SLR March 2026 Edition

JAVEDS’ JUGGERNAUT

Retailers pass £350k home delivery mark

GROCERYAID DAY

How to get involved

DEPOSIT RETURN SCHEME

Free webinars to help you get ready

NORTHERN EXPOSURE

Parfetts boss talks

Scottish expansion

GROWING GREENS

Harris Aslam ‘redefines convenience’ with Greens on the Go.

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NEWS

06 Home Delivery Spar Alloa Road in Stenhousemuir hits £350,000 in annual home delivery sales.

07 Trading The Scottish convenience sector grows while the rest of the UK slumps, a new Talysis report finds.

08 Crime Two men are charged after an HMRC-led operation across Lanarkshire seized 1.7 million illicit cigarettes.

09 Home Delivery Snappy Shopper names Empros Retail as its preferred marketing partner.

10 News Extra Retail Crime The latest SGF Crime Report highlights further concerning statistics on rising retail crime and its impact on shop staff.

20 Product News Retailers can win a VIP cricket experience courtesy of Pringles and Cheez-It.

24 Off-Trade News Martin Compston stars in a new Famous Grouse campaign as BrewDog rolls out 4-pint PMPs.

INSIDE BUSINESS

26 GroceryAid Day Falling on 30 April this year, GroceryAid Day is a brilliant opportunity to help raise awareness of the free and confidential support our industry charity can offer.

27 SLR Awards The entry deadline is fast approaching, so now is the time to get your hat in the ring and give you and your team a chance to be among the stars of the sector.

31 Big Interview Guy Swindell The Parfetts boss explains why the group is making moves in Scotland and what it’s got to offer.

35 Deposit Return Scheme DRS administrator Exchange for Change has kicked off a series of webinars to help retailers prepare for the scheme’s introduction in October 2027.

36 Above and Beyond Awards After an intense and frequently emotional judging period, the shortlist for this year’s Awards has been released.

38 Hotlines The latest new products and media campaigns.

54 Under The Counter The Auld Boy weighs in on the debate around GLP-1 appetite-supressing injections.

FEATURES

40 Confectionery Creative combinations of crumbly biscuit, chunky chocolate, crisp freeze-dried candy and squidgy mochis are keeping Gen-Z sweet.

48 Retail Technology Retailers are embracing EPoS in order to streamline their operations and boost efficiency.

52 Tobacco Trends towards value cigarettes and eco-friendly rolling papers are igniting the category.

Rural

shops invest more than £280m

The 2026 Rural Shop Report has revealed that rural retailers have spent over £280m in the last year improving their range of products and services for customers, as well as investing in security measures to keep staff and customers safe. Published by the Association of Convenience Stores, the report highlighted the importance of rural retailers and the services they provide, as well as the unique challenges they face compared to their more urban counterparts.

Gander integrates with ShopMate

Food waste reduction platform

Gander has announced a new integration with EPoS provider ShopMate. The integration enables ShopMate retailers to connect seamlessly with the Gander platform, making it easier for stores to identify reducedto-clear products and share live availability with local shoppers in real time.

Booker consolidates retail leadership team

Booker is reorganising its retail operation to create a single dedicated Retail Sales team led by Martyn Parkinson. The move is intended to enhance support for independent retailers across Booker’s symbol groups. Stewart Fenn will lead Retail Proposition, with responsibility for setting, shaping and evolving the end-to-end customer offer. He will also oversee the wholesaler’s forecourt proposition – covering regional, independent and national accounts.

JET expands UK dealer network

JET continues to strengthen its dealer network, adding 19 sites and securing 30 re-ties in 2025. Growth continues into 2026 with Tong Service Station in Shropshire joining in January and more sites due to transition under agreement. The JET network now totals 335 locations, backed by Phillips 66.

Spar Alloa Road hits £350k annual delivery sales

Falkirk husband and wife team, Asiyah and Jawad Javed, have transformed home delivery into a £350,000 revenue stream with Snappy Shopper.

A er breaking the £60,000 monthly sales barrier in December, processing 2,830 delivery orders and acquiring 349 new customers in a single month, Spar Alloa Road has rapidly scaled its home delivery o er.

e Stenhousemuir store has more than doubled its Snappy Shopper sales in just one-year, growing delivery Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) from £160,000 in 2024 to £350,000 in 2025, as demand accelerated and home delivery became a core part of the business.

“We’ve been part of the local community for around nine years now and looking a er our customers has always been at the heart of what we do,” says Jawad. “ is shop isn’t just a business to us. It’s about supporting the people around us, whether that’s through everyday essentials or helping families when they need it most.”

Jawad says Snappy Shopper has become a core part of the store’s business model.

“Snappy Shopper felt like adding another shop inside our shop, another business under the same roof,” he explains. “We already run multiple parts of the business, and Snappy became another strong revenue stream alongside that. With how tough things are for convenience stores right now, having Snappy

LEGISLATION

has made a real di erence. Without it, it would have been much harder. Even when money is tight, people will still spend if the value is there and Snappy helps us deliver that.”

Jawad also credits recent shi s in the local delivery market with accelerating demand.

e store now delivers across Larbert, Stenhousemuir, Grangemouth, Falkirk, Camelon and Airth.

“We have customers who rely entirely on our Snappy app. Some order two or three times every week,” explains Jawad. “Many of them can’t travel easily, so the delivery service is essential for them.”

Scottish Parliament passes Community Wealth Building Bill

Local shops are set to benefit following the Scottish Parliament’s passing of the Community Wealth Building Bill, which will support investment in communities with public bodies focusing on the generation, circulation and retention of wealth in local and regional economies. This could include buying or procuring more goods and services from local businesses; boosting social enterprises; or helping community groups to acquire vacant buildings and land – all leading to a healthier local business ecosystem.

New Nisa model doesn’t require membership fee

Co-op Wholesale has unveiled a fully modernised Nisa proposition built to “remove friction and unlock growth”. e new model doesn’t have membership fees and sees the removal of all standard delivery charges and surcharges. What’s more, retailers can earn up to 6% rebate.

e concept was launched at Mike Sohal’s newly re tted Nisa Dallam in Warrington, England. e new look store design boasts “a sharper, prouder and more modern fascia,” while internal POS communicates “Nicer prices, Nisa people”.

When Managing Director, Katie Secretan, rst announced the new proposition at the group’s Partner Summit last November, she said: “We’ve taken the heritage of our much-loved brand and reengineered it with purpose.”

SYMBOL GROUPS

Scottish convenience sector grows while rest of UK slumps

Scotland has been highlighted as the only region of growth within the UK convenience sector, according to the newly published UK Convenience Review 2025 from retail analytics expert Talysis.

e whole UK convenience sector was down -1.7% YoY in year to 4 January 2026, stated the report, which is based on EPoS data from thousands of independent and symbol group stores.

While all other UK regions were in decline, the Scottish convenience sector was up +3.9% over the same time period.

Talysis claimed that one of the major reasons for the UK-wide

LOTTERY

High standards rewarded

decline was the continued impact of in ation, reducing discretionary spend and shi ing shopping habits. e report also stated that the ban on disposable vapes, introduced last June, had had a disproportionate e ect on the convenience market, due to its heavy reliance on the overall Tobacco category.

Meanwhile, the rm believed that Scotland’s more positive performance could be due to its regional resilience, which is inuenced by local factors such as di erent competitive pressures and

Stranraer National Lottery retailer wins £10,000

Dennis Forsyth, owner of Key Store Stranraer in Dumfries and Galloway, has won the £10,000 top prize in the National Lottery’s Site, Stock, Sell initiative.

Local 2U Staveley Stores, Keighley in Bradford also won £10,000, while a further 20 shops each received £1,000, including Premier Early Til Late in Larbert, Falkirk, run by David, Christopher and Rosemary Love.

e Site, Stock, Sell online quarterly prize draws recognise stores that demonstrate consistently strong execution of National Lottery in-store standards. Independent retailers simply upload images of their POS materials to the National Lottery Retailer Hub each month to receive a score out of 10 and to enter the quarterly prize draw.

Commenting on his win, Dennis said: “It’s great news for us, as it means that the newer car we have been looking to buy can now become a reality.”

He added: “ e National Lottery is a great driver of footfall to our store, which really helps all aspects of my shop sales. I’d encourage any other retailer to enter Allwyn’s £10,000 prize draw – it’s so easy to do.”

the presence of strong social enterprises. e review also identi ed the So Drinks category as “a clear growth engine”, driven predominantly by Sports & Energy.

Within Alcohol, the report noted that established segments continue to decline, but RTD products are rapidly gaining share.

It also said that Tobacco and Smoking Alternatives highlighted the channel’s vulnerability to regulatory change, with the disposable vape ban altering purchasing behaviour and category economics.

APPOINTMENT

JW Filshill appoints Business Development Manager

Former Morrisons Wholesale Account Manager, Matthew Howie, has been appointed as Business Development Manager at JW Filshill.

Howie has nearly 25 years’ experience in both the retail and wholesale sectors. He brings a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record in stakeholder engagement, leadership, and driving growth in independent retail to Filshill and its growing KeyStore brand.

Starting his journey in fruit and veg at the Co-op at the age of 16, he worked his way up to Manager, Store Manager, and Business Development Manager at Nisa/ Co-op before heading up the Morrisons Daily franchise operation across Scotland.

Unitas revamps Retail Club

Unitas will overhaul its Retail Club and Plan for Profit, and speed up supplier activations in more than 5,000 c-stores across the group’s membership. The news came at the Unitas Supplier Partner Directors’ Luncheon in January, where David Cooke took to the stage for the first time as Chief Operating Officer. Cooke shared a raft of brandnew central initiatives planned in partnership with suppliers and members.

SGF updates manifesto

The Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) has updated its manifesto ahead of the Scottish Election 2026, urging for action on retail crime, business rates and removing the legislative burden. SGF has also announced that a Scottish Election Hustings will take place following its Diversity & Inclusion Conference in Edinburgh on 23 April.

Haggis in high demand Shoppers in Scotland spent £2.3m on haggis in the four weeks to 25 January 2026 – the highest spend in five years, new data from Worldpanel by Numerator has revealed. Over a quarter of Scottish households (28%) bought haggis during the period, with an additional 32,000 packs sold compared with last year, underlining the enduring popularity of this cultural staple.

Eoin McGettigan joins CJ Lang board

CJ Lang & Son has announced the appointment of Eoin McGettigan as Non-Executive Chair. McGettigan brings more than 35 years’ senior executive leadership experience across retail, wholesale and consumerfacing businesses, including CEO roles at Musgrave, Budgens-Londis, Co-op Retail and Lifestyle Sports. Alongside his executive career, McGettigan founded DriveChain in 2008, a consulting and interim management practice.

Allwyn partners

Commonwealth Games

National Lottery operator, Allwyn, has been announced as Official Volunteer Learning and Development Partner of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. More than 3,000 volunteers will be at the heart of the action when the Games return to Glasgow this year from 23 July to 2 August.

Scoot reaches 300 stores

Booker’s rapid delivery platform, Scoot, has reached the 300-store mark as it celebrates its first year. Since launching in February 2025, Scoot has expanded rapidly through Booker’s Premier, Londis, Budgens and Family Shopper symbol groups, supporting retailers in growing sales, reaching new shoppers and remaining competitive.

Glasgow retail criminal charged

A man has been charged with the exploitation of young people following a high-value shoplifting at a store on Clarkston Road, Glasgow. On 2 December 2025, three youths aged 16, 17 and 18 were driven to the shop, where around £400 in alcohol was stolen from within. As a result of inquiries by Operation Dynos and local officers in Glasgow, a 42-year-old man was arrested in connection with this investigation on Wednesday 28 January. He was held in custody to appear in court the following day before being released on bail.

Cruden Bay Co-op opens

A new Co-op franchise was due to open in Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire, as SLR went to press, while Co-ops in Killearn, Stirling, and Tarbert, Argyll, are set to relaunch following extensive refits. Cruden Bay Co-op will launch following the redevelopment of the village’s Post Office and Store, which has been closed since the end of September for building and renovation work. The new store will house a Post Office serving point at the counter.

1.7 million illicit cigarettes seized in Lanarkshire

Two men have been charged a er the seizure of 1.7 million cigarettes across a two-day operation spanning North and South Lanarkshire on 28 and 29 January.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), supported by Police Scotland, seized cigarettes and tobacco worth more than £1m in duty and taxes.

HMRC o cers searched three premises and a vehicle in Larkhall, South Lanarkshire, and found

700,000 illicit cigarettes and 40kg of tobacco.

A further 1,044,000 cigarettes were seized from three storage units in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire.

Five arrests were made and two men, aged 28 and 40, were charged on suspicion of excise duty evasion. Investigations are ongoing.

Meanwhile, over 550 packets containing 11,000 cigarettes and 5.5kg of hand-rolled tobacco have been seized from two shops in Grangemouth.

e illicit goods were found a er PC Boyle and PC Scott from the Grangemouth Community team attended the stores with Falkirk Council trading standards team, following information from the local community.

PC Boyle said: “We rely on our local communities to let us know when they see local issues, this allows us to step in and deal with

Double-digit drop in Highland shoplifting

e Highlands has experienced a 14% reduction in shopli ing o ences during the nine months to December 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, according to a Police Performance Report presented to e Highland Council’s Communities and Place Committee last week.

e data recorded 871 shopli ing incidents between 1 April and 31 December 2025, compared to 1,015 over the same period the previous year. e latest gure falls well below the three-year average of 1,003.6 incidents, but above the ve-year average of 755.6.

Chief Superintendent Robert Shepherd, Divisional Commander for Highland and Islands, referred to the drop as a “signi cant reduction”. He noted that the fall in shopli ing incidents coincided with the implementation of Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce, which was launched in March 2025 following a £3m funding allocation from the Scottish Government.

CS Shepherd also highlighted the work of Operation Lambie within the Highlands and Islands, which has involved the deployment of plain clothes and uniform o cers and closer working relationships with retailers.

Operation Lambie was launched on 5 September in response to rising retail crime in the Highlands. O cers have been working to detect and deter would-be o enders.

it along with partner agencies. I would encourage the reporting of any local issues.”

A further “large quantity” of illicit cigarettes has also been recovered by Shettleston community o cers from a local store in the Tollcross area of Glasgow.

Sergeant Neil Reilly said: “ e sale of illegal tobacco and cigarettes doesn’t just harm legitimate local businesses — it also helps fund serious and organised crime. ese fake cigarettes can contain harmful substances and pose real risks to your health. We’re committed to protecting our communities from this type of criminality.”

If you have any information about individuals or premises involved in selling illicit tobacco products, please contact Police Scotland on 101 or report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

opens ‘next level’ KeyStore

A stunning KeyStore More store, described as “next level” by JW Filshill, has opened its doors in Greenock, following a six- gure investment by forward-thinking, tech-savvy young retailers, Harry and Andy Hayre.

e 2,400sq store features custom-made lighting, an open ceiling, modern ceramic tiled ooring and refreshed internal signage. Improved shop ow, sleek chillers and e ective merchandising create a welcoming, spacious environment.

From a slush counter and Ca a co ee station to local gems, Aulds the Bakers and awardwinning butcher McCaskie’s of Wemyss Bay, the outlet is designed to be a destination store, complete with the rst beer cave in Inverclyde.

NEW STORES Inverclyde gets first beer cave Greenock

CRIME Operation Lambie lowers shop theft

Snappy Shopper names Empros Retail as preferred marketing partner

Snappy Shopper has appointed Edinburgh-based Empros Retail as its preferred marketing partner for UK convenience retailers, formalising a relationship that aims to help independent and symbol group stores compete more e ectively in a digital- rst market.

e agreement combines Snappy Shopper’s home delivery platform with Empros Retail’s data-driven social media and performance marketing expertise. e two businesses have worked closely since 2023, delivering measurable results for stores by pairing local delivery propositions with targeted, conversion-led campaigns.

Performance highlights cited by the partners include year-on-year

delivery sales growth of more than 70% for participating stores, more than 100 orders achieved on launch day for multiple Snappy Shopper outlets, campaigns returning up to 25x return on ad spend, and more than £10,000 in tracked sales from ad budgets under £500 within 30 days.

For Snappy Shopper, the move is part of a broader strategy to strengthen support for its retailer network beyond delivery infrastructure.

Under the partnership, Empros will o er two core packages to Snappy Shopper retailers: a

Community Essentials package to build local audiences and engagement, and a Sales Growth package using live pixel tracking and customer retargeting to maximise return on ad spend.

To nd out more, retailers can contact info@emprosmedia.co.uk or speak to their Snappy Shopper Regional Growth Manager.

ACS calls for cap on card scheme fees

ACS (Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed proposals to improve transparency and strengthen governance around card scheme and processing fees. However, ACS urged the Government to go further and keep a cap on scheme and processing fees under active consideration to curb constant fee upward pressure on costs.

Clubcards for under-18s

Tesco plans to let under-18s access Clubcard this year, following pressure from Which? to lift “unfair restrictions” on who can join loyalty schemes. Five of the ‘Big Six’ retailers currently require shoppers to be 18 or over to join, although some allow youngsters to access their parent or guardian’s account. Aldi has no scheme. Over-16s can apply for a Co-op membership.

Scottish Grocers’ Federation

Convenience Matters with the SGF

For thousands of shop workers across Scotland, every shift now comes with a distressing risk assessment. New figures published in the annual SGF Crime Report 2025/26, at our recent Retail Crime Seminar, reveal a sharp and troubling rise in retail crime and expose a very real public safety crisis.

The scale of the problem can’t be ignored. Almost four in five convenience retailers (78.3%) say violence towards staff has increased, while more than three-quarters of stores report at least one employee suffering mental health or wellbeing issues directly linked to crime at work.

Shoplifting is now a daily occurrence for virtually all retailers surveyed (99.6%), with over half believing it has worsened in the past year alone. Hate crime incidents are reported monthly by more than eight in 10 stores, while nearly all experience regular violence and weekly abuse when staff refuse sales or request proof of age.

The financial consequences are also severe. The average convenience store now loses £10,431 a year to theft. That amounts to an estimated £54.5m across Scotland annually – impacting the lifeline services stores provide.

We very much welcome the Minister for Community Safety speaking to retailers at the seminar, and the excellent early progress made by Police Scotland’s new Retail Crime Taskforce. However, it’s clear that there must be even stronger government action –including expanding the role of the taskforce nationwide.

Without urgent intervention, the damage to workers’ wellbeing, businesses and communities will continue to deepen – and the everyday act of going to work will remain a gamble no one should have to take.

Retail crime impacts staff mental health in 78% of Scots shops

The latest SGF Crime Report highlights further concerning statistics on rising retail crime and its impact on shop staff.

Over three-quarters of stores in Scotland now have at least one member of sta who has experienced mental health or wellbeing issues as a direct result of retail crime. is deeply disturbing statistic, which was revealed in the Scottish Grocers’ Federation’s (SGF’s) Crime Report 2025/26, marks a 24% increase on last year’s gure of 62.5%.

In addition, almost four in ve retailers (78.3%) report an increase in violence towards shop workers. e average cost of shop the averages £10,431 per store in 2025/26, based on responses from 732 stores participating in the SGF annual crime survey. When scaled to Scotland’s total 5,228 convenience stores, this equates to an estimated annual cost of £54.5m, placing crippling pressure on the sector.

Further data published during the SGF annual Crime Seminar at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Edinburgh on 12 February, reveals that:

Q 54.8% of convenience retailers believe shopli ing has increased over the past year, with 99.6% stating it is now a daily occurrence.

Q More than eight in 10 stores report incidents of hate crime at least once a month, while almost all experience violence against sta on a monthly basis (80.6% and 78.3% respectively).

Q Nearly all respondents (99.4%) report weekly incidents of abuse when refusing a sale or requesting proof of age.

Despite the high levels of crime experienced, over a quarter of retailers (26.3%) report that police response times to shopli ing incidents are either unsatisfactory or signi cantly delayed (to the degree that it undermines the e ectiveness of reporting the crime). Nevertheless, just 10.9% report they are unlikely or very unlikely to report shopli ing incidents to the police, which is a marked improvement on last year’s report, where the gure stood at almost half (48.2%) of respondents.

e worrying ndings underline the need for more action from the Government to expand the work of the recently renewed Retail Crime Taskforce, urged SGF.

SGF Chief Executive Pete Cheema commented: “For thousands of shop workers across Scotland, going to work now means putting their personal safety on the line. Assaults, stabbings, spitting, threats, and relentless abuse have become an all-too-common part of daily life on the shop oor. Our latest Crime Report exposes

the full and alarming scale of criminality facing the convenience sector.

“Retail crime is spiralling out of control. Every indicator is moving in the wrong direction, and the damage to workers, businesses and local communities is profound and accelerating. is is a public safety emergency hiding in plain sight.

“Retailers urgently need support. e police and courts are overwhelmed, and many crimes go unreported because retailers lack con dence that action will be taken. O enders know they are unlikely to face consequences, and even when arrests are made, cases can take years to reach conviction.”

Cheema also thanked everyone who took part in the Crime Seminar. “We are grateful to our speakers from Police Scotland, the Minister for Community Safety the Cyber and Fraud Centre, as well as our members and sponsors. Without their continued support, SGF could not achieve the impact it does,” he said.

Image courtesy of Charlotte Knight on Unsplash

REAL HEROES WEAR BRANDED POLO SHIRTS

Taking part in the judging for the SLR Above & Beyond Awards, as I did last month, is both a sobering and an uplifting experience. We talk a lot in this sector about how we’re special and about the pivotal role we play in pretty much every community in Scotland – but reading the entries for the Above & Beyond Awards really smashes it home about just how unique local retailing really is.

For a start, it’s the only awards programme I’ve ever been involved in where a few tears are guaranteed. That’s partly down to the way we do the Awards. My colleague Gaelle literally calls every single nominee and spends up to an hour and a half talking to everyone to find out the nature of the heroics they have performed. It takes her weeks. Then the judges gather and we hear in great detail all about some wonderful people going way above and beyond the call of duty.

Virtually every story is a hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck experience. There’s quite a lot of times where judges are stunned into silence. And, of course, there are a few tears. It really is that emotional. And that’s the sobering part I referred to above. You can’t help but think how utterly amazing many of our shopfloor colleagues are – and you can’t help but wonder what it is that drives them to do such incredible things.

What is it that motivates store staff to go to unbelievable lengths to look after customers, colleagues and other members of their community? It’s genuinely inspiring and every year that goes by, the more we start to realise that this kind of stuff is happening on a daily basis across Scotland. We like to think that local retailing is special – but I don’t think we even know the half of it.

Unfortunately, I’ve promised to avoid giving away any spoilers before the Awards ceremony takes place so I can’t go into specifics yet, but take it from me that on the day we will hear some breathtaking tales. And we’ll share them with you in SLR afterwards.

At the end of the day, these stories need to be shared. They need to be shared among the local retailing community, but they also need to be shared wider. Consumers need to understand how important local stores are. And politicians definitely need to have a better go at understanding our sector. We’re not just businesses trying to make profits. We are local people making a massive difference to local communities.

ANTONY BEGLEY, PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

EDITORIAL

Publishing Director & Editor

Antony Begley abegley@55north.com

Deputy Editor Sarah Britton sbritton@55north.com

Features Editor Gaelle Walker gwalker@55north.com

Web Editor Findlay Stein fstein@55north.com

ADVERTISING

Sales & Marketing Director

Helen Lyons 07575 959 915 | hlyons@55north.com

Advertising Manager Garry Cole 07846 872 738 | gcole@55north.com

DESIGN

Design & Digital Manager Richard Chaudhry rchaudhry@55north.com

EVENTS & OPERATIONS

Events & Circulation Manager Cara Begley cbegley@55north.com

Scottish Local Retailer is distributed free to qualifying readers. For a registration card, call 0141 22 22 100. Other readers can obtain copies by annual subscription at £50 (UK), £62 (Europe airmail), £99 (Worldwide airmail).

55 North Ltd, Waterloo Chambers, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 6AY Tel: 0141 22 22 100 Fax: 0141 22 22 177 Website: www.55north.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/slrmag

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GROWING GREENS

Greens Retail MD Harris Aslam talks about honing his “revolutionary” Greens on the Go format and his plans to roll out the high-margin, food-first concept.

BY SARAH BRITTON

In 2016 – the year he turned 20 – Harris

Aslam picked up the Scottish Local Retailer of the Year Award and SLR Publisher Antony Begley described him as “a hungry

bar and mocktails plus hot and cold food to go such as sushi, bagels, baked potatoes, loaded fries and pizza.

Straight from the o , Harris makes it clear that he is not aiming to steal business from the mults. “Instead of competing with Sainsbury’s or Tesco or Co-op, what we’re looking to take market share away from is Greggs and Prêt, etc.”

Why has he taken this direction? “Food to go is signi cantly higher margin and that’s where the likes of Greggs are winning drastically because of that higher margin point,” he says. “At the end of the day, if we’ve got 30% margin and labour cost is through the roof, does the model work? Absolutely not. e [Greens on the Go] model will only work if we can get our margin signi cantly up, well over 50% in the long run.” He believes every convenience retailer in the UK needs to crank up their margins to survive. “If we still want to be viable and still want to be here as an industry and – forget 10 years’ time – even in two years’ time, the margin needle needs to shi . An [2019] article in SLR said ‘Is 30 the new 20?’ around margin and frankly now I’m struggling to see if it’s even 30%. I’m pretty certain that that needle needs to be a lot higher very, very quickly.”

GLOBAL INSPO

Harris’ biggest retail inspirations are Circle K and 7-Eleven in North America, but he has also taken in uences from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

“Saudi Arabia is an interesting one where convenience is very much still in its infancy and not a lot of operators out there are making much money, which then inevitably pushes operators towards innovation and disruption,” he says.

“And of course, Northern Ireland and Ireland in general, on a very di erent scale, have signi cantly larger models that work exceptionally well there, but one thing they do very well is food. So how can we take that and package it into a 12to 15-hundred square feet proposition whereby it’s everything that everybody wants, but no u ?”

He explains how the core range at Greens on the Go di ers dramatically from a standard c-store. “With city central locations, do you need 10 SKUs or do you need a single SKU of butters and fats?” he asks. “It’s really about thinking long and hard about what the proposition is. Do we need bottles of ketchup? No, we don’t, so we’ve not stocked it. What we do need is sachets of ketchup, mayonnaise or dressing (they’re of course complimentary) that customers can utilise on the go with whatever they want. It’s all about creating the o ering t for what the consumer demand actually is.”

In the same way, he claims that despite a twolitre jug of milk being within the top 10 sellers of a typical c-store, it is not necessarily what city store customers want. “Nobody’s buying big jugs of milk to take home with them,” he says. “Straight away that could potentially save you 10% of your refrigerated space immediately. It’s all about disruptive thinking and getting away from ‘this is the way that things have always been done’. Forget that we’re called a convenience store or a food store, foodvenience or whatever – the point is – what does the customer coming in want for breakfast, for lunch, for dinner and what do they want in between? at’s it.”

Harris has also pared down the ttings. “ e model absolutely is food led, but equally, we’ve de nitely reduced the amount of metal shelving in store and also refrigeration. Instead of going signi cantly vast when it comes to chilled space, it’s about ‘what do we need to have a concise, yet impactful o ering?’

“ e beauty of reducing the square footage of the store of course leads to a lower CapEx [capital expenditure], but also reducing the amount of refrigeration also means signi cantly lower running costs, theoretically, signi cantly lower wastage, lower maintenance, etc. As long as we’ve got su cient for what the consumer demand is, that’s the important thing.”

Equipment discussions have featured high on the agenda, he says. “ ere’s been an incredible amount of time spent on equipment, lots of innovation, things like boba tea and the nacho station and noodle station,” he says. e focus isn’t just on the e ciency of the equipment itself, but also how well it is received by customers. “Noodle stations, for example, which are very prevalent in the Far East and Korea, are a pretty new concept over here, so [we’ve been] looking

at how consumers are actually interacting with it. It is going to take four minutes to prep, so what are they doing? Are they going and paying for it? If they’ve already prepped the noodles, then what are they doing with the packet? How does that impact stock control and stock integrity?”

And what kind of dynamic technology does the entrepreneurial retailer use to analyse shoppers? “ e best way to understand consumer behaviour is by forgetting all the tech and just physically standing in store and watching consumers,” he says. He claims that for the rst couple of weeks post-launch he and his team were “ oating around” observing how shoppers interacted with di erent parts of the store.

One detail the team has picked up on is that the nacho cheese dispenser is a little tricky to master. “You press the pump down a little bit too much and it’s going absolutely everywhere. You don’t press it enough and it’s not coming out. Our team have seen this and if you walk into our o ces right now, we’ve got three di erent types of nacho cheese machines from the US that the team are experimenting with.”

e team is also using infographics to make signage more prevalent so that food prep and machine operation is “super easy” for customers to understand.

One concept that hasn’t made the grade is so serve ice cream. “We’ve pulled that out. e model is just so concise that if some element of the proposition isn’t working for six months or even three months of the year, it’s not going to work,” he says. Following the success of the store’s FroMo premium mocktail brand, which has been “absolutely ying o the shelves”, Harris has opted to give the ice cream space over to a triple barrel Skwishee machine, which he claims has year-round appeal.

EXPANSION PLANS

e company has already con rmed plans to expand the ‘foodvenience’ concept to multiple sites across Scotland in 2026 but is currently “re ning the proposition”. Having worked on the city centre version of the model for two and a half years, Harris is comfortable that the model is right for bustling, densely populated metropolitan environments, but what about cities with a slightly slower pace of life?

e next location will open on Hospital Hill in Dunfermline towards the end of this quarter. “It has a signi cant amount of passing trade, but of course it’s not a top-tier Scottish city… the key now is just exploring these secondary locations, just to ascertain what the demand and the viability is there,” he says.

It’s not just Greens on the Go stores that are taking a ‘food rst’ approach; Harris is in the process of rolling out elements of the concept across the estate. e company is set to open its 30th store next month, Greens of Cowcaddens in Port Dundas, which he refers to as his third hybrid store. “Absolutely it’s convenience, but it’s got a heavy Greens on the Go in uence,” he says.

At the end of last year, he quietly launched the rst two of these hybrid stores – Greens of Hillhead and Greens of Larbert. “Both are very much the look and feel of a standard convenience store in terms of what we’re used to, but both stores have got noodle stations, they’ve got the GOAT co ee with unlimited re lls, nacho stations and Boba tea.

“Larbert is trading exceptionally well, it’s one of our top performing stores with a phenomenal food-to-go proposition. ere’s a work ow in place for this year to roll out the food rst format into all existing stores.”

LABOUR CHALLENGES

Despite the success of the food rst concept, there remains one key area that Harris has yet to crack with regard to Greens on the Go. “When we initially started o , it was all about low CapEx, low overhead, low manpower and ultimately, it’s all about that customer experience,” he says. “I think we’ve achieved a lot of the above. e one bit we haven’t is labour cost, which is still pretty much on par with the typical convenience store, probably marginally less, but not quite where we want it to be.”

He explains that certain parts of the food-togo o er remain labour intensive if standards are to be maintained. “ e salad bar that we’ve put in is working unbelievably well considering salad bars are generally seen as something lots of convenience retailers have tried over the years and nobody’s ever been able to make it work,” he says.

“What we’ve had to do, especially during peak times, is have it manned every 15 minutes.”

So between 12 and 2pm the area is closely monitored to ensure it’s looking good, it’s fresh and that any contamination is dealt with. “It doesn’t put us o at all, it’s just a case of ‘how do we deal with this?’”

He believes that concentrating on the operational side of the business will help to get labour costs under control. “ ere aren’t very many convenience retailers in the UK that have surpassed 30 stores,” says Harris. “And that’s because we are typically retailers, not necessarily operators. What we’re now doing is bringing in the operations experts that are able to come in and understand ‘this is the labour impact of this operational process’.”

He has adopted a new operational management so ware called Jolt. It has the ability to streamline operations with a task management tool featuring built-in employee accountability features and can send alerts if tasks are missed. e system also o ers remote temperature monitoring and aids food safety compliance using digital time stamps.

“We’ve brought in our rst IT manager three months ago and there’s a signi cant exercise underway in terms of data harnessing in terms

of ensuring that things like temperature checks are managed,” he says.

“In terms of what we are doing, it all revolves around our operational platform and operational processes. at’s the biggest tech tool that we’ve got. But the key win, the key next steps for us are how do we get that talking to other aspects of our operation.”

Until now, a historical lack of technological integration within convenience has stopped the chain o ering home delivery, claims Harris. It’s an area he has been interested in “long before it became cool”. e group even announced a partnership with Snappy Shopper in 2023 – but didn’t go beyond trials. “ e critical component absolutely has to be IT and tech integration,” he says. “ e tech piece hasn’t been there [before]. I think it’s come on in leaps and bounds now, it’s back on the cards. e works all kicked o at the end of last year, but it’s scheduled in for 2026, so watch this space. at will start with Greens on the Go prior to a wider role out.”

TRAIN TO GAIN

Sta training is also being stepped up. “Our people are very well taken care of, but we’ve not had a proper training programme in place,” concedes Harris. “We’ve thrown our colleagues and managers into the deep end. at’s where there’s now a huge opportunity.”

Traditional retail is relatively straightforward in terms of the processes involved, he states. “Retailing at its core, it’s not rocket science. All you’re doing is buying and selling product. I’ve been doing it since I was probably in nappies essentially, the family’s been doing it for decades and it’s a concept that’s incredibly familiar to most.”

However, the food rst concept adds another layer of complexity. e processes involved in monitoring, operating and maintaining various bits of kit, alongside adhering to strict food hygiene standards, is a di erent ballgame altogether. “ e process for selling a tin of Coke is very simple and straightforward, but the process for a noodle station or a nacho station is di erent, and that’s essentially what we’re in the midst of doing now,” he says.

“ e biggest investment that we’ve currently got going on both in terms of time and cash is on people. We’ve sculpted from the ground up a completely new training regime. We’ve taken it from not being t for purpose to pioneering. We’ve recruited our rst training manager, who is absolutely phenomenal. ere’s still lots of work to be done, but we’re heading in the right direction.

“We see lots of potential in Greens on the Go,” concludes Harris. “We’re incredibly happy with where we are. It’s now about taking those learnings, implementing them in existing convenience stores and taking it from there.”

“The Greens on the Go model will only work if we can get our margin significantly up, well over 50% in the long run.”

McVitie’s partners PG Tips

McVitie’s has teamed up with PG Tips to launch a new limitededition brand partnership, called Cosy Season Isn’t Over Yet. A shopper marketing campaign runs through to mid-April, supported by promotions on key McVitie’s SKUs including Digestives, Hobnobs, Rich Tea, Chocolate Digestives and Chocolate Hobnobs. The move follows Kantar research that found 65% of Brits pair sweet biscuits with a cup of tea.

McCain plans ‘Farm of the Future’ in Yorkshire

McCain Foods is launching a new Farm of the Future UK in North Yorkshire to trial regenerative agriculture at commercial scale. The 202-hectare farm is the company’s third research and innovation site and joins farms in Canada and South Africa. Insights will feed into McCain’s network of 4,400 farmers to support wider adoption of regenerative practices.

Egg and cheese team up

Pilgrims Choice has announced a partnership with comedian and self-styled “culinary anarchist” George Egg as part of its 2026 Bite Into Bold marketing campaign. The collaboration launched with the Flavour First Aid Kit, a limited-edition collection designed to inspire kitchen creativity. The kit pairs Pilgrims Choice Cheddar with Egg’s selection of spices, sprays and sauces aimed at transforming everyday meals.

Weetabix sets out sustainability wins

Weetabix has published its 2025/2026 Sustainability Report, revealing the progress it has made down the road to net zero across its value chain by 2050. The company is now using regenerative techniques and less nitrogen to protect crop yields while cutting emissions on farms. It has also beaten its goal to cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 20% versus a 2018 baseline.

SNACKS Retailers can win a VIP matchday experience

Pringles and Cheez-It launch cricket competition

Snacking brands Pringles and Cheez-It have joined forces with Bestway, Booker and participating buying groups to launch a cricketthemed competition o ering retailers the chance to win a VIP matchday experience.

ere are 10 pairs of tickets available: ve pairs for England international xtures and ve pairs for Vitality Blast T20 games at Emirates Old Tra ord. Winners will receive VIP access to e Century Lounge, which includes

SPORTS & ENERGY

a meet and greet with a cricket legend for international xtures, complimentary food and drink, designated seating or elevated balcony views and a live DJ.

Retailers can enter by buying two cases of qualifying price-marked packs – one case of Cheez-It 65g PMP and one case of Pringles 70g PMP – from participating wholesalers. Purchasing two cases counts as one entry.

Entries can be submitted by scanning the QR code on cases

or visiting the online entry page. e prize draw closes on 31 March.

A spokesperson for the brands called on cricketloving retailers across the UK to “stock up and bat for success!”

Red Bull starts up Co-Driver category advice programme

Red Bull has launched Co-Driver – a collaborative category management programme aimed at helping convenience retailers grow soft drinks sales.

Positioned as a practical growth partner for the channel, Co-Driver focuses on the shopper of 2030 and turns insight into action using: tried-and-tested tactics for quick, incremental sales; top trends and insight; and exclusive support that includes a dedicated WhatsApp channel for real-time updates and expert advice.

The launch comes with the sports and energy category thriving – now accounting for 40% of all soft drinks sold and up £174m compared to two years ago.

Co-Driver content will be available through trade press and media partnerships, trade body collaborations, and promotional materials. Retailers are invited to share case studies where small changes have delivered soft drinks growth. Retailers can join the community by scanning the QR code to access the WhatsApp channel.

FRESH & CHILLED Event generates over £1,000 for mental health charity

Simon Howie’s Puddin’ Race raises funds for SAMH

Haggis maker Simon Howie has hailed its rst-ever 5km Puddin’ Race a resounding success, a er the Burns Night-inspired run raised more than £1,000 for SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health).

Held on 25 January at Simon Howie’s headquarters in Dunning, Perthshire, the event welcomed over 500 runners of all abilities and

all ages to take part in a feel-good race designed to boost wellbeing, celebrate Burns Night, and raise funds and awareness to support mental health.

Finishers received a celebratory haggis and commemorative medal.

Alastair Marshall was hailed e Great Chie ain o’ e Puddin’ Race a er nishing rst in a time of 15 minutes and 58 seconds.

BISCUITS Shoppers can win up to £20,000

‘Fingers Crossed’ promo returns for third year

Cadbury has brought back its ‘Fingers Crossed’ on-pack promotion for Cadbury Fingers, giving shoppers two chances to win a cash prize.

e promotion is back for a third year a er generating a 15% upli in incremental sales in 2025 – mostly through price-marked packs.

Boost signs multi-year rugby league deal AG Barr’s functional drinks brand, Boost, has agreed a multi-year partnership to become the exclusive Official Sports & Energy Drink of the Betfred Super League. The tie-up spans the 2026 season and beyond and will see Boost take dual status across the competition as both Official Sports Drink and Official Energy Drink, as well as Principal Partner of the Boost Try of the Month.

Babybel makes sustainability switch

Shoppers who are lucky enough to nd a crossed- nger biscuit with a winning ticket inside a promotional pack could win up to a whopping £20,000. What’s more, thousands of instant cash prizes are also up for grabs through an on-pack QR code.

e promotion is live now and runs until 1 July 2026, across the following SKUS: Cadbury Dairy

SOF DRINKS Irn-Bru maker expands into adult soft drinks

AG Barr snaps up Fentimans and Frobishers

Irn-Bru owner AG Barr has bought premium so -drink makers Fentimans and Frobishers in transactions worth just over £50m, expanding its presence in the fast-growing “adult” so drinks.

SNACKS Tayto marks 70 years

Babybel is rolling out recyclable paper wrappers across its UK range, replacing cellulose and removing an estimated 105 million wrapper pieces –around 35 tons – each year. The FSC-certified, recyclable paper builds on Babybel’s strategy to help minimise food waste. The move aligns with Bel Group’s goal for 100% of packaging to be recyclable-ready or home-compostable by 2030.

AG Barr’s portfolio — which includes Irn-Bru, Rubicon, Boost and Funkin —

e Cumbernauld-based group said it bought Fentimans for around £38m, funded with a mix of cash and debt, and paid £13m for Devon-based Frobishers. Both brands will be integrated into AG Barr’s portfolio — which includes Irn-Bru, Rubicon, Boost and Funkin — during the new nancial year.

enhance organic growth with targeted

Chief Executive Euan Sutherland said the deals align with Barr’s strategy to enhance organic growth with targeted M&A and tap demand for premium non-alcoholic options. “Both brands operate in the attractive adult so drinks market, which is bene tting from the consumer trend of reduced alcohol consumption,” Barr said.

e news came alongside a trading update pointing to a “strong” FY2025/26: revenue up 4% to around £437m and adjusted operating margin at 14.7% – a rise of 1.1%.

Tayto Group has kicked off a year of celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of its founding in Tandragee, Co Armagh.

Founded by Thomas Hutchinson in 1956, the business remains family-run and is now the UK’s largest family-owned crisp and snack manufacturer, producing over five million bags a day across five sites. From its home in Co Armagh, Northern Ireland’s Tayto has grown into a £275m operation with a portfolio including Golden Wonder, Mr Porky and Real Hand Cooked Crisps.

Anniversary activity begins with special platinum packaging for Tayto’s Cheese & Onion packets, featuring a TAY7O logo. The company is also launching heart-shaped snacks under the ‘I Heart Tayto’ banner, available in Prawn Cocktail and Pickled Onion flavours.

Buster back on box Drain care brand Buster is back on UK TV with a new advertising campaign promoting its bathroom and kitchen sink unblockers. Running across ITV, Channel 4 and Sky Media, the activity forms part of a wider marketing push to spotlight the brand’s “best-ever” formulas. The eight-week burst features 10and 20-second ads that highlight the need for different unblockers for kitchens and bathrooms.

Plastic wet wipe ban

Plastic-containing wet wipes will be banned in Scotland from 2027 as part of efforts to cut marine litter and protect waterways. Retailers will have a transition period to switch to compliant products, while exemptions will cover medical and industrial uses and pharmacy requests. Scottish Water, which deals with around 35,000 sewer blockages a year at a cost of £10m, says wipes wrongly flushed down toilets remain a major problem.

Milk Fingers 114g, Cadbury Dairy Milk Fingers 114g PMP, Cadbury White Fingers 114g and the Cadbury Dairy Milk Fingers 189g Family Pack.

Republic partners Premier League Darts

Republic Technologies has become an official partner of the PDC’s Premier League Darts for the 2026 season, fronting the tie-up with its bestselling OCB and Swan brands. The televised tournament runs weekly until 28 May across 17 venues. Retailers can find details about activations and consumer promotions on the OCB and Swan Instagram channels, as well as Republic’s LinkedIn page.

Mars invests £1.2m in pet care R&D hub

Mars is investing £1.2m in its Birstall research and development hub to expand capability in the design, development and rollout of new pet care products. The move is aimed at meeting changing owner needs as the global pet care market is forecast to grow 45% by 2030. The hub has helped develop well-known treats such as Pedigree’s Dentastix, Jumbone and Markies.

Soreen adds ‘Wordplay’ to Lunchbox Loaves

Soreen has teamed up with lexicographer and broadcaster

Susie Dent – Countdown’s resident word expert – to launch Wordplay, a new in-pack initiative designed to help families build vocabulary during everyday moments. Limited-edition packs of Soreen Lunchbox Loaves now include a card insert featuring new words, simple definitions, and short stories to spark conversations at home.

Cheez-It wins Product of the Year 2026

Cheez-It has been named Product of the Year 2026 in the Cheesy Crisps & Snacks category, capping a big first year in Britain for the brand. The range launched in August 2024 and now offers four flavours: Double Cheese; Cheese & Chilli; Cheese, Sour Cream & Onion; and the most recent, Cheese & Smokey Bacon. It hit £24m in value sales within 12 months.

ENERGISE YOUR EPOS SYSTEM – P48

SOFT DRINKS Redesign is aimed at Gen Z

Bold new look for Tango

Tango has launched a bold new visual identity across its entire core range and rotational avour series.

e new look is designed to match the brand’s bold personality, delivering stronger brand visibility and greater on-shelf presence.

e refreshed design includes enhanced on-pack fruit avour cues, delivered through bold iconography and vibrant visuals, and is intended to increase appeal, particularly among Gen Z consumers.

Spanning Tango Orange and the newly named Tango Zero’d range, including Tango Zero’d Orange,

SNACKS

Now That’s What I Call a KP promo

KP Snacks has launched a new on-pack promotion in partnership with Now That’s What I Call Music.

Running until 10 May, the campaign gives shoppers the chance to win thousands of cash and music-related prizes.

The promotion spans KP’s Heritage portfolio and entry is via on-pack QR codes. Free POS materials are available to drive visibility and encourage participation across both retail and wholesale.

Retailers can also win cash prizes through a dedicated wholesale competition featured on PMP cases, from a total prize fund of £25,000.

Tango Zero’d Apple and Tango Zero’d Cherry, the new look forms part of a wider brand refresh.

e new packs will be hitting shelves from this month.

David Laidler, Brand Director for Carbonates at Carlsberg Britvic said the refreshed packs hero Tango’s great taste, ensuring that the brand really stands out on the

He added: “By making the brand’s avour appeal even more prominent, we’re making it easier for retailers to trade shoppers up and keep the category vibrant and relevant – especially for Gen Z.”

Pringles teams up with Fallout 76

Pringles has partnered with Xbox and Bethesda Softworks on a new Fallout 76-themed campaign, launching a limited-edition mystery flavour designed to spark debate among gamers and snack fans alike.

The promotion invites consumers to scan the QR code on promotional tubes and submit their flavour guess via Pringles’ Poptopia platform for the chance to win a five-night trip for two to California, including flights, transfers and 4-star accommodation.

Alongside the flavour-guessing challenge, the campaign also unlocks exclusive Fallout 76 in-game rewards. Specially marked Pringles tubes –covering both the mystery flavour and revamped core variants such as Original, Sour Cream & Onion, Salt & Vinegar and Texas BBQ – feature Xbox-themed artwork tied to Fallout 76, World of Warcraft: Midnight, Sea of Thieves and The Outer Worlds 2. Fans receive a unique code and can choose which game they want to redeem a reward for.

Fallout 76 players can also claim the Mr. Vault Boy Mascot outfit and head skin through codes found on Pringles tubes.

The launch marks the brand’s third mystery flavour in the UK.

Celsius turns up heat with F1 deal

Celsius has agreed an exclusive, multi-year global deal with Aston Martin Aramco, becoming the Formula 1 team’s partner and o cial global energy drink partner.

e partnership runs across the 2026 season and beyond, with fan-facing activity built around Aston Martin Aramco’s I/AM programme and Celsius’ tness-led positioning. Initial plans include a co-hosted Run Club in Melbourne and further ‘Run Challenge’ events at key

SNACKS Walkers unveils 85p PMPs

Walkers has launched an 85p price-marked pack (PMP) across its impulse bestsellers.

races, giving fans the chance to complete segments inspired by race circuits, city landmarks and team touchpoints.

e zero-sugar energy drink will feature across garage and fan experiences over the season, with in-person and retail touchpoints wherever Celsius is sold.

GROCERY

Tilda reheats Spicy Mexican Rice with new look and recipe

Tilda has revitalised its Spicy Mexican Rice, bringing shoppers a bolder, fiery tomato-based recipe and refreshed packaging as it targets further growth in the ready-to-heat segment.

The 250g pouch now packs black beans, sweetcorn and red peppers, fired up with chipotle and jalapeño chillies to deliver a quick “fiesta of flavour”.

AFFORDABLE QUALITY THE KEY TO UNLOCKING CIDER CATEGORY GROWTH

WITH SHOPPERS INCREASINGLY LOOKING FOR VALUE WITHOUT COMPROMISE, RETAILERS ARE FINDING SUCCESS BY RANGING CIDERS THAT DELIVER PREMIUM TASTE AT ACCESSIBLE PRICE POINTS.

The key to maximising cider sales is offering premium products that shoppers are willing to trade up to, alongside strong value options that still deliver on taste, unique flavours and engaging branding. Ensuring affordability at every price tier should be a priority for cider retailers looking to retain and grow shopper spend.

Aston Manor Cider is leading this approach, with Crumpton Oaks bridging the gap between premium taste and more accessible pricing. Retailer Scott Graham, owner of McLeish in Aberdeenshire, has recently begun trialling the brand.

“We’ve seen an increase in appetite for more affordable cider lines, so we’re keen to explore this further,” he says. “Trialling new brands and forming valuable partnerships with suppliers like Aston Manor Cider is a great way to drive sales.”

With the flavoured cider segment continuing to grow, retailers can boost sales by reviewing their range to ensure value at every tier and working closely with suppliers like Aston Manor to deliver affordable quality for shoppers across Scotland. SPORTS

The new 32.5g PMP covers Ready Salted, Salt & Vinegar and Cheese & Onion flavours, and sits alongside the brand’s existing £1.35 PMP portfolio. With Kantar research indicating that nearly 750,000 shoppers risk exiting the category at a £1 price point, the sub-£1 PMP is positioned to reassure on value and protect spend at fixture. PMPs account for around 62% of category sales in symbols and independents.

The revamped Spicy Mexican Rice is available now with an RSP of £1.25.

BOTTLED WATER Barcelona and Real Madrid stars to feature on packs

Oshee signs La Liga deal

Polish functional water brand Oshee has agreed a major partnership with La Liga, with exclusive UK distributor Pricecheck set to roll out new branded packs in 2026.

Running until June 2028, the deal will see the league’s players and branding appear exclusively on Oshee’s sports drink range – including its popular blue isotonic variants – in 500ml and 750ml formats.

Carling Black Label returns

Molson Coors has launched Carling Black Label, a new 4.7% ABV lager that nods to the brand’s heritage and gives drinkers a trade-up option within the core Carling range. Available nationwide in the off-trade from 16 March, it comes in 4×568ml and 10×440ml pack formats. The launch will be supported by a consumer marketing campaign spanning PR, social media and influencer activity.

Corona Cero urges Brits to get outdoors

AB InBev’s non-alcoholic beer brand Corona Cero has launched ‘Dear Nature’, a short film fronted by British Winter Olympians that invites people to step out of “hibernation mode” and reconnect with the outdoors. The likes of double Olympic skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold celebrate the restorative “golden moments” found in winter landscapes.

Halewood offloads JJ

Halewood Artisanal Spirits has sold the JJ brand (formerly JJ Whitley) to Poland’s United Beverages Group for an undisclosed sum. Halewood remains the brand’s exclusive UK distributor while United Beverages takes on export markets. The deal covers JJ’s full portfolio spanning multiple vodka SKUs plus a London Dry and a pink gin.

Desi Daru signs distribution deal with Speciality Brands

Desi Daru Vodka has signed an exclusive UK distribution agreement with Speciality Brands. Launched in 2023, the brand is already listed in premium bars and restaurants and has established a presence in retail.

WHISKY Martin Compston swaps bent coppers for a Grouse & Ginger

Lineout of duty

e Famous Grouse has teamedup with Line of Duty star Martin Compston to launch ‘Get Together’, a social- rst content series celebrating matchday rituals and friendships around Scottish Rugby, timed to coincide with the 2026 Six Nations championship.

e campaign kicked o with a light-hearted pub reunion lm that centres on friends swapping stories and cheering the game over a Famous Grouse & Ginger serve; eagle-eyed Line of Duty fans can also hunt for a hidden reference to the popular cop show buried somewhere in the ad. A social competition also gave fans the chance to win a money-can’t-buy VIP experience to see Scotland beat England on 14 February.

Positioned around the idea that live sport is a powerful “social glue,” the campaign is built around research conducted by the Famous Grouse that found more than half

of Brits spend less than 80 minutes a week with close friends, while three in four report an upli in mood in under a minute of actually meeting up.

Absolut turns up the heat with new spicy Tabasco vodka

Absolut has teamed up with Tabasco on a new spicy spirit, Absolut Tabasco (38% ABV), which rolls out in the UK from this month.

It is made by blending Absolut with an essence derived from the fermented, aged red pepper mash used to make Tabasco Sauce –with no added sugar – to deliver “a smooth vodka with heat that builds and leaves a warm finish on the lips”.

The launch comes with sales of spicy vodka forecast to rise 27% by 2029.

The package design blends visual cues from both brands: Tabasco-style colours and diamond label with Absolut’s apothecary-inspired bottle shape.

VODKA Aquaman’s vodka makes splash

Hawaiian actor Jason Momoa has launched the next phase of Meili Vodka’s UK expansion, with visits to Birmingham and Manchester.

Best known for starring as Aquaman in the DC films and for his breakout role in Game of Thrones, Momoa co-founded the premium spirits brand in 2023.

The UK rollout is led by independent spirits brand Spirits of Anarchy, with activations across key cities.

Meili is distributed in the UK by Amathus Drinks.

VODKA

BrewDog rolls out four-pack pint can PMPs

BrewDog is extending its price-marked pack range with the introduction of Lost Lager and Cold Beer Pint Can 4-packs.

Cold Beer (3.4% ABV) is price-marked at £5.49 for 4×568ml cans and is widely available now. Lost Lager (4.5% ABV) 4×568ml packs are also available exclusively from Booker ahead of a wider roll-out on 3 March, price-marked at £7.25.

With just a 7.4% customer cross shop, Lost Lager and Cold Beer have de ned roles in the

category. Whilst Lost Lager is a premium 4.5% lager, Cold Beer is a crowd pleaser, delivering a great value proposition for shoppers with its lower ABV.

Best Kiwi wines unveiled Masters of Wine Susie Barrie and Peter Richards have unveiled their New Zealand Wines of the Year 2026, urging drinkers to look beyond the country’s signature Sauvignon Blanc. The awards were led by Greywacke Chardonnay 2023 (Marlborough) as Top White and Two Paddocks Pinot Noir 2023 (Central Otago) as Top Red. Pegasus Bay (North Canterbury) was named Best Producer.

IB names award winners

Four-pack pint cans are the most popular lager format in convenience stores. Sales are up 9.4%, and one in four shoppers who stick to a single lager brand buy this format.

Jonny Leece, Impulse Sales Director, said: “Lager is a key focus across the impulse channel, so to

LIQUEURS

win in this category, it is important that we show up with the right pack size and formats. e Pint Can was currently a gap in our portfolio and an area where we see an opportunity to appeal to a wider shopper base.

“With PMP accounting for 55% of 4-pack sales in impulse, it made sense to launch these new packs as an extension of our PMP o ering.”

Jack & Coke goes sleek

Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola – the number one alcohol ready-to-drink serve in Great Britain – has launched a new 330ml sleek can format across its full range.

e new cans are available now in Original Taste, Zero Sugar and Cherry variants in plain and price-marked formats.

e rollout will be supported by in-store activations and downloadable digital assets via MyCCEP.com. Marketing support will continue throughout 2026, with activity designed to reward the retailers behind the category’s success.

e new format is designed to li premium appeal, improve shelf standout and make merchandising more e cient –particularly in chilled and impulse spaces. In consumer testing, 79% of shoppers preferred the new sleek can over the current design and 65% said they would choose it on shelf.

Passoã marks 40 years with ‘Taste the Sunset’

Passoã is marking its 40th anniversary in 2026 with a new global platform, Taste the Sunset, designed to strengthen the brand’s role in simple, lighter serves shoppers can mix at home.

First launched in 1986, the world’s number one passion fruit liqueur has become synonymous with vibrant colour and tropical flavour.

The campaign positions Passoã as a “gateway to your sunset escape” and also leans on Passoã’s link to one of the world’s favourit cocktails, the Pornstar Martini.

International Beverage has unveiled the recipients of its 2025 Spirit of Our Community Awards. St Andrew’s Hospice in Airdrie received £10,000 to support its child bereavement services across Lanarkshire. Moray Rape Crisis, which supports people affected by sexual violence and abuse, and Pulteneytown People’s Project –a community-led centre serving Wick and the wider Caithness area – each received £5,000.

Drinks watchdog finds near-universal compliance The Portman Group has reported near-universal compliance with its Code of Practice on Naming and Packaging after completing its first proactive, independent audit of alcohol marketing. Of 500 products assessed, 5% were ultimately judged to be in breach, requiring labels to be amended or products removed from the GB market. Overall, 94% of products were found to meet the Code’s requirements.

Cawston Press moves into low/no with Loah buyout Cawston Press has moved beyond soft drinks with the purchase of Loah, a fruit-led 0.5% ABV beer brand, marking its first move into the fast-growing low- and no-alcohol category. Loah is known for its Peach Pale Ale, Blood Orange IPA and Lime Lager. Cawston Press said the integration will give Loah access to additional supply chain, distribution and marketing resources.

GET INVOLVED IN GROCERYAID DAY 2026

GroceryAid Day is a brilliant opportunity to help raise awareness of the free and confidential support that our industry charity can offer.

Raising of GroceryAid

Throughout Your Business Awareness

30th APR

Thanks to the tireless work of the GroceryAid Scotland committee and events like Checkout Scotland, which returns to Glasgow on 27 August, more colleagues in Scotland than ever are aware of the fantastic nancial, emotional and practical support available from GroceryAid, all of it free and entirely con dential.

On 30 April, however, you have the perfect opportunity to play your part in helping raise awareness of GroceryAid in your business. GroceryAid Day is the one day of the year where the industry comes together to raise awareness of its industry charity.

Colleagues across Scotland and the UK will be working alongside you to help ensure that as many colleagues as possible know that there’s help available if they need it – help they’ve earned.

GroceryAid’s support is 24/7, 365 days a year and the charity wants every industry colleague to know about support that’s available to them.

e charity has put together a range of FREE printed materials for you to display around your store to help you spread the word about GroceryAid.

e printed materials include posters, lea ets, wallet cards and stickers –and you can visit groceryaid.org.uk to order them.

NOW IS THE TIME!

FRI 13 MAR 2026

WED 17 JUNE 2026

The entry deadline for the SLR Awards 2026 is fast approaching so now is the time to get your hat in the ring and give you and your team the chance to be among the stars of the sector.

BY ANTONY BEGLEY

The SLR Awards are unlike any other awards programme in the UK local retailing sector so if you fancy pitting your business against the best in the industry, now is the time to get busy.

The entry deadline is fast approaching, and we want to hear from you as we celebrate this fantastic industry and the outstanding stores and people that make it so very special.

It’s been another challenging year for local retailing which makes it all the more important that we recognise the progress the sector has made and the resilience and innovation it has shown in coping with our fast-changing world.

Yes, we don’t deny it takes a little time and effort to prepare some strong entries, but that time is certainly not wasted if you end up on a shortlist or winning an award.

The painstaking way we run and judge the SLR Awards mean you know you are being judged fairly and knowledgeably

by a team managed by the longest-standing editor of any UK convenience sector magazine and the only editor on earth who has also owned and run a convenience store for five years. You can trust us when we say that we get retail.

And if you do end up on a shortlist or with an award, it’s a great boost for you, your business, your team and your community. After all, who doesn’t like being involved with an award-winning business?

Plus there’s the fact that the Awards are a great night out. They’re perfect for entertaining some of your team, networking with industry colleagues and hearing first-hand how other retailers are adapting and evolving. Ultimately, the SLR Awards are all about sharing innovation and best practice for the benefit of all.

So why not set aside a quiet half hour and plan your entries in good time? Visit SLRAwards.com to get started.

COURTING CALEDONIA

SLR speaks to Parfetts boss Guy Swindell about why the group is making moves in Scotland and what it’s got to offer.

BY SARAH BRITTON

Last year proved pivotal for wholesaler and retail club operator Parfetts, marked by the opening of its ninth depot in Southampton and the announcement that it would part ways with the Unitas buying group. Parfetts’ turnover grew to £733m for the year ending 30 June 2025 and the company con dently announced that it expects to surpass £1bn within the next three years.

What’s more, Go Local store numbers soared to 1,950, making it one of the fastest-growing symbol groups in the UK, and the Go Local Extra fascia made its Scottish debut in July with the opening of SR Freshway Lockerbie in Dumfries & Galloway.

Around the same time, Parfetts took on its rst Retail Development Advisor (RDA) for Scotland (and Cumbria) to recruit more Scottish retailers, initially with a focus on Dumfries & Galloway and Galashiels. Since then, the group’s Scottish expansion has accelerated quickly, with retailer demand rising across the Borders, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Motherwell. Parfetts is already making over 100 deliveries across Scotland every week. e rm is also currently hiring for another RDA to look a er Glasgow.

So why has the group decided to expand into Scotland?

“It’s probably a case of why not?” says Joint Managing Director Guy Swindell. “ rough our Middlesbrough site we have been edging further north over the past few years. “It’s always been the case that you go into one area, you meet a customer and he says, ‘I’ve got a store in this area as well, would you be able to service it?’ And where we can, we will. at’s what led us into Scotland and then most recently we’ve had some requests from customers around the Glasgow and Edinburgh areas, so we’ve just been facilitating that logistically.”

With new advisors dedicated to Scotland, the gures will only go in one direction. “We’ve got people in the area that will be calling into stores

and so I expect that customer base to grow,” says Swindell. “Normally this is the quieter time of the year and then we’ll probably see it grow again as we get to summer. But we’re really pleased with the initial reception we’ve had thus far from customers and, obviously, we’re really enthused about what the future in Scotland could look like in terms of symbols and customer base, it’s really exciting.”

FASCIA IN FOCUS

SR Freshway Lockerbie, operated by Raj and Ravi Sankaranathan, has already made its mark, leading the charge at Parfetts’ Go Local Ball last December where it was crowned Best New Store of the Year, having already achieved a 50% increase in turnover compared with its rst month.

“It’s a brilliant store in Lockerbie, great retailers, really proactive, an unbelievable site, it’s done incredibly well,” says Swindell. “ at was the rst foray and little test into a di erent market. Having seen the success of that store and what it’s done for the customer, it obviously spurred us on and showed that Go Local can work across all regions and countries and di erent demographics.”

Parfetts National Sales Controller, Joe Tindle, previously told SLR that the rm was on track to have 10 Go Local stores in Scotland by summer 2026, but Swindell claims that speci c numbers aren’t a key focus. “We’ve already got a pipeline of stores that are working along the fascia route with us,” he says. “So we’re working with customers now to help them decide: What are their needs for the store? What particular brand are they looking for? What’s the customer demographic? What’s going to help their store most? I’m pretty con dent that we will see quite a decent number of stores already badged in the summer. I know everyone’s interested in the numbers, but really we’re just happy to be there for customers, as an option for supply and obviously down the line, we always get a big interest in fascia and we know that will help their store long term. Undoubtedly, we will see Go Locals appearing across the regions we’re in.”

He claims that there are no immediate expansion plans for Scotland around speci c cities, towns, or regions. “We really are led by the customer and if we can meet it logistically, we will obviously look to consider pushing further north,” he says. “But we’ve been inundated thus far with the areas we’re in in Scotland, so we’ve got plenty to get our teeth stuck into.”

A Scottish depot is a potential consideration further down the line. “We only just opened our Southampton depot last September, so being quite honest, another depot right now is

not top of the priority list. But you can never rule anything out. ree years ago, we opened our Birmingham site, so I’m sure in the future we would consider a Scottish depot and look at opportunities. But right now we’ve got our hands full with just the amount of customers that have shown interest and want deliveries.”

So what does the group have up its sleeve to tempt Scots? “Being an employee-owned business really is our superpower,” grins Swindell. “What that means is every individual that works for Parfetts treats it as their own, has autonomy. We really, really push the relationship, with the customer being key. So there’s a lot of exibility in that relationship. We like to work closely with the customers, but making sure that they still enjoy the freedoms of it as an independent retailer.

“We’re very quick to make decisions and we like to think we have something for everyone. So whatever size of store or location or demographic of customer base; whether you are a single store operator, a multi-site operator; whether this is your rst store or your last store, we have an option for you.”

Swindell says that the strength of its retail club and symbol operation – and that its employeeowned – means Parfetts ploughs everything back into the business. “We invest into margin; we invest into the stores with store developments; we invest heavily into the marketing, whether it’s the physical point of sale or digital and social media.

“Everything we generate as a business stays within that business. e customers reap the bene ts of that. We are very unique in the industry but, hopefully, our recent success is a testament to what we can o er customers.”

Indeed, it is the company’s success across the UK that has led to the rm opting to exit from Unitas. “We are now operating nationally, and we have symbols from London to Lockerbie, and in North and South Wales,” says Swindell. “We’re venturing into lots of new areas. We have already got a strong relationship with suppliers, and we just feel that now is the right time where we’ve outgrown a buying group that really is there to help regional operators with scale.” e group is keen to cultivate its supplier relations. “Working closer with suppliers ultimately can bring rewards [for our customers] not just in terms of range and pricing, but we’re also just launching Go for Growth, which is our merchandising and category insight strategy that will directly bene t customers in terms of range and category insight and making sure they have all the data on hand,” says Swindell.

“We have our own merchandising teams as well, working directly with the suppliers in terms

of range insight and then implementing directly into stores to hopefully assist in increasing footfall, sales and pro t for customers.”

OWN-BRAND BENEFITS

Another jewel in the wholesaler’s crown is its own-brand o er. “We started a number of years ago to produce our own label. at’s proved incredibly successful with over 250 lines,” says Swindell. ere are plans for this to grow rapidly under Trading Director Cheryl Hope, who joined the business last April.

“We’re continuing to add to that estate and focus on the quality, the branding and the commercials for the customer,” says Swindell. “Obviously with the symbol estate, we’ve got the distribution point for the volume and scale required. We’ve got a number of SKUs imminent across the licenced range. It’s really worked for us and, and clearly for the customers as well. It gives retailers a USP, it gives them a preferential margin as well. And they are really strong lines. Wherever we’ve gone into these new areas we’ve been keen to get it out to customers because it creates loyalty between them and us. But importantly, it helps, especially in the times

we’re in now, give their consumers the value that people are really looking for now without missing out on quality.”

Parfetts’ own label claims to o er healthy margins. “It depends obviously on the category, but you can be up near 25-30 per cent,” says Swindell. “Obviously licenced is going to be a little bit less, on grocery it’s higher, confectionery, it’s good. It can be as high as 40/50/60 per cent on some non-food lines.”

e group is embracing technology to get new lines processed more quickly, having recently signed a partnership with AI-powered platform Wholepal. Completing and processing new line forms manually is an error-prone and timeconsuming process, but the new platform allows suppliers to upload their product speci cation documents, and the information is then extracted, structured and stored automatically, ready to be shared with wholesale partners and removing the need for physical forms.

“We’re looking at our systems and processes and where we can improve e ciency and ultimately improve service levels,” says Swindell. “We’ve got probably 8 or 9,000 lines listed. We’ve got probably 300-odd suppliers. So you can just imagine how many orders and new line forms and administration currently goes on. It’s quite a manual task currently that something like Wholepal and AI in general could really cut through a lot of the admin time.

“ e more time we can focus on customer demands and less time on administration tasks

and laborious exercises, the better. You’ve got to ensure that you manage it and integrate it sensibly and ensure that there’s no drop in service levels and such. It’ll be a cautious approach, but clearly there’s some huge bene ts to it.”

e group has continued to invest into digital, which is “massively important” for the business. “Over half the business is through online orders now so we continue to invest heavily into that. We have just integrated Nextworld, which is an accounting so ware package and we’ve also introduced Enable, which is an invoicing platform.”

e rm also uses business intelligence platform Phocas to help with data, and cloudbased logistics so ware solution Podfather to improve the e ciency of deliveries and routing.

Going forward, Swindell is hopeful that Scotland will become a bigger part of the Parfetts picture.

“ ere’s a healthy amount of customers ordering every week and that number is growing. e amount in terms of value into Scotland is increasing week on week,” he says. “We’ve had some really good early success, so we’ll look to push on and increase that customer and sales volume.

“ e most exciting thing for me is to be seeing Go Locals across Scotland, in addition to the one we’ve already got, while at the same time, you’ll be seeing them across Wales and England. I think there’s an appetite for it from what our initial ventures have seen. Long term, we could be looking at a big number in Scotland.”

DRS PREP RAMPS UP WITH WEBINAR SERIES

Exchange for Change, the new name for the DRS administrator, has kicked off a series of webinars to help retailers prepare for the scheme’s introduction in October 2027.

BY ANTONY BEGLEY

Exchange for Change, the new name for the organisation delivering the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) across Scotland, England and Northern Ireland has launched ‘DRS 101’, a free series of introductory webinars to help businesses prepare for the scheme’s introduction in October 2027.

e series kicked o last month and carries on throughout much of March, with more dates to be announced for further sessions to be held later in 2026.

Each 45-minute webinar o ers a high-level introduction to the scheme – what it is, who’s involved, and what DRS means for businesses across the supply chain – with sessions designed to build awareness and give businesses the con dence to start planning. e webinars also o er a chance for industry to ask questions with a live Q&A.

Featuring speakers from the Exchange for Change team, the series explains responsibilities facing drinks producers, retailers, wholesalers and hospitality outlets, helping attendees understand what action they may need to take ahead of the scheme coming into force.

Understanding how DRS will operate is vital for businesses that place or sell drinks in PET plastic, steel and aluminium containers between 150ml and three litres. With just over 18 months to go to the DRS launch, Exchange for Change is prioritising early support to ensure relevant businesses understand what’s changing and have time to prepare.

Russell Davies, CEO of Exchange for Change, said: “ e DRS 101 webinars are a key part of providing businesses with clear, accessible guidance to help them plan ahead. ey are designed to support any organisation involved in the production, distribution or sale of drinks by explaining what’s changing, what’s expected of them and how to prepare.

“ e webinars also provide businesses with the opportunity to ask us questions about the DRS and provide feedback that can help inform how the scheme is developed.”

e webinars form just one part of Exchange for Change’s wider engagement programme. “We’re working closely with businesses of all sizes as well as trade associations and a broad range of stakeholders to help us ensure we deliver a scheme that works for everyone,” said Davies.

MARCH WEBINARS

The 45-minute webinars with further time for Q&As are being delivered via Microsoft Teams. They are free to attend and are running on the following dates:

Q 12:30-13:45 Tuesday 3 March

Q 10:30-11:45 Thursday 5 March

Q 10:30-11.45 Monday 9 March

Q 09:30-10:45 Wednesday 11 March

Q 10:30-11:45 Tuesday 17 March

Q 13:30-14:45 Thursday 19 March

Anyone interested in attending can register for their chosen date and time via the Exchange for Change website. A recording will also be available to download from the website once all live sessions have concluded. Exchange for Change will continue to add webinars and support materials throughout 2026 and 2027 as the scheme develops.

Sign up for regular updates here: exchangeforchange.co.uk/news/

MEET THIS YEAR’S ABOVE & BEYOND HEROES!

After an intense and frequently emotional judging period, the shortlist for the SLR Above & Beyond Awards 2026 has been released.

If there is one word that best sums up the judging for this year’s SLR Above & Beyond Awards, it’s de nitely ‘emotional’. Now in their third year, the Awards were created to recognise the unsung heroes of local retailing in Scotland – the shop oor superstars who perform frankly incredible acts of heroism, apparently on a pretty regular basis. is year’s judges and sponsors were simply blown away and utterly inspired by the power and passion of the entries we received. We are not ashamed to admit that there were one or two tears shed along the way.

And the deeper we dig every year as the Awards continue to establish themselves, the more gold we nd. is local retailing sector of ours is not short of wonderful human beings, that’s for sure. And that’s something we should all be proud of and something we should all celebrate.

Local retailing isn’t like any other sector. It really isn’t. We don’t just serve our communities. We are our communities.

THE ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARDS 2026

Needless to say, narrowing the entries down to a shortlist this year was harder than it has ever been. From lifeline delivery drivers to kind-hearted sales assistants, and tech-savvy supervisors to death-defying managers, this year’s outstanding batch of shortlisted nominees is the ultimate showcase of what makes this industry so unique: our people.

Every single person and team on the shortlist demonstrates exactly what it means to go above and beyond – and what’s more, they do it each and every single day.

e exceptional achievements of each and every one of our shortlisted heroes will be celebrated at a very special lunch in Glasgow’s Corinthian Club on Wednesday 18 March – where our category winners will also be revealed.

It will be a special day for a very special collection of local retailing superheroes.

INDEPENDENT STORE COLLEAGUE

Q Kerri Grier | Supervisor, Bourtreehill

Supermarket

Q Gertu Kirtsing | Deli/kitchen supervisor, David’s Kitchen

Q Shivam Madaan | Store manager, Day Today Haddington

Q Sean Maney | Store manager, Greens of Shettleston

COMPANY-OWNED STORE COLLEAGUE

Q Diane Garry | Supervisor, SPAR Coatbridge

Q Liam Hailes | Store manager, SPAR Balintore

Q Angela Kelly | Customer sales assistant, SPAR Garthamlock

Q Stacey McMahon | Store manager, SPAR Peterculter

TEAM OF THE YEAR

Q SPAR Denny

Q SPAR Eastriggs

Q SPAR Garthamlock

Q SPAR Kincaidston

UP & COMING STAR

Q Jodie Ewing | Supervisor, SPAR Saltcoats

Q Harshita Jand | Supervisor, Girish’s Premier Barmulloch

Q Karis Waldron | Supervisor, SPAR Greenock

LONG SERVICE AWARD

Q Gerry Haughey | Store manager, SPAR Garthamlock

Q Margo Macauley | Store manager, Costcutter Muirhouse

Q Stacey McMahon | Store manager, SPAR Peterculter

ASTONISHING ACT

Q Sean Maney | Store manager, Greens of Shettleston

Q Edwyn Pirie | Driver/storeman, Premier Whitehills

CELEBRATORY LUNCH 18 MARCH 2026 THE CORINTHIAN CLUB, GLASGOW

Boost Limited Edition

Energy White Peach

AG Barr

Boost’s latest limited-edition flavour launches alongside two other 250ml SKUs: Zero Sugar Energy Citrus Zest and Zero Sugar Energy Dark Fruits. All three come in cases of 12 x 250ml cans with a 75p price mark. Consumer testing indicated strong appeal, with 75% of shoppers saying they would definitely buy and 95% loving the taste. Boost is currently the third-largest brand in stimulation energy.

On-trend taste of the Tropics comes to Pepsi Max

Magnum Signature Magnum Ice Cream Co

The Signature range is inspired by trending flavours in patisseries and launches with two flavours. La Pistache pairs a pistachio-enriched shell with caramelised, salted pistachio pieces and a pistachio gelato core, while La Pêche combines a peach-led shell with peach-flavoured sugar pieces and a peach gelato core. Both come in packs of 3×90ml (RSP £4.25) and as 90ml single sticks (RSP £2.50).

Rowntree’s Fruit Explosion/ Fruit Pastilles Berries Nestlé

Carlsberg Britvic has launched Pepsi Max Tropical, blending pineapple, mango and peach to tap rising demand for flavoured cola.

The brand has also rolled out a refreshed look for its £218m Pepsi Max flavours range this month, with clearer packs, stronger colour cues and fruit icons to boost on-shelf standout.

The launch comes with flavoured cola growing six times faster than unflavoured cola. Pepsi Max is the UK’s number one cola by volume, and Pepsi Max Cherry is the top flavoured cola, worth over £207m RSV.

To help retailers convert interest into sales, the launch comes with campaign assets, eye-catching point of sale and a free trial case of Pepsi Max Tropical available to order from 1 March via atyourconvenience.com.

Marketing support spanning billboards, social, experiential and digital media will run across April and May.

Pepsi Max Tropical is available now in 500ml bottles (RSP £2.29, PMP £1.39; 330ml cans (RSP 95p); 2L bottles (RSP £2.50, PMP £2.19); and multipacks of 8 (RSP £7.19), 18 (RSP £12.69) and 24 (RSP £15.99).

David Laidler, Brand Director – Carbonates, Carlsberg Britvic said the redesign was intended to catch shoppers’ eyes in busy retail environments.

Jimmy’s Iced Coffee Brand of Brothers

He added: “The bolder colour blocking and introduction of vibrant fruit icons creates instant recognition from a glance, with the refined layout bringing a cleaner, more modern feel. Our aim is to increase basket spend, elevate Pepsi Max’s shelf presence and add value to retailers’ flavoured cola ranges.”

Milkybar Crunchy Pops

Rowntree’s Fruit Explosion multipack offers two dual-flavour sorbet lollies with soft fruit-juice cores: Apple Sorbet & Sour Cherry Sorbet with Sour Cherry Sauce, and Mango & Passion Fruit Sorbet & Kiwi Sorbet with Kiwi Sauce. Packs of 6×42ml RSP at £2.50. Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles Berries is a strawberry and blackcurrant fruit ice lolly that comes in packs of 4×65ml with an RSP of £2.50.

The latest addition to the brand’s core range is available now in 330ml cans and 500ml rPET, plus 2L rPET bottles and multipacks. A multi-million-pound campaign will support the launch across influencer partnerships, out-of-home advertising, social media and experiential activity. Retailers can request POS materials and download digital assets via MyCCEP. com to bring the launch to life in-store.

Jimmy’s has moved beyond ready-to-drink coffee with a new ice-cream line. Based on the Italian affogato dessert, which consists of a scoop of ice cream with a shot of espresso poured on top – Jimmy’s Iced Coffee pairs coffee ice cream with a frozen coffee shell. It comes in packs of 3×90ml sticks, each delivering 81 calories, with packs carrying the line: “Just like an affogato on a stick!”

Landing in Milkybar’s 90th anniversary year, the newcomer pairs the brand’s white chocolate with a crisp cereal centre. It is made with whole milk, Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa and no artificial flavours, and comes in 90g resealable sharing bags. First launched in 1936, Milkybar has already seen bars, blocks, and Giant Buttons formats.

Nestlé

Fanta Grape CCEP

Tango Thirst Trap Carlsberg Britvic

The latest Tango Editions flavour is a zero-sugar blend of peach, orange and pineapple. The launch features playful, internet culture-inspired packaging that leans into the brand’s mischievous personality. It is supported by a campaign spanning social, PR and in-store activation. The new flavour is available now in 330ml, 500ml, 2-ltr, 8×330ml and 24×330ml formats.

Iqos Iluma i One

Philip Morris Limited

The latest innovation in the Iqos range of heat-not-burn devices has an advanced feature set including a touchscreen for quick access to device information, autostart to begin heating when a tobacco stick is inserted, and flex puff to adapt to the user’s rhythm. Designed to use the same Terea tobacco sticks as other Iqos devices, it is available from the PMI Open trade platform.

Organic Spelt Cereals

Biona

The range consists of Crispy Spelt Flakes (RSP £3.29), Spelt Puffs (RSP £2.69) and Honey Spelt Puffs (RSP £3.49). The first two are made solely from organic spelt, while the third enjoys the addition of honey. The launch comes as healthmotivated breakfast choices are up 3.3% year on year. An ancient grain, spelt continues its resurgence as a nutritious, nutty-flavoured alternative to modern wheat.

Coca-Cola Cherry Float CCEP

Available with and without sugar, the new flavour is inspired by the nostalgic taste of classic soda floats. It combines cherry notes with vanilla alongside the brand’s signature taste. Coca-Cola Cherry Float and Coca-Cola Cherry Float Zero Sugar are available in 300ml cans, 500ml bottles, 2L bottles and 330ml 8-pack multipack cans. POS materials and digital assets are available from MyCCEP.com.

Protein Cherry Bars Lotus Natural Foods

Designed to attract new shoppers to the category, Nakd Protein Cherry Bars are available both as a 45g single (RSP £1.38) and a 3×45g multipack (RSP £3.30). Like the brand’s wider protein range, the new bars are made with 100% natural ingredients and are cold pressed, with cherry delivering a distinctive yet familiar taste. Each non-HFSS bar offers six grams of plant-based protein and no added sugar.

Cheese wheeze

Leerdammer has relaunched its ‘Incognito’ TV advert with an investment of around £1m. The light-hearted ad shows a shopper repeatedly returning to a supermarket sampling counter, each time in a new disguise, to enjoy further tastes of the nutty cheese. It runs across TV and video on demand and is expected to reach more than 10 million target shoppers.

Man’s world

Maltesers is marking its 90th anniversary with a new lighthearted ad that spans 90 years of women’s shared experiences and everyday frustrations, and highlights how women have long navigated a world not always designed with them in mind. The ad forms part of a £10m investment for 2026 and runs across cinema, TV, out of home and social media.

Horrific viewing

Pot Noodle has launched a new campaign that takes the brand onto the big screen for the first time, running to the end of April across cinema, out of home, video on demand, and social. The activity is built around a 30-second ad set at a packed horror screening, where the biggest fright comes not from the film but from a Pot Noodle fan’s emphatic slurp.

Farmyard fun

Red Bull’s first ever Spring Edition adds a “floral, refreshing and fruity” Cherry Sakura flavour to its Editions range. Early consumer testing suggests strong interest. Cans feature subtle pink detailing inspired by Japanese cherry blossom. The full-sugar variant comes in 250ml cans (RSP £1.80/PMP £1.75), 355ml cans (RSP £2.25), 473ml cans (RSP £2.85/ PMP £2.80), and a 4 x 250ml multipack (RSP £6).

Ginsters has revived its ‘Taste the Effort’ platform with a new £4m campaign that runs until the end of May across TV, video on demand, YouTube, radio, social and shopper channels. A humorous new ad once again centres on the brand’s ‘Merryn’ character, who explains how her farm is improving production through a number of off-beat methods.

Heavenly voiceover

Warburtons has unveiled a new brand film starring “the voice of God” Morgan Freeman to mark the bakery’s 150th anniversary. The two-minute ad sees Freeman narrate the brand’s story from its 1876 Bolton origins to the present day, with set pieces including a tongue-in-cheek moon landing and a cameo from Paddington Bear.

Red Bull Spring Edition

Red Bull

CRUNCH TIME FOR CONFECTIONERY

Creative combinations of crumbly biscuit, chunky chocolate, crisp freeze-dried candy and squidgy mochis are keeping Gen-Z sweet.

BY SARAH BRITTON

Confectionery has been de ned as a “category winner” in the Talysis Convenience Review 2025. e data analysis rm reveals it is one of only three major categories delivering meaningful value growth in the UK convenience channel, up +£89.4m (4.3%) and achieving an 8.9% market share of total sector sales (+0.6%) [Clarity data, 52 weeks to 4 Jan 26].

However, if a category experiences value growth, alongside unit decline, this could imply that rising prices, rather than increased purchases, are driving growth, suggests Talysis. “Confectionery is one such category, with an 8.5% di erence between value and unit sales, indicating the huge impact of in ation in this area,” says the rm.

Indeed, the rising price of cocoa in 2025, driven by poor harvests in West Africa caused by extreme weather, saw a number of suppliers forced to up their prices.

In fact, Kantar revealed in December that chocolate prices were up 18.4% for the month to 30 November versus the same period the previous year, according to Worldpanel by Numerator data.

Tony’s Chocolonely’s newly released Annual Fair Report 24/25 highlighted “rocketing cocoa prices” and revealed it had increased prices by 30% over the last 18 months.

However, the rm still achieved value and volume sales growth. “In a year when industry volumes were hammered as second- and thirdwave price increases were passed through to consumers, we certainly felt the e ects but were pleased that, overall, we successfully grew our volume by 4%,” says Chief Executive Douglas Lamont.

Mars Wrigley also grew its value and volume sales in 2025. Value sales rose +7.8%, driving a value share gain of 0.2ppts in the total market. e rm also delivered unit sales growth at +2.8% in 2025, with a unit sales share gain of 1ppt vs 2024.

Despite the tough market, Cadbury has been stimulating sales of its core range with promotional activity. e brand’s Giveaway Giveaway campaign o ered shoppers the chance to ‘win big for someone else’. More than 250,000 consumers entered for the opportunity to gi prizes of up to £5,000 to someone special in their lives.

Image courtesy of Freepik

TOYING WITH TEXTURE

Mondelez International has also been attracting younger adults to the category with its multitextured and layered Cadbury Dairy Milk &More range [Kantar Worldpanel; Shopper Demographics; w/e 26.01.25]. Launching in two variants – Nutty Praline Crisp (180g) and Caramel Nut Crunch (200g) – in March 2024, it delivered high incrementality and is now worth over £13m RSV MAT [Nielsen total Coverage: w/e 2.11.25]. Mondelez claims that Cadbury Dairy Milk &More continues to “over-deliver on brand experience” with a 17% repeat rate, 25% incrementality and a 28% conversion rate [Kantar Worldpanel & Nielsen November 2025]. “With Cadbury Dairy Milk &More we are tapping into new forms of indulgence with an involving, multi-sensorial experience to excite consumers,” says Trade Communications Manager Susan Nash.

Another textural success for Cadbury has been the brand’s strategic partnership with Lotus Bakeries, which resulted in the development of the Cadbury Dairy Milk Bisco bar. “We rst launched our Cadbury Dairy Milk Bisco in 95g and 105g sizes in March [2025], which created the perfect pairing between the smooth, creaminess of Cadbury Dairy Milk and the classic crunch and unique avour of Bisco ,” says Nash.

Cadbury Dairy Milk Bisco taps into consumer demand for new avours and textures, while cross-brand interest has helped to drive incremental growth.

Since launching last year, Cadbury Dairy Milk Bisco is now worth £19.7m [Nielsen Discovery – OS RMS Confectionery - Total Coverage – MAT - WE.1.11.25], over-indexing with shoppers aged under 28 years old [19 Kantar Worldpanel – Std Chocolate - 52WKWE.5.10.25].

Indeed, according to Taste Tomorrow by Puratos, which monitors consumer trends in the bakery, patisserie and chocolate industries, “texture used to sit quietly behind avour, but now it’s the main event”.

It states that with seven out of 10 consumers actively seeking foods with contrasting textures, mouthfeel has become an important quality cue and a powerful driver of social media appeal. “Texture is now a reason consumers choose one product over another,” it claims. “For bakers, pâtissiers, and chocolatiers, that makes texture a core consideration in product development.”

It’s not just chocolate brands that are experimenting with texture, sugar confectionery suppliers are also embracing the trend. “Flavour innovation has long been the driving force in the snack industry,” says Ibrahim Sidat, founder of confectionery brand Langtins, which makes Noomz freeze-dried sweets. “However, a recent shi in consumer behaviour reveals that texture is now emerging as the new frontier in snack selection. As we move into 2026, texture is set to become a primary driver of consumer loyalty and repeat purchases in the confectionery sector.”

At the forefront of this change is freeze-dried sweets, claims Sidat, adding that they are set to “revolutionise” how consumers experience snacks.

Freeze-dried sweets have quickly become a social media sensation, with TikTok spreading their popularity. “ e unique texture of these sweets – a light, airy crunch that transforms familiar candy – is a hit among consumers, especially Gen-Z, who are known for seeking out new sensory experiences,” notes Sidat. “TikTok has played a key role in driving awareness, with creators sharing ASMR [Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response]-style taste tests that emphasise the satisfying crunch of these treats.

One viral TikTok video featuring a freezedried sweet gained 58.4 million views and over 4.1 million likes. “ is explosion in popularity underscores the importance of texture in the snacking experience, signalling to retailers that freeze-dried sweets are no passing trend but a new category consumers are actively seeking,” ags Sidat.

Currently, Noomz are stocked in over 250 stores across the UK, including EG On e Move outlets, Valli Forecourts, Rontec and Brook eld Group.

SOFT LAUNCH

Crunchy isn’t the only texture that has captured the imagination of the younger generation of sweet lovers. Tapping the boom in Asian snacking and nodding to traditional Japanese mochi – so , chewy rice cakes – Fini has unveiled Mini Mochis gummies in Fruits and Berries.

“Online discussions around Asian sweet and savoury snacks are up 9% YoY [Innova Market Insights], while research shows 78% of UK shoppers now purchase Asian-inspired bagged snacks [Sensory Test SAM Research / May 2025], underlining the growing mainstream appeal of the category,” says Steven Greaves, Managing Director UK and Ireland at Fini.

Consumer research shows strong sensory appeal of the range, with shoppers responding particularly positively to the chewy mochi texture and bold, fruity avour pro les [ibid], helping the range stand out on shelf and drive engagement beyond novelty alone.

e launch is in conjunction with wholesaler Parfetts, where Fini has seen rapid growth driven by a focus on innovation and in-depot activation. Over the last 52 weeks, Fini has become the fastestgrowing brand in total confectionery at Parfetts, delivering 37% growth and outperforming both competitors and the wider category. e brand now sits within the wholesaler’s top 10 confectionery suppliers, supported by front-of-depot displays, indepot sampling and a full digital takeover [Internal sales data by Parfetts]. “ is strong wholesale performance has translated into clear bene ts for retailers, o ering a low-risk way to capitalise on the growing consumer appetite for mochi,” says Greaves.

e traditionally hard tablet sweets have had a Squashies makeover, combining the classic shapes, avours and messages of the original treats with the signature so texture of Squashies to appeal to a wide range of consumers.

Another mega trend for sugar confectionery is sour. “Sour avours remain one of the biggest trends within confectionery,” says Clare Newton, Trade and Shopper Marketing Manager at Swizzels. “New creations in this category, such as our HFSS-compliant Squashies Sour Shooting Stars, were a big hit with shoppers last year, and the ongoing appetite for bold, sour avours will be re ected in our NPD in 2026.”

Mintel research, which showed that more than three-quarters of young adult shoppers eat jelly sweets at least once a week.

EXTRA FUNCTIONALITY

Mars Wrigley has also been focussing on a young adult audience with its new Extra Plus gum, which launched exclusively on TikTok Shop earlier this year, before arriving in Tesco. e three-strong range is set for a wider roll out next month.

“Mochi is no longer a niche trend – it’s rmly moving into the mainstream. Our research shows strong purchase intent and standout sensory appeal, which gave us real con dence in launching Mini Mochis Fruits and Mini Mochis Berries into the UK market. What’s been especially encouraging is how quickly the range has performed in wholesale so far. ere’s clear demand for something di erent in confectionery, and mochi delivers on avour, texture and excitement.”

e new lines are currently available in Parfetts, Unitas, Scotmid Co-op and Spar with an RSP of £1.25.

Swizzels has also seen huge success with so texture sweets thanks to its top-selling Squashies brand. Last August, the brand embraced consumers’ love of nostalgia to bring back Squashies Love Hearts, which rst launched for Valentine’s Day 2012.

sour avours will be re ected in our weeks 29/09/24],” she says. “Sour

Lauren George, External Communications Manager, Mars Wrigley, discusses the current trends in uencing confectionery and why the Extra launch will appeal to its target under-30 demographic.

“Personalisation remains popular, but not just in the form of customised packaging for special occasions; we are seeing it take the form of consumers seeking out products that support individual dietary preferences and lifestyles,” she says. “ is means vegan options, reduced-sugar variants, and even functional confectionery with added bene ts. Consumers want to feel that products are designed for their speci c needs and values.”

growing candy brand over the past

Nash concurs that sour still packs a punch in the confectionery sector. “We’ve seen a rise in demand for the sour candy segment in particular [Kantar latest 52 weeks 29/09/24],” she says. “Sour Patch Kids is growing by 26.9% [Nielsen, Confectionery, Total Coverage, Sugar share bags, data to 17/05/25], and is the fastest growing candy brand over the past ve years [Nielsen Joyful Candy 05/10/25].”

e brand launched a limited-edition Blue Raspberry avour last August, which followed on from the release of a Strawberry variant in 2024. At the time of launch, the rm pointed to

WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE

She claims that the confectionery category is evolving at an unprecedented pace, “arguably the most signi cant transformation we’ve seen in our nine decades of operating”. is shi in snacking behaviour re ects how consumers are seeking moments of indulgence and convenience, while balancing economic realities, she observes.

Cadbury Bournville has been broadening its appeal by developing new flavours.

Last year, the brand introduced Chopped Hazelnut and Salted Caramel variants to broaden its appeal. What’s more, the launch was supported by a clever campaign and brand platform ‘Made to be enjoyed, not endured’. The punchy campaign positions Bournville as the antithesis of bitter hard-to-enjoy dark chocolate. It distances the brand from any perceptions of pretentiousness that consumers may have around dark chocolate, promoting Bournville as “Nothing fancy. Or schmancy.”

At the heart of the campaign is a comic film that follows two puffed-up dark chocolate aficionados locked in a game of escalating one-upmanship trading obscure cacao origins and elaborate tasting notes.

“This campaign is a confident reappraisal of a chocolate that’s been quietly loved for decades,” says Nash. “Part of Cadbury, Bournville is a fabric-of-the-nation brand. With this campaign, we’re bringing Bournville back into the national conversation – but in a way that reflects the times.”

As a result of the innovation and the above the line campaign, Bournville has seen +38% value share sales growth [Nielsen Total coverage L24w we. 8.11.25], delivering +0.7ppt share growth for the dark chocolate category as a whole [Kantar Worldpanel 24w block - total market].

AERO CARAMEL FLAVOUR BUBBLES FLOATS ONTO SHOP SHELVES

Last month saw the arrival of Aero Caramel flavour Bubbles across the UK and Ireland.

The new treat from Nestlé combines smooth caramel flavour bubbles in a milk chocolate and caramel flavour shell. Rachel Beaufoy, Marketing Manager for Nestlé Confectionery, says: “We’re so pleased to be expanding our muchloved Aero Bubbles range with a flavour we know Aero fans adore. Aero Caramel flavour bubbles bring together our signature bubbly texture with a smooth caramel flavour, offering a bubbly smooth treat that’s perfect for sharing. It’s a great way to kick off the year, and we can’t wait for chocolate fans to enjoy this delicious new addition to the Aero family.”

Established in York in 1935, Aero is more than 90 years old and is still made at Nestlé’s York factory today.

Like all chocolate Aero products, the new Caramel flavour bubbles are made with milk from First Milk farmers in southwest Scotland and Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa.

“At the same time, cultural relevance matters more than ever. But this isn’t about chasing trends for novelty’s sake – it’s about creating meaningful connections that feel authentic and enduring. Snacking today is shaped by social media virality, health-conscious choices, and a desire for a ordable indulgence.

George states that the tension between speed and substance brings a challenge for heritage brands like Mars Wrigley. “As snacks and avours go viral, we must balance cultural relevance without compromising the trust and timelessness that our consumers expect,” she says. “Our Extra Plus launch highlights our commitment to innovation in this space; a premium gum range with new ingredients, designed to support modern lifestyles and everyday intentions.”

Sugar-free Extra Plus Chill comes in Watermelon avour, with vitamin B3 – which aids normal psychological function. ere’s also Extra Plus Deep Clean in Spearmint avour, with xylitol and Mint Scrub, which helps the mouth to feel clean and can help to reduce surface

tooth stains a er 12 weeks (in conjunction to normal tooth brushing). Finally, there’s Extra Plus Hydro in Peppermint avour, with Quadro Blend to help keep the mouth feeling refreshed.

Consumer trends in the UK Sugar and Gum Confectionery Market show a growing interest in reduced-sugar and forti ed sweets, with 66% of consumers preferring reducedsugar products enhanced with vitamins and minerals, states Mintel’s 2025 Sugar and Gum Confectionery Market Report. “Health concerns, especially around dental health and calorie content, are signi cant barriers, with many consumers opting for sugar-free gum as a healthier alternative,” notes Mintel, adding that younger age groups, especially 16-34-year-olds, are the core consumers.

“Gen Z is driving demand for functional, eco-friendly sweets with unique avours in the Confectionery Market,” says the rm. “Brands are responding with sustainability, innovation, and a focus on dental health to meet evolving consumer preferences for indulgence with wellness.”

Aero Caramel flavour bubbles join Aero Bubbles Peppermint in the range, alongside the wider Aero portfolio.

MORE REASONS TO STOCK GUM

SMOOTH OPERATORS

Retailers are embracing EPoS in order to streamline their operations and boost efficiency.

BY SARAH BRITTON

Aer more than 20 years of operating from the same retail unit in Loch Lomond Shores shopping complex in Balloch, Alexandria, Loch Lomond News moved to a larger unit last December.

In a bid to make his business more e cient, store director Andrew Howell looked decided to invest in some new tech. Having researched the issue via trade magazines and in Facebook groups, he decided to invest in a till system from MHouse. He worked closely with MHouse Sales Manager (Scotland and North of England), Nisha Sran, who he describes as “very friendly and helpful”.

“ e tills have been great,” says Andrew. “What really helped was having a handheld scanner sent out to us about a week in advance, which let us scan our product le and have it ready on the till.” He claims that this saved him precious time and meant that he was able to have everything ready for when the store relaunched in its new premises.

Based in one of Scotland’s key tourist destinations, the store specializes in magazines, collectibles and ice cream. Andrew claims that the new kit is straightforward and has helped him to manage multiple tasks with ease. “Whether it’s changing a price temporarily or permanently, whether it’s paying out lottery or doing a reading, everything’s there and everything is very user friendly,” he says. “I’d recommend MHouse for the simplicity of use of the till. You can tell it’s been designed by retailers.”

AUTOMATED SOLUTIONS

e MHouse specialist POS system is designed to streamline di erent business functions, which results in boosting productivity. It can help all sizes of retailer from single-lane shops to chain operators, automating numerous processes so that retail sta can spend less time on repetitive tasks, such as inventory management, and more time focussing on customer engagement and business growth.

e automation features of the MHouse system mean that stock levels are updated in real-time, removing the need to manually track inventory.

Built By Retailers For Retailers

On-site

3rd party integrations

MHouse’s POS system provides instant analytical reports, so retailers know exactly how their stores are performing at any given time and can act quickly if any operational issues are brought to light.

e chances of human error occurring are signi cantly reduced by introducing more automated processes, which minimise the requirement for manual intervention.

By streamlining operations, jobs become far less time consuming and can o en be completed more accurately and to a higher standard.

e system provides integrated payment solutions, including card payments, loyalty points, and gi vouchers. is makes the checkout process much smoother and faster.

e company also claims to have connections to all major wholesalers, enabling it to monitor stock levels and ensure that they are always up to date. is means that less time needs to be spent on stock replenishment.

By providing a uni ed platform for di erent tasks, MHouse’s POS system enhances operational e ciency, allowing retail teams to process more transactions in less time and ultimately improving customer experience.

FIT FOR A KING

Down south, the team at King Family Stores in Retford, Nottinghamshire, were also searching for a clever bit of kit to make running the store easier.

e EPoS system the business had been using was dated and the shop wasn’t happy with the level of support it received, which had dwindled over the years. “As independent retailers, we o en look to our peers to see what’s working. Many retailers within Spar had already made the jump to Henderson Technology, and we saw the bene ts rst-hand,” explains Tristan King, Managing Director of King Family Stores.

e business comprises ve convenience stores and a forecourt. ey were on the hunt for a robust, scalable EPoS solution that would not only aid business e ciency but also give them greater visibility of the business as a whole.

In addition, they needed a system that integrated seamlessly with fuel sales.

Henderson Technology’s EDGEPoS was just the ticket, with its ability to streamline operations and help the team to make better operational decisions.

Learning how to use a new back-o ce system can be pretty daunting, but EDGEPoS’s in-built video training simpli ed the process and made it stress free.

Once installed, King Family Stores could use the kit to change the prices of items across multiple stores with both speed and accuracy. In the past, this had only been possible by messaging store managers or personally visiting sites, but now price changes can be made

centrally, which saves time and also means far less chance of mistakes occurring.

“ e ability to make changes across all stores universally was a gamechanger,” says Matthew Henderson, Operations Manager. “Instead of manually messaging managers or visiting stores to update prices, we can now make adjustments in real time and ensure consistency.”

DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS

e system’s ability to provide real-time insights into sales, stock levels and even customer trends means that the store can make educated decisions about display and ranging. e team was also able to review past sales trends for key seasonal events to help guide stock ordering.

Having a better understanding of the gures and trends has enabled King Family Stores to

overhaul its promotions and concentrate on introducing a lower number of deep-cut deals, which drive better engagement with customers.

“EDGEPoS has transformed the way we operate,” says King. “ e system is seamless, improving e ciency and making daily tasks easier. e built-in video training has been a huge advantage, giving our sta the exibility to learn in their own time, boosting their con dence on the tills. It has made a real di erence to both our team and customer experience.”

He concludes: “As retailers, we thrive on challenges and innovation. EDGEPoS has given us the ability to make data-driven decisions, save time, and ultimately grow our business. Standing still means going backwards, and with Henderson Technology, we’re always moving forward.”

ALL AGLOW

Trends towards value cigarettes and eco-friendly rolling papers are igniting the market.

BY SARAH BRITTON

It’s no secret that the tobacco market is a tough one to navigate. But with 14% of adults in Scotland smoking in 2025, according to the Scottish Health Survey, tobacco remains an important category for Scottish local retailers.

e long-term trend towards value shows no signs of ickering out, with the value sector now representing nearly 37% of the UK cigarette market [ITUK Report on Trade July 2025].

One brand that has experienced success in this area is Imperial Brands’ value cigarette brand Paramount. Following a successful launch last year, Imperial claims that the brand is now the UK’s fastest growing in the cigarette category [MB Report on Trade May 2025].

Introduced in England, Scotland and Wales in October 2024, Imperial states that Paramount has quickly gained market share and has enjoyed heightened success in independent stores, achieving more than 5% market share [ITUK EPOS data UK independents, Nov 24 – Aug 2], with customers already demonstrating brand loyalty by coming back time and time again to repurchase.

Combining value and quality, Paramount features premium, full- avour Virginia sunripened tobacco, catering to the UK market where the majority of cigarettes feature Virginia blends [ITUK EPOS & EDFM data as at August 2024].

Available in both full avour king-size and super king-size formats, Paramount continues to be Imperial Brand’s best value product and has maintained a competitive

RSP of £12.50, which the company claims makes it an attractive choice for adult smokers, while still o ering a strong margin for retailers.

Shirley Soccio, Head of Consumer Marketing UK & Ireland at Imperial Brands, says: “While we were not surprised that Paramount has been well received in the UK market based on its success in continental Europe, its performance to date has surpassed expectations. It’s clear there is continued demand for value cigarette products which make no concessions when it comes to quality.

“ ere are many smokers across the UK and Northern Ireland who are receptive to trying new brands at the right price and quality – and it’s evident that having tried Paramount, many of them have decided that it’s the right brand for them and are staying with it.”

GREEN GAINS

Over in the tobacco accessories market, a growing awareness of sustainability is fuelling sales of the OCB rolling paper brand for Republic Technologies (UK).

last year [ibid], fuelled by high levels of demand among both traditional roll-your-own users and newcomers to the category.

Republic Technologies’ environmentally friendly OCB range has become the UK’s fastest-growing papers brand [IRI Marketplace Volume 52 w/e 28/09/25].

e company has accelerated demand for the OCB range with the recent introduction of OCB Authentic REAL Rice Papers, which appeal to the growing number of roll-your-own consumers who are now looking more closely at products with natural ingredients.

Organic and chlorine free, OCB Rice Papers are made from a blend of rice and organic hemp. e unbleached, ultra-thin papers deliver a premium rolling and slow-burning experience in a natural, brown paper.

Now worth more than £47m [IRI Marketplace 52 w/e 28/09/25], Scotland’s tobacco accessories market is bene ting from strong consumer engagement, states the rm. Demand in the £13m papers sector remains particularly strong, with value sales up 10.5% on

OCB’s on-shelf appeal has also been strengthened by a full range pack refresh, resulting in clearer product di erentiation.

“ e new designs are really distinctive and accentuate the core element of each product but maintain a clear focus on OCB which has become a real talking point in the papers sector thanks to its clear point of di erence which caters for a variety of shoppers’ needs,” says Gavin Anderson, Sales and Marketing Director at Republic Technologies.

Image courtesy of syaifulptak57 from Pixabay

TURN THAT FROWN UPSIDE DOWN GUT REACTION

If you’re one of those retailers who made a mint flogging Labubu dolls, then Under The Counter may well have stumbled across the next big thing in the Soft Toys For Punters With More Money Than Sense category.

He probably hasn’t. The toys in question are horses made for last month’s Chinese New Year festivities and flogged in the People’s Republic. And they look as happy as UTC did when his beloved Hamilton Accies got pumped 11–1 by Hibs back in the sixties. That’s the 1960s, not the Auld Boy’s sixties; he couldn’t have been a day over 59 back then.

is not used lightly here. Chinese New Year soft toys aren’t always red but – unlike the Auld Boy –they’re always smiling.

Long story short – punters loved them and they sold out with a speed usually only witnessed when UTC hears the words: “The buffet is open.”

“Is fibre the new protein?” That’s the burning issue currently doing the rounds on social media and one that a more youthful colleague (i.e. in their sixties) was daft enough to repeat within UTC’s selective earshot.

“Naw,” was the Auld Boy’s terse response.

“Fibre consists mainly of non-digestible plant polysaccharides, while proteins are polymers of amino acids,” he elaborated –revealing a knowledge of molecular biology hitherto kept concealed under his bunnet.

The so-called “crying horses” were the result of a manufacturing mishap which saw some glaikit bunnet with a sewing machine stitch what were meant to be smiles on upside down. The slur ‘bunnet’

As you may have twigged, we are now in the Year of the Horse. Having a Horse birth year makes you energetic, independent, popular and adventurous. You probably also like eating sugar lumps and jumping fences. The Auld Boy swears he is a Tiger, although anyone who has foolishly lent him a fiver would class him a Snake, while those who’ve seen him in action at a buffet would definitely say Pig.

And don’t worry. If you were expecting an off-the-shelf “Why the long face?” gag at some point, your wait is over.

BEAR-LY DRINKABLE

As someone who’s drunk plenty of supermarket own-label lager, Under The Counter is no stranger to crap beer, but he’s never heard of a beer made from crap. Bear crap, at that. Yes, you read that right: bear crap beer.

The minds behind this marvel are, obviously, American. For some reason, hiking gear brand Columbia Sportswear has launched ‘Nature Calls’ – a “beer infused with real bear poop”. Call UTC old-fashioned, but when nature calls his first instinct is to open a window and light a match – not can the evidence and flog it to unsuspecting ramblers. But what does

Such expertise makes UTC well placed to offer an informed opinion on the cause of all this feverish food fixation: the surge in GLP-1 weight-loss injections, whose uptake is spreading faster than a puddle under a broken chiller.

On reflection, the Auld Boy is probably not the best source of expert commentary, given that he refers to the aforementioned treatments as “fat jags”.

At any rate, UTC has no time for dietary fads. He sources protein from Scotch pies, hydrates courtesy of Tennent’s lager, and gets roughage – sorry, fibre – from unfiltered roll-ups. The Auld Boy considers this a balanced diet: balancing unblocked bowels against tar-filled lungs.

He certainly isn’t buying into the latest so-called ‘fibremaxxing’ craze, which has the supermarkets churning out ‘nutrient-dense’ ready meals so stringy you could use the leftovers to re-upholster a burst couch.

Lidl, bless its lederhosen, even has a fibre strategy; it plans to increase its total fibre tonnage sold by 20% this year. UTC assumes its bog-roll sales are, by grim necessity, on a similar trajectory.

the Auld Boy know; the USA is not called the land of opportunity for nothing. Even if it’s an opportunity to ingest ursine shite.

To help shift more units of a potential slow seller, Columbia has filmed an ad starring Lance Moore and Daunte Culpepper. These are not, as their names suggest, thespians employed in the adult entertainment industry, but erstwhile American footballers. The two professions shouldn’t be confused, however. One involves tight ends, wide receivers and double teaming; the other is an overly complex, never-ending bastardisation of rugby.

Nature Calls is described as a “crisp lager” offering a “hint” of American black bear droppings. This “hint” is balanced with a touch of honey and huckleberry. You won’t catch the Auld Boy swapping his trusty Tennent’s for Nature Calls. He’s always found huckleberry a bit pretentious.