Londis News, Vol 35, Issue 5, October/November 2022

Welcome to our October issue of Londis News!

win big this

winter!

both the World Cup and the festive period just around the corner, there are endless opportunities to win big.

Welcome to your latest edition of Londis News, as we look ahead to what promises to be a massive opportunity for us all over the next couple of months as the first-ever winter World Cup adds even more excitement to an already packed festive calendar.

The World Cup runs for almost a full month from the end of November and should help drive footfall, sales and profits for Londis retailers over this crucial period.

With matches virtually every day there will be endless opportunities for retailers to help their shoppers stock up for parties and get-togethers as friends and families gather round TV screens to watch one of the biggest sporting events in the world. One highlight will surely be the Wales v England match at 7pm on the 29th of November. That is a sales opportunity not to be missed!

While the festive season is likely to see shoppers treating themselves and their families and friends a little, there’s no question that value continues to be vitally important – and that will be doubly so once the new year rolls around. That’s why the rollout of the Jack’s own brand is so important, offering Londis retailers a real point of difference.

We have already rolled out over 500 products and the range will extend to around 550 products by Christmas.

This will allow you to offer your shoppers fantastic quality and exceptional value alternatives across virtually every important product category. Just as critically, the Jack’s range delivers exceptional PORs for retailers.

I wish you all a fantastic trading period over the next couple of months and a very merry Christmas.

With

Stewart

Fenn Sales Director, Booker Retail Partners

Londis named UK’s Favourite Symbol Group

Londis enjoyed a very successful evening at the recent Convenience Awards.

Londis was crowned the ‘UK’s Favourite Symbol Group and the ‘UK’s Favourite Convenience Store Group’ at the recent Convenience Awards 2022, capping a great night with Londis retailers also scoring a hattrick of top prizes at the ceremony held in London on 13 September.

The group awards made to Londis were based on shopper and retailer research carried out by Lumina Intelligence’s Convenience Tracking Programme. Commenting on the wins, Stewart Fenn, Sales Director, Booker Retail Partners said: “These fantastic achievements are testament to the hard work, passion and dedication of our valued Londis customers who strive every day to offer best-in-class service.”

Ads for Londis stores themselves, Londis

Small Convenience Store of the Year with judges praised the 600 sq ft store for its “excellent use of space” and high standards.

Managed by Richard Williams, the team at Londis Pollard Street are “constantly” analysing sales and data to ensure that it’s range of 2,500 SKU’s meets ever-changing shopper demands. Despite its small size and listed building status, the store features a strong chilled offer, an entire vegan bay, American confectionery and a profitable vape range.

Also successful on the night were Londis store employee Hazel Ridge of Bassett’s Londis in Weymouth, who claimed the prize for Convenience Rising Star of the Year, and Nishi Patel of Londis Bexley Park in Dartford who was named as the Retailers’ Retailer of

Out-of-home eating occasions increasing

The number of out-of-home eating occasions increased by 2% yearon-year in the 12 weeks ending 5 September 2022, new data reveals.

The data from wholesale experts TWC, in partnership with food-to-go and out-of-home tracking programme MealTrak, show there were 793 million eating out of home occasions in the 12-week period.

In addition, value sales rose by 14% year-on-year for the 12-week period.

Multiple retailers achieved steady and significant growth of 48% in the last 12 weeks, driven by their “more affordable food-to-go offers.”

Other retail channels including convenience stores also performed well, with eating out occasions up

by 10% through convenience stores specifically.

Forecourts and discounters were also found to be outperforming the total market, with eating out occasions up 13% and 11% respectively.

However, the MealTrak data showed that sandwich shops, coffee shops and fast food & takeaway outlets were the biggest losers, with all showing a decline in eating out occasions.

Tom Fender, Development Director at TWC, said: “Overall, it’s still good news for the food-to-go and eating out market as it continues to grow despite the cost-of-living crisis. However, growth is slowing, and we are seeing value growth continuing to significantly outpace ‘occasions’ growth as inflation continues to rise.”

The report also highlights how hybrid working may present opportunities for Londis retailers as more workers spend more days at home at each week, potentially generating new sales occasions for nearby retailers with a food-to-go offer.

Autumn sees change in shopping behaviour

Total till sales increased by 4.7% in the past four weeks, although volume sales fell by 6%, according to new data from NielsenIQ.

In the past four weeks, most categories saw value growth increase due to inflation, but volume growth slowed.

Pet, dairy, crisps, snacks and bakery experienced the highest levels of value growth.

NielsenIQ’s survey of shoppers in August shows British shoppers are focusing on four main coping strategies to manage rising inflation: monitoring the cost of their overall shopping basket, opting for private label products, shopping more at the discounters and opting to stop buying certain products.

Over the past 12 weeks, private label

has performed better than brands and now accounts for 53% of FMCG spend.

Mike Watkins, NielsenIQ’s UK Head of Retailer and Business Insight, said: “In recent weeks there has been a small shift away from fresh to frozen, slightly less spend on fruit and vegetables and fresh meat, fish and poultry and slightly more spend on impulse confectionery

and soft drinks, with the latter helped by warm weather at the end of summer.

“The start of the 2022 FIFA Football World Cup should boost some categories, such as drinks and snacks, and there may be more meal occasions at home as friends and family get together to watch the sport at home.”

Welsh Government introduces Bill to ban single-use plastic bags

The Welsh Government has introduced a Bill which bans or restricts the sale of some of the most commonly littered single-use plastics in Wales, including a ban on plastic bags which are currently subject to a 5p charge.

The Environmental Protection (Singleuse Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill prohibits the sale of nine single-use plastic products, including: cups, cutlery, drink-stirrers, lids for cups or takeaway food containers, straws, plates, balloon sticks, carrier bags and cotton buds.

The Bill will also make it an offence to supply or offer to supply littered and unnecessary disposable singleuse plastic products to consumers in Wales.

Wales was the first UK nation to introduce a single-use plastic bag charge at 5p per bag, with Scotland and England following with their own plastic bag charges. The charge has been successful in reducing the amount of bags in circulation, as well as raising money for good causes. The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) is calling for a minimum

implementation period of 12 months from when the Government guidance on the regulations is published, to implementation of the ban, to allow retailers sufficient time to sell through existing stock and source alternative products.

Forecourt retailers investing in efficiency and services

Other key findings from this year s Forecourt Report include:

The UK forecourt sector creates more than 84,000 jobs, with 23% of staff being in the business for more than 10 years.

69% of forecourt retailers are active in their communities, raising money for local charities, getting involved with local projects, and donating to food banks.

One in five customers of forecourt stores visit every day (21%), with 80% visiting at least once a week. There are currently 768 electric charging devices located on 446 forecourt sites across the UK.

Average fuel prices peaked in July this year, at 188.6p for petrol and 197.3p for diesel.

Independent forecourt retailers are making significant investments in their businesses, spending around £18,000 on average last year, according to the Association of Convenience Stores’ 2022 Forecourt Report.

The report shows that across the sector, the most common form of investment is refrigeration, with stores either looking to expand their range of fresh and chilled goods or upgrade their refrigeration to make it more energy efficient.

Half of the forecourt stores in the sector have doors on their chillers, with 39% using LED lighting and 8% using solar panels to reduce electricity costs.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “It’s essential that the government recognises the crucial role that forecourts play in their communities. These businesses are community hubs in their own right, providing essential services and an ever-increasing range of products for customers along with fuel and alternative power solutions. The energy support package that has been provided to forecourts has been a lifeline for many, and we encourage the government to include forecourts within the list of vulnerable sectors that need longer-term support.”

Lowman added: “This has been a turbulent year for fuel supply and pricing, with international events determining the price that consumers pay at the pump. It is encouraging to see that fuel prices are trending downward after peaking in the summer, especially as everyone is looking to cut costs where possible.”

ACS has been working with the Competition and Markets Authority on its investigation into the fuel market, highlighting the different factors that affect the cost of a litre of petrol or diesel at the pump.

The CMA’s initial findings earlier this year recognised that retailers have little control over the cost of fuel, making very small margins themselves, while changes in currency markets and the ‘refining spread’ contributed to much bigger variations in prices.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Key issues of interest to you

Caring cakes

Londis stores around the country have been holding coffee mornings to raise funds for MFG charity partner Macmillan Cancer Support.

The stores have been holding coffee mornings and selling cakes to customers to raise funds for the charity which provides specialist health care, information, and financial support to people affected by cancer.

Other stores taking part included: Londis Eastbowling in Bradford; Londis Bicker Bar in Boston; Londis Eastbridge in Welwyn Garden City, Londis Hemingbrough in North Yorkshire, Londis Pennsylvania in Gloucestershire, Londis Mumbles in South Wales, Londis Sellers Wood in Nottingham, Londis Mabon in South Wales, Londis Hillington in Norfolk, Londis Southgate in London, Londis Junction in Daventry, Londis Barton Mills in Suffolk, Londis Aldershot in Surrey, Londis Whitehorse, Londis Pippin in Wiltshire.

Mental matters

Londis Rother Avenue Abergavenny and Londis Gilwern have donated 10% of their takings, excluding PapPoint and National Lottery to mental health charity Mind Monmouthshire, as part of World Mental Health Day (10 October).

The retailer said: “This town has suffered hugely over the last couple of years and so many people in the town have been affected in some way, shape or form.

“So, if this small gesture can help even only one person, it would have done its job. If anyone out there is going through a hard time right now, please speak up. It truly does help to talk.”

Food delivery

Londis Cheylesmore, in Coventry, has donated a trolley full of goods for the Cheylesmore Community Food Bank.

The store also collects items from customers to be donated to the food bank.

The retailer, who was featured on BBC news, also gives out free meals to the needy every week in town.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Key issues of interest to you

DRS advice updated for retailers in Scotland

Circularity Scotland, the administrator for next year’s Deposit Return Scheme in Scotland, has issued new advice for retailers preparing for the new regulations.

With Scotland’s new Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) set to come into force on 16 August next year the DRS Scheme Administrator, Circularity Scotland, has issued fresh advice and information to retailers to help them prepare for the new regulations.

Under the scheme, consumers will pay a 20p deposit whenever they buy a drink in a single-use container and will get their deposit back when returning the empty bottle or can for recycling. Circularity Scotland aims to recapture 90% pf Scotland’s single-use containers.

The Deposit Return Scheme will cover all drinks sold in PET plastic, metal and glass which are between 50ml and 3l in size.

RETURN POINT OPERATORS

As businesses which serves drinks to customers to consume off the premises, Londis stores must charge a deposit for each drink sold in an ‘in scope’ container and they must operate a Return Point to allow their customers to return their containers to them after use. They will then be paid a handling fee for every container returned.

This means Londis retailers in Scotland must:

l Only sell drinks from registered producers;

Visit depositreturnscheme. zerowastescotland.org.uk/ applications

Please note that advice and guidance continue to change and evolve, so it is vital that Londis retailers in Scotland regularly check they have the most recent information. Visit circularityscotland.com and sign to up receive the latest updates.

l Only sell drinks to consumers in Scotland that a producer has made available for sale in Scotland;

l Charge the 20p deposit when selling a drink that is part of the scheme;

l Make it clear to the customer that the drink is part of the scheme and a deposit applies;

l Clearly display the price of the deposit (20p) in any place that a drink is displayed for sale;

l Clearly display information on how the customer can redeem the deposit;

l Operate a return point (unless exempt) or takeback service;

l Store returned empty containers in a safe way.

RVM V MANUAL

There will be two main ways to return empty containers: over the counter, or by using a reverse vending machine (RVM) that scans containers when they are returned and then refunds the deposit.

For every scheme container returned to store, retailers will receive a handling fee from the scheme administrator to cover the costs associated with taking part in the scheme.

For retailers using an RVM, handling fees will be 3.55p per container for the first 8,000 containers returned each week and 1.35p for each additional container.

Retailers who opt for manual handling will receive 2.69p per container.

EXEMPTIONS

Retailers can apply for an exemption consideration if they wish. There are two ways to obtain an exemption:

l If you can show that there is an alternative return point nearby that has agreed to take back containers on your behalf.

l If you can show that there is no reasonable way of operating a return point on the premises without a significant risk of breaching relevant legal obligations e.g. food safety.

ACS signs up to UK Plastics Pact

ACS is signing up as a supporter of the Waste and Resources Action Programme’s (WRAP’s) UK Plastics Pact, joining other leading business groups in affirming its commitment to making the convenience sector more sustainable.

The Plastics Pact has four main objectives:

1Eliminate problematic or unnecessary single-use packaging through redesign, innovation or alternative (reuse) delivery model;

2100% of plastics packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable;

370% of plastics packaging effectively recycled or composted;

430% average recycled content across all plastic packaging.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We are committed to working with WRAP and other environmental groups on finding ways to make the products that our members sell more recyclable.

“The convenience sector is currently facing huge challenges through a range of different policy interventions across the UK, including bans on some single use plastics, the introduction of differing deposit return schemes in different countries, and the expansion of the extended producer responsibility scheme – it is important that we introduce measures that will be maximally effective without imposing unnecessary costs and burdens on retailers.”

Brits adopting tactics to curb spending

Brits are changing their spending behaviour to ensure they are able to cover rising utility bills this autumn and winter, data from Barclaycard reveals.

Average spending on utility bills increased by 48% in September – higher than the growth seen in August and July – with 91% of consumers feeling concerned about the impact of rising household bills on their personal finances.

Over half of Brits are planning to cut down on discretionary spending to be able to afford their energy bills this autumn and winter. Of these consumers, 60% are reducing the amount they eat out at restaurants and 47% are spending less on drinking in pubs, bars, and nightclubs.

Meanwhile, 52% of Brits are planning to spend more evenings at home over the coming months.

In addition, with the festive period fast approaching, 39% have already started putting money aside for Christmas and 48% are stocking up on food with a long shelf-life.

Three in ten workers are also now taking a packed or homemade lunch into the office, instead of buying food on-the-go, while 28% are cutting back on treats at work, such as coffees and snacks.

Esme Harwood, Director at Barclaycard, said: “As the colder weather starts to set in and energy bills continue to rise, Brits are facing even tougher decisions about where they focus their spending. As a result, discretionary purchases like meals out and clothes have become less of a priority.

“However, Brits are still keen to have a good time while they save money, particularly when it comes to nights in.”

Price marks ‘more important’ than the price itself Vaping harm reduction claims verified

New research has found that 62% of independent retailers believe shoppers would still buy pricemarked products if suppliers increased pricing.

New research from digital and data experts TWC has revealed that 62% of independent retailers feel that their shoppers would still buy price marked packs (PMPs) if suppliers increased the price of them a little.

The research was conducted in August and September this year and the findings indicate that retailers believe that it is the price flash on a PMP, rather than the specific price point itself, that triggers consumer purchase.

Eight in 10 retailers agree that shoppers like PMPs and 78% agreed that PMPs demonstrate good value for money to shoppers.

Tom Fender, Development Director at TWC, commented: “There is no doubt that consumers like PMPs and their role in communicating value is critical at this time with the ongoing impact of the cost-of-living crisis. Independent retailers have their own challenges in managing the rising business costs of running their stores – and product margins need to reflect retailers’ costs in 2022.”

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has published its first vaping evidence review and has reconfirmed the finding that vaping is “at least 95% less harmful” than combustible tobacco.

The review is in line with previous findings by Public Health England and was welcomed by the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA).

John Dunne, Director General of the UKVIA, said: “It’s good to see that the experts involved in this latest review stand by the estimates that vaping is ‘at least 95% less harmful’ than combustible tobacco and that it ‘poses only a small fraction of the risks of smoking’.”

Independent store numbers rise in Scotland

The total number of convenience stores in Scotland rose by 61 to 5,098 in the last year, according to the Scottish Local Shop Report 2022, published recently by the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF).

The number of people employed in the sector also rose last year, up 16.7% on the previous year, bringing the total number of independent retailing jobs to 49,000.

Pete Cheema, CEO of the SGF, said: “The contribution of convenience stores and retail over the past few years cannot be overstated.

“Despite very difficult and challenging circumstances for many in convenience retail, staff and local shop owners

across Scotland have continued to play an absolutely essential role in both the Scottish economy and for people in their communities.

GroceryAid unveils 2023 calendar of events

Industry charity GroceryAid has published its calendar of events for next year and is asking Londis retailers to get involved where they can.

After the challenges of recent years, it’s an unfortunate fact that demand for the financial, emotional and legal services offered by industry charity GroceryAid are more in demand than ever.

Last year, the charity spent more than £5m supporting colleagues from across our industry while thanks to a rise of more than 150% in applications for financial support. In fact, GroceryAid received an average of 744 applications for financial support every month over the last year.

To provide that support, the charity requires support in turn from the industry, including from independent retailers. More than 80% of GroceryAid funding comes from its events calendar which is why it is asking Londis retailers to get involved where they can once more in 2023.

The 2023 events calendar offers everything from established annual events such as the Sporting Lunch and the GroceryAid Ball, to unique events such as Barcode, Checkout Scotland and D&I in Grocery LIVE! In other words, there is an event to suit every business.

Demand for the events continues to increase and your loyal support enables GroceryAid to provide help to those colleagues across the industry who need our help more than ever before.

So, if you can help by getting involved in some way, please do.

More in demand than ever

GroceryAid’s services are unfortunately more in demand than ever, which is why it is important to support the charity if you can. The last year has seen:

l 61% increase in welfare support instances for industry colleagues; l 98% increase in the number of Relate counselling sessions delivered;

l 101% increase in legal advice referrals;

l 744 applications for financial support per month, up 150% on the previous year.

RETAILER PROFILE

A sensitive approach the matter

The heart of

Raj Sharma’s thoughtful makeover of Londis Mayfield has brought it into the 21st century whilst preserving much of its 18th century heart.

Nestled at the heart of the High Weald area of outstanding natural beauty, the medieval West Sussex village of Mayfield offers an array of charms, chief among them its wealth of historic stores and buildings, some of which date back to late 1300.

Sitting pretty among this chocolate-box high street of ancient architecture is Londis Mayfield, which is owned and operated by long-serving convenience retailer Raj Sharma.

While not quite as old as some of Mayfield’s other buildings, Raj’s store is thought to date back to the early 1800s and as such, still features more than a few architectural “quirks,” as he fondly refers to them.

These quirks, which for Raj constituted a major part of the store’s charm when he bought it 32 years ago, include multiple split-level floors, an assortment of different ceiling heights and a bumper crop of old beams.

As the only convenience store in the village, and indeed the only grocery store within a four-mile radius, the store has always racked up impressive footfall and sales.

However, in the past five years sales have positively skyrocketed, boosted by the adoption of the Londis brand in 2017 and a further steep spike in footfall, sales and loyalty brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

As a result, in early 2021, Raj and the Londis team decided the time was right to revitalise the much-loved and wellused store, with a huge, yet sensitive, refurbishment project that would bring its bones into the 21st century whilst still preserving its old characterful heart.

Working with his RDM Steven Rumsby and the wider Londis team, Raj came up with a winning design that would let the store build on its recent sales success by growing the key fresh and chilled categories and adding new food-to-go and frozen lines.

Bringing the plan to life required a fullscale two-week closure that started on 22 February 2021.

Almost all the store’s old fixtures and fittings, barring one drinks chiller, were scrapped as part of the development, taking the store back to its original bare walls.

The store’s unconventional design required Raj to employ several clever design and merchandising tricks to make the best-possible use of its space.

Chief among these was the fitting of new slimmer shelving throughout the store to increase aisle widths.

“The new shelves are almost half the width of our old very bulky ones which has made a dramatic difference to the amount of space in the aisles,” Raj says.

An array of different lighting fixtures has also been fitted around the store to make the most of its multiple different ceiling heights. Attractive LED panels were fitted at the lowest points, strip lights in the mid-height sections, while decorative pendant-style lighting was hung at the rear of the store, which benefits from loftier ceilings.

This section of the store was also designated as the home of a new larger frozen food offer, complemented by three new Cook!-branded food freezers.

The store’s old tobacco gantry was also ditched in favour of a smart new backlit spirits display, giving the store a new more contemporary “cocktail bar” feel.

And the merchandising magic certainly doesn’t end there. Smart space-saving

So many shoppers ask us if we’ve extended because the space looks so much bigger but we haven’t, we’ve just made much better use of the available space.

Sharma Londis Mayfield

Raj

The reaction from local shoppers has been incredible. They have all been so complimentary of how we’ve managed to modernise the store while still retaining all the elements that make it so unique.

Raj Sharma Londis Mayfield

wall-mounted units for greetings cards and magazines have enabled Raj to cleverly merchandise these lines on some of the store’s narrowest points, where previously no stock had been displayed – freeing up key space to extend other key ranges, including fresh and chilled.

Overall, the refurbishment enabled Raj to affect a “considerable change” to the store’s mix, expanding key lines such as fresh, chilled and frozen, in line with shopper demand.

“We had 6,500 lines before the refurbishment and we’ve extended that to more than 8,000 now, with much accounted for by new fresh and chilled lines and a new Cook! frozen food offer,” he says.

The store’s wholesale fresh mix is now up to an impressive 28%, up from 22% prior to the refit – well above the industry average for Londis stores.

The store’s impressive chilled range, which includes the “very popular” new Jack’s brand, is housed within six brand-new energy-efficient double chillers at the very front of the store, which is also home to a new food- and drinks-to-go offer.

“Steven was incredibly helpful when it came to developing the new food- and drinks-to-go offer,” Raj explains. It includes a My Coffee Station machine and Fwip gelato, along with hot Chicago Town Pizza slices alongside our hot in-store bakery offer.”

Sitting pretty just behind the eye-catching drinks-to-go zone is the store’s chilled beer, wine and cider offer, which is housed across three new double-door chillers.

“BWS is another key category for us and accounts for just over 20% of our wholesale mix,” Raj explains. “Wine

Top tips!

Communicate any store closure plans with shoppers well in advance and keep them engaged with regular updates.

Cleverly positioned clip strips can help you to make the very most of all available space.

Slimmer shelving can help you to achieve wider aisle widths without having to extend – you will need to replenish stock more often though! Invest in the right sort of USPs for your unique shopper needs. Kitchen utensils, DIY tools and toys work well for us.

sales have also grown, driven by shoppers popping in for a bottle to accompany their evening meal solutions.”

The new-look store also boasts an array of slightly more unconventional ranges specifically brought in to meet the needs of its local shoppers, including the many holidaymakers who rent the plethora of rental properties that pepper the village.

These include mobile phone accessories, essential kitchen equipment and utensils such as cutlery and tin-openers, haberdashery items, DIY tools, and an array of children’s toys.

Mindful of the need to re-open “as

soon as possible” Raj and the team “worked like trojans” to complete the refit, eventually finishing up a day and a half ahead of schedule on the evening of Saturday 6 March.

Keen to reveal the store’s new look as soon as possible, Raj invited shoppers in for a sneak peek via an impulsive Facebook post.

“The reaction was incredible. We were only open for a couple of hours but we took just over £1,000,” Raj says.

In total, store sales are now up 25% since the refit with shopper goodwill towards the store even higher and Raj is certainly looking forward to the next 32 years.

RETAILER PROFILE

EyesA textbook approach on the prize

Londis retailer Pravan Reddy has made the store of his dreams a reality in Leicester.

The UK convenience industry is well known for its fast pace. Technology, innovations and shopper demands all move at breakneck speed, with retailers often making key decisions in the blink of an eye or tap of a screen.

However, as seasoned convenience retailer Pravan Reddy demonstrates, sometimes playing the long game can really pay off.

Pravan has accrued six sites in the 16 years since starting his career in convenience retail, including four forecourts and two stores in the Leicestershire area. All are now Londis, and all are meeting his exacting expectations.

However, as Pravan explains, one particular site on Millstone Lane had always stood out over the years – a jewel in the heart of Leicester town centre that had always lain just beyond his grasp.

“I’d been aware of the prime convenience site on Millstone Lane for many years and had always dreamed of owning it myself,” he says.

“It’s a real flagship site located on the main road directly opposite the main entrance to De Montford University and surrounded by student accommodation. Its striking curved corner location also means that it’s clearly visible to shoppers

Jack’s has been introduced throughout the store and shoppers are responding very positively to the range. It offers them excellent value for money and they love the Tesco association.

Pravan Reddy Londis Millstone Lane

from three sides. It just screamed potential, and I’d always wanted to get my hands on it.”

In an almost fairy tale turn of events, Pravan’s long-held dream actually came true in August 2021 – when after years of keeping his ear to the ground, he heard that the previous owner was looking to sell up and retire.

“Fortunately, I managed to get hold of the site before it hit the market,” Pravan says. “I still pinch myself sometimes as I feel so lucky that we

actually ended up with it.”

However, a substantial amount of work was needed from the outset to help Pravan turn his dream store into a waking reality.

“Despite the store’s massive potential, its mix and range were wrong for its very unique shopper demographic,” Pravan says.

“Students are by far the largest demographic but the store’s old offer was missing the mark,” he explains.

However, despite the pressing need for change, Pravan chose to operate the store as was for six months while he embarked on an in-depth intelligence-gathering exercise to help him get a deep understanding of his shoppers’ unique needs.

“It was such a useful experience,” Pravan says. “There was significant demand for a stronger food- and drinks-to-go offer, more convenient meal for tonight solutions and an enhanced alcohol range,” he says.

Work to transform the store began in February 2022 with the development taking just over one week to complete.

After all these years of passing by the store and dreaming of taking it on and helping it to achieve its full potential, I’ve actually been able to do so and I feel so lucky.

Pravan Reddy Londis Millstone Lane

Outside, the store’s previously drab grey exterior was brought back to life with bold and bright Londis graphics that clearly highlight the new student-focused range within.

But it’s inside where the magic has truly happened.

“We ripped everything out, stripping the unit right back to its bare walls,” Pravan says.

“We’ve then totally changed the product mix in line with what students told us they needed.”

Food- and drinks-to-go are now a key focus thanks to the creation of a brand new in-store kitchen where a large range of delicious sandwiches, wraps and baguettes are freshly made each day.

A new hot food-to-go offer includes Rollover Hot Dogs and Chicago Town Pizza which students can buy on the go, or pre-order if they would like a whole pizza to take away.

A Costa Coffee Express machine, meanwhile, answers students’ caffeine cravings while a new three-flavour Walls Calippo slush machine meets their refresh needs.

More than five metres of fresh and chilled produce have also been added to the store’s mix, offering shoppers a wide range of quality meal solutions – headed up by the Jack’s brand.

“Shoppers love the Jack’s brand,”Pravan says. “It offers them excellent value for money and sits perfectly alongside our strong new promotional focus.

And there’s one promotional mechanic which shoppers at Pravan’s store are particularly enamoured with.

“It’s all about the ‘2 for’ mechanic,” he says. “Shoppers love it. It’s clear and simple to understand and is particularly powerful here.”

The store also introduced a new two metre stationery range, including student essentials such as pens and notepads, plus a well-shopped American confectionery offer.

Frozen foods have also been increased from half a metre to 1.5m while a large two-metre vape display has been introduced on the shop floor.

The store’s alcohol offer has also been transformed with a strong promotional focus and a far greater emphasis on pre-mixed bottles and cans – a move which has led alcohol sales to double.

The store’s opening hours have also been extended to midnight from 10.30pm and plans are afoot for it to open 24 hours later in the year.

Speaking of approval, shoppers are certainly showing lots of it, with Pravan and his team having been inundated by positive feedback since it re-opened and total sales up by 35%.

“After all these years of passing by the store and dreaming of taking it on and helping it to achieve its full potential, I’ve actually been able to do so and I feel so lucky,” he concludes.

RETAILER PROFILE

Merchandising magic

Sales at Jas Singh’s Londis store are sparkling thanks to a few clever merchandising tricks and tweaks

The benefits of regular investments and in-store changes are well-known to all successful independent retailers. However, change doesn’t always have to mean big-ticket store development projects or makeovers.

As seasoned convenience retailer Jas Singh of Londis Stourbridge Road in Dudley is all too aware, positive results can also be achieved with several simple, merchandising tweaks.

Jas’ primely located 1,250sq ft store on the busy Stourbridge Road has been subject to a regular programme of store developments, extensions and refreshes since it was first purchased by Jas and his family 34 years ago.

In fact, since joining Londis back in 1999, Jas says he’s invested in the business with a “significant” refit every five years and regular refreshes to keep the offer at its best in the intervening years.

The most recent of these canny refreshes took place in June 2022, when Jas and the

Londis team embarked on a shrewd remerchandising project designed to help refresh the store’s offer and drive key sales and profits.

“Footfall and sales have both soared in recent years as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and so in June we decided it would be a good time to give the store a refresh,” Jas says.

“We worked closely with the team at Londis who threw all their insights and merchandising expertise at it. The main aim was to improve the flow of the store.

“It was a really interesting process and the results have been surprising!”

With the help of his Londis RDM Kevin Hoare and the wider Londis store development team, a number of zones have been remerchandised with a focus on key shopper missions.

“Breakfast essentials, such as bread and milk for example, have all been grouped in one aisle nearer the front of the

store in a bid to offer greater convenience for breakfastmission-focused shoppers,” Jas explains.

“Before, we had the bread at the back of the store in a bid to make shoppers walk the whole store to get it.

“Now bread is at the front of the store and merchandised next to cereal, eggs and cakes, with milk and butter in the chiller just opposite.

Some

items that were hardly ever selling before are now selling rapidly, simply because we’ve changed where they are sited.

Jas Singh Londis Stourbridge Road

“It means that shoppers on a breakfast mission can now find everything that they need all conveniently located down one aisle.

“We’ve taken the same approach for the key evening meal mission too.

“Shoppers now only have to look two ways to quickly and easily spot and grab what they want.”

As part of the exercise, several profit-driving lines were also relocated to more prominent positions around the store.

And as Jas reveals, the results of this merchandising wizardry are already bearing rich and surprising fruit.

“It has worked really well. Some items that were hardly ever selling before are now selling rapidly, simply because we’ve changed where they are sited.

“Jack’s ambient juices for example, were moved from the rear of the store to a more prominent position at eye level and nearer to the front.

“The change has been astounding. We used to sell a maximum of one or two cases of Jack’s branded ambient juices a week but since making that one simple change, that’s gone up to six cases.

“Their new more prominent position has raised their profile in the eyes of shoppers and once shoppers see their excellent value for money price point, they can’t resist adding them to their baskets.”

The store has taken a similar approach with other products including Jack’s-branded cakes and crisps, which are now merchandised in far more prominent eye-level positions on the shelf and double faced. Jack’s-branded cakes have

Top tips!

Carrying regular mini-makeovers and merchandising tweaks can keep your offer fresh between more significant development projects.

Use the wide range of quality POS freely available from your RDM to showcase the Jack’s range and array of Londis Special Offers.

Grouping certain products together by mission, such as eggs, bread and milk, can help to drive sales and profits.

Place high-margin fastselling products at eye level.

also been merchandised in a more eye-catching upright positioning helping them to stand out even more on shelf and showcase the range to shoppers. This move alone has already led to a rise in sales of Jack’s-branded Lemon Drizzle cakes.

“The results have shocked me to be honest. It just goes to show that even after 34 years there are still plenty of new things to learn,” Jas says.

A number of new fresh and chilled lines were also brought in as part of the change, including an array of new Jack’sbranded products in the fresh fruit, vegetable and ready meal categories.

Chilled sales, one the store’s best performing categories, now account for just under 20% of total sales and growing.

“The first thing that shoppers see when they walk into our store is the fresh and chilled proposition,” Jas explains.

Highlighting the store’s expanded range of Jack’s products by making the bestpossible use of all available POS including shelf edge labels, banners and a large

poster outside the store, also formed a key part of the plan.

All exterior signage was also updated including a smart new Londis fascia and new window graphics.

“While much of our trade is from local shoppers on foot, we do also benefit from a significant volume of passing trade, so an eye-catching storefront is important,” Jas adds.

Catering to that passing trade is also a strong ‘drinks-to-go’ proposition, courtesy of a Tango Ice Blast machine and a quality My Coffee Station offer.

So how are shoppers reacting to the changes? “Shoppers have been so complimentary. We’ve elevated their experience by helping them find key products quickly and easily – whilst also drawing attention to other products they didn’t know we had,” Jas says.

“Those relatively simple changes have made overall sales rise by just over 5% , so I’d certainly urge others to try it!”

The results have shocked me to be honest. It just goes to show that even after 34 years there are still plenty of new things to learn!

RETAILER PROFILE

Community hub At your Service

are reaping the rewards of a true community-led approach to retailing.

When first-time retailers Andrew and Tina Bishop decided to change careers and chase their dream of running a small village store in heart of the Cornish countryside, their minds were filled with chocolate-box images of thatched roofs, rustic stone walls and rose-topped doors.

However, as so often happens in life, the cold hard light of reality lit a rather different picture. While the store is indeed nestled within the Cornish countryside, there’s not a scrap of thatch in sight, and the only Roses are boxed up on shelves.

Yet, while their 1,700sq ft Londis store in the heart of Grampound village might not look like the original store of their dreams – the footfall, sales and profits generated since Andrew and Tina took over in March 2019 certainly are dreamy.

Despite being totally new to the world of

convenience retailing, Andrew, a former contract manager for a multinational engineering company, and accounts administrator Tina have turned the fortunes of Grampound Road Post Office and Stores on its head – thrilling local shoppers in the process.

Achieving the feat, Andrew explains, has been down to a keen focus on the very distinct needs of Grampound’s local community, backed by meaningful community-centric investments.

Store sales have grown by 100% since Andrew and Tina took over in March 2019, while average basket spend has nearly doubled from £5 to just over £8.

The introduction of new and more marginrich categories has also helped the store’s total margin rise to 28%.

Andrew and Tina Bishop

Andrew takes Londis News through the detail: “We were first introduced to the store by Londis RDM Richard Iles who knew that the business was coming up for sale and took us round to see it.

“While it didn’t look like the store of our dreams, from the moment that we saw it, we knew it was a store with a lot of potential,” he says.

Primely-situated on the main road through Grampound village, with ample free parking outside, the store’s location was its first key selling point.

Second, was the fact that the store was and remains, the only one in the village, and indeed for miles around, with the nearest supermarket a full 20-minute drive away.

Third, was the fact that the village of Grampound was growing, thanks to plans for new housing developments and enterprise on its outskirts.

“One of the first things we did,” Andrew explains, “was to invest significantly in the store’s fresh and chilled ranges so that we could offer local shoppers a full meal solution and genuine one-stop shop.

“When we first took the store over, shoppers couldn’t buy a Sunday dinner here; it didn’t have the joints of meat or even half of the vegetables needed. That’s all different now.”

To remedy this, Andrew and Tina soon decided to fit a brand-new 7.5-metre run of energy-efficient chillers, five metres of which are dedicated to fresh and chilled foods, with the remaining space given over to chilled alcohol.

In a bid to grab a bigger slice of the store’s previously underexploited food-to-go opportunity, a brand new “grab and go”

chiller for sandwiches, wraps and other chilled food-to- go items, was also fitted at the front of the store.

chilled food-to- go items, was also fitted at best-selling category of all, with alcohol in

The results were instantaneous and impressive. “Chilled is now one of our top-three best-selling categories and on some days of the week, is now often the best-selling category of all, with alcohol in close second.

Despite concerns aired by some of the store’s long-serving members of staff, Andrew and Tina also introduced a range of hot food-to-go products.

“Our staff told us that the previous owners had tried hot food-to-go before and that it had failed, but we were determined to give it a go despite their concerns.”

As such, Andrew and Tina invested in their own in-store oven and hot counter, freeing them up to offer a tasty range of freshly baked hot goods throughout the day.

“The range has been a great success; we do three bakes a day and on some days it’s four. It just goes to show that shopper trends and demand changes all the time and you have to change with them. What didn’t work 10 years ago, works really well now,” Andrew adds.

The store’s frozen food offer has also been overhauled, with four metres of new energy-efficient upright freezers in place of the old store’s single chest freezer. The move has allowed Andrew and Tina to more than double their range of frozen foods, which they say are a key and growing category – driven by Londis’ Frozen Meal Deals.

The store’s alcohol offer has also been given a makeover with a new 1.25-metre chiller added for wine, white, rosé and sparkling wines, and a 1.25m chiller for bottled lagers, ciders and RTDs.

A new Snowshock machine was also added in the summer of 2021 in a bid to better cater for the needs of the store’s younger shoppers.

The pace of change has certainly not diminished in recent months, with the

store’s exterior benefitting from a fresh lick of paint and a smart new Londis fascia over the summer.

Grampound Road Post Office and Stores’ range of local products has also been expanded with a new local artisan bread supplier, local beers from the nearby St Austell brewery, and eggs from a nearby farm.

Andrew and Tina’s support of local certainly doesn’t end there. With no pub, café or other store in the village, the pair have endeavoured to ensure that the store acts as a true community hub.

In addition to its “lifeline” Post Office services, Londis Grampound Road supports local shoppers with a wide variety of essential services including in-store prescription

collections via the local GP and a new UPS parcel collection service. There’s also a community defibrillator, funded by the store, on its outside wall.

Andrew and Tina’s supportive role also extends to a variety of different local and charitable good causes, with the store raising a huge £820 for Macmillan Cancer Support this year as part of its annual ‘Coffee Morning’ initiative.

“We’ve been here for less than four years but in that time we truly feel that we’ve become a real part of this special community,” Andrew says.

“Footfall and profits are of course key, but so are relationships and trust and we are building them all here.”

Top tips!

Don’t

Parcel collection and drop-off services can boost footfall, sales and profits.

Shopper

be afraid of investing in chilled. Much of the range available to Londis retailers now features a long shelflife.

trends change all the time: what might not have worked in the past could be a success today.

SEASONAL FOCUS

Set sales sparkling

Sweet sales this Christmas

With Christmas and the World Cup happening at the same time for the first time ever, Londis retailers have a unique opportunity to light up their festive sales this year.

The festive period has always presented retailers with a sleigh-load of opportunities to unwrap better sales and profits and, fortunately for Londis retailers, 2022’s festive season looks set to shine even brighter than ever thanks to a certain global football festival. For the first time in history, the World Cup will take place in winter and will run for a month from the end of November, adding some extra glitter to this year’s festive opportunity.

Last year, total seasonal sales grew by a tasty 6% according to Mondelez International and, with no restrictions in place for 2022 and shoppers hungry to enjoy special moments with friends and family, this year looks set to be even better.

Set to kick off in Qatar on 20 November, the World Cup will also pave a sweet

pathway into the 2022 Christmas period, uniting friends and families and driving the key sharing occasion earlier than usual at this time of year.

With success at Christmas all about planning, it makes sense for retailers to stock up early and take advantage of every day of the Christmas countdown.

As ever, Londis has a fantastic promotional plan to help retailers make the most of 2022’s very special footfall, sales and profitdriving opportunity.

BAGGED CHOCOLATES

Perfect for sharing with friends in the runup to the festive season, or for shoppers who just want to treat themselves, Londis’ festive line-up includes a great range of bagged chocolates and other confectionery items, including a range of key American lines. Reese’s Peanut Butter Mini Pouches, for example, will be on offer to shoppers for just £4, gifting retailers a POR of 20%.

Shoppers keen to bag tasty alternatives to chocolate treats will also be able to snap up a range of key bagged lines from leading sugar confectionery brands including sharing bags of Haribo Puck Penguin on offer for any ‘2 for £2’ and offering retailers a POR of 25%.

NOVELTY CHOCOLATES

Offering shoppers a tasty range of low-priced impulse items including joyful novelty products is of course another great way to rack up key sales in the run-up to the festive season.

New from the Maltesers brand this year and tapping into the shopper trend towards mint-flavoured chocolate are Mint Reindeers – sure to give sales some hoof.

Londis retailers will be able to offer these sweet treats on an eye-catching ‘2 for £1’ deal which offers them a scrummy POR of 30.6%.

Another new confection sure to turn heads this year is the Lindt White Chocolate Teddy which has an RSP of £3.50 or is also available on a ‘2 for £6’ deal. Free supplier POS is also available.

New products such as these also give retailers a great opportunity to build excitement on social media, as well as in-store.

Impulse-friendly advent calendars are yet other product that shoppers will be keen to bag before the 1 December cut-off.

According to Mondelez International the advent category saw growth of 21% year-on-year last Christmas.

Londis retailers have an array of scrumptious advent calendars from big name brands including Milkybar, Kinder, Cadbury Heroes, Toblerone and Reeses to chose from – all offering POR’s of more than 20% and sure to help Londis retailers get the Christmas countdown off to a bang.

Top tips!

Create a Christmasthemed display in a high footfall area at the start of November to take advantage of the Christmas countdown.

Offer shoppers the opportunity to trade up by stocking gifting items with low-priced impulse items.

Be sure to promote new products and Group Exclusive Deals on social media as well as in-store to drive further excitement and footfall.

Make use of Londis’ merry melange of festive POS to create eye-catching displays and spread welcome Christmas cheer.

BOXING CLEVER

Helping retailers to take advantage of the key gifting opportunity this festive season, Londis retailers will also be able to choose from a sleigh-load of big-branded boxed chocolates and treats.

Shoppers after great value gifting options can snap up boxes from the bestselling Cadbury Milk Tray brand –whose WSP of £15.95 for 6x360g boxes has been held for 2022. Shoppers will be able to bag a box for just £3,99 offering retailers a POR of 20.1%.

Shoppers after more premium boxed options will also be able to treat their nearest and dearest with new 305g boxes of Guylian Belgian Classics at an RSP of £4.99 and 220g Lily O’ Brien’s Petit Desserts Gift Wrapped Boxes also available for a Group Exclusive RSP of £4.99 offering retailers a POR of 25.2%.

minors. Improved performance claims compared to original JUUL. This is an age restricted product and age verification is required at

TM and © 2022 JUUL Labs, Inc. All rights reserved.

In the run up to Christmas, basket spend is 38%

bigger from shoppers purchasing Christmas confectionery.

(Kantar Spend Total Christmas Chocolate)

Christmas Sharing grew by 27% in independent and symbol stores in 2021 (Nielsen)

With more shoppers on the go last Christmas, self-eat grew by 56% (Nielsen)

NEW PRODUCTS

Also guaranteed to attract shoppers’ attention this festive season is Londis’ line-up of new and Group Exclusive Deals – yet another benefit of being part of a bigger group.

Key Group Exclusive lines this year include Terry’s Chocolate Orange Ball Toffee Crunch, which is also available as part of a WIGIG deal offering shoppers the chance to buy ‘Any 2 for £3’.

Shoppers searching for vegan treats need look no further than the Nomo brand whose Cookie Dough Drops Box is also available for a Group Exclusive RSP of £3.99 offering retailers a POR of 20.3%.

Tapping into the shopper trend for indulgent flavoured coffees, Matchmakers Caramel Coffee sticks will also be available on a Group Exclusive deal offering shoppers the chance to snap up two 120g boxes for just £3.

Christmas is the perfect time to inject a bit of sparkle into your store and sales. Despite the current economic climate it’s never too early to stock up and start promoting the season, especially with fun and low-cost novelty items and sharing formats which always sell really well in the lead up to the big event. With more shoppers determined to manage their spending by cutting back on big supermarket trips and shopping more locally this year, I expect small stores such as ours to benefit.

big event. With more shoppers determined

Perfect POS

Retailers will have an even better chance to help their festive ranges shine this Christmas with a sparkling suite of Londis Seasonal POS in attractive and eye-catching red and gold colourways.

The POS encourages shoppers to ‘Celebrate Christmas Together’ as-well as drawing attention to its cheery range of Mega Deals which will be available across key categories including Beers,

Andrew Bishop Londis Grampound Road Post Office and Stores

JACK'S RANGE

Expanded Jack’s range set

Value matters more than ever

Given the economic uncertainty facing shoppers these days, value is more important than ever – and Jack’s is the ideal range to deliver fantastic value every day.

and profits

The festive period which lies just around the corner is typically a time of year when shoppers tend to loosen the purse strings a little and treat themselves, their family and their friends to some affordable treats and luxuries to make the most of this unique time of year. That trend is likely to be in evidence once more over the next couple of months but there is little question that the challenges of the last few years will have an impact on shopper spend.

For many shoppers that will mean an even more keen focus on value and on ensuring that they make their money go as far as possible – and this is where the Jack’s own brand range is set to offer Londis retailers the perfect opportunity to deliver fantastic value and outstanding quality for their shoppers every time they visit your store.

Yes, many shoppers are likely to spend a little more on those special festive items that makes Christmas such a special time of year – items like premium alcohol, for instance - but the flip side to this indulgence could well be that they then become more intent than ever on optimising their spend in other areas of their shop.

Optimising spend could mean buying into many of Londis’s fantastic festive promotional deals and it could also mean seeking out great value in the form of every day low pricing – and this is where Jack’s offers Londis retailers a huge competitive advantage over other retailers in their area during the Christmas period.

Then, after the excesses of the festive period when the new year rolls around and shoppers tighten their belts once more in January, Jack’s also offers an exclusive and powerful tool to deliver value and help shoppers manage their budgets.

Feedback from both retailers and shoppers has made it crystal clear that the Jack’s range meets a very specific need for great quality products at amazing value prices, while also delivering the strong PORs that Londis retailers need to run profitable, thriving businesses.

While most Jack’s lines deliver at least 30% POR, a massive number of the 500 or so Jack’s products already launched carry even higher PORs of 40% and 50%+.

to drive footfall, sales

FULL RANGE

As Londis News went to press, over 500 Jack’s products had been launched, representing more than 90% of the entire range of over 500 products that that will be available to Londis retailers.

The range now extends across every important product category from fresh and chilled to pet food, from ambient grocery to confectionery, crisps and bakery – and everything else in between.

The majority of the products in the Jack’s range are price-marked giving shoppers the confidence they need to buy into the range – and the quality of the products themselves then delivers the repeat sales that are so vital to retailers.

LATEST JACK’S LAUNCHES

– PET PRODUCTS

The Jack’s range continues to grow and is fast approaching completion, Among the latest Jack’s pet products to be launched are:

Shout about Jack’s!

Product description Case size WSP RRP POR

Jacks Cat Cuts In Jelly With Salmon PM79

12x415g £4.65 £0.79 41.1%

Jacks Cat Sticks Chicken And Liver PM100 16x30g £7.99 £1.00 40.1%

Jacks Chewy Strips Rich In Chicken PM85 15x150g £6.79 £0.85 36.1%

Jacks Small Log Bones With Chicken PM100 14x180g £6.99 £1.00 40.1%

Jacks Tasty Treats PM85 12x100g £5.59 £0.85 34.2%

Jacks Meaty Sticks With Beef PM85 14x100g £5.69 £0.85 42.6%

Jacks Cat Cuts in Gravy Mix Selection PM399 4 x 12pk £9.29 £3.99 30.2%

Jacks Cat Cuts in Jelly Mix Selection PM399 4 x 12pk £9.29 £3.99 30.2%

Jacks Cat Cuts in Gravy With Lamb PM49 24 x 100g £5.79 £0.49 40.9%

Jacks Cat Cuts in Jelly With Chicken PM49 24 x 100g £5.79 £0.49 40.9%

*All prices correct at time of going to press.

LATEST JACK’S LAUNCHES – DOMESTIC

The Jack’s range of domestic and household products has increased significantly with new lines including:

Product description Case size WSP RRP POR

Jacks Firelighters

24x15s £15.79 £1.19 34.0%

Jacks Tealights 36x20pk £52.49 £2.25 22.2%

Jacks 12 Large Refuse Sacks Tie Top PM199

15x15s £14.79 £1.99 40.5%

Jacks 60 Sandwich Bags PM139 10x60s £6.69 £1.39 41.4%

Jacks Baby Soft And Dry Size 3 Nappies PM299 3x18pk £6.25 £2.99 30.3%

Jacks

Rajan Singh of Londis Ystradgynlais in Wales told Londis News: “Jack’s has been a massive success for us and I think shoppers really appreciate the Tesco branding because it reassures them that they are getting proper, high quality products.”

Rajan also says that he has had nothing but positive feedback from shoppers on the quality of the Jack’s lines.

He explains: “The great value pricing has

*All prices correct at time of going to press.

meant that it’s been quite easy to get shoppers to trial the products – but it’s the quality that keeps them coming back. So far we’ve seen really, really strong repeat sales and our shoppers tell us that the product quality is brilliant. We’ve had some brilliant feedback on the fresh and chilled range and even on things like crisps and snacks and cakes. The Jack’s Cheesy Puffs and Bacon Rashers have been absolutely flying off the shelf, for example!

Get social!

Another effective way of encouraging trial and repeat purchase of Jack’s products is to make as much use as possible of social media.

By highlighting Jack’s promotions, flagging up newly launched products or simply talking about the range on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, you can help drive awareness of the fantastic value and quality of the range, as

well as driving fresh footfall, sales and profits.

BRP offers a great suite of social media assets that you can make use of to shout about your Jack’s range, making it really quick and easy to create attention-grabbing posts.

Speak to your RDM about how we can help.

LATEST JACK’S

LAUNCHES

– AMBIENT

The Jack’s ambient food range has been expanded with the recent introduction of:

Product description

Jacks Sliced Beetroot In Vinegar PM99

Jacks Tuna Chunks In Brine

Jacks Tuna Chunks In Sunflower Oil

“The quality is definitely there and Jack’s is now absolutely a core part of our offer. It gives shoppers everything they need and all under one brand.”

Making shoppers happy is, obviously, great news – but Rajan is equally happy with the Jack’s range from a retailer’s point of view.

“It’s all very well selling lots of product and generating shopper loyalty to a range, but it has to work for the retailer too,” he says. “But all you have to do is take a quick look at the PORs we’re making on the Jack’s range and that will put a smile on your face. So many branded lines give you 15% or 20% which just isn’t enough to run a modern store these days. The Jack’s range starts at 30% POR but I’d say that most of the range that we sell gives us much bigger PORs than that, upwards of 40%. That’s the sort of PORs we need so I’m not surprised that retailers like the range as much as shoppers do.”

FRONT AND CENTRE

To truly get the very best out of the Jack’s range it is important to make the range unmissable both in-store and on your social media pages. All Londis retailers have already received a full instore POS kit that gives them everything they need really bring the Jack’s range to life in-store.

Additionally, BRP offers a full selection

Case size WSP RRP POR

6x340g £3.99 £0.99 32.8%

12x145g £9.99 £1.29 35.5%

12x145g £9.99 £1.29 35.5%

of social media assets that retailers can make use of to create high-end, engaging and attention-grabbing social media content that highlights the value and quality on offer from the Jack’s own brand range.

Siting Jack’s products prominently instore will also help drive trial and repeat purchase and will offer your shoppers fantastic quality alternatives to higher priced branded options at a time of year when every penny really does count.

TASTE TEST

With feedback making it clear that the quality of the Jack’s range is exceptional, the key challenge for retailers is simply to encourage shoppers to try the products for the first time. Experience shows that

once shoppers have tried the lines, they will buy them again.

With that in mind, why not offer tasting and sampling sessions in store where your shoppers can try some of your Jack’s range free of charge? Remember that allergens must be clearly visible when sampling products. It’s a simple but effective strategy that could help introduce more of your shoppers to Jack’s and start driving brand loyalty and trust.

And, if your shoppers enjoy the products you have offered as samples, there’s every chance they will be more inclined to try out other Jack’s products, thereby growing basket spend and potentially footfall.

*All prices correct at time of going to press.

LOCAL SOURCING

Get vocal about local

Local lovelies

Shoppers just can’t stop falling in love with local products – lending retailers a basket of opportunities to embrace better footfall and sales.

From freshly baked bread still hot from the oven to beers brewed just around the bend, local products’ reputation for freshness and quality has long-since endowed the category with a generous serving of shopper appeal.

In fact, according to latest IGD ShopperVista figures for September 2022, just under 80% of shoppers currently say that buying local products is “important” to them, while 29% class it as “extremely” important.

And, as we plough through the autumn months, Londis retailers from across the country are reporting renewed support and enthusiasm for local products – driven by an increasingly wide number of reasons.

While local products remain key for injecting a bit of in-store artistry and rustic charm to retailers’ ranges, to today’s shoppers, local products have a value that goes way beyond flavour and aesthetics.

Delicious display

By

Wicker

such as local ales or wines.

Don’t forget to support local products with in-store signage. Eye catching shelf edge labelling can be created with the use of chalk boards.

Londis Yealmpton merchandises much of its local produce in attractive home-made wooden fixtures and chalk-board POS.

By their very nature, “locally” produced products have travelled far fewer “food miles” than many big-brand alternatives, earning them big sustainability brownie points with climate-conscious shoppers.

Andrew Bishop of Londis Grampound Road in Truro explains: “We sell a range of locally made artisan breads, local eggs, milk plus a number of local ales from the nearby St Austell Brewery and the Celtic Brewery,” he explains.

“Shoppers are without doubt thinking much more about where products have come from and are more aware of food miles and sustainable production methods, especially younger shoppers for whom issues like this are becoming increasingly important.

“The pandemic years definitely helped to accelerate this trend, making the value of shopping and buying more locally even clearer to see,” he says.

In many cases, freshly produced local products like bread and bakery items, as well as fruit and vegetables, are also sold in loose, packaging-free formats which generate minimal and in some cases no packaging waste – another key concern for shoppers and retailers alike.

Social selling

Social media can act as a powerful engine to help drive sales of local products which often lend themselves to picture-perfect posts.

Londis retailers such as Jim and Leanne Dixon regularly post about their local product ranges, with posts prompting positive comments from local shoppers. Leanne also reports increased footfall and sales of local products after posting.

Social media can also act as brilliant tool to help connect local suppliers with retailers. Arun says that several local suppliers contacted him directly after seeing his store’s posts on social media.

The small-batch production methods and

The small-batch production methods and ability for retailers to make and receive regular orders in volumes tailored to their needs also makes local produce a relatively “safe” category in terms of food waste.

The same is true for shoppers who, in many cases, can buy local products in the precise quantities that they need and, in some cases, even have products made to order.

In Chaxhill, Gloucestershire, Londis retailers Jey and Gaya Navaratnam are reaping the benefits of a newly expanded range of local products including local flowers and floral bouquets which can be made to order.

“Shoppers can order their bouquets on one day and they are freshly made up and delivered to the store for collection the very next,” says Gaya. “Shoppers love the flexibility that it gives them, and the flowers are of excellent and long-lasting quality.”

Devonshire retailers Jim and Leanne Dixon, of Londis Yealmpton, are also reaping the rewards of a thoughtfully managed range of local products.

“We try to support local wherever we can,” explains Jim. “Local products are a big part of who we are, they set us apart and they are cherished by our local shoppers, our significant holiday trade and the many second homers who also live around here.

“The local bakery also supplies us with fresh bread, cakes and donuts every day and we also have a wide range of local eggs, potatoes, honey, ice creams and lots of local ales.

“The neighbouring village of Holbeton has a community orchard and we also sell the locally made apple juice from there.”

The store is also famous for its range of footfall-driving locally produced sausage rolls which draw shoppers in from miles around.

Made by the local St Agnes Bakery, the “huge and indulgent” rolls are available in a range of utterly unique flavours including Pork, Apple & Cornish Cider and lend themselves perfectly to posts on social media.

As Jim and Leanne attest, social media can and does act as a powerful tool for not just promoting local products and engaging local shoppers, but also for sourcing new suppliers.

From rolls to eggs from Woodmeadow farm and the recently added Trevethan Gin, a flick through Londis Yealmpton’s Facebook feed reveals a litany of posts highlighting its local range, with many posts featuring positive shopper comments and praise.

Jim and Leanne’s local range is further supported by attractive home-made fixtures and fittings that further enhance its appeal and add a welcome touch of instore theatre.

Local breads, fruit and cakes are all displayed in bespoke wooden units crafted by Jim himself.

“We are in the country after all, so it’s nice to bring that rustic feel into the store and the fact I’ve made it myself is another bonus,” he said.

The category is also set apart with eyecatching chalkboard-style point of sale and posters.

By their very nature, local products lend

Glorious gifting

From ales to biscuits, chocolates and cheeses, local products can also function as perfect gifting items –especially in tourist areas.

And with the festive season fast approaching, retailers who embrace the category also have an opportunity to drive key sales and profits as shoppers seek to answer their gifting needs with local loveliness.

Central Billing Supplier Cotswold Fayre recently revealed a new selection of gifting products for the 2022 festive season including 65 lines from certified B Corps, organisations officially achieving exceptional sustainability standards.

Alissia Festa, seasonal buyer at Cotswold Fayre says: “This year we have focused on providing retailers with some exciting alternatives to the traditional advent calendars and gift sets.

“Last year Cotswold Fayre saw an increase in festive alcoholic products, in particular its Christmas-themed gins. The novelty of eye-catching bottles and different flavours created a popular gift category.”

IT’S THE TASTE

Central Billing benefits

Londis retailers also have access to products and exclusive preferential deals from almost 200 suppliers, including a number of local, small and independents, across a vast range of categories via Central Billing.

Categories covered include fresh and frozen, bakery and cakes, grocery, and beers wines & spirits.

Prices are centrally negotiated and with low minimum order quantities and other benefits include less timeconsuming administration because costs are charged to retailers weekly and set up as one direct debit going out of your account.

Speak to your Londis RDM for more information.

themselves perfectly to attractive artisanstyle displays: wooden boxes, wicker baskets, wine barrels, or even bales of hay or straw. All of these can be used to create welcome in-store theatre and unique points of difference.

And those are still far from the only benefits. Display, sustainability and waste wins aside, local products also offer independent retailers yet another meaningful way in which to support the communities in which they trade, by keeping sorely needed money within local economies where it can help to support local people and jobs.

As Andrew adds: “Another key reason that shoppers love our local eggs so much is because they support a valued local business and keep money in the local economy.”

Shoppers’ renewed support for local stores and enterprise was well-documented during the lockdown years and now, as the cost-of-living crisis bites, it’s a trend which looks set to keep on growing, giving Londis retailers even more reasons to lock in on local.

Top tips!

If you sell local products, shout about them with regular posts on social media.

In-store, use POS such as window graphics, shelf barkers and posters to help signpost the category.

Merchandising local products with rustic display features such as baskets, barrels and hessian bags can add a welcome touch of instore theatre that will set your offer apart.

Londis retailers also have access to products and exclusive preferential deals from almost 200 suppliers, including a number of local, small and independents via Central Billing.

Londis Tobacco Club

extended with new lines

Londis has added new lines to its popular Tobacco Club range offering retailers even more opportunities to add an extra 2% POR to their sales.

Londis has further increased the appeal of its already very popular Tobacco Club with the addition of five new lines, offering Londis retailers even more opportunities to add an extra 2% POR to their tobacco sales.

The new Chesterfield and Marlboro Gold Rolling Tobacco lines benefit from significantly reduced WSPs which help deliver POR increases of 2% 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.

SOCIAL MEDIA

It pays to get social

Unleashing the power of social

Social and digital media have long been two of the most effective means of communicating with your existing shoppers, as well as grabbing the attention of new potential shoppers in your locality. If anything, the importance of these channels has grown over the last 18 months so it’s the perfect time to embrace the opportunities that social and digital offers to retailers.

Social media is easy to access, is widely used by the general public and, in its simplest forms, is completely free. Many Londis retailers have already enjoyed great success with their social and digital media presence, boosting footfall and basket spend while increasing awareness of their stores and their value to the communities they serve.

One multi-award-winning business that very quickly understood the huge power

of social media is Londis Solo Convenience in Baillieston, just outside Glasgow. With almost 5,000 followers on Facebook, the family business views social media as “mission critical” and devotes a lot of time and effort to it.

Store owner Nathalie Lightfoot comments: “We’ve been very active social media for a long time. It’s an important tool for us to talk to our shoppers – and potential shoppers – and we see it as critical to how we run the store and the business.

“Social media is just so versatile and powerful, and it can be entirely free. We post lots of times every day and we try to produce our content in a way that replicates how we communicate with our shoppers in real life. That means a little bit of fun but always professional and polite. That’s how we treat shoppers in-store so that’s how we treat them in social media too.”

Social media has never been more important for Londis retailers and to help you take those important first steps into the digital world Londis has created a beginner’s guide on the subject. We share a few tips from the guide below.

Retailers who wish to get involved with social media should consider the following:

l You need to post regularly to keep the shopper engaged.

l Keeping a constant stream of interesting material like photos, videos, recipes etc. is difficult, and can be time consuming.

Tracking just how successful social media is in terms of driving footfall, sales and profits is, says Nathalie, quite difficult –but she knows that it definitely works: “It’s hard to get precise and to put an ROI on the effort you put into social media, but we know for sure that it delivers big commercial benefits. It brings new shoppers to our door, it helps generate interest in exciting new products, it gets more people to use our home delivery services. It does all these things and keeps awareness levels of our store really high in our local area and beyond. It just works.”

If you are not already using social or digital media to drive business in your store, then now is the right time to start.

However, making that first foray into the digital world can be daunting for the inexperienced, so Londis News is here to give you some highlights from the Londis guide to social media, which you can request from your RDM. Just follow these key pointers to start giving your store an effective digital and social media presence.

GET GOOGLING

An important first step is to

make sure that your store shows up on Google searches and maps. Google is one of the most important channels your business should be appearing on – it has over two billion monthly users and 3.8 million searches take place every minute!

To ensure useful information about your business appears alongside any local area search, there are a couple of simple steps to take with Google.

If your business already shows up as a location on Google Maps, you simply need to “claim” it. In the panel containing the address/ hours/phone, click on the link saying ‘Own this Business?’ and continue from there. Remember to input information useful to a potential shopper: business name, opening hours, and phone number. If possible, add pictures too –potential shoppers will want to see photos of your business, so the better the pictures and the more of them, the more it will attract the shopper. If your business is a new build, you will need to register it with Google.

In this case, there is a step-bystep guide they will take you through.

MAKE NEW FRIENDS

Setting up a social media presence is easy to do, but it is important to remember that it is an ongoing commitment, not just a one-off. Platforms such as Facebook are interactive, and users are both hungry for new information and likely to make comments of their own on your page, so it is very important to keep posting new content and to monitor the activity on the page itself.

Top Tips

l The worst thing you can do is set up a Facebook page that you don’t maintain.

l Be patient, as you may not attract much attention to start with unless you are investing money in advertising.

l By having a social media presence, you are potentially opening up a channel for customer complaints that should be monitored frequently and with care.

l Everything you post, and almost every interaction you have with your shoppers, will be in the public eye.

COFFEE PODS

Unlocking growth in coffee pods

Top of the pods

With shoppers thirsty for more premium in-home coffee solutions, the growing coffee pod market can help retailers brew up even stronger sales and profits.

From sweet and creamy Cappuccinos to short and punchy Espressos and dark and velvety Americanos, coffee is a serious business these days.

According to Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE), more than 24 million households in the UK currently buy coffee – a huge number that highlights the benefits to retailers of stocking a diverse range of coffee products. However, with the global Covid-19 pandemic and series of nationwide lockdowns accelerating the “in-home barista” trend, what that range looks like has changed quite considerably in recent times.

With many UK shoppers continuing to work from home, there has been a shift in how shoppers consume coffee which in turn has boosted demand for premium coffee products that shoppers can prepare and enjoy in the comfort of their own homes.

Mintel Food & Drink Associate Director Jonny Forsyth elaborates: “For years coffee shops have taken share from retail coffee but the

pandemic forced drinkers to make more coffee in-home and replicate the quality of fresh on-premise brews.”

Helping shoppers to replicate the quality, freshness and indulgence of coffee shop drinks quickly and conveniently at home is the UK’s growing coffee pod category, which now accounts for just under 20% of the total retail coffee market.

The popularity of these pocket-sized profitboosting pods has soared since 2019 according to JDE, with more shoppers buying into the category and those shoppers spending 8% more on coffee pods too. The frequency at which shoppers are buying into the category has also grown by 10%. It’s a simple sum which clearly adds up to a hot opportunity for Londis retailers who, according to JDE, still possess significant potential to grow their share of sales.

While coffee pods currently account for 19% of total coffee sales, only 3% of those sales are currently made in the impulse channel – signifying

significant “headroom to grow,” JDE says.

Fortunately for Londis retailers, harnessing this growth is now easier than ever, with a strong range of big-name coffee pod brands from the Tassimo and Nescafé Dolce Gusto families, as well as Nespresso-compatible pods from the L’OR brand.

One Londis retailer who is already brewing big benefits from her coffee pod offer is Sapna Patel, of Londis Eltham Park in London.

“Coffee pods are definitely earning their space on the shelf,” she says. “I currently sell a range of coffee pods from both the Tassimo and Nescafé Dolce Gusto brands and I’ll look to grow that range over the coming months in-line with demand.

“The Latte and Cappuccino varieties are currently leading sales; I think they resonate really well with shoppers who are trying to create more indulgent drinks at home.”

Retailers, like Sapna, looking to grow

their share of coffee pod sales would do well to stock at least one variety of each of the most popular coffee shop style drinks, including a Latte, a Cappuccino and a Black Coffee offer, JDE says.

JDE’s Costa by Tassimo brand includes an Americano a Latte and a Cappuccino – all three of which will be subject to strong consumer deals in Londis stores during NP07 and NP08. Offering retailers PORs of 25%, the retail promotions will also be supported by Q4 marketing and category activations.

Another way for retailers to stir up stronger coffee pod sales is by introducing a small range of popular flavours, allowing shoppers to further personalise their drinks and up the in-home indulgence ante even more.

As Mintel’s Forsyth explains: “For many shoppers the key to coffee making has moved beyond the desire for it to simply be ‘good coffee’; it’s now about brewing creative coffee, adding the same style and aspiration you would see in a coffee shop.”

We’ve noticed a real spike in demand for coffee pods over the past year. During lockdown, shoppers got used to enjoying more premium coffee experiences in their homes and that trend hasn’t gone away since restrictions were lifted. If anything, it’s grown; we are constantly getting shoppers in asking about our coffee pod offer.

Raj Sharma Londis Mayfield in East Sussex

Flavours can play a big role here. According to recent Kantar WPO research, shoppers’ top-three coffee flavours are caramel, vanilla and gingerbread. Of these, caramel is the leading flavour, with 43.9% of coffee drinkers choosing it as their favourite (Kantar, Feb 2022).

Another Londis retailer hoping to tap into the growing trend for coffee pods is Raj Sharma, of Londis Mayfield in East Sussex. “We’ve noticed a real spike in demand for coffee pods over the past year,” he says.

“During lockdown, shoppers got used to enjoying more premium coffee experiences in their homes and that trend hasn’t gone away since restrictions were lifted. If anything, it’s grown; we are constantly getting shoppers in asking about our coffee

pod offer.

“Many shoppers have invested in coffee machines for their homes and from conversations with shoppers, coffee machines have also become quite common gifting products.

“I expect demand to continue to rise as we head into the winter months and certainly around Christmastime when shoppers will look to treat themselves and friends and family to more premium coffee options.”

Looking further ahead JDE says that the coffee pod market is expected to continue growing over the next five years and beyond, versus less premium segments such as Instant coffee which, by comparison, is expected to continue its slow decline.

Coffee Shop favourites

Londis retailers have access to a range of pod products from big-name coffee shop brands that offer shoppers the chance to enjoy an authentic coffee shop experience without leaving the house.

The range includes a variety of SKUs from the Costa by Tassimo coffee pods.

Key lines from the Costa by Tassimo pods range include:

l Tassimo Costa Latte Coffee Pods x8 (case of five)

WSP £24.49 RSP £5.99 POR 18.2%

l Tassimo Costa Cappuccino Coffee Pods x8 (case of five) WSP £24.49 RSP £5.99 POR 18.2%

l Tassimo Costa Americano Coffee Pods x 16 (case of five) WSP £24.49 RSP £5.99 POR 18.2%

Coffee pods chip away at instant coffee’s lead

Coffee pods grew their share of the UK Coffee market by 6% between 2020 and 2021 – to account for just under 20% of the total retail market according to Mintel.

The growth in Coffee Pods was much faster than Ground Coffee and Coffee Beans, which grew by 2.4% in the year, while Instant Coffee, which still accounts for the lion’s share of the market, saw its share decline by 1% over the same period.

(Source Mintel UK Coffee Report 2021)

Pod-tastic stats from JDE

l The coffee category is healthy with potential for strong growth which can be unlocked by driving coffee pod sales.

l The coffee pod market is growing as shoppers continue to look to recreate coffee shop experiences in the home.

l More shoppers are buying coffee pods, spend per shopper is increasing and so is frequency.

l There is still lots of headroom to grow coffee pods in impulse by including the top brands.

l The coffee pod market is expected to continue growing over the next five years and beyond versus less premium segments.

l JDE expects the value of the coffee pods market to have grown by a further 7.3% by 2026, while the instant coffee segment is expected to decline by 4.8%.

In fact, by 2026 JDE expects the value of the coffee pods market to have grown by a further 7.3% to £410m, comfortably ahead of the Roast & Ground and Specialties & Mixes segments.

Now with numbers like that, it’s clear to see why retailers should jump on board the hot and steamy coffee pod opportunity.

For years coffee shops have taken share from retail coffee but the pandemic forced drinkers to make more coffee in-home and replicate the quality of fresh onpremise brews.

Jonny Forsyth Mintel Food & Drink Associate Director

TOP TIPS

l Merchandise stock by sub-category to help shoppers navigate your range more easily.

l Use POS to further improve visibility of products and drive higher basket spend.

l Make sure your range covers at least one variety of each of the most popular coffee shop-style drinks, including a Latte, a Cappuccino and a Black Coffee offer, such as an Americano.

l Flavoured lines can help you add further interest to your range and tap into shopper demand for more indulgent products.

l Caramel is the most popular coffee flavouring in the UK.

EPoS SYSTEMS

Data driven

Push your business up a gear with next-level EPoS

Independent retailing can be a complex process at the best of times and after the unprecedented challenges of recent years, the benefits of a modern EPoS solution that can help you take your store to the next level, have never been so important.

Fortunately for Londis retailers, Londis has a long-standing relationship with RDP (the Retail Data Partnership) which has continued to develop its offer over the past year, adding a raft of new benefits to help retailers operate their businesses even more efficiently and profitably.

RDP’s ShopMate system is among the mostadvanced systems available today. Created specifically for independent retailers and developed over the years in response to their direct feedback, ShopMate offers

SERVE YOURSELF

With speed of service a key concern for busy time-pressed shoppers, RDP has also launched a new Self-Serve Queue busting solution for 2022. The new ShopMate self-serve has functionality built into the existing software and allows the till to either be assistant-managed or consumer managed. Commenting on the innovation, Londis Stroud owner Mike Dorey said. “Self-serve is a fascinating trend and I have little doubt that in certain busy city-centre locations it will help to drive significant operational efficiencies and help retailers to manage costs. In our small rural store, self-serve isn’t really something we need to offer our shoppers but having the option to introduce the functionality is certainly a positive.”

retailers an array of excellent benefits that can have a positive impact on the bottom line, where it matters most.

BENEFIT NOW

Among the key benefits are automatic price and promotion updates, a comprehensive selection of intuitive reports and insights and the opportunity to extend the power of your ShopMate till with added value services including full back office or head office functionality and a Local Loyalty scheme.

Not only does RDP supply the Booker price file, it also manages its own RDP Price File which compliments the Booker file for non-wholesale related products, so if you purchase local products, these are catalogued, VAT rated and updated to the RDP price file for all RDP customers.

Electronic Delivery Notes are provided for all products purchased with Booker. Regardless of whether the products are purchased in branch, via the Web or from the till; so long as a Booker account number is used, the electronic invoices are uploaded to the till providing immediate stock control for you.

Suggested and Electronic Ordering via the till also means that you can create an order without ever leaving the till.

In today’s complex trading environment, a cutting-edge EPoS system like ShopMate can help you improve efficiencies and grow profits.

BR EDIN BARCEL A

New for 2022 is the new OnLine Management Suite providing all RDP customers with the ability to manage their reporting remotely via laptop, PC, Tablet or phone. The suite also offers real-time sales analysis and the ability to compare year on year product performance at either product or category level.

Another new opportunity for 2022 is the RDP Self-Serve Queue busting solution. No hefty price tag for ShopMate self-serve - the functionality is built into the existing software and so the till can either be assistant-managed or consumer managed.

The MediaMaster Advertising screens provided FOC by RDP also allow retailers to advertise promotional offers at the point of sale. Not only are Londis promotions advertised but retailers can include local business, store only promotions or sponsorship adverts within the media feed as well as supporting local community projects through adverts created by the RDP Marketing Department.

Additionally, ShopMate benefits from an expert UK-based technical support team, ready to help you whenever you need them.

The automatic price and promotion updates functionality mean you and your team will no longer lose huge amounts of time setting up promotions every period and updating pricing for the shop floor.

The reporting functionality offers quick, easy and intuitive access to all of your store’s most important data, allowing you to understand your

business at a much deeper level and make better informed decisions on every level.

One Londis retailer who is reaping the benefits of his ShopMate EPoS bundle is Mike Dorey, of Londis Stroud, Gloucestershire.

“The benefits of a good, reliable EPoS system cannot be overstated in this day and age,” he says. “It’s incredibly powerful tool to help you gain a deeper understanding of your business and drive important operational efficiencies. From a backoffice reporting point of view the ShopMate system is very good but the staff interface is also very userfriendly which is also important,” he says.

WHAT DO YOU GET?

The Londis ShopMate EPoS bundle includes everything you need to start leveraging the power of a system that can take your store to the next level.

A touchscreen full colour till, a thermal receipt printer and a Datalogic/Honeywell Orbit scanner are all included, as are a laser printer, power and router connection cables and a standard or flip-top till.

Training and installation costs just £450 and, for just an extra £45, retailers can access a pre-install scanner that lets them set prices before the ShopMate system even arrives, meaning that they can hit the ground running on day one.

The system itself is free for Londis retailers, while weekly service fees are just £15.50 for one till, £23.00 for two tills and £25.00 for three tills.

VIEWPOINT: ACS Make your voice heard

At yourservice

The Local Shop report highlights the breadth and depth of services that convenience stores offer to their customers

Every year, we produce what we believe to be the definitive look at the UK convenience sector, the people running stores, the colleagues working in those stores, and the communities that they serve.

The 2022 Local Shop Report reveals some impressive numbers about the sector: 48,590 stores providing 405,000 flexible, local and secure jobs, contributing over £9bn in taxes, and investing over £605m in improvements in refrigeration, lighting, and full store refits. These figures are absolutely crucial in showing how important local shops are to the economy, especially at difficult times like this.

One of the aspects of the industry that the report highlights is the breadth and depth of services that convenience stores offer to their customers. Since starting the report in 2012, the overall level of service provision has grown steadily. However, this year we’ve noticed a concerning trend in the number of both free to use, and charged, cash machines that are provided by convenience retailers.

James Lowman ACS Chief Executive

We’ve been campaigning for several years on the issues of interchange fees, the business rates levied on ATMs, and the importance of providing access to cash to local communities, with the

warning that providing an ATM in store is becoming a difficult proposition for many retailers who are in some cases losing money on the provision of that service. 44% of convenience stores now provide a free to use cash machine and 18% provide a charged one, compared to 49% and 23% last year. While this may not seem like too much of a significant shift, local shops are now often the only place that consumers can access cash locally, so every ATM lost has an impact.

Energy price hikes haven’t impacted what we offer much … yet, but if we don’t get long-term support on energy bills, the sector won’t maintain the levels of chilled and frozen space we currently offer. Unsurprisingly, there is a dramatic uptick in the percentage of stores that have energy saving measures like solar panels (currently 5%).

These issues are symptomatic of a wider trend in convenience in 2022 – retailers are facing increased costs in all areas of their businesses, whether it be employment, utilities, fuel, service provision, delivery costs or product costs, and are already making difficult decisions about what they can keep offering and where they need to cut back. The Local Shop Report is an important tool for us in educating new Ministers and Government officials on the importance of the UK convenience sector and forms a key part of our campaigning activity to help stores keep trading successfully into the future.

New stores

Woodman Forecourts Stourton Filling Station, West Yorkshire

Refuel Forecourts Featherstone, West Yorkshire

Refuel Forecourts Liverpool, Merseyside

Karan Retail Ltd Horsewood, Staffordshire

Sahej Food & Wine FELTHAM, Middlesex

J Logeswaran WALLASEY, Cheshire

J2k Retail Ltd BURNOPFIELD, Tyne and Wear

Krish Express Retails LONDON, Greater London

Art Food & Wine HORLEY, Surrey

Londis birthdays

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

Downham Way Bromley, Kent

Dale Valley Stores Southampton, Hampshire

Tilshead Garage Salisbury, Wiltshire

Hampden Gardens Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

Clifton Stop N Shop Clifton, Nottinghamshire

Village News Halifax, West Yorkshire

Howdles Lane Brownhills, West Midlands

Nts Weoley Service Station Birmingham, West Midlands

Mpk Carrington Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Mpk Maltby Rotherham, South Yorkshire

Mpk Tean Stoke On Trent, Staffordshire Alva Stirling, Scotland

Barons Court London, Greater London

Ripponden Road Oldham, Lancashire

Clifton Service Station Morpeth, Northumberland

Bugbrooke Stores Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire

Victoria Avenue Swanage, Dorset

Crawley Crawley, West Sussex

Northcourt Avenue Reading, Berkshire

Riseley Risley, Bedfordshire

Low Lane Leeds, West Yorkshire Stratton Swindon, Wiltshire

Bexley Park Dartford, Kent

Thamesmead London, Greater London

Garstang Garstang, Lancashire

Wishaw Wishaw, Lanarkshire

Glenholt Glenholt, Devon

Whitestiles Service Station Cumbria, Tyne And Wear

Wynyard Road Service Station Hartlepool, West Yorkshire

Bexleyheath Bexleyheath, Kent

Ramsey Cresent Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire

Maynard News Southampton, Hampshire

Beccles Beccles, Norfolk

Queens Drive Bedford, Bedfordshire

Ashford Road Maidstone, Kent Jubilee Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

Halesworth Halesworth, Suffolk

Woodlands Parade Ashford, Middlesex

Blackheath Lewisham, Greater London

Severn Drive Preston, Lancashire Normanton Wakefield, West Yorkshire Hall Green Birmingham, West Midlands

Auchterarder Auchterarder, Perthshire Dundee Road Errol, Perthshire

Londis - Peniel Peniel, Carmarthenshire Bildeston Village Stores & Po Ipswich, Suffolk Londis Troed Y Bryn Caerphilly, Mid Glamorgan

Wayland Garage Watton, Norfolk

Londis - Suffolk Street Birmingham, West Midlands

Thompsons News Stores Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Kings Of Sedgley Sedgley, West Midlands

Chopwell Londis Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne And Wear

Cherry Food & Wine London, Greater London

Londis Stour Road Christchurch, Dorset

Tera Stores Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Willington Post Office Crook, County Durham

Londis Fulmer Corner Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire

Londis Sk Supermarket Southampton, Hampshire

A19 Services Northbound Elwick, County Durham A19 Services Southbound Elwick, County Durham

Londis Ripple Road Barking, Essex

Londis Cherrytree Dover, Kent

Evans & Jones Tanerdy Garage Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire

Londis Herne Hill London, Greater London

Rowlands Gill Londis Gateshead, Tyne And Wear

Londis The Store Marlborough, Wiltshire

Londis Barking Road London, Greater London

Johns Of Appledore Bideford, Devon

Londis Weeting Weeting, Norfolk

The Reindeer Londis York, North Yorkshire

Londis Firtree Road Epsom Epsom, Surrey

Gwynfa Stores Pwllheli, Gwynedd

Londis Gosbrook Road Reading Reading, Berkshire

Leven Road Service Station Beverley, East Riding

Newhey News Rochdale, Lancashire

NATALIE LIGHTFOOT

Londis, Lanarkshire, Glasgow

Tel: 0141 7710490 Mobile: 07915 059101 Email: londis.solo@hotmail.com

JAMIE WOOD

St. Michael’s Services, Dumfries

Tel: 01387 254304 Mobile: 07759 260621 Email: stmichaelsservicesltd@gmail.com

BEN SIMONS

Londis, Lechlade, Gloucestershire

Tel: 01367 252202

ASHTON GARDNER

Gardner Garages, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Mobile: 07826 857797

Email: ashton@gardnergarages.co.uk

SARAH COPE

Londis, Lynton, Devon

Tel: 01598 753326 Mobile: 07808 831379 Email: scope71@hotmail.co.uk

ARJAN MEHR

Londis, Bracknell, Berkshire

Tel: 01344 425565 Mobile: 07710 567008 Email: arjanmehr@aol.com

STEVE BASSETT

Londis, Weymouth, Dorset

Mobile: 07875 286657

Email: steedthrust@googlemail.com

TERRY CATON

Londis, Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Tel: 01246 208565 Mobile: 07769 644853 Email: tcaton.londis@gmail.com

ROGER PERRY

Londis, East Riding, Yorkshire

Tel: 01964 544200 Mobile: 07786 330164 Email: perryroger9@aol.com

ALPESH PATEL

Londis, London N4

Tel: 020 8340 1919 Mobile: 07939 944557 Email: alpeshspatel@hotmail.com

CRISP. BRIGHT. REFRESHING. BROOKLYN PILSNER