMP: £7.99 POR: 25.0% Cane Trader Spiced Rum 35cl Case size: 6x35cl WSP: £29.95 PMP: £7.99 POR: 25.0% Jacobite Whisky 20cl Case size: 6x20cl WSP: £18.69 PMP: £4.79 POR: 25.1% Jacobite Whisky 35cl Case size: 6x35cl WSP: £30.99 PMP: £7.99 POR: 25.2%

December 2020 TalkingShop

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Rustlers Talk Shop Magazine Trade Advert 210x280mm Oct 20 FINAL.pdf

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

SHOPPING LIST FIZZ AND SPECIALITY Looking for a special something to make the celebrations go with a swing – Premier has everything you need.

SHOPPING LIST WINE

Bucks Fizz Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £11.95 RSP: £2.99 POR: 20.07%

Premier has a fantastic selection of big brand wine ranges available to drive footfall, sales and profits this Christmas.

Blossom Hill Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £23.35 RSP: £5.99 POR: 22.04% Hardy’s Stamp Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £23.35 RSP: £5.99 POR: 22.04% Yellow Tail Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £25.95 RSP: £6.49 POR: 20.03% Barefoot Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £25.95 RSP: £6.49 POR: 20.03% Jacob’s Creek Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £25.49 RSP: £6.49 POR: 21.45% Campo Viejo Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £28.19 RSP: £6.79 POR: 16.97% Wolf Blass Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £29.89 RSP: £7.49 POR: 20.19 19 Crimes Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £29.89 RSP: £7.49 POR: 20.19% Brancott Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £29.95 RSP: £7.49 POR: 20.03% Trivento Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £28.99 RSP: £7.49 POR: 22.59% Mud House Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £31.85 RSP: £7.99 POR: 20.28% Oyster Bay Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £37.49 RSP: £9.49 POR: 20.99% Amicone Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £35.59 RSP: £9.49 POR: 24.99%

Royds Mulled Wine Case size: 6x70cl WSP: £11.95 RSP: £2.99 POR: 20.07% Dino Prosecco DOC Spumante* Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £28.45 RSP: £6.99 POR: 18.6% Canti Prosecco Brut Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £32.65 RSP: £7.99 POR: 18.27%

a more up to date design and better shelf presence.

Stocking fractionals is a great way of driving incremental sales, offering shoppers a big value route into top quality spirits for a smaller cash outlay.

WINE The Christmas period is incredibly valuable to wine sales with more than a quarter (27%) of the year’s sales by value occurring in the 12-week Christmas period, so it’s a huge opportunity for Premier retailers.

Wine sales increase by 150% at Christmas while fizz sales increase by around 275%, according to Accolade Wines – and lots of new shoppers enter the category at this time of year. Accolade says shoppers are also prepared to pay a premium for quality wine at Christmas with average price per litre 4% higher than normal. Consequently, brands remain important and are key to attracting shoppers into the category, offering familiarity and trust.

Sparkling wine is perfect to celebrate the festive season while still wine remains the favourite drink to have with Christmas dinner and it’s therefore vital retailers look out for the latest promotions to amplify these in-store – and Premier has a huge array of great deals this festive period.

To help retailers cash in on this spike in demand for wine, Premier has unveiled dozens of fantastic wine promotions [see panels] and there’s something there to suit every taste, every occasion and every pocket.

Freixenet Prosecco DOC Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £39.95 RSP: £9.99 POR: 20.02% Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £39.95 RSP: £9.99 POR: 20.02% Cockburn’s Port Special Reserve Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £39.95 RSP: £9.99 POR: 20.02% Moet Brut Imperial NV Gift Pack Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £129.99 RSP: £29.99 POR: 13.31% *Available on 2-for-£12 consumer deal in Period 10 [2nd Dec – 5th Jan] England and Wales only.

Some key lines to make extra space for include new 19 Crimes Sauvignon Block, Yellow Tail Jammy Red Roo and Mud House Sauvignon Blanc.

The 19 Crimes brand is the number one wine brand in independent retail among millennials and is the number one SKU by value among millennials, adding a whopping £18m to the category. The brand is in 87% growth by volume and 89% by value and has the highest repeat purchase rate among millennials as well as being in the top 10 best performing Australian wine brands, making it a must-stock brand for Premier retailers.

New 19 Crimes Sauvignon Block is the brand’s twist on the popular Sauvignon Blanc and, thanks to its artificial intelligence-powered scannable label and great quality liquid, is sure to be another star for Premier retailers.

Yellow Tail Jammy Red Roo is the largest red blended wine on the market worth £28.2m and is growing 55% in value December 2020 TalkingShop

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THE UK’S BEST SELLING CRAFT BEER IS NOW CARBON NEGATIVE. 8 x 330ml CAN PACKS OF PUNK IPA M263443

brewdog.com/tomorrow

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

SHOPPING LIST OWN BRAND WINE Talking Shop recommends the following own brand ranges as muststocks this Christmas

25%

year-on-year. It’s the third largest branded Australian red wine behind Yellow Tail’s Shiraz and Merlot varietals. With an average selling price that’s 10% higher than the total Minimum POR Australian wine category, it’s also a fantastic product for growing sales and profits.

Mud House Sauvignon Blanc is another wine worth prioritising as it is growing at an astonishing 118.4% year-on-year by value and is now worth over £15m. It’s the third largest New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in independent retailing.

Distant Vines PM499 Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £18.49 RSP: £4.99 PM POR: 25.9%

DISCOVER THE OWN BRAND RANGES

Seven Tenths PM549 Case size: 6x75cl WSP: £18.75 RSP: £5.49 PM POR: 31.7% (25% on multibuy*) Quirky Bird PM649 Case size: 6x75cl £22.49 RSP: £6.49 POR: 30.7% (25% multibuy*)

WSP: PM on

*Multibuy available in England and Wales only.

SHOPPING LIST CONFECTIONERY

Nothing says Christmas quite like some festive confectionery and Premier retailers have some great offers available this festive period, all available on a ‘When It’s Gone It’s Gone’ basis – so stock up immediately! Here are a few examples from the extensive range of promotions available: MerryTeaser Reindeer Case size: 32x29g PROMO WSP: £9.29 CONSUMER DEAL: Any 2 for £1 POR: 30.3% KitKat Santa Case size: 24x29g PROMO WSP: £6.99 CONSUMER DEAL: Any 2 for £1 POR: 30.1% Cadbury Orange Snowman Case size: 33x30g PROMO WSP: £9.99 CONSUMER DEAL: Any 2 for £1 POR: 27.3% Aero White Bubbles Bag Case size: 12x80g PROMO WSP: £7.15 CONSUMER DEAL: Only £1 POR: 28.5% Galaxy Milk Selection Large Case size: 8x244g PROMO WSP: £13.99 CONSUMER DEAL: Only £3 POR: 30.1%

To support Premier retailers in the run up to the festive season, when there is more demand for great quality, great value wines, so don’t forget about the new own brand ranges on offer.

The new EDLP wine ranges that launched in Autumn offer great tasting wines under three new contemporary brands. Not only do the wines have good shelf stand out, to help consumers in a rush, the back labels feature tasting notes and a new ‘goes with’ section.

There is a bottle to suit every occasion, whether it be a particularly favourite variety or just simply a good tasting midweek tipple.

Look out for these brands: Quirky Bird, which features four new varietal wines; Seven Tenths Bin 201, which offers three blended wines; and Distant Vines, which provides healthier, lower 8% ABV drinks at £6.49, £5.49 & £4.99 respectively. Each wine features peelable price mark labels giving retailers added flexibility, and the opportunity to drive the seasonal gifting opportunity.

There are also several multibuy deals available on Seven Tenths (2 for £10 (E+W only)), and Quirky Bird (2 for £12 (E+W only)).

CONFECTIONERY Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas for many shoppers without some indulgent festive confectionery. Premier has once again pulled together a fantastic array of chocolate confectionery promotions from some of the biggest brands.

A host of outstanding value shopper deals offers something for everyone with fantastic PORs of 30% or more available on many of the promotional products. KitKat Santas and MerryTeaser Reindeers will be a hit with the kids and deliver over 30% POR, while adult favourites like the Galaxy Selection Box and the Quality Street Carton also deliver well in excess of 30% POR. Promotional prices range from just £1 to £6.99, making then entire range accessible to all and suitable for every occasion from small individuals treats to sharing packs to lines ideal for gifting.

Why not create a dedicated Christmas confectionery display to really drive footfall, sales and profits?

Galaxy Milk 360g Case size: 17x360g PROMO WSP: £29.99 CONSUMER DEAL: Only £3 POR: 29.4% Cadbury Dairy Milk 360g Case size: 14x360g PROMO WSP: £25.49 CONSUMER DEAL: Only £3 POR: 27.2% Cadbury Milk Tray Case size: 8x180g PROMO WSP: £13.29 CONSUMER DEAL: Only £3 POR: 33.6% Cadbury Heroes Case size: 9x185g PROMO WSP: £12.99 CONSUMER DEAL: Only £2.50 POR: 30.7% Ferrero Rocher T16 Case size: 20x200g PROMO WSP: £53.00 CONSUMER DEAL: Only £4.50 POR: 29.3%

December 2020 TalkingShop

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FEATURE | Footfall Drivers

Driving daily footfall With Christmas on the horizon and more people shopping locally, it’s more important than ever for Premier retailers to focus on the products and categories that bring shoppers to their door on a daily basis.

2 for £2

Deals available until 5th Jan 2021

AMAZING VALUE ESSENTIALS – MILK Don’t forget to save your POS and use it until 5th Jan! PRODUCT

CASE SIZE

PROMO WSP

RSP

CONSUMER DEAL

RWD Fresh Semi Skimmed Milk

4x2ltr

£3.20

£1.39

Any 2 for £2

20.0%

RWD Fresh Whole Milk

4x2ltr

£3.20

£1.39

Any 2 for £2

20.0%

RWD Fresh Skimmed Milk

1x2ltr

£0.80

£1.39

Any 2 for £2

20.0%

Cravendale Whole milk

6x2ltr

£6.69

£1.99

£1.59

29.9%

Cravendale Semi Skimmed milk

6x2ltr

£6.69

£1.99

£1.59

29.9%

30 TalkingShop

POR

December 2020

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

Amazing Value

NEW

Es s en t ia ls

Drive your stores footfall!

Amazing Value

offer ends: 07/04/20

POS

only

Incl. Wholemeal/5050 Thick/Medium 800g

69p

Incl. Soft White Farmhouse/ Wholemeal/Slice Toastie Thick/Medium 800g

Amazing Value

Essential s

only

Esse ntia ls

only

£1.09

£1.09

6 Pack

only

any 2 for

£2

£1

each

Incl. Wholemeal/5050 Thick/Medium 800g

offer ends: 07/04/20

Some offers may not be available in all stores and are subject to availability. The higher price shown is the Premier RRP and may differ in some stores.

97365 04 Premier NP11 Amazing Value_Small Shelf Card.indd 19

16/01/2020 14:49

4’s/6’s

Amazing Value

Essentials

only

£1.09

only

£1

1.3L

each

See Instore For Details

Incl. Soft White Farmhouse/Wholemeal/Sliced/Toastie NP02 ENDS: 08/05/18 Thick/Medium 800g

Some offers may not be available in all stores and are subject to availability. The higher price shown is the Premier RRP and may differ in some stores.

offer ends: 07/04/20

2L

97365 01 Premier NP11 Amazing Value_Posters.indd 2

97365 03 Premier NP11 Amazing Value_Large Shelf Card.indd 28

16/01/2020 15:08

16/01/2020 14:30

Shelf cards

Posters

Large & Small Shelf Cards

Multi deal & single deal versions only

£1.09

any 2 for

Amazing Value

69p

only

2L

Incl. Soft White Farmhouse/ Wholemeal/Sliced/Toastie Thick/Medium 800g

Essen tials

6 Pack

only

only

£1

£1 £2 You WILL grow your 20% * Limited stock 8'x 2' banners Footfall, Sales & Profits POR!! with great execution on CORE save your POS & USE P13 - P1 ESSENTIALS! each

Incl. Wholemeal/5050 Thick/Medium 800g

each

1.3L

4’s/6’s

ALL THESE GREAT PROMOTIONS AT

offer ends: 07 07///04 04/20 04/20

Ask your RDM for availability.

NP13-NP1 Amazing Value Essentials A4Pack.indd PromoPackAdvert.indd 1 97248 59 NP13 Premier Premier Promo 15

27/01/2020 03/02/2020 15:22 15:09

AMAZING VALUE ESSENTIALS – SUGAR, EGGS & BACON Don’t forget to save your POS and use it until 5th Jan! PRODUCT

A

CASE SIZE

PROMO WSP

RSP

CONSUMER DEAL

Whitworth Sugar Granulated

15x1kg

£7.89

£1.00

Only 79p

Euro Shopper Eggs PM200

6x15pk

£7.99

£2.00

Only £2

33.4%

Euro Shopper Smk R/L Back Bacon PM300 10x500g

£21.00

£3.00

Only £3

30.0%

Euro Shopper U/S R/L Back Bacon PM300

£21.00

£3.00

Only £3

30.0%

s Christmas draws ever closer, it’s now more important than it has ever been for Premier retailers to take a fresh look at their stores and make sure that are focusing on the products and categories that bring shoppers to their stores on a daily basis.

Footfall has undoubtedly been hit by social distancing measures, however retailers have typically seen greatly increased basket spends. It makes sense then to work hard at growing footfall because every shopper that visits your store is likely to spend more than they would have done pre-coronavirus.

10x500g

DAILY ESSENTIALS The obvious strategy here is for Premier retailers to focus on those vital lines like bread, milk, eggs and sugar that keep shoppers returning to your store every day.

It’s these sorts of categories that shoppers top up on most often, so having a good range that is well presented and offered at great value prices is key to unlocking this valuable footfall growth.

Premier is helping retailers do precisely that with a range of fantastic promotions on daily essentials all the way through until the 5th of January 2021. A series of heavily discounted WSPs on the biggest bread brands like Warburtons, Hovis and Kingsmill mean that Premier retailers can

POR 33.4%

Deals available until 5th Jan 2021

December 2020 TalkingShop

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THE NO.1

ADULT SOFT DRINKS BRAND* 4 x 275 ml Case of 6

£7.95

20.1% POR

M068229

M292041

STOCK UP NOW FOR CHRISTMAS WHEN IT’S GONE IT’S GONE!

Christmas POS Kits with a consumer text-to-win competition supplied to all Premier retailers. Put yours up today to incentivise your customers. *Nielsen Scantrack, Total Coverage, Volume Sales, Data MAT to 23.08.2020, Adult Soft Drinks as defined by Britvic

Time to

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

AMAZING VALUE ESSENTIALS – BREAD Don’t forget to save your POS and use it until 5th Jan! PRODUCT

CASE SIZE

PROMO WSP

RSP

CONSUMER DEAL

Kingsmill 50/50 White Medium

10x800g

£8.00

£1.19

Only £1.09

26.6%

Kingsmill 50/50 White Thick

10x800g

£8.00

£1.19

Only £1.09

26.6%

Kingsmill Everyday White Med

10x800g

£8.00

£1.19

Only £1.09

26.6%

Kingsmill Everyday White Thick

10x800g

£8.00

£1.19

Only £1.09

26.6%

Kingsmill Everyday W/meal Thick

10x800g

£8.00

£1.19

Only £1.09

26.6%

Kingsmill Everyday W/meal Med

10x800g

£8.00

£1.19

Only £1.09

26.6%

Hovis Soft White Medium Loaf

1x800g

£0.79

£1.19

Only £1.09

27.5%

Hovis Soft White Thick Loaf

1x800g

£0.79

£1.19

Only £1.09

27.5%

Hovis Wholemeal Medium Loaf

1x800g

£0.79

£1.19

Only £1.09

27.5%

Hovis Wholemeal Sliced Thick

1x800g

£0.79

£1.19

Only £1.09

27.5%

Hovis Doorstep Loaf

1x800g

£0.79

£1.19

Only £1.09

27.5%

Hovis Best of Both Medium

1x750g

£0.79

£1.19

Only £1.09

27.5%

Hovis Best of Both Thick

1x750g

£0.79

£1.19

Only £1.09

27.5%

Warburtons Half & Half

1x800g

£0.69

£1.29

Only 89p

22.5%

Warburtons Slice Toast Loaf

1x800g

£0.81

£1.29

Only £1.09

25.7%

Warburtons Soft White F/house

1x800g

£0.81

£1.29

Only £1.09

25.7%

Warburtons Medium Sliced

1x800g

£0.81

£1.29

Only £1.09

25.7%

Warburtons Med Wholemeal

1x800g

£0.81

£1.29

Only £1.09

25.7%

offer their shoppers fantastic pricing on popular daily essentials.

The new Warburtons Half & Half has been performing exceptionally well since launch in Premier stores, thanks in no small part to the outstanding 89p consumer deal, 30p below RSP. That deal is now set to continue all the way through to 5th January and means that Premier retailers pay a WSP of just 69p delivering a brilliant POR of 22.5%.

Only £1.09

POR

Deals available until 5th Jan 2021

Only £1.09

This exceptional deal is worth shouting about over the next couple of months so be sure to feature the new Half & Half loaf in your social media posts and in-store to help boost footfall.

Premier also has a range of specially discounted WSPs on a range of bakery lines, milk, sugar and bacon – all of which will draw shoppers to your store and ultimately provide a platform for building big basket spends this Christmas.

AMAZING VALUE ESSENTIALS – BAKERY

Deals available until 5th Jan 2021

Don’t forget to save your POS and use it until 5th Jan! PRODUCT

CASE SIZE

PROMO WSP

RSP

CONSUMER DEAL

POR

Warburtons Crumpets

1x6s

£0.55

£0.89

Only 69p

20.3%

Warburtons Pancakes

1x6s

£0.59

£1.05

Only £1

41.0%

Warburtons Potato Cakes

1x6s

£0.59

£1.05

Only £1

41.0%

Warburtons Toasting Muffins

1x4s

£0.59

£1.05

Only £1

41.0%

Warburtons Fruit Teacakes

1x4s

£0.59

£0.89

Only £1

41.0%

Warburtons Sandwich Thins

1x6s

£0.59

£1.35

Only £1

41.0%

December 2020 TalkingShop

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CHRISTMAS DESERVES

LURPAK

®

Lurpak® Spreadable 250g - M785121

BOOST YOUR SALES WITH THE UK’S NO.1

*

*Source: Nielsen Retail Measurement Service for the BSM category for the 12-month period ending July 11, 2020, for the UK total retail market (Copyright © 2020, Nielsen)

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25/11/2020 10:28:40 04/11/2020 15:29

Home Delivery | FEATURE

How to

deliver instant sales growth Home delivery offers retailers the opportunity to quickly grow weekly sales by thousands of pounds, as many Premier retailers have discovered.

66%

of independents retailers now offer home delivery

T

here are very few ways that Premier retailers can add thousands of pounds to their weekly revenue overnight, but home delivery is one such solution. Many Premier retailers have embraced the home delivery revolution during the coronavirus pandemic and already consider it an integral part of their business.

Retailer interest in adding home delivery services had been growing for a long time but there’s no doubt the coronavirus pandemic has massively accelerated that trend. According to the latest ACS research, around one in 10 independent retailers were offering home delivery services last year.

Within a matter of weeks after lockdown was implemented, that number had risen to just

below 70%.

Among those to embrace home delivery in a big way is Jazz Singh and his son Arjan, who run Premier Morley Convenience Store in Leeds. “We had been planning to start doing home delivery, even before the pandemic struck,” says Arjan, better known to his shoppers as AJ. “We had been working on it last year and planned to introduce it in December 2020 TalkingShop

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FEATURE | Home Delivery

the first quarter of this year, so the timing was pretty good.”

Initially, the service was aimed at the vulnerable and elderly in the community, care homes and those self-isolating but demand for home delivery from a wider audience rocketed from day one. “It was literally overnight,” explains AJ. “We launched it as a service to help the community but even on the first day we got flooded with orders. We

{

expected to do maybe six or seven deliveries on the first day but we got over 50 orders.

We were doing the deliveries ourselves at that point so it was all hands to the pump just to get the orders out to shoppers!”

The store never looked back and has steadily grown the home delivery element of its business. “Today, home delivery accounts for about 25% of the store’s weekly turnover and we do almost 100 deliveries per day at

the weekend,” says AJ. “We average between 40 and 50 orders a day Monday to Thursday but it shoots up every weekend. We did 106 orders last Saturday, for instance.”

The store now employs five drivers and the recent addition of an innovative ‘cocktail bar’ solution in-store for takeaway cocktails has helped drive another spike in home delivery.

“We’ve also invested in a fully electric

Today, home delivery accounts for about 25% of the store’s weekly turnover and we do almost 100 deliveries per day at the weekend.

AJ Singh

}

HOME DELIVERY TOP TIPS EXECUTE WELL Do what you promise you will do. If you plan to deliver in under an hour, make sure that you do and make sure you get every order correct. That will give customers the confidence to re-order again and again.

CHARGE FOR DELIVERY By charging a small fee of around £3 you increase your chances and dissuade customers from doing three or four small orders per day.

MATCH ON-SHELF PRICING Where possible, ensure that shoppers pay the same price for a product for home delivery as they would if they bought it in-store. Shoppers know your pricing and don’t want to feel they’re being over-charged.

SHOUT ABOUT IT Advertise your new service at every opportunity. Use in-store POS, run lots of social media posts and speak to every shopper in-store to let them know you now offer home delivery.

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

{

{

}

Around 80% of shoppers who use our home delivery service are new shoppers.

zero emissions tuktuk which is great for brand awareness as well as being a great way to deliver and we’re aiming to add another four over the next year.”

So does AJ see home delivery as being a solution that will still be important once coronavirus has gone?

“Absolutely,” he says. “This is the future of retailing!”

A retailer who was among the first to recognise the home delivery opportunity was Royton retailer and PDG member Justin Whittaker who owns and runs Premier MJs. “We started doing home delivery around two years ago,” he says. “We really felt like it was going to be a game-changer for us and our experiences over the last two years prove that we were correct.”

Justin now owns three Smart Cars specifically bought and branded up for delivery, and the service has added a significant amount of weekly turnover to the business.

“Lockdown has changed how shoppers use home delivery,” he says. “Initially it was mostly grocery shops that our customers were doing but in recent months it’s more traditional convenience shops they are doing but we’ve calculated that around 80% of shoppers who use our home delivery service are new shoppers.”

Another retailer committed to home delivery is Mandeep Singh who runs three Premier stores with his father and brothers in Sheffield. “I’ve been saying to anyone who will listen for as long as I can remember that home delivery is the way forward,” he

Justin Whittaker

says. “We’ve been doing home delivery seriously for a while,” he explains. “We do about 900 deliveries a month and we have branded Smart cars and mopeds specially for it. We recently relaunched the entire service as Singh’s Drop and we see it as a long-term strategy, not just one to help our shoppers during Covid-19.”

PDG member Faraz Iqbal of Premier Linktown Local in Kirkcaldy is also backing home delivery as a great growth opportunity.

“We first started delivering back in March and initially it was simply a way to ensure that our vulnerable and elderly shoppers and those who were self-isolating got what they needed as they could no longer visit the store.

“But we quickly realised that the demand for home delivery from our wider shopper base was actually very significant. We were getting asked more and more often if we could deliver and soon accepted that there was enough demand there to look into a more permanent solution.”

Faraz charges either £1.99 or £2.99 for delivery, depending upon how far away the customer’s house is, and advises that charging for delivery is essential. “If you don’t charge, you’re losing money but you also find that shoppers will make three or four orders per day. When you charge for delivery, they tend to just do one order but do everything in one go. And our experience is that you don’t lose customers by charging for delivery.”

A consequence is that basket spend for home delivery tends to be very high. “Our average home delivery basket spend is almost £35,” says Faraz. “And we have plenty of shoppers who spend upwards of £100 on a single delivery.”

Our average home delivery basket spend is almost £35 and we have plenty of shoppers who spend upwards of £100 on a single delivery.

Faraz Iqbal

}

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MAT June 2020*

1. Group packs together

32.9%

31.5%

MONDElēz

MaRS

Solid Bars

19.1%

NESTlE

11.7%

fERRERO

Bags

2. Group brands together Colours help shoppers pick their favourite brands 3. Put your best sellers in the best location and double face them

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Mars

1

2

3 4 5 6 7

+1% Duos

+11%

Mondelēz

Mondelēz

+3%

Nestle

Nestle

-2% Mars

HOW TO DRIVE DUOS IN STORE?

1. THE RigHT RaNgE Are the best sellers listed?

2. iNSTORE ViSIbiliTy 3. DRiVE RaTE Of SalE On shelf or secondary display

Link Duos with a drink or meal deal

gREaT pRODUcTS TO TRaDE Up SHOppERS & MakE MORE £ fOR yOUR STORE

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25/11/2020 10:28:52 10/11/2020 11:24

FIZZ UP YOUR SALES YOUR SALES

05456 M203975 M2387 2 M 4 19 5 M2041

RSP: RSP: £1.00 £1.00 POR: POR: 40% 40% PROMO PROMO EDLP: EDLP: £2.99 £2.99

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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

Dram fine WHAT? GLENFAIRN SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY RANGE WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? Booker is adding exciting new footfall, sales and profit-driving opportunities in time for Christmas this year with the launch of a new range of exclusive own brand Single Malt Scotch Whiskies. Christmas sees a big spike in single malt sales every year and the new Glenfairn Highland Single Malt Scotch and Glenfairn Speyside Single Malt provide retailers with an eyecatching and exclusive new range to help drive sales.

BOOKER EXCLUSIVE

WHO? The two new single malts offer shoppers the perfect gifting solution or an affordable treat for themselves at just £19.99 per bottle, significantly lower than the typical price of a big brand alternative. Sophisticated and unforgettable, these two Glenfairn lines deliver truly outstanding quality at an unbeatable price.

WHERE TO STOCK? Site the new products in the single malt whisky section where the elegant packaging and outstanding price point are sure to grow sales and profits this Christmas and beyond.

GLENFAIRN HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT / GLENFAIRN SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT Case size: 6 x 70cl WSP: £79.69 RSP: £19.99 POR: 20.3%

BOOKER EXCLUSIVE

Rosé glow WHAT? PROSECCO ROSÉ SPUMANTE DOC WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? Booker’s highly successful Prosecco Spumante range has been a huge hit with shoppers and this new Prosecco Rosé Spumante adds an exciting new twist.

Strong growth in sales of rosé wine have been a feature of the category for a long time and this new line offers Premier retailers the chance to capitalise on that trend with a high quality sparkling alternative.

WHO? The product is available in both 75cl and 20cl bottles featuring eye-catching, premium new labels based on the existing Prosecco range and the wine, like

the others in the range, is a Denominazione di Origine Controllata – DOC – from Italy, offering shoppers independent reassurance about its provenance and quality.

WHERE TO STOCK? Site the wine in the chiller among the other sparkling wines to allow the striking bottle and liquid to attract new shoppers into the category.

PROSECCO ROSÉ SPUMANTE DOC 75CL Case size: 6 x 75cl WSP: £34.99 RSP: £8.79 POR: 20.4% PROSECCO ROSÉ SPUMANTE DOC 20CL Case size: 12 x 20cl WSP: £24.99 RSP: £3.19 POR: 21.7%

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

It’s a wrap

Snack attack

WHAT? SNAX ON THE GO CHICKEN FAJITA WRAP PM £1.69

WHAT? PEPARAMI & CHEESE SNACK BOX

WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

WHY? With chilled food to go continuing to drive sales and profits in Premier stores, Booker has added another new line to the popular Snax on the Go range. The price-marked Chicken Fajita Wrap offers another alternative for shoppers looking for a tasty, convenient snack at any time of day.

WHY? The new Peparami & Cheese Snack Box combines a Mini Salami with Mild Cheddar Cheese Cubes, delivering a protein-driven tasty snack for shoppers to consume on the go throughout the day. High in calcium, the product features 100% pork salami with real cheddar cheese and is gluten-free, helping retailers offer more choice to shoppers on specialist diets.

WHO? The new product will be popular with a wide range of shoppers and offers something different to a standard sandwich.

The £1.69 prominent price mark will help attract attention and drive sales, as well as helping to build bigger basket spends.

WHERE TO STOCK? The new product will be popular with a wide range of shoppers and offers something different to a standard sandwich. The £1.69 prominent price mark will help attract attention and drive sales, as well as helping to build bigger basket spends.

WHO? The snack is perfect as a small and tasty treat at any time of day for shoppers of all ages, and delivers over 30% POR for retailers.

SNAX ON THE GO CHICKEN FAJITA WRAP

PEPARAMI & CHEESE SNACK BOX

Case size: 6 x 190g WSP: £1.27 RSP: £1.69 PM

Case size: 6 x 50g WSP: £1.10 RSP: £1.69 POR: 30.82%

WHERE TO STOCK? Site the new line in the food to go chiller to drive impulse sales and profits.

POR: 25.15%

New crush WHAT? L&B BLUE CRUSH AND JPS PLAYERS CRUSH WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? Imperial Tobacco has launched two new Crush variants for two of its leading brands aimed specifically at ex-crushball smokers, offering retailers fresh opportunities in the wake of May’s menthol ban. L&B Blue Crush and JPS Players Crush feature a unique filter that delivers a cooling sensation.

WHO? Both new Lines are available to Premier retailers at a specially discounted WSP until 5th January.

L&B BLUE CRUSH WSP: £71.25 (promo)/£74.51 (standard) RSP: £9.50 POR: 10% (promo) 5.88% (standard) JPS PLAYERS CRUSH WSP: £71.25 (promo)/£74.19 (standard) RSP: £9.50 POR: 10% (promo) 6.29% (standard)

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

New kid on the Block

Go for gold

WHAT? 19 CRIMES SAUVIGNON BLOCK

WHAT? AU BLUE RASPBERRY VODKA

WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

WHY? 19 Crimes is in UK’s top 10 best performing Australian wine brands. Its new take on Sauvignon Blanc is light bodied, with a fresh, crisp finish and aromas of passionfruit, grapefruit, gooseberry and guava. The bottle label features augmented reality functionality that brings the story of 19 Crimes to life when shoppers scan it with the Living Wine Label app.

WHY? Following the very successful recent launch into Booker of Au Black Grape Vodka and Au Fruit Punch Vodka, Premier retailers can now add some fresh excitement to their flavoured vodka range with the introduction of new Au Blue Raspberry Vodka.

WHO? The brand grew 89% by value in the last year and is the number one wine brand in impulse among millennials. It also enjoys the highest repeat purchase rate among millennials. 19 Crimes is also adding incremental sales with 50% of its growth attributed to shoppers adding the brand to their repertoire.

WHO? Taking its name from the periodic table symbol for gold – ‘Au’ – the striking bottle is sure to attract shopper attention on-shelf and will drive sales and profits as well as attracting new shoppers into the category. Distilled five times and filtered through real gold, the 35.2% ABV Au Blue Raspberry is a clean and crisp vodka with a fruit twist – perfect for the festive period.

WHERE TO STOCK? The wine should be stocked prominently in the white wine chiller to drive sales and profits.

WHERE TO STOCK? Site the line at eye-level on the spirits gantry, ideally alongside other Au variants, to grab attention and grow sales. Shout about the new line on social media to generate additional interest and create increased footfall.

19 CRIMES SAUVIGNON BLOCK Case size: 6 x 75cl WSP: £32.99 RSP: £8.99 POR: 26.6%

AU BLUE RASPBERRY VODKA Case size: 6 x 70cl WSP: £137.89 / £22.99 RSP: £34.99 POR: 20%

Hearty profits

Shake to shimmer

WHAT? I HEART PINOT GRIGIO

WHAT? ALFRED BUTTON BRAMBLE SHIMMER GIN LIQUEUR

WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

WHY? The ‘I Heart’ varietal range has proven to be a massive hit with its fun-loving, approachable appeal and it continues to be a standout performer for retailers, growing at 10% year on year, according to IRI*. The new I Heart Pinot Grigio taps into another key trend as Pinot Grigio is the fastest growing white varietal, up 16.7% according to the latest Kantar* data. (* Source: IRI and

WHY? The Alfred Button Shimmer Gin Liquer range has been hugely popular in Premier stores so a new addition to the ‘shake to shimmer’ range will help drive new footfall, sales and profits. Add 25ml of Alfred Button Bramble Shimmer Gin Liqueur to a glass of prosecco to give it some eye-catching appeal. The line will be on promotion in period 10 (2nd Dec 2020 to 5th Jan 2021) at a specially discounted WSP allowing Premier retailers to offer a bottle to their shoppers for just £9.99 during the festive period.

P10

PROMOTION

Kantar 09/08/20)

WHO? A classic refreshing, crisp and zesty Pinot Grigio, the simple and easy flavours mark this out as another winner for Premier retailers.

WHERE TO STOCK? Stock the line in the chiller alongside other I Heart white variants to highlight the choice and value you offer to your shoppers.

WHO? Gin remains the biggest trend in spirits and this striking gin looks great on the gantry, particularly if you get the chance to give the bottle a shake to add a little theatre for shoppers.

WHERE TO STOCK? Merchandise the line alongside other Alfred Button Gin Liqueur variants and flavoured gins to draw shoppers’ attention and drive impulse sales.

ALFRED BUTTON BRAMBLE SHIMMER GIN LIQUEUR Case size: 6 x 50cl WSP: £59.94 / £9.99 [£44.89 / £7.49 in Period 10 promotion]

I HEART PINOT GRIGIO

RSP: £14.99 [£9.99 in Period 10 promotion]

Case size: 6 x 75cl WSP: £22.99

POR: 20% [10% in Period 10 promotion]

RSP: £5.75 POR: 20% December 2020 TalkingShop

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

Barista edition WHAT? OATLY OAT DRINK BARISTA EDITION 1LTR WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? Plant-based milks offer shoppers and easy way to reduce the amount of dairy products they consume each day. Booker is now stocking Oatly Barista Oat Drink which allows Premier retailers to offer shoppers the perfect dairy-free alternative to add to their coffee.

WHO? Designed specifically to be used in coffee, the new product is entirely dairy-free and is the ideal way to create perfect lattes or any other white coffees.

WHERE TO STOCK? The product is ambient and can be stocked among other ambient drinks but why not stock it in the milk chiller to drive awareness and trial? You could also add this line to a ‘freefrom’ fixture or section, if you have one in-store.

OATLY BARISTA OAT DRINK Case size: 6 x 1l WSP: £7.09 RSP: £1.89 POR: 37.5%

Vegan blocks WHAT? FLORA PLANT BLOCK RANGE WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? After becoming a 100% vegan brand last year, Flora has extended its range with the launch of two block products, Flora Plant Unsalted Block and Flora Plant Salted Block. The products offer healthy, tasty alternatives to butter and are made with sunflower, rapeseed and sustainably sourced palm oil. The range also boasts strong environmental credentials with Flora saying its new products have “half the climate impact as dairy butter” and, with 100% biodegradable wrapping, the range is free from plastic.

WHO? With more and more shoppers interested in plant-based diets, these products from a big brand name should prove popular with a wide range of shoppers and not just strict vegans.

WHERE TO STOCK? Stock the product in the chiller alongside traditional butters to offer shoppers a dairy-free choice and drive sales and profits – and highlight the products in social media to grow footfall.

FLORA PLANT UNSALTED BLOCK / FLORA PLANT SALTED BLOCK Case size: 10 x 250g WSP: £12.79 RSP: £1.80 POR: 28%

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PricesDown

FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITIES TO SAVE ON COSTS AND BOOST YOUR PROFITS

Essentials to drive festive sales Stocking a great range of those often overlooked Christmas essentials is key to driving footfall and sales over the festive period.

C

hristmas is a special time of year for shoppers and a great chance to relax and enjoy some special time with family and friends. It’s also represents a fantastic sales opportunity for Premier retailers, particularly those who ensure that they have a great range of great value Christmas essential products in stock nice and early.

Categories like beers, wines, spirits and confectionery may be the stars of the show at Christmas, but it’s those often overlooked little essentials that can help generate extra footfall, sales and profits for Premier retailers.

Product Paxo Sage & Onion Stuffing PM159

Paxo Sage & Onion Stuffing

Bisto Chicken Gravy Granules PM169

Bisto Gravy Granules PM169

A range of fantastic deals is once again available for Premier retailers this year on all of the festive favourites that help add the finishing touches and make Christmas extra special. From gravy and stuffing to custard and rice pudding there is a fantastic range of deals that your shoppers will appreciate.

The range features big brand names that shoppers know and trust like Oxo, Bisto, Paxo and Ambrosia as well as a selection of special and multi buy deals to drive up basket spend. These little essentials can also help trigger big basket spends so it makes sense to ensure you have the full range on-shelf in plenty for time for festive season.

Case Size

WSP

8x170g

£5.99

Consumer Deal Any 2 for £2.00

POR 25.1%

16x170g

£11.89

Any 2 for £2.00

25.7%

12x170g

£9.49

Any 2 for £2.00

20.9%

12x170g

£9.49

Any 2 for £2.00

20.9%

Bisto Gravy Granules

12x170g

£9.49

Any 2 for £2.00

20.9%

Oxo Cubes Red 12s

24x71g

£18.99

Any 2 for £2.00

20.9%

Oxo Cubes Red 12s

12x71g

£9.49

Any 2 for £2.00

20.9%

Oxo Cubes Vegetable 12s

24x71g

£18.99

Any 2 for £2.00

20.9%

Oxo Cubes Vegetable 12s

12x71g

£9.49

Any 2 for £2.00

20.9%

Oxo Cubes Chicken 12s

24x71g

£18.99

Any 2 for £2.00

20.9%

Oxo Cubes Chicken 12s

12x71g

£9.49

Any 2 for £2.00

20.9%

Ambrosia Devon Custard PM109

12x400g

£7.19

Any 2 for £1.60

25.1%

Ambrosia Rice Pudding PM109

12x400g

£7.19

Any 2 for £1.60

25.1%

December 2020 TalkingShop

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Stock up on the No.1 Luxury Cat food brand *

32.3% POR

M217853

M261279

M217852

*IRI Sig Pet Outlets and Ocado 52 weeks 1st Feb 2020. ®Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.

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Stock up on the new Winalot PMP’s Growing at

99%

*

M259079

M259155

The #1 Selling Wet Dog Pouch in convenience *Source IRI Traditional Convenience 12th September 2020. ®Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.

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BetterService IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

Cash in on coffee

Shoppers simply expect to be able to get a great cup of coffee when they visit their local Premier store – and there are some fantastic deals available to suit every retailer.

G

reat quality coffee has become a ‘must have’ in independent retailing in recent years and that trend is showing no signs of slowing down. Today’s shoppers simply expect to be able to get a really good, freshly prepared cup of coffee when they visit their local Premier store.

Coffee is also a great way to attract footfall and build big basket spends so having a strong coffee offer is vital for all Premier stores these days. With this in mind, Premier has built a range of fantastic deals on top quality coffee machines that means there’s a great value solution available to suit every

store.

There’s a machine that’s right for you and your shoppers, from the entry level Vitesse which is perfect for stores selling 10–20 cups a day to the top of the line Barista One for stores selling 35+ cups.

Premier has been able to negotiate exceptional deals on three different machines that mean you can be up and running with a high end machine for as little as £24.95 a week on lease, or just £2,995 to buy outright.

By adding a machine, Premier retailers can earn up to an additional £22,000 profit a year – a huge opportunity and one not to be missed.

 MORE

December 2020 TalkingShop

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Includes 4,000 free drinks package worth £4,000

MAKE OVER £4,800 PER YEAR*

OPTION 1 ENTRY LEVEL – VITESSE

OPTION 2 MID-LEVEL – BREWI l Sales volumes – 20 to 35 cups per day l Cup size – 12oz l Milk – granulated l Size – (w) 338mm (d) 510mm (h) 705mm l Options – 10 drink selections; tank or mains water supply l Cost: Buy for £4,795 or lease for £35.95 per week *Profit numbers are indicative on cups per day and will vary by store.

l Sales volumes – 10 to 20 cups per day l Cup size – 10oz l Milk – granulated l Size – (w) 310mm (d) 430mm (h) 625mm l Options – eight drink selections; tank or mains water supply l Cost: Buy for £2,995 or lease for £24.95 per week *Profit numbers are indicative on cups per day and will vary by store.

MAKE OVER £11,000 PER YEAR*

50 TalkingShop

Includes 2,000 free drinks package worth £2,980

December 2020

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OPTION 3 ADVANCED LEVEL – BARISTA ONE l Sales volumes – 35+ cups per day l Cup size – 12oz l Milk – fresh l Size – (w) 595mm (d) 560mm (h) 815mm l Options – 12 drink selections; mains water supply l Cost: Buy for £6,495 or lease for £49.95 per week CONSUMABLES & POS With a new machine in place, retailers can get all the ingredients and consumables they need from Premier or at their local Booker branch; there is also a huge array of free POS available to highlight your new coffee machine to shoppers.

Included FREE with every machine is: l Point of sale pack l Accessories holder l Rack for cups and lids l Pavement stand l Giant cup (only with Barista One) Additionally, retailers can order an eye-catching merchandiser unit for just £8 per week and can also access loyalty cards and key fobs via the Premier Printshop.

In other words, everything you need to start generating new footfall, sales and profits.

*Profit numbers are indicative on cups per day and will vary by store.

MAKE OVER £22,000 PER YEAR* Includes 1,000 free drinks package worth £1,790

December 2020 TalkingShop

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BetterService IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

Safe store, bigger footfall One of the biggest concerns that shoppers have is the safety of store they are visiting, so it’s vital that you make it clear to your shoppers that your store is a safe, welcoming environment.

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T

here’s no doubt that one of the biggest concerns that shoppers have when visiting a store is just how safe, hygienic and welcoming it feels to them. During the coronavirus pandemic, shoppers have been turning to the independent retailing channel in droves, which creates an opportunity for Premier retailers to convert all that new footfall into loyal, long term shoppers.

With Covid-19 restrictions remaining, the importance of maintaining a visibly safe environment cannot be overstated. If shoppers don’t feel safe even entering a store, all merchandising, friendly staff and fantastic promotions in the world won’t make the slightest difference.

So it’s critical that Premier retailers not only ensure their stores are safe and secure, they have to communicate that fact to shoppers efficiently and often – and that doesn’t just mean in-store. There’s a huge opportunity to show shoppers that you take your responsibilities very seriously by running social media content highlighting your cleaning regime, your social distancing policies, your one-way policy (if you operate one) and any other steps you are taking to protect both your shoppers and your staff.

POS Premier offers a wide range of professionally created instore POS materials including posters, shelf cards, strut cards and digital collateral that you can use to communicate with shoppers and leave them in no doubt that your store is safe, hygienic and welcoming.

ancing posters

The Premier-branded POS materials available cover important subjects that include: l Social distancing l Contactless payment l Temporary opening hours l Out of stock alerts l Home delivery

BE SEEN TO BE CLEAN

Social distancing posters

Premier retailers should all by now have a Premier-branded hand sanitising stand which should be sited right at the entrance of the store, both to help shoppers sanitise their hands but also to immediately highlight to every shopper entering the store that their health and wellbeing is important to you.

You can also make use of floor stickers to Social distancing A4 strut card help direct shoppers safely around the store and add some inexpensive furniture to help ensure shoppers stick to a one-way system if you operate one in-store.

It can help to make a big deal out of having staff regularly and visibly cleaning all touchpoints and surfaces. Shoppers feel reassured when they see staff on the shopfloor cleaning and sanitising public areas.

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

ancing large and small shelf cards 54 TalkingShop

Another effective way of engaging with

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SOCIAL DISTANCING The advice from the Government is to maintain a distance of at least 2 metres between peopl.

OUTSIDE THE STORE l Decide how many customers you can safely accommodate and operate a one in, one out policy. l Communicate the measures you have in place. l Close the doors temporarily if necessary. l Discourage customers from shopping with children and extra members of the family. l Use posters to communicate 2 metre rule. l Place markings on the floor to enabling social distancing whilst queuing to enter. l Reduce opening hours to allow you to restock safely. l Use Poster and social media to communicate revised opening hours. (See print shop for temporary opening hours poster).

IN-STORE l Provide a cleaning station with sanitiser/wipes to enable customers to wipe trolley and basket handles. l Use posters to communicate 2 metre rule. l Line the floor at 2m intervals in aisles and/or place arrows around the shop floor to indicate the shopping route you would like customers to take. l Use contactless payment strut card at the counter. l Stores with in-store radio already have social distancing messages on their radio. l Review replenishment timing to avoid customer peaks. Consider restricting access to aisles that are being restocked during trading. shoppers is simply to talk to them. Coronavirus has been difficult for everyone and by simply talking to them and listening to their experiences, you can help strengthen the bond you have with them.

It’s also a good way to tackle subjects like face coverings, adherence to in-store social distancing guidelines and so on. Shoppers may find the rules difficult to understand and follow, particularly as they can change, so it can be helpful to give them an update and gently remind them that you take your responsibilities very seriously but you also rely on them to follow the guidelines to help you keep your store safe.

AT THE COUNTER l Use social distancing shelf cards and contactless barkers. l Line mark the floor at 2m intervals for queuing. l Use floor stickers. l Consider a screening solution for your counter.

SOCIAL MEDIA Use social media to communicate revised openings and to discourage customers from bringing extra members of the family and children with them.

Here are some suggestions: l Our store has made some changes l Opening times - Our hours are currently ...... , but may change going forward. l Social distancing - please follow government guidelines on social distancing, stay 2 metres apart. l Family Members - Where possible please do not bring children and extra members of your household with you when shopping. Please help us to keep everyone safe.

December 2020 TalkingShop

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NEW TO RETAIL WINS

BOOST YOUR SALES WITH THE #1 AND #2 BEER BRANDS IN THE OFF TRADE

©2020 AB InBev UK Limited, all rights reserved.

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*

*Nielsen Scantrack 52w/e 08.08.20 | Total Off-Trade

25/11/2020 10:30:43

LaunchReview FEEDBACK ON THE LATEST BOOKER PRODUCTS

Fruity sales with Cadbury NPD

Group Exclusive until March 2021!

CADBURY ORANGE FINGERS CASE SIZE: 20 X 114G WSP: £19.99 RSP: £1.65 POR: 27% CADBURY ORANGE BUTTONS CASE SIZE: 10 X 110G WSP: £9.99 RSP: £1.50 POR: 20%

Fingers and Buttons flying!

With orange the biggest flavour trend in chocolate confectionery these days, it’s no surprise that Cadbury Orange Fingers and Buttons have been flying off the shelves in Premier stores.

Orange-flavoured chocolate confectionery has been a big hit in Premier stores this year so the launch of two great new products on a Booker Group exclusive deal from a household-name brand was always likely to spark big footfall, sales and profit uplifts for retailers.

The recent launch of Cadbury Orange Fingers and Cadbury Orange Buttons allowed Premier retailers to tap into strong growth for orange-flavoured chocolate treats and feedback from retailers suggests the lines have been hugely popular with shoppers. The lines are exclusive to the Booker Group all the way through until March 20201, yet another example of the amazing benefits of being

part of a bigger group.

Both lines offer strong PORs of 27% for the Fingers and 20% for the Buttons, so the products are proving just as popular with retailers.

Both lines have been popular with shoppers of all ages, offering small permissible treats that are easily portion-controlled.

Siting the lines in high footfall areas such as on promotional ends or at the tillpoint has been a very successful strategy for retailers, driving impulse sales and repeat purchase and it looks likely that the new lines will remain popular right through the important festive trading period.

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shopper’s view…

Clare Feeney, Newcastle “I have to say that I absolutely love orange flavoured chocolate so it’s been brilliant to see so many new products coming into my local Premier store over the last while. I also love Cadbury chocolate, so I just can’t get enough of the new Cadbury Orange Fingers and Cadbury Orange Buttons! They’re so tempting but the thing I like best is that, because they’re quite small, I can ration myself quite easily and just have one or two when I feel like a pick-me-up throughout the day. I’m working from home now, like many people, so I really enjoy my little treats, but I try not to overindulge, so these new products are perfect. And they’re just delicious!”

RETAILER VIEW FARAZ IQBAL Premier Linktown Local, Kirkcaldy “Orange chocolate has just been huge this summer, so these new lines are perfectly timed to let retailers cash in on the trend. Shoppers love Cadbury products so new on-trend lines like these are perfect for us to grow footfall, sales and profits.

We’ve been multi-siting the Fingers and Buttons around the store: on the main confectionery fixture, on promotional ends and at the till. The result has been that I reckon very few of our shoppers have left the store without buying a bag!”

RETAILER VIEW AJITPAL SINGH Premier Capel Hill Stores, Tonyrefail “Cadbury have always been good at bringing new products to market that are bang in line with shopper trends and these new Orange Buttons and Fingers are a great example. Shoppers just can’t get enough orange-flavoured chocolate these days and these lines have been a smash hit.

We’ve seen shoppers of all ages buying them, and I’m not convinced that they are all being bought as gifts for kids! They’re great too because shoppers can dip into them throughout the day or share them, so they’re perfect for a wide variety of occasions. I can see them being popular this Christmas too.”

RETAILER VIEW

IN SUMMARY

1

TWO FANTASTIC NEW LINES FROM A HOUSEHOLD-NAME BRAND THAT SHOPPERS TRUST.

2 3

ORANGE FLAVOURED CHOCOLATE IS AN IMPORTANT TREND FOR RETAILERS.

GREAT PORS FOR RETAILERS OF 27% FOR THE FINGERS AND 20% FOR THE BUTTONS.

4

PERFECT FOR PERMISSIBLE, PORTION-CONTROLLED TREATS FOR SHOPPERS.

ANITA NYE Premier Eldred Drive Stores, Orpington “I’m not sure whether it’s down to coronavirus, but shoppers seem to be so massively into interesting new products these days. We’ve had shoppers buying huge quantities of products like the new Cadbury Orange Fingers and Cadbury Orange Buttons. I think they’re worried we’ll run out of them, but we never do!

Orange is the big trend in chocolate this year so the Buttons and Fingers have been perfect for letting retailers tap into that and we’ve seen them fly off the shelves. Shoppers love orange chocolate and they love Cadbury, so it just works.”

RETAILER VIEW MANDEEP SINGH Premier Singh’s, Sheffield “It seems to me that NPD is really important these days as shoppers seem so keen to try new products and they want to get their hands on them before anyone else. Premier has been brilliant at bringing us new lines quickly and the Cadbury Orange Fingers and Cadbury Orange Buttons are a good example. We got them in and put them all over Facebook and the response we got was phenomenal.

Shoppers were coming to the store just for those lines, so it’s been brilliant at driving footfall and the PORs are good too.”

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R E U D O C V A A L R F BS O T

M261247

M261152

M261246

Available in 500ml and 2L. *Exclusively available through Booker until 27th October. **Recommended retail price. RIBENA is a registered trade mark.

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Mental Health | GUEST COLUMN

GroceryAid’s Welfare Director Mandi Leonard outlines why it’s more important than ever to look after your wellbeing.

Don’t forget to take care of yourself Premier retailers have done an outstanding job during the coronavirus pandemic and while you will have been focused on looking after your physical health, it’s also vital to take care of your mental wellbeing.

G

roceryAid has been at the heart of the grocery trade since 1857 and provides emotional, practical and financial support for grocery colleagues across the whole industry.

Everyone across the grocery industry has done an amazing job going into work during the coronavirus pandemic to keep the nation fed. Whilst you will be looking after your physical health in these uncertain times by washing your hands, covering your face and keeping your distance, you must also take time for your mental health.

If you are going into work during coronavirus, you might experience some difficult feelings. These may be new, or things you’ve experienced in the past. There is no right or wrong way to feel or react to your situation, we all react to difficult situations in different ways and that’s why

it’s so important to be kind to yourself.

When you’re busy with work and trying to cope with new, unusual circumstances, it might not feel possible to take care of yourself. This may feel even more difficult if you are working long hours or under a lot of pressure. But even doing small things for yourself can make a big difference to your mental wellbeing.

Little ways might be making sure you get enough sleep or are keeping in touch digitally with loved ones to have a chat when you can.

You can also access digital help via Woebot, an artificial intelligence counsellor available 24/7 via an app for iPhone or Android.

Woebot lets a user access in the moment emotional support 24/7 to track their mood, identify patterns and give insight into issues or concerns that the user may not have realised were causing emotional distress.

Woebot can teach the user techniques and

DOWNLOAD WOEBOT

To download Woebot, simply .......................VISIT.......................

www.groceryaid.org.uk/ get-help/woebot/ and use your email address and enter the code ‘groceryaid1’ when prompted.

tools such as cognitive behavioural therapies or breathing exercises.

It’s also important you know GroceryAid can support you over the phone too. We offer ‘in the moment’ emotional and practical support for colleagues dealing with anxiety and stress through BACP trained counsellors at the end of the telephone, 24/7 365 days a year so there is always someone to talk to.

These services are available to all grocery colleagues and their partners from day one of working in our industry.

The GroceryAid Helpline is available 24/7, 365 days a year: 08088 021 122 Find out more at: www.groceryaid.org.uk

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ACS Viewpoint | Covid-19 Playbook

James Lowman urges retailers to put what they’ve learned under lockdown to good use.

Independent retailers have learned lots over the last seven or eight months and this knowledge will stand them in good stead as stricter Covid-19 restrictions are re-introduced.

T

hroughout the Covid-19 crisis, we’ve been discussing with other retailers and industry experts whether behaviours we’ve seen over this period will last, which of those are specific to this time period, and what we would we do differently if and when it happened again.

While we’ve stopped short of defining a full-scale playbook, with more restrictions likely on the way there are some things that retailers can do to make sure they’re prepared to best serve their communities.

COLLEAGUES Firstly, everyone agrees that colleagues are our most important asset, so we need to provide colleagues in store with choices on PPE and in-store processes. Look at opening hours and breaks to allow your colleagues to decompress. Think about the bigger picture of colleagues wanting to turn up every day and advocate for your business.

SOCIAL MEDIA Secondly, retailers with established social media channels did better in the first lockdown because they could tell a wide customer base in real time what

their policies were and how they were keeping stores safe. This is important but shouldn’t come at the expense of clear communications and signage in store.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Third, making local links has been crucial to keeping communities going and keeping shelves stocked. Whether it’s engaging with the local council, or getting creative with alternative sources of supply, these links will be important throughout the next phase.

focus on and the Covid period will be an exceptional time when you sell more food.

If you’ve kept a chunk of your new food shoppers in the past three months, that’s a pretty good indicator that it’s worth trying to attract and keep more.

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES

Finally, talk to each other. The best ideas, advice and insight I’ve heard over this time have been from retailers sharing their experiences. Use your existing networks, and expand your information sources by one or two retailers or organisations you PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS don’t normally engage with.

Next, it’s important to play to your The principles of our business – listening strengths. Are you an emergency option to customers, engaging colleagues selling a bit more food, or are and building a relationship with you trying to build your the community – are exactly reputation as somewhere IF YOU the same as they were shoppers will feed their WOULD LIKE TO pre-Covid. It’s just more families from? Both GET INVOLVED IN THE POLITICAL WORK OF ACS intense, faster paced and are absolutely fine against the backdrop of as strategies, but if ....................... CALL ...................... a uniquely challenging you’ve found yourself 01252 515 001 time for the whole reverting to a sales ............. OR LOG ON TO ........... country and indeed the profile of impulse www.acs.org.uk world. Keep these guiding snacks since restrictions principles and you’ll emerge were eased, that’s probably from this even stronger. what your business should December 2020 TalkingShop

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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

Home delivery here to stay?

Home delivery has evolved into a mustoffer service for many Premier retailers and we’re certainly seeing it as a massive growth opportunity. It helps add an entirely new dimension to the store and is having a big impact on sales. Do you see home delivery becoming a core service in the future, even when Coronavirus is finally behind us?

FARAZ IQBAL, PREMIER LINKTOWN LOCAL, KIRKCALDY MARTYN PARKINSON, BRAND DIRECTOR – PREMIER SAID: “We know from ACS data that almost two-thirds of independent retailers

Safe = success

now offer home delivery services of some form, up from just 10% of retailers last year, and while that huge growth has undoubtedly been driven by the coronavirus pandemic, it seems increasingly likely that home delivery will continue to be important for retailers – and shoppers – long into the future. Shoppers’ buying patterns have changed and there’s no question that many shoppers see home delivery as an extremely convenient solution. There’s obviously no way of knowing what will happen after coronavirus, but many Premier retailers are convinced that home delivery is here to stay and is an area with massive potential to grow sales and profits for most retailers.”

Drink to Christmas!

We’ve noticed that sales of alcohol have been nothing short of exceptional under the current pandemic but with all of the uncertainty surrounding lockdown at the moment, do you think Christmas has the potential to be a bumper sales period for alcohol this year?

JUSTIN WHITTAKER, MJ’S PREMIER, ROYTON MARTYN PARKINSON, BRAND DIRECTOR – PREMIER SAID: “We obviously can’t predict

the future and say with certainty what shoppers will do this Christmas, but it looks increasingly like the festive period could indeed be a fantastic trading period for Premier retailers who are set up to capitalise on it. Many retailers are reporting big growth, particularly at the value and premium ends of the alcohol market, so that’s worth paying attention to when building your festive range.

Premier has a huge selection of fantastic deals on brands and exclusive products that will help you maximise footfall, sales and profits. See page 27 for advice on building a strong festive range.”

Premier retailers are obviously doing a fantastic job of creating welcoming, safe store environments for their shoppers and staff which is obviously our overriding concern – but do you believe that in doing so, we’re also helping generate increased footfall, sales and profits?

MOS PATEL, PREMIER HEYSIDE, ROYTON MARTYN PARKINSON, BRAND DIRECTOR – PREMIER SAID: “As a Premier retailer, your primary responsibility is to your team and your shoppers, so ensuring that you keep them safe and well is absolutely vital. But taking your health and safety responsibilities very seriously will also have a business benefit. We know that shoppers simply won’t even enter a store of any size if they don’t feel safe. Using in-store POS, floor markings, screens and other PPE equipment not only protects staff and shoppers, it reassures shoppers that your store is a safe place to visit.

So make sure you do all that you can to provide that safe environment, and also make sure that your shoppers can see you doing it. Make it obvious to them by cleaning regularly and publicly. For more advice on creating safe environments, turn to p53.”

December 2020 TalkingShop

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NEW RECIPE

RSP £2.50

NESCAFÉ Gold Cappuccino

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NESCAFÉ Gold Cappuccino Unsweetened

25/11/2020 10:31:52

NESCAFÉ GOLD PRICE MARKED PACKS

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ai160137615311_ASAHILTD-2020-0223 Multiband ASD Talking Shop 280x210_AW_HR.pdf

1

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