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As the year comes to a positive end with the World Cup and festive period boosting trading, there’s a lot to look forward to in 2023.
A very warm welcome to the final issue of Londis News for 2022 and it looks like we are set to end an at times challenging year on a very positive note with a footfalldriving World Cup tournament and a busy festive period.
Before we turn out thoughts fully to 2023, however, there are still a few more opportunities to go in the current year, not least of which will be squeezing some more sales and profit out of 2022 and you’ll find some great ideas on exactly how to do that inside.
One of the biggest opportunities is last-minute Christmas drinks as your shoppers top up for the big day and beyond. While value may be a massive focus, there’s some clear signs that shoppers are looking to trade up and treat themselves and their friends and family to affordable luxuries like a premium bottle of spirits or some nice wine or beer.
As it has done for most of this year, the vaping category is performing well and represents another good opportunity over Christmas and the new year as the party season truly gets underway. The new year is also likely to see the category do well as shoppers commit to healthier living new year’s resolutions.
And, of course, the start of the new year is the perfect time to take a fresh look at your store and identify any areas that could do with a little bit of attention so that you’re fully prepared and ready for everything that 2023 is set to bring.
I wish you all fantastic trading this festive period and I look forward to a successful 2023 together.
Welcome to our December issue of Londis News!
Look forward to seeing you in-store!
Stewart Fenn Sales Director, Booker Retail Partners
Londis retailers claimed two of most prestigious awards at the recent Asian Trader Awards 2022, during a very successful evening.
Winner Kris Naveretam of Londis Burbage in Wiltshire was crowned Independent Retailer of the Year while Rushi Patel of Londis Rushi Stores in Berkshire was named Next Gen Retailer of the Year.
Stewart Fenn, Sales Director – Londis, said: “Huge congratulations to Kris and Rushi and
their teams. It’s fantastic to see Londis stores collecting the top accolades, the perfect reward their hard work and commitment.
“It’s also heartening to see that the next generation of Londis retailers are already making their mark.”
The judges said: “Londis Burbage is a cutting-edge convenience store serving both residents and shoppers on the move. It went from 500 to 2,400sq ft and 24-hours trading, with a massive food-to-go offering alongside many other lifelines for locals in an area underserved by other facilities.
This site is an inspiring example of the future of forecourt retailing.”
The judges said: “Rushi Patel has retailing flowing through his veins, having worked in his parents’ store since he was a child. After Covid restrictions were lifted, Rushi oversaw a complete transformation of the store, more than doubling selling space an introducing an array of new categories. The new store now offers a wide range of in-demand meal solutions and foodto-go, as well as local products. Rushi has overseen a truly great store transformation, with real understanding of what would work in the local community.”
The government unveiled a significant business rates support package in the 2022 Autumn Statement.
The Government responded to retail industry concerns in its recent Autumn Statement, unveiling a package of support on business rates. The package will provide business rates support in the following key areas:
l The business rates multiplier will be frozen at its current level in 2023-24.
l Business rates relief for eligible retail businesses will increase from 50% currently to 75% in April 2023, up to a maximum of £110,000 of relief per business.
l A new Supporting Small Businesses Scheme (SSBS) will cap the bill increases for those losing their eligibility for Small Business Rate Relief or Rural Rate Relief to a maximum of £50 extra a month in 2023-24.
The Autumn Statement also confirmed that the second round of the Levelling Up Fund will allocate at least £1.7bn to priority local infrastructure projects. However, there was no announcement about the level of energy costs support being provided to businesses in the spring.
The Welsh Government has introduced legislation to ban or restrict the sale and supply of single-use plastics across Wales in an effort to reduce plastic pollution. The legislation will take effect in autumn 2023 and covers a range of single-use plastic items including cutlery, plates, stirrers and drinking straws.
Also included will be food-to-go containers including expanded and foamed extruded polystyrene fast-food containers and cups, polystyrene lids and thin plastic single-use carrier bags.
The law will give local authorities the power to enforce the offence of supplying or offering to supply the commonly littered items – even if they are free of charge.
Food-to-go and out-ofhome eating occasions continue to increase, up 15% year-on-year in the 12 weeks ending 3 October, the latest MealTrak figures reveal.
The figures also revealed that convenience stores (+4%) and forecourts (+9%) are outperforming the total market, representing an opportunity for Londis retailers.
The figures, from TWC Group in partnership with food-to-go and out-of-home tracking programme MealTrak, show there were 813 million eating out of home occasions in the 12-week period.
In addition, the data shows value sales are up 30% on a 52-week/ MAT basis and up 15% on a 12-week ending basis versus 2021.
Despite the cost of living crisis, most people in the UK are planning to enjoy Christmas just as they do every year without cutting their spending, according to new research from NielsenIQ.
A NielsenIQ Consumer Insights study showed that 54% of consumers in the UK view enjoying the holidays with their family and friends as very important and will have Christmas they always have. Only 39% of consumers questioned said are likely to reduce spending over the festive period.
The data revealed that expected expenditure this Christmas will be equal to last year for many. Some 63% of
households said their food, drink and gifting budget will be the same as last year’s. A tenth of shoppers said they plan to increase their budget this year.
Cheese (68%), bread (66%) and chocolate (60%) are the top three food categories which UK consumers plan to buy this Christmas while beers (52%), soft drinks (49%) and wine (37%) top the drinks list. Despite looking for more promotions, UK shoppers would not give up premium purchases during Christmas, with 37% of the respondents stating they will purchase food products, 35% planning premium beer purchases and 36% set to choose premium wines.
Frozen food is perfectly placed to help shoppers off-set some of the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, according to the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF), creating new growth opportunities for retailers. In an address to 750 business leaders at the Federation’s Annual Luncheon at London’s Hilton Park Lane, BFFF President and Chair Ian Stone said prolonged shelflife, reduced wastage and competitive pricing mean frozen food can help shoppers and retailers cope with pressures of double-digit food inflation. Retail sales of frozen food increased by £1bn during the pandemic, while sales of freezers rose by 50%.
The Association of Convenience Stores has launched a new video and briefing for retailers providing a comprehensive explanation of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) which is due to go live on 16 August 2023. Circularity Scotland, the administrator for the DRS scheme in Scotland, will be releasing more information and publishing resources for retailers in the coming months.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “It is important that retailers in Scotland are aware of and understand DRS ahead of its implementation next year and we will continue to engage with the Scottish Government and Circularity Scotland ahead of implementation.
The explainer can be found at www.acs.org. uk
Most UK households are planning to celebrate Christmas like they have always done without cutting spending, says new research.
Raaj Chandarana’s store has raised over £400,000 for charities via National Lottery sales.
The charitable efforts of one Londis retailer and his loyal shoppers have been celebrated by his local MP and Camelot. Raaj Chandarana’s Tara’s Londis in High Wycombe has raised over £400,000 for Good Causes through selling National Lottery products over the past 16 years.
Raaj also has a strong track record of local community support – having also featured in the recent Marcus Rashford: Feeding Britain’s Children documentary after he offered free meals during half-term for struggling families.
MP for Wickham Steve Baker visited Tara’s Londis in November to award the store with a special plaque.
Commenting on Raaj’s “incredible achievements,” Baker said: “Thanks to National Lottery players and to independent shops like these, over £11.5 million has been raised for Good Causes in Wycombe alone since 1994, while the total raised for projects across the whole of the UK now exceeds £46 bn.
“I hope Wycombe residents will join me in supporting our small local stores.”
Raaj added: “It’s great to be recognised for the amount of money my customers have raised for National Lottery Good Causes. Supporting my local community through my shop is really important to me, and so selling The National Lottery is another great way to do this.”
Londis Highcliffe, Berwickupon-Tweed, has donated produce to community organisation Northern View Berwick’s warm space.
The warm space is available for anyone in the community wishing to escape the cold. It offers hot drinks, snacks, facilities for charging phones,
and TV and newspapers. It is open 10am-4pm every weekday.
The charity said: “A massive thank you to the owners and staff of the new Londis shop in Highcliffe for their donation for our warm space. It is very much appreciated.”
Shoppers are planning to top up in local stores in the final days before Christmas
Independent convenience stores are ‘central’ to nearly 60% of people’s Christmas shopping plans this year, according to new research commissioned by Ferrero and carried out by KAM Media.
The research shows that shows that 42% of shoppers are planning to do top-up shops at their nearest independent store in the final days before Christmas.
In addition, the research found that 55% intend to spend more or the same as last year on home entertaining, 56% plan to spend the same or more than they usually do on gifts and 52% said they will spend more and opt for more premium chocolate over the festive period.
Alcohol is bought alongside chocolate on 68% of occasions and almost half of shoppers purchase snacking products and cards when buying chocolate.
A new report compiled by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), shows that the UK vape sector grew by 23.4% from 2017 to 2021, which represents an increase of £251m. The market is now worth £1.325bn. The contribution vaping made to the Exchequer through taxation was £310m in 2021, the data shows. Owen Good, Head of Economic Advisory at Cebr, said: “Whilst many categories have suffered in recent years, the vaping sector has bucked the trend, with
significant growth both in-store and online. Even the effects of the pandemic have not significantly hampered the sector’s growth.”
Welcoming the report, John Dunne, Director General of the UK Vaping Industry Association said: “In little over a decade vaping in the UK has grown from very much a ‘cottage industry’ to one of the fastest-growing sectors in not just retail, but the whole economy.”
GB and NI only. 18+. Purchase any Lucozade Sport (single or multipack) and text ‘‘CASH’’ to 62123 to enter. Standard rates apply. NPN for NI. Promotional period 00:01 24.10.22- 23:59 12.12.22. Maximum one entry per person per day per mobile phone number. Max one prize per person per mobile phone number throughout promotion. For more information and full T&C’s visit https://lucoza.de/wctw GETMATCH READY *
†Recommended retail price.
Londis retailers with PayPoint terminals are being asked to remind any of their shoppers that received Energy Support Scheme vouchers that they must cash them in before the end of the 90-day deadline.
All households in England, Scotland and Wales began receiving the first £400 instalment of the government’s Energy Bill Support Scheme in October.
For customers who have a prepayment meter, which requires topping up via a key or card in a local newsagent or Post Office, the help with energy bills comes in
the form of a credit voucher sent out by suppliers each month.
By the end of October, however, PayPoint revealed that only half of those eligible had redeemed the first vouchers.
The NFRN’s National Vice-President Muntazir Dipoti said: “Because of the warmer weather we’ve had, or because they are saving them until nearer Christmas, some people may be hanging on to their vouchers. But it is important that they are aware that the vouchers expire after 90 days, so they must use them or lose them.”
Retailers that focus on earning their shoppers’ trust, amid the cost-of-living crisis, stand to generate stronger loyalty, footfall and sales, new research has revealed. A poll of 1,000 people by The Institute of Customer Service found that trust “held the key” to maintaining customer spending in the current challenging times, with 64% of customers willing to spend more with businesses that they trusted. Some 81% held trust as a “very important” factor, while 95%
said they were “likely” or “very likely” to remain a customer of a business they trust. The top drivers of customer trust in organisations are that products and services are good quality (61%), reliable (56%) and that prices are transparent (46%).
In addition, 82% of customers said they would be more likely to trust an organisation that gave them better service.
New research published by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has shown that a huge 90% of all retail shopping by value was paid for by credit or debit card in the last year. The report says the pandemic dramatically changed the way shoppers pay.
Cash usage fell to just 15% of all transactions in 2021, down from 30% in 2020, while 82% of all transactions were made on credit or debit cards, up from 67% the previous year.
While card usage soared, so did the costs associated with accepting these payments. Retailers incurred costs of £1.3bn just to accept card payments from customers in 2021. Debit cards, which accounted for the majority of transactions, saw scheme fees rise by 28% compared to 2020, and total Merchant Service charges increased by 12%.
This translated into an additional £141m in costs just to process debit card transactions.
The NFRN is urging retailers with a PayPoint terminal to remind shoppers who have received Energy Support Scheme vouchers to cash them in before the 90-day deadline.
Independent retailing industry charity GroceryAid has announced that its official GroceryAid Day awareness-raising event for 2023 will take place on 10th May 2023.
GroceryAid Day was created to be a high-profile opportunity for the entire industry to come together and make sure everyone in our industry is aware of the free and confidential support services the charity can offer to industry colleagues in need of financial, emotional or practical help. Support is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The charity works on behalf of the entire industry from head office through to factory and shop floors and, unfortunately, demand for its services has never been higher following the challenges of the last few years. Last year over 220 companies in the trade took part in GroceryAid Day and the charity reached millions of people
through company engagement. This increased level of awareness contributed to a 61% increase in incidences of support last year, but there are still so many people who don’t know about the free and confidential support available to them.
By getting involved in GroceryAid Day 2023 you and your team can help share the message that free, confidential help is available.
Remember too that it is a great time to remind your team about the welfare services GroceryAid provides as the festive season approaches.
To order a free pack of posters, leaflets and wallet cards for your store, visit groceryaid.org.uk/get-involved/orderprinted-materials. A special Save The Date kit can also be downloaded at www. groceryaid.org.uk.
Milestones:
l Today: Add GroceryAid Day to your personal and team calendars.
l December/ January: Make your GroceryAid Day plans.
The GA Day 2023 theme will be launched in January via email and Linkedln.
l February/March: Order your materials.
GroceryAid will inform you by email and about ordering times and deadlines.
l April: Let GroceryAid know you’re taking part.
Taking part in GroceryAid Day earns you one point towards a GroceryAid Award and helps the charity track engagement levels.
l 10May: Enjoy GroceryAid Day!
GroceryAid can’t wait to see your pictures and posts on the day.
Just as eyes are windows to the soul, windows are the gateway to the heart of a store, letting in crucial light and life.
Londis Romford co-owner Seeva Surathan would certainly agree. In fact, the fitting of light- and life-giving new windows across the front of his 18-yearold store in the heart of Romford town centre in April 2020 formed an integral part of its most recent development and key contributor to the £4,000 rise in weekly sales that has since been achieved.
Prior to the makeover, the frontage of the 1,500sq ft store was almost entirely obscured with old window graphics which let in very little natural light and prevented shoppers from seeing in or out.
“The importance of good visibility really can’t be overstated,” says Seeva, who co-owns the store with his brother Siva Surathan and cousin Sri Rangan.
“As tempting as it is to use that space for shelving, shoppers like to be able to see inside, to get an idea of the offer and ambience before they enter. Clean, open, uncluttered windows are the best way to help them do that,” Seeva explains.
“Shoppers instantly feel more at ease and more comfortable before they have even set foot through the door.”
“The windows also flood the store with natural light, improving the whole look and feel. Before it was quite dark and felt much smaller than its 1,500sq ft of space, Seeva adds.
The smart new floor-to-ceiling windows also serve an important third function: allowing Seeva’s busy, impulse-driven shoppers to see out.
“The store is located directly in front of a major bus stop and in fact around 70% of our daily trade is from busy
Seeva Surathan and his business partners are enjoying higher footfall and sales at their bright and booming Londis store in Romford town centre.commuters and bus users. Lots of shoppers pop in quickly for soft drinks, scratch cards or snacks before they jump on the bus, so they love the great visibility that the store now has.
“Knowing that they can see the stop clearly gives them more confidence to grab what they need, without the fear of missing the bus!” Seeva says.
A new Londis fascia was also fitted to crown the windows, and doors centred, to create a more spacious entrance zone.
The light and airy entrance zone also serves as the perfect springboard into the store, allowing mission-driven shoppers to more easily appreciate its range.
With Londis’ help, that range was dramatically improved as part of the three-week refit, in a bid to cater even better to the store’s impulse-driven shoppers.
A brand-new Jack’s Beans coffee station was introduced at the entrance, much to the delight of its key commuter trade.
“The coffee has been a big hit, we never offered anything like this before so it’s a big change. We sell around 20 cups a day on average but it’s continuing to grow, especially in the colder months when shoppers love a hot coffee to warm up with while waiting for the bus.”
Also warming shoppers’ spirits, is the store’s much keener value focus, thanks to an enhanced range of promotions and of course the introduction of the Jack’s brand.
“Jack’s is proving to be a phenomenal success, especially in categories such as
Jack’s is proving to be a phenomenal success, especially in categories such as crisps, where so many products can be bought on ‘2 for’ deals.
crisps, where so many products can be bought on ‘2 for’ deals,” Seeva says.
Jack’s is also making inroads in the store’s chilled foods offer which was expanded to 4.5 metres to allow for a larger range of chilled sandwiches, deli items, dairy products and chilled ready meals. “At first I was a little apprehensive about offering more chilled foods but it’s really worked,” says Seeva.
“Londis has helped us to tailor the range to local needs and much of it has a very long shelf life which helps to keep wastage fears at bay.
Keep windows clean and clear to help boost light and visibility into and out of your store.
Support all promotions with the relevant point of sale to maximise impact.
A simple coffee offer can help to generate valuable additional profits.
Don’t be afraid to invest in chilled. Much of the range available to Londis retailers has a long shelf life.
“Jack’s branded products are selling strongly, and shoppers love the Jack’s ready meals which are all on promotion at ‘2 for £6’. It’s actually very rare that shoppers leave having just bought one,” he says.
The store has also expanded its range of Euro Shopper lines and now boasts an eye-catching promotional end right at the front of the store, which Seeva says “stops shoppers in their tracks”.
“Since the refit I am now also following all the Londis promotions,” Seeva says. “Before I only did the core ones. Shoppers these days are very valuefocused, and we’ve noticed a big rise in
©2022 AB InBev UK Limited, all rights reserved.
promotional uptake, especially on categories such as beer.”
Beer, Seeva says, is now the store’s second biggest category, narrowly behind soft drinks which dominate sales and act as a major footfall driver.
“Soft drinks are huge. We devote 3.5m of chiller space to them and are constantly refilling and facing-up shelves to keep up with demand and keep the offer looking as good as possible. There’s a gym next door so sales are led by sports and energy drinks.
The store’s gym-going shoppers can also choose from a new range of protein bars, conveniently located next to the coffee machine.
The store’s confectionery offer has also been enhanced with a small range of on-trend American candy. “Confectionery, particularly chocolate singles is another very strong seller and we now try to run as many promotions on these as possible, to
really boost our impulse sales,” Seeva says. “The Londis promotions are very strong, especially deals such as ‘two for £1.50’ on big brand singles.
“Chocolate sales were always high because of our bus stop location but they have doubled since the refit.”
All in all, the changes made have helped the store to achieve a £4,000 rise in weekly sales, leading Seeva to feel “very optimistic” about the year ahead.
“Shoppers are so pleased with what we’ve done. Spend is up and so are smiles, and that’s just great,” he says.
Timing, they say, is everything and it’s certainly played a key role at JC Morrison’s Barham site in Canterbury, which underwent a total overhaul in April 2022.
After almost a decade of owning the site, acquired from the legendary Arter Brothers in 2012, the “timing was right” to press go on a transformative refurbishment project that would propel the business into the 21st century and send footfall and sales soaring.
Site support manager Andy Cox explains: “The site had been successfully operating as a small forecourt shop selling fuel for the last 10 years, but we always knew it had massive potential to offer even more. However, it wasn’t until 2022, when we’d completed the sale of one of our other sites and refurbished another, that the timing was right for us to take Barham to the next level.”
Primely located on the A2 – the busy commuter route that links Canterbury to Folkstone and Dover –“taking it to the next level” included a total knock down of the site’s interior.
Old and underused offices at the rear of the site were knocked through in a bid
to transform the former kiosk store into 1,000sq ft of prime shopfloor space majoring on fresh, food-to-go and BWS.
“Because of our location we benefit from vast amounts of passing trade but there’s also a number of small villages and some houses within walking distance, so we knew we had a great opportunity to offer even more in the way of food-togo but also fresh, chilled and groceries and create a kind of mini supermarket for local people,” Andy explains.
Incredibly, the site traded throughout the two-month transformation process, with the exception of one week in April while the forecourt and pumps were upgraded. “The rest of the time we continued to serve fuel and other impulse items from a small corner of the store, while all the work and re-merchandising was happening behind the scenes,” Andy says.
The finished article was presented to shoppers in early 2022.
What met them was an entirely new fourmetre fresh and chilled range, including a quality range of Jack’s branded fresh fruit and vegetables plus a whole one metre bay for Jack’s ready meals.
Footfall and sales at JC Morrison’s Londis forecourt in Barham are riding high following a transformative refit.A brand new one metre frozen offer, starring the popular Londis Meal Deal, was also added to the mix, along with an impressive six metres of beers, wines and spirits – also totally new.
“We didn’t have an alcohol licence before so having BWS has been a big change,” Andy says. “Sales since opening have been very positive with many shoppers now popping in for a bottle of wine or pack of beer to accompany their evening meals.”
The store’s impeccably merchanded BWS range has been further enhanced with attractive freestanding displays including rustic wooden barrels to promote key wine lines – proving that eye-catching in-store theatre can also be created in smaller spaces.
Food-to-go, which had always been a key footfall driver, was also enhanced with additional space allocated in a bid to expand the range.
Close ties with the local butcher also see the store offer a mouth-watering selection of freshly baked and locally made hot pastries, including sausage rolls and cheese and ham turnovers – with over 140 pastries sold each day.
The tempting savoury pastry offer is complemented by an extended array of sweet options which partner perfectly with the store’s Costa Express machine, which currently sells upwards of 60 cups a day.
“We also switched our chilled sandwich supply to Londis as part of the move and I’m thrilled with the new range. The choice is great, and we are getting a much better availability and margin too, so that’s another big win-win,” Andy says.
It’s not just the store’s range that’s grown – its team has too. With the “mini supermarket” now open from 6am to 10pm, the team has tripled in size to 11 to meet the new demand.
Unsurprisingly, given the extent of the transformation, Andy says that local shoppers and passers-by alike are “thrilled” with the change.
Footfall and sales have been soaring ever since the store reopened fully, with average basket spend – excluding fuel –shooting up to just under £30.
“Shoppers are over the moon,” Andy says. “We still get lots of ‘oooohs’ and ‘ahhhhh’s’ and people are eager to grab a shopping basket when they enter.
“We never had basket shoppers before. If we got a £5 impulse sale I used to think we were doing well!
“Nowadays, shoppers will buy sizable baskets from us, with many shoppers topping up for a couple of days. Now I don’t think twice about a shopping basket worth £50 or even £60; it’s incredible.
In-store
Multi-buys can act as a powerful mechanic to drive sales especially on vape, beers and chilled ready meals.
Use all the relevant POS available to you to make your deals stand out.
theatre can be achieved in a small space. Andy displays key wine lines on rustic wine barrels.
“Grocery sales have tripled and chilled sales aren’t far behind, driven by the Jack’s ready meals. Shoppers love the quality and the ‘2 for £6’ promotional mechanic is so powerful. I have one shopper who buys two ready meals every single night!
“Multibuys are a very big driver of sales throughout the store and thanks to the large storage space that we still have at the rear of the site, I am able to bulk-buy lots of Londis’ strong long-term deals such as three bottles of ale for £5.50.”
The value message – particularly multi-buys – are heavily promoted throughout the store and are also a key driver of vape sales thanks to a successful ‘2 for £10’ offer on disposable Elf Bars.
“I sell about 250 multibuys on Elf Bar alone each month, with a great profit margin of more than 40%,” Andy says.
“Shoppers are just so appreciative of what we’ve done. We’ve totally changed the offer, catering not just to the vast amounts of passing trade, but also to the many small
villages located nearby who don’t have much else in the way of a local shop,” Andy adds.
“It’s all running really well and it’s great to see the development showing such strong dividends already. We’re now just focusing on putting the icing on the cake and we have great confidence in the business going forward.
“The timing has all worked out so well. I’m certainly glad we’ve made all these changes now, especially given how much energy costs have already risen by since we finished.
All our chillers now feature doors and are as efficient as possible. All lighting has also been upgraded to more energy-efficient LED models.
“I’m expecting sales to really come into their own over the coming weeks, especially the BWS as we head towards the festive season, as Londis has some fantastic deals on wine and beer.
“There are definitely bags of reasons to feel optimistic.”
to really come into their own over the coming weeks, especially the BWS as we head towards the festive season, as Londis has some fantastic deals on wine and beer. Andy Cox
I’m
The festive season is upon us and bringing with it a sleigh-load of very merry opportunities for Londis retailers to put on a show and set their drinks sales singing.
Helping them to do just that is Londis, which this year, is offering retailers a truly sparkling range to cater for all tastes, budgets and occasions.
Products will also be supported with a vast variety of footfall-driving promotions and in fact this festive period, the number of Group deals on beer and cider are up by 20% on last year, while the number of wines and spirits on promotion has increased by a quarter.
So, here’s a last-minute reminder about some of the key products and big trends to be on board with this year andyou’re your Christmas and New Year sales rocking around the clock.
Despite speculation that the gin bubble would soon pop, the category continues to grow by 12.3% from a value perspective and 3.3% in terms of volume – so the signs remain strong for a juniperscented Christmas.
Gee up your gin sales by offering a good mix of flavoured products as well as more traditional London Dry gins from across the pricing spectrum to cater for all tastes and pockets.
With no current restrictions on socialising in any part of the UK, Christmas 2022 is promising to be one of the biggest and best in recent years, as shoppers look to celebrate in style – treating themselves and others to premium drinks, despite the spending squeeze.
Booker Category Lead for Wine & RTDs
Mark Oldfield expects sparkling options, including Prosecco and Champagne, to shine particularly brightly this year and fortunately Londis has a fantastic range to help them do so with options to suit all budgets. Londis shoppers seeking great-value sparkling options can bag bottles of Dino Prosecco for just £7.49, down from £9.99 (POR 10.04% per case of 6) while those with a penchant for more premium-priced options can treat themselves to a bottle of Lanson Black Label
Get on board with the key trends set to shape drinks sales this festive season and unwrap merry sales and profits.
Champagne for £30.99 – down from £42.99 – offering retailers a POR of 10.82% per case of 6.
World Beers, Super Premium Ciders and Premium Ales, which are all growing ahead of the core category, according to Kantar Worldpanel data, also look set to sparkle as shoppers trade up their tipples over the festive period and on the big day itself.
In fact, according to Statista data from Molson Coors, one-fifth of UK adults would prefer to enjoy a premium beer alongside their Christmas dinner.
Shoppers are snapping up
Flavoured spirits, in particular vodka, are in demand at the moment – so retailers would do well to include these in their ranges.
Tropical fruit and floral flavours shone brightly over the summer months, while over the winter and festive period, dessert, spiced and coffee flavours could see an uptick in demand.
If space is an issue, don’t feel you have to offer every flavour under the sun – just the core best-sellers, supported by any big new or Exclusive products.
Use the Londis POS to highlight your range and offers especially on Exclusive products.
A growing number of Londis retailers are also investing in backlit spirit displays to give their ranges an extra edge.
When it comes to wine, Booker’s Mark Oldfield says there’s one trend that’s more noticeable than all the rest: a move towards wines with sweeter taste profiles.
This trend lends itself to naturally sweeter Australian wines and Mark encourages retailers to make more of wines from down under in their stores.
“Australia is the biggest country in terms of sales volume so it’s really important that retailers also have a good core Australian offering across each of the price brackets,” he advises.
“Australian wines tend to offer that sweeter taste profile which a growing number of shoppers are looking for these days. They also tend to be more robust in terms of price and availability, which is key.”
Londis’ range of great-value Australian wines includes Jam Shed’s Shiraz, Rosé and Chardonnay variants, all currently available on promotion for an RSP of just £6 and a promotional POR of 15.17%.
Shoppers’ seemingly insatiable appetite for new and exciting flavours continues to enliven the spirits category and the festive season looks set to be no exception as in-home revellers seek to get creative with cocktails and spritzers.
Berry, citrus and tropical flavours, such as raspberry, watermelon and passionfruit have dominated the white spirit scene in 2022. This is especially true in vodka, where flavoured varieties are currently the fastest-growing
segment at +51.9%, according to Nielsen data compiled for the premium Ciroc brand.
Andrew Scurrah, Booker Group Category lead for Spirits says: “Flavour development within spirits has been the overarching trend over the past couple of years and that’s still driving things. Right now it’s flavoured vodka that is really on-trend.”
Some of the many special offers available on key spirit brands this festive season include 70cl bottles of Absolut
Vanilla and Absolute Passionfruit for just £16.99, down from £22.29, offering retailers a promotional POR of 14.55% per case of 6.
Multipack formats have been a key focus for many of the UK’s leading lager brands this year and the format certainly looks set to shine over the coming weeks, as shoppers come together for an array of different social and celebratory occasions.
Take-home formats have been growing steadily throughout 2022, according to IRI convenience data compiled for Molson Coors. In fact, chilled small multipacks now account for 72.8% of impulse lager sales.
Londis offers a great value range of multipacks to help shoppers share the good times including 4x330ml packs of Peroni and Corona Extra for just £5.75 (Promotional POR of 28.03% per case of 6) and 10x 440ml packs of Stella Artois and Strongbow for just £10.
Rack up merrier wine sales this festive season with Mark Oldfield’s top tips:
l Delist lines that aren’t working to make space for big sellers.
l Offer a solid range across the key price points.
l Follow the RSPs.
l Sweeter wines are on trend, so try to reflect this in your range. Australian wines are a great option.
l Have at least two or three facings of your bestselling wines.
l Run the Londis promotions and support them with displays in prominent sites in your store like gondola ends.
l Chill all white and rosé wines, where possible.
With the number of consumers reducing their alcohol intake continuing to grow according to Kantar, offering a good balance of low and no alcoholic options is becoming increasingly important.
Partied-out Christmas shoppers will also be able to re-energise tired minds and bodies this festive season thanks to Booker’s launch of a brand new and ultracompetitive own-label energy drinks brand.
l If space allows, why UNLEASHTHE NEWENERGYDRINK50%POR NEW
Available through Booker and BRP now, Raptor has been launched in three on-trend flavours – matched to bestselling branded energy drinks.
Flavours in the new Raptor range include Orange and Mango; Tropical Cherry; and Citrus, in line with shopper demand for fruity and tropical flavours.
Price-marked at just £1, each can also offers Londis retailers an equally energising POR of 51.1%.
The new Raptor range is also fully HFSS compliant.
Londis retailers can also offer their shoppers bottles of Alcohol-Free Belle & Co Sparkling wine, which are on offer over the festive period for an RSP of just £3.50. Retailers can also make a promotional POR of 20.06% on cases of 6.
With their ultra-convenient formats, innovative flavours and disruptive style, the RTD category also looks set to help stores ring up additional sales and profits this year.
Londis’ range includes a variety of bestselling RTDs including Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold Rum & Cola, Smirnoff Raspberry Crush and Gordon’s Premium Pink Gin and Lemonade, all of which are available on an ‘Any 3 for £5.50’ deal offering retailers a promotional POR of 36.30% on case sizes of 12.
be keener than ever to bolster their baskets with great quality every day products that offer fantastic value for money.
Cue the Jack’s own brand range, which has continued to grow over recent weeks with new lines added across key every day categories including pet, domestic and ambient products.
Further Jack’s-branded first aid and personal care products are also set to launch in the new year.
Social media is another great medium through which to shout about the fantastic array of quality Jack’s products and great promotions available in store.
Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok can help you to reach shoppers wherever they are, be that at home, on the bus or at work.
Booker offers a wealth of social media assets to help you showcase your Jack’s range, making it as easy as pie to create high-impact posts.
For more information and advice, ask your friendly RDM.
The festive season is well and truly upon us with shoppers up and down the country decking their halls and baskets with an array of festive frivolities.
However, while spend on sparkling wines, premium beers and indulgent treats may well be up, the current squeeze on consumer spending is likely to mean that shoppers will
From crunchy apples to crumbly pies and warming ready meals, the Jack’s range now covers each of the key product categories that shoppers look for in a quality convenience offer.
As Londis News went to press 454 Jack’s products had been launched, representing 92%, of the entire range of 496 great- value lines that will be available to Londis retailers.
The vast majority of products in the Jack’s range are price-marked, reinforcing shoppers’ trust and confidence in the range.
Products are also supported by a wide array of different promotions, including show-stopping ‘2 for’ deals across many categories.
And of course, Jack’s offers far more than just great-value for money from a trusted and wellknown brand. Quality is also a major string to the brand’s bow and a key driver of repeat purchases, according to Londis retailers.
Londis retailers now have access to an even broader range of quality products from the great value Jack’s brand.
Andy Cox of Londis Barham Service Station in Canterbury says: “Footfall and sales have been soaring since we extended store earlier this year and expanded our range of fresh and chilled foods as well as groceries and impulse lines in the process.
“The Jack’s brand is playing a major role, with shoppers increasingly buying into it in greater numbers and volumes.
“The fact that products so clearly state that they are ‘part of the Tesco family’ helps to boost trust in the brand which is reinforced as soon as shoppers try the products – I get great feedback on how good the products taste. The value for money price points are the icing on the cake.
Our grocery sales have tripled and chilled sales aren’t far behind, driven by the Jack’s ready meals including pizzas and pasta dishes. Shoppers love the quality and the ‘2 for £6’ promotional
mechanic is so powerful. I have one shopper who buys two ready meals every single night!”
Strong retailer POR’s are of course another major boon. While most Jack’s lines deliver at least 30% POR, a high volume of the 380 products already launched also carry even juicier POR’s of more than 40%, with some, such as Jack’s Pedal Bin
offering as much as 55.7%!
Top tips to make the most of your American Candy display
l American Candy displays can be a great way to create excitement on your shop floor. Be sure to support your range with the relevant in-store signage and POS to make it pop.
l American Candy lines tend to be fast sellers, so be sure to keep a close eye on availability and fill gaps on shelves quickly to keep your display looking at its best.
l Review your range regularly to ensure that every inch of space is working as hard as it can be.
l American Candy lends itself perfectly to promotions on social media. Think about supporting new products and bestselling lines with social content including images, reviews and in-store videos to build excitement.
From shaking up soft drinks-to go-to giving crisps and snacks a whole lot of extra bite and whipping up food-to-go, American brands are continuing to take the UK convenience sector by storm.
One category where the power and pull of US brands continues to be felt particularly strongly is of course confectionery.
Despite the cost-of-living crisis and the need for many shoppers to rein in their spending, Londis retailers from across the country are still reporting sweet sales of often pricier ‘American Candy’ products, as shoppers remain keen to buy into their added-value propositions and innovative and engaging flavours and formats.
With their vibrant, joyful packaging and exciting and often surprising
flavour and texture combinations –dirty dishwasher flavoured Jelly Bean anyone? – American Candy brands continue to offer shoppers a taste of lightness and fun in what are still for many people, quite uncertain times.
In fact, according to research from The Hershey Company, 35% of shoppers agree that practising self-care includes enjoying sweet treats and or indulgences.
“Candies and other sweet treats play many different roles in consumers’ self-care experiences – ranging from a reward, to being an instant mood lifter or a source of comfort on rough days,” a spokesperson for The Hershey Company says. “Sweet treats can also be a way to indulge in moderation or help shoppers “break out of monotony,” they add.
Candy products from across the pond can help you make an even bigger splash this festive season and beyond.
There’s no typical shopper who buys into American Candy, it really has quite a broad appeal and the different types of products appeal to an equally broad range of tastes – from sweet & sour to sweet & salty, fruit or more dessert flavours.
l Even a small range of American Candy can create welcome excitement on the shop floor. Londis retailers have access to a range of best-selling SKUs to help retailers build an eye-catching offer whatever their store size.
l American Candy products don’t just appeal to teens! Older shoppers also buy into the category too for gifting and nostalgic reasons.
l American Candy products tend to command higher price points than their UK counterparts – and higher PORs too. Londis retailers can make a minimum of 27% POR, with some products in Londis’ range offering as much as 38.2%!
l The imminent festive season is sure to give American Candy brands a further boost, as shoppers snap up more products for stocking fillers, gifts and fun treats to share with friends and family.
The imminent festive season is also guaranteed to give American Candy brands a further boost, with shoppers expected to bag even more of the sweet treats over the coming weeks as they stock up on stocking fillers and fun-filled sharing formats.
Helping retailers to make the very most of the American Candy trend, Londis offers a compelling range of bestselling lines from key US brands, including Hershey, Reese’s, Jelly Belly and Mike & Ike.
All items in the range give retailers the opportunity to bag minimum PORs of 27%, with some products, such as Reese’s Sticks, offering as much as 38.2%!
From Sweet & Salty to Sweet & Sour and Tropical, all of the products within the expertly-honed range tap into the key trends driving shopper demand at the moment.
One Londis store which is certainly bagging bigger and better footfall, sales and profits due to its new range of American Candy products is Londis Chaxhill Service Station in Westbury on Severn.
Earlier this year, Jeyathasan Navaratnam and his wife Gaya doubled the size of their small
forecourt store in Chaxhill, Gloucestershire, in a bid to introduce a raft of new footfalldriving product categories including American Candy.
The new 1,800sq ft store now features a whole eight shelves dedicated to top-selling American Candy lines – including products from the Reese’s and Hershey brands.
As Jey explains, the new range has helped to attract an entirely new type of shopper to the store.
“When the store reopened featuring American Candy, we suddenly started seeing lots of new younger shoppers coming in where previously we had mainly attracted older generations and top-up shoppers,” he says.
“When we first relaunched the store in May, we were placing one American confectionery order every two weeks but we are now placing one large order every single week and sometimes having to top up at our local Booker branch.
“Shoppers can’t get enough of it; it’s definitely a big footfall driver and the profits are brilliant too. It also looks really nice on shelf and adds to the vibrant new shopping experience that
we now offer.”
Arjan Mehr of Londis Great Hollands in Bracknell is also reporting sweet success with American confectionery lines and expects to see sales jump in the lead to Christmas as shoppers snap products up for stocking fillers, gifts, sharing occasions and of course for personal enjoyment.
“There’s no typical shopper who buys into American Candy, it has a very broad appeal.
“My only word of warning is that the category does require careful management to ensure that availability remains strong. Lines sell fast, especially at this time of year and you have to keep on top of it to keep the range looking at its best,” he adds.
CHESTERFIELD
Case size: 10 x 20s
WSP: £74.92 £73.33
RSP: £9.54
POR: 5.8% 7.8%
MARLBORO GOLD ROLLING TOBACCO
Case size: 5x30g
WSP: £47.78 £44.17
RSP: £13.02
POR: 11.9% 13.9%
As energy and fuel costs continue to challenge retailers, Londis is reminding retailers that they can secure an additional 2% POR on leading tobacco products by joining the Londis Tobacco Cluband is reminding retailers too that they must sell the Tobacco Club lines at RSP in order to be eligible for the bonus POR.
The Londis Tobacco Club was recently expanded with the addition of five new lines, offering Londis retailers even more opportunities to add an extra 2% POR on their tobacco sales.
The new Chesterfield and Marlboro
Gold Rolling Tobacco lines benefit from reduced WSPs which help deliver the POR increases on every pack sold.
To take advantage of the Londis Tobacco Club and benefit from reduced WSPs, all that retailers have to do is sign up and agree to sell the qualifying lines at RSP or below.
The lower WSPs are charged on invoice so there are no credits required. It couldn’t be simpler.
To find out more about the Londis Tobacco Club or to sign up, speak to your RDM today.
The UK’s dynamic vape sector has experienced some major shifts in 2022 providing excellent opportunities for retailers who have their finger on the pulse.
When it comes to dynamism in the convenience sector, there’s few categories quite as electric as vape at the moment.
With a current estimated value of well over £1.2bn in the UK and more than 30% of sales being made in traditional retail, according to Imperial Tobacco, vape products are well on their way to becoming one of the biggest footfall and profit-drivers in local stores.
Growth has skyrocketed over the last 12 months, with 4.3 million people in Great Britain now using e-cigarettes –equivalent to 8.3% of the entire adult population.
This growth, according to ASH and YouGov’s latest Smokefree GB survey, is being driven by the mounting number of adult smokers continuing to switch to vape products for health and cost reasons.
The peak age group for e-cigarette use has also experienced a massive shift, with 18-24 year olds now the largest users of e-cigarettes at 11%, up from 5% in 2021.
The significant growth in the volume of 18-24 year olds now vaping, instead of smoking, has also led to a dramatic shift in the type of vape products being used and purchased.
Use of disposable vapes has soared from 2.3% in 2021 to 15% in 2022 and that growth is showing no signs of slowing as we head towards 2023.
Usage of devices which use pre-filled pods and cartridges meanwhile, has remained at a strong and stable 17%.
Given the amount of change experienced by the vape market in the past 12 months, keeping on top of the key vape trends has never been so important for local retailers.
Londis News is here to help with even more insights and top tips to keep sales on track and profits in the fast lane.
Londis is also supporting with its highlycompetitive range which now includes even more choice thanks to recent new additions.
Helping retailers to make even more of the lucrative disposable market, Londis has bolstered its range with the addition of new brand Elux.
Elux vapes are available to Londis retailers now in a range of six on-trend flavours including Sweet Blueberry Ice,
ELUX BAR 600
Case size: 10xsingle
Flavours: 6
WSP: £25.74 RSP: £5.99
POR: 48.4%
“The vape category is playing an increasingly important role in our store, with sales being driven by disposable brands such as Elf Bar and Geek Bar. I tend to support disposables with strong promotions, such as ‘2 for £10’ on Elf Bars and I sell about 250 multibuys a month with a great profit margin of more than 40%.
“Because of the deals, lots of vapers will buy between four to six bars at a time, and they buy them in a wide range of different flavours so that they can chop and change. Fruity flavours such as Watermelon and Berry flavours are by far the most popular though.
“I’ve also just taken on a new range of disposable vapes from the Lost Mary brand and they have been flying – they look quite different from all the other bar formats out there so lots of vapers have been keen to give them a try. Because of the vapes my margin on tobacco has now crept up to just under 16%, whereas a year ago it was closer to 7% so that really shows the strength of the category.”
Andy Cox, Londis Barham, Canterbury
The UK’s dynamic vape market offers a fantastic opportunity to generate year-round sales but there are also an array of key times and annual campaigns that retailers can get on board with to really supercharge footfall, sales and profits.
In 2023 these will include:
l New year quitting opportunity: The first few months of 2023 will provide retailers with a sizeable opportunity to boost vape sales by helping the many existing smokers who will be looking to quit tobacco with the use of a vape.
l VApril: Run by the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) the annual VApril campaign will run throughout the month of April to help educate smokers on how to successfully quit conventional cigarettes by transitioning to vaping.
l Stoptober: The government-led national smoking cessation campaign will run throughout the month of October, working hard to promote the message that “nicotine vaping is one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking.”
Sweet Watermelon Ice and Pink Lemonade.
The new range of bars also includes a variety of unique flavours such as ‘Tiger Blood,’ which offers a fruity, energy drink flavour.
Each disposable bar also offers 600 puffs. If sold at the RSP of £5.99, each case of 10 Elux vapes also offers retailers a POR of 48.4%.
And that’s not all! Londis retailers also have access to a new range of disposable vapes from the Lost Mary brand.
Lost Mary BM600 vapes deliver “a sweet and cool” taste in a uniquely-shaped format. Each disposable offers 600 puffs and features 20mg nicotine salts.
Londis has also bolstered its range of refillable vape products with the addition of BAT’s Vuse2 e Pod. Each pack contains two pre-filled ‘e pods’ which offer vapers up to 1,900 puffs.
The range is available to Londis retailers in six flavours with each pack offering a POR of 23.3% if sold at the RSP of of £6.99.
A new range of Elfbar pods are also available. New Elfa Pods come in a choice of seven bestselling flavours including flavour of the moment Watermelon.
Each pack contains two pre-filled pods containing 20mg of nicotine salts for an RSP of £5.99 offering retailers a juicy POR of 39.3%.
l Three million people in Great Britain now use e-cigarettes.
l 57% of current vapers are exsmokers.
l Only 1.3% of never smokers are current vapers, amounting to 8.1% of vapers.
l Only 28% of adult smokers had never tried a vape in 2022 – down on 2021.
l 63% of vapers who no longer smoke find vaping more or equally satisfying as smoking.
(Source: Smokefree GB survey, YouGov March 2022)
The popularity of fruity flavoured vapes has continued to soar in the last 12 months, latest data from the SmokeFree GB Survey reveals.
Fruit flavours now account for the lion’s share of usage at 41%, followed by menthol at 19%.
Usage of tobacco flavoured vapes, which in 2015 were the most popular flavour, has fallen to 15%.
Only 1.1% of vapers report using tobacco/menthol flavoured products and only very few report using
products with no flavour.
Over the course of 2022, tropical and berry flavours, such as Watermelon, Mango, Cherry, Raspberry and Blueberry experienced strong sales, with the trend expected to last into the new year.
The Government’s Nicotine Vaping Evidence Update 2022 also said that there was “some evidence to suggest that non-tobacco flavours, particularly sweet flavours, may play a positive role in helping people switch from smoking to vaping”.
There’s no better time than the early New Year to take an objective look at your store to ensure that your range, service and offer is tip-top and your business is on track for the year ahead. Londis News offers some tips on where to start.
For retailers and shoppers alike, the start of a new year has always represented a great opportunity to regroup, refresh and refocus.
Following the festive frenzy, January is traditionally a quieter trading month for retail businesses, making it the perfect period for retailers to take the time to look at their stores through fresh and objective eyes.
One great way to do that is by taking a
step back and trying to see your store the way your shoppers do, then drawing up a list of what you’re doing well, and where there could be room for improvement.
That could be as simple as a spring clean, a re-merchandise, or a lick of paint, or it could mean instigating a new programme of online staff training or checking that all hygiene, health and safety documentation and rules are in place.
The best place to start is outside as that’s the first thing new and existing shoppers see when they visit your store – and first impressions count:
l Is the signage neat, tidy and clean?
l Are all posters up to date and in good condition?
l Has the exterior been swept and is it litter-free?
l Do the exterior walls need fresh paint or professional cleaning?
l Are the windows clean, tidy and free of clutter?
l Do you have a bin available for shoppers?
Once your shoppers step inside, what is the first thing they see? Does it make a good impression. Walk around just the way a shopper would and ask yourself:
l Are the floors and ceilings clean and mark free?
l Are aisles easy to navigate for shoppers with mobility issues or prams?
l Do all the lights work?
l Are the shelves clean and well merchandised?
l Is all in-store signage and POS up to date and in good condition?
One store owner who will most certainly be looking to use the post-Christmas lull wisely is Jas Singh of Londis Stourbridge Road. He’s recently appointed a full-time cleaner to ensure that the store constantly “looks the part”.
“It’s not just about the interior though,” Jas says. “Our location on a busy main road with lots of other competition means we always need to look at our best from the outside too. “Looking at the store from a shopper’s point of view is important: is the exterior clean, is the signage in good condition, and up to date?
“Taking that little bit of extra time to really focus on ensuring that every box is ticked is certainly well worth it,” he says.
Londis News is here to help you tick those boxes too, with some key tips and advice to get your store ship shape for 2023.
Clearly, one of the most important factors on how shoppers judge your store is your team. Some basic questions to ask yourself include:
l Are the uniforms grubby or past their best?
l Do the staff greet every shopper with a hello and a smile?
With the basics dealt with, it’s time to move onto more complex areas. Health, safe and legal are massively important issues and no more so than if you operate a hot food-to-go counter. Areas to pay particular attention to are those with specific hygiene challenges like milk chillers and hot and cold food storage and preparation areas.
l Is the milk chiller spotlessly clean?
l Have any hot food storage units been deep cleaned recently?
l Have all chillers been serviced as specified by the manufacturer?
l Are your temperature checks up to date, accurate and within safe guidelines?
l Has the shelving in the soft drinks cabinet been thoroughly cleaned to remove sticky residues?
l What about your food prep areas? It is a legal requirement that these must be cleaned/sanitised then left for 30 seconds before using again.
l Is your EHO certificate displayed as it should be?
l Is your CleanPro+ manual available to staff, and are they aware of it?
l For products that you yourself package for sale, is the ingredient labelling fully compliant with Natasha’s Law?
While the shopper-facing parts of the store naturally get the most attention, it’s still vital that all storage areas are kept in good shape to avoid accidents, hygiene issues and out of date stock. Ask yourself:
l Are the floor areas of any store spaces clean, tidy and trip hazard-free?
l Has all shelving been checked recently to ensure it’s safe and sound?
l Has all the stock in the storage room been rotated properly to avoid out of date stock and wastage?
l Do all the lights in the storage spaces work?
aprons, bibs, gloves and hair
l Are staff that handle food wearing the appropriate aprons, bibs, gloves and hair nets?
l Could reconfiguring the stockroom make restocking of the shopfloor easier and quicker?
When a convenience store opens, the first and most important responsibility of that retailer is to ensure that all the products they sell are legal, and that they’re only sold to customers who are of legal age to purchase them. We believe that, as a whole, the convenience sector has a very strong record on responsible retailing, due in no small part to the successful implementation of Challenge 25 as an agechecking procedure not just for alcohol, but for all age-restricted products.
One of the fastest-growing categories in the convenience sector is the e-cigarette or vaping market. With great margins, lots of customer interest and a huge range of product SKUs on offer, vapes are now on the shelves of the majority of stores after being a pretty niche product just a few years ago. To help retailers with this category, we have a dedicated Assured Advice guide, highlighting the importance of a robust age-restricted sales policy such as Challenge 25, as well as detailed guidance on the types of products that are (and aren’t) legal to sell.
The most common illegal product being sold is one that is essentially larger than it is allowed to be. The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations introduced in 2016 put
a maximum capacity of 2ml on an e-cigarette tank, and a maximum of 10ml of e-liquid for refill containers. The 2ml limit equates to around 600 ‘puffs’, which tends to be the measure for which most consumers judge these products by. Vapes that claim to provide significantly more usage than that are not legal to sell in the UK, but you don’t have to go far to see products advertising 3,000 puffs in one disposable device.
Promoting responsible retailing is at the heart of what we do at ACS, through our partnership with Surrey and Buckinghamshire Trading Standards to provide Assured Advice on age restricted products, our work with CAP (Community Alcohol Partnerships) to reduce local alcohol harm, with the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) to accredit forms of ID, and our engagement with Government on regulations affecting all age-restricted categories. We have a wide range of resources available on our website to support you and your colleagues in implementing and communicating a robust age restricted sales policy.
Visit our website for the latest guidance and please get in touch if you have any questions.
ACS has highlighted its official guidance to help independent retailers stay the right side of the law when managing sales in the complex vaping category.
“The most common illegal vaping product being sold is one that is essentially larger than it is allowed to be.”
Londis – Seaton Seaton, Devon
Londis - Spofforth Deli Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Londis - The Village Store Sandhurst, Kent
Shell – Chase Biscester, Oxfordshire
Londis - Park Garage Whalley New Road, Lancashire
Worlingworth General Store Worlingworth, Suffolk
Londis - White Cliffs Dover, Kent
Londis - Newbury Park Newbury Park,Ilford, Essex
Londis - Rangers Service Station Colchester, Essex
Londis – Farnworth Bolton, Greater Manchester
Londis - Winsford Gateway Winsford, Cheshire
Rontec - Snd Westfield Bradford, West Yorkshire
Londis - Cricklade Road Swindon, Wiltshire
Londis - Aylesbury Service Station Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Londis - Bradley Stores Newton Abbot, Devon
Londis - Grange Farm Northampton, Northamptonshire
Londis - Polbeth Service Station Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Winchester Urban Express Winchester, Hampshire
Londis - Lockwood Square London, Greater London
with our new members and longstanding partners
Many happy returns to all those celebrating their time with us. More than just a brand, Londis is a family of like-minded convenience retailers whose focus is to provide a much-needed service to their local community
Londis Hornsey Road London, Greater London
Londis Maidstone Maidstone, Kent
Londis – Hoghton Preston, Lancashire
Londis - St Annes Road Blackpool, Lancashire
Londis - Otley Road Bradford, West Yorkshire
Sedlescombe Post Office & Store Battle, East Sussex
Mediterranean Supermarket Welling, Kent
Blackwood Service Station Blackwood, Gwent
Londis Rectory Road Basildon Basildon, Essex
Applegreen Corkickle Whitehaven, Cumbria
Londis - Boston Road Hanwell, Greater London
K L Food & Wine Twickenham, Middlesex
Londis Worthing Worthing, West Sussex
Fison Way Self Serve Thetford, Norfolk
Stanton Self Service Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Londis Watford Road Harrow Harrow, Middlesex
Countrywise Mayfield, East Sussex
Coneygarth Services Northallerton, North Yorkshire
Londis – Ravensthorpe Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Exelby Services A19 North Northallerton, North Yorkshire
Exelby Services A19 South Northallerton, North Yorkshire
Golden Fleece Services Nr Carlisle, Cumbria
Whitwood Services Castleford, West Yorkshire
Londis Willow Fields Basildon, Essex
Sangha News Cradley Heath, West Midlands
Elior -Digby Stuart College Roehampton Lane, Greater London
Londis Fair Price Slough, Berkshire
Londis Oxted Oxted, Surrey
Eltham Park Londis Eltham, Greater London
Troopers Lodge Filling Station Morton In Marsh, Gloucestershire
Londis Darwen Darwen, Lancashire
St Blazey Service Station Par, Cornwall
Londis Barking Barking, Essex
M’s Newsagent London, Greater, London
Glen View Stores Burnley, Lancashire
Stokesley Motors Middlesborough, North Yorkshire
Londis, Lanarkshire, Glasgow
Tel: 0141 7710490 Mobile: 07915 059101 Email: londis.solo@hotmail.com
JAMIE WOOD
Tel: 01387 254304 Mobile: 07759 260621 Email: stmichaelsservicesltd@gmail.com
SARAH COPE
ARJAN MEHR
TERRY CATON
Londis, Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Tel: 01246 208565 Mobile: 07769 644853
Email: tcaton.londis@gmail.com
Londis, East Riding, Yorkshire Tel: 01964 544200 Mobile: 07786 330164 Email: perryroger9@aol.com
Londis, London N4
Tel: 020 8340 1919 Mobile: 07939 944557 Email: alpeshspatel@hotmail.com
