Shake up sales with the first Londis Cocktail Festival!
Londis stores triumph at industry awards.
Vol 37 Issue 4
July-August 2024
9
CMA PRICING UPDATE
Avoid fines and read the CMA’s new guide on pricing practices.
11 LONDIS WINS BIG
Londis stores have triumphed at a number of high-profile industry awards.
13 COMMUNITY NEWS
The latest roundup of community news from Londis stores.
21 GROCERYAID UPDATE
Requests for GroceryAid support up 93%, 2023/24 Impact Report reveals.
24 WINNING CONCEPT
Dennis Silva’s new Londis concept store is making waves in Eastbourne.
30 BRIGHT BEGINNINGS
The future is looking bright for Jyoti and Jiten Rathod.
36 ALL FIRED UP
Get ready to make the most of the summer BBQ opportunity.
30
Fresh Start
New retailers Jyoti and Jiten are reaping bountiful refit rewards.
36
Smoking hot
Get set for the summer BBQ opportunity.
43 WIN THIS WINTER
Retailers are anticipating hot winter sales thanks to the Winter Pre-Sell.
49 NEW PRODUCT ROUNDUP
A roundup of some of the top new products available to Londis retailers now.
53 SAY HELLO TO...
Isabel Mulligan, Category Manager Designate BWS. I
63 CLASS ACT
The Back To School period offers a great opportunity to shine up sales and profits.
69 COCKTAIL FESTIVAL
Shake up your sales with Londis’ first ever Cocktail Festival.
75 ACS VIEWPOINT
What the new Labour government could mean for stores.
24
Making
waves
Dennis Silva’s new Londis Concept store is a seaside success story.
43
Winter
winners
The Winter Pre-Sell will help retailers enjoy merry sales and profits.
Booker Retail Partners
Tel: 0870 050 0158
Opening hours: 8am–5:30pm Monday to Friday
IT and Customer Services
Opening hours:
For customer services: 6am–9pm (Monday to Friday)
For IT: 7am–9pm (Monday to Friday)
Email: For customer services: londis.claims@bookerretail.co.uk or enquiries@londis.co.uk
Helpdesk: 0800 298 0758
Londis News team: Email: londisnews@ londis.co.uk
Welcome to our August issue of Londis News!
Plenty of chances
to profit
The months ahead are filled with opportunities for Londis retailers to grow their footfall, sales and profits.
A very warm welcome to the latest issue of Londis News as we continue through the key summer months and embrace a new array of opportunities to grow footfall, sales and profits.
It’s been a great start to the summer with the Euro Finals helping to drive sales all the way through to the Final. The great news is that there are plenty more opportunities around the corner, including the Olympic Games which kick off at the end of July.
Despite the patchy weather, there are sure to be some good periods, and catering for BBQs and outdoor dining is always a good way to grow sales and profits. You’ll find a great feature inside helping you to do just that –and Londis has everything you need to unlock the BBQ occasion.
We know too that cocktails continue to grow in importance for shoppers with more people than ever keen to replicate the bar experience at home. Londis’ Cocktail Festival delivers everything you need to capitalise on this new opportunity as well as helping your shoppers make more of a night in with family and friends.
And, before long, it will be time for children and young adults to return to school, college and university, once more opening up an annual opportunity to drive sales.
I would also urge you to read the two customer profiles in this issue. There is so much to learn from fellow Londis retailers and you might pick up an idea or two that might work in your store.
And, as always, you’ll find the usual mix of news, views, NPD, insight and advice that makes Londis News required reading for Londis retailers.
We believe that we have put together a fantastic support package for Londis retailers this summer and we really do want you to make this a summer to remember. I wish you all fantastic trading.
Look forward to seeing you in-store!
Stewart Fenn Sales Director, Booker Retail Partners
from around the Londis Family...
CMA Pricing Practices Update
The Competition and Markets Authority recently completed an investigation into pricing practices and has issued official correspondence to independent retailers.
You may have seen recent press coverage about consumer pricing in symbol and convenience stores. This is a result of an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) working alongside Trading Standards.
The CMA found a number of examples of poor and misleading pricing in some symbol/convenience stores. No stores were named but the CMA is clearly concerned and are expecting Trading Standards to take particular interest in the way pricing is displayed and communicated to shoppers.
We need to let you know about this because the CMA have the power to issue fines and in the worst cases bring criminal prosecutions.
Trading Standards also has wide ranging powers to issue fines. We very much want you as our retailers to be up to speed and not accidentally running into problems like that.
The CMA has produced a guide for retailers which you can find on the Government website, detailed below. We would please request that you, as the business owner, read the guide.
It is really important that you ensure that all of your staff and colleagues in your business also see it, read it and understand it and that new staff are fully trained. It’s very likely that the CMA will come back to this subject in a few months to see if things have improved.
Part of the strength of the Londis brand is the great standard of in-store operations by retailers.
We thank you for reading this and taking action where it might be needed.
CMA ADVICE SUMMARY
You must clearly display the total selling price in writing. It should be obvious to your customers what the price is, without them having to get help from a member of staff.
1. Prices should:
l be clearly displayed
l be easy to read
l be close to the relevant product; and
l match what the customer is charged at the till.
2. Price information must be provided:
l prices must be displayed in all areas of the shop
l do not hide prices behind other products or labels.
3. Do not display different prices for the same product:
l labels for PMP products should match the price-mark.
4. You must match the price to what you charge at the till:
l when increasing prices, make sure the shelf edge labels have been changed before the price increases at the till.
5. Do not display the wrong price label next to a product:
l the price label should be next to the correct product.
Londis retailer scoops prestigious prizes at The Fed Awards 2024
More than 400 people attended The Fed Awards 2024 which highlighted outstanding retail achievements.
Londis Solo Convenience Store in Glasgow claimed a duo of high-profile accolades at The Fed Awards 2024.
Held at the Birmingham Metropole on 18 June, The Fed Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in independent retailing.
Store owner Natalie Lightfoot was awarded the prize for Best Use of Social Media.
Judges said: “Natalie has a real understanding of all social media platforms and how to use each effectively to grow and engage with her audience. “She uses the store’s social media presence to introduce new products, promote offers and create demand and a real buzz.”
Natalie was also crowned Community Champion of the Year. Judges said that Natalie demonstrated an outstanding commitment to her local community as well as having raised “valuable funds for
a wide number of local charities, holding events and promoting them on the store’s Facebook page, which has over 5,600 followers”.
Unfortunately, Natalie was unable to attend the ceremony due to illness, so the two awards were collected by her husband, Martin, who said: “Winning one award would have been great, but to win two is a great honour and a privilege.
“The two awards are not for selling products, they are for providing services. The social media side can attract customers who may otherwise walk past the shop and gives people a great chance to see what we can offer.”
Booker Wholesale also scored a prestigious win, when it was crowned Wholesaler of the Year. Judges said that Booker Wholesale “was selected for the unrivalled support it provides to independent retailers and its own symbol group members”.
Londis St Michael�s Services wins big at SLR Awards 2024
Londis St Michael’s Services in Dumfries beat off stiff competition from across Scotland, to claim the coveted Forecourt Retailer of the Year title at the SLR Awards 2024.
Held in Glasgow on 19 June, the SLR Awards celebrate the cream of Scottish local retailing.
Owned by Londis retailer Jamie Wood, the store underwent a comprehensive knock down and rebuild in 2022/23, which saw it transformed from a modest 500sq ft unit, to an ultra-modern 2,700sq ft retail space.
The showstopping new store also showcases a number of energy efficiency innovations and impressive levels of community support – including providing free fuel to local rescue services.
RED BULL GIVES YOU WIIINGS.
Key issues of interest to you Festival fun for Baillieston
Londis Solo Convenience has organised its second Main Street Pavement Festival.
Retailer Natalie Lightfoot has brought the community of Baillieston in Glasgow together for a second year with the return of the Main Street Pavement Festival.
Running outside Londis Solo Convenience on 22 June, locals could tuck into barbecued Richmond sausages, while kids (and adults!) adorned themselves with glitter tattoos.
A raffle and tombola offered an impressive array of prizes, including tickets to the TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow donated by sponsor Four Loko, a George Foreman indoor/outdoor grill, a £500 decorating voucher, and a mystery holiday for two people from sponsor Snappy Shopper.
There was also a special guest appearance from popular children’s character Marshall
from Paw Patrol, who was on hand for hugs and photo opportunities.
The event was supported by a long list of suppliers who donated tons of freebies and raffle prizes, with all funds raised going to Beatson Cancer Charity.
Raaj is on the ball
Tara’s Londis in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, has announced a £1,000 donation to Downley Dynamos under-14s football team. Store owner Raaj Chandarana urged the youngsters to play with integrity and to remember that the whole community – even their local shopkeeper – was behind them every time they kicked the ball. He posted on social media: “We are far from perfect, but 27 years on we will still continue to do our bit for our community. Continue to support your local businesses and we’ll continue to support you.”
On
track to succeed
The fantastic folk at Londis Standish Lower Ground are training hard for the Wigan 10k. Fifteen team members will be tackling the course, which starts at Mesnes Park, just outside Wigan town centre, on 1 September. The store is running to raise money for TalkFIRST family mediation based in Ince-in-Makerfield. Staff are currently raising funds for the charity with an in-store Football Card game which gives shoppers the chance to win a bottle of AU Watermelon Vodka.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Key issues of interest to you Consumer confidence grows as inflation tumbles
Consumers’ confidence in their ability to manage their budgets has risen once more as food inflation falls to just 1.7%, its lowest level since October 2021.
Despite the fact that consumer card spending fell in June, the first decline since February 2021, consumer confidence continues to grow as more and more shoppers feel able to manage their budgets and live within their means.
The latest Barclays Consumer Spend Report, which combines hundreds of millions of customer transactions with consumer research to provide an in-depth view of UK spending, has found that consumer confidence has risen again, this time to 73%.
Concerns around inflation also continue to evaporate as food inflation fell to 1.7%, its lowest level since October 2021. Concerns around the rising cost of fuel also eased in June, down 3.2% on the month before.
June did, however, see the first drop in total card spending since February 2021, down 0.6%, with supermarkets also experiencing their first decline (-2.6%) in two years.
The slowdown in sales was driven largely by poor weather and falling food inflation.
Encouragingly, over a third (36%) of shoppers say they have noticed food prices have been rising at a slower rate in recent months.
Conversely, sales of takeaway food grew by 4.4%.
Karen Johnson, Head of Retail at Barclays, said: “Once again, our data demonstrates the undeniable impact that unseasonable weather can have on consumer spending. However, the dreariness didn’t dampen spending across the board with takeaways benefitting from people sheltering at home.”
Labour to focus on retail crime
The newly installed Labour government is expected to put forward legislation designed to combat the scourge of retail crime, including following Scotland’s lead by making assaulting shop workers a specific offence.
The new legislation is also expected to close the ‘£200 loophole’ that means thefts of
goods worth under £200 are less likely to result in prosecution.
Plans to tackle antisocial behaviour are also set to be outlined and the government is expected to revive Rishi Sunak’s generational smoking ban legislation.
POWERED BY On Offer NP7
C-stores are ‘top service’ supporting the local economy
Convenience stores were also deemed to be the third most essential local service after pharmacies and post offices.
UK shoppers view their local convenience stores as the most important service when it comes to creating jobs, encouraging local investment and attracting more customers, the 2024 Community Barometer compiled by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has revealed.
Convenience stores employ more than 400,000 people and consistently invest over half a billion pounds each year in improving their businesses, investing in sustainable technologies and curating their range of products and services for customers, the report highlighted.
Convenience stores were also deemed to be the third most essential local service after pharmacies and post offices.
Post offices were felt to have the most positive impact on their local area,
while pharmacies came in second and convenience stores ranked third out of 16 different local services featured in the report, which was based on an omnibus poll of 2,000 adults.
The most wanted services were banks, followed by specialist food shops and non-food shops.
ACS claimed that the most wanted list of services was a good blueprint for convenience retailers when looking at ways to diversify their offer locally.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “Communities across the UK clearly recognise the importance of their local convenience store in providing secure and flexible employment, supporting the local economy, and driving investment in a wider range of services.”
Convenience retailers invited to apply for higher education bursaries for their children
University students whose parent, carer or spouse is a convenience retailer or c-store worker, have been encouraged to apply for a higher education bursary through The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust (LTCT). Applications for the scheme will be open between 1 August and 15 October and students can apply to receive up to £3,000. The bursary can be put towards tuition fees, or other expenses such as course materials, equipment or travel costs.
As the cost of attending university mounts year on year, the bursary has been designed to help families who may be concerned about supporting a child through higher education.
In 2024, the total number of bursaries awarded since the scheme launched was expected to exceed 5,000, totalling £28m worth of financial aid.
Requests for GroceryAid support up 93%
GroceryAid’s latest Impact Report has revealed a whopping 93% rise in demand for its financial, emotional and practical support as industry colleagues continued to struggle with costof-living challenges.
GroceryAid’s Impact Report for 2023/24 has revealed a whopping 93% increase in requests for its support in the past year.
£150 grant to help them start school with new uniforms and equipment.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
l 93% increase in requests for support.
l More than £6m spent supporting industry colleagues.
The Industry Charity spent more than £6m helping colleagues in the past year, including £364,306 in financial grants awarded to independent retailers, its 2023/24 Impact Report shows.
In total, GroceryAid provided more than 78,000 incidents of support in the last year.
More than 22,000 colleagues visited GroceryAid’s cost-of-living web page in 2023/24, with GroceryAid’s Grants Officers having dealt with a 57% increase in colleagues receiving non-repayable financial grants.
The charity’s free and confidential helpline also saw a 22% increase in calls from colleagues looking for emotional and practical support. Qualified counsellors provided more than 5,000 in-themoment counselling sessions – 11% more than the previous year. There was also a 108% increase in colleagues accessing support for problem gambling.
There was also a 44% rise in grants to support those leaving domestic abuse situations.
The charity’s School Essentials Grant also meant that 5,926 children benefitted from a
l £364,306 in financial grants awarded to independent retailers.
There was also a 25% increase in family and relationship counselling and a 48% increase in demand for legal advice.
Commenting on the year’s accomplishments, GroceryAid CEO Kieran Hemsworth said: “We are very grateful that the support for GroceryAid continues to grow, so we can match the increase in the demand for our services.To help more grocery workers and their families in need, we are asking our supporters to continue to attend our events, provide donations, and partner with us.”
GroceryAid Booker Dragon Boat Race 2025
l 5,926 children benefitted from £150 School Essentials grant.
l 108% increase in colleagues accessing support for problem gambling.
l 25% increase in family and relationship counselling.
l 48% increase in demand for legal advice.
The GroceryAid Booker Dragon Boat Race will return for a second year on Thursday 12 June 2025!
Set to be held once again at Bisham Abbey Sports Centre in Marlow, the event will provide another fantastic opportunity to network, enjoy sponsor activations and raise vital funds.
The 2024 event was a spectacular success, with more than £275,000 raised for GroceryAid in the lead up to the event and on the day.
Visit groceryaid.org.uk/events to book your place or enquire about sponsorship.
The day itself saw 32 teams take to the water while 400 guests enjoyed delicious food, sponsor activations and the chance to meet and greet senior Booker colleagues.
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new store is already selling more than 30 cups of bubble tea a day!
The
Winning concept
Dennis Silva’s new Londis concept store is making waves in Eastbourne.
As the second new Londis concept store in the country, Dennis Silva’s Eastbourne store was always going to impress. However, as you instantly glean from the first step inside its flash new interior – Londis Eastbourne is about so much more than cool concepts – it’s a store with real heart.
The 2,800sq ft store is the third in Dennis’ current portfolio – which includes a Premier and a US-inspired candy store located near the sea-front..
“I’ve worked in the convenience sector for more than 15 years now, having started out managing stores and eventually buying a few of my own,” says Dennis. “I wanted to do something totally different
with my third site though that would really stand out locally.
“It’s a large unit with a lot of competition nearby – including a multiple operator just a few metres down the road. I knew that to make a success of it, I would need a convenience offer that would truly stand out and Londis’ new concept shone.
“I got the keys on 1 March 2024, and we spent almost two months stripping everything back to the bare bones and restructuring the inside ahead of opening on 10 May.”
Included in that restructure was the creation of a brand-new beer cave – as per Londis’ new ‘The Cooler’ concept.
Located towards the rear of the long and narrow store, The Cooler is prominently signposted with bold bottle-shaped neon graphics down the length of the shopfloor – where they guide BWS shoppers towards its refreshing interior.
Once through the striking branded door, shoppers inside The Cooler are met with a vast range of chilled and ready to drink big brand alcohol lines at great value for money prices. Products and deals alike stand out on the shelves – set off by smart, dark fixtures, walls and ceilings and diamond-shaped LED lights.
“I’ve also worked hard to truly tailor the range to the local community which includes a lot of international shoppers,”
Dennis adds. “It was really important to me that we offer a range for all.”
As such, The Cooler features several international lines, including Indian and Polish beers, which are proving “very popular”.
“There’s a clear opportunity for us to stand out with a great range of international products and we’ll continue to work on that, not just in The Cooler but throughout the store,” Dennis adds.
The store’s new Treat Stop concept is also causing a stir. Featuring Costa Coffee, Thick Fresh Shakes, Boba-licious bubble tea and Skwishee slush, the concept offers something for everyone to enjoy.
“Shoppers are loving it, especially the bubble tea which is becoming a big trend and also appeals to our international audience. We are already selling well over 30 cups of it a day and I’m expecting that to soar over July and August.”
The store’s new Bake&Bite hot food-togo offer is also helping it to win footfall and sales. “There’s no other store on this stretch of road that does hot food to go so it’s another great USP. We are running a great promotion where shoppers can get a regular Costa coffee and a cheese or sausage roll for just £3.”
A new five-door frozen food offer has also been created towards the rear of the store – with freezers including a dedicated
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zone for hand-held ice creams. “The hand-held ice creams are displayed really well and having them located there, as opposed to right at the front of the store, encourages shoppers to walk down and take in our whole range,” Dennis adds.
That range also includes six doors of fresh and chilled produce, including Jack’sbranded ready meals which are selling like hot cakes thanks to the great value ‘2 for £6’ deal.
Londis’ array of ‘Amazing Value’ deals are also well supported by six digital media screens that run above the length of the store’s counter as well as in the Treat Stop zone.
“The digital screens are a big win,” Dennis adds. “They make it so much easier for shoppers to see what’s on offer and sometimes they literally stop shoppers in their tracks! At the moment we are offering a fantastic selection of deals on beer brands, such as Cruzcampo multipacks for just £9, which are really driving sales.”
Another quality that shoppers are enamoured with is Dennis’ approach to community support.
The store has pledged to support local mental health charity Inspire Sussex throughout the year and has already donated valuable funds that were raised on its Grand Opening Day.
“I’m also participating in the Free Fruit For Kids initiative and promoting it heavily in-store,” Dennis adds.
“I’m all too aware that so many children don’t get anywhere near their recommended ‘five a day’. I’ve been talking to shoppers about it and encouraging the children to try different
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fruits and it’s been a great success so far.
“I’m also in talks with some local schools to see how I can help them going forward. Times are tough for lots of schools and families and I want to help where I can. I’m determined to do what I can to support the local community here and make a difference.”
That difference is also attracting scores of visits from fellow Londis retailers, keen to see the standout new store.
STORE INFO
“I’m loving all the interactions that I’m having with other retailers. It’s a great two-way experience and I’m learning just as much from them as they are from me. It’s fantastic to be able to share knowledge and insights in this way.
“I’m so pleased with what we’ve achieved here in such a short space of time.
“Footfall and sales are both in steady growth week on week, with lots more to come!”
Store name: Londis Seaside Road, Eastbourne
Retailer: Dennis Silva
Size: 2,800sq ft
Store type: High street
Key categories: BWS, food to go, fresh and chilled
Opening hours: 7am-10pm
Staff: 8
Top tips!
1 2 3
Digital media screens are a hugely powerful medium for communicating deals to shoppers.
Hot food to go can be a major USP, especially when cross-promoted with drinks such as coffee.
Engage in truly meaningful community support by asking your local schools and charities how you can help.
RETAILER PROFILE Fresh start
Bright Beginnings
The future is looking bright for Jyoti and Jiten Rathod, who have traded in their old careers for a fresh start in retail.
As all retailers will no doubt agree, planning for a comprehensive store refit is no easy feat.
The challenge is undoubtedly compounded if it’s your first store – and if your career history to date has been outside of retail.
Well, that’s exactly the challenge that first-time retailers Jyoti and Jiten Rathod faced when they made the bold decision to refit their recently acquired Leicester store.
“We visited several newly refitted stores when we first started planning the development and I used to look around those bright and beautiful interiors and think ‘How have they achieved this?’” says Jyoti – who had previously enjoyed a career in marketing.
Well, five months on from their successful relaunch of Londis Ayston Road, the husband-and-wife team have their answer – having achieved not only a spectacular transformation of the tired, old store –but also forged new and meaningful links with the local community.
It all began back in 2022 when Jyoti and former data analyst Jiten, decided to “take the plunge” and pursue new careers in retail.
What they bought was a 1,256sq ft existing Londis and Post Office store on a small parade of shops and businesses.
“The store benefits from a very mixed demographic,” Jyoti says. “There are lots of families who live nearby as well as elderly shoppers and a couple of schools.
”Value for money is a key demand for all and we could see from the first that the old store wasn’t really offering a true value proposition. There was also a lot of duplication in the range, not enough fresh, chilled or frozen products – and what refrigeration there was old, inefficient and in need of a major upgrade,” she adds.
“Given all that, we knew that there was massive potential to transform the business. The opportunity was clear.”
However, the pair didn’t just jump straight in, choosing instead to spend well over a year learning the ropes, getting to know their shoppers and gleaning a solid understanding of local demands to inform their development plans.
During that period, they also invested a lot of time in range rationalisation –cutting back on slow sellers and multiple lines to ensure that each square foot of space was working as hard as possible. The exercise also allowed the pair to free up vital space for all the new products
We’ve introduced lots of new Jack’s lines since the refurbishment, particularly in areas such as fresh, chilled, grocery and household, and sales are flying versus the branded products.
Jyoti Rathod
We’re seeing higher basket spend from our regular shoppers along with lots of new faces too which is wonderful. I still walk in every morning and am so proud to see what we’ve done and that this is our store!
Jyoti Rathod
Top tips!
1 2 3
Carry out regular range reviews to make sure that every product is truly worth its space on shelf.
Horticulture can add a great USP to your offer. Check out Londis’ fantastic range of plants and flowers, which includes great value seasonal products.
Consider giving more space to growing categories such as frozen.
and ranges that they hoped to eventually introduce.
Work on the bold redevelopment began on 19 February 2024 – with the store closing for just over a week, while everything – floors, ceilings and all the fixtures, fittings and refrigeration – were removed to make way for the new.
“The Londis team offered fantastic support throughout,” Jyoti adds. “Our RDM Roger Jones was smashing. He and the team took a lot of the weight of the refurbishment off our shoulders, which definitely helped to make the project feel much less daunting than it could have!
The fruits of their combined labours were revealed to shoppers on 26 February.
“Shoppers were just blown away by the change, as were we!” Jyoti says.
Fresh, chilled and frozen ranges have all been increased in a bid to offer shoppers a true top-up shopping experience.
“We increased our fresh and chilled range from four doors to nine and it now
STORE INFO
Store name: Londis Ayston Road, Leicester
Retailers: Jyoti and Jiten Rathod
Size: 1,256sq ft
Staff: 9
Key categories: Fresh, chilled, frozen, food to go.
Opening hours: 7am8.30pm Mon-Sat, 8am-8pm Sun
Services: Post Office, PayPoint, Evri, digital photo printing, ATM, National Lottery
includes fruit and vegetables, dairy, deli, ready meals, and fresh meats,” Jiten says.
“Frozen was also a big change. The old store only had one double door freezer, but we’ve now moved to six doors.
“As a category, frozen is in huge growth but we’d not been able to maximise the opportunity before. Now, it’s a whole new story - our shoppers have a fantastic range of frozen choice,” Jiten adds.
Food to go was another key area of change. Supported by Londis’ new ‘Treat Stop’ branding, the store was fitted with a new range of hot foods from Country Choice, complemented by a new Think Fresh Shakes offer – alongside its existing slush and coffee machines. “The milkshakes have been a runaway success and have quickly overtaken slush,” Jyoti adds.“Lots of shoppers now specifically visit us for a milkshake. We’ve also noticed that a lot of shoppers are buying them as cheaper alternatives to desserts to enjoy after their evening meals.”
“Hot food has been a great addition too. It’s brought in a whole new demographic.”
Another new element that the pair have introduced is horticulture – courtesy of a local supplier. “We’ve introduced
multi-buys on a range of plant lines and, in response to local demand, we have even brought in vegetables for growing as there are a lot of allotments nearby. Shoppers love it,” Jyoti says.
Shoppers are also enamoured with the new store’s focus on value for money.
“Value is so important to our shoppers and we’ve tried really hard to tailor the store to that need,” Jyoti adds. “We’ve introduced lots of new Jack’s lines across the store and sales are flying versus the branded products.”
And Jack’s products aren’t the only ones flying.
“We’re seeing growth in every sales category – with sales up overall, which is so pleasing, especially when you consider the current climate and the fact that we’d already made a number of improvements prior to the refit,” says Jyoti.
“We’re seeing higher basket spend from our regular shoppers along with lots of new faces too which is just wonderful.
“Even now, five months after re-opening, I still walk in every morning and am so proud to see what we’ve done and that this is our store!”
SIZZLE SEASON Flaming sales
All fired up!
Summer BBQ season is here and Londis has everything you need for smoking sales and profits.
The great British BBQ: the scent of sizzling sausages floating on the summer breeze is a summer staple – and with vegan, beef and chicken varieties now widely available in addition to the humble pork banger – it’s a scent that surely no-one can resist.
A hot 64 million BBQs took place over the summer of 2023 – with peaks in May, June and early September – driven by the return of warm and sunny weather.
This year, shoppers, and indeed retailers, are anticipating even meatier figures thanks to a warm and sunny end to July and promising Met Office long-range forecasts for the weeks ahead.
The packed calendar of big-ticket sporting occasions also looks set to help boost summer BBQ occasions, as shoppers get together to enjoy grills, goals and golds.
Kicked off by UEFA Euro 2024 in June,
the summer’s next big sporting highlight is The Olympic Games – set to unfold in Paris between 26 July and 11 August.
Interestingly, last summer saw a shift in the type and size of gatherings that UK shoppers were choosing to BBQ at.
While small BBQ gatherings of two to four people fell, gatherings of five or more people increased by 20% year on year according to Kantar data gathered by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
Looking ahead to this summer, AHDB expects to see this trend deepen – with BBQs likely to be “less used as a cooking method for everyday meals, and more for larger gatherings of friends and family”.
After all, the BBQ grill is one of life’s
BBQ season is a great opportunity to drive our fresh and chilled sales, especially fresh meats and produce. We stock a wide range, including Jack’s products and fresh meats from our local butcher, ‘The Meat Man,’ as well as premium sausages from Lawrence’s of Leamore, so there really is something in store for everyone. We also like to promote our range with recipe suggestions to inspire our shoppers. We also promote our offer on social media too – posting pictures of our full chillers on hot and sunny days to drive footfall and BBQ occasions.
Mark Dransfield Nesscliffe Service Station, Shropshire
great levellers – allowing large groups to quickly and easily cater to a wide variety of different tastes, textures and trends –as well as to all ages.
Featuring great-value products such as sausages, pork steaks and chicken drumsticks, the BBQ occasion can also offer shoppers a lot more bang[ers] for their bucks – and is often a far cheaper alternative to eating out of home.
When it comes to pork, the humble sausage really is the star of the BBQ show. In fact, according to AHBD, sausages account for more than one fifth of all pork consumption – with 80% of households having bought pork sausages in the last year.
Sausages saw volume growth of 2.1% year on year last summer as existing
pork sausage customers bought larger quantities per shop. Their cost-friendly credentials also won over more shoppers “switching from protein sources with a higher price point”.
Londis retailers can offer their shoppers a wide range of quality sausages all of which are sure to glorify their grills this summer – or their ovens – should the weather take a turn for the worse!
The Jack’s line-up alone, includes Premium Traditional Pork, Cumberland and Lincolnshire Sausages – all of which are currently available for an Amazing Value RSP of just £2.50 per 400g pack. The stunning NP6 deal also offers retailers a POR of 20%.
And it’s not just sausages that are helping summer sales to sizzle.
With UK shoppers continuing to seek out exotic flavours, The Meat Market range available to Londis retailers includes a variety of quality flavour-packed products designed to help them conjure up a taste of the faraway at the flash of a flame.
Featuring hand-selected prime cuts of meat which offer up to 38% POR, Meat Market products include Salt and Chilli Sizzle Steaks, Honey Chilli Chicken Mini Fillets and Chinese Pork Ribs – all of which are available for shoppers to buy on an ‘Any 2 for £10 deal.
There’s also Salt and Chilli Pork Chops, Honey and Chilli Pork Chops, Beef and Cracked Black Pepper Sausages and plain Beef Sausages, all of which are on offer at ‘Any 2 for £8’, along with others.
Chicken wings, legs and thighs are also the ideal partner to spicy sauces, exotic rubs and flavour-packed marinades –as well as providing an amazing value option for more cost-conscious shoppers.
Once again Londis has you covered this BBQ season with its up-weighted ‘Butchers Specials’ – specifically designed to drive meat sales.
Running until 11 August, the NP6 period includes great value deals on budget- and BBQ-friendly Jack’s Chicken Drumsticks which are available at the promotional price of just £1.29 for a 430g pack –offering a POR of 20%.
Also included in the NP6 Butchers Specials are British Chicken Breast Fillets – on offer for an RSP of just £4.25 – down from £4.99.
With their quality and amazing value credentials, both products are sure to score with shoppers looking to get their grill-on this summer.
JACK’S BRITISH CHICKEN BREAST FILLETS
Case size: 4x500g
Promo WSP: £14.36
Promo RSP: £4.25
POR: 15.5%
JACK’S CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
Case size: 4x430g
Promo WSP: £4.12
Promo RSP: £1.29
POR: 20.2%
And of course, no proper BBQ occasion would be complete without a generous serving of sides.
From fresh and crispy salads to cool, creamy dips – and not forgetting the buns, wraps and rolls – BBQ-bound shoppers can find it all in Londis stores.
The perfect partner to a juicy burger, sliced cheese is also a must stock at this time of year. The Jack’s range includes both Mild and Mature Cheddar slices which are available to shoppers for £2.49 individually, or as part of an ‘Any 2 for £4’ deal.
The Jack’s cheese range has also been boosted by improved PORs across the range, with all products, including slices, now offering a POR of up to 43.8%.
Londis retailers can also make sizzling PORs on a range of BBQ accessories including Charcoal Briquettes, Instant Light Charcoal, Minigrills and more.
Most of these key accessories offer PORs of 30% and up, with Jack’s Firelighters offering a blazing 46%!
So, with all that said and done, all that remains is for the sun to keep its hat on and for shoppers to fire up those grills. It certainly is one smoking hot opportunity!
Beef up your BBQ sales this summer
l Ensure good availability of classic red meat BBQ choices, with marketing emphasis on their great taste and treating potential.
l Safeguard against poor weather by pushing products that are suitable for both oven and BBQ cooking.
l Offer simple recipe inspiration for shoppers both online and in store to drive growth.
[SOURCE: AHDB]
CATEGORY UPDATE
Winter Pre-sell
Winter winners
Londis retailers have winter 2024 all wrapped up thanks to 2024’s sparkling Winter Pre-sell.
The colder months may be knocking –but thanks to the 2024 Winter Pre-sell, Londis retailers across the country are looking forward to cozying up to extratoasty sales and profits this winter season.
Pre-sells always offer a fantastic opportunity for retailers to set themselves up for a footfall-driving edge – and this year’s proved to be no exception –offering a winter wonderland of choice, price and service benefits.
With nine Group Exclusive lines and more than 190 new products to look forward to receiving – the 2024 Winter Pre-sell offered retailers a veritable cornucopia of choice.
The first drop of the main 2024 Winter Pre-sell is set to land in stores the week commencing 26 August, with a further four drops to follow in September, October and November – right up until the main month of December itself – when on the week commencing 9 December, retailers will receive a Santa sack-load of profit-priming products in readiness for the vital Christmas season.
Some of the many new products that look set to add some sparkle to retailers’ shelves this winter season are Reese’s King Size Chocolate Trees, Reese’s DJ Santa Disco Lights pouches and Cadbury Puds Minis – all of which offer PORs of 30% and up. 9 EXCLUSIVE LINES! More than 190 new products! Extended credit until W/C 30 December 2024
NEW VUSE GO RELOAD 1000
Winning streak
Londis retailers are also in with a chance of winning an array of fantastic prizes thanks to the 2024 Winter Pre-sell. Up for grabs is a chance to win £250 for buying four cases of Lindor Christmas lines plus a £125 Amazon voucher for buying one case of Cadbury Puds, Cadbury Snowballs Blocks and Cadbury Puds Minis each.
Novelty items such as these are sure to drive footfall, sales and profits from the start of the winter season, right through to the New Year.
Retailers can also look forward to furnishing their floors with an array of festive pre-filled Dumpbins and Floor Units. New to the pre-sell this year, Malteser’s pre-filled mixed milk and mint Reindeer GFUs will give retailers the chance to make PORs of more than 50%. Also new to the pre-sell are Nestlé Giant Tubes Units – featuring Smarties Giant Elf Tubes, Milkybar Buttons and more.
MEGA DEALS
Retailers can also look forward to offering their shoppers an array of fantastic prices on key branded lines thanks to a mountain of Mega Deals. Take the Group
GROUP EXCLUSIVES
LINDOR
TIRAMISU AND LINDOR PISTACHIO
Case size: 8x200g
WSP: £24.99
RSP: £5.00
POR: 21.1%
TERRY’S
CHOCOLATE ORANGE TOFFEE CRUNCH
Case size: 12x157g
WSP: £12.75
RSP: £2.49
ANY 2 FOR £3
POR: 48.8%
HERENCIA CODORNIU CAVA BRUT
Case size: 6x75cl
WSP: £31.95
RSP: £7.99
POR: 20%
Exclusive 295g Aero Peppermint Block, for example. With an RSP of just £3.50, this giant-sized sharing bar is sure to be a hit with shoppers when it lands in store – and what’s more, it offers a tasty POR of 20%.
Other Mega Deals well worth calling out include 310g boxes of Maltesers with an RSP of just £4.50 – which will also earn retailers a POR of 20%.
New to the pre-sell this year are also a number of products from leading alcohol brands including 10x330ml cases of Birra Moretti – which offer a POR of 15.3% on an RSP of £15 – and 4x330ml cans of Kopparberg Winter Punch, which deliver a juicy POR of 30.5%.
Londis also has your alcohol gifting needs covered with an array of gift packs
from leading spirit brands including Jack Daniel’s, Baileys, Absolut, Edinburgh Gin and Kraken – all of which are new to the pre-sell. The Smirnoff Trio Gift Pack, for example, has an RSP of £8.49 and features three 50ml bottles of Smirnoff Raspberry Crush, No21 Vodka and Mango & Passionfruit Twist offering a POR of 20.5%.
Retailers can also look forward to charging up their profits with energising margins of more than 60% on batteries – an absolute must stock in the run up to and during the festive season.
New to the pre-sell this year are prefilled counter display units of Panasonic batteries. The units feature a selection of AA, AAA and CR2032 batteries – each of which offer a POR of 61.1% when sold at the RSP of £4.
New to Pre-Sell
New to Pre-Sell
SHAKE YOUR FRUITY
FLAVOURED CIDER*
THE DROP!
PUMPKINS
DROP 1: W/C 7 OCTOBER 2024
DROP 2: W/C 14 OCTOBER 2024
DROP 3: W/C 21OCTOBER 2024
WINTER
DROP 1: W/C 26 AUGUST 2024
DROP 2: W/C 23 SEPTEMBER 2024
DROP 3: W/C 21OCTOBER 2024
DROP 4: W/C 18 NOVEMBER 2024
DROP 5: W/C 9 DECEMBER 2024
IT’S A WRAP
Londis retailers will also have their Christmas wrapping paper, crackers and cards needs met by a separate pre-sell set to open later this August.
Look out for fantastic deals on festive napkins which will help you to clean up with a POR of 40%. The range includes a number of new designs, featuring snowflakes and gingerbread men, guaranteed to add a splash of festive magic to your shoppers’ tables.
The Christmas paper pre-sell will also include cracking deals on bottle bags and tags helping
you to meet all your shoppers’ gifting needs in one convenient place.
Set to follow in September, the Fresh Foods Winter Pre-sell will also ensure that Londis retailers will have the pick of the bunch when it comes to fresh festive eats.
Get set to take advantage of great deals and fruitful PORs across a wide range of quality fresh products across dairy, deli, produce and more.
With so many opportunities to come, Londis retailers can surely look forward to a particularly merry 2024 winter season.
Frightfully good profits
Retailers who took advantage of the 2024 Winter Pre-Sell can also look forward to a spooktacular Halloween spread, including new products and great deals across cakes, biscuits, sweets and treats. These include Group Exclusive Deals on products like Vidal Creepy Jelly and Monster Jelly cards which will offer a POR of 30.9%.
Retailers also had the opportunity to pre-order a pre-filled ‘Large Monster Pumpkin Cage’ with 36 units and PORs of 25%.
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MEET THE BUYER
Say ‘hello’ to...
Name: Isabel Mulligan
Title: Category Manager Designate
Category: BWS
This month we catch up with Category Manager Designate Isabel Mulligan, who is partway through her two-year Tesco graduate programme and currently specialises in wine buying for Booker.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF?
I’m Isabel Mulligan and I’m a Category Manager
Designate at Booker, which essentially means I’m a trainee buyer. I’ve been working with Booker for around 10 months now and I work in the Beers, Wines and Spirits (BWS) team, focusing on wine buying. I’m now in the second year of a two-year retail graduate programme and I spent the first year of the programme in group communications at Tesco working in the press office and on internal communications.
SO, A BIG CHANGE THEN?
Yes, a huge change – but that’s why the graduate programme was so attractive to me. I really wanted the chance to experience all sorts of different parts of the wider Group, so it was fantastic to spend a year in group communications at Tesco and then be able to move over to Booker and into the buying teams. The experience has given me a really good insight across lots of parts of the Group and has helped me develop a really wide range of different skillsets.
WAS THIS YOUR FIRST ROLE?
Yes, I did English Literature and French at the University of Leeds and spent a year in France then came back and pretty much went straight into the graduate programme. The year with Tesco was fascinating and it was really exciting to learn so much about Tesco’s communications strategies first-hand. It involved dealing with everyone from journalists to internal and external stakeholders and it was pretty full-on! Having come straight from university this was my first time working in a retail business.
THEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO MOVE OVER TO BOOKER?
I was very lucky because, when I joined Booker about 10 months ago, it was actually the first year that Booker had taken Tesco graduates. I felt it was the perfect opportunity for me because I was keen to get more involved in retail and in buying specifically. I joined the wider BWS team but have specialised in wine buying, doing lots of project work and helping the team on all sorts of different initiatives.
About Isabel
Isabel Mulligan is a Category Manager Designate at Booker working within the Beers, Wines & Spirits buying team and specialising in wine.
She joined Booker 10 months ago as part of a two-year Tesco graduate programme having spent the first year of the programme working in the Group Communications department within Tesco.
When she joined Booker she joined the Beers, Wines & Spirits buying team to gain experience in the buying function and has focused on wine buying for the last 10 months. Her graduate programme ends in the next few months and she will then be ready to consider her options moving forward as she continues her career within the Group.
Isabel is a graduate of the University of Leeds where she earned her degree in English Literature and French, spending a year in France as part of her course.
LUCKY STRIKE GREAT
It’s an offence to sell tobacco to any person under 18 years of age. For tobacco trade use only. Not to be left in the sight of consumers.
HAVE YOU ENJOYED IT?
Absolutely! I like to push myself, try new challenges and get out of my comfort zone so moving to Booker meant I had to get to know a whole new business, albeit part of the same Group. There are lots of similarities between the two businesses but there are also a lot of major differences.
SUCH AS?
Well, one of the most obvious differences is that with Booker I get the chance to work in the on-trade, something I didn’t experience within Tesco. I’ve really enjoyed getting experience across both retail and wholesale.
HOW HAS YOUR WINE BUYING JOURNEY BEEN?
I started off on smaller projects in smaller subcategories as part of my training, but I faced the same challenges and opportunities you face across all categories: pricing, range, dealing direct with suppliers when working on trade
plans and so on. Then I gradually progressed onto bigger projects in bigger categories.
WHAT HAVE YOU ENJOYED MOST?
I think I would have to say the fact that it’s all so real and tangible. Within a couple of years of leaving university, I’m actually involved in buying products that I can physically see and touch when I walk into Booker branches. I can see a specific wine and say, ‘I was involved in getting that onto that shelf!’ which is really rewarding. It’s very real-world and practical.
WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST?
Probably the amount of creativity that goes into buying. I’m a creative kind of person so I enjoy that aspect. From the outside it probably looks like buying is just spreadsheets and number crunching and sales figures – and there is definitely a bit of that involved, but there’s also huge scope for creativity. You can bring yourself to the job and Booker allows you to shape your role to suit your skillsets. It’s hugely enjoyable.
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?
the most efficient way to the various teams within the business to help them deliver strong, effective decision making. We do a lot of PowerPoint decks!
WHAT TRENDS HAS YOUR RESEARCH IDENTIFIED?
As everyone says, there’s no such thing! I do a lot of research, I spend a lot of time watching our competitors and, in a typical day, there’s a good mix of group work and solo work. I often set aside a block of time to dedicate myself to once specific challenge that I own, but I do spend a lot of time collaborating with other teams within the BWS buying function and, indeed, across the wider business.
DO YOU MEET WITH EXTERNAL SUPPLIERS?
Yes, regularly! We try to keep up to date with key suppliers to find out how sales are going, what exciting NPD is coming, what they’re thinking about in terms of promotions and so on. We’re always trying to get the bestpossible products, prices, packages and deals for our customers. We also get out and about to engage with suppliers face to face, which helps us really get under the skin of the suppliers we work with.
AND LOTS OF PRESENTATIONS?
Oh yes! We do a lot of research and generate a lot of data, so a key part of our role is understanding that data and presenting it in
As far as retailers are concerned, the biggest trend at the moment is still towards low-and no-alcohol products. The market is still moving that way and the increase in alcohol duty has accelerated that trend as many suppliers have worked hard to reduce the ABV of their products to meet price points that work for shoppers. So we’re seeing a lot more 9% ABV wines, for instance, and they are popular with shoppers, especially younger shoppers with different taste profiles who like jammier or fruitier wines. Echo Falls Watermelon and Kiwi is a good example. It’s light, fruity, relatively low in alcohol and it’s what many shoppers are looking for today.
ANY OTHER TRENDS WORTH FLAGGING UP?
I’ve been working hard this year on alternative packaging, and I think that trend may grow in future. Solutions like bag-in-box, cans and paper bottles are likely to become more prevalent because they’re lighter and easier to transport as well as delivering sustainability benefits when done well. 19 Crimes in cans is a good example and bag-in-box is growing too.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?
I don’t actually know! My retail graduate programme is due to end in the next few months but the end date is flexible, so I have a little time to try to figure out what I’d like to do next within the Group. There are so many opportunities but I do like variety so I guess I’ll just have a look at what sorts of roles might be available and take it from there. I’ve loved it so far though, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy my next role, whatever it ends up being.
Pick ‘em Pick ‘em while you can! while you can!
Haribo
GAME. SET. REFRESH.
M245763
CATEGORY UPDATE
Class Act
The annual Back to School period is a great opportunity for retailers to drive incremental sales and offer convenient solutions to busy parents.
It’s time to sharpen those pencils, shine up those shoes and swap sunhats for thinking caps – as all across the country, parents, carers and kids start to gear up for the annual Back To School and College period.
salads and other lunchbox essentials.
For many parents and carers, the start of the new school term can be a challenging time, especially for those with young children who are new to the daily grind of academic life.
You can check when schools and colleges in your area start back on your Local Authority website.
The start of the new academic year also presents a fresh opportunity for retailers to chalk up their store sales and profits –with additional sales to be made across a number of different categories in store, including fresh, chilled and frozen products as well as a variety of non-food categories such as laundry, stationery and medicines.
LUNCHBOX LOVELIES
The return of school heralds the return of packed lunches and everything that goes towards the making of sandwiches, wraps,
Those parents and carers will be especially appreciative of stores which can offer them a great range of healthy, convenient products that can help them to create tasty, balanced lunchboxes for great-value prices and a minimum of fuss.
Offering a good range of staple sandwich components is a great place to start and Londis has you covered when it comes to the bread and bakery side of things with an excellent choice of sliced bread products.
Pass the back-toschool test
l Focus on quick and easy lunchbox solutions for parents.
l Offer a good range of staple sandwich fillers: cheese, ham, tuna.
l Look out for great value deals.
l Make use of all available POS.
l Offer a good range of healthier options, especially healthier snacking products.
l Don’t forget the evening meal opportunity! Offer a great-value range of quick-and-easy dinner solutions for time-poor parents.
l Stationery will be in demand too. Don’t miss out on this high-margin opportunity.
l Give some first aid to your Winter Remedies and Medicines range in advance of cough and cold season.
Shelf help
WSPs and RSPs across Londis’ Hovis EDLP bread range have also been reduced, offering retailers and their shoppers, great new pricing on an array of products including Hovis Simple White and Simple Wholemeal medium loaves, which both have an RSP of just 89p and a POR of 19.1%. Other crowd-pleasing products such as Hovis Best Of Both feature an RSP of £1.19 and a POR of 24.4%.
A good choice of classic sandwich fillings such as ham, cheese and tuna – along with salad products are also a must.
The Jack’s cheese range includes a great choice of sliced, grated and block products, perfect for filling sandwiches, wraps, rolls and more. There’s also improved PORs across the entire Jack’s cheese range, with all products available under an ‘Any 2 for £4’ deal which offers a POR of 43.8%.
And with no lunchbox complete without a tasty snack, Londis retailers can also offer their shoppers a wide range of choice when it comes to crisps and dried fruit snacks from
As ever, the key Back to School period will be supported by a professionally designed suite of high-impact Point of Sale materials.
Featuring clean and crisp pictures of calculators, clocks and pencils, the materials are sure to support retailers in their efforts to add up Back To School sales.
Materials include shelf and ear barkers as well as strips.
For more information visit the Londis Print Shop or speak to your local RDM.
well-known brands as well as Jack’s.
Londis retailers can also offer their shoppers a great-value deal on Dairylea Lunchers Ham and Cheese and Chicken and Cheese, both of which are available for the amazing value RSP of just £1.25 offering a POR of 20.1% on a case of 12.
Yogurt-lovers can also pack a great deal on Muller Crunch and Fruit Corners for an RSP of just £2.50 offering retailers a POR of 21.5%
Helping to wash it all down is another refreshing deal on a variety of Tropicana juices including Multivitamins, Orange and Mango and Smooth Orange for an RSP of just £1.
The Back To School period can also add an extra dimension to retailers’ food-to-go sales, with older students choosing to spend their lunch money on pre-packed sandwiches, snacks and drinks to go at lunchtime as well as on the way home. If you don’t already, offering the great-value Londis Sandwich Meal Deal is a great way to drive footfall and sales.
EVENING INSPIRATION
With children back at school after the long summer break, parents and carers will also be busy adjusting to new termtime routines – meaning that quick and convenient evening meal solutions, that can help them get back into the groove, are also likely to prove popular.
Stores that can offer their shoppers a good range of crowd-pleasing products to create fast, healthy and tasty evening meal solutions are sure to score full marks with local shoppers.
From quick and easy fresh or frozen pizzas to hearty home-cooked dishes, such as sausages and mash, gammon, egg and chips or Spaghetti Bolognese – the Jack’s range offers everything that your shoppers’ need to whip up tasty, great-value solutions in a flash.
What’s more, the start of the new school and college term also signals an opportunity to score additional sales of high-margin products such as stationery, including pencils, pens, rubbers and more.
Unfortunately for parents, carers and kids, the classroom comeback also tends to herald the return of autumn coughs and colds. Set your store up to be front of mind for shoppers at the start of sniffle season with a great range of cold and flu remedies for kids and adults alike – as well as plenty of tissues and anti-bacterial wipes, hand soaps and sprays for grubby little hands and fingers.
The back-to-school period can also present a sparkling opportunity for laundry sales, especially in the detergents category.
With parents and carers looking to keep
those new uniforms looking as crisp and clean for as long as possible, products that deliver ace stain-fighting abilities –along with value for money – look set to win big.
So, with all that said and done, it’s clear that retailers have everything they need to help their shoppers make a positive start to the new school year – and score top sales and profits too.
Healthy marks
Demand for products which help to deliver healthier diets for children and young people has never been higher. Make sure your range meets this need by including as many low fat, salt and sugar products as possible such as low-fat cheese snacks, rice cakes, yogurt, sugar- free jellies and more.
Also ensure your range includes key healthy snacking products such as carrots and cucumbers (ideal for chopping up into snacksized sticks), along with dips such as houmous. And don’t forget plenty of fresh fruit, especially apples, grapes, bananas and tangerines, all of which are perfect for packing into lunchboxes. Make the most of the Jack’s Fresh 4 promotion which offers shoppers outstanding value on a range of great quality, healthy, fresh products.
Cocktail Festival
Shake it till you make it!
Londis’ first-ever Cocktail Festival offers a punchy blend of opportunities to drink in juicier sales and profits this summer.
With their fresh and fruity flavours, vibrant colours and cooling credentials, cocktails are synonymous with summer and the perfect accompaniment to a vast range of outdoor occasions – from folky festivals to family BBQs, picnics and park trips – or just for sipping slowly on a warm summer’s evening at home.
Helping retailers to make the most of this stirring opportunity is Londis’ first-ever Big Cocktail Festival – new for 2024 and guaranteed to shake up your sales and profits!
“Shoppers love a cocktail, especially on a warm summer’s evening so I’m expecting the Londis Cocktail Festival to really help us maximise the opportunity,” Dennis Silva of Londis Seaside Road in Eastbourne says.
“My store is located close to the seafront and lots of other nice outdoor spaces, so RTD formats are already a big seller for us and I’m expecting them to soar over the summer thanks to the range of great deals and the fact that they are all chilled and ready to drink from our Beer Cave.”
And Dennis is certainly not alone in his love of RTDs.
As many other Londis retailers will attest, RTDs are knocking it out of the park when it comes to sales growth at the moment, with the category up by 24.2% in volume and 16.5% by value in convenience in the 12 months to the end of February 2024 [IRI data] – making it comfortably the fastest-growing sector of the wider BWS category.
15 JULY TO 8 SEPTEMBER
MEGA DEAL
AU RTD VARIETY PACK
Case size: 1x8x330ml
WSP: £8.99a
RSP: £13
POR: 17%
With stats like that, it’s clear that RTDs present a juicy opportunity for convenience retailers to cash in – especially when you consider that volumes have actually been falling in supermarkets and were down 13.2% to the end of February 2024, according to IRI data.
Helping retailers to squeeze every drop out of the RTD opportunity, The Big Cocktail Festival includes an irresistible mix of deals and multibuy offers across a wide range of leading RTD brands, including innovative new products.
Running throughout the NP6 and NP7 promotional periods, the festival includes an upweighted ‘Any 3 for £5’ Core Plus deal on a range of RTD products from big name spirit brands including Malibu, Bacardi, Southern Comfort and more.
Perfect serve
Londis’ Big Cocktail Festival will be supported by a vibrant suite of supporting POS to help retailers create maximum impact in store. Featuring bold and bright summer colours, the range includes posters, shelf strips, barkers and more.
Visit the Londis Printshop or speak to your RDM for more information.
CORE PLUS FUNKIN MIXED PARTY PACK
Case size: 3x8x200ml
WSP: £24.49
RSP: £12
POR: 18.4%
REFRESHMENT IS THE NUMBER ONE PREFERENCE AMONGST SHOPPERS WHEN MAKING AN ALCOHOLIC RTD CHOICE
Retailers will also be able to offer their shoppers an array of RTD formats on an ‘Any 3 for £6’ deal which includes 250ml cans of Gordon’s Gin & Tonic, Pimms & Lemonade, Smirnoff & Cranberry and more.
SOURCE: IWSR RTDS STRATEGIC STUDY
An ‘Any 2 for £5’ core deal on a variety of topselling RTD brands, including AU, is also sure to shake up the shelves.
The deal includes AU Vodka Pineapple Crush, AU Vodka Cherryade, AU Vodka Blue Raspberry and more – plus new products such as AU Vodka Strawberry Daiquiri Cocktail and AU Vodka Hawaiian Cocktail.
SUMMER CAMPAIGN CREATIVE COCKTAIL FESTIVAL
For shoppers keen to mix it up themselves Londis’ Big Cocktail Festival includes greatvalue prices on a stirring range of ‘perfect mixers’ such as Funkin Margarita, Mojito, Pina Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri for just £5 each – offering a POR of 20%.
A range of new Spirit Link Deals are also up for grabs allowing shoppers to simply ‘shake and serve’ a number of classic mixes.
Deals include 70cl bottles of Absolute Vodka for just £18.99 down from £23.59 and 1L cartons of Funkin Passionfruit Martini for £5 –down from £7.99.
Shoppers can also whip up a mean Mojito in a flash with a link deal on Bacardi cocktails offering a 70cl bottle of Bacardi for £16.99 and a 1L carton of Funkin Mojito for £5.
With such an irresistible range of choice and prices, ‘cocktail hour’ is sure to be a round-the clock affair this summer – don’t forget the ice!
Make a stir
With the RTD category growing 24.2% in volume and 16.5% by value in convenience [IRI data] it’s well worth ensuring that your range is up to scratch to make the most of this refreshing opportunity.
l Why not consider devoting more space to the RTD category in your chiller or Beer Cave?
l While you’re at it, take a moment to check your range and ensure that you are stocking the most popular lines and getting maximum sales and profits out of every facing.
l RTD specialists such as WKD and AU are continuing to drive sales this summer, along with big brand NPD such as Jack Daniel’s Whisky & Zero Sugar Coca-Cola and Gordon’s & Schweppes Pink Gin & Tonic – all of which are on offer as part of the Londis Cocktail Festival.
70% OF ALCOHOLIC RTDS ARE CONSUMED WITHIN TWO HOURS OF PURCHASE
SOURCE: CCEP BEACH DATA
SIZE: 5x320g code: M296258
Make your voice heard
Will Labour work for retailers?
For the first time in 14 years, the Labour Party will form a new government, under the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer. There is an entire generation of retailers that will have traded entirely under Conservative policymaking, so what should we expect from Labour in the next five years?
The first thing to highlight, which came out clearly in analysis of the main party manifestos, is that the previous and new governments have a lot in common on a number of key issues. Examples include the introduction of a standalone offence for assaulting a shopworker, and the introduction of a generational ban on tobacco products, both of which fell short of becoming law under the Conservatives because of the timing of the General Election, but have both been highlighted in the Labour manifesto as priorities.
There’s also consensus on the need for greater resource around the numbers of police officers on the ground, but as always it’s not the numbers that necessarily make the difference, it’s the wider prioritisation of retail crime and a commitment to respond and follow up on incidents where they occur.
There will be areas however, where the new Labour government will look to set itself apart from its predecessors. Commitments in the manifesto to introduce a ban on energy drinks for under-16s, ban junk food advertising to children, and replace the business rates system are all measures that will affect the sector, so will be important for us to engage with
A landslide victory for the Labour Party brings the potential for huge change that may affect retailers, but how different are Labour and Conservative policies on key matters?
ministers and officials on the detail of.
It is not necessarily surprising that the Labour manifesto for government feels pretty safe without too much fundamental change. This is a party that has spoken of the need for stability in the coming years, so we shouldn’t expect too many radical ideas, especially in the first 100 days of Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership. Even the commitment to change the business rates system feels like a long-term goal (which is still going to be cost neutral) rather than an overhaul that is ready to go in the first Autumn Budget.
The coming weeks and months, through the Kings Speech on 17 July and the first fiscal event in the Autumn, will make it clear which areas the new Labour government see as the most pressing priorities. This period of time over the summer and into the end of 2024 is the perfect opportunity to get to know your MP, or reconnect if they’ve managed to hold onto their seat.
Because of the nature of this election, MPs will be feeling pressure from competing parties of all colours, pushing in different directions, so they will be acutely aware of the importance of getting local people and local businesses on side. We will be continuing to support retailers in arranging store visits during 2024, highlighting what local shops need to continue to flourish in their communities.
For more information on arranging a store visit, visit ACS.org.uk.
