SLR November 2026 Edition by 55 North

NEWS STAR

The store with £7.5k Topps cards

FESTIVE BOOZE

NOVEMBER 2026 | ISSUE 283

FIT FOR THE FUTURE

Leading retailers offer their top tips on planning effective refits.

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Cash in Christmas boom

ALL CHANGE

Smiths News shakes up news wholesaling

FUELLING GROWTH

Scottish fuel margins up 13%

RATES HIKE

Shops face £22.5m increase

Above & Beyond Awards – tell us about your shopfloor stars – p25

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November 2026

Contents

Contents ISSUE 283

NEWS 04

05 06 08 10

18 20

Vaping SGF urges Government to allow coloured flavour markers on vape packaging in response to proposed display restrictions. Business Rates Scottish shops could face a £22.5m increase in their business rates bills from April 2027. Payment Services Around 600 retailers face higher fees as PayPoint ends historic discounts. Tobacco Scotland recorded the highest smoking prevalence in the UK in 2025, new ONS figures reveal. News Extra Forecourts Despite higher fuel margins, lower fuel volumes, weaker shop spending and rising business costs are putting pressure on Scotland’s forecourts. Product News Irn-Bru tops the Scottish provenance chart while Cadbury renews its Children in Need partnership. Off-Trade News Malibu, Smirnoff Ice, Echo Falls and Captain Morgan all launch new RTDs.

INSIDE BUSINESS 22

32 46

SLR Awards Winner’s Profile Loch Lomond News Where else can you buy a set of Topps cards for seven and a half grand? Above and Beyond Awards We want to hear about the colleagues in your store that go beyond the call of duty for their customers and colleagues. Advertising Feature SPAR Scotland Last month saw SPAR Scotland reward its loyal customers with a £50,000 Great Big Giveaway. The Big Interview Michael Williams, Smiths News Smiths News is set to become GB’s largest newstrade wholesaler – so what will that mean for local retailers? Hotlines The latest new products and media campaigns. Under The Counter Not everyone is delighted by news of lottery funding for community shops.

FEATURES 34

Christmas Alcohol Don’t miss out on the chance to shift a sleighful of stock as demand for wines, beers and spirits skyrockets. Christmas Soft Drinks There are plenty of contenders vying to be top of the pops this yuletide as suppliers tap into limited-edition variants and moderation trends. Smoking Alternatives Nicotine pouch sales are flourishing as consumers wake up to smokeless alternatives.

ON THE COVER 14

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Store Development Some of Scotland’s leading retailers reveal their top tips and share the lessons they’ve learned from development projects.

NOVEMBER 2026 | SLR

News VAPING Flexibility sought in consultation

Co-op Wholesale ditches Peckish for Snappy Co-op Wholesale is to close its Peckish rapid delivery platform as it cements its relationship with Snappy Shopper. The move comes as the Snappy Group secures seven-figure funding from Virgin Money to support the expansion of its retail technology and marketplace platforms. Transaction volumes across the Snappy platform have reached record levels, with annualised grocery gross merchandise value now exceeding £150m.

Take part in ShopKind Week 2026 The Association of Convenience Stores has encouraged retailers to get involved with ShopKind Week, which aims to raise awareness about violence towards shopworkers. The week of action, which begins on 9 November, will also include the National Business Crime Centre’s Safer Business Action Week, the Retail Trust’s

SGF seeks vape pack flavour markers The Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) has responded to the UK Government’s consultation on how products are packaged and displayed under the Tobacco and Vapes Act, urging ministers to allow coloured flavour markers on vape packaging. The trade body argued that coloured dots, lettering and simple flavour descriptions such as “raspberry lemon” would help adult smokers identify products more easily, supporting smoking cessation efforts while reducing frustration for customers and staff. In its submission, SGF warned that restrictions on flavours could undermine progress towards a smoke-free generation. The organisation stated: “It is commonly recognised that flavour is a critical characteristic of vaping

products which helps stop smokers who wish to quit from lapsing back to cigarettes.” It added that smokers often begin with tobacco-flavoured products before moving to fruit or mint varieties, with many former smokers preferring non-tobacco flavours. SGF also raised concerns about plans that could require vapes to be kept behind shutters, arguing that further restrictions on responsible retailers risk driving consumers towards illicit products. The federation said retailers would need suﬃcient time to adapt to any changes, warning that short lead-in periods could create unnecessary operational and compliance challenges. The group urged the government to extend the proposed six-month

implementation period for new measures, suggesting a minimum of 24 months instead to allow retailers and suppliers adequate time to prepare. While supporting efforts to reduce the appeal of vapes to children, SGF said regulations must strike the right balance between protecting young people and preserving access for adults seeking to quit smoking. Its submission stated: “Cartoons, characters, animals, inanimate objects, and other child-friendly imagery have no place on a product that is intended to be marketed as a cessation product for adults.” SGF also warned policymakers to consider the potential impact on small retailers, customer access to legal products and the risk of increased illicit trade.

Let’s Respect Retail Week and shopworkers’ union USDAW’s Respect for Shopworkers Week.

Scottish footfall slips Footfall in Scotland saw a 0.7% decline in September, compared with a 0.1% decline in August, according to Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC)-Sensormatic data for the five weeks to 3 October 2026. However, the country still performed ahead of the UK average, as well as outperforming England, which saw footfall decline by 3.4%, compared with a 2.1% decline the previous month.

Paul Dobson partners with C-Store Collective Former Morrisons Convenience, Franchise & Wholesale Director Paul Dobson is collaborating with C-Store Collective on a project to strengthen the consultancy’s support for independent and multi-site convenience retailers. The collaboration will draw on Dobson’s experience building one of the UK’s largest convenience franchise networks.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

SYMBOLS

Parfetts eyes Scottish growth as it rebrands to Go Local Wholesale Go Local Wholesale will become the new name of Parfetts in January, as the company looks to better reflect its employee-owned status and symbol-led strategy, with the group hopeful of converting 30-40% of its Scottish delivered wholesale customers to the Go Local symbol group. The group has exceeded its previous 2,000-symbol-store goal and has announced plans to reach 3,000 by 2028, saying that 500 stores are already in the pipeline. The group also confirmed that it is on track to hit £1bn turnover within the same time period. The wholesaler currently has around seven symbol stores in Scotland, including Nathalie Fullerton’s flagship store in Glasgow. Parfetts is delivering to between 200 and 250 Scottish stores. “We’ve had a great reception in Scotland, and we see that as one of our growth potential areas for the future,” Joint Managing Director Noel Robinson told SLR. “We stopped at Berwick-on-Tweed previously, and we’ve done a lot of work on logistics and efficiency that allows us to get up as far as Dundee now.”

WHOLESALE Record sales reported

UWS hits £327m turnover as investment weighs on profit United Wholesale Scotland (UWS) has reported record turnover and gross profit for the year ended 31 December 2025. Group turnover increased by 14.6% from £285m to £326.5m, while gross profit rose from £27m to £31.2m. However, operating profit fell from £6.9m to £5.7m during the year. UWS attributed the decline to investment in two developing group businesses, its new Rainham operation in England, and higher employment costs. Profit before tax fell from £4m to £2.3m, while profit for the financial year was £1.05m, compared with £2.78m in 2024. Results also included an exceptional £2.8m debt write-off relating to a previously reported debt forgiveness arrangement. KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SLRMAG

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News RETAILERS Retailers seek tax freeze

SRC warns of £22.5m business rates hike The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) has warned that Scottish shops could face a £22.5m increase in their business rates bills from April 2027. The trade body’s prediction follows the publication of the latest Oﬃce for National Statistics Consumer Price Index, which revealed that inflation increased to 3.5% last month. September’s inflation rate is traditionally used to calculate business rates for the following financial year, and SRC fears Scottish ministers may follow suit. Despite the introduction of the new Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief scheme earlier this year, SRC said it remains less generous than England’s

equivalent. Retail accounts for almost a fifth of all business rates, with Scottish retailers facing higher costs than many counterparts south of the border. Retailers have faced greater outlays over the last two years on energy costs, employers’ National Insurance contributions and aboveinflation rises in the National Living Wage, said SRC. David Lonsdale, Director of the SRC, said: “If government and politicians are serious about

wanting to fix the cost of living then they need to focus on fixing the cost of doing business, and so help retailers who are striving to invest in their stores whilst keeping down prices for Scottish households. “Piling yet more taxes onto retailers, on top of the swathe of tax and regulatory burdens the industry has been lumbered with of late, only serves to make it more diﬃcult for retailers to invest in our high streets, create job opportunities, and keep down prices on shop shelves. “In her upcoming Scottish Budget, the Finance Secretary should rule out any increase in the business rate paid by retailers and deliver a level playing field with England for all Scottish stores.”

Smiths News lands Telegraph deal Smiths News has secured a long-term national distribution contract with Telegraph Media Group. Under the agreement, which runs until September 2036, the UK’s largest news wholesaler will become the exclusive distributor of The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph across Great Britain from October 2027.

Distillery blow Community-owned Highland producer GlenWyvis Distillery has entered administration, with Geoffrey Isaac Jacobs and Alistair McAlinden of Interpath appointed as joint administrators on 5 October. The pair will oversee the society’s affairs, business and assets while options are explored for the whisky and gin maker, whose portfolio includes GlenWyvis single malt Scotch whisky and GoodWill Gin.

EXPANSION Retailer rebounds after fire

Pro Gro rises from flames with new Anniesland store

Design reference image

Jay Javid, Managing Director at Pro Gro Group (formerly PGNJ), has announced plans for a 12th store in Anniesland, Glasgow, following the catastrophic fire that destroyed the firm’s SLR Award-winning Nisa Wee Mill in Rutherglen back in May. Pro Gro recently extended its contract with Co-op Wholesale for five years and the new store will be the group’s first in Nisa’s 2.0 format. The shop measures around 7,000sq ft, making it the largest in the company’s portfolio. The former Poundland site is due to open its doors before the end of the year. The group’s Clydebank store is next in line for investment, Jay told SLR. Pro Gro closed its original site on Glasgow Road back in January due to lease issues and is set to reopen at a new location five minutes away on Titan Boulevard in Queens Quay, subject to planning. Jay is also hopeful that he will be able to rebuild Nisa Wee Mill. He said it had been agreed that the building would be reinstated. However, getting the premises back is still a long way off due to ongoing safety issues and diﬃculties with the insurer.

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CHARITY

Scotmid recognised in Scottish Parliament

Booker expands retail media network Booker has rolled out a

The charity work of Scotmid has been officially recognised in a Scottish Parliament motion submitted by Katherine Sangster MSP. The motion celebrated the record-breaking £474,474 raised through the group’s partnership with Alzheimer Scotland and Alzheimer’s Society. It also praised the impact of initiatives including the Big Brain Tour and STARS programme, which have helped raise awareness of dementia and brain health. Scotmid was also praised in an early day motion in the UK Parliament in September for its support of the DEC Venezuela Earthquake Appeal.

nationwide retail media network across more than 100 wholesale branches using over 500 digital displays. The project gives suppliers a new channel to target Booker customers through centrally managed in-store advertising. The screens have been installed at key points throughout Booker depots, including rack ends and above pallet promotions.

One Stop launches price campaign One Stop has unveiled a Prices Kept Low campaign, which will cut prices on 37 everyday lines while holding a further 24 at their existing low prices. The range spans grocery, bakery, snacks and non-food essentials, combining One Stop Own Label products with big brands. The campaign sees reductions of up to 17%, and almost 40% of the range will be priced below £1.

NOVEMBER 2026 | SLR

News SERVICES Retailer rejects fee rise

Questions remain over price cap plans Six months after the proposal was unveiled, the Scottish Retail Consortium has renewed calls for clarity on the Scottish

Scots indie rages as PayPoint hikes fees for 600 retailers

Government’s proposed food price cap. The trade body said key details, including which products would be covered, how prices would be set and how the scheme would operate, have yet to be confirmed. It reiterated concerns over the complexity of introducing price controls.

ACS makes four appointments The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has announced four new appointments to its board of directors: Victoria Lockie, Head of Wholesale – Acquisitions and Strategic Projects at Morrisons; Kate McCrae, Retail Operations Director at The Co-operative Group; Jerome Saint-Marc, Managing Director at SPAR UK; and Dan Dixon, Managing Director at William Reed.

Boost for Scottish community-owned shops The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland has awarded Plunkett UK £20,000 to strengthen its support for Scottish community-owned shops. The funding will help Plunkett provide more support to open and trading community shops, increasing retail knowledge and helping them remain resilient and viable at a challenging time for retailers.

One Stop rolls out delivery tool to stores Deliverect technology, which enables retailers to manage home delivery orders from Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats and Snappy Shopper through a single device, is being rolled out across more than 240 One Stop franchise stores. The solution also introduces a standardised picking process, helping to simplify operations, cut staff training requirements and lower picking costs.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

PayPoint has left around 600 retailers facing higher fees as the payment service provider puts an end to historic discounts. South Lanarkshire retailer Mo Razzaq, who owns Premier Mo’s in Blantyre, raged that his monthly fee for a basic terminal service, with no EPoS, had risen from £56.48 to £112.96. He said the 100% increase would cost him an extra £677.76 a year. Mo has emailed the company to reject the increase. He said: “Transactions going through my terminal do not justify doubling the fee. “We are in a cost-of-doing-business crisis. Our operating costs now run at around 18%, and PayPoint’s commission comes nowhere near covering that. Every transaction we process at a loss makes the

service a burden, not a benefit. This is the behaviour of a company that is putting its own profits ahead of the small businesses that deliver its service in every community. I believe it is unfair and anti-small business.” PayPoint said the move would ensure all retailers pay the same standard service fees. A spokesman said: “PayPoint is not increasing its standard retailer service fee. Recent communications were sent only to a limited number of circa 600 retailers, approximately 2% of our network, who have historically benefited from discounted fee arrangements. Those retailers are being moved onto our standard fee structure and are entitled to exit their contract with 60 days’ notice should they wish not to accept the standardisation. “This is simpler and fairer, as some retailers were benefiting from discounted rates that have now ended. All retailers will now pay the same standard service fees. We are engaging directly with the retailers in question and would encourage anyone with questions to contact us directly.” The dispute comes as many convenience retailers continue to face rising employment, energy and operating costs.

LEGISLATION Retailers urged to prepare

CRIME Operation Machinize in action

The call comes as Exchange for Change opens its retailer registration portal ahead of the scheme’s launch. Tomra Collection UK Managing Director Sondre Henningsgård said retailers should already be considering how the scheme will operate within their businesses, including staff training, customer communications and how returned containers will be handled. He said stores don’t need to have every detail finalised, but those that begin planning early will be best placed to adapt. The call was echoed by Kaual Patel, owner of Torridon Stores in Catford, who warned that independent retailers opting out of DRS could lose up to 20-30% of footfall to competitors offering returns facilities. He told a Labour Party Conference event in Liverpool that small independent retailers would be “vital to the success or failure” of DRS. He also called for greater support from scheme administrator Exchange for Change, including clear guidance for retailers, a simple opt-in process for smaller stores and stronger public awareness campaigns. Labour MP Chris Bloore, chair of the Packaging in the Circular Economy APPG, said challenges remained but pointed to the success of long-established deposit return schemes in Scandinavian countries.

More than 15,000 illicit cigarettes and tobacco pouches, worth around £14,600, have been seized in the Scottish Borders as part of Operation Machinize. The nationwide initiative is co-ordinated by the National Crime Agency and involved Scottish Borders Trading Standards, with support from Police Scotland. It aims to tackle money laundering and the criminal use of cashintensive high street businesses. Councillor Robin Tatler, Executive Member for Public Safety and Resilience, thanked everyone involved in the initiative. He said: “Thank you to everyone involved. This sends a clear warning that profiting at the expense of our communities will not be tolerated.”

Illicit tobacco worth Convenience retailers are being urged to prepare now for the over £14,000 seized in launch of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), with less than a Scottish Borders year remaining until it goes live in October 2027.

Clock ticking on DRS

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Oct 2027

Jan 2028

News SMOKING Duty fears for quitters

Unitas boss to step down Unitas has announced that Chief Executive John Kinney will become Chairman from 1 January 2027, with COO David Cooke succeeding him as Chief Exec. Kinney, who has

Scotland retains UK’s highest smoking rate

led the organisation for nearly six years, was previously Sales and Marketing Director, having originally joined Today’s Group as Retail Director in 2012, before its merger with Landmark Wholesale to form Unitas.

Gander boosts sell-through Independent retailer Dike & Son has achieved a 92% sell-through rate on reduced products thanks to the Gander food waste management platform and improved in-store procedures. The North Dorset supermarket sold 1,200 of the 1,310 products it reduced in its latest reporting week. The result marks a significant improvement from the 73% sell-through rate recorded when the store joined Gander in February 2026.

Morrisons enhances store planning Morrisons has partnered with AI-powered workforce solutions software provider, Logile, to simplify its central planning, replacing laborious manual spreadsheets with optimised operational data and intelligence. The tech is rolling out across the retailer’s convenience, grocery and logistics arms.

Consumers question ‘healthy’ labels Almost two-thirds (62%) of consumers don’t think products marketed as ‘healthy’ genuinely deserve the label, according to research from Bel UK. The company said the findings highlight ongoing confusion around what constitutes healthier food and warned that proposed changes to the UK’s Nutrient Profiling Model could exacerbate the issue. Under the plans, some ‘healthier’ products, including high-fibre breakfast cereals, yoghurts and smoothies, would be reclassified as ‘less healthy’.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

Scotland recorded the highest smoking prevalence in the UK in 2025, according to new figures from the Oﬃce for National Statistics (ONS). The figures came as the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) warned the new Vaping Products Duty could increase the price of some vaping products by as much as 264%. The ONS Annual Population Survey estimated that 11.4% of adults in Scotland were current smokers, compared with 11.1% in Wales, 9.9% in Northern Ireland and 9.5% in England. The Scottish figure has fallen from 12% in 2024. The Scottish local authorities with the highest prevalence of current smokers during the five-year period from 2021 to 2025 were Clackmannanshire

and North Lanarkshire, while East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire had the lowest. Across GB there remain more vape users than smokers in 2025. The Opinions and Lifestyle Survey found that 9.9% of adults aged 16 and over used e-cigarettes daily or occasionally in 2025, compared with 8.7% who smoked. This equates to around 5.4 million vapers versus 4.8 million smokers. E-cigarette use fell across every age group between 2024 and 2025 except among 25 to 34-year-olds, where it rose from 12.9% to 16.4%, making them the age group most likely to vape. John Dunne, Director General of the UKVIA, said the figures demonstrated the role vaping has played in reducing smoking rates, but warned that the new duty could

GROWTH Digital strategy pays off

Racetrack starts work on 13th store as app hits 30k users

Family-run convenience chain Racetrack has begun work on its 13th store while celebrating the RT & Tubbees app reaching 30,000 users. The new store is located on the site of a former Royal Bank of Scotland next to Clifton House student accommodation in Glasgow’s West End. Meanwhile, the group’s loyalty app, which was relaunched in August 2025, has tripled its user base from 10,000 users in October 2025. App customers are treated to exclusive deals, such as twofor-Tuesday milkshakes and half-price ice creams and waﬄes. Tubbees Brand Manager Rits Sud said: “What started as another way to give customers offers and rewards has turned into a vital part of how we communicate with them, launch products and drive repeat visits. “30,000 people voluntarily choosing to have Tubbees notifications pop up on their phone feels like a win in itself. “It also gives us a much better platform to understand what customers actually respond to, test new ideas and keep improving how Tubbees and RaceTrack connect with people outside the four walls of the stores.” The multi-SLR Award-winning Scottish forecourt and convenience operator recently signed a five-year partnership with Co-op Wholesale and has relaunched its Strathclyde and Wishaw stores accordingly.

Image courtesy of Djordje Ristic from Pixabay

make vaping less accessible to adult smokers looking to quit. He cited a UKVIA survey of almost 3,500 adult vapers, which found that 50% feared higher prices could push consumers back to smoking or towards the black market. He added that the industry supports action against underage and illegal sales but argued that measures to tackle youth vaping should not come at the expense of adult smokers seeking an alternative to cigarettes.

MARKET

Symbols and independents hold 12% of UK grocery market

TWC Group has claimed that the UK’s symbol and independent retail sector accounts for 12% of the grocery market, suggesting its importance has been previously underestimated. TWC believes the finding has potentially important implications for suppliers, with market size and channel share data frequently used to determine investment, resource allocation and route-to-market priorities. Tom Fender, Development Director at TWC Group, said the 12% market share insight would give suppliers a more accurate understanding of the channel’s true scale.

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News Extra

NewsExtra SHIFT A SLEIGHFUL OF ALCOHOL – P34

Forecourts feel the squeeze

Convenience Matters with the SGF The UK Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) launches next October, with the first phase of registration for retailer return points now open. Businesses required to register can do so through the new online portal. SGF encourages convenience retailers across Scotland to register and participate where they can, to ensure they are not impacted by changing consumer habits and competition from larger operators once DRS goes live. However, a recent SGF survey highlights significant uncertainty about what participation will mean in practice. Almost a third of members remain unsure whether they will take part in the scheme and, if so, which model they will use. The concerns are understandable. Questions have been raised about staff and maintenance requirements, collection rates, hygiene, set-up costs, and whether the fees will cover those costs. Retailer payments are currently set at 5p per automatic return, falling to 1p after 225,000 returns, and 3p for manual returns. Yet just 8% of surveyed members believe the fees will cover their costs, while more than half are unsure whether they will. For smaller retailers, the distinction between being required to participate and choosing to do so is an important one. Urban retailers with less than 100m² of retail space are automatically exempt – if they choose to be. Urban retailers between 100m² and 199m², and rural retailers under 200m², can apply for an exemption but must still register. SGF will continue to keep members up to date and ensure that Scottish convenience retailers are at the heart of the process.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

Scottish forecourts are recording the UK’s strongest growth in fuel margins but falling volumes and pressures on investment and shop spend show the challenges facing the wider sector.

AI-generated image.

Investment in independent UK forecourts has fallen over the past year as operators face rising business rates bills, employment costs and challenging trading conditions, according to the Association of Convenience Stores’ (ACS) 2026 Forecourt Report. Independent forecourt retailers invested an average of £14,810 per store, down from £15,550 in 2025. ACS warned that the rising cost of doing business was restricting operators’ ability to invest. The findings come as separate data reveals a mixed picture for Scottish forecourt operators. Scotland recorded a 13% yearon-year increase in average fuel margins in September, the strongest regional growth in the UK, according to Forecourt Insights by EdgeData from EdgePetrol. The next-strongest growth was in the South West at 5%, with Wales, Yorkshire, the East Midlands, West Midlands and North West all at 4% or below. But EdgeData said that on a pence-per-litre basis, retailer fuel margins in Scotland remained around 2.5% below the UK average, meaning Scottish operators continue to achieve slightly smaller margins than the typical UK forecourt.

Although Scotland’s average site fuel volume fell 5% year on year, London and Wales faced sharper drops of 10% and 9% respectively. Gideon Carroll, EdgePetrol Founder and Chief Executive, said: “Regional performance remains fragmented, with Scotland holding strong margin resilience (+13% YoY) despite a 5% volume drop.” EdgeData noted that consumers are increasingly making £20-£30 top-up purchases rather than filling their tanks, creating more opportunities for forecourt retailers to drive in-store spend. The firm urged retailers to capitalise on more frequent visits with strong coffee, food to go and quick basket deals to offset pressure on fuel margins. However, the ACS Forecourt Report found that average customer spend excluding fuel had fallen from £13.48 to £13.09. ACS said rising pump prices were affecting in-store spending, with Chief Executive Ed Woodall warning that forecourt retailers rely on shop sales to stay in business. He said: “It’s easy for the Government to point the finger at forecourts when fuel prices go up, but the reality is that they’re exposed to pump price rises themselves. When prices at the

pump increase, forecourt retailers are losing out because customers don’t spend as much in store and they rely on those sales to trade viably.” The report was published ahead of the Budget, with ACS calling on the Chancellor to take action on business rates and freeze fuel duty beyond January 2027. Woodall added: “Forecourts are crucial national infrastructure and incredibly important to the communities they serve, but have been disproportionately hit by business rates increases, new regulatory reporting requirements and other cost-of-trading pressures. We are calling on the Chancellor to take action in the Budget to support both customers and forecourt retailers by freezing fuel duty beyond January 2027, help them to invest by taking pressure off rates bills, and recognise the role they play in providing secure local jobs to over 90,000 people.” The ACS report also shone a light on the wider role the UK’s 8,300+ forecourts play in their communities. Consumers rated them among the top five most essential local services, while 77% of independent forecourts engaged in some form of community activity over the last year. www.slrmag.co.uk

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Comment

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT HFSS The local retailing sector is painfully accustomed to having to comply with opaque, oblique and arcane bits of generally well-meaning but incompetent legislation – but HFSS surely takes the low-sugar biscuit. The concept is pretty simple and while we may not agree with local retailers having to force customers to reduce their intake of high fat, sugar and salt products, we can at least understand why the government is doing it. But that’s not the problem. The problem is that the legislation is pretty much indecipherable and is also, to all intents and purposes, unenforceable. If you’ve read the regulations, or even the SGF’s HFSS Guidance Booklet, which is a very good stab at trying to make sense of the rules, you’ll have quickly realised that a Trading Standards Officer would need a slide rule, a protractor, a length of string and an awful lot of time on his or her hands to actually verify non-compliance with certain elements of the legislation in a store. And bear in mind that around 22 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities operate with eight or fewer trading standards staff members who already have massive workloads. Chances are they’re not going to get round to doing much HFSS policing. They certainly didn’t in England. HFSS regulations have now been in place down south for more than four years and how many prosecutions have taken place in those four years? That’s right, absolutely none. The closest anyone came to getting pulled up for breaking HFSS rules was Iceland when the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a ruling earlier this year against the retailer for adverts it ran on the Daily Mail website featuring restricted confectionery items. The ASA, however, has no powers to issue fines, so all it could do was ban the ads. It’s not even clear in the legislation who has to comply with the rules. The wording around symbol group and franchise membership is bizarrely opaque. Even as a single-site independent retailer, if you are part of a symbol group or franchise, the wording seems to imply that you are automatically treated as having more than 50 employees and are therefore in scope of the regulations. But it’s not made explicit in the official implementation guidance. In practice, it’s essentially being left to symbol groups themselves to interpret that wording and advise their independent retailers on whether or not they are in scope. Ask two different wholesalers, however, and you can get two different answers. (I did, and that’s exactly what happened.) There’s a strong possibility that these HFSS rules will slowly and quietly get lost in the long grass and are never heard of again. Which begs the question: what was the point?

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 DISCLAIMER The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or damaged in the post. All text and layout is the copyright of 55 North Ltd. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher. All copyrights are recognised and used specifically for the purpose of criticism and review. Although the magazine has endevoured to ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability may change. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. Scottish Local Retailer is produced monthly by 55 North Ltd.

ANTONY BEGLEY, PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

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Cover Story

Store Development

FIT FOR THE FUTURE We speak to a selection of leading retailers about their top tips and key learnings when embarking on development projects. BY SARAH BRITTON

STORE RESEARCH

James Morgan used faceilluminated aluminium built-up letters to highlight key zones.

Highland retailers Emma and Hector Maclean worked with the Spar Scotland team and Steampunk Shopfitters to plan their new look Lochcarron Food Centre but found that the drawings alone were hard to interpret. “When the boys were doing the plans… I couldn’t see it in my head,” says Emma. “I couldn’t work it out because it was so different to what we had before.” So they went to visit some other outlets for inspiration and clarity. “Dan Smith from the development team at Spar took us to a few shops down in the Central Belt. We went down there for a couple of days and we went to a load of shops like Erskine and Garthamlock, all places like that that had just had refits. “That was really good because it let us see how the layout would work. They really helped us visualise what everything was going to be like and how to lay everything out.” Having just opened his new store, 2,000sq ft Brisbane Food Store in Largs, North Ayrshire, James Morgan is now at the receiving end of such visits.

As Sales and Project Manager at shopfitter Vertex, retailers are understandably keen to see his latest personal venture. “We’ve had a few inquiries since we opened and at least 10 retailers have come to the site and are interested in doing stuff. “People have been asking about everything from the refrigeration to the floor. “When one invests in their store and doesn’t cut corners and does something different with design and it works, then it tends to inspire others a little bit to go and do it as well. “And if they get a benefit from it, then it just sort of grows and grows. “And I think that’s probably what’s happened with a lot of retailers in Scotland in the last couple of years. It’s good to see.”

TRADE SHOW INSPO Much of James’ new store design builds on ideas he first introduced at West Kilbride Village Store. For example, he has opted for terrazzo flooring once more, but this time in monochrome. However, he was also keen to get some fresh inspiration, which came courtesy of a visit to the EuroShop trade show in Düsseldorf earlier this year. James is a big fan of Modern Expo’s store equipment and finishes. “Brown Boulevard Wood is a new colour that had just been released this year, which was on show, and there was also a white stone finish that we used around the beer cave that was also a new colour this year.”

SPACE

Spacious aisles are a key consideration at Brisbane Food Store.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

James Morgan has made his new store as spacious as possible. “The first aisle is about 1.9 metres wide, and the rest of them are about 1.2. If I had more space, I would have made them bigger. “You’ve got the balance between what the aisle space is going to be and how many gondolas you’re going to have. “We wanted to try and achieve at least 1.1m to 1.2m per aisle and then obviously have more space as you come in the front door, which I always recommend to customers because it gives that initial impression of space. “Having that sort of large open area at the front and then the first aisle being the widest, I think it’s really important.” www.slrmag.co.uk

Store Development

Cover Story

LET THERE BE LIGHT Edge-lit LED panels and strips have become commonplace in modern shopfits, but Gibsons Premier owner Aman Kooner urges retailers to also take advantage of sunlight where possible. “You can’t beat natural light,” says Aman, who took on the previously neglected Glasgow store with interior designer wife Ranu. “When we actually started ripping the shop out, the guys took the ceiling down and all of a sudden we saw these massive windows that we didn’t know existed,” he says. “The previous owner had covered half the window with a sign, which killed the light coming in. We changed our plan and took the ceiling up at a 90-degree angle at the front to expose the windows. That’s been a real game changer. “We’ve also put up four LED lights that shine out onto the street at night as well. That’s actually put us back into line with the shops next to us as well because they’ve all got high windows. “If you’ve got natural light, you want to try and use as much of that as possible. It really does open your whole property up.”

IMPROVED FLOW James framed the front section of the store as a deliberately coordinated, high-impact zone built around refrigeration and grab-and-go. His fridges, freezers, shelving and bakery units were all supplied by Nabco in partnership with Vertex. He matched the canopy above the fridges to their bold, softer-coloured finish so the first aisle would feel cohesive rather than mix too many colours. “You’ll find that probably your chilled drinks and your chilled foods probably nearly take up 40-50% of your overall sales in any shop, at least 30% anyway. “Another maybe 25-30% is coming from alcohol, which is at the other end of the store, and the bit in between is sort of the bit that’s less shopped in a way. “And we took all that into consideration when planning the layout.” Lochcarron Food Centre’s refit also organised the store into clearer zones, improving flow and encouraging people to browse rather than shop purely by category or convenience, resulting in incremental sales. www.slrmag.co.uk

“People tend to float about the shop as opposed to just coming in and grabbing something and leaving, so that’s good,” says Emma, who runs the store with husband Hector. “When people are walking towards the till, they see the cakes and the hot food. They came in for a bottle of water and they end up going out with a bit of cake, a sausage roll and a packet of crisps.” Lochcarron’s improved layout encourages incremental sales.

Hector and Emma Maclean’s store was an SLR Refit of the Year finalist.

IN-STORE THEATRE A major focus for Aman and Ranu was creating a space where suppliers could engage with nearby students. “Because it is a predominantly university store we definitely wanted a space where the suppliers would come and put up their stands and do activations,” says Ranu. So despite the shopfloor measuring just 800sq ft, the couple ensured that a corner of the shop could afford enough space to fit a sampling table. “We focus massively on Freshers’ Week. We get all the suppliers in throughout the whole week giving out freebies and tastings,” says Aman. NOVEMBER 2026 | SLR

Cover Story

Store Development

“Because we’re bang in the West End, you can get the best coffee in Glasgow. There are good coffee roasters around us,” says Ranu. “And we’ve got Greggs down the road so we just thought the coffee just isn’t going to work.” In its place, the couple set up a noodle station, which was an instant hit with students. “In the afternoon from 1 till 2pm we get at least 200 kids from the local high school and we sell a lot of noodles,” says Aman. “It’s better to have something that we’re definitely going to sell. You have to change things up. You can’t just keep a coffee machine because it looks good.”

HIDDEN EXTRAS

3D illuminated lightboxes make for eye-catching signage at Brisbane Food Store.

“It’s not the biggest shop in the world, but we’ve used this space as much as we can to try and maximise events.” A wide range of suppliers and brands including Four Loko, Monster Energy, BuzzBallz, Tempo, Soopa Hooch, Britvic and Snappy Shopper have actively used both the interior and exterior of the store as a platform to promote their products. And to build excitement, a local artist decorates an interior shop wall with paintings flagging the brands. “She’s really good at drawing and painting so we get her in every season and we’ll change the wall according to what’s happening,” says Ranu. The wall is also used to display the store’s achievements. Aman says: “We had nowhere to showcase our SLR Award for being Highly Commended in the Shopfit of the Year category, so she came in and put the plaque up on the wall and then created an artwork showing our journey. “People look at it while they’re waiting for people or in the queue, it’s a real conversation starter.”

FEATURE SIGNAGE James worked with a Paisley-based company called Cre-8-ive to come up with his signage designs. He loved the idea of face-illuminated aluminium built-up letters to mark out different zones but felt it would be too overwhelming to use for every category. 16

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

So instead, he used a mix of flat wall-mounted signs and 3D illuminated lightboxes. The larger built-up signs were reserved for key destination zones such as the Beer Cave, The Deli and Grab & Go, while illuminated lightboxes were used to identify individual product categories throughout the store. “I gave them the vision and the ideas and the guys at Cre-8-ive delivered on it. They did a really good job.”

MERCHANDISING TOOLS One piece of kit that helps keep Gibsons Premier in check is shelf pushers. “If you go into a shop and it’s nice and neat, you automatically tend to spend more time in the shop without thinking about it,” says Aman. “Our 6m soft drinks fridge is full of pushers from Coca-Cola. So at all times the fridge looks full, even with a couple of bottles.” He describes the device as “a game changer” and finds it particularly useful for keeping up appearances ahead of a staff shift changeover. “We’ve also done it with fresh fruit, cheese, hams,” adds Ranu. “These small things make a difference.”

TRIAL AND ERROR The couple has been quick to identify any errors during the refit and remedy them as soon as possible. They initially installed a coffee machine, but it failed to take off.

Be warned, there’s much more to fitting out a shop than refrigeration and shelving. Emma and Hector’s refit investment at Lochcarron Food Centre grew well beyond the original plan once the team committed to a fullstore transformation and saw the design vision. “It just grew arms and legs,” says Emma. “I think we decided to spend about £100,000 on doing everything, and then it just spiralled and spiralled and spiralled!” A lot of the final cost came from knock-on works and add-ons they had not fully anticipated at the start. “We had to renew all our CCTV, because we changed all our gondolas round, so instead of running the length of the shop, they’re now running the width of the shop, so all our cameras and that were all in the wrong places. “We had to redo our fire alarm and then of course we invested in electronic shelf-edge labelling. “The total cost must have been in the region of £350,000-£400,000, counting everything.”

FUNDING But help is at hand. Emma and Hector combined several sources to make the project affordable: internal cash after a strong trading year, bank borrowing, support from Spar and external energy funding. “Spar helped us out a bit as well with our rebate that we get from them every year. ‘We’ll give it you early and then you can repay some of it’. They gave us some money and we had to repay some of it.” “There were a lot of people out there that supported us in the whole refit. I got a loan from the bank, and I also got help from Business Energy Scotland and the Energy Saving Trust. “Look for the grants as well, because there’s people out there that are willing to throw money at you. You’ve just got to know where to find them and how to go about filling all the forms. www.slrmag.co.uk

Store Development

“Our first grant got declined because I’d put the wrong figures down in the paperwork, and then I went back to them – eventually we got it. “We got a £20,000 grant from Business Energy Scotland and a £28,000 loan. We put that towards buying all our new chillers, which are obviously more energy eﬃcient. “Business Energy Scotland were pretty good, they were pretty helpful. “I’ve got quite a few loans that I’m paying back at the moment, but it won’t be forever. The longest one was over eight years or 10 years, but I’m thinking that I’m going to be able to pay that off quicker.” Visit businessenergyscotland.org or call 0808 808 2268 for more information on accessing free support.

INVEST TO PROGRESS James’ whole shopfit, including catering equipment that will form part of a central food-to-go offer that he is still developing, cost between £250,000 and £300,000. Although times are tough, he believes retailers are spending more per refit now than they have in the past. “It’s challenging at the moment with disposable vapes being banned and minimum wage going up, and all the other issues affecting the convenience sector,” he says. “It’s obviously tough to invest significant amounts of money in your business, but when retailers do invest and not cut corners, that’s when you tend to get the biggest results.

Cover Story

“If you’ve got four stores in an area, the one that invests in upgrades and has clean, tidy refrigeration is probably the one that’s most likely to survive.”

GETTING RESULTS James’ store was only in its third week when we caught up with him, but basket spend was already promising. “Basket spend is nearly £12. I was hoping it would just be over £10, so being close to £12 is a good result.” Aman and Ranu have also seen impressive results since reopening. From the couple’s daunting first day of opening the store before the refit, when it took a grand total of £40, turnover is now hitting £20,000 a week and even peaked at £27,000 over the summer. Emma has seen her store’s performance accelerate. “We got our yearly figures back from our accountant, and we turned over £2.7m last year, which is a pretty healthy turnover for a little shop like ours. “That was up from £2.5m the previous year, so we’re up on our turnover and up on our profit as well. We’re delighted with that. “The refit’s just been absolutely amazing. I still come into the shop and it’s well over a year since we did it now, and I still come in and pinch myself. “We’ve future-proofed the store for hopefully pretty much as long as we’ll be here for.”

Shelf pushers at Gibsons Premier keep soft drinks looking slick.

Ranu Kooner put her interior design skills to good use.

Annual turnover at Lochcarron Food Centre grew by £200,000 this past year.

www.slrmag.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2026 | SLR

News

Products

Napolina targets home cooks with new campaign Napolina has invested a six-figure sum in a national advertising campaign. The activity includes ‘Your bolognaise will thank you’ adverts across out-of-home locations, highlighting the role of quality tinned tomatoes in Italian meals. YouTube features a new ‘Now you’re cooking’ advert focused on home cooks. It shows a man making spaghetti bolognaise while his car is towed away.

Unitas sweetens up own-brand range Unitas has added six confectionery SKUs to its Local Living own-brand lineup: Fizzy Mix, Giant Fizzy Strawbs, Mini Pencils, Tangy Mix, Sour Snakes and Party Mix. Each one comes in a 130g £1 price-marked sharing bag. Unitas said the new range delivers more than 30% POR across all six SKUs. The

Product News SMASHING SEASONAL SOFT DRINKS – P42 SCOTTISH BRANDS Tesco makes surprise appearance on list

Irn-Bru tops Scottish provenance chart Irn-Bru has topped a list of the brands consumers most associate with Scottish provenance. The research, conducted by Scotland Food & Drink, surveyed more than 1,000 Scots. It found a mix of product, retailer and certification brands recognised for their Scottish credentials. It also revealed that 84% of Scots want to buy more Scottish products. Irn-Bru took first place, followed by Tunnock’s and Baxters, with Walker’s and Scotch Beef & Scotch Lamb completing the top five.

Graham’s, the Family Dairy was sixth, followed by Mackie’s of Scotland, Highland Spring and then Bell’s. Tesco’s surprise appearance in 10th place, suggests its commitment to working with more than 200 Scottish suppliers and brands hasn’t gone unnoticed. Carol Saunders, Head of Insights at Scotland Food & Drink’s Knowledge Bank said: “It’s great to see consumers recognising retailers and quality brand marks as well as producers.”

launch is supported by an instore campaign titled ‘Our £1 just got sweeter’.

Mackie’s ramps up ice cream production Mackie’s of Scotland is producing around 75,000 litres of ice cream a day as it responds to increased demand across the UK. The Aberdeenshire ice cream maker said the daily output was equivalent to around one million scoops. Mackie’s is now bought by more than a quarter of households in Scotland and has attracted more

SNACKS

PepsiCo unwraps festive crisp and snack range PepsiCo has launched a range of limitededition festive flavours that includes Doritos Gingerbread 180g (RSP £2.50), Sensations Honey Glazed Roast Ham 150g (RSP £2.50), Walkers Pigs in Blankets 5x25g (RSP £2.30) and Walkers Roast Potatoes 5x25g (RSP £2.30). Festive pack designs are also rolling out across core products from Walkers, Doritos and Wotsits Giants. PepsiCo is supporting the range with shopper marketing activity.

than 300,000 new customers since summer 2025. SOFT DRINKS Cash up for grabs in film tie-in

Yoplait highlights £6k yogurt sales opportunity

Tango unveils Hunger Games promo

C-stores could grow their annual

Tango is bringing the world of The Hunger Games to the soft drinks aisle with an on-pack promotion giving shoppers the chance to win £10,000. Running across promotional packs of Tango Orange Zero’d, Tango Apple Zero’d and Tango Cherry Zero’d, the ‘Champion Your Flavour’ campaign invites shoppers to scan a QR code on pack and vote for their favourite Tango flavour for a chance to win the cash prize. The activity has been timed to coincide with the release of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping on 20 November 2026. Promotional packs will be available until 22 December 2026 across 2L bottles, 500ml bottles and eight-can and 24-can multipacks of Tango Orange Zero’d, Apple Zero’d and Cherry Zero’d.

yogurt and dairy drinks sales by more than £5,940 by improving their range and merchandising, according to a new category guide. From ‘Chiller to Checkout: Winning in Yogurt and Dairy Drinks with Yoplait’ focuses on making better use of chiller space and highlights health, value and convenience as three trends driving category growth.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

DAIRY ALTERNATIVES

PureOaty rolls out new look

Glebe Farm Foods has refreshed the identity of its PureOaty drink range and launched a new Coconut Oat Drink. The updated packs are available now and feature the new strapline ‘Delicious oats. Made simply.’, with clearer navigation across the range. The new PureOaty Coconut Oat Drink combines 15% British gluten-free oats, water coconut cream and salt. It contains no gums, stabilisers, flavours or added sugars. The drink can be served chilled, blended into smoothies and shakes, mixed into cocktails and mocktails, added to coffee or used for other everyday occasions. It is available now in 1L packs with an RSP of £2.40.

KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST NEWS – FOLLOW US ON X @SLRMAG

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Products

News

Twinings refreshes Twinings has refreshed packaging across its Green Tea and Infusions range as part of its new ‘But First, Tea’ campaign. The updated packs

CONFECTIONERY Retailers encouraged to back campaign

Cadbury renews Children in Need partnership

feature individual string and

Cadbury is reuniting with BBC Children in Need for 2026, with a £150,000 donation and an on-pack promo across selected sharing bags. Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramel Nibbles and Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons packs are being transformed into ‘Open Up and Share Bags’ as part of the campaign, which highlights the importance of children and young people having someone to listen to and support them. The activity is backed by social media and PR through to the end

consumers decide to make

of November and features personal insight from Ian Wright on the importance of opening up and sharing. Cadbury is encouraging retailers to support the campaign in stores through relevant POS, donations, charity fun runs and other fundraising challenges. Charlotte Docker, Cadbury Brand Manager for Bitesize and Buttons, said: “We’re proud to continue playing our part in helping every child find an adult who will listen.”

tag teabags carrying notes inspired by everyday tea rituals. The packaging aims to bring the campaign into the product experience, connecting adverts with familiar moments when themselves a cup of tea.

Return of the mack-erel Princes has welcomed new scientific advice showing signs of recovery in North-East Atlantic mackerel stocks, with recommended catch levels rising for 2027. However, the supplier cautioned that the fishery remains in a fragile position and highlighted ongoing sustainability challenges. Princes said it will continue sourcing seafood from independently

BISCUITS Oatcake brand takes to the air for milestone anniversary

Nairn’s marks 130 years with surprise snack drops

Nairn’s is celebrating its 130th anniversary with a UK campaign focused on everyday moments and snack breaks. The campaign follows a survey of 2,000 UK adults, which found that 51% see getting outside for a walk and some fresh air as an everyday moment that can make their day better, compared with 20% who chose going to the pub. Some 57% said taking 10 to 15 minutes to stop and enjoy a snack leaves them feeling more relaxed, while 40% said it makes them happier. The research also found that 35% think the afternoon slump is when a surprise snack would have the biggest positive impact on their day. The campaign will see Nairn’s take its anniversary celebrations out into the real world, surprising people in the places and moments where the research shows they most want to pause – including the morning commute, afternoon slump, dog walks and community activities.

MEAT SNACKING

Kepak takes meat snacking mainstream Kepak Foods has relaunched its biltong and jerky brand Kings as part of a wider investment in the fast-growing meat snacking category. The new-look range is rolling out now and will be supported by social media activity, significant brand investment and a raft of new products planned for 2027. The company aims to make meat snacks a more mainstream part of modern snacking, helping retailers capture more everyday grazing occasions. According to Circana data, the biltong and jerky category is growing rapidly, with value sales up 18.4% year on year. The relaunch follows Kepak’s acquisition of New World Foods in 2025. Kepak is continuing to invest in the business through site upgrades, increased production capability and NPD.

certified sustainable fisheries.

Epicurium unwraps Christmas gifting range Snacking wholesaler Epicurium has launched its first seasonal gifting range, offering retailers 25 lines across chocolate, popcorn, fudge, nuts and advent calendars. The range features products from Tony’s Chocolonely, Joe & Seph’s, Mr Filbert’s, Buttermilk and Mummy Meegz, with margins ranging from 41% to 70%. Oder by contacting sales@epicurium. co.uk or calling 01207 438385.

Ember’s biltong in Booker Ember Snacks has secured a listing with Booker for its Original Biltong 20g and Chilli Biltong 20g products. Available on clip strips, the packs are designed to help convenience retailers drive impulse purchases without taking up shelf space. Ember said it holds a 45% share of the UK biltong market, with the overall category growing by 37% year on year as shoppers seek healthier and less processed snack options.

www.slrmag.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2026 | SLR

News

Off-Trade

CCEP unveils golden ticket retailer promo Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) has launched a ‘Win a Golden Ticket’ promotion across its RTD range, offering independent retailers the chance to win a share of £20,000 in cash prizes. Running across participating wholesalers until 22 November, the campaign sees 40 golden tickets hidden inside cases from the portfolio. Each winning ticket is worth £500.

Jim Beam launches 35cl range for convenience Jim Beam has expanded its convenience and wholesale range with the launch of 35cl bottles across three variants. Jim Beam White, Jim Beam Pineapple and Jim Beam Black Cherry are available now in standard and £11.89 pricemarked packs through Booker, Bestway, Parfetts, United Wholesale and Co-op. Just over

Off-TradeNews POUCHES MEAN PROFITS – P44 RTDs Pernod Ricard taps into high-ABV trend

Malibu lands a punch Malibu has expanded its RTD portfolio with the launch of Malibu Punch, a new range of 10% ABV canned cocktails. Available in Watermelon Punch, Peach Tea Punch and Piña Colada Punch variants, the range combines fruit flavours with Malibu’s Caribbean spirit in a 237ml can format with an RSP of £3.50. The launch comes with higherABV products helping drive growth in the RTD category. Watermelon Punch combines watermelon flavour with lemon and lime notes, while Peach Tea Punch blends peach flavours with black tea notes. Piña Colada Punch

combines coconut and pineapple flavours in a higher-strength take on Malibu’s core flavour profile. Malibu is backing the launch with a promotion that will see

influencers Georgia Wood and Maddie Grace Jepson make surprise appearances at parties. The activity will include sampling, merchandise and entertainment.

half of fractional whisky sales take place in c-stores.

Westons adds 75cl bottle to Vintage range Westons Cider has launched Henry Westons Vintage Reserve 75cl, developed to help retailers tap into growing demand for premium cider. Bottled at 8.2% ABV, the cider delivers the same smooth, medium-dry taste and full-bodied character as the existing 50cl Vintage Reserve product – which the brand says is the UK’s number one cider SKU – in a larger format

RTDs

Black is back Four Loko’s Black RTD has been re-released in Scotland and online only after a successful limited edition run back in 2024. Available for a limited period in 440ml cans (RSP £3.69), the kiwi fruit-flavoured 8.4% ABV RTD’s return is supported by a social media campaign featuring exclusive discount codes and prize giveaways, including a ‘scan to win’ on-can competition over Black Friday weekend in November. A wide range of POS materials, including shelf wobblers and barkers, floor stickers and pop-up banners, is also available.

designed for sharing.

BrewDog is ‘Under New Ownership’ BrewDog has launched a new campaign highlighting the brand’s takeover by Tilray Brands and the investment being made in the business. ‘Under New Ownership’ includes outof-home, digital and shopper marketing activities. Advertising features lines including ‘No More Cunning Stunts. Just Great Beer’ for Punk IPA, ‘We’ve Flipped the Bird’ for Wingman and ‘A Little Less Allegation’ for Elvis Juice.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

LIQUEURS New advert celebrates brand’s history

Courvoisier kicks off new campaign Courvoisier has unveiled ‘Pass The Courvoisier’, its first global campaign in almost 20 years. The campaign runs across TV, social media, out of home, retail and digital channels, and celebrates the cognac brand’s history of hospitality and shared experiences. A new advert follows a bottle of Courvoisier as it moves through a house party, connecting guests and conversations around the campaign’s ‘Pass The Courvoisier’ message.

WHISKY

Cork like an Egyptian

Highland Park has partnered with New York-based artist Laila Gohar to launch the second edition of its ‘Between You and I’ whisky series. Between You and I x Laila Gohar is inspired by Gohar’s Egyptian heritage, with the collaboration spanning both the whisky and its packaging. Highland Park Master Whisky Maker Marc Watson sampled more than 80 casks during its development, seeking flavours that would prompt memories and associations for Gohar. The 17-year-old single malt is bottled at 47.5% ABV and is available now with an RSP of £122.

KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST NEWS AS IT HAPPENS – FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SLRMAG

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Off-Trade

News

Echo Falls launches Blue Raspberry RTD Echo Falls has extended its Blue Raspberry range with a new 275ml RTD format. This follows the runaway success of the

RTDs Three new flavours launch alongside Party Pack

Smirnoff Ice starts party

750ml format, with more than two

Smirnoff Ice has expanded its range with three new flavours and a 10can mixed Party Pack. Green Apple, Tropical and Raspberry are available now in 250ml cans, each with a 4% ABV and £1.75 RSP, across grocery and convenience. The new Party Pack contains 10 x 250ml cans – two each of the new flavours plus four of the Original variant – and has a £10 RSP. It is aimed at social and sharing occasions, with the expanded range launching ahead Christmas. The launch comes as the RTD category has grown 8% over the past three years, while Smirnoff

Available now in Co-op, Asda,

RTDs have recorded 12% NSV growth over the same period. Bethany Weston, Head of Vodka and Tequila at Diageo, said: “For retailers, the extended range means

LIQUEURS Singer fronts Christmas campaign

Sophie shakes up Tia Maria

more opportunities to recruit shoppers and drive trial, whilst making Smirnoff Ice unmissable as we approach one of most important trading periods of the year.”

million bottles selling through wholesale and convenience since launching earlier this year. Morrisons, B&M and Savers, the new format has an RSP of £3.25.

Disaronno reveals new bottle design Disaronno has unveiled a new bottle design as part of the latest update to the Italian liqueur brand. The redesigned bottle is taller, lighter and brighter while retaining Disaronno’s square silhouette. Changes include a redesigned square cap, an embossed signature of founder Domenico Reina and a new DD monogram representing Disaronno and Domenico Reina.

VODKA

Xcx-cellent news

Captain Morgan and Pepsi Max unveil Cherry RTD Captain Morgan and Pepsi Max are extending their ready-todrink range in the convenience channel with the launch of Captain Morgan x Pepsi Max Cherry. The 5% ABV drink combines Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold with Pepsi Max Cherry and is available now to convenience retailers in a 250ml price-marked pack with an RSP of £2.25. A 330ml can with an RSP of £1.99 is also available through grocery.

Tia Maria is ramping up investment during the key Christmas trading period with the return of its partnership with Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Running to January 2027, the latest ‘Shake Up The Taste’ campaign will put the Espresso Martini at the centre of Tia Maria’s festive activity, with paid media expected to deliver more than 113 million impressions across broadcaster video on demand, connected TV, streaming, YouTube, online video and digital out-of-home. The campaign is supported by social media, trade media and retailer activations.

Absolut Vodka has signed a two-year partnership with pop star Charli XCX that will see the pair collaborate on a range of limited-edition products, events and fanfocused activity. The collaboration will include limitededition drops, collectible items, custom glassware and fan events, with fans set to help shape future activity. The partnership was teased following the ‘I love it’ singer’s sold-out Los Angeles shows, with photos on social media showing her wearing an “I Absolut” T-shirt backstage.

Speciality Brands adds Kaveri Ginger Drinks distributor Speciality Brands has added Kaveri Ginger to its portfolio as the liqueur brand looks to grow its presence in the UK. Founded by Varun Sarna in 2023, Kaveri Ginger is made with fresh cold-pressed ginger alongside Indian-inspired ingredients including jaggery, raw mango and Himalayan black salt. It can be used in cocktails or served neat over ice. The unfiltered liqueur has an ABV of 20.3% and an RSP of £26.

www.slrmag.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2026 | SLR

Inside Business

SLR Awards 2026 Winner’s Profile | Loch Lomond News

BANK ON IT

WATCH THE VIDEO NEWSTRADE RETAILER OF THE YEAR LOCH LOMOND NEWS

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

he news, magazines and collectibles category is something of an enigma in local retailing. Once an absolute mainstay of the sector, the category has been in slow and steady decline for years. So, in one sense, it’s understandable why so many retailers have chosen to de-prioritise the category in-store. But in another sense, it’s baﬄing why so many retailers were so keen and quick to abandon a category that delivered enormous footfall, significant incremental sales and decent profits on a daily basis. Even today, it remains a multi-billion-pound category, yet it has been all but disowned by the vast majority of local retailers. It’s certainly not the easiest category to manage and it involves a lot of hard work and a fair www.slrmag.co.uk

Loch Lomond News | SLR Awards 2026 Winner’s Profile

Inside Business

Loch Lomond News, on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, demonstrates quite clearly how there’s plenty of profitable mileage left in news, magazines and collectibles for retailers willing to take the category seriously. BY ANTONY BEGLEY

N e ws trade R etailer of t he Year W INNE R

bit of time every day, but it’s one of those categories that can still deliver footfall, sales and solid profits for retailers willing to fully commit to it. Retailers like Andrew Howell, for example, who picked up the Newstrade Retailer of the Year Award at this year’s SLR Awards. Andrew’s Loch Lomond News store simply blew the judges away. The oﬃcial judging comment that ended up on the SLR Awards website puts it quite nicely: “With a stunning view over Loch Lomond, this store demonstrates quite clearly how there’s plenty of profitable mileage left in news, magazines and collectibles with a mind-boggling range and a laser focus on working the category as hard as possible. Where else can you buy a set of Topps cards for seven and a half grand?” www.slrmag.co.uk

SPECIAL VISION From the off, Loch Lomond News is something special. It sits in the little shopping centre at Lomond Shores that overlooks the loch and is actually Andrew’s second store on the site. His previous store was half the size and when he was offered this much larger unit, he snapped it up. The refit was done on a budget, but it looks great. Clean lines, bright, airy and modern, just the way a convenience store should. The store also benefits from being the only convenience store on the entire Lomond Shores campus, so the traditional convenience range of crisps, confectionery and soft drinks performs well, as does the dedicated ice cream serveover counter. NOVEMBER 2026 | SLR

But that’s not what makes Andrew’s store tick. What makes this store so unusual is its truly massive range of magazines, newspapers and collectibles, many of them extremely rare. Hence the comment above from the judges about the seven-and-a-half-grand pack of Topps cards. We’re firmly into geek territory here, a label that Andrew has no problem with. But it’s that geeky obsessiveness and passion and vision and drive that makes his store famous in a particular community of shoppers. And his store and website are genuinely famous, and we’re talking worldwide fame. Andrew regularly gets calls and emails from collectors across the planet looking to buy rare collectibles and offering to sell him new ultra-rare stock that he can sell for truly huge sums and make truly huge margins on. In terms of collectibles, Loch Lomond News is the definition of a destination store. And Andrew is not afraid to be open-minded when it comes to what he stocks and sells, so long as it’s rare and valuable. Have you seen anywhere else selling out-of-production Lego sets for literally thousands of pounds? True, rate of sale on a lot of this stuff could hardly be described as high, but at the prices and margins these types of products command, he doesn’t need to be shifting them every day to make a very nice living, thank you very much.

NEWS AND MAGS While the collectibles side of the business may be niche, the newspapers and magazines side is much more recognisable and traditional, albeit on a fairly epic scale. The wall of magazines that graces the right-hand side of the store is a sight to behold, with publications covering just about every topic you could think of, plus quite a few that you probably couldn’t. The magazines and newspapers are instrumental in driving regular footfall year-round because Lomond Shores has no residential property to speak of. The nearest housing is still a fairly brisk walk or a short drive away, so regular customers need a reason to visit the store – and that’s what news and magazines provide. It’s a different story in summer, of course, when the tourist hordes descend on Loch Lomond and the shopping centre is rammed, but it can be tough to make a living if you rely mainly on that short-term Scottish summer tourist season. Andrew has carved himself a very profitable little niche in the world by ignoring the rules of local retailing, by ignoring the conventions on the decline of news and magazines and by simply listening to his customers and responding to them in a way that very few other retailers are willing to. It’s a salutary lesson – and it’s certainly worth dropping in to say hello the next time you find yourself near the bonnie banks. 24

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

www.slrmag.co.uk

SLR

PRESENTS

THE ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARDS 2027

TIME TO SHINE Turning the spotlight on the real heroes of Scotland’s local stores.

SLRMAG.CO.UK/ABOVEANDBEYOND

Inside Business

Above & Beyond Awards

WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR SHOPFLOOR HEROES! SLR’s Above & Beyond Awards returns in 2027 – and we want to hear about the colleagues in your store that go beyond the call of duty for their customers and colleagues.

ight, you’re all busy people with not enough hours in the day as it is. We get it. But we’d still like to encourage you to try to find five or 10 minutes at some point in the near future to sit down with a coffee and have a think about who the superstars are in your store. You know them. Most stores have one. That colleague that just seems to always go above and beyond the standard call of duty, whether that’s to help customers or colleagues or whether it’s to help you drive your business forward. If that’s not a good use of 10 minutes, we don’t know what is. Helping a hard-working colleague achieve some recognition at the SLR Above & Beyond Awards could make all the difference to them. It shows you notice what they do and it shows you care. It’s all too easy to get carried away in the flood of day-to-day stuff that’s involved with running a store – we know, we’ve been there ourselves with our own store. But finding just 10 minutes to get in touch, to tell us about a special colleague and to give us two or three lines about what makes them such a star could make all the difference in the world to them. After that, we’ll do the rest. Give us a few bullet points to go on and we’ll then contact your nominee directly, have a call with them, and find out more about the role they play in your store. It’s that simple. Make no mistake, this is more important than ever, and the SLR Above & Beyond Awards are more important than ever. Our sector is currently under siege – and no, that’s not hyperbole. Shoplifting and physical and verbal abuse of store staff has never been worse. Never. So finding those shopfloor superstars, unearthing the awesome things that they do and then sharing that with a wider audience both

HOW TO NOMINATE A COLLEAGUE… It couldn’t be quicker or easier: Q Find the simple nomination form online: slrmag.co.uk/aboveandbeyond Q All we need from you is some very basic information - the nominee’s name, job title and contact telephone number - plus some detail on why you believe your nominee should be

CELEBRATORY LUNCH ,

10 MARCH 2027 GLASGOW

considered for an award. Q Complete and return to events@55north.com Contact Cara with any questions: cbegley@55north.com Our judging panel will then personally call every nominee to find out a little more from them. It’s a very informal and relaxed call and allows us to gather the information we need to share your nominee’s story with the world.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

www.slrmag.co.uk

Above & Beyond Awards

through SLR and, more widely, with the ANYONE general public through our media partnership with The Scottish CAN Sun can help make a difference. NOMINATE A R! We urgently need to encourage TA STORE SUPERS consumers to start seeing shop be an in-store staff as ‘real’ people again and You don’t have toinate someone. not just as cogs in some big colleague to nom nominations corporate machine. We will accept holesalers Sharing stories like the ones from, suppliers, whas been we learn through the SLR Above or anyone who store & Beyond Awards can be an impressed by a item member. extremely powerful way of educating consumers. Independent retailers are not part of some corporate behemoth. They’re normal people with normal fears, hopes, worries and ambitions. And the fact that they work in the only mainstream channel that routinely goes above and beyond for its customers is something that consumers need to understand and appreciate. Our people are what makes our sector special. The unique relationships that convenience stores have with their customers are down to the way your staff forge and maintain those relationships, seven days a week. These shopfloor heroes deserve to be recognised – and that’s precisely why we launched the SLR Above & Beyond Awards four years ago. We need to recognise and reward the passion, commitment and often incredible actions of store staff that tend to go entirely unnoticed. And they happen more often than most people would think, as we’ve learned over the last four years. Literally saving lives, rebuilding communities and raising money for good causes is all in a day’s work for so many wonderful colleagues in this sector. So we are asking you to take that 10 minutes and get in touch to tell us about the members of your team that are just special, for whatever the reason. Everyday heroism is what separates local retailing from all other channels, and this is what makes the Awards so vital and necessary.

Inside Business

AWARDS CATEGORIES INDEPENDENT STORE COLLEAGUE (Sponsored by Mondelez International) Open to all colleagues working in independently owned local retailing stores in Scotland that are unaffiliated or members of any symbol group, fascia or franchise.

COMPANY-OWNED STORE COLLEAGUE (Sponsored by CJ Lang/Spar Scotland) Open to all colleagues working in CJ Lang company-owned stores in Scotland.

BUSINESS BOOSTER Open to all colleagues who have materially improved their store’s performance by suggesting or introducing a new concept, product, service, communication method or a change in operational process.

TEAM OF THE YEAR Open to all in-store teams which have pulled together to make a positive difference to their store’s performance and/ or to their community.

PIECE OF CAKE The entry process is as simple as it gets. It’s nomination-based and allows anyone in the sector to nominate a store colleague for the Above & Beyond Awards. All you have to do is complete the very brief entry form online (find it at slrmag.co.uk/aboveandbeyond) and then provide us with some basic information like the nominee’s name, job title and phone number, along with one or two bullet points on why you believe your nominee should be considered for an award. That’s all we’re asking you to do – and we’re sure that if you set that 10 minutes aside, it’ll be 10 minutes well spent. You probably already know who you should nominate. So go and grab that cuppa, get a comfy seat on an old Irn-Bru crate and get those nominations in. Your colleagues are worth it. They really are.

NEXT STEPS When all of the calls are complete, we will create an extensive list of finalists, and all finalists will be invited free of charge to a celebratory lunch in Glasgow in March 2027. Working with our generous sponsors, we will ensure that everyone joining us is treated to a magical day, a great meal, a few drinks and the chance to catch up with fellow shopfloor superheroes and learn more about why local retailing is the beating heart of every Scottish community. So please don’t hang around: it takes less than a minute to get a nomination in and that little bit of effort could end up making all the difference to your nominee. It’s never been more important to give our hard-working store colleagues the recognition they so thoroughly deserve. www.slrmag.co.uk

UP & COMING STAR Sponsored by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Open to all colleagues aged 25 or under working in any of the store formats detailed above who have shown themselves to be outstanding colleagues with a bright future in the sector ahead of them.

LONG SERVICE AWARD (Sponsored by Cadbury) Open to all colleagues working in any of the store formats detailed above who have worked in the sector, or a single store or chain, for an extended period of time.

ASTONISHING ACT Open to all colleagues working in any of the store formats detailed above who truly went Above & Beyond to perform an astonishing act that had a massive positive impact on a customer, colleague or the community.

NOVEMBER 2026 | SLR

Inside Business

Above & Beyond Awards

A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS:

Susan Nash, Trade Communications Manager at Mondelez International

Frank McCarron, Company Owned Store Director, CJ Lang/Spar Scotland

Kate Abbotson, Senior External Communications Manager, CCEP

“As the supplier of iconic brands such as Cadbury, Bournville, Oreo, Maynards Bassetts, belVita and Dairylea, Mondeléz International recognises the vital role independent retailers play in connecting our snacks with consumers. We’re proud to celebrate and reward those who consistently go the extra mile for their shoppers, their teams and their communities. Mondeléz International is delighted to sponsor the Independent Store Colleague and Long Service categories at the SLR Above & Beyond Awards, honouring some of the most exceptional individuals in independent retail. Best of luck to all entrants!”

“There’s absolutely no doubt that our team members are our greatest asset and that’s a fact that is clearly recognised and appreciated by our customers in stores across Scotland. “We fully understand that convenience store staff often work tirelessly behind the scenes, truly serving as the unsung heroes of the community. It’s a genuine privilege for us to participate in the SLR Above & Beyond Awards to celebrate and honour their dedication and hard work, highlighting their invaluable contributions and the massive role they play in communities across Scotland.”

“Scottish convenience stores are a seven-days-a-week collective effort, with many unsung colleagues working quietly behind the scenes bringing new ideas to stores, delivering unwavering commitment to business continuity or going above and beyond for their team or local community. And that’s why we’re back for a third year, together with SLR, to recognise and celebrate the efforts and achievements of the behind-the-scenes heroes and rising stars in Scottish convenience – so we can share their stories, say thank you and inspire others to follow suit.”

OUR SPONSORS

A N D

S O N

L I M I T E D

SLR

PRESENTS

THE ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARDS 2027 28

MEDIA PARTNER

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

TO NOMINATE STORE COLLEAGUES, PLEASE VISIT SLRMAG.CO.UK/ABOVEANDBEYOND OR SCAN THE QR CODE OPPOSITE www.slrmag.co.uk

SPAR Scotland Campaign

Inside Business

SPAR SCOTLAND GIVES BACK TO CUSTOMERS Last month saw SPAR Scotland reward its loyal customers with a £50,000 Great Big Giveaway.

S SCAN HERE TO ENTER

pating Buy 3 partici s ct produ code & Scan the QR receipt r u upload yo a You could be ! R E N IN W eek!

PAR Scotland has been busy with a special campaign all about giving back and rewarding its loyal customers. The Great Big Giveaway campaign offered every customer in a SPAR Scotland store the chance to win a share of a £50,000 prize pot, with winners announced every week. The campaign ran across licensed, fresh, frozen and ambient categories, and all customers had to do to be in with a chance of winning was buy three participating products, scan the QR code and upload their receipt. The campaign was fully supported by a wide range of marketing activity, including in-store POS, vehicle livery, SPAR Live Radio, digital activity, STV adverts, retailer and consumer websites, and PR. More than 200 winners were announced each week, and £50,000 in SPAR Scotland vouchers was up for grabs across the six-week campaign, helping drive footfall and sales in stores while rewarding shoppers. NOVEMBER 2026 | SLR

Inside Business

The Big Interview | Michael Williams, Smiths News

NEW DAWN FOR NEWS DELIVERY SLR sits down with Smiths News Go National Commercial Lead Michael Williams to learn more about how the company is set to become the largest newspaper and magazine wholesaler in GB – and what that will mean for local retailers in Scotland. BY ANTONY BEGLEY

“Whatever the service charge eventually looks like when we are clearer on what the transition looks like overall next year, Smiths News will commit to freezing it for a full 10year period.” Michael Williams, Commercial Lead on Smiths News 30

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

t’s probably fair to say that newspaper and magazine wholesaling has been a bit of a sensitive topic for local retailers over the years. Menzies certainly didn’t find itself high on many local retailers’ Christmas card lists. When Menzies Distribution was acquired by private equity firm Endless in 2018, hopes were high that some fresh blood would bring new energy and stability to the category. That didn’t pan out quite as hoped when Endless sold its newstrade operations to InPost in 2024. That period of flux, however, looks set to end with the recent quick-fire series of announcements from Smiths News that it had won three separate exclusive distribution contracts with three of the biggest publishers in the UK. In a very short period, Smiths News picked up the contracts for News UK (The Sun, The Sun on Sunday, The Times, The Sunday Times), Associated Newspapers (The Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, i) and, just last month, Telegraph Media Group (The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph).

Smiths News goes live with News UK in July next year, quickly followed by Associated Newspapers in October then, finally, Telegraph Media Group in January 2028. Long story short, that means Smiths News will handle more than 60% of all GB newspaper and magazine wholesaling by the start of 2028. Effectively, it also means that Reach will be the only truly major publisher not using Smiths News by 2028, although it is worth noting that Reach is actually the largest publisher of all with more than 120 titles in its portfolio.

NEW KID So who exactly are Smiths News? “We may be the new kid on the block in Scotland but Smiths News has been wholesaling in some way, shape, or form since 1792,” says Michael Williams, Commercial Lead on Smiths News’ Go National project. “Distributing newspapers and magazines is our bread and butter and, as it stands today, we already cover around half of GB and half of all retailers for all news and magazine products. www.slrmag.co.uk

Michael Williams, Smiths News | The Big Interview

We’re set to massively develop that position with the contract wins for News UK and Associated Newspapers which, between the two of them, account for about 35% of the market. And then just last month we announced that we have alkso won the contract for Frontline & Seyomour Magazines and Telegraph Media Group which will take our share to saround 60% of the total newspaper and magazine market.” To cope with the new contracts, Smiths is already in the process of dramatically increasing its network, as Williams explains: “We have 32 depots already and a further 23 are being set up across GB. In Scotland, the depots will mirror the Menzies footprint with sites in Aberdeen, Inverness, Dundee, Newbridge and Linwood. In We are exploring if packing one of either Linwood or Newbridge the locations from the print site is a good option, working through the feasibility with our newsprint partners.” With Smiths set to handle more than 60% of the market, it begs the question as to whether it will remain commercially viable for others to continue distributing newspaper and magazines with such greatly reduced volumes. But that’s a speculative question that Williams sensibly declines to address. “That’s a question for other organisations,” he says. “All we can do at Smiths is reply to the tenders in the best way that we possibly can and work hard for success.

contract announcements are forthcoming, but all that he’s prepared to say at this point is that Smiths is “committed to talking to retailers about it openly and honestly”. One thing that is clear, however, is that, whatever the service charge eventually looks like, Smiths will commit to freezing it for a full 10-year period. “That’s a really big statement to our customers,” says Williams – and it’s hard to disagree.

VALUABLE CATEGORY Williams is also keen flag up some blunt realities in what has been a much-maligned category in recent years in local retailing. “Newspapers and magazines is still a massively important category,” he says. “It’s still a multi-billion pound category and you wouldn’t expect us to be investing the time and effort into signing, in some cases, decades-long contracts and a decade-long service fee freeze if we didn’t think that this category has got plenty of life. “There isn’t a more diverse category out there with something for absolutely everybody. I mean, you don’t see the major retailers stepping away from the category, do you? It is still a fundamental part of people’s lives and it’s still an incredibly healthy footfall and incremental sales driver.”

Inside Business

TIMEFRAMES Smiths News is set to become the exclusive wholesale distributor across GB for three of the leading publishers as follows: Q July 2027 – News UK (The Sun, The Sun on Sunday, The Times, The Sunday Times) Q October 2027 – Telegraph Media Group (The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph) Q January 2028 – Associated Newspapers (The Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, i)

RETAILER IMPACT An obvious question that Williams most certainly can comment on is what the impact will be on the ground for Scottish local retailers. “The most obvious impact will be that, from July next year, retailers will begin receiving two newspaper and magazine deliveries to their stores, rather than one. “And the next question you’re going to ask me about is delivery service charges – and yes, retailers will have two charges from July next year instead of one. But we are still more than nine months away from that point and it is too early to be definititive about what will happen between now and then. “All I can tell you right now is that at this point we haven’t settled on how the delivery service charge will look. Our view of it has changed every time we’ve picked up a new contract and we’ve can’t know exactly what else may happen between now and July. There are a range of options and clearly nobody wants dual delivery service charges but we don’t know exactly what the market’s going to look like come this time next year.” Williams may of course already know something that we don’t and perhaps more www.slrmag.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2026 | SLR

Hotlines

Product News & Media Watch

Cadbury Twirl Golden Dipped Mondelez Rolling out across grocery and convenience, the new limited-edition 43g bar combines Twirl’s chocolate curls and swirls with a coating of caramelised white chocolate. It has an RSP of 99p and is available in cases of 48. Tapping into the brand’s ‘Zero To Chocolatey In Milliseconds’ messaging, the launch follows previous limited editions including Cadbury Twirl Orange, Caramel, Mint and White Dipped.

Coca-Cola launches festive vanilla flavour

Müller Bliss x Baileys Müller UK & Ireland Müller has partnered with Baileys to launch a new alcohol-free limitededition dessert that combines Greek-style whipped yogurt with a Baileys-flavour sauce, dark chocolate and crispy Baileys-flavour balls. The product is available now and joins Müller’s premium desserts portfolio. The launch will be supported by a multi-channel campaign including sampling, instore activity and social media.

Golden Wonder Oinks and Quarterbacks PMPs Tayto The 50p Oinks Bacon Flavour PMP gives retailers an additional price point alongside the existing £1 PMP. Meanwhile, Quarterbacks Cheeseburger Flavour returns to the Golden Wonder range in a 27g 50p PMP. Price-marked packs account for 83% of snack sales in the convenience channel, with impulse PMPs representing 26% of the market. Both new 50p PMPs are available now.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

Coca-Cola has unveiled new limited-edition CocaCola Holiday Creamy Vanilla in Original Taste and Zero Sugar variants. Available now, the new flavour combines Coca-Cola with vanilla and comes in festive packaging featuring vanilla-inspired colours and a soft-serve swirl icon. Coca-Cola Original Taste Holiday Creamy Vanilla comes in 330ml cans, 8 x 330ml can multipacks, 500ml PET bottles and 1.75L PET bottles. The Zero Sugar variant is available in 330ml cans, 8 x 330ml can multipacks, 500ml PET bottles and 2L PET bottles. Price-marked 500ml and 1.75L bottles are also available.

Local Living Home Baking Unitas Unitas has added three home baking products to its Local Living own-brand range: a 260g Local Living Cupcake Kit in a £2.29 PMP, a 284g Local Living Brownie Mix in a £1.99 PMP and a 120g Local Living Batter Mix in a 69p PMP. The products offer retailers up to 45% POR. The launch forms part of Unitas’ plans to double the size of its Local Living range, with a further six-SKU confectionery range planned.

Free POS materials are available from MyCCEP. com to help retailers promote the launch in-store. Rob Yeomans, Vice-President, Commercial Development at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB, said: “Coca-Cola has a long association with Christmas, so it’s a great moment to give shoppers a new twist on a brand they already know and love. “More than half of festive flavour soft drinks missions are unplanned, so visibility will be particularly important. “We’d encourage retailers to make the new flavour easy to spot, keep single-serve packs chilled and use larger formats to cater for sharing and get-together occasions in the run-up to and over Christmas.”

Lucozade Sherbet Twist Zero Sugar Suntory B&F GB&I The new flavour is available now in 500ml plain (RSP £1.75) and £1.50 price-marked packs. A 900ml format, RSP £2, is initially exclusive to Tesco. The wider Lucozade range is also being expanded with new formats. Grafruitti is now available in a 900ml PMP and a 500ml plain four-pack, while Lucozade Energy Zero Sugar Pink Lemonade has launched in 900ml plain packs.

Naked Fibre Machine Tropicana Available now, the new smoothie blends kiwi, apple and spinach with chicory root fibre and apple cider vinegar, delivering 4.2g of fibre per serving. Suitable for vegans, it also contains vitamins C, B1, B2, B6 and E. The launch follows Naked Protein Machine, which contains 10g of pea protein per serving. Naked Fibre Machine comes in a 300ml single-serve bottle with an RSP of £3 alongside a 750ml take-home pack priced at £4.50.

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Product News & Media Watch Fridge Raiders with Dip Pilgrim’s Europe

Paramount Red Superkings Imperial Brands

The range comprises Slow Roasted Chicken Bites with Peri Mayo Dip and Southern Style Chicken Bites with BBQ Sauce. Both are high in protein, made with 100% chicken breast and contain no artificial colours or flavours. Available now in 68g singleserve packs and three x 68g multipacks, the range is suitable for food-to-go and take-home snacking occasions.

Available now, Paramount Red Superkings has an RSP of £14.80, and uses an American Blend of tobaccos and offers a stronger tobacco taste than existing products in the range. Paramount launched in late 2024 and targets valueconscious adult smokers. The value cigarette segment continues to gain momentum, growing by 2% over the past year and now representing 38% of total UK cigarette sales.

Candy Realms Jelly Faves and Pineapple Mix World of Sweets

Mountain Dew Pitch Black Carlsberg Britvic

 Devil’s advocate Casillero del Diablo has launched the latest instalment in its ‘Wine Legend’ series, starring the brand’s global spokesperson Orlando Bloom. The ad sees Bloom tell the story behind the brand’s name. Running until 31 December, the campaign is expected to reach 14.1 million adults across Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Sky VOD, ITVX and All4.

Sticky business

The new variant combines citrus and grape flavours and features dark purple liquid and spaceinspired packaging designed to stand out in-store. It is available in cases of 12 x 500ml £1.75 PMPs. POS materials including a barker, A4 poster, window vinyl and bottle-shaped strut cut-out are available from Carlsberg Britvic’s At Your Convenience platform, alongside digital assets including till screen, Facebook and Instagram artwork.

Pineapple Mix combines pineapple rings with fizzy pineapple pieces, while Jelly Faves contains a mix of sweets including twin cherries, cola bottles and friendship rings. They launch into a refreshed Candy Realms range that features redesigned packs which are available in 160g £1 PMPs and nonprice-marked bags in weights of up to 190g.

Hotlines

Hartley’s is promoting its jam and jelly ranges with its ‘Sticking Families Together’ campaign. An advert running across Sky, Channel 4 and social media shows family members being invisibly dragged from around their home towards Hartley’s products in the kitchen. It forms part of a wider refresh that includes improved recipes and new products.

Shredded sweet Sour Patch Kids has launched its first UK advertising campaign, introducing a new brand platform, ‘Not As Sweet As They Look’. Out-of-home adverts are running nationwide, including one showing a tug of war that ends with a Sour Patch Kid being ripped in half and another featuring a tennis match with a decapitated head used in place of a ball.

Corking tale Cadbury Crunchie Duo Mondelez The new 52.2g bar combines Crunchie’s honeycomb centre with Cadbury milk chocolate in a two-finger format designed for on-the-go snacking occasions. It is available in cases of 32 with an RSP of £1.35. The launch comes as the Duos segment continues to outperform the wider chocolate singles category. Mondelez said the category is growing by 11.3% in value year on year, compared with 6.1% growth for the wider chocolate singles market.

Petits Filous Greek Style Individual Yogurt Pouches Yoplait The 85g pouches have an RSP of 95p, come in strawberry and vanilla flavours, are fortified with calcium and vitamin D, and contain 5.4g of sugar per pouch. They can be stored out of the fridge for up to eight hours, making them suitable for lunchboxes and snacking on the go. Kids’ single yogurt pouches are currently worth £24m, up 22% over the past two years.

Hardys has launched ‘Almost Unbelievable,’ a new marketing campaign that runs across Channel 4, ITVX, video on demand, outof-home, social media, in-store and online channels. The campaign draws on the history of the wine brand’s founder Thomas Hardy, who arrived in Australia from Devon in 1850 and established the business three years later.

Canny marketing BrewDog’s new out-of-home ‘Choose Craft’ campaign features real-life craft beer behaviours and rituals, including keeping empty cans for the artwork and waiting for beer to reach the ideal drinking temperature. It runs nationwide across static and digital adverts near transport hubs, roadside locations and sites close to major stockists.

for all the latest product news, head to www.slrmag.co.uk/category/product-news/ www.slrmag.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2026 | SLR

Feature

Christmas Alcohol

A SEASON TO CELEBRATE

Don’t miss out on the chance to shift a sleighful of stock as demand for wines, beers and spirits skyrockets.

here’s definitely something magical about Christmastime. “It is the most significant trading period with more social opportunities throughout November and December, Christmas Day itself and extended holidays all contributing to increased shopping occasions,” says Craig Clarkson, Director of Off Trade and Nationals at C&C Group. “In Scotland we also have Hogmanay, bank holidays and football fixtures that provide independents with further opportunities to win with customers post-Christmas.” December remains the biggest sales month for beer, wines and spirits (BWS) with more consumers coming into the category compared with any other month, notes Clarkson. “Last Christmas beer and cider accounted for over half of the volume of sales in December across BWS [Circana all outlets GB December 2025],” he says. “Across the off-trade, in beer, Tennent’s continued to meet shoppers’ needs for quality and price accounting for five out of 10 of the top performing SKUs by volume sales [Circana All Outlets GB/Scotland 4w/e 27.12.25].” 34

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

While summer is still the peak beer season in the impulse channel, Christmas is gaining share, with festive beer sales across the channel reaching 25% in 2025 [Circana Rolling 4we Data, L3yrs to 12.07.26], claims BrewDog. “Retailers can use this seasonal uplift to become a go-to destination for local shoppers by prioritising availability and festive POS that capture increased Christmas traﬃc,” says Georgia Ladbrook, Shopper Marketing Manager - Impulse, BrewDog.

SIZING THINGS UP She urges retailers to focus on festive top-up and sharing missions. “Singles remain important, while mid-packs are gaining share for smaller gatherings and lastminute occasions. This is particularly relevant for craft beer,

BRING YOUR STORE TO LIFE Mangrove Global, which distributes spirits such as Norfolk Nog by The English Distillery, India’s Indri Diwali whisky and Chairman’s Reserve rum from Saint Lucia, encourages retailers to embrace in-store theatre this festive season. “Christmas is a time for retailers to try new things, using the shelf as a testing ground for fresh products,” says Managing Director Nick Gillett. “Away from the shelf, if space and regulations allow, tastings are an excellent way to engage consumers. It’s my age-old, tried-and-tested method – getting liquid on lips is the most important thing spirits brands (and those who sell them) can do. “For independent retailers, any sense of theatre or additional POS you can deliver is great for drawing eyes to new bottles. Speak to your suppliers and brands to find out if there’s anything available – at this time of year, there usually is.”

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Feature

Christmas Alcohol

WINNING WITH WINE Christmas is a chance to remind shoppers just how many occasions wine can cater for, states Vinarchy. “Red wine naturally comes into its own during the colder months and around festive food,” says Marketing and Category Director Tom Smith. “Merlot is the thirdlargest varietal within total red wine, accounting for 11% of red wine value sales [Nielsen, last 52 weeks to 08.08.26, Total Coverage], making it an important part of the core range. The new Jam Shed Merlot, launched in June, gives retailers another way into that opportunity, extending the £95m Jam Shed brand [ibid] into a familiar varietal alongside its established Shiraz and Malbec.” Beyond reds, white and rosé remain important parts of the festive mix, giving retailers scope to cater for the breadth of occasions that run throughout Christmas, he says. This year, Jacob’s Creek heads into the key trading period following a major range refresh, while June launches Campo Viejo Contemporary Blanco and Rosé add further breadth to the festive fixture. “Launched in June at 10.5% ABV, the duo brings a lighter, fresher expression of Rioja to the range, extending the world’s number one Rioja brand [IWSR, 2024, by value and volume] beyond its traditional red heartland and into a wider mix of Christmas occasions,” says Smith. For shoppers looking for something a little more unusual, Ukrainian wines may be the answer. “Guests want to turn up to Christmas parties offering a bottle with an interesting back story and point of difference, and this region brings just that,” says Kathryn Glass, Buying Manager at Kingsland Drinks, which is the exclusive UK distributor for Bolgrad Winery. Bolgrad offers five wines to the Scottish convenience retail sector under its Select label, with whites including Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, reds featuring Saperavi and Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Pinot Noir rosé. All are priced at an RSP of between £10 and £11.50. “The Saperavi is a real hero red wine with plummy and dark fruit notes and a hint of spice – ideal for fans of Malbec and Shiraz,” Glass says. “With its bold flavour, it pairs well with roast beef and turkey dinners for Christmas Day, with hearty stews over the cosy winter months, and is a great accompaniment to aged cheeses such as Pecorino, Gouda, Manchego and Cheddar.”

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

where singles make up nearly 60% of impulse sales [Circana 8we Data to 28.12.26]. While midpacks offer the biggest Christmas opportunity for craft, outperforming larger formats in 2025 and signalling shopper willingness to buy craft in multi-can formats during the festive period. “As an initial craft offering, we recommend starting with our top two products, Punk IPA and Hazy Jane New England IPA 4 x 330ml can multipacks.” In addition, she claims seasonal options and mixed packs can help to drive excitement and trial. When it comes to the wider beer market, it’s worth making room for big packs, according to Sarah Duncan, Category & Commercial Strategy Director at Heineken UK. “In the run up to Christmas and New Year, there are some brands that all convenience retailers need to stock in adequate supply to meet increased consumer demand,” she says. “At the top of the list in this channel is the Foster’s 18-pack, which remains by far the biggest SKU across the Heineken UK portfolio

at Christmas, followed by the Birra Moretti 18pack, Birra Moretti 12-pack and Cruzcampo 10pack. “From a cider perspective, Inch’s has proven very popular, with purchases of 10-packs generating £2.7m in sales during the lead up to Christmas last year [Nielsen data to 03/01/2026]. Strongbow also performs well over the season with its 18-packs of Strongbow Original and 10-packs of Strongbow Dark Fruit being top performers over the period when shoppers are hosting parties at home or stocking up for the big day.” Clarkson states that a breadth of pack sizes helps to cater for multiple missions. “In the leadup to Christmas, medium and large pack sizes perform well across grocery as shoppers look to stock up while small packs tend to be a popular choice for those looking to top up or pick up on the go, particularly in the post-Christmas period. This year Tennent’s is adding to its mix of pack sizes with the addition of an 18x330ml pack which is expected to be a popular choice with shoppers.” www.slrmag.co.uk

Feature

Christmas Alcohol

LMB UK TAKES ON DISTRIBUTION FOR LAMB’S RUM

SEASONAL SERVES Understanding the different ways in which consumers enjoy alcohol at Christmas is central to deciding your festive line-up. Clarkson claims that apple variants, such as Magners, continue to dominate the cider category and there’s an extra reason to stock them during winter. “As well as a refreshing sessionable drink, apple variants also make a great base for mulled ciders, highlighting their strength on shelf at this time of year.” Chris Jones, Managing Director at Paragon Brands, claims that mulled drinks create opportunities for spirits too. “Traditional mulled wine is always popular at Christmas but offering products for mulled cocktails with spices takes this festive classic and elevates the concept, catering to demand for variety when it comes to winter warmers,” he says. The firm has launched a limited-edition Licor 43 gift pack featuring a free branded mini tankard to serve the shooter at home. Recreating bar serves at home is a major opportunity, believes Disaronno International UK. “The festive season is a key moment for brand discovery, with consumers more open to experimenting with new drinks and recreating serves they have enjoyed out of home,” says OffTrade Marketing Manager Aiste Pugh Williams. “The key for retailers is helping shoppers feel confident recreating these experiences themselves. Simple serve suggestions, clear merchandising and seasonal storytelling can inspire consumers to explore new products, while digital content, QR codes and sampling opportunities can bring serves to life and demonstrate how easy premium cocktails can be at home. “Disaronno’s distinctive flavour profile and versatility make it perfectly placed to support this trend, offering consumers a simple way to add a touch of Italian style to everyday occasions.” She advises retailers to pair spirits and liqueurs with complementary mixers, showcasing serve suggestions and implementing inspiring and educational seasonal displays. 38

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026 026

Following French spirits group La Martiniquaise-Bardinet’s acquisition of Lamb’s Rum, the company’s UK sales and marketing subsidiary LMB UK has taken on distribution of the Lamb’s portfolio. Lamb’s is the fourth-biggest rum brand in the UK with volume sales of over 1 million litres [‘Nielsen GB Tot Cov - Latest 52 Wks - WE 05.09.26] across a portfolio that includes Navy, Spiced, Black Spiced, White and Pineapple varieties. By integrating Lamb’s Rum into their portfolio, LMB UK is looking forward to building on the brand’s legacy with increased investment, a refreshed brand proposition and a new marketing strategy to open up an exciting new chapter for both LMB UK and the Lamb’s portfolio. Stephen Watt, Commercial and Marketing Director of LMB UK, said: “We are very proud to welcome Lamb’s to our portfolio and to begin our custodianship of this historic, internationally renowned rum brand in the UK. As a business with a strategic focus on offering our customers quality, authentic and accessible spirits, Lamb’s is a brilliant addition to our line up, and we will be investing to maximise the huge potential we believe it has in all channels. The rum category is experiencing the same challenges as the general spirits sector, but Lamb’s is strongly placed to deliver the wide range of serves, experiences and occasions that today’s consumers are looking for from brands in the category. “We are already working on some dynamic investment plans to give Lamb’s the care and attention it deserves, and to maximise the potential we know it has in the UK market.”

MERRY MODERATION Pugh Williams adds that Disaronno can play a role in lower-alcohol options too. “Used in smaller quantities, Disaronno can add depth and character to lower-ABV serves, such as the Disaronno Spritz with lemon and soda water,” she says. Heineken UK’s Duncan adds that low- and no- options are “extremely valuable” during the Christmas period. “Over Christmas 2025, lowand no- alcohol beer and cider made up 4% of sales during the four-week period [Nielsen data to 03/01/2026], up from 3.7% for 2025 overall,” she says. “To meet this demand, retailers should be stocking lines such as Inch’s 0.0, Heineken 0.0 and Birra Moretti Zero to ensure consumers are being catered to.” No- and low-alcohol wine is now worth £49m [Nielsen, last 52 weeks to 08.08.26, Total Coverage] and, while growth has stabilised following a period of rapid expansion, Vinarchy www.slrmag.co.uk

Feature

Christmas Alcohol

highlights that moderation is increasingly becoming part of how people engage with the category year-round. “That creates an opportunity to offer greater choice without making wine more complicated to shop,” says Marketing and Category Director Tom Smith. “Brancott Estate Flight brings a naturally lighter, lower-alcohol and lower-calorie expression of Sauvignon Blanc, produced using earlierharvested grapes, while Echo Falls is broadening the repertoire through flavour-led, lower-ABV and alternative formats.”

PREMIUM PICKS Another major seasonal trend is the desire for something special. “For some, Christmas will be a time of indulgence and trading up from their usual to premium options such as our premium world beers Menabrea Italian Birra or Heverlee Pilsner, which also appeal to those looking to try something new at this time of year,” says Clarkson. “Tennent’s Bavarian Pilsner, which launched in late 2025 as a limited edition, has now been added permanently to the range following strong sales and increased consumer demand.” It’s also worth making room for premium wine options, suggests Vinarchy’s Smith. “Price remains important, of course, but premiumisation still has a role to play in the festive range – an opportunity that Dark Jam Rich Red Blend was developed to tap into. Launched this year as the first wine in Jam Shed’s premium ‘Bold Jam’ tier, the £9.50 red blend offers a richer, more indulgent expression of a brand shoppers already know.” The festive season may only come around once a year, but the opportunity it presents is enormous. By combining core bestsellers, premium treats and credible no- and lowalcohol options, retailers can ensure they’re ready for every Christmas shopper mission.

BACK IN BLACK Four Loko’s Black RTD has been re-released in Scotland and online only after a successful limited edition run back in 2024. For a limited period, retailers can order the premium vodka-based drink, which features notes of kiwi and an ABV of 8.4%. Available in 440ml cans (RSP £3.69), Four Loko Black’s return will be supported by a social media campaign featuring exclusive discount codes and prize giveaways, including a ‘scan to win’ on-can competition over Black Friday weekend in November. For retailers, a wide range of in-store POS materials, including shelf wobblers and barkers, floor stickers and pop-up banners, will also be available. “With the festive season fast approaching, this is the perfect time for consumers to get their hands on this limited-edition release and embrace the season with an exciting new taste sensation,” says Ryan McCann, Director, Four Loko distributor Red Star Brands. “Four Loko Black delivers a distinctive flavour designed to stand out in a category where consumers are actively seeking new and exciting taste experiences. “The fact that premium priced RTDs have grown faster than any other segment in the last two years means that there are some great opportunities out there for retailers to capitalise on this popularity,” he adds. “Kiwi offers a less conventional fruit profile versus the berry, citrus and tropical flavours that dominate much of the RTD landscape – giving Black a clear point of difference on shelf.” When Four Loko Black was first launched in 2024, 250,000 units were sold exclusively in the Scottish market. It rapidly became the third fastest-selling RTD in Scotland at launch with distribution in more than 500 stores. “This exceptional launch rate of sale gave retailers the confidence to list, driving distribution to over 2,100 stores and £940,000 through the tills from a single Scotland-only SKU,” adds McCann.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

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Feature

Christmas Soft Drinks

FESTIVE FLAVOURS There are plenty of contenders vying to be top of the pops this yuletide as suppliers tap into limitededition variants and moderation trends. BY SARAH BRITTON

hile total UK convenience sales may have taken a dip last yule, soft drinks absolutely sleighed. The category outperformed the wider convenience channel, with value sales up 3.9% in the four weeks to 4 January 2025, despite total UK convenience sales falling 2.5% during the same period [Talysis]. “Shoppers made an average of 1.2bn soft drinks trips across November and December last year [Nielsen Discover Panel, Total FMCG, Trips, 8 weeks of Christmas to 27.12.25], while energy trips grew by 7m (+5%) in December [Nielsen Discover Panel, Total Functional Energy, 4WE 27.12.25],” says a Red Bull spokesperson. “This means shoppers buy energy drinks more often at Christmas, driving a +15% increase in volume per buyer versus an average month [ibid].” While core range and bestsellers are muststocks, a little festive innovation helps to put everyone in the Christmas spirit. Since launching its first Winter Edition in 2023, Red Bull has delivered double-digit year-on-year unit growth each Christmas [NIQ, Total S&I, Unit Sales, 5WE Dec 27/12/25], while Red Bull Winter Edition Fuji Apple & Ginger was the best-performing NPD last Christmas [NIQ, Total S&I, New Products from Aug, Value Sales, 8wks to 3/1/26]. New for 2026 is Red Bull Winter Edition Pistachio & Berries, which will be supported by a national ‘In for the WINter’ campaign. CCEP is also appealing to consumers’ love of seasonal limited editions with its new Holiday Creamy Vanilla variant. 42

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

Rob Yeomans, Vice-President, Commercial Development at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) GB, says: “Flavour innovation is a great way to create excitement around the cola fixture and encourage shoppers to try something different, and we’re looking forward to seeing how people respond to Holiday Creamy Vanilla when it lands in stores.” Also adding some sparkle to the festivities is J2O Appleshimmer, featuring spiced apple and cinnamon flavours with edible glitter. The new launch joins the ever-popular Glitterberry variant. Carly Sims, Adult Socialising Director at Carlsberg Britvic, says: “The festive season represents one of the biggest opportunities of the year for the adult soft drinks category. At the same time, shoppers are increasingly seeking premium alcohol-free options as increasing moderation continues to influence purchasing decisions.” Empire Bespoke Foods agrees that adult soft drinks make up an important part of the Christmas mix. “We’re now seeing increased demand for adult soft drinks that blend flavour sophistication and mixability – think flavoured waters, botanical sodas, aperitivo-style spritzes, and complex cordials designed for adult palates,” says Edward Rayment, Brand Manager at Empire Bespoke Foods. The company distributes Icelandic Glacial Flavoured Sparkling Water (330ml cans), in citrus flavours Tarocco Blood Orange, Sicilian Lemon and Tahitian Lime, as well as La Mortuacienne Artisanal French Lemonades.

Fizz With Purpose, which produces the It’s Giving range of gut-friendly sodas, concurs that flavour-led soft options are the way to go this Christmas. “Give alcohol-free choices the same care as other festive drinks,” advises founder Simon Gray. “Mango & Passionfruit, Apple & Elderflower and Black Cherry offer recognisable fruit flavours with a distinctive twist.” Soft drinks also have an important role to play as an accompaniment to alcohol at Christmas, creating a valuable opportunity for the mixers category. “Mixers are a muststock as consumers look to trade up for festive get-togethers,” says Kate Abbotson, Senior External Communications Manager at CCEP. To help retailers capitalise on demand, Schweppes is partnering with Netflix’s The Gentlemen, helping stores tap into the festive mixers opportunity. With festive flavours, premium adult soft drinks and mixers all gaining traction, suppliers agree that Christmas remains a key opportunity for retailers to encourage impulse purchases and trade shoppers into higher-value soft drinks.

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Feature

Smoking Alternatives

TINY TINS,

BIG GROWTH Nicotine pouch sales are flourishing as consumers wake up to smokeless alternatives. BY SARAH BRITTON

t’s hard to believe that just eight years ago no one had heard of nicotine pouches. Today they are a fixture in convenience stores across the UK, and the category isn’t just surviving, it’s thriving. “Our latest data shows the pouch category is now worth just over £253m,” says Adam Palmer, Senior Brand Manager at Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) UK. “This demonstrates volume growth of 44% in the last 12 months. Sales in supermarkets are worth £114m of that total but convenience sales are catching up fast and are currently worth just under £99m.” Growth is being driven by rising awareness of nicotine pouches among adult nicotine users, alongside a steady stream of new product launches. One brand riding the wave is XQS, which has been working closely with independent retailers to boost sales and strengthen relationships. Palmer conceded that the brand was underindexing in the independent channel, so the firm launched Project Accelerate back in July. The 12-week initiative saw the firm review data from the top 460 pouch retailers nationwide and increase distribution of its core range: four mint variants, Fizzy Peach and Tropical. All stores involved were provided with a counter display unit and in recent weeks the project has focused on volume-driving incentives. Meanwhile, XQS’ Get Minted campaign also helped to cement relations with independent retailers, as STG reps gave store staff scratchcards offering the chance to win cash or VIP prizes. To help meet growing demand for stronger products, the firm has transitioned all of its 8mg nicotine pouches to 10mg. Palmer notes that some pouch brands go “quite high” in terms of strength, with 30-50mg packs, but that STG would never go to that level “due to our stance on responsible retailing”. 44

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

The Snü brand has taken a different approach and recently expanded its nicotine pouch range with the launch of Fizzy Energy. The new variant is available in four nicotine strengths: 6mg, 12mg, 18mg and 60mg per gram. Fizz Energy is the fourth flavour to join Snü’s extra-strong range. It has an RSP of £3.99-£4.99 per can. Fizzy Energy features Snü’s rub-to-smell label, allowing shoppers to experience the flavour before purchase. The feature is designed to encourage trial, reduce stock losses caused by opened cans and help speed up purchasing decisions. The brand is supporting the launch with POS kits, educational materials and support from its Business Development Managers. There’s more NPD from leading tobacco accessories supplier Republic Technologies UK, which recently unveiled Zig pouches. Named with an aﬃliation to Republic’s established Zig-Zag brand, Zig includes 8mg, 12mg and 17mg strengths across six flavours: Berry Cool, Citrus, Ice Mint, Peppermint, Power Mint and Tropical (RSP £4.50). The range was developed to align with key consumer flavour preferences identified through brand research.

Gavin Anderson, Sales Director at Republic Technologies, says: “Following the UK’s ban on disposable vapes, consumers are increasingly turning to alternative nicotine delivery systems. We’re pleased to introduce Zig to the market. Its bold, vibrant packaging and on-trend flavours are perfectly designed to deliver strong on-shelf standout in a busy sector. “This is the first time we’ve launched a product in the pouches market. Backed by an already trusted and established leader in tobacco accessories, Republic Technologies, we’re confident that Zig will resonate with shoppers and drive strong sales for retailers.” As manufacturers invest in new flavours, formats and retail support, nicotine pouches continue to attract new consumers and drive incremental sales. For convenience retailers, these tiny tins are increasingly delivering outsized returns.

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Under The Counter loves Aldi – mainly for its constant stream of off-kilter press releases he can ramble on about. This month, the German discounter is backing calls to grant the humble Scottish morning roll UNESCO cultural heritage status. This would put it on a par with the likes of the Great Wall of China, the pyramids of Giza, and Pompeii. The last time UTC checked, none of these were a breakfast staple and he’s pretty sure none come in soft or well-fired variants either, except perhaps for Pompeii. However, further research (i.e. reading the press release properly) revealed that the campaign, which declares the morning roll a “national treasure” (shuffle your bum along that plinth a bit, Lorraine Kelly), is rather pursuing intangible cultural heritage status.

Company mascots are just like buses. Two turning up at once isn’t that interesting. The prospect of two having a square go is. First up is Robert the Brews – CJ Lang’s new oversized Barista Bar brand ambassador, who is set to embark on a tour of stores and community events across Scotland. Under The Counter fervently hopes Boaby Brews (as UTC has renamed him) will find time in his schedule to go giant foam toe to giant foam toe in a pub car park with Baggsy, United Wholesale Scotland’s new Day-Today mascot, which made its debut at the UWS trade show in August. CJ Lang held a nationwide competition to find a name for its coffee-promoting mascot, and the Auld Boy grudgingly admits Robert the Brews is fairly clever. Mind you, whoever at UWS took one look at a colossal carrier bag, said ‘Baggsy’ and got on with the rest of their day is demonstrating a different kind of smart. Mascot brawling is nothing new. It’s practically obligatory in US college sports, where costumed characters often set about each other with a relish seldom seen outside an Old Firm pitch invasion. So, who will win this clash of the tie-ins? Boaby has a superior reach, and his sporran would offer protection if Baggsy targeted the Brews’ baws. However, Baggsy looks capable of carrying himself in a scrap and – crucially – his eyes are open. The Auld Boy suspects Boaby Brew’s lack of vision means he couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag never mind triumph against a human-sized one.

This would put the morning roll on an equal footing with the French baguette and not some old ruin. For the avoidance of doubt, we’re talking about the pyramids here, not Lorraine Kelly. Intangible cultural heritage status recognises not just the product but the generationsold skills, traditions and community life surrounding it. UTC thinks ‘airy-fairy’ reads better than ‘intangible’. Given that Aldi alone sells 35,000 of the things every day, he suggests that the generations-old skills, traditions and community life surrounding the morning roll have long since vanished down the conveyor belt of factory-based mass production. Which is not to say he isn’t a fan; he just prefers his rolls a bit more tangible – in his mitt and encasing a square sausage dodded with broon sauce.

THUMBY BUSINESS It’s clear to see, even through Under The Counter’s milk-bottle specs, that staff at Invermoriston Community Shop, halfway up Loch Ness, were delighted by news that Plunkett UK has been awarded £20,000 of lottery funding to support Scotland’s 50-odd community shops. Indeed, UTC hasn’t seen so many thumbs up since asking his coworkers in SLR Towers if he should hang up his typewriter and spend his days worrying about the pensions triple lock instead. The response would have put an Arthur Fonzarelli lookalike contest to shame. However, not everyone in the shop was overjoyed. Maybe she’d just been denied a packet of Walkers Cheese & Onion, but the young lady wearing the natty boots is displaying a distinct lack of thumb-uppery. Not only that, she couldn’t pull any more side-eye if she were a hammerhead shark.

SLR | NOVEMBER 2026

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