Retailer Matters 20

Retailer Matters The magazine exclusively for Lifestyle le Express Retailers

Issue

20

November 2013 September

PLUS‌

10 WOW

WAYS TO

How you can revamp your Store on a budget

One more?

What that one extra item means for your bottom line

Countdown to Christmas Are you prepared for the biggest date in retail?

potential Why investing in your Store is investing in your future

Ex cl fr usi om ve ly

FULFIL YOUR

welcome Issue 20 / November 2013

Welcome HELLO AND WELCOME to the latest issue of Retailer Matters.

There’s no escaping it, we’re fast approaching the busiest time of the year in retail. With everyone as busy as they are, it can be all too easy to think a few strands of tinsel draped around the till are

ON THE COVER

enough to show off our Christmas

Thanks to our cover stars Raj and Bobby Singh from Newhouse Mini-Market in Kilbirnie, North Ayrshire

spirit, but it’s time to think bigger and better, and there are tips for everyone to celebrate this year’s

TOP FOUR STORIES

festivities in style (see pages 18-20).

38

10 WAYS TO WOW

35

ONE MORE?

18 42

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS

As well as heralding the biggest date in the retail calendar, the features in this issue have another theme – how you can make the most of your Store. While some Retailers have the funds to refurbish their Store to create a truly amazing space, others may have a much smaller, or non-existent, budget. Turn to page 38 where there are some brilliant ideas that can have a huge impact on the look and feel of your Store. You can also read about some newly refurbished Stores on pages 28 and 42, and be inspired by how these alterations have revitalised business.

Research shows that the more Stores can offer to their Customers, the more Customers will spend. This could involve providing an ATM or offering bill payments or food-to-go. If you’re thinking about where to take your business next, turn to page 32 to find out more.

Throughout the magazine, you can pick up some brilliant tips from other Retailers who may have faced the same challenges you’re dealing with. Read about Harmesh and Harvinder (pages 12-13), who are relatively new to retail and are making their new lives a roaring success.

We received such positive feedback after the last issue, the first of the new-look Retailer Matters, so thank you for taking the time to talk to us.

As always, we want to hear from you – please get in touch (see right).

Small changes can make a big difference to your Store and your bottom line, and don’t need to be costly

Doing simple things to encourage shoppers to buy an extra item can increase sales

Helping you prepare for the biggest date in retail

FULFIL YOUR POTENTIAL Investment is the way forward

GET IN TOUCH, SHARE YOUR NEWS If you have news, top tips or ideas for features, get in touch with Retailer Matters.

Just pick up the phone and call

01926 319982 Drop us a line by email

retailermatters@ summersault.co.uk or write to us at Retailer Matters, Summersault Communications, 23-25 Waterloo Place, Warwick Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV32 5LA.

Have a wonderful Christmas, Retailer Matters is published six times a year

by Summersault Communications. To advertise, please contact Adam Turner on 01926 319932 or email adam.turner@summersault.co.uk. To discuss editorial, please contact Stephenie Shaw on 01926 319982 or email stephenie.shaw@summersault.co.uk.

Stuart Johnson Retail Controller, Landmark Wholesale

02 Retailer Matters

ISSUE 20 2013

Disclaimer: all prices listed are correct at the time of going to press, but may be subject to change.

contents

35

42 52 48

24 63

12 54 Core list Your at-a-glance guide to the top-selling products you need to stock

05 Industry news

63 The secrets of my success

All the latest industry information

12 Retailer news Business is positively thriving after just one year

14 The power of three Introducing Landmark’s Own-Brand tobacco range

16 Open the bubbly Top award wins for Landmark Wholesale

18 Looking ahead Preparation is key to make the most of the festive period and new products

20 Emergency service Make sure you cater for Customers’ last-minute buys

23 The big interview Derek Hallett answers questions about his long and successful life in retail

24 New products Low-down on the hot sellers ers for the winter months

28 Store refit AJ Kassim hadn’t planned to get involved in the familyy business, but when he did, d, he turned it around

32 Adding services A look at the types of services you could offer to boost your business

35 Just one more Advice on how to encourage age your Customers to buy more ore

38 Small changes Change is good and it doesn’t need to be major to make an impact

42 Store profile Husband-and-wife team Bobby and Raj Singh know exactly what their Customers want

46 Top tips The Singhs share their tips for soaring sales

48 Company profile Boost Drinks is enjoying huge success by working solely with the Independent retail sector

51 Community news St John Ambulance, the Scottish Cup and an old pub – how Retailers support their communities

Kamar Bhella chats about his Store and what makes it special

66 Inbox The finest finishing touches to wow your Customers

18

industry news

Sizzling summer sees sales spike Warm weather gives shoppers the feel-good factor as Retailers match the mood with perfectly timed promotions RETAILERS ARE CELEBRATING after food volume sales rose by the biggest increase for two years in July.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggested that volume sales across the retail sector rose by 3% compared with the same period last year. Much of this came from the food sector, with the ONS citing July’s sunny weather as a much-needed boost.

Sunny delights for Customers and Retailers

STRONG FIGURES The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said that the statistics backed its monthly consumer price index for July, which reported a rise in total retail sales of 3.9%.

“These are very strong sales figures,” said BRC Director General Helen Dickinson. “They demonstrate just

how well Retailers responded to the good weather. By giving Customers what they wanted to enjoy the summer

and running the right promotions at the right time, they have driven good sales across the board.”

Illicit cigs deliver blow to Retailers ILLICIT CIGARETTES ARE causing such a problem for Convenience Store Retailers that one in six are considering closing down, according to new research.

This is higher than last year, when an annual survey of almost 1,000 Independent Retailers by the Tobacco Retailers’ Alliance showed that one in eight owners were facing the threat of closure.

The latest research published by the Alliance also shows that the illicit tobacco trade, which includes tobacco smuggling and cross-border shopping, is forcing four in ten Retailers to lay off staff due to lost revenue from cigarette sales.

London Retailers appear to be the worst hit, with 30% reporting that they were considering closing as a result of the illicit tobacco trade, and 56% considering reducing the number of employees.

Research in 2012 showed that 23.3% of cigarettes smoked in London and 44% of rolling tobacco had avoided UK taxes. This is 50% higher than the national average.

Frugal flavour for festivities It’s going to be a thrifty Christmas this year, as hard-stretched families cut back AS HOUSEHOLDS CONTINUE to feel the pinch, many are budgeting and planning for Christmas more than ever before.

According to research carried out by Asda, a third of parents were already saving for Christmas in July, while one in five had started to put money away for the festive period back in January.

SPENDING LESS The research also showed that families are cutting corners to save money.

More than a third of respondents said that they would be spending less on decorations this year, while one in three admitted that they wouldn’t

be buying any for the second year running. Christmas cards have also dropped off the shopping list, with 6% of those who bought cards in 2012 stating that they wouldn’t be doing the same this Christmas.

NO COMPROMISE However, the one area where parents are not compromising is on the children. A third of parents said they would no longer buy for adults, instead they would spend all their money on children’s gifts. And to ensure their little ones received the gifts they wanted, a quarter said they would be spending less on gifts for their spouse this Christmas.

Are shoppers dreaming up a tight Christmas?

ISSUE 20 2013

Retailer Matters 05

news

AFTER A FTER FT E DROUGHT decimated de dec im the grain h ha harvest last year, the US Dept of Agriculture is predicting a 28% increase, with a bumper crop this year.

ENGLISH VINEYARDS will provide hundreds of jobs on farmland in the south-east, which is planted with grapes to make sparkling wines.

CHERRY FARMERS in England are celebrating their best harvest of the decade ward to a and looking forward the 30% increase in the next five years as more orchards are planted.

WHAT’S

HOT What’s good and bad in the industry

WHAT’S

NOT FFOOD PRICES fe for the third time fell in as many months iin n July, driven down by lower grain, soy and d palm l oili prices. Cereal prices fell by 3.7%, and oils and fats fell by 3.3% to their lowest levels in three years.

Campaign for clear prices gains momentum Supermarkets pledge to improve food labels to help consumers compare prices and cut the cost of their weekly shop A CAMPAIGN FOR supermarkets to commit to easy-to-understand pricing is gaining momentum, as four of the UK’s major multiples sign on the dotted line.

The UK consumer guide Which? launched its Price It Right campaign in September 2012 to tackle the lack of simple, consistent pricing in supermarkets that makes it difficult for shoppers to accurately compare prices.

SUPERMARKET PLEDGE Morrisons committed to the campaign immediately, and The Co-operative Group, Waitrose and Aldi have all signed up in the last few weeks. In doing this, the supermarkets are pledging to make their food labels easier to understand so that price-wise consumers can quickly compare the cost of their weekly shop.

“Hard-pressed shoppers want to know at a glance what the cheapest deal is without having to get their calculators out,” said Which? Executive Director Richard Lloyd. “It’s a win for consumers that four major

TODAY’S CHILDREN are heading for serious health ife, problems in later life, says the British Heart eart centt Foundation. A recent dren report shows children are more likely to have a can of sugary pop than their five a day.

06 Retailer Matters

ISSUE 20 2013

supermarkets have committed to improving their labels.”

CONSISTENT UNITS The Price It Right commitment drawn up by Which? includes displaying a consistent unit price using the same unit measurement – including the unit price of items on in-store promotions – and ensuring that labels are clearly

visible and comply with Royal National Institute of Blind People guidelines.

The campaign is backed by Business Secretary Vince Cable: “Clearer prices and promotions will be a big help for consumers who want to be more savvy and work out how to save more on their weekly shop,” he said. “More transparency will boost competition and help support a stronger economy.”

Desperate times A STAGGERING RISE of 78% in food bank enquiries has taken place over the past six months, as many UK families edge closer and closer to the breadline.

The figures from Citizens Advice raise concern that increasing numbers of households are struggling to afford to feed themselves. The worst-hit area is the West Midlands, where there has

been a 142% increase in enquiries in just six months.

There are concerns that those who have found themselves struggling have exhausted their savings just to meet basic living costs and now find themselves with no financial options.

The need for food banks is set to soar again in the coming months as welfare reforms begin to take effect.

news

Are the days of notes and coins numbered?

Telephone sales take on a whole new meaning with the latest PayPal phone app SHOPPERS ON A London high street are trialling a new mobile phone app that allows them to pay for shopping using just their name and a photo.

In a groundbreaking new pilot, a number of cafes, restaurants and shops in Richmond have signed up to run a payment system that allows Customers to make purchases using their PayPal account.

Hot on the heels of the recently introduced contactless payment, the app for iOS, Windows OS and Android phones first shows which nearby shops and restaurants accept PayPal. The Customer checks in by clicking on the Retailer’s details, their name and photo appear on the shop’s payment system and the Retailer charges them by

clicking on their image. The Customer then receives an alert on their phone to let them know how much they have paid, as well as PayPal’s email receipt.

PERSONAL SERVICE “Through our Richmond initiative, we’re pleased to help local businesses of all sizes offer a new, more personal experience, while never having to turn away Customers who don’t have enough cash on them to pay,” said Rob Harper, Head of Retail Services, PayPal. “Now locals in Richmond can leave their wallet or purse at home and be the first in the country to use their profile picture to pay.”

Richard Garcia, owner and proprietor of Cook & Garcia cafe

Shopping by phone – simple

on The Quadrant in Richmond, said the check-in service had proved efficient. “Customers don’t have to worry about having cards, cash or change, just their phone,” he said. “It’s the quickest transaction through the

till, which means less queuing, and we never have to turn down a sale, both of which are great for business.”

It is predicted that by 2016 this will become an everyday occurrence as mobile payments are developed.

Budget boss set to launch grocery Stores Come on let’s shop, says airline owner turned cut-price Retailer THE MAN BEHIND budget airline easyJet is branching out into cut-price retail.

Stelios Haji-Ioannou is creating easyFoodstore, a budget grocery Store, in Croydon, London.

His aim is to sell basic grocery items, such as tinned and dried foods, at rock-bottom prices.

He claims that he will beat the prices of discounters Aldi and Lidl, both of whom have seen sales rocket in recent years.

Plans are still in the early stages and Stelios is only able to provide a broad outline of his new business, but it is likely that there will be just 50 to 100 items on the shelves, with

08 Retailer Matters

no fresh or frozen products apart from, possibly, bread and eggs.

Inspired by his Food From the Heart initiative in Cyprus (which hands out snacks to needy people at lunchtime) and the rise in demand for the UK’s food banks, he is keen to

ISSUE 20 2013

keep the new easyFoodstore’s prices as low as possible by sourcing non-branded goods from Wholesalers. easyFoodstore will be a nonConvenience Store, potentially opening only six hours a day, for five days a week to keep its costs down.

Lads’ mags refuse to cover up THE DEBATE OVER lads’ mags rages on, with some Retailers insisting that they would not remove them from sale even if publishers refused to cover them up.

This follows the Co-operative Group’s threat to remove the mags from more than 4,000 Stores unless publishers put them in modesty bags.

The publishers of Nuts and Zoo, two of the bestselling titles, have refused, and are now boycotting the Co-op.

news

Stores prove to be an essential part of the UK A new report reveals how the role of the Convenience Store continues to evolve, supporting local communities along the way THE CONVENIENCE SHOP sector is growing, with more and more new Retailers coming on board, according to a new report.

The 2013 Local Shop Report, published by Association of Convenience Stores, provides information on the role of the local retail sector and the contribution it makes to the UK economy. It also provides the low-down on who runs the Stores, the products they sell and which services they provide.

The report revealed there are nearly 50,000 Stores in mainland UK, in a sector that is now worth more than £35 billion – a growth of 5% on 2012.

It also showed that Convenience Stores provide an increasingly wide range of services to their communities.

More than one in four Stores now offer home grocery delivery, 64% provide bill payment services and almost 5,000 feature new technologies such as contactless payment.

The number of Convenience Stores is increasing

Convenience Stores are also proving to be a vital source of local employment. Nationally, the Convenience Store sector provides jobs for around 375,000 people, primarily supporting those with care commitments for children of pre-school/school age (52%), but also as a reliable employment

opportunity for those engaging in full- or part-time study (21%).

Local Store owners are also some of the hardest working people in the UK, with 57% working more than 50 hours per week on average, and 28% take fewer than 10 days’ holiday a year.

The full Local Shop Report is available at www.acs.org.uk/research

New drinks pilot to help improve health

How low can you go?

RETAILERS IN SCOTLAND are encouraging shoppers to opt for lower alcohol versions of their best bevvies, as part of a new pilot scheme to improve people’s health and reduce alcohol intake.

In Glasgow, more than 150 Stores are asking shoppers to ‘spot the difference’ between higher and lower strength beers and wines, while running promotions on lower Alcohol

By Volume (ABV) products.

The pilot campaign will be supported by the on- and off-trade stocking and promoting lower ABV products on shelves and at point of consumption. Stores will display shelf barkers and wobblers, and there will be in-store surveys taking place to see how people respond to the lower ABV campaign.

Pubs are also getting involved with posters, beer mats and tent cards to promote the activity for four weeks.

Cash for using carrier bags THE GOVERNMENT HAS announced there will be a 5p charge for single-use plastic bags in England as of autumn 2015.

While the new charge will apply only to supermarkets and larger Stores, it is expected that smaller Stores will follow suit, bringing about a potential saving for Retailers as demand for

Customers will be charged 5p for a plastic carrier bag

10 Retailer Matters

ISSUE 20 2013

plastic bags reduces with the 5p charge.

It is hoped that the initiative will follow the Welsh example, where Retailers donate profits from plastic bag sales to a charity of their choice.

UK shoppers use as many as 60 plastic bags per month per person.

This works out at 720 bags a year, more than 43,000 in an average lifetime.

New Post Office hours to benefit Retailers Longer opening times will increase footfall and win new Customers THE DAYS OF Customers waiting for the Post Office counter to open at 9am are over, as Convenience Stores can now offer Post Office services for the entire time the Store is open.

Post Office research revealed that 15.5% of Customers visit branches outside the hours of 9am and 5pm, so it made the decision to create the new local service. Run through the till of a Convenience Store, this allows Retailers to offer Post Office services whenever the Store doors are open.

It’s a great way to increase footfall and convert new Customers into regulars.

The aim is to make Post Offices easier to do business with. The branches that have already adapted are now offering an additional 17,500 hours of service between them, the equivalent of 382 new branches open for traditional hours.

And it’s proving a big hit with Customers. Neil Ennis, Post Office Head of Network Transformation Programme, said: “Services are available for longer – an average 87% increase in opening hours – and Customer satisfaction scores have been consistently around 95%.”

Highland Spring Ad

WILL THIS GIVE YOUR BUSINESS A BOOST? Let us know. Get in touch with us

retailermatters@ summersault.co.uk

retailer news A warm welcome from Harmesh and Harvinder

Off to a flying start They opened their doors only last year, but already the Chopras have a thriving business

12 Retailer Matters

HARMESH AND HARVINDER Chopra opened their first Store, Stowheath Convenience Store in Wolverhampton, in September 2012 and are celebrating a brilliant first year of business.

The couple had no retail experience, but instinctively knew they would like it. “I’d previously worked as a bus driver and had run a local pub,” said Harmesh. “We both really enjoyed interaction with Customers and knew

ISSUE 20 2013

it was something we could bring to our own Store.”

CUSTOMER FRIENDLY They knew the premises as it had previously been owned by friends, but the Store had struggled and eventually closed, remaining that way for more than five years. Harmesh and Harvinder seized their opportunity and gave the Store a much-needed overhaul. They extended the shop floor

and living quarters, creating an airy, attractive Store with kerb appeal.

“We’ve completely changed the layout to make it more Customer friendly,” said Harmesh. “And thanks to the Lifestyle Express fascia and internal branding, the Store looks professional and welcoming.”

After opening last year, the duo haven’t stopped looking at new ways they can develop their business.

They’ve introduced a delivery service

The couple gave the neglected Store a makeover and now Customers flock there

Regular offers and promotions are prominently displayed to encourage impulse buys

TOP Get to know your Customer base and make sure your TIP product lines are what they need. The Core Range of Best Sellers is a great place to start.

that has proved a big hit, taking orders over the phone and talking through that week’s offers and new lines. They also made changes that have reaped rewards, including chilling beers, wines and ciders. “Several product lines just weren’t selling and I was considering stopping them,” admitted Harmesh. “But once we started chilling them, they began to fly out.”

STOCK SUGGESTIONS They work hard to get feedback from Customers, asking for suggestions about stock and not being afraid to take a risk. “I always check with Customers that we stock what they need,” said Harmesh. “One lady told me her cats would only eat one kind

of cat food, so I bought one tray of it as a trial and it has stopped her going to a competitor. It’s selling well to other shoppers, so it was a good decision.”

Harmesh and Harvinder improved the Store’s layout to make it easier for shoppers to find what they want

NEW LINES AND OFFERS The duo have also worked closely with Adrian Nicholls, Blakemore’s Key Account Manager. “He suggested several things for us to try, which have worked brilliantly,” said Harmesh. “Thanks to him we’ve introduced new lines and offers, all of which have been really successful.”

As part of their ongoing discussions with Adrian, Harmesh and Harvinder have now decided to upgrade to Evolution. “The refurbishment isn’t quite complete,

NEW STORE? TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST YEAR IN RETAIL Get in touch with us

retailermatters@ summersault.co.uk

but already we’re seeing steady week-on-week growth, which is positive,” said Harmesh.

The real key to their success though is their understanding of their Customer base. As well as asking Customers for stock ideas, both Harmesh and Harvinder have looked at the area and the community, and tailored their stock to suit. “We can see that a high percentage of the local population is Asian and Polish, so we’ve introduced products to reflect that, which have been well received.

“We want our Store to be a key part of the community and if we have everything our Customers want, we’ll become their first port of call,” said Harmesh.

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Retailer Matters 13

news

is the magic number A the financial climate leads As shoppers to turn away from premium brand c cigarettes, Landmark’s No3 va tobacco range is sure to value hit the spot with Customers

AS LARGE STORES AND supermarkets k are under d strict instructions to keep tobacco products hidden away, tobacco is constantly centre stage for Independent Retailers.

When the tobacco display ban was initially introduced over a year ago, larger Stores immediately saw a 2.5% drop in sales. This was good news for smaller Convenience Stores, who saw sales increase as a direct result.

However, the total UK tobacco market is declining – by around 4%

DID YOU KNOW? of adult cigarette shoppers purchase more than just cigarettes, often buying confectionery, soft drinks, newspapers and magazines while in St Store Source: him!

68%

over the past year – as the continued increases in duty hit smokers hard in the wallet. Sales of premium-brand cigarettes have dropped by a staggering 9.7%, while value cigarettes are enjoying a growth in sales of 4.3% and hand-rolling tobacco is seeing 3.8% growth. As Own-Brand groceries have soared in popularity in the current financial climate, it seems cigarettes are following suit.

Just as they stock the Lifestyle Value range for shoppers who want quality products and great value above a brand name, Retailers should look to adapt their tobacco range to match what

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ISSUE 20 2013

Customers want and need. And you need look no further than No3, the exclusive Own-Brand tobacco range from Landmark Wholesale Depots.

The range includes four products: No3 King Size 20s, No3 King Size 10s, No3 Superkings 20s and No3 Superkings 10s.

TO DISCUSS ADDING THE RANGE TO YOUR TOBACCO PRODUCTS, TALK TO YOUR WHOLESALE MEMBER DEPOT

awards news

Open the bubbly: wines named top drop Landmark Wholesale scooped two of the top awards at an industry food and drinks awards ceremony that recognises excellence in Wholesaler Own Brand products LANDMARK WHOLESALE has good reason to break out the bubbly after scooping two of the top honours at the Wholesale Quality Food & Drink Awards 2013.

The awards recognised the excellent quality of the wines in Landmark Wholesale’s ever-expanding range and named two as category winners.

Winning the top prize for Best White and Rosé Wine, the Vintners Collection Australian Pinot Grigio was praised by the judges for delivering a refreshing alternative to the more traditional Italian variety. The judges stated that the wine was ‘nice, fresh and good value for money, with packaging that is stylish and understated’.

wine’. In addition, the group’s Don Fabian Tinto was shortlisted in the Red Wine category.

Now in their second year, the Wholesale Quality Food & Drink Awards recognise excellence in new product development in Wholesaler’s Own Brand ranges. More than 200 products were entered this year by Wholesalers keen to see how their products measured up when given an intensive examination by a panel of food industry experts.

SPARKLING ADDITION Also taking top honours was the recently launched Santa Loretta Prosecco, which was named Best Sparkling Wine in a hotly contested category. As Prosecco is currently enjoying a surge in popularity, the awards judges applauded Landmark Wholesale for making sure it had a quality offering in its portfolio, describing the Santa Loretta Prosecco as having ‘a lovely texture on the tongue’, before declaring it ‘a very nice

Helen Lyons and David Shrimpton (right), pictured here with Chris Doyle and, above, with Jon Burton

Recognising retail excellence Two Lifestyle Express Retailers celebrated as among best in UK THE RETAIL INDUSTRY AWARDS is the only occasion in the retail calendar when the entire industry comes together to recognise and reward Independent Retailers alongside the largest supermarkets.

This year, two Lifestyle Express Retailers were shortlisted for awards.

Retailer Bay Bashir, of Belle Vue Convenience Store in Middlesbrough,

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ISSUE 20 2013

was shortlisted as Community Retailer of the Year, while Pam and Dal Uppal, of Bryncae Post Office, Llanharan, Mid Glamorgan, were shortlisted as Most Sustainable Retailer of the Year.

Both Stores narrowly missed out on winning the awards on the night, but were incredibly proud to have been shortlisted and recognised nationally for retailing excellence.

Stuart Johnson, Retail Controller, Landmark Wholesale, was at the awards. He said: “I congratulate Pam, Dal and Bay for being shortlisted. To reach the finals in such prestigious company is a huge achievement. It shows that these Retailers are in the top three of four in the whole of the UK, which is testament to their hard work and dedication. Well done!”

looking ahead

It’s beginning to While the festivities may still be a few weeks away, it pays to be a step ahead to ensure your Store shines brightly and stands out from the competition for excellent service and great variety IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY to start planning how you can make this Christmas one to really celebrate.

Admittedly, 2 January may be a little premature, but it really does pay to put time and effort into thinking ahead to ensure you make the most of the biggest date in the retail calendar.

We all know the vital role Convenience Stores play in our communities all year long, but at Christmas your Store can really come into its own. Remember what makes your Store special: convenience and a great range of products will always keep shoppers coming back, and this is never truer than at Christmas.

or two – it’s amazing the amount of goodwill that can be generated simply by getting into the Christmas spirit.

Welcome Customers to a Store where they’re served with a smile, rather than faced with a fight for parking spaces.

TIMELY REMINDER

SERVE CHILLED

Christmas is the perfect time to remind people of why shopping locally is the best option. Supermarkets can be busy, stressful places, with endless queues and sold-out products, so remind Customers that you have what they need and that you’re a much easier, stress-free option. Display your opening hours and, if you’re able to, extend them over the festive period. If Customers can get what they want on their doorstep, they’re less likely to use a big supermarket for top-up shops.

Make your Store a pleasure to visit.

Play Christmas music and ensure it’s not cold, draughty or badly lit – give it kerbside appeal on wintry nights. Add a few decorations and even a mince pie

This time of year always sees an increase in alcohol sales, particularly spirits, so encourage Customers to stock up on their favourite tipple with great prices. Spirits offer excellent margins and Own-Brand ranges such as Prince Consort provide even better margins than the more famous brands.

Supermarkets may have a more extensive range of wines, beers and ciders, but they don’t offer them chilled, so make sure your chiller is bursting with bottles, ideal for those on their way out to a party. And don’t forget the drivers – make sure you have plenty of soft drinks and waters.

At Christmas, shopping pp g habits do change. Customers want to indulge

EXPAND YOUR PRODUCT LINES If you’ve been toying with the idea of expanding your product line, now is the time to put those plans into action.

A great place to start is by stocking Christmas cards, wrapping paper, sticky tape and gift bags, particularly when placed close to items that could be purchased as gifts, such as bottles of wine and spirits, or confectionery.

“If Customers can get what they want on their doorstep, they’re less likely to use a big supermarket for their top-up shopping” a little more, so stock up on sharing bags of sweet and savoury snacks.

But while Customers may want to splash the cash on a few treats, they’re

Q Welcome your Customers – ensure your Store is warm and well lit, with kerbside appeal.

Q Show Customers why your Store is better than a multiple – provide the personal touch.

Q Shout about your promotions, particularly snacks, spirits, wines, beers and ciders.

Q Get into the Christmas spirit – play festive tunes and decorate

TOP TIPS TO MAKE THIS CHRISTMAS A CRACKER

18 Retailer Matters

Make sure you stock up on festive baking ingredients

ISSUE 20 2013

still going to want great value on everyday items, so don’t lose sight of your Core Range. Think about what people need when it’s cold, such as

the Store, but be mindful of your community.

Q Think about your products – consider expanding your range to reflect last-minute or impulse buys.

Q Display your opening hours, maybe even produce leaflets that Customers can take away. Would it be beneficial to extend your hours over the Christmas period?

look a lot like

&KULVWPDV A NEW TWIST FOR A FESTIVE FAVOURITE

YOU KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS… … when Mr Kipling’s Cherry Bakewells become Festive Bakewells. Stock them alongside Frosty Fancies and new Winter Whirls – perfect for festive teatimes.

Mr Kipling Exceedingly Merry 6 Festive Bakewells, 8 Frosty Fancies, 6 Winter Whirls and 6 Christmas Cake Slices, all RRP RR RP £1.80.

teabags, coffee and hot chocolate, ate, as well as comforting foods such as soups and stews. Run promotions on n popular multibuys so that shoppers can n stock up before the festive period. Talk alk to your Landmark Wholesale Member ember Depot to identify the best promotions motions for you – Customers will see them hem in the supermarkets and will expect ect to see them in your Store too.

Q Place festive products ts at till points and offer them with each purchase.

Q Remind shoppers of the everyday staples. It’s amazing how often Customers forget milk lk and bread.

Q Keep chillers full of wines, beers and ciders, perfect for those ose on their way nt. out to a party or event.

Q Identify products as potential gifts, such as chocolates, spirits, or hampagne. sparkling wines or champagne.

For many, a sip of Baileys heralds the arrival of Christmas. And for this year’s festivities, Diageo has brought out a new flavour, Baileys Chocolat Luxe.

This new addition to the Baileys range combines real Belgian chocolate with Irish whiskey. A 50cl bottle has an RRP of £16.99 and an ABV of 15.7%.

GO ON ON, INDULG INDULGE INDUL GE Christmas treats are even sweeter thanks to the launch of the Cadbury Dairy Milk Mousse Snowman 30g (RRP 65p) and Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo Popping Candy 18g sachets (RRP 20p), both of which are ideal impulse buys.

For fans of the chocolate frog, you can now indulge in a 72g g tube be of Freddo Fred Faces, with an RRP of £1.4 £1.42 42 – a great idea forr a stocking fil ller. filler.

looking ahead

How your Store can come to the rescue Remind your Customers why shopping locally is the best option, by stocking up on festive fail-safe products for the last-minute panics THERE HAS NEVER BEEN a better time to remind your Customers of the vital role you and your Store play in your community. Nobody wants to brave the lengthy queues and potential empty shelves at a multiple just for those few extra things they’ve forgotten. If Customers can find what they need in your Store, they may not head to a supermarket next time.

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20 Retailer Matters

ISSUE 20 2013

the big interview

Derek Hallett owns Halletts Convenience Store in Cleethorpes.

Here, he talks to Retailer Matters about life in the Store

Q

Have you always wanted to be a Retailer?

No, I came to retail rather late on, after many years in the legal profession. I was 40 and wanting a career change, plus I had a desperate yearning to be my own boss. I wanted to stand and fall by my own efforts.

Q

How did you become a Retailer?

Q

What has been your most challenging time?

At the same time as I was looking to start my own business, my wife wanted to start working as our youngest child was growing up. My mother-in-law had always worked in retail and, together, we opened a fruit and veg shop – it was a real family effort. What began as fruit and veg slowly evolved over time to become the Store it is now, nearly 30 years later.

It was when we were deciding which direction to take the Store in, as we were struggling because of competition from local supermarkets. I was 60 by then and it was daunting to be faced with such big potential changes. As we’d already started to add in new lines, such as tinned goods, alongside the fresh produce, becoming a Convenience Store seemed to be a natural next step.

Q

What has been the highlight so far?

Joining Lifestyle Express from another

RETAIL

in detail symbol group has been the best decision we’ve made. We instantly felt supported, but still empowered to run our own Store in the way we wanted and with the backing to make some great decisions about our future.

Q

How has moving to Lifestyle Express benefited your Store?

As well as the support and great advice you get from becoming part of the Lifestyle Express group, there are so many other benefits. A real boost for us is the range of Own-Brand products. They’re incredibly

TOP The top-up shop is getting TIP bigger and better as people prefer to use their local Store rather than a multiple. Keep going in the tough times and you’ll see rewards.

THE FINER DETAILS… AT WORK…

AT HOME…

Q What’s your most popular product? The Lifestyle Express Value Baked Beans and Chopped Tomatoes. They’re price-marked at 35p, but we offer them at three for £1 and they fly out.

Q Most successful promotion?

2-litre bottles of Coca-Cola or Pepsi, and any chocolate bars.

Q The best thing about my job is… being such an integral part of the community here.

Q Favourite holiday destination? Playa Blanca, Lanzarote – d and as quiet or lively as you sunshine all year round want it to be. Perfect.

Q What would you choose as your last meal?

Stew and dumplings.

Q Favourite childhood memory: Playing football with friends over at wit Grimsby’s People’s Park.

Gr Q How do you fill yo your spare time?

In Indulging my love o of gardening.

popular with our Customers, providing them with brilliant value and us with great margins. The promotions are good too.

Having them every four weeks is excellent, and they’re always on well-known, popular items that Customers really appreciate.

Q

What’s your favourite time of the day?

I love the mornings – from the quiet as I open up to when it picks up with the school kids and commuters, and also when the mums come in after the school run. These are the times when the Store is full of locals, most of whom I know by name.

Q

Any big plans for the future?

After so many years running the Store, the next step for me is to retire and enjoy taking it easy with my family. It will be hard to step away, but it’s time for me to hand over the reins to someone new who can take things to the next level.

ISSUE 20 2013

Retailer Matters 23

new products

Hot sellers this As the nights start to draw in and the temperature drops, Customers will be looking for winter warmers BREAKFAST LIKEE A KING Kellogg’s is launching a new ridge Special K Multi-Grain Porridge n range to give a warm start on those frosty winter mornings.

7g Available in boxes of 7 x 27g sachets (Simply Original) or s and 2 x 27g boxes (Red Berries es are Almond & Honey), all varieties 0g pots also available as individual 50g (RRP 99p). ported The new range will be supported n, so by a TV advertising campaign, omers expect an interest from Customers wanting breakfast on the go.

A MAR MARVELLOUS NEW ADDITION Cola Pretzel Honeycomb is the latest addition to the Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations brand. The 200g bar contains salty pretzels, cola pieces, crunchy honeycomb and milk chocolate. The Marvellous Creations range is, so far, worth more than £20 million and is supported by a £7m marketing investment. RRP £2.49.

24 Retailer Matters

ISSUE 20 2013

DIFFERENT TASTES? S? Pernod Ricard is bringing its quirky ky flavoured vodkas to the UK, afterr a successful launch in America lastt year. avours: The range is available in five flavours: Fresh Cut Grass, Electricity, Salty Caramel Popcorn, Melon and Peach.

Electricity has an ABV of 30% and an RRP of £11.49, while the rest of the range has a 20% ABV and is priced ced at ed by a £9.49. The range will be supported marketing campaign including sampling, ampling, upons.

POS materials and money-off coupons.

winter…

A SOUPER NEW FLAVOUR What better way to warm up this winter than with a hearty bowl of steaming-hot soup?

Heinz Big Soup has announced a new big-hitting flavour for your shelves, after putting it to the public vote. Fiery Chicken & Chorizo was the clear winner and is available in 500ml tins, RRP £1.39.

TASTY STY TRE TREATS EATS AT A A SWEET PRICE Wrigley ley y is launching new price-marked ng bags of Skittles and Starburst hanging or Independent Retailers. Skittles just for e available as a 125g bag and Starburst as 150g, will be h bags price-marked at a £1. with both Even more affordable is the deliciously creamy Lifestyle Value White Chocolate, which has been shortlisted in the Wholesale Quality Food Awards 2013. RRP 50p, 100g.

TEMPT TINY TASTE BUDS Heinz has relaunched its toddler meal range, Little Kidz, focusing on two distinct age ranges: s: 12-24 months and 18-24 months. The brand has great-sounding new flavours, ours, including Chicken & Sweetcorn Risotto and Tomato & Mozzarella Pasta n to Shells, and a cheery pack redesign RP appeal to time-pushed parents. RRP £1.55, 230g.

A TASTE OF SPAIN With a burst of red cherry and strawberry wberry holesale and a hint of liquorice, Landmark Wholesale Don Fabian Rioja is sure to be as appealing pealing on the palate as it is to the wallet.

A premium medium-bodied, ja goes well-balanced young wine, the Rioja well with meat, pasta and tapas dishes. shes. om It retails at £5.49 and is available from ots.

Landmark Wholesale Member Depots.

USE YOUR NOODLE Price-marked at just 50p each each, these Lifestyle Noodle Snacks in Chicken & Mushroom and Spicy Curry flavours (75g) offer noodle lovers a great taste, and provide Retailers with a fantastic margin. Sample cases will be available and a great Buy One Get One Free offer will be phased in to beat competitor brands, plus Retailers will see a minimum of 30% POR.

DO YOU HAVE A SURPRISE BESTSELLER ON YOUR SHELF? Tell us

retailermatters@ summersault.co.uk

ISSUE 20 2013

Retailer Matters 25

new products

BOXING CLEVER B To Toffifee, the hazelnut, caramel and chocolate sweet, is currently selling faster than any other key boxed c chocolate line. The boxed chocolate market is currently w worth £760 million, and rockets skywards over the festive p period. Toffifee is currently worth £2.4m.

Toffifee, 125g, has a RRP of £1.50.

AND THEY’RE BACK… The sweet treat bestsellers return to our screens this winter, with a multimillion pound advertising campaign.

Expect a renewed interest in Kinder Surprise, as the brand opts for TV advertising in the run-up to Christmas.

Kinder Surprise eggs are the stars of a new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-inspired advert, with the strapline ‘A treat for the imagination’, as part of a £5.3-million marketing investment. Kinder Surprise, 20g, has a RRP of 72p, or £1.99 for a three-pack.

DAZZLE THE COMPETITION D As the appeal of beauty-orientated health care sh shows no sign of slowing down, Aquafresh has added a new toothpaste that promises to deliver ad th three times better whitening than a regular to toothpaste. Aquafresh High Definition White is av available in Tingling Mint and Illuminating Mint, an and is being launched with a high-profile m marketing campaign.

Aquafresh High Definition White toothpaste, 75ml, RR RRP £3.49.

THINK THINS SAUCY THOUGHTS Encourage your Customers to indulge in some tasty home cooking by stocking the new premium sauces from Flavours of India, which contain no artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives.

Research shows that 73% of UK adults prepare Indian food at home on a regular basis, and these ready-to-cook sauces will be a great addition to Retailers’ shelves. Flavours of India sauces, five varieties: Makhani, Kadhai, Masala, Jalfrezi and Madras. RRP £1.99.

XX 26 Retailer Matters

ISSUE 20 2013

As more and more shoppers choose 50/50 brown bread, Warburtons has added a Half & Half variety to its popular Sandwich Thins range.

Containing 50% white and 50% wholegrain flour, this new bread product aims to satisfy the appetite for a nutritional alternative to white bread.

Half & Half 6 Sliced Sandwich Thins, RRP £1.28.

feature Store refit

Ringing in the CHANGES When AJ Kassim took over the day-to-day running of his parents’ West Midlands Store last December, he joined Lifestyle Express, upgraded to the high-end Evolution standard and finally has the Store he always dreamed of AJ’s Perfect Fry and Pot Noodle machines are winning additions to his hot food-to-go offering

F

or AJ Kassim and his family, the decision to join Lifestyle Express wasn’t just a bold one – it was a life-changing one.

M&A Stores in the town of Brierley Hill, near Dudley in the West Midlands, was run

by AJ’s parents Hank and Lela for more than a quarter of a century, so when he sat them down to outline his plans for the business they had grown and nurtured for so long he was naturally apprehensive.

“When you’ve owned a Store for such a long time and it consumes your whole life, it is easy to stop thinking about the broader picture,” said AJ. “You get into the habit of doing things a certain way, and think less about future plans.”

AJ hadn’t planned to get involved with the family business. “I only started to help them out due to their ill health,” he admitted. “But I decided to stay on and take it over to keep the business in the family.

THOROUGH RESEARCH

Hot food-to-go is one of AJ’s bestselling categories and encourages Customers to spend more

28 Retailer Matters

ISSUE 20 2013

“As mum and dad tended not to venture far from the shop, they weren’t really up to speed with what other Retailers were doing in the area, so I spent about six months researching the market and speaking to symbol groups before deciding to go with Lifestyle Express,” he explained.

“I felt that Lifestyle Express was the right fit for the size and location of the Store – and it matched my aspirations for the business. I wanted it to be more of a destination Store, not just somewhere to top up in-between visits to the supermarket. I wanted people to have a reason to shop here.”

“With Lifestyle Express, I am proud to be running a Store that has a strong emphasis on value for money, yet provides people with something they don’t have access to anywhere else in this area” he has created a brand-new kitchen area and installed a Delice de France oven, providing hot snacks, such as steak slices, which offer a profit margin of between 30 and 35%.

“The great thing about food-to-go is that a Customer won’t just buy a hot snack, they’ll buy a soft drink and then often something else as well, so it has been fantastic for us and we’re attracting new Customers because of it.”

Another feature of food-to-go in AJ’s Store is a Perfect Fry machine for making

AJ and mum Lela chat to Customers and make them feel welcome in the Store

MODERN LOOK AJ and his parents are now reaping the benefits of the refit. Gone are the harsh lighting, the clutter and the old, bulky counter that was taking up precious selling space. M&A Stores now boasts a fresh, modern look that makes for a far superior and more enjoyable shopping experience, along with a carefully tailored and much more relevant product range.

Everything has been designed with the Customer in mind, with AJ’s particular highlight being a food-to-go area that now forms the backbone of the business and is a major Customer draw. As part of the refit,

FAMILY AFFAIR AJ Kassim took over his parents’ business in Brierley Hill, near Dudley in the West Midlands, in December 2012.

His parents, Hank and Lela, had been running the Store since 1988. Lela continues to help her son out in the shop and does what she does best: talking to the Customers and making everyone feel welcome.

Married to Davinder with a three-year-old son, Joshua, and a second baby due next February, AJ is thoroughly enjoying the challenge of being a full-time Retailer and believes that joining Lifestyle Express is the best business decision he has ever made.

chips and other deep-fried food, including chicken nuggets. As the machine is ventless and self-extracting, there are no off-putting smells or clouds of smoke. AJ also has a Pot Noodle machine, does Rollover hot dogs and provides Slush Puppie and freshly made ice cream during the summer.

“My vision was to create a Store that people want to visit for a reason – and that reason is food-to-go,” said AJ. “Before the refit, I could see how well food-to-go was selling, so I factored that into our plans for the redevelopment of the Store. While we’re lucky that the nearest Tesco Express is a good 20-minute walk away on the high street, there are other Retailers there, such as Poundland, which are attracting Customers and giving them another reason to go into town. It’s imperative that we are able to offer a genuine point of difference.”

INSIGHT By replacing the checkout area, which previously dominated the Store, AJ has gained a bigger selling area – increasing from around 600 sq ft to 850 sq ft. He has been able to put in more shelving – the existing shelving was fairly new and in

ISSUE 20 2013

Retailer Matters 29

W

So with his parents’ support, AJ joined Lifestyle Express and has recently completed a major £20,000 refit of the Store, which is known locally as Hank and Lela’s. Working closely with Matthew Wakelam, his Landmark Wholesale Retail Development Manager and Wholesaler Hyperama in West Bromwich, AJ approached the refit in a logical and methodical manner, taking his time and not making any rash decisions.

“It was stressful at times, but you expect that with any big building project,” he said.

feature Store refit

excellent condition, so AJ only needed to purchase around 15 metres of new shelving.

AJ has also been able to extend virtually every product range. The Store’s bestselling categories are beers, wines and spirits and hot food-to-go, although Lifestyle Value products and £1 lines also perform well, as do canned ready meals such as Irish Stew.

“We have a lot of older Customers who like these products,” explained AJ. “After 25 years in the shop, mum and dad have got to know so many people. They know their Customers’ children and their children too, so you get a good insight into what people buy,” he continued. “We also work to Lifestyle Express Planograms and follow the advice on Core Range.

“The beauty of being part of the Lifestyle Express group is that there is always the recognition that no one knows your business better than you – the support and advice is there to help you, but no one dictates what you should and shouldn’t do.”

The Store is also now providing PayPoint, which AJ believes is crucial in a community where there are large numbers of people living on a very tight budget.

“I’m hoping that with our vastly improved standards and the services we can offer our Customers, we will be successful in securing the National Lottery too,” said AJ. “Lifestyle Express is supporting us and helping present our case to Camelot, so we’re hopeful that it will happen before too long.”

ARE YOU PLANNING TO REFRESH YOUR STORE? If so, get in touch and send us your before and after pictures

retailermatters@ summersault.co.uk

“Everything is highly visible now and with our new LED lighting, everything stands out – the colours on products are so sharp and you can see your products gleaming” M&A Stores’ fresh new layout has enabled AJ to extend his ranges

GOALS So is it living up to AJ’s high expectations?

“Well, I had set various goals for the refit,” he admitted. “I wanted to get PayPoint in because my parents had been fighting for it without success. We crossed a major hurdle when we got it because it makes people come in and once you get them in to pay a bill, you can encourage them to shop with you.

“The second goal was to improve the Store cosmetically – providing more space and using the space more effectively,” he continued. “This is where Lifestyle Express has been worth its weight in gold, working with me to plan and design the Store, and create a much more logical flow, so when Customers walk round the Store, they are glimpsing everything.”

GLEAMING “Everything is highly visible now and with our new LED lighting, everything stands out – the colours on products are so sharp and you can see your products gleaming. You also save money with low-energy lighting because each unit is 30 watts compared with

30 Retailer Matters

ISSUE 20 2013

1.5 years

120 watts with the old lighting and you don’t need so many lights. They don’t give off heat, so the shop doesn’t get hot and stuffy, alleviating the need for air conditioning.

I reckon that in a year and a half I will have recouped the cost of the new lighting – it’s something I can’t recommend highly enough to other Retailers planning a refit.”

Admitting that the refit has been quite a learning curve and an emotional experience too – given his parents’ strong connection with the Store (they continue to live on the premises) – AJ is convinced that, for his business, it was exactly the right thing to do at the right time.

“It’s a tough industry right now and though I don’t like to admit it, the Store was stuck in the early 90s. We needed to upgrade and make the shop more relevant to Customers’ needs.

“With Lifestyle Express, I am proud to be running a Store that has a strong emphasis on value for money, yet provides people with something they don’t have access to anywhere else in this area – a really comprehensive food-to-go offer.”

The Store has a PayPoint machine, which is a draw for Customers and will help boost sales

AJ thinks it will take just 18 months to recoup the cost of his cost-effective LED lighting: “I can’t recommend it highly enough to any other Retailer planning a refit in their Store”

PLANNING A REFIT? AJ RECOMMENDS: Q Write down your aspirations and where you see the Store in five years’ time – this helps you remain focused.

Q Don’t rush into things. Weigh up all your options and take advice from the Lifestyle Express experts.

Q Set a budget and stick to it – decide how much you would like to spend on different areas and items, and get several prices to compare to help you stay within your budget.

Q Identify key areas of growth that offer good margins, such as food-to-go, and factor those into your refit, ensuring they have more space.

Q If your Store is small, consider options that will increase your selling space, such as replacing an old-fashioned, bulky counter.

Q Keep trading during your refit – if you close your shop for any length of time, Customers will go elsewhere and you run the risk of them not returning.

Tell Customers what you’re doing and why, to keep them engaged.

Q Opt for energy-saving LED lighting – it gives your shop a nice glow and will save you money.

Q After your refit, do your best to bring in services such as Lottery and PayPoint. The higher your standards, the more likely it is that your application will be successful.

ISSUE 20 2013

Retailer Matters 31

feature Adding services

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

BE ONE STEP

ahead

So you’re already operating a professional Convenience Store with high standards and excellent Customer service, but are you really offering all that you could?

T

he local retailing sector has never been more competitive. As the leading multiple Retailers continue their relentless march in neighbourhoods and communities traditionally considered to be the domain of the independents, smaller operators must up their game if they are to survive and thrive.

While competition for some independents has previously meant a fellow independent who is a member of another fascia or symbol group embarking on a refit or a major multiple building on the edge of town, today it is more likely to mean a Tesco Express or Sainsbury’s Local opening across the road or in the next street. The discounters are also making a big impact on shoppers.

POPULAR SERVICES

An A n ATM is a fantastic service to offer to your Customers

5 TOP TIPS ON SERVICES TO OFFER

1 2 3 4 5

If you don’t have key services such as Lottery and PayPoint, speak to your RDM about how to get them.

Consider extending your opening hours, especially if passing trade is high early in the morning and later in the evening.

An ATM is a great facility to have, so explore your options. If someone withdraws money inside or outside your Store, they’re likely to spend some of it with you.

No dry cleaners nearby? You could offer a twice-weekly ‘drop off and collect’ service for Customers who would otherwise have to travel for it.

Never be afraid to branch out into something new. Speak to your RDM for great ideas to boost sales.

32 Retailer Matters

ISSUE 20 2013

POST OFFICE

number-two retail channel of choice for news, Lottery and tobacco after newsagents. This is a good starting point, so if you currently offer these categories, give them some more thought.

Make sure your news display is always tidy and highly visible. Does it have a prime location in store? If not, consider moving it.

And Lottery? Ensure Customers know it’s available in your Store – do you have a window sticker or external sign? If not, get one – Customers need to know what’s available to entice them inside.

OPTIONS Convenience is growing and the multiples know it – why else would d they be muscling in on your territory? To them, the convenience retail sector is a tasty option indeed, and they want a sizeable slice

ATM

of the pie. Your reputation for providing the best possible Customer service must remain your trump card at all times – the multiples cannot equal your standards in this area, no matter how hard they try. But you must also look at other options.

If new competition comes into your area, you may be in a position to consider a total or partial refit and that, of course, is an option that you should discuss with your Lifestyle Express RDM. But, crucially, you need to look at bringing new services into your Store.

Where are the gaps? What’s missing? Which services or facilities are your Customers asking for? Are shoppers coming into your Store, looking around and then walking out?

What were they looking for? An ATM? National Lottery? A bill payment service?

You may think your Store offers everything your Customers want and need, but is it? Seeking advice and opinions every now and again from an outsider is always a good idea, so call your RDM. According to him! CTP (Convenience Tracking Programme) 2013, c-stores are the

Of course, there are other services that are guaranteed to increase traffic flow – an ATM, PayPoint and electronic bank payment facilities, and a Post Office are some of the most popular. In fact, the latest CTP research reveals that these services are a top five shopping mission for Convenience Stores, accounting for 5% of footfall to the UK convenience market.

What’s more, 15% of convenience shoppers will use a service – that’s a higher percentage than those who buy tinned or packaged grocery items, or crisps and snacks.

And when you bear in mind that 5% of service shoppers browse the whole Store, there is a clear opportunity to drive incremental sales.

Future of Convenience 2013, another him! study, advises Convenience Stores to identify their unique selling point. What are you doing that’s different? If you have a good food-to-go proposition, consider making that your point of difference and reason to visit – look at what AJ Kassim is doing in the West Midlands (page 28) or Raj and Bobby Singh in Kilbirnie (page 42). They have both

?

? ?

EXTEND

OPENING HOURS CLICK & COLLECT

ADDED VALUE

FOODTO-GO NATIONAL LOTTERY

“Seeking a advice and opinions every ev now and again from an outsider is always a good idea, so call you your RDM”

FRUIT & VEG

built a reputation eputation for fo their food-to-go and word has h spread, att attracting new shoppers.

Research from him!, hi meanwhile, also suggests that shoppe shoppers would visit Convenience Stores more often if they offered Post Pos Office facilities and other sservices such as parcel and internet shopping collection points. Click & col Collect grocery shopping is C also worth considering. It’s al important to think beyond im the usual type of services th that you think people want. tha It’s a good idea to It’ reconsider Store opening hours. reconsi No one is su suggesting you introduce 24-hour trading, bu but if you open at 7am, sell newspapers, p and if yyou know that you benefit from fro quite a bit of passing trade, why not conside consider der openin opening an hour or even half an hour ear earlier? rlier? An And, if you’re opening early,

CUSTOMER SERVICE

why not offer those early risers a hot coffee or snack to go? Similarly, in the evening, if you close at 9pm, would trading until 10pm be welcomed by local Customers, especially if your Store sells alcohol?

Consider too other product categories that you’ve shied away from in the past – fresh fruit and veg, for example. A small section offering a basic range won’t take up much space and can be easily maintained, plus it’s another reason for your Customers to pop into your Store if they’ve run out of onions for a midweek supper or fruit for the kids’ lunchboxes.

While you may think you have it all covered, there’s always scope in every Convenience Store for adding new, different and enticing services.

ISSUE 20 2013

Retailer Matters 33

Bigger basket feature

GO ON, JUST

One question that has Retailers up and down the UK scratching their heads is: how can you encourage your Customers to buy more?

E

veryone is familiar with the scenario: a Customer walks into a Convenience Store to pick up a loaf of bread for sandwiches for tomorrow’s lunchboxes, but remembers the crisps are running low and there are no yogurts. Then a text lands saying the milk is almost finished and wait a minute… we need apples and another packet of bacon wouldn’t go amiss.

Suddenly, the Customer is struggling to carry

half a dozen or so products, and there’s no basket to put them in.

The theory that convenience shoppers don’t need or want a basket has long been blown out of the water. Research by respected industry consultancy him! has shown that the average consumer spends £5.47 per visit. So if all your basket shoppers purchased only one more item per visit based on an average 3.68 visits per week, this would

ISSUE 20 2013

Retailer Matters 35

W

one more?

Bigger basket feature

5%

of shoppers say they noticed the item while in the queue. The average time shoppers spend queuing is 68 seconds, so you haven’t got long to grab their attention.*

30%

of shoppers only buy one item in Convenience Stores*

equate to an additional £3.20 per Customer per week. Multiply that by the number of Customers and the number of weeks, and you’re looking at a hefty increase in sales.

Customers are more likely to browse and buy more if they have a basket

LUCRATIVE TRICK

Even the smallest of Stores can accommodate half a dozen baskets and if you have a bigger Store, you should locate baskets both at the door and further inside the Store. Make it as easy as possible for Customers to move around the Store and spend time selecting their items.

Attractive sums, aren’t they? It’s quite simple – if you don’t provide baskets for your Customers, you’re missing a lucrative BASKETS ON WHEELS trick. You’ve all witnessed In Kilbirnie, North Ayrshire, Customers coming in for a couple Lifestyle Express Retailers Raj of items, but ending up at the and Bobby Singh embarked on counter weighed down with a major refurbishment of their them. Imagine if they’d had Store just before Christmas. a basket, their shopping may They also decided to invest in Let us know. Get in touch with us have continued by several new wheeled baskets, which items, significantly increasing look smart and stack nicely at retailermatters@ your turnover. the entrance to the Store, and summersault.co.uk Why invest heavily in refitting they make the shopping experience your Store or making major easier for Customers too. improvements if you forget the basics?

“Because they’re on wheels and have retractable handles they’re easy to push or pull along the floor,” explained Raj. “Our Customers like them, particularly if they’re buying quite a lot because they don’t have to Locate a stack of baskets at the entrance to your Store carry a basket around the Store. Older people and, if space permits, further inside to encourage also like them – again, they can put their Customers to buy more once they’ve started moving around. heavier grocery items in them.”

Near the milk and alcohol facings are good options.

By adding baskets, you will be able to Consider investing in wheeled baskets – older people like take advantage of the gradual shift that is them because it makes moving around the Store easier, seeing more and more Customers turning but they’re also great for mums with prams and pushchairs. to their local Convenience Store for most Keep your baskets clean – no one wants to put their of their shopping, instead of just the weekly shopping in a grotty basket that has seen better days. top-up or impulse shop. By making the Make sure your staff encourage Customers to use a experience easier and more pleasurable, basket and if you see someone struggling to carry lots you’ll be convincing them that shopping of items, take a basket over to them. locally is better than heading down the road to the big multiple.

DO BASKETS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR STORE?

TOP TIPS FOR BASKETS

*Research from him!

1 2 3 4

14%

of shoppers will buy something on impulse – the most likely items being confectionery, crisps or snacks*

“We have a lot of Customers who spend quite a bit with us,” Raj continued. “They’re not just using us for top-up shops, they’re buying regular household items like washing powder and cleaning products, so having baskets is essential. If we didn’t have them, Customers would find it difficult to move about the Store and end up buying less.”

CHOOSE AN OBVIOUS PLACE Even Customers popping into your Store for just a couple of items are likely to purchase more if they see a basket as they walk in.

Stack them neatly in an obvious place at the entrance, typically at the right-hand side of the door and, if your Store is large, consider stacking some elsewhere, possibly close to heavy, daily bought items such as milk.

John Farrell, Retail Operations Manager at Landmark Wholesale, commented: “Even very small Stores should make baskets available for Customers – research confirms that if people see a basket, it will encourage them to use it and most likely buy more items than they originally intended.

“I recommend that all Lifestyle Express Retailers invest in shopping baskets if they haven’t already done so,” he continued. “But don’t forget to keep baskets clean – nothing looks worse than a dirty basket. Plastic ones stack well and are easy to keep clean.”

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Retailer Matters 37

feature Work wonders on a budget

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the little things that add up, says Bobby Singh

Small changes

BIG DIFFERENCE 38 Retailer Matters

ISSUE 20 2013

A smart exterior is easy to achieve and draws Customers in

Freshening up the exterior of your Store with a lick of paint or upgrading an old drinks chiller are among the many relatively small changes that can make a big difference to your Store â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and encourage more people through the door

10 TINY TWEAKS TO IMPROVE YOUR STORE

Moving inside, is your Store spotlessly clean and clutter-free?

Can Customers move around easily, even those with pushchairs or small children? Are the boxes or crates from deliveries left in the Store? Is the till clear and are posters hung correctly?

2

Check out the competition and offer a service that none of your competitors does. Whether it’s a dry cleaning service, fresh flowers, or utilities credit and debit payments, give Customers a reason to always pick your Store over the rest.

3

If your budget will stretch to it, install LED lighting or new, low-energy refrigeration to help reduce e your energy bills and carbon footprint.

4 5

Stock the essential Core Range Best Sellers and you’re sure to have the bestselling branded and Own-Brand products that Customers need. Ask Customers if they have suggestions for products you could stock and, if you can, act on them and let those Customers know that you’ve gone the extra mile – they won’t forget it. Customers return to a Store because it sells the products they want to buy.

Keep things fresh and interesting for Customers by moving promotions and products around. If a Customer has walked past a display two or three times, they’ll no longer notice it, so grab their attention by positioning it elsewhere. Think about where you can maximise sales, and position complementary items next to each other.

6

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e know that in an ideal world, every Retailer would like to be able to refurbish their Store to keep pace with new technology and advances in key equipment, such as refrigeration. But in the real world this often isn’t possible, so what are the options if you want to refresh your Store on a budget?

Landmark Wholesale points out that there are lots of simple solutions to help you upgrade your Store and make it more appealing to local Customers. A good place to start is outside because if your Store is looking tired and run-down, it is natural to assume that it’s the same inside. So get it painted, clean your windows and your Store will look much more welcoming in no time.

Again, if you take a common-sense approach and put yourself in your Customers’ shoes, it will help you pinpoint what needs to be done and where improvements can be made. Is the floor clean? Are your windows uncluttered? Is the layout confusing? Are there any new services you could consider bringing in? Are your staff motivated or merely going through the motions? Involve your staff and give them their own sections of the Store to look after.

Your Landmark Wholesale Retail Development Manager (RDM) will be more than happy to discuss the options for making any relatively small, but extremely effective, changes to your Store and the way you run your business. RDMs will not preach or tell you what to do – they are committed to working with you in partnership to help you become more profitable.

Similarly, if you are planning a bigger upgrade and feel you are ready to become a Lifestyle Express Evolution business, your RDM will talk you through what’s involved.

Lifestyle Express Evolution is a package for progressive Retailers seeking more discipline and higher standards to improve their Store and grow their business.

Highlight locally sourced products in your Store, such as meat, fruit, veg and local treats.

(above) Keep aisles clean and clutter-free

7

(above right) Make sure you check fresh goods regularly

8

(below) Keep baskets handy

As many Customers will be calling in on the way to or from somewhere, live up to the name Convenience Store. By providing a fast and friendly service, you’ll boost your reputation for great Customer service and increase repeat business.

Make sure your opening hours are clearly visible and, if you can, consider extending y your hours so that you’re open when others aren’t.

9

Locate baskets at the entrance and, space permitting, further inside the Store.

10

FOR MORE IDEAS ON IMPROVING YOUR STORE VISIT WWW.LIFESTYLE-EXPRESS.CO.UK them cosmetic – on an ongoing basis.

“If you are not planning a major refit, my advice is to do something that makes a difference every year,” said Raj. “It could be new shelving, a new floor, new lighting or even introducing a new service, such as food-to-go. We’ve built up a good reputation for our food-to-go offer and have Customers who come to us specifically for it.”

SAVINGS GALORE TALK TO OTHER RETAILERS It’s a really good idea to listen to other Retailers and find out how they have made changes in their Stores.

At Lifestyle Express in Kilbirnie, for example, Retailers Raj and Bobby Singh decided last year that the time was right to embark on a complete refit and expansion of their Store. Before that, they kept it looking fresh by making small upgrades – many of

A key feature of Lifestyle Express Kilbirnie’s refit is the installation of LED lighting. Not only does this brighten up the Store and create a feeling of warmth and spaciousness, but LED lighting uses less energy, reducing energy bills and your carbon footprint.

Another money-saving option is low-energy refrigeration. Many Retailers are choosing refrigeration with doors, which looks sleek and professional, and is also

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Retailer Matters 39

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Every day, when you arrive at the Store, approach it with fresh eyes.

Is it clear of litter? Are your windows clean, are the displays looking tidy and are advertised promotions still in date?

Does your Store have kerb appeal and if not, why not? Would your Store benefit from a lick of paint to keep it looking fresh and modern?

1

feature Work wonders on a budget

TOP Challenge your TIP staff to improve one thing per day in your Store, whether it’s spotting a misplaced product or a missing price ticket. With three members of staff, that’s 28 improvements you could make in a week. a blessing for their bottom line as it saves energy. For beers and wines, this type of refrigeration doesn’t need to be kept on at night and can be operated with a timer – again, saving energy. If you are considering replacing chillers or refrigeration, opt for energy-saving equipment.

HELP WITH FUNDING Grants for making energy-saving changes within your business are sometimes available from government and local

AJ’S TOP MONEY-SAVING TIPS Want to make some big changes on a small budget? Here are AJ Kassim’s top 5 tips on making your money go further. AJ is a Lifestyle Express Retailer from M&A Stores, Brierley Hill, West Midlands – read his Store refit story on pages 28-31.

authority organisations, so it is worth spending a little time browsing the internet for information or approaching your local council for advice. If you are a member of Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) or Scottish Grocers’ Federation, make a point of asking them if they are aware of any funding aid.

It’s also a good idea to keep an eye open for any second-hand equipment that’s in good condition. Some Retailers are in a position to upgrade and refurbish more frequently, and will sell chillers and freezers that are still in excellent condition to make way for more up-to-date ones.

So keep checking the local paper and keep in touch with your Landmark Wholesale RDM who may be aware of good-quality equipment for sale.

1

Take a look around your Store and identify tify your strengths and weaknesses. Don’t hang on to products that don’t sell well. Instead, dedicate more space to your bestsellers.

Take advice from your RDM – they’re there to help you do things better. The same goes for your Wholesaler. I use Hyperama in West Bromwich and they’re brilliant.

Try to keep trading throughout your refit. Think about carrying the work out in phases so that you can continue to trade. Make sure you let Customers know that you’re still open, and apologise for the upheaval and any mess or noise.

Don’t rush into it – take your time to decide what’s right for you, but do take into account your location, clientele and competition.

Ask other Retailers how they make improvements in their Stores without going to too much expense.

2 3 4 5

store profile Newhouse Mini-Market, Ayrshire

THE

Husband-and-wife team Raj and Bobby Singh put their success down to knowing what Customers want and providing great service, with help from their ‘extended family’ at Lifestyle Express

personal TOUCH

After the refit there was space for fresh fruit and veg

fresh fruit and vegetables, Post Office and amazing food-to-go section, is a joy to shop in. As any successful local Retailer will testify, ongoing investment is crucial. So too is commitment and passion. And in Kilbirnie, this husband-and-wife team possess all of these attributes in abundance.

STORE CV NAME: Newhouse Mini-Market STORE’S TIME WITH LIFESTYLE EXPRESS: Almost seven years STAFF: 8 FEATURES: Post Office, food-to-go, National Lottery, fresh fruit and vegetables, local butcher’s products, dry cleaning BESTSELLERS: Chilled soft drinks, beers, wines and spirits, chilled produce/fruit and veg, Lifestyle Value, £1 lines NEAREST COMPETITION: Tesco superstore, less than a mile away, and a Co-op, which is even closer TRADING TIMES: 6am-8pm, Monday to Thursday; 6am-9pm, Friday and Saturday; 7am-5pm, Sunday

42 Retailer Matters

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I

ndependent Retailers should be right at the very heart of their communities; their Stores offering local people everything they need, when they need it, in a clean, bright and modern environment. Customers should, quite rightly, expect a warm welcome and leave satisfied in the knowledge that they will find what they are looking for on each and every visit.

At Newhouse Mini-Market in Kilbirnie, a small town in the Garnock Valley in North Ayrshire, Customers really can rely on owners Raj and Bobby Singh for all their daily needs. This enterprising couple make it their business to know the names of as many local shoppers as possible, taking time to chat with them and asking how they are, even when the Store is busy.

Fresh bread and milk never, ever run out – one of the golden rules of convenience retailing – and the Store, with its pristine tiled floor and spacious aisles, colourful display of

Fresh bread and milk are always in stock at Newhouse Mini-Market

MAJOR REFIT Raj smiles broadly as she outlines the history of the Store. “It didn’t always look like this,” she laughed, pointing out where the Post Office used to be before last year’s refit.

“We embarked on a total refit just before Christmas and it was a major operation, with plenty of building work involved. I won’t say it wasn’t stressful and difficult at times, but our Customers were with us every step of the way and supported us through the disruptions.”

The refit has given Raj and Bobby more space – from 1,400 sq ft to 1,900 sq ft – to expand key categories such as fresh and chilled, beers, wines and spirits and food-to-go. The Store didn’t sell fruit and veg before, so being able to choose from a great selection of fresh, quality produce on their doorstep has been a revelation for Customers.

“If you’re going to do fruit and veg, you need to do it properly, make sure it’s fresh

and keep it well stocked,” said Raj. “Nothing looks worse than bruised fruit and mushrooms that are past their best.”

At the other side of the Store is another of Raj’s pride and joys – food-to-go. Filled rolls are freshly prepared in the shiny kitchen each morning, and there is a wide range of cakes and pastries, a Rollover hot dog and Polar Krush slush drinks machines, plus tea and coffee.

CURRY-TO-GO The pièce de résistance, however, is Raj’s home-made curry. Demand is so high that

Raj and Bobby at their Ayrshire Store

it’s usually sold out by mid-morning. “I brought it in so that Customers could sample it and they said it was so good we should start selling it,” Raj explained.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT “You have to stay one step ahead of the game in this business, and your Customers are always looking for something different that they can’t get anywhere else,” said Bobby. “If you take the time to talk to your Customers, you get to know what they want and expect from you, particularly in a close-knit community like this. It’s all

about adding that special personal touch.”

And, after almost 15 years of running the Store, Raj and Bobby are well placed to know what their Customers want. Many have been using the Store since day one and have been on the journey with the couple, who took the decision to join Lifestyle Express almost seven years ago. “We were completely independent for a long time, using cash and carries,” said Raj. “We then started looking around for a trading format that would be a good fit for us.

“We spoke to other groups, but didn’t feel we clicked with anyone until we got in touch

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Retailer Matters 43

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“You have to stay one step ahead of the game in this business and your Customers are always looking for something different”

store profile Newhouse Mini-Market, Ayrshire

with Lifestyle Express,” she continued.

“Bobby refers to the personal touch and we felt that’s what we were getting from Lifestyle Express from the off – nothing was too much bother, there’s always help and advice at the end of the phone, they’ll pop in to see you regularly and you feel part of a family.”

AMAZING SERVICE Deliveries come from Landmark Wholesale Member United Wholesale Grocers in Glasgow, and Raj refers to one instance when an item wasn’t delivered. “We phoned up and someone jumped in their car and drove down with it,” she recalled. “That was absolutely amazing service and sums up our relationship. With Lifestyle Express,

“You have to take risks by trying different things and introducing exciting new products to keep your Customers interested” everyone seems to go that extra mile for you.”

Raj and Bobby point to John Farrell, Retail Operations Manager at Landmark Wholesale, as particularly supportive of their business. “He has been in the industry for a long time, and it’s great to have someone with so much knowledge and experience of the independent retail sector to bounce ideas off and ask for advice,” said Raj. “We all like to think we don’t need help, but you have to be realistic – no one can do it on their own.”

While there’s plenty of support available, Raj and Bobby have always been clear on

Above: Bobby, Raj and their dedicated team

how they want to develop their business – with the focus very firmly on providing added value and key services for their Customers. So when the opportunity came up to acquire the Post Office next door, it set the wheels in motion for the next phase of the Store’s evolution.

“We had always kept the Store looking good by updating shelving and regularly freshening things up from a cosmetic perspective, but knew the time would come when we needed to do more,” explained Raj. “It was always our goal to progress the business to the next level and the Post Office was the catalyst for the refit because we had the opportunity to bring it into the Store and extend the shop by knocking through into that space.”

INCREASING LOYALTY

The refit has enabled Raj and Bobby to expand key areas, such as chilled beers and other drinks

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ISSUE 20 2013

Bringing the Post Office in-store has attracted new Customers, as well as increasing loyalty among existing ones. The service’s position at the rear of the Store also encourages people to shop the categories in that area, including the recently extended pet food section. “We have a lot of pet owners here,” explained Bobby.

The refit has been well received by Customers. State-of-the-art features, such as low-energy chillers with doors, look sleek and professional, while LED lighting creates a bright, airy ambience that is nowhere near as harsh as the more conventional Store

Spacious aisles make it easier for all Customers to find what they need

lighting systems and also makes products really stand out on the shelves – beers, wines and spirits is a prime example.

Right: The Post Office increases footfall through the Store

Sales are up across the board since the refit, LOCAL PRODUCE but Raj and Bobby continue to fine-tune the “We’re very keen to offer our Customers Store, tweaking categories and moving things more locally produced, seasonal and around if necessary. “There’s always a degree Scottish products,” Raj said. “We use of trial and error,” said Raj. “You pick up a local butcher – we’ve dealt with them for on what people say and respond. You years, they deliver every day and our have to take risks by trying different Customers love the products. Bobby things and introducing exciting also likes to go to the market in new products to keep your Glasgow in the morning to get Customers interested. the fruit and veg because we “We have a lot of mums with know that’s really fresh, plus young children coming in and you get the pick of the Would you like your Store to they need to be able to move best-quality produce.” be featured? Get in touch about easily,” she said. “We Other Scottish products are could have squeezed in another sourced via a chilled food retailermatters@ aisle, but it would have caused distributor, while milk is delivered summersault.co.uk problems for pushchairs and

by Graham’s The Family Dairy. As wheelchairs, and it would have been a well as offering a comprehensive much less pleasant shopping experience.” choice of pre-packed sliced meats, the

TELL US ABOUT YOUR STORE

Store also stocks ham, turkey and chopped pork, which is sliced to order at the food-to-go counter.

“Not everyone wants to buy a pack with four slices in and we were getting a lot of our older Customers looking for just one or two slices, so we bought a slicer,” said Raj. Raj and Bobby have always displayed shrewd business foresight. They even offer a dry cleaning service after identifying a gap in the local market. “There’s no one in the area doing it and we now have loads of regular Customers who drop their dry cleaning in to us,” said Raj. “The company we use also does ironing and alterations, so it’s a great added-value service, and that’s what this business is all about – going the extra mile for our Customers and making life easier for them.”

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Retailer Matters 45

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TRIAL AND ERROR

KEEP THINGS TIDY Your Store should be pristine and well stocked. Keep your floor swept and free of litter – that’s essential for making a really good first impression.

RAJ & BOBBY’S TOP TIPS

ABOUT RAJ & BOBBY

Retailing isn’t rocket science, say Raj and Bobby.

Here, they share their tips for soaring sales EMPOWER YOUR STAFF “Give your staff their own section of the Store to look after,” suggested Raj. “We’ve always found that our staff enjoy having their own areas of responsibility and take real pride in looking after their own sections. This is particularly important for chilled produce, and fruit and veg.”

KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS “It’s common sense really. Get to know your Customers – that way you’ll find out what they want. Keep smiling and work hard to provide friendly, personal service at all times.

Make sure your staff adopt this philosophy and your Customers will keep coming b back to your shop.”

PLANNING A REFIT?

SMART EXTERIOR

Consider money-saving options such h as low-energy refrigeration that can go on a timer, and LED lighting. Both look fantastic ic and give a really professional feel to your Store – and you reduce your carbon footprint.

Don’t neglect the exterior of your Store. Use Lifestyle Express branding and display your b o opening hours along with the ot other services you provide.

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Raj and Bobby Singh have owned their Store in Kilbirnie for almost 15 years, joining Lifestyle Express around seven years ago. They have two young children and live next door to the shop.

KILBIRNIE BESTSELLERS Lifestyle Value

Beers, wines and spirits

Chilled produce/ fruit and veg

Chilled soft drinks

company profile Boost Drinks

Giving Independent By working closely with the independent retail sector, Boost Drinks is seeing its energy drinks fly off the shelves

B

oost Drinks, the brainchild of entrepreneur Simon Gray, is the first branded value drink to successfully take on the big names and premium brands, and all without being stocked on a single supermarket shelf.

Since its launch in 2001, Boost has really made an impact in the highly competitive functional drinks market, selling more than five million cases of its products in the past year alone. Simon attributes its success to his commitment to supporting Independent Retailers. “We truly support the independent sector and everything we do as a brand is geared to its needs,” he said. “In fact, we are the only brand that is still totally focused on the independent channel and we believe that has played a huge part in our success.”

a real

BRAND-NEW: Original Energy and new Orange and Mango are both offered in price-marked 500ml cans at

89p consistent price,” he continued. “The recent negative publicity about the major multiples and special offers means this is even more important for the independent sector – price-marking confirms that the brand and its value can be trusted.

“Our products are available in plain and price-marked packs, as it’s important to offer choice across the range. Our price-marked packs feature our regular price points rather than offer prices, as we believe it’s essential to retain the value and trust in our brand.”

As such a supporter of the independent retail sector, Simon is keen to spread the word about Boost’s approach. “We’ve always

GREAT PROFIT MARGINS As a champion of Independent Retailers, price-marking forms a major part of Boost’s strategy and will continue to do so, with a number of developments planned for this year. As Simon explained: “Boost’s aim is to price at a point that offers the consumer great value for money and ensures brand loyalty, while for Retailers it’s all about driving sales and ensuring great profit margins.

“Price-marking reassures Customers that they are getting the best value for money at a

Boost has sold more than five million cases of products in just one year

BOOST’S TOP MERCHANDISING TIPS BO

1 2 3 4 5

Keep energy drinks stocked together to make it easier for your Customers.

Stock drinks in a chiller so that they are more appealing to Customers making an impulse purchase.

Make sure your chiller is kept full and regularly refaced to make it more inviting.

Give consumers a choice, but only stock bestsellers – speak to your Wholesaler or take note of the space they allocate for guidance.

Create interest around the fridges using POS materials, drawing attention to promotions and offers.

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been true champions of the independent sector and we thought it was time we let everybody know,” he said. “This is what our new Champion of the Independents campaign is all about, and Retailers will soon be seeing it in many forms, including in Wholesaler depots and direct to their Store.”

THE BEGINNING Boost was born when Simon, a regular drinker of energy drinks, spotted that there was no value alternative in the energy drink market, so set about creating his own. Now the UK’s second-largest energy drinks brand in the impulse channel, Boost has received many industry plaudits along the way, including the prestigious Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD) Gold Medal for Best Grocery Brand in 2012.

The appetite for energy drinks is showing no sign of waning and so Boost has been quick to expand its range. Now offering more than 20 products, Boost is the only brand to offer all three types of energy drink: stimulation, glucose and isotonic, with its Boost Energy, Boost Active and Boost Sport ranges.

The brand perception has changed too.

“We started as a value brand, but research with Independent Retailers shows we are now a valued brand,” said Simon.

Retailers

sales boost PREMIUM FEEL This year has been a busy one for Boost, with a brand-new look for its Boost Energy range, designed to give the brand a more premium feel, but still at great-value prices. There has also been the launch of 500ml cans – the first in its product range.

“Sales of 500ml cans have grown by 47.2% in the last year alone, and have shown the strongest growth in the energy drinks sector.

The time was definitely right for us to launch into this area of the market and we are continually reviewing the market and our product portfolio as part of that,” said Simon.

“As an independent business ourselves, we are in a great position to talk directly to our Wholesalers and Retailers and, most importantly, to listen to and adapt to their needs in terms of products and promotions.”

As for Boost’s plans for the future, Simon is clear: “We want to make Boost a major household brand – the fact that we beat a number of them to win the FWD Gold Medal Award last year was a huge step towards achieving this – and to be stocked in every independent retail outlet in the UK.” The Champion of the Independents campaign is the next step along the journey towards achieving the plans for the brand, and there are many more exciting product developments in the pipeline for later this year and beyond.

GET A BOOST THIS CHRISTMAS C Christmas puts many demands o on people’s time, with work and ffamily a celebrations often taking p place over a few weeks, so an e extra burst of energy is always w welcome. It’s a good time to be stocking up for your shoppers, s w with a range that offers them a gre great att price price, i and d giv gives you a great profit.

“People who would not normally buy energy drinks will be more likely to at this time of year, particularly as mixers,” said Al Gunn, Boost’s Sales Director (above). “Christmas is one of the most popular times for the stimulation energy category and Retailers should not underestimate the demand for energy drinks as mixers this year.”

Boost’s most popular products for mixers are the Boost Energy 1-litre bottle and the 250ml cans, which are now available in five flavours – Original, Sugar Free, Orange and Mango, Cola, and Citrus.

“We are in a great position to talk directly to our Wholesalers and Retailers and, most importantly, to listen to and adapt to their needs” Simon Gray ISSUE 20 2013

Retailer Matters 49

community news

Giving something back Geeta and Chani’s Store has an extra-special reason to raise cash for its chosen charity LOTS OF PEOPLE WOULD like to do more to help their community or raise much-needed funds for charity, but very few put their money where their mouth is.

Geeta and Chani Doal, though, who run Doal Food and News in Wheaton Aston, Staffordshire, are real champions of doing their bit in the community, whether it’s donating mince pies to the elderly or sponsoring the local school’s football team. And their chosen charity – St John Ambulance Community First Responders – has a special place in their hearts.

First Responders are all volunteers and Chani (above left) donates to support them

VOLUNTEERS Community First Responder volunteers are trained to attend emergency calls received by the ambulance service and provide care until the ambulance arrives. Volunteers can arrive at an emergency scene in a matter of minutes, as they are sent to calls in their local area. Having

someone in the community who has been trained in first aid and can reach the patient quickly makes all the difference.

“Where we live is pretty remote and the First Responders have saved

countless lives, including the life of one of our sons,” said Geeta. “We supported the service before then, but having seen them in action, it makes you even more committed to helping to support the excellent work they do.”

Each time the couple have won a Retail award, they have chosen to donate some money to the service, which is manned by volunteers.

“The service is funded entirely by donations and the money we’ve raised in the past has helped to buy essential equipment or even put fuel in the car the responder uses, so we know that our contribution could potentially save someone’s life,” said Geeta.

Singh when you’re winning When Raj and Bobby reopened their shop, the Scottish Cup was guest of honour th

B bb ((right) Bobby i ht) knew k he h was on to t a winner when he invited the Scottish Cup along to help relaunch his Store

PLAYING YOUR PART to instil a strong s sense of community is never more m important than when your Store S is slap bang in the middle of a bustling b neighbourhood.

So say Raj and Bobby Singh, who own ow Newhouse Mini-Market in Kilbirnie, K North Ayrshire. They recently re carried out a complete Store refurbishment re and when they relaunched rel their new-look premises, they the gave the community a boost at the same sam time.

Raj and Bobby had managed to get their the hands on the Scottish Cup for a few hours, courtesy of Carling, one of the sponsors. “It created a fantastic

buzz in the Store,” said Bobby. “The local kids were so excited – and so were the dads!”

It proved to be a great decision as Customers are still talking about it now, months later, and while the cup attracted the attention of regular Customers, word spread and lots of new Customers also came through the door.

“We promoted it through the local school to ensure we involved the community as much as possible,” Bobby said. “It was a hit with our regulars, but it’s also had a really positive knock-on effect, bringing in more repeat Customers.”

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Retailer Matters 51

news

A disused pub fo found new life as a m much-needed Store

Life in the old pub yet When John Singh spotted an old pub that had seen better days, he knew he could transform it into a thriving Convenience Store at the heart of the community RETAILER JOHN SINGH PANDAL isn’t one to sit back and take it easy, nor is he one to identify a great business opportunity and not act on it.

When he spotted an abandoned old pub in Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear, John saw past the boarded-up windows and instead discovered the premises for his next business.

“No one wants to see an empty building,” said John. “As soon as I saw it, I could see its potential and knew it would make a great Store.”

But it wasn’t just about business for John. “I could see that the pub was an eyesore and was really bringing the community down,” he explained. “I did my research and saw that there were very few places to shop for local residents, especially those without

52 Retailer Matters

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY? Get in touch and share your story

retailermatters@ summersault.co.uk

transport, and I knew that if I opened a Store, the community would benefit.”

So John bought the pub, formally known as The Jolly Farmers Inn, in 2011. Initially, he had to concentrate on his other businesses, but this year

ISSUE 20 2013

he set about creating a modern, well-designed Store that has been welcomed by local people.

GREAT ADDITION “The reaction we’ve had has been amazing,” said John. “Nearly every Customer has commented on what a great addition it is to the area, and how helpful it is to have a Store right on the doorstep. Until now, there was nowhere close by to walk to and grab a paper, a loaf of bread or some milk.”

John only opened for business at the end of August, but so far, so good. “We distributed flyers locally to let people know we were opening and word has spread,” said John. “Every day we’re attracting new Customers and we have a group of regulars already.”

Was John daunted by such a huge

project? “It was a lot of work, and I really had to do my homework before going for it, but it was absolutely worth it,” he admitted. “I’ve been in retailing for nearly 30 years, with just the odd break in between Stores, and it’s been great to get stuck in and create a Store from scratch.”

And he has the community he serves firmly in mind as the Store gains momentum. “I’m always open to any suggestions that Customers have,” he said. He has already added PayPoint and the National Lottery, and is continually looking to extend his offering. “I’ll consider anything that Customers request. They’ve made us so welcome here that I’m happy to listen to any ideas they might have for how we can make this Store even more of an integral part of the community.”

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SIZE

RRSP

SOFT DRINKS – CHILLED Irn Bru Rockstar Xdurance Blueberry Rubicon Mango Boost Boost Boost 7UP Mountain Dew Diet Pepsi Fruit Shoot NAS Blackcurrant & Apple Fruit Shoot NAS Orange Juicy Drench Orange & Passionfruit Lipton Ice Tea Lemon Pepsi Pepsi Max Pepsi Max Tango Orange Capri Sun Orange Cherry Coke Cherry Coke Coca Cola Coca Cola Diet Coke Diet Coke Dr Pepper Dr Pepper Fanta Fanta Fruit Twist Monster Oasis Citrus Punch Oasis Summer Fruits Powerade Berry & Tropical Relentless Sprite Evian Sportscap Evian Volvic Sportscap Volvic Volvic Touch of Fruit Strawberry Lucozade Caribbean Crush Lucozade Orange Lucozade Original Lucozade Pink Lemonade Lucozade Sport Orange Lucozade Sport Raspberry Ribena Blackcurrant Ribena Blackcurrant Ribena Strawberry Ribena Strawberry Highland Spring Still Buxton Red Bull Red Bull Red Bull Red Bull Sugar Free Vimto Still *Barrs Cream Soda *Barrs Limeade *Irn Bru *Irn Bru Sugar Free *Irn Bru Sugar Free *Irn Bru Wee Bru *Rockstar Original *Rockstar Punched Guava *Rubicon Passionfruit *Lipton Ice Tea Peach *Volvic Juiced Apple *Volvic Touch of Fruit Lemon & Lime

500ml 500ml 500ml 1ltr 500ml 250ml 500ml 500ml 600ml 275ml 275ml 440ml 500ml 500ml 600ml 330ml 600ml 330ml 500ml 330ml 500ml 330ml 500ml 330ml 500ml 330ml 500ml 500ml 500ml 500ml 500ml 500ml 500ml 500ml 750ml 500ml 1ltr 500ml 500ml 380ml 380ml 380ml 380ml 500ml 500ml 500ml 288ml 500ml 288ml 500ml 500ml 473ml 355ml 250ml 250ml 500ml 500ml 500ml 330ml 500ml 330ml 250ml 500ml 500ml 500ml 500ml 500ml 500ml

£1.11 £1.83 £1.10 £1.29 £0.95 £0.65 £1.25 £1.35 £1.09 £0.85 £0.85 £1.09 £0.99 £1.09 £1.09 £0.75 £1.19 £1.15 £1.20 £0.79 £1.20 £0.79 £1.20 £0.79 £1.15 £0.79 £1.15 £1.15 £1.59 £1.15 £1.15 £1.30 £1.59 £1.15 £0.85 £0.52 £0.91 £0.46 £0.84 £0.95 £0.95 £0.95 £0.95 £1.10 £1.10 £1.03 £0.65 £1.03 £0.65 £0.49 £0.50 £2.19 £1.89 £1.35 £1.35 £1.09 £0.79 £0.79 £0.76 £1.11 £0.76 £0.54 £1.83 £1.83 £1.10 £0.99 £1.19 £0.84

SOFT DRINKS – LIFESTYLE & LSV RANGE Apple Juice Orange Juice LSV Energy LSV Energy LSV Energy LSV Sugar Free LSV Glucose Cherry LSV Glucose Orange LSV Isotonic Mixed Berry

200ml 200ml 1ltr 500ml 250ml 250ml 380ml 380ml 500ml

£0.33 £0.33 £0.89 £0.69 £0.35 £0.35 £0.45 £0.45 £0.50

54 Retailer Matters

ISSUE 20 2013

ITEM

Your guide to the bestselling brand and Own-Brand products, along with suggested selling prices SIZE

RRSP

LSV Isotonic Orange LSV Isotonic Tropical Berry

500ml 500ml

£0.50 £0.50

SOFT DRINKS – AMBIENT Irn Bru Rubicon Mango J20 Orange & Passionfruit Diet Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi Max Robinsons NAS Blackcurrant & Apple Robinsons NAS Orange Coca Cola Diet Coke Dr Pepper Fanta Orange Schweppes Lemonade Schweppes Indian Tonic Water Schweppes Slimline Indian Tonic Water Volvic Volvic Touch of Fruit Strawberry Lucozade Energy Orange Lucozade Energy Original Ribena Blackcurrant Highland Spring Sparkling Vimto Cordial Vimto Fizzy *Irn Bru Sugar Free

2ltr 1ltr 4pk 2ltr 2ltr 2ltr 1ltr 1ltr 2ltr 2ltr 2ltr 2ltr 2ltr 1ltr 1ltr 1.5ltr 1.5ltr 1ltr 1ltr 600ml 1.5ltr 725ml 2ltr 2ltr

£2.31 £1.53 £3.69 £1.89 £1.89 £1.89 £1.49 £1.49 £2.25 £2.25 £2.09 £2.09 £1.59 £1.62 £1.62 £0.92 £1.35 £1.99 £1.99 £1.99 £0.99 £1.65 £1.75 £2.31

SOFT DRINKS – LIFESTYLE RANGE Apple Juice Cranberry Juice Orange Juice

1ltr 1ltr 1ltr

£0.95 £0.99 £1.09

BISCUITS Cadbury Milk Chocolate Fingers Jammie Dodgers Maryland Choc Chip Cookies Oreo Vanilla Roll KitKat Jacob’s Cream Crackers MCV Digestive MCV Ginger Nuts MCV Hobnobs MCV Jaffa Cakes MCV Milk Chocolate Digestives MCV Milk Chocolate Hobnobs MCV Plain Chocolate Digestives MCV Rich Tea Penguin Original Patersons Shortbread Fingers *Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer *Tunnock’s Teacakes

150g 150g 150g 154g 5pk 300g 300g 250g 300g 150g 300g 300g 300g 300g 6pk 150g 4pk 6pk

£1.39 £1.15 £0.99 £1.08 £1.00 £1.30 £1.19 £1.20 £1.36 £1.55 £2.49 £2.49 £2.49 £1.36 £1.19 £0.49 £0.79 £0.99

BISCUITS – LIFESTYLE RANGE Custard Creams

300g

£0.69

CRISPS & SNACKS Pringles Original Pringles Salt & Vinegar Pringles Sour Cream & Onion Pringles Texas BBQ Hula Hoops BBQ KP Dry Roasted Nuts KP Salted Nuts McCoy’s Cheddar & Onion McCoy’s Flamegrilled Steak McCoy’s Flamegrilled Steak McCoy’s Salt & Vinegar McVitie’s Mini Cheddars McVitie’s Mini Cheddars Space Raiders Beef Doritos Tangy Cheese Doritos Tangy Cheese Doritos Chilli Heatwave Doritos Chilli Heatwave Doritos Cool Original Doritos Hot Salsa Dip Doritos Mild Salsa Dip Frazzles Bacon

165g 165g 165g 165g Sharing 80g 90g Std Sharing Std Std Sharing Std Std Sharing Std Sharing Std Sharing 150g 150g Std

£2.49 £2.49 £2.49 £2.49 £1.00 £0.89 £0.89 £0.63 £1.00 £0.63 £0.63 £1.00 £0.63 £0.20 £1.00 £0.53 £1.00 £0.53 £1.00 £1.29 £1.29 £0.39

ITEM

SIZE

RRSP

Monster Munch Beef Monster Munch Pickled Onion Quavers Quavers Sensations Thai Sweet Chilli Squares Salt & Vinegar Walkers Cheese & Onion Walkers Cheese & Onion Walkers Cheese & Onion Walkers Deep Ridged Flamegrilled Steak Walkers Prawn Cocktail Walkers Ready Salted Walkers Ready Salted Walkers Salt & Vinegar Walkers Smoky Bacon Walkers Snaps Tomato Wotsits Mr Porky Pork Scratchings Transform-a-Snack BBQ *Walkers Pickled Onion *Walkers Tomato Ketchup *Golden Wonder Cheese & Onion

Sharing Std Sharing Std Sharing Std 6pk Sharing Std Std Std 6pk Std Std Std Std Std Clipstrip Std Std Std Std

£1.00 £0.85 £1.00 £0.53 £1.00 £0.53 £2.06 £1.00 £0.53 £0.85 £0.53 £2.06 £0.53 £0.53 £0.53 £0.39 £0.53 £0.80 £0.30 £0.53 £0.53 £0.51

SWEET SNACKS Kellogg’s Nutri-grain Strawberry Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Squares Mallow Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Squares Totally Chocolatey Kellogg’s Special K Biscuit Moments Strawberry Kellogg’s Special K Cereal Bar Tracker Bar Chocolate Chip Belvita Breakfast Milk & Cereal Biscuits Cadbury Brunch Bar Raisin Cadbury Snack Shortcake Lu Mikado Oreo Snack Pack Go Ahead Yoghurt Break Strawberry KP Milk Chocolate Dips MCV Galaxy Muffin MCV Medley Hobnob Alpen Strawberry & Yoghurt Bar

37g 28g 36g 25g 23g 37g 50g 35g 43g 39g 66g 35g 32g 86g 40g 29g

£0.50 £0.55 £0.55 £0.55 £0.55 £0.50 £0.55 £0.75 £0.49 £0.79 £0.55 £0.68 £0.59 £1.19 £0.55 £0.42

CONFECTIONERY – GIFTING Ferrero Rocher Celebrations Maltesers Milk Tray Heroes Roses Quality Street

T16 420g 120g 400g 350g 350g 400g

£4.49 £4.79 £1.73 £8.49 £4.59 £4.59 £4.38

CONFECTIONERY – SHARING Haribo Starmix Haribo Supermix Haribo Tangfastics Galaxy Counters Galaxy Minstrels Maltesers M&M’s Peanut Revels Galaxy Galaxy Caramel Cadbury Giant Buttons Cadbury Twirl Bites Bassett’s Jelly Babies Cadbury Eclairs Maynards Wine Gums CDM Caramel CDM Dairy Milk CDM Fruit & Nut CDM Wholenut Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles Aero Mint Milkybar Skittles

Large Bag Large Bag Large Bag Pouch Pouch Pouch Pouch Pouch Large Bar Large Bar Pouch Pouch Large Bag Large Bag Large Bag Large Bar Large Bar Large Bar Large Bar Large Bag Large Bar Large Bar Pouch

£1.00 £1.00 £1.00 £2.09 £2.09 £2.09 £2.09 £2.09 £1.39 £1.39 £2.13 £2.13 £1.52 £1.49 £1.52 £1.00 £1.00 £1.00 £1.00 £1.52 £1.00 £1.00 £1.28

CONFECTIONERY – CHOCOLATE Kinder Bueno Kinder Bueno White Kinder Surprise Bounty

Std Std Std Std

£0.65 £0.62 £0.75 £0.54

*Scotland only

ITEM Galaxy Galaxy Caramel Galaxy Minstrels Galaxy Ripple Maltesers Malteser Teasers Mars Mars Milkyway Stars M&M’s Peanut Snickers Snickers Twix Twix Boost Cadbury Buttons Cadbury Freddo Cadbury Freddo Caramel Cadbury Fudge CDM Caramel CDM Dairy Milk CDM Fruit & Nut Crunchie Daim Double Decker Flake Frys Turkish Delight Picnic Starbar Twirl Wispa Wispa Aero Mint Drifter KitKat KitKat Chunky Lion Bar Milkybar Milkybar Buttons Munchies Rolo Smarties Toffee Crisp Yorkie Yorkie Raisin & Biscuit

SIZE Std Std Std Std Std Std Duo Std Std Std Duo Std Xtra Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Duo Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std Std

RRSP £0.57 £0.57 £0.56 £0.57 £0.56 £0.59 £0.69 £0.51 £0.53 £0.56 £0.71 £0.51 £0.69 £0.51 £0.58 £0.52 £0.25 £0.25 £0.25 £0.61 £0.61 £0.61 £0.58 £0.58 £0.58 £0.61 £0.67 £0.58 £0.58 £0.61 £0.80 £0.61 £0.58 £0.53 £0.54 £0.54 £0.55 £0.47 £0.47 £0.70 £0.57 £0.47 £0.55 £0.56 £0.56

CONFECTIONERY – SUGAR Maynards Wine Gums Randoms Rowntrees Fruit Gums Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles Rowntrees Jelly Tots Skittles Starburst

Std Std Std Std Std Std Std

£0.47 £0.48 £0.48 £0.48 £0.48 £0.49 £0.49

CONFECTIONERY – MINTS & MEDICATED Tic Tac Mint Halls Soothers Blackcurrant Trebor Extra Strong Mints Trebor Softmints Peppermint Trebor Softmints Spearmint Polo Lockets Honey & Lemon

Std Std Std Std Std Std Std

£0.55 £0.67 £0.47 £0.47 £0.47 £0.47 £0.58

CONFECTIONERY – CHEWING GUM Airwaves Menthol Eucalyptus Airwaves Menthol Cherry Extra Cool Breeze Extra Ice White Extra Ice Peppermint Extra Ice Spearmint Extra Peppermint Handy Box Extra Peppermint Extra Spearmint Extra Strawberry

10’s 10’s 10’s 10’s 10’s 10’s 25’s 10’s 10’s 10’s

£0.45 £0.45 £0.40 £0.49 £0.49 £0.49 £1.00 £0.40 £0.40 £0.40

GROCERY – BREAKFAST CEREALS Kellogg’s Bran Flakes Kellogg’s Coco Pops Kellogg’s Cornflakes

500g 295g 500g

£2.19 £2.09 £2.19

ITEM Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut Cornflakes Kellogg’s Frosties Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Kellogg’s Special K Kellogg’s Variety Pack Nestle Multi Cheerios Nestle Shredded Wheat Nestle Shreddies Quaker Oats So Simple Golden Syrup Quaker Oats So Simple Original Alpen Weetabix Sugar Puffs

SIZE 375g 500g 340g 310g 8’s 375g 16’s 500g 8’s 10’s 375g 24’s 320g

GROCERY – HOT BEVERAGES Horlicks 300g Cadbury Drinking Chocolate 250g Cadbury Hot Chocolate 280g Carte Noir 100g Kenco De-Caf 100g Coffee Mate 200g Nescafe Cappuccino 10’s Nescafe Cappuccino Unsweetened 10’s Nescafe De-Caf 100g Nescafe Gold Blend 100g Nescafe Original 100g Nescafe Original 50g Nesquik Strawberry 300g Silverspoon Granulated Sugar 1kg Tetley De-Caf 40’s Tetley Green Tea 50’s Tetley Teabags 80’s Tetley Teabags 40’s Taylors Rich Italian 227g Yorkshire Tea 80’s PG Tips 80’s PG Tips 40’s Twinings Earl Grey 50’s *Scottish Blend 80’s *Nambarrie 80’s GROCERY – HOT BEVERAGES – LIFESTYLE RANGE GROCERY– HOT BEVERAGES – LIFESTYLE RANGE Teabags 80’s GROCERY – CANNED VEG, MEAT & FISH Heinz Baked Beans Heinz Baked Beans Heinz Baked Beans with Sausages Heinz Character Spaghetti - As Stocked Heinz Macaroni Cheese Heinz Ravioli Heinz Spaghetti Heinz Spaghetti Bolognese Heinz Spaghetti Hoops Heinz Spaghetti Hoops Heinz Spaghetti with Sausages John West Anchovies John West Mackerel Fillets in Tomato Sauce John West Sardines in Rich Tomato Sauce John West Tuna Light Lunch French John West Tuna Light Lunch Mediterranean John West Wild Pink Salmon Smash Original Smash Original Batchelors Bigga Marrowfat Peas Batchelors Mushy Peas Batchelors New Potatoes Batchelors Red Kidney Beans Branston Baked Beans Hunger Breaks All Day Breakfast Hunger Breaks The Full Monty Napolina Tomato Puree Princes Beef Paste Princes Chicken & Stuffing Paste Princes Corned Beef Princes Ham Princes 8 Hot Dogs Princes Red Salmon Princes Sliced Mushrooms Princes Stewed Steak

415g 200g 415g 205g 400g 410g 400g 400g 400g 205g 400g 50g 125g 120g 240g 240g 213g 176g 88g 300g 300g 540g 400g 415g 395g 395g 142g 75g 75g 340g 200g 400g 213g 300g 400g

RRSP £2.65 £2.39 £2.09 £2.69 £2.45 £2.29 £1.89 £2.29 £2.79 £2.79 £1.99 £2.59 £2.39

£1.99 £1.79 £2.09 £3.99 £3.79 £1.39 £3.00 £3.00 £3.39 £4.19 £3.29 £1.99 £2.09 £1.09 £1.59 £1.89 £2.45 £1.35 £3.65 £2.59 £2.51 £1.45 £2.99 £2.51 £2.29

£0.99

£0.69 £0.53 £1.07 £0.49 £1.07 £1.07 £0.60 £1.07 £0.60 £0.49 £1.07 £1.25 £1.55 £1.09 £2.49 £2.49 £2.49 £1.57 £0.99 £0.59 £0.65 £0.65 £1.09 £0.65 £1.85 £1.85 £1.25 £0.85 £0.85 £2.69 £1.39 £1.15 £2.99 £1.09 £3.59

ITEM

SIZE

Princes Tuna Chunks in Brine Princes Tuna Chunks in Sunflower Oil Princes Tuna & Mayonnaise Paste Green Giant Naturally Sweet NAS Sweetcorn Green Giant Original Niblets Sweetcorn Fray Bentos Chicken & Mushroom Pie Fray Bentos Meatballs in Gravy Fray Bentos Meatballs in Tomato Sauce Fray Bentos Steak & Kidney Pie Glenryck Pilchards in Tomato Sauce Spam Chopped Pork & Ham Tyne Beef Curry Tyne Chicken Curry Tyne Chilli Con Carne Tyne Irish Stew

160g 160g 75g 340g 198g 475g 410g 410g 475g 155g 200g 392g 392g 392g 392g

RRSP £1.55 £1.55 £0.85 £1.09 £0.87 £2.49 £0.95 £0.95 £2.49 £0.65 £1.85 £1.29 £1.29 £1.29 £1.29

GROCERY – CANNED VEG, MEAT & FISH – LIFESTYLE VALUE RANGE Baked Beans 400g £0.35 Tuna Flakes 185g £0.75 GROCERY – CANNED VEG, MEAT & FISH – LIFESTYLE RANGE Baked Beans 420g Carrots Sliced 300g Carrots Whole 300g Peas Garden 300g Peas Mushy 300g Peas Processed 300g Tomatoes Chopped 400g Tomatoes Peeled Plum 400g Tuna Chunks in Brine 185g

£0.55 £0.51 £0.55 £0.55 £0.41 £0.38 £0.55 £0.55 £1.35

GROCERY – SOUP Heinz Big Soup Beef & Vegetable Heinz Big Soup Chicken & Vegetable Heinz Chicken Soup Heinz Lentil Soup Heinz Minestrone Soup Heinz Mushroom Soup Heinz Oxtail Soup Heinz Tomato Soup Heinz Vegetable Soup Batchelors Cup a Soup Chicken Batchelors Cup A Soup Golden Vegetable Batchelors Cup a Soup Minestrone Batchelors Cup a Soup Tomato *Heinz Chicken Noodle *Heinz Scotch Broth *Baxters Chicken Broth *Baxters Lentil & Bacon *Baxters Minestrone *Baxters Scotch Broth

400g 400g 400g 400g 400g 400g 400g 400g 400g 4pk 4pk 4pk 4pk 400g 400g 415g 415g 415g 415g

£1.09 £1.09 £0.85 £0.85 £0.85 £0.85 £0.85 £0.85 £0.85 £1.75 £1.75 £1.75 £1.75 £0.85 £0.85 £1.25 £1.25 £1.25 £1.25

GROCERY – SAUCES & CONDIMENTS Amoy Dark Soy Sauce Heinz Salad Cream Heinz Tomato Ketchup HP Original Sauce HP Classic BBQ Sauce Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce Dolmio Bolognese Extra Mushroom Dolmio Bolognese Extra Onion & Garlic Dolmio Bolognese Original Dolmio Creamy Tomato Pasta Bake Uncle Ben’s Express Basmati Rice Uncle Ben’s Express Egg Fried Rice Uncle Ben’s Express Long Grain Rice Uncle Ben’s Medium Chilli Sauce Uncle Ben’s Original Sweet & Sour Sauce Batchelors Pasta’n’Sauce Chicken & Mushroom Batchelors Savoury Rice Golden Batchelors Super Noodles BBQ Beef Batchelors Super Noodles Chicken Bisto Chicken Gravy Granules Bisto Gravy Granules Homepride Curry Oxo Cubes - Beef Paxo Sage & Onion Stuffing Sharwood’s Green Label Mango Chutney Sharwood’s Korma Sauce Sharwood’s Rogan Josh Sauce

150ml 460g 460g 255g 425g 150ml 500g 500g 500g 500g 250g 250g 250g 500g 500g 122g 120g 100g 100g 170g 170g 500g 12’s 85g 227g 420g 420g

£1.29 £2.09 £1.89 £0.85 £1.59 £1.25 £2.35 £2.35 £2.35 £2.09 £1.70 £1.70 £1.70 £1.85 £1.85 £1.49 £1.09 £0.86 £0.86 £1.55 £1.55 £1.59 £1.39 £0.69 £1.69 £1.85 £1.85

ISSUE 20 2013

Retailer Matters 55

core range *Scotland only

ITEM Sharwood’s Tikka Masala Sauce Colman’s Bramley Apple Sauce Colman’s Cheddar Cheese Sauce Mix Colman’s Classic Mint Sauce Colman’s English Mustard Colman’s Sausage Casserole Mix Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Light Knorr Chicken Stock Cubes Pot Noodle Chicken & Mushroom Pot Noodle Curry Baxters Sliced Beetroot Branston Original Pickle Branston Small Chunk Pickle Chicken Tonight Honey & Mustard Chicken Tonight Spanish Chicken Haywards Traditional Onions Oceanspray Cranberry Sauce Old El Paso Fajitas Dinner Kit Sarsons Malt Vinegar Tilda Basmati Rice

SIZE 420g 250ml 40g 250ml 100g 40g 400g 400g 8’s 90g 90g 340g 360g 360g 500g 500g 454g 190g Kit 250ml 500g

RRSP £1.85 £1.29 £0.75 £1.29 £0.99 £0.99 £2.12 £2.12 £1.59 £1.10 £1.10 £0.99 £1.69 £1.69 £1.99 £1.99 £1.99 £1.25 £3.49 £0.85 £2.49

GROCERY – SAUCES & CONDIMENTS – LIFESTYLE RANGE Pasta Quills 500g Salt 750g Spaghetti 500g Sunflower Oil 1ltr Vegetable Oil 1ltr

£0.65 £0.55 £0.65 £1.69 £1.59

GROCERY – HOMEBAKE Nutella Carnation Evaporated Milk Ambrosia Creamed Rice Ambrosia Devon Custard Pot Ambrosia Devon Custard Angel Delight Strawberry McDougalls Plain Flour McDougalls Self Raising Flour Marmite Yeast Extract Del Monte Fruit Cocktail in Juice Del Monte Peach Slices in Juice Del Monte Sliced Pineapple in Juice Hartley’s Best Apricot Jam Hartley’s Best Raspberry Seedless Jam Hartley’s Best Strawberry Jam Hartley’s Strawberry Jelly Block Robertson’s Golden Shred Marmalade Rowse Honey Pure & Natural Clear Squeezable Sunpat Peanut Butter Crunchy

400g 410g 425g 150g 425g 59g 1.5kg 1.5kg 125g 415g 415g 432g 340g 340g 340g 135g 454g 340g 227g

£2.19 £0.85 £1.19 £0.67 £1.15 £0.79 £1.85 £1.85 £1.55 £1.09 £1.09 £1.09 £1.75 £1.75 £1.75 £0.85 £1.89 £2.79 £1.75

GROCERY – BABY Farley’s Original Rusks Heinz Country Veggies & Chicken Heinz Egg Custard with Rice Heinz Mums Creamed Porridge Heinz Mums Cottage Pie Heinz Mums Sweet Potato & Mince Heinz Rice Pudding Heinz Sunday Beef Dinner Huggies Pure Baby Wipes Pampers Baby Dry Size 3 Pampers Baby Dry Size 4 Pampers Baby Dry Size 4+ Pampers Baby Dry Size 5 Pampers Baby Dry Size 6 Sudocrem J&J Baby Bath J&J Baby Lotion J&J Baby Oil J&J Baby Powder J&J Baby Shampoo SMA Gold RTU SMA White RTU

150g 128g 128g 128g 200g 128g 128g 128g 64’s 22’s 20’s 18’s 16’s 17’s 60g 200ml 200ml 200ml 100g 200ml 250ml 250ml

£1.49 £0.49 £0.49 £0.65 £0.85 £0.65 £0.49 £0.49 £2.49 £4.49 £4.49 £4.49 £4.49 £4.49 £2.32 £1.19 £1.49 £1.29 £1.00 £1.19 £0.56 £0.56

PET CARE – DOG Cesar Turkey & Lamb Pedigree Dentastix Pedigree Jumbone Pedigree Original Pedigree Original

150g 7’s 2’s 1.2kg 400g

£0.85 £2.03 £1.88 £1.79 £0.68

ITEM

SIZE

RRSP

Pedigree Schmackos Beef Bakers Complete Beef & Veg Winalot Chicken Winalot Chicken

10’s 1.5kg 400g 1.2kg

£1.00 £3.99 £0.65 £1.49

PET CARE – LIFESTYLE VALUE RANGE Dog Food Superchunks Beef

1.2kg

£0.99

PET CARE – CAT Sheba Turkey & Chicken Thomas Cat Litter Whiskas Chicken Whiskas Chicken Pouch Whiskas Pouch Fishermans Choice Whiskas Pouch Poultry Whiskas Salmon Whiskas Temptations Chicken & Cheese Felix As Good As It Looks Ocean Feast Felix Chicken Felix Pouch Mixed Favourites Felix Tuna Pouch Go Cat Complete Duck, Rabbit & Chicken Go Cat Complete Tuna, Herring & Veg

150g 5ltr 390g 100g 12 x 100g 12 x 100g 390g 60g 12 x 100g 400g 12 x 100g 100g 375g 375g

£0.60 £2.65 £0.76 £0.40 £4.21 £4.21 £0.76 £1.38 £5.06 £0.70 £4.09 £0.48 £1.35 £1.35

PERSONAL CARE – TOILETRIES Gillette Blue II Fixed Disposable Razors Gillette Shave Gel Sensitive Head & Shoulders Shampoo Classic Clean Pantene Shampoo Smooth & Sleek Silvikrin Hairspray Firm Dove Cream Bar Lynx Bodyspray Africa Lynx Showergel Africa Sure APA Active for Men Sure APD Crystal Clear Aqua Carex Handwash Original Colgate Toothbrush Twister Colgate Toothpaste UCP Radox Showergel Fresh Moisture VO5 Mega Hold Gel

5’s 200ml 250ml 250ml 250ml 100g 150ml 250ml 150ml 150ml 250ml Single 100ml 250ml 200ml

£2.06 £1.99 £2.99 £2.79 £1.96 £0.59 £3.25 £2.54 £2.61 £2.49 £1.63 £1.00 £1.00 £2.59 £2.80

PERSONAL CARE – FEMININE HYGIENE Kotex Maxi Pad Normal Always Ultra Long Plus Always Ultra Night Always Ultra Normal Always Ultra Normal Plus Tampax Regular Tampax Super Bodyform Ultra Normal with Wings Lil-Lets Super

16’s 12’s 10’s 16’s 14’s 20’s 20’s 14’s 10’s

£1.15 £2.29 £2.29 £2.29 £2.29 £2.29 £2.29 £1.49 £1.60

PAPER Andrex Natural Andrex Natural Andrex Quilts White Andrex White Andrex White Fiesta Kitchen Roll White Kleenex Balsam Pocket Tissues Kleenex Balsam Regular Kleenex for Men

4 Roll 2 Roll 4 Roll 4 Roll 2 Roll 2 Roll 9’s 90’s 100’s

£2.82 £1.61 £2.85 £2.82 £1.61 £1.39 £0.43 £1.99 £2.34

PAPER – LIFESTYLE VALUE RANGE Facial Tissues Toilet Tissue White

120’s 4 Roll

£0.59 £0.79

PAPER – LIFESTYLE RANGE Kitchen Roll White Softest Toilet Tissue White Softest Toilet Tissue White

2 Roll 4 Roll 2 Roll

£1.19 £1.85 £0.99

NON FOOD – LAUNDRY Ariel Biological Ariel Excel Gel Bio Ariel Liquitab Biological Bold 2 in 1 Crystal Rain Daz Auto Regular Lenor Concentrated Spring Awakening Comfort Fabric Conditioner Original Blue

800g 592ml 11’s 800g 680g 750ml 750ml

£4.29 £4.59 £4.59 £3.99 £2.97 £2.13 £2.73

ITEM

SIZE

Comfort Fabric Conditioner Pure Persil Capsules Non Bio Persil Non Bio Persil Small & Mighty Liquid Non Bio Surf Small & Mighty Liquid Tropical Surf Tropical

750ml 10’s 850g 630ml 630ml 800g

RRSP £2.73 £3.49 £3.99 £4.41 £2.99 £2.63

NON FOOD – LAUNDRY – LIFESTYLE VALUE RANGE Auto Washing Powder 780g

£0.99

NON FOOD – LAUNDRY – LIFESTYLE RANGE Conc Fabric Conditioner Jasmine & Sandalwood

750ml

£0.99

NON FOOD – HOUSEHOLD Fairy Wash Up Lemon Fairy Wash Up Original Febreeze Airspray Cotton Fresh Flashguard All Purpose Liquid Lemon Flashguard Bathroom Spray Flashguard Spray with Bleach Flash Wipes Lemon Cif Cream Lemon Domestos Original Bleach Bloo Acticlean Original Dettol Surface Trigger Duck Liquid Fresh Finish All in 1 Mr Muscle Lemon Kitchen Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner Mr Muscle Sink & Plug Unblocker Mr Muscle Window Mr Sheen Original Shake ‘n’ Vac Citrus Blossom Vanish Carpet Powershot Vanish Oxi-Action Multi

433ml 433ml 300ml 500ml 500ml 500ml 40’s 500ml 750ml Twin 500ml 750ml 13’s 500ml 300ml 500ml 500ml 300ml 500g 600ml 500g

£1.51 £1.51 £2.99 £1.20 £2.25 £2.25 £1.00 £2.34 £1.17 £1.15 £2.03 £1.45 £3.99 £2.24 £2.59 £3.95 £1.99 £1.11 £1.15 £4.50 £4.59

NON FOOD – HOUSEHOLD – LIFESTYLE RANGE Clingfilm 300mm Disinfectant Firelighters Heavy Duty Refuse Sacks Kitchen Foil 300mm Press ‘n’ Seal Sandwich Bags Thick Bleach Original Wash Up Liquid Original

10m 500ml 14’s 10’s 5m 50’s 750ml 500ml

£0.55 £0.69 £0.80 £1.00 £0.69 £1.09 £0.79 £0.89

TOBACCO – CIGARETTES JPS Blue KS JPS Blue KS Lambert & Butler KS Lambert & Butler KS Richmond KS Richmond SK Windsor Blue KS Windsor Blue SK Mayfair KS Sterling KS Sterling SK Sterling SK

20’s 10’s 20’s 10’s 20’s 20’s 20’s 20’s 20’s 20’s 20’s 10’s

£6.61 £3.39 £7.45 £3.83 £7.11 £7.18 £6.61 £6.66 £7.36 £6.86 £6.91 £3.55

CIGARETTES – NO3 (OWN BRAND) RANGE No3 KS No3 KS No3 SK No3 SK

20’s 10’s 20’s 10’s

£6.25 £3.19 £6.31 £3.20

CIGARS Classic Hamlet Hamlet Miniatures Café Crème Café Crème Blue

5’s 5’s 10’s 10’s 10’s

£4.81 £4.55 £4.30 £4.77 £4.77

TOBACCO Golden Virginia Golden Virginia Amber Leaf Amber Leaf Gold Leaf

12.5g 25g 25g 12.5g 12.5g

£4.32 £8.42 £7.93 £4.06 £3.77

ISSUE 20 2013

Retailer Matters 57

core range *Scotland only

ITEM

SIZE

RRSP

BEER Budweiser Bottle Budweiser Can Stella Artois Bottle Stella Artois Bottle Stella Artois Pint Can Stella Artois Can Stella Artois Can Tennents Super Can Carlsberg Can Carlsberg Can Carlsberg Export Bottle Carlsberg Special Brew Can San Miguel Bottle Skol Can Guinness Draught Can Desperados Bottle Fosters Gold Bottle Fosters Pint Can Fosters Can Fosters Can John Smiths Extra Smooth Can Kronenbourg 1664 Can Newcastle Brown Ale Peroni Bottle Peroni Bottle Tyskie Can Carling Pint Can Carling Can Carling Can Carling Zest Bottle Cobra Bottle Coors Light Can Corona Bottle Grolsch Bottle Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer Old Speckled Hen Red Stripe Can *McEwan’s Export Can *Tennent’s Pint Can *Tennent’s Can *Tennent’s Can *Tennent’s Special Ale Can *Miller Genuine Draft Bottle

6pk 4pk 660ml 6pk 4pk 4pk 8pk 4pk 4pk 8pk 6pk 4pk 4pk 8pk 4pk 350ml 6pk 4pk 4pk 8pk 4pk 4pk 550ml 4pk 660ml 4pk 4pk 4pk 8pk 4pk 4pk 4pk 6pk 4pk 500ml 500ml 4pk 4pk 4pk 4pk 8pk 4pk 6pk

£6.49 £6.25 £2.25 £5.49 £6.79 £5.79 £8.99 £8.99 £4.50 £7.50 £5.00 £9.20 £4.59 £5.00 £6.36 £1.89 £5.79 £5.29 £4.49 £8.29 £4.49 £5.50 £2.25 £5.76 £2.67 £6.36 £5.29 £4.49 £7.79 £3.49 £4.99 £5.99 £9.19 £4.99 £2.39 £2.25 £4.99 £5.56 £6.68 £4.50 £8.29 £5.20 £7.74

CIDER Stella Cidre Bulmers No.17 Bulmers Original Bulmers Pear Jacques Fruit des Bois Scrumpy Jack Strongbow Strongbow Strongbow Pear Magners Original Magners Original Can Magners Pear Carling Cider Merrydown Dry Merrydown Medium Crumpton Oaks Frosty Jacks Koppaberg Mixed Fruit

568ml 568ml 568ml 568ml 750ml 4pk 4pk 2ltr 4pk 568ml 4pk 568ml 500ml 750ml 750ml 2ltr 2ltr 500ml

£2.15 £2.19 £2.01 £2.01 £5.40 £5.40 £4.25 £3.79 £4.49 £2.09 £6.25 £2.09 £1.89 £2.80 £2.80 £3.49 £3.87 £2.55

CIDER – ERIDGE VALE & WHITE STORM (OWN BRAND) RANGE Eridge Vale 2ltr White Storm 2ltr White Storm 1ltr White Storm 500ml WINE – WHITE Echo Falls Chardonnay Echo Falls Pinot Grigio Echo Falls White Hardys VR Chardonnay Hardys VR Pinot Grigio Kumala Cape Classics White Stowells Chenin Blanc Turner Road Chardonnay-Pinot Grigio

58 Retailer Matters

75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl

ISSUE 20 2013

£2.79 £2.99 £1.69 £0.99

£6.99 £6.99 £6.99 £7.39 £7.39 £6.09 £7.39 £6.09

ITEM Casillero Del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc Isla Negra White Barefoot Pinot Grigio Gallo Pinot Grigio Gallo Sauvignon Blanc Blossom Hill Chardonnay Blossom Hill White Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay Jacob’s Creek Semillon Chardonnay Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay Wolf Blass Yellow Label Chardonnay Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc

SIZE 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl

RRSP £7.99 £5.99 £6.79 £6.99 £6.99 £6.75 £5.99 £8.05 £8.05 £8.49 £9.29 £10.99

WINE – VINTNERS COLLECTION (OWN BRAND) RANGE Vintners Australian Chardonnay 75cl Vintners Californian Chardonnay 75cl Vintners Californian White 75cl Vintners Chilean Sauvignon Blanc 75cl Vintners Italian Pinot Grigio 75cl

£5.49 £5.49 £4.99 £5.49 £5.59

WINE – PREMIUM OWN BRAND The Narrows New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

75cl

£6.79

WINE – RED Echo Falls Cabernet Sauvignon Echo Falls Merlot Echo Falls Red Hardys VR Cabernet Sauvignon Hardys VR Merlot Hardys VR Shiraz Kumala Cape Classics Red Stamp Shiraz Cabernet Stowells Tempranillo Turner Road Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Casillero Del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon Isla Negra Red Gallo Cabernet Sauvignon Blossom Hill Red Campo Viejo Crianza Jacob’s Creek Grenache Shiraz Jacob’s Creek Shiraz Cabernet Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon Wolf Blass Yellow Label Shiraz

75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl

£6.99 £6.99 £6.99 £7.39 £7.39 £7.39 £6.09 £7.79 £7.39 £6.09 £7.99 £5.99 £6.99 £5.99 £8.69 £8.05 £8.05 £8.49 £9.49 £9.49

WINE – VINTNERS COLLECTION (OWN BRAND) RANGE Vintners Australian Shiraz 75cl Vintners Californian Merlot 75cl Vintners Californian Red 75cl

£5.49 £5.49 £4.99

WINE – PREMIUM OWN BRAND Don Fabian Spanish

£5.49

WINE – ROSÉ Echo Falls Rosé Echo Falls White Zinfandel Stowells Merlot Rosé Barefoot White Zinfandel Gallo White Zinfandel Gallo White Grenache Blossom Hill White Zinfandel Jacob’s Creek Shiraz Rosé

75cl

75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl

WINE – VINTNERS COLLECTION (OWN BRAND) RANGE Vintners Californian White Zinfandel 75cl

£6.99 £6.99 £7.39 £6.79 £6.99 £6.99 £6.75 £8.05

£5.49

WINE – SPARKLING Asti Martini Jacob’s Creek Sparkling White

75cl 75cl

£9.99 £10.39

WINE – PREMIUM OWN BRAND Prosecco Santa Loretta

75cl

£7.99

WINE – FORTIFIED WINE Stone’s Ginger Wine Martini Bianco Martini Extra Dry Harveys Bristol Cream Cockburn’s Fine Ruby Port Croft Original

70cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl 75cl

£7.49 £9.49 £9.49 £11.49 £11.99 £12.99

ITEM

SIZE

RRSP

QC Cream QC Medium Taylor’s Select Port

70cl 70cl 75cl

£5.49 £5.49 £12.45

WINE – SPARKLING PERRY Lambrini Lambrini Lambrini Cherry

1.5ltr 75cl 75cl

£3.59 £1.79 £2.89

WINE – BELLARINI (OWN BRAND) RANGE Bellarini Bellarini

1.5ltr 75cl

£2.39 £1.35

SPIRITS & ARTD’S – SPIRITS Bacardi Jack Daniels Jack Daniels Southern Comfort Baileys Bell’s Whisky Bell’s Whisky Captain Morgan Captain Morgan Spiced Gordon’s Gin Gordon’s Gin Smirnoff Smirnoff Disaronno Glenfiddich Three Barrels Brandy Tia Maria Courvoisier Sourz Apple The Famous Grouse The Famous Grouse Jameson Malibu Russian Standard Glen’s Vodka Glen’s Vodka Glen’s Vodka Jagermeister *Bacardi *Drambuie *OVD Rum *OVD Rum *The Famous Grouse *Martell *Isle of Jura *Whyte & Mackay *Whyte & Mackay

70cl 70cl 35cl 70cl 70cl 70cl 35cl 70cl 70cl 70cl 35cl 70cl 35cl 50cl 70cl 70cl 70cl 70cl 70cl 70cl 35cl 70cl 70cl 70cl 70cl 35cl 20cl 70cl 35cl 70cl 70cl 35cl 20cl 70cl 70cl 70cl 35cl

£18.49 £23.99 £13.99 £19.99 £15.49 £17.49 £9.79 £17.49 £16.99 £16.45 £9.49 £15.99 £8.99 £14.59 £33.99 £17.19 £15.39 £25.70 £13.45 £16.59 £9.39 £21.95 £14.99 £16.30 £11.49 £6.59 £3.99 £22.45 £8.75 £27.10 £17.29 £9.65 £5.75 £26.49 £32.99 £16.50 £9.45

SPIRITS & ARTD’S – PRINCE CONSORT (OWN BRAND) RANGE Prince Consort Brandy 70cl Prince Consort Brandy 35cl Prince Consort Gin 70cl Prince Consort Vodka 70cl Prince Consort Vodka 35cl Prince Consort Whisky 70cl Prince Consort Whisky 35cl

£11.79 £7.29 £11.49 £10.99 £6.79 £12.49 £7.79

ARTD’S Jack Daniels & Cola Gordon’s Gin & Tonic Smirnoff Ice Smirnoff Ice Smirnoff & Cola Smirnoff & Cranberry WKD Blue WKD Blue WKD Iron Brew *Bacardi Breezer Orange *Morgans Spiced & Cola *WKD Red

330ml 250ml 70cl 4 x 275ml 250ml 250ml 70cl 4 x 275ml 70cl 70cl 250ml 70cl

£2.55 £2.09 £3.75 £4.59 £2.09 £2.09 £3.59 £6.05 £3.59 £2.99 £2.09 £3.49

LIGHT SPIRITS (OWN BRAND) RANGE V*dgrad V*dgrad

70cl 35cl

£5.59 £2.99

All RRSPs listed are correct at the time of going to press, November 2013. We must stress that this is a recommended guide to pricing and you must use this guide in conjunction with your knowledge of your Store and your Customer base. E&OE.

V V H F F X V The secrets of my

Retailer Matters goes behind the scenes in a busy Store to discover the tools of the trade

This issue, meet Retailer Kamar Bhella who owns Broadway Wine Lodge in Featherstone, Wolverhampton When did you start out as a Retailer?

I already had several successful businesses and had never considered going into retail, but my nephew owned the Store, so I got to know the business a little more. It struck me that I could really make a success of it, so I took it on in 2005 and have never looked back.

Q

Why did you join Lifestyle Express?

I was previously with another fascia group, but I didn’t really like how things worked there. They would offer all kinds of promotions, but when you tried to take them up, they were always out of stock and so I couldn’t pass those savings on to my Customers. I joined Lifestyle Express in 2009 and it has been a brilliant decision.

Above left: With its great range of sweets, Kamar’s Store is popular with shoppers of all ages; above: Kamar and his team

As soon as I started talking to Adrian Nicholls, Blakemore’s Key Account Manager, I could tell that he was full of great ideas and once I’d put them into place, I saw my takings soar.

Q

What is your unique selling point?

In tight financial times like this, people are really struggling and they rely on Stores

ISSUE 20 2013

Retailer Matters 63

W

Q

feature Your Store

Y AND YOUR STORE YOU IIN THE SPOTLIGHT

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a busy Store at all times of the day, but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always time for a chat with Customers

Q Describe your Store in three w words:

&RPSDFW FRPSHWLWLYH DQG & SSRSXODU Q Describe yourself in three words: Q

(QHUJHWLF UHVSRQVLYH ( D DQG IRFXVHG Q Q What is your b bestselling p product:

7KUHH SDFNV 7 RRI FKLOGUHQ¡V VVZHHWV IRU Â&#x2026; Â&#x2026; Â&#x2026;

I made some big changes on their aadvice and it has led to a dramatic increase in my sales. in like ours to give them great value. To do that, I try to stay one step ahead of the competition, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m always offering great deals and have created a promotions aisle as soon as you walk into the shop. Customers even ask me what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be offering next.

Q

What has been a recent success for you?

We have a dedicated childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s section, which weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve tried to make different to everything else local children can buy in other Stores, and it has really paid off. We offer the usual chocolate and crisps, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve extended our range to include more unusual sweets and treats, such as sugar-coated butterflies, and it has made us the most popular Store for children and their parents.

Q

Q

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I h have created t d a promotions ti aisle i l as soon as you walk into the shop.

Customers even ask me what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be offering next.â&#x20AC;?

How do you spread the word?

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the only Store in the area that delivers newspapers in the evening and we insert flyers into those deliveries. We also have leaflets available at the tills and I get my staff to pop one into Customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; shopping bags for them to take home too.

Q

What kind of promotions do you take advantage of?

I offer as many promotions as I possibly can.

In addition to the usual ones, I also talk to the managers of the Landmark Wholesale Member Depots about any stock they have with short shelf life, and I negotiate a better price. I then run additional promotions and pass on savings to my Customers. My margins stay high, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m giving something back.

For me, it has been investing in the Fo St Store, even when times are difficult.

With the help of Adrian, I took a W two-tier approach: initially replacing tw the counter, shelving and lighting, and then later I extended the fresh food counter and reordered the space foo around the Store. Thanks to Adrian, aro I managed m to add in 71 items and the money I invested has been repaid mon several times over.

Q

Any tips for other Retailers?

Look at your budget and see if you can afford to invest in your Store. By making some changes, big or small, you can really reap the benefits and your Customers will recognise that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing your best for them. And remember the basics: keep your shelves fully stocked and make sure your Store always looks immaculate.

Q

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S THE SECRET TO YOUR SUCCESS?

Q

What is the best thing about being part of the Lifestyle Express group?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being able to tap into their expertise. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the professionals and they really know their business.

64 Retailer Matters

ISSUE 20 2013

What is the best business decision youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made?

Get in touch and share your story

retailermatters@ summersault.co.uk

What are your plans for the future?

Yet another mini makeover for the Store â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this time tackling the cakes and biscuits aisle. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy to take any advice Adrian gives, as his suggestions have been brilliant so far.

Q

Final words?

My role is to service Customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; requirements. If you do that, shoppers will keep coming back and your profits will benefit.

inbox

Get in touch at… retailermatters@summersault.co.uk or call 01926 319982

Fulfilling your Store’s true potential Several of you have been in touch asking what other tricks of the trade there are to wow Customers and make a great first impression. Here are our suggestions for the best finishing touches uches BASKET CASE

LOOK THE PARTT

As you’ll have read on page 35, baskets should be an essential part of your Store. Without them, you’re instantly restricting the amount of shopping your Customers can handle, and limiting the amount they spend. By introducing baskets, you’ll provide Customers with a more pleasant shopping experience and also help them to improve your bottom line.

Kit out your staff ff with a branded how Customers that uniform and show iness. Whether you you mean business. hirts, sweatshirts, choose polo shirts, a formal shirtt or an apron, your staff will lookk smart and professional,, and it will raise your xt level.

Store to the next

TALK, T

ALK, TALK The most improve th important thing yo u can do to e look, layo Store is ta ut and pro lk to your fitability o Retail Dev have the ex f your elopment perience an Manager.

Store, and d expertise RDMs will listen to g et the best o and work and secure ut of your with you your futu to develop re. base and your busi help you id They will look care ness fully at yo entify imp as ATM, cr ur Custom rovements edit and d er o r o eb p portunitie it paymen with you, ts or food s, such they will as -t o -g se o . ss need and By workin any equip check out g ment that the comp you may makes yo etition to ur Store u id en ti fy nique, an what d then hel to shout ab p you out it.

WIPE YOUR FEET On a rainy day, have you got anything for shoppers to dry their feet on as they come in? Wet, muddy footprints not only look awful, but can present a health and safety nightmare. Create a professional impression by having mats branded with the Lifestyle Express logo.

EMBRACE TECHNOLOGIES

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER DEALS AVAILABLE TO BUY, SEE THE LIFESTYLE STORE SERVICES BROCHURE

66 Retailer Matters

ISSUE 20 2013

Whether it’s investing in new eco-friendly chillers with doors and timers (like Bobby and Raj on page 42) or splashing out on a new Epos System, you’ll reap the rewards. These new innovativee technologies can save you moneyy and help you stay in control of your our margins, stock levels and promotions. ions.