Scoot partners with Just Eat to deliver fuss-free growth.
13 COMMUNITY NEWS
The latest round up of inspiring stories from Londis stores.
15
INDUSTRY NEWS
Government mulls energy drink sales ban for under 16s.
19 GROCERYAID UPDATE
The latest news from the industry’s charity.
22 RETAIL WIZARDRY
Londis Devonshire Road has shoppers enchanted following a spellbinding store development.
30 A WARM WELCOME
Leominster’s shoppers have welcomed Londis South Street with open arms.
38 FESTIVE FEAST
Londis’ banquet of support will help you enjoy juicy sales Christmas.
44 NEW PRODUCT ROUNDUP
Our pick of the hottest new products to hit the shelves
46 NEW HFSS RULES IN PLACE
New volume-based price promotion rules on HFSS products now apply – are you affected?
48 BOOKER NETWORKS
Introducing the Disability@Booker colleague network.
53 GET SOCIALLY SAVVY
Booker’s new Social Media Guide For retailers can help you boost reach and engagement.
Booker Retail Partners
Tel: 0870 050 0158
Opening hours: 8am–5:30pm Monday to Friday
IT and Customer Services
Opening hours: For customer services: 6am–9pm (Monday to Friday)
For IT: 7am–9pm (Monday to Friday)
Email: For customer services: londis.claims@bookerretail.co.uk or enquiries@londis.co.uk
Helpdesk: 0800 298 0758
Londis News team: Email: londisnews@ londis.co.uk
*Source: NIQ Total Market Coverage, Sales Volume (Ltrs) and Sales Value (£s), 52wks to 06/09/2025
Welcome to our November-December issue of Londis News!
Countdown to
Christmas
The coming months are serving up a feast of opportunities for retailers to tuck into - and Londis is offering up platters of support.
Greetings and a very warm welcome to your last issue of Londis News for 2025 as we launch into the lucrative lead-up to Christmas.
The festive season always presents retailers with a package of opportunities to unwrap, and as ever, Londis is here to help you end your year on a high note, with a harmonious song of seasonal support.
From new products to seasonal lines, Group Exclusives, own-brand developments and sparkling special offers, we’ve got everything you need to set your sales and profits aglow this Christmas.
Turn to page 38 to find out all the delicious details.
I’m also delighted to share the merry news that home delivery just got even more accessible for Londis retailers, thanks to the new partnership agreement between Booker’s exclusive Scoot rapid delivery solution and Just Eat.
The new service gives retailers the option to offer fast, reliable delivery without needing to manage their own fleet of drivers – helping them to grow their businesses and reach more customers without the need for a large upfront investment.
Also, keep your eyes peeled for our two new Scootbranded lorries which are already hard at work out on the UK’s roads.
The 18 tonne rigid lorries started operating out of Wellingborough and South Elmsall in August.
With their eye-catching yellow and pink Scoot livery, and scannable QR codes, they’re sure to turn heads!
Also commanding attention are the two terrific profiles included in this issue – each one packed with real-world insights, ideas and inspiration.
I’d also urge you to read our advice feature on the new HFSS rules which are now in place and affecting certain businesses.
Our latest feature on Booker’s valuable colleague networks is another cracker.
This issue explores the meaningful support offered by Disability@Booker – our newest colleague network – which strives to amplify the voices of disabled and neurodivergent colleagues, celebrate their contributions, and embed disability confidence across the business.
An inspiring read, I’m sure you’ll all agree.
And on that note, I wish you all the very best for the weeks ahead. Bring on 2026!
Look forward to seeing you in-store!
Stewart Fenn Sales Director, Booker Retail Partners
Scoot partners with Just Eat to deliver fuss-free growth
Booker’s exclusive Scoot rapid delivery solution has partnered with Just Eat to offer Londis retailers the perfect last-mile solution to make home delivery more accessible than ever.
Booker is making home delivery more accessible for Londis retailers than ever thanks to a new partnership agreement between its exclusive Scoot rapid delivery solution and Just Eat’s trusted courier network.
The new service will allow Londis retailers across the UK to grow their business and reach more customers, by giving them the option to offer fast, reliable delivery without needing to manage their own fleet or drivers.
With 80% of customers now wanting sameday or on-demand delivery, Booker’s symbol retailers will benefit from direct integration with Just Eat’s technology and trusted courier network.
By working closely with Just Eat over recent months, Scoot has developed an API integration that allows retailers to offer rapid
delivery to customers with ease, speed, and minimal operational complexity.
Shoppers will continue to place orders via the Scoot app with deliveries fulfilled by Just Eat’s courier network.
The move provides a convenient, affordable way for stores to enter the fast-growing home delivery space without the need for a large upfront investment.
Colm Johnson, Retail Managing Director for Booker, said: “We’ve developed this solution with our retailers in mind. By partnering with Just Eat, we’re helping stores offer a great delivery experience while keeping it simple and costeffective. We’re proud to bring this national solution to life and see it already delivering results for our retailers and their customers.”
Prize Draw results in Prize Doors for Londis Borrowash
Londis Borrowash is all set to benefit from energy savings thanks to new prize doors.
Londis retailer Karsan Karavadra has won 16 DoubleCOOL chiller doors for his Londis store in Borrowash, Derbyshire.
Karsan won the doors after entering a competition run by DoubleCOOL UK earlier this year.
The Midlands-based company specialise in retrofitting double-paned, acrylic doors to existing open chiller cabinets in supermarkets and convenience stores.
Karsan said: “I was absolutely delighted with the win, and very surprised as it’s the first time I’ve ever won anything!
“The team were quick to visit the store to offer congratulations and measure up for the installation.
“Just 7 weeks later, the installs team took a matter of hours to fit the doors and they look fantastic. I’m excited to see what customers think and what the energy savings will be”.
Londis Bacup has been awarded the meaty sum of £2,500 after winning Booker’s WhatsApp competition.
The Lancashire-based store was selected at random after manager Muhammad Irfan opted in to the competition after joining Booker’s Official WhatsApp channel.
Londis store bags success at the Forecourt Trader Awards 2025
Londis Woodman Service Station in Leeds was celebrated for its exceptional customer service at the Forecourt Trader of the Year Awards 2025.
The busy forecourt site was awarded the coveted Best Customer Service prize at the annual celebration of forecourt sector excellence, which held in London on 9 October.
Judges were wowed by the store’s investment in staff training which ensures that “every customer encounter is positive, professional and empathetic.” Training covers handling “more difficult customers” and assisting vulnerable people.
Store staff were also praised for their “willingness to engage in chat and answer questions about products which judges described as a “standout feature.”
Key issues of interest to you Londis retailer Natalie Lightfoot wins 2025 Raj Aggarwal Trophy
Londis retailer Natalie Lightfoot has been crowned as the winner of the 2025 Raj Aggarwal Trophy, which celebrates exceptional community retailing.
Natalie was announced as the winner at a parliamentary reception following the ACS Heart of the Community Conference in September.
Now in its fifth year, the Raj Aggarwal Trophy was created by ACS to honour the memory of exemplary independent community retailer Raj Aggarwal.
Natalie, who runs Londis Solo Convenience in Glasgow with husband Martin, is devoted to her community and is a co-founder of peerto-peer mental health support group Retail Family – Online Safe Space.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “Natalie is an incredible example of what it means to be an outstanding community retailer and this is demonstrated through her commitment to her customers and to making a positive difference in the area where she trades.”
Natalie said: “Becoming a community-focused store is not only a moral choice but it is a commercial strategy. We all can sell the same stock but what sets us apart is the feelings we create in our community.”
Wild and wonderful Flying high
Londis Broken Spur Service Station in Chiddingfold has donated £1,000 to the Surrey Wildlife Trust.
The charity is currently seeking to raise £100,000 in a bid to help reintroduce beavers to Surrey – a move which it claims would help reduce flooding, store carbon and boost biodiversity.
Commenting on their donation, the in-store team said: “This is a great cause which we are delighted to support. Thanks for all the great work you do. Nick, Tammy and the team at BP Londis Broken Spur Service Station.”
Londis Broad Haven helped support local rescue efforts for Manx Shearwater fledglings by raising awareness of the baby birds’ plight during fledgling season.
The Pembrokeshire store also donated boxes for their safe transport and rescue by Manx Shearwater Rescue Pembrokeshire.
Manx Shearwaters are seabirds that cannot take off from land and between late August and midOctober, young birds can become grounded due to strong inland winds.
The store is also helping to raise funds for the restoration of nearby St James Church.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Key issues of interest to you Government mulls energy drink sales ban for under-16s
The government is consulting on a ban on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s.
Around 100,000 children are thought to consume at least one high-caffeine energy drink every day, with “growing evidence” linking these drinks to harmful effects on children, including disrupted sleep, increased anxiety, poor concentration and reduced educational outcomes, the government said.
The proposal, which is currently being consulted on, would make it illegal to sell energy drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre to anyone aged under 16 years across all retailers – including online, in stores, restaurants, cafes and vending machines.
Lower-caffeine soft drinks, including tea and coffee, would not be affected.
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) welcomed the consultation and the “clarity” that a ban could provide retailers with.
High-caffeine soft drinks are currently labelled as ‘not recommended for children’, but to date there is no legal restriction in place.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “The majority of convenience stores already have a voluntary age restriction in place on energy drinks, and will welcome the clarity of regulation on this issue.
“Our members have a longstanding track record of enforcing age-restricted sales on different products, but it is essential that the government effectively communicates the details of the ban to consumers to avoid the risk of confrontation in stores.”
Launched on 2 September, the 12-week consultation is currently gathering evidence from health experts, education leaders, retailers, manufacturers, local enforcement authorities and members of the public.
Government called on to step up local store support
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has urged the government to step up support for local stores – which host the majority of the UK’s Post Offices.
In its submission to the government’s Green Paper on the future of the Post Office, ACS said that supporting local stores on key areas, such as fair business rates, tackling retail crime, balanced regulation and effective enforcement, would help to ensure that they could continue to provide essential services, including Post Offices, to communities.
Nearly one in five UK convenience stores provide Post Office services, acting not just as retail outlets but as vital community hubs.
The ice cream of ice creams.
New Scoot lorries!
Two new Scoot-branded delivery lorries are hard at work in Wellingborough and South Elmsall.
The UK’s roads are now a brighter place to be thanks to Booker’s launch of two vibrant Scoot-branded delivery lorries.
Each of the 18 tonne rigid delivery lorries features the bold pink and yellow Scoot livery, a scannable QR code and the “local groceries delivered in as little as 30 minutes” message.
One is operating out of Booker’s branch
in Wellingborough and the other out of South Elmsall, West Yorkshire.
Scoot is Booker’s rapid grocery delivery platform, available to all its symbol retailers.
Scoot retailers receive a launch support package worth up to £2,800, including POS, digital assets, thermal bags and upweighted marketing activity.
SCOOT MARKS KEY MILESTONE WITH 100th STORE
Booker’s rapid grocery platform Scoot is now live in 100 convenience stores across the UK, with more joining each week.
Since launching earlier this year, Scoot has expanded at pace, bringing fast, convenient delivery to communities across the UK through Booker’s leading symbol groups: Premier, Londis, Budgens and Family Shopper.
Damian Sanderson, Head of Home Delivery at Booker, said: “Reaching 100 stores on the Scoot platform is a fantastic achievement, and a real testament to the appetite from our retailers and their
communities. We’re proud to offer a solution that helps independent stores thrive in the delivery space.”
The 100th Scoot store to go live was Premier Pant Stores in Merthur Tydfill, Wales, with more stores already confirmed to launch in the coming weeks.
Booker upgrades website and app
Booker has completed phase one of its digital transformation with key upgrades to its website and app.
Londis retailers are now benefitting from a faster, smarter digital experience thanks to the upgrades, which include new corporate branding and simpler navigation for both platforms.
Visual shopping lists and new highres photography make shopping and discovering new products easier than ever before.
The website also offers smarter ordering tools, enhanced search functionality and improved print layouts for lists and favourites.
Retailers can access personalised homepages tailored to their fascia or sector and product recommendations for pairing suggestions that complement chosen items.
Checkout experiences have also been enhanced.
Checkout Scotland raises more than £30k for GroceryAid
GroceryAid Scotland’s flagship Checkout Scotland music festival raises over £30,000 for the charity helping meet the costs of rapidly escalating demand for support.
More than 550 industry colleagues from the retailing and wholesaling sectors attended the recent Checkout Scotland music festival in Glasgow, helping to raise more than £30,000 for the charity.
Barcode returns for 2026
Checkout Scotland is the flagship event of the GroceryAid Scotland committee and is now in its fourth year. The record number of attendees were entertained by Australian pop star and TV sensation Peter Andre and Scottish chart-topper Callum Beattie.
As well as raising much-needed funds for the charity, the event has also played a pivotal role over the years in making more colleagues than ever aware of the financial, emotional and practical support that GroceryAid can provide to those in need of a little help.
Financial support provided to colleagues in Scotland has risen more than 51% in recent times, reflecting the fact that many colleagues require support but also demonstrating that more colleagues than ever now know there is somewhere they can go to find that support.
GroceryAid has confirmed that its Barcode summer celebration is set to return for 2026. The festival for the independent retailing and grocery sectors is returning to Kenwood in London on 2nd July 2026, bringing together 6,000 colleagues, including over 1,000 senior leaders from all major retailers.
“We are absolutely delighted that Checkout Scotland raised in excess of £30,000 for GroceryAid last month,” says Matthew Howie, Chair of GroceryAid Scotland. “Every penny of that money will be spent helping our industry colleagues in Scotland and everyone who attended Checkout or who donated in any way to GroceryAid Scotland should be proud of what they have helped achieve.”
Barcode offers the chance to reward and recognise your teams with a fantastic summer party while helping to raise funds that allow GroceryAid to provide free and confidential financial, emotional and practical support to all industry workers and their families during tough times.
Get your tickets at groceryaid.org.uk
RETAILER
moves
Retail wizardry
Londis Devonshire Road has shoppers enchanted following a spellbinding store development.
Move over Harry Potter – because the retail wizardry on display at newly redeveloped Londis Devonshire Road is truly magical.
Nestled in the heart of residential Colliers Wood, the store is owned by longtime Londis retailer Siva Elayathamby, who took it on in 1996. “Back then it was nothing more than a small sweetie shop,” Siva says, “but I always felt that it possessed greater potential.”
Armed not with a wand, but with the support of Londis – and notably Siva’s Londis RDM Onkar Bancil – a spectacular plan to transform the dated old store into a modern-day marvel was concocted over the winter of 2024.
The store, Siva explains, had been refitted several times over the years, including when it joined Londis back in 2002, but by 2024 it was time for a radical rethink.
“Siva had been a customer of mine for a number of years, and he’d always dreamed of developing the store,” RDM Onkar explains. “One day, when visiting, he showed me the back and my jaw dropped. I had no idea there was so much space back there – perfect for development.
“Almost immediately after, I took Siva and his wife down to Eastbourne to see a
new Londis concept store and give them a flavour of what could be achieved.”
“We were both blown away by the new concept store,” Siva recalls. “My wife said, ‘We have to make this happen!’”
And so, they did.
“It took a lot of time in the planning,” Siva says. “The old store was a slightly awkward L-shape and featured a large supporting pillar at the front which couldn’t be removed.”
Expanding the shop floor into the large back area also required some serious structural sorcery – including the fitting of a 3.5-tonne supportive steel girder.
A new side extension was also created for storage, freeing up prime retail space.
The store closed for just over three weeks in January 2025 while the daring development and ensuing shopfit were completed.
“We then had a team of merchandisers in to help get the shelves stocked just right in time for reopening,” Onkar says.
The finished article, unveiled to shoppers in February 2025, is truly spellbinding.
Brand-new Londis Devonshire Road’s
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shopfloor has almost doubled in size from 1,200sq ft to 2,200sq ft, with a layout optimised for flow, visibility and customer experience.
The modern new store also features a number of Londis’ winning new concepts, including a large ‘The Cooler’ beer cave and a footfall-driving ‘Treat Stop’ food- and drinks-to-go zone starring coffee from Smokin’ Bean and freshly baked goods from County Choice’s Bake & Bite range.
Londis’ great-value £4.50 meal deal is also available in the store’s new food-to-go chillers and includes Urban Eat sandwiches – another new addition to the range.
The immovable supportive pillar at the front of the store has undergone a terrific transformation and is now the centrepiece of a striking four-sided confectionery and snacks zone, cleverly sited next to the Treat Stop.
Londis Devonshire Road’s magical makeover has also seen the store’s fresh and chilled range more than double.
The new-look store now features 16 doors of fresh and chilled foods – not including the six doors for food to go and soft drinks at the entrance.
“The store now offers everything shoppers need for a wide range of meal solutions, from fresh meats to ready meals, fruit, vegetables and more,” Siva says.
“Prior to the refit our fresh sales were quite small, but now they are up to 14% and growing steadily,” he adds.
At the rear of the store, two Cook freezers complement its expanded frozen food range, which is now displayed across six doors.
The additional shopfloor space has also allowed Siva to create dedicated bays for growing categories such as Protein and Free From.
He’s also introduced local breads from the nearby Aran Bakery – offering shoppers a unique and premium point of difference in the bread aisle.
STORE INFO
Store name: Londis Devonshire Road
Retailer: Siva Elayathamby
Size: 2,200sq ft
Staff: 4 plus family members
Key categories: BWS, fresh and chilled, confectionery
Opening hours: 6.30am–10pm
Services: National Lottery, PayPoint, Parcel Collection
Top tips!
1 2 3
Range reviews every six weeks help us weed out slowselling lines and identify new trends.
The £4.50 Londis Meal Deal offers exceptional value for money and helps drive footfall.
Supporting all promotions with Londis POS helps create high-impact displays. We also use the Londis Printshop to make our own professional signs.
The modern new store also features an array of cutting-edge fixtures, fittings and tools to deliver a first-class shopping experience and operational excellence, including LED lighting throughout, energy-efficient chillers and freezers, a high-capacity bakery oven, and an integrated EPoS system.
“The Cooler is such a fantastic new concept,” Siva enthuses. “Ours is located on the left-hand side of the store, close to the entrance, so shoppers see it as soon as they walk in.
“We used to have just 2.5m for BWS, but now we have 13 bays in The Cooler alone – plus a striking backlit display for spirits behind the counter.
“The Cooler allows our expanded BWS range to shine, especially the promotions, and we use the Londis POS to create high-impact promotional stacks in the centre.
“Shoppers are also loving our new and much more browsable confectionery zone and, of course, the expanded fresh and chilled range which offers them so much more choice and looks really attractive in our smart new chillers – especially produce, which we also display in smart wooden crates.”
Unsurprisingly, Londis Devonshire Road has shown incredibly strong growth since reopening in February 2025, with average weekly sales having almost doubled and continuing to grow.
M286895
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The store is also welcoming approximately double the number of customers, with existing customers spending more.
The focus now, Onkar and Siva explain, is on continuing to drive those sales – and the pair have a number of additional magic tricks up their sleeves to do so.
“The store is on the Gold Marketing Plan, so we’re working hard to create lots of excitement on social media to boost awareness of the new store –including incredible giveaways for local shoppers,” Onkar says.
Plans are also afoot to install new digital media screens above the counter.
The store is also in the process of signing up to Retail AI – the cutting-edge technology which, in addition to its crime-fighting capabilities, can also help boost basket spend with the help of personalised in-store radio, including store-specific promotions.
“The technology is so clever. We can use it to draw attention to the store’s many fantastic USPs such as the Cook ready meals, fresh local bread or the many special offers available. The opportunities are huge!” he adds.
Siva also plans to keep his magic eye on the store’s range and product turnover as the store continues to bed in – with range reviews held every six weeks.
“Every six weeks we take the 10 slowest-selling lines and reduce or replace them, bringing in 10 new ones that the Londis market data tells us are selling,” he explains.
“As Londis retailers we have so many resources to draw on – just take the new Fresh and Frozen brochure for example.”
For now though, sales are showing a strong upward trajectory – as is Siva’s smile.
“Not in my wildest dreams did I think we could have a store like this. It’s truly magical,” he concludes.
RETAILER PROFILE
A warm welcome
With its community-minded approach and winning new concepts, Leominster’s shoppers have welcomed Londis South Street with open arms.
Services: National Lottery, PayPoint, Collect+, InPost lockers
Refits are a terrific tool for driving footfall, loyalty and sales – but flashy fittings and cool concepts will only get you so far. What truly makes a convenience store shine are the faces behind the fascia.
A warm and welcoming atmosphere can’t be built in; it’s powered by people and good intentions.
One store that has it all – the style and the smiles – is Londis South Street in Leominster.
Just five months on from opening at the end of May 2025, this new store is well on its way to becoming the beating heart of its small market town – with local shoppers and the wider community falling hard for its welcoming ways.
How many convenience stores do you know that have invested in safe and comfortable seating for local hospital staff? Or make weekly contributions to the local food bank? Londis South Street does it all – and more.
Run by husband-and-wife team Selvarajah Gurumoorthy and Tharmini Gurumoorthy – with the support of their close family friend Lakshman Jeyaraj – Londis South Street was established in what was once a large forecourt store.
The Londis £4.50 Meal Deal is a great way to offer both choice and value to your shoppers.
Our Meal Deal includes hot drinks for an additional £1. Donating food to the local food bank helps support your community and reduce food waste. 1 2 3
“The store is surrounded by residential housing and located immediately next to Leominster Community Hospital,” explains Lakshman, who has played a central role in the store’s development.
“There’s also a school nearby, so we knew from the start that we’d have a good opportunity to build close community connections and a strong neighbourhood trade,” he adds.
However, despite acquiring the lease for the large property back in 2023, problems with the roof meant that work to develop the store couldn’t commence until early 2025.
“We needed to wait for the landlord to fix the roof first, but once that was done, it was full steam ahead!” Lakshman says.
“We had offers to join all the symbol groups – but in the end, we chose Londis.
“Because of the store’s location and demographic, we knew that fresh and chilled would need to be a key part of our mix – and Londis’ fresh and chilled range was one of the deciding factors.
“Londis’ pricing is also very good and the RDM Rob Taylor was very accommodating.”
Following a £185,000 investment, Londis South Street welcomed its first shoppers through its new, ultra-accessible entrance on 28 May 2025.
Catering to its neighbourhood demographic, the store features 12 doors for fresh and chilled foods – including dairy, ready meals, meats, deli and produce – plus nine doors for frozen.
Impulse soft drinks have been allocated a further six doors, while chilled food to go, including quality local sandwiches from The Sandwich Company, is housed in a separate two-door chiller close to the store’s new Treat Stop drinks zone.
“The Londis Meal Deal does very well here indeed,” Lakshman says. “We offer shoppers the choice of two deals – one for £4.50 which includes a soft
WAKE UP TO BIGGER BREAKFAST SALES
with Costa Express and Country Choice
Why choose a breakfast offer?
of Costa Express sales are between 7–11am – breakfast is key.
of Costa Express purchases include food –opportunity to grow.
Breakfast meal deals are one of most effective mechanics for increasing Express sales.
drink, a main and a snack, and one for £5.50 which includes a fresh hot coffee from our Treat Stop zone.
“A lot of hospital staff, including nurses, come in at lunchtime to buy the Meal Deal.”
And now, thanks to a heartwarming initiative by the store, the nurses have somewhere comfortable to sit while they munch on their meals.
After noticing that hospital staff didn’t have an outdoor seating area for eating and vaping, the team created a special place for them at the side of the store, with a table, chairs and an overhead shelter.
“We’ve got a really nice relationship with a lot of hospital staff and have had a lot of appreciation from staff and also the local council for our new seating area,” Lakshman says.
“Food to go does very well here – as do soft drinks, which are one of our top-selling categories, accounting for almost 20% of sales.
“BWS is also a hit. All chilled BWS is housed within The Cooler and there’s nothing like this anywhere locally, so it’s a big USP. Shoppers are also very complimentary about the range. It’s all been merchandised by Londis according to their planogram and is working well, with multi-pack beers and ciders selling very strongly. The Londis special offers also give us an edge.
“Our customer service sets us apart too – it’s something we pride ourselves on. Nothing is too much trouble for our friendly team, most of whom live locally. Tharmini, Gurumoorthy and I are like a family, and there is definitely a warm family feel in the store.”
A look at just some of the store’s many glowing comments illustrates just how true that is: “Londis South Street is a great addition to Leominster. Very friendly staff, I go there a lot,” one Facebook comment states. “This shop is fantastic, and staff continue to be friendly and helpful,” says another.
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The staff rota is organised in line with peak sales times, meaning there are always at least three on duty during the busiest period – which falls between 12 and 4pm. “Footfall and sales peak between 3 and 4pm when school finishes for the day and all the kids and parents come in for snacks, packed lunch bits and evening meal solutions,” Lakshman adds.
Sundays are busiest of all – especially between 4 and 10pm when the local supermarkets and discounters are closed.
“Local shoppers are so grateful to us for being open at that time and we do a great trade in things like ready meals, crisps, snacks and wine.”
And thanks to its former life as a forecourt, there’s plenty of space outside the store for shoppers to park up and fill their boots.
“Basket spend is great – it’s not at all unusual to have £50 baskets and up,” Lakshman says.
“Our target is to hit £40,000 a week and I think we’ll get there very soon. We are certainly on track.”
“All in all, we are very happy – and getting happier by the day!” he concludes.
SEASONAL UPDATE
Festive Feast
Londis is helping retailers to tuck into a feast of sales and profit opportunities this Christmas.
The mulled wine is brewing, mincemeat is stewing, choirs are crooning and shopping bags are groaning under the weight of festive fancies.
It can mean only one thing: Christmas is coming – and Londis retailers are set to enjoy a truly fabulous festive spread for 2025, thanks to platters of new products and dishes of deals.
Confectionery will of course play a starring role in the Christmas 2025 opportunity. Last year, chocolate and sweets reached a total value of £2.7m over Christmas – an impressive year-on-year growth of 8.3% that Londis retailers will be hoping to replicate – if not better – in 2025 [IRI Unify 12 we 28.12.24].
Chocolate once again led the confectionery pack during 2024’s festive season, with value sales up 9% to £2.2m – driven by boxed chocolates, limited editions and novelty formats for gifting and sharing.
Sugar confectionery played an instrumental role too, with sales exceeding £522m and growing at 6.1% year-on-year.
This year, Londis retailers will be able to offer shoppers a sleigh load of seasonal sweetness, thanks to great-value prices on key novelty products such as 140g packs of Haribo Elf Surprises – which, in the NP10 promotional period, will be available to shoppers for just £1 – offering retailers a POR of 25.10%. Cadbury Puds, which according to Mondelez International are the number one SKU in the self-eat novelty category and grew by 5% in 2024, will also be available to Londis shoppers in packs of five for just £3.50.
Perfect for stocking fillers, workplace sharing or as seasonal self-treats, brand-new M&M’s Crispy Santa five packs will also be available for a tasty RSP of £3 – offering retailers a POR of 20.4%.
Also ideal for gifting is the Cadbury Medium Selection Box – which Londis retailers will be able to sell for just £2.50!
But of course, Christmas isn’t all about sweet stuff!
As the party season builds towards the big day itself, the NP10 promotional period also
features a bevy of marvellous Mega Deals on key BWS brands, including the I Heart range –where variants including Pinot Grigio, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Bubbly and more will all be available for just £6 a bottle.
There’s an array of cracking lager deals too – including 10x400ml packs of Fosters for just £9 and Poretti, 1664 Biere and Carlsberg Export for just £12.
New and Group Exclusive products are also sure to lend your sales some added Christmas sparkle.
Look out for brand-new and exclusive multipacks of Brewdog Reinbeer! Available to retailers in cases of 8x330ml for £7.45 and with an RSP of just £12, these seasonal sensations are sure to fly off the shelf faster than Rudolf himself.
And with the low to no beer and cider category currently seeing impressive volume growth of 39%, fuelled by the 30% of UK adults now drinking more low to no products than they were a year ago [KAM Low and No: Drinking Differently], Londis’ festive line-up
also includes amazing-value pricing on 0% lager brands, including four-packs of Estrella 0%, Madri Zero, Birra Moretti 0%, Heineken 0%, Peroni Zero, Corona Cero and more – all of which will be available to shoppers for just £4.75.
Soft drinks have certainly not been left out of the Mega Deal mix either – with 18x330ml packs of Diet Coke and Coke Zero set to be available for just £6.99.
Price-marked £2.19 packs of 2L Pepsi Max, Pepsi Max Diet and Pepsi Max Cherry will also be available on an ‘Any 2 for £3’ deal.
Londis shoppers will also be able to bag great-value deals on leading crisp and snack brands including Pringles, Wotsits and more, with price-marked £2.99 tubes of Pringles Original, Sour Cream and Onion, BBQ, Cheese & Onion, Salt & Vinegar and more, set to be available for just £1.50 each.
Flaming hot deals will also apply to 130g bags of Wotsits Giants Flamin Hot and Cheese –with both available to Londis retailers for just £1.65.
Sweet pickings
Confectionery reached a total value of £2.7m over the 2024 Christmas season – an impressive year-onyear growth of 8.3%.
A sweet 97% of UK households purchased confectionery during the holiday season, spending an average of £73 per person – highlighting the category’s broad penetration and the opportunity for retailers to drive incremental sales by offering the right mix of festive confectionery.
Case size: 6x490g
Promo WSP: £18.99
Consumer Deal: £5 POR: 24.04%
MAKE A MEAL OF IT
The Jack’s brand also looks set to play a starring role in the build-up to Christmas 2025 thanks to an array of delicious deals and greatvalue prices on key fresh and chilled products.
Look out for a fantastic multibuy deal on Jack’s festive sides including: ‘Buy a pack of Jack’s Yorkshire Puddings and Jack’s Roast Potatoes for just £2.50!’
A selection of Jack’s vegetables, including Mixed Veg, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli Florets, Cauliflower and Baby Carrots will also be available as part of an ‘Any 3 for £3’ deal.
Shoppers will also be able to get more bangers for their bucks with great-value pricing on Jack’s
sausages – including 400g packs of Premium Pork, Cumberland and Lincolnshire for just £2.99 each –offering retailers a POR of 23.8% on single packs.
And of course, no festive fiesta would be complete without a mince pie to round off affairs.
Helping retailers to earn a serious crust are six Jack’s Mince Pies – back for 2025 for the great-value RSP of just £1.99.
And as ever, Londis’ seasonal support doesn’t stop at products and prices. A cracking suite of high-impact point of sale materials, featuring festive green and red colourways and candy canes, will also help retailers create dashing displays and sparkling shelves.
Elves not included!
CATEGORY UPDATE
Range Guide
All fired up
Booker’s NPD Range Guide for Autumn is packed with new products, Group Exclusives and seasonal lines to help you rake in extra footfall, sales and profits this autumn.
The temperature might have taken a tumble, but Booker’s New Product Development (NPD) Range Guide for Autumn is here to help retailers stoke up footfall, sales and profits.
Laden with more than 170 new lines, including 22 Group Exclusives plus first-to-market products, the 2025 edition is sure to help stores secure a smoking-hot end to the year.
GROUP EXCLUSIVES
In today’s ultra-competitive retail marketplace, the ability to get your hands on new and exclusive products before anyone else offers a powerful advantage – and that’s where Booker’s Group Exclusives come in.
Booker’s NPD Range Guide for Autumn includes 22 Group Exclusive products from across the key convenience categories, with BWS highlights including multipacks of Brewdog Reinbeer and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Blackberry.
Other opportunities to tuck into include new and exclusive on-trend biscuit products, including Jaffa Cakes Yuzu Lemon and Fox’s Chocolatey Dubai Style Pistachio.
INSIGHTS TO INGEST
The Autumn guide is also packed with enlightening insights and top tips into key
market trends and footfall-driving categories such as energy drinks, confectionery, fresh, food solutions and more.
With ‘artisan inspired’ breads growing at 26% year on year, further highlights include new and exclusive Hovis Signature White.
And as shopper demand for gluten free products continues to soar, the guide also shines a light on Booker’s great range of long-life gluten free products, including an expanded range from Dr Schar.
With noodle pots and spicy flavours also in “huge demand”, new products from the Namdong and Fuel brands are also called out – as are new pouches of Ben’s Original Street Food noodles.
SEASONAL STARS
And with Christmas just around the corner, the guide also showcases some of the fantastic new seasonal products sure to help you unwrap success in the run-up to the big day, including Reese’s Peanut Butter Crème Filled Santa Heads, Maltesers Gingerbread Reindeers and Terry’s Chocolate Orange Caramel Ball, to name but a few.
With 42% of unplanned Easter impulse sales having taken place in January and February last year, the guide also includes a cracking selection of Easter treats, including 16 new products and four Group Exclusives to help retailers get ahead of the game early.
Booker’s Autumn 2025 NPD Range Guide is available to all Booker symbol group retailers. Simply visit booker. co.uk to download your copy.
Top new products
TYRRELLS MATURE
BAILEYS AND TERRY'S CHOCOLATE ORANGE LIQUEUR
SCHAR GLUTEN FREE CIABATTA ROLLS BROWN AND WHITE
BIOTIFUL KEFIR DRINK MANGO
rules
From October, new volumebased price promotion legislation on high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) products are in place.
From 1 October 2025, volume-based promotions on HFSS (high fat, salt, sugar) products have been restricted for ‘affected businesses’.
WHICH PRODUCTS / PROMOTIONS ARE AFFECTED?
Under the new rules, volume-based promotions on HFSS products will be banned, meaning affected retailers will no longer be able to display the following promotions:
l Multi-buy offers like “3 for £10”
l Free product deals such as “Buy One Get One Free” (BOGOF) or “50% extra free”
offers will still be allowed under the legislation.
WHO IS AFFECTED BY THE NEW HFSS REGULATION CHANGES?
Your business is affected if, as at 1 April each year, you employ 50 or more people. If your business is affected, then you will likely already have been operating under the location restrictions that have been in place for some time, which apply online and (depending on the size of your store’s relevant sales area) in-store.
New HFSS rules in place LEGISLATION UPDATE
l Loyalty point incentives linked to HFSS items
l Promotions on party-style platters containing HFSS products
Meal deals and pre-packaged multipack
It is your responsibility to determine whether your business is affected and bear in mind that if you have several stores under the same business, it is the scale and the arrangement under which that business operates in practice that matters.
For example, if you operate multiple stores under the same company then it is the employees of all stores that are operated by that company that counts. Similarly, if you operate multiple stores under the umbrella brand of a larger organisation you will need to consider with them whether that brings your store(s) under the definition of a franchise, in which case it is likely that your store(s) will all be affected.
If your business is in scope, then in addition to the existing restrictions on online and in-store placement of HFSS products, you are restricted in what you can sell on volume price promotion – products that are HFSS cannot be sold on volume price promotion. If your business is not in scope, then you are not restricted by the HFSS rules relating to placement and volume price promotions.
HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHICH BRANDS ARE HFSS COMPLIANT, AND WHICH ARE NOT?
Booker flags products on its website with information provided to us by suppliers as to whether products are or are not likely to be considered HFSS. Booker has not independently verified this information so cannot guarantee it is complete or correct and is not responsible for any inaccuracies. There are also some products where suppliers have provided us with no information. It is for retailers to make their own checks as to whether products are in scope of the HFSS restrictions.
HOW WILL MY LONDIS PROMOTIONS BE AFFECTED?
Booker will continue to offer consumer-facing volume price promotions for retailers.
Londis will remove any volume promotions on noncompliant products and will move these deals to single price promotions. We will continue to offer volume
promotions where we believe the products are HFSS compliant.
It is important that if your business is affected by HFSS restrictions that you carefully review your promotions and do not run them where HFSS restrictions apply to you. Booker does not accept any responsibility for promotions or placements of HFSS products which are contrary to the applicable restrictions.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE BOOKER OWN-BRAND ON-PACK MULTIBUYS?
You will continue to see some on-pack volume price promotions for several months, as packaging already printed sells through and there is a period allowed for the sale through to consumers of products marked in that way. Retailers should not mark products themselves with volume price promotions and all products with on-pack volume price promotions should be sold through as soon as possible, and in any event, removed from sale by 30 September 2026.
CAN HFSS PRODUCTS BE DISPLAYED ON A RETAILER’S ONLINE WEBSITE HOMEPAGE?
If you have a website where you are offering HFSS products for sale to consumers then you will need to comply with the volume price promotions restrictions that apply to online sales, in addition to the existing restrictions on placement.
I AM A SCOOT RETAILER, HOW DOES HFSS AFFECT ME?
If you are a Scoot retailer, then it is important you assess whether your business is affected by HFSS – if it is, you will have to determine which of the Scoot promotions you are able to opt in to.
https://www.acs.org.uk/advice/ hfss-regulations
Willing and able
Shining the spotlight on Booker’s newest Colleague Network: Disability@Booker.
Thank you for organising this call, and it has really opened my eye to what Neurodiversity is all about. I have learnt so much on this call. Booker colleague
Over the last few months we’ve been taking a closer look at Booker’s four flourishing Colleague Networks, which all share one common goal: to advocate, applaud and aid Booker colleagues from all backgrounds and walks of life.
Recent issues of Londis News have introduced you to Race and Ethnicity@ Booker and Women@Booker – and now it’s time to say hello to Booker’s newest colleague network: Disability@Booker.
Launched on 3 December 2024 to coincide with International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Disability@ Booker seeks to amplify the voices of disabled and neurodivergent colleagues, celebrate their contributions, and consult on ways to embed disability confidence across the business.
Like the other colleague networks, Disability@Booker is backed by a structured committee with designated leads for different areas including Events and Comms, Colleague Feedback and Insights, and Talent and Development.
It also benefits from the support of two dedicated executive sponsors, co-chairs and SteerCo co-chairs.
Strengthening the committee’s power is the fact that many of its members bring lived experience of disability, neurodivergence or caring responsibilities to their roles.
These personal insights not only help to shape the network’s priorities, tone and approach, but also ensure that work is grounded in real-world understanding –and not just policy.
Leaning into their own experiences, the committee can spot gaps in support or accessibility that others might miss,
I’m delighted to sponsor our Disability@ Booker colleague network because inclusion is not just a corporate initiative – it’s essential. This network plays a vital role in ensuring that disabled colleagues are empowered, heard and valued. By fostering accessibility and championing diverse abilities, we’re building a workplace where everyone can thrive, which in turn brings huge benefits to our business.
Executive Sponsor, Helen Williams
design events and resources that reflect what actually helps, and create safe spaces where colleagues feel seen and understood.
This blend of structured leadership and lived experience is what gives Disability@Booker its authenticity and impact.
The network combines its strengths to offer a robust and meaningful support framework to include:
l A Teams Channel open to disabled colleagues, neurodivergent individuals, those with long-term health conditions, carers and allies, where we can share information to increase awareness and promote events.
l A safe, supportive space to ask questions, share experiences or simply listen and learn.
l Creating awareness to develop understanding and knowledge to better support colleagues and continue to promote allyship.
l Influencing and advising on policies and changes to the business to ensure that they’re inclusive to disabled colleagues.
l Informing the business of tailored resources.
What a brilliant session, I have learned so much, thanks to all the Network for pulling this together. It’s so important we ensure all colleagues feel able to be themselves, this helps so much to improve all our understanding, so that we can all work better together and support each other.
Booker colleague
l Providing psychological safety to share the needs and support required.
l Reducing stigma around disability to support colleagues to feel that they are not alone and able to speak about it.
l Educational sessions on accessibility and inclusive design.
And despite having launched less than one year ago, Disability@ Booker has already welcomed colleagues from across the business to a raft of relevant events and celebrations, including Neurodiversity Listening Groups, an Alzheimer’s and Dementia Awareness virtual event, and a celebration of listening in support of National Samaritans Day on 24 July 2024.
Helping to mark the day, Disability@ Booker proudly unveiled its new Disability Network lorry that bears the powerful strapline: “Breaking Barriers, Building Belonging”.
A series of communications were also deployed through the network’s Teams Channel in support of International Week of Deaf People (23–29 September) and International Day of Sign Languages (23 September) – with resources for learning the BSL Finger Spelling Alphabet and videos using BSL.
And with the network’s first birthday fast approaching, a big celebration to tie in with International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December 2025 is in the planning!
Disability@Booker key aims
l Amplify lived experiences and feedback.
l Celebrate disability inclusion and awareness.
l Consult with colleagues to shape inclusive policies and practices.
l Embed disability confidence by reflecting on existing practices and building on them.
Socially savvy
Be a social butterfly
Let your reach and engagement take flight, by getting social media right.
In today’s digitally driven world, social media is one of, if not the most powerful tools for raising awareness of your business and showcasing its footfall drivers.
From flashy new fit-outs to new and exclusive products, amazing value deals and convenient services, a well-placed post can work wonders for boosting your reach and engagement –helping you build even stronger connections with local shoppers and attracting new ones.
However, managing your social media is not just a one-click job. From setting up your pages to live posting, scheduling, and growing your followers, there’s actually a fair bit to get right – which is why Booker has just launched a new Social Media Guide For Retailers.
SOCIAL MEDIA TOP TIPS
The super-easy-to-follow guide includes stepby-step advice, top tips and three short and informative videos to help you achieve post perfection.
Not sure what a ‘reel’ is? How to boost your posts? Access and make the most of Insights? It’s all there for you!
So, whether you’re just getting started on social media or looking to grow your reach and engagement, Booker’s new Social Media Guide For Retailers is the perfect tool.
Help is just a click away!
Guides will be available to download from www.booker.co.uk from November - or ask your RDM for more info.
l You don’t need professional photography or videos to succeed on social media. In fact, simple and authentic content works best.
l Aim for three to four posts a week. This helps keep your page active and your store front of mind for local shoppers.
l Insights will give you helpful stats on post reach, engagement, page views and follower growth. Check your insights regularly to understand what works and what doesn’t. This will help you tailor your posts to better connect with your shoppers.
l Grow your followers by using hashtags to help more people find you – especially locals who might be interested in what you offer. Useful hashtags include: #grabandgo, #freshfood, #dailydeals, #specialoffers, #flashsale, #communityshop, #localsupport.
l If you’re promoting alcohol, always include: drinkaware.co.uk 18+ and any other promotional terms and conditions.
l Show your community spirit! Always post about your involvement in local events or support for local good causes – these are a great way to build goodwill and connections.
Make your voice heard
Getting down to business
After a year of weathering the storm of increased costs from regulation changes, National Living Wage increases and Employer’s National Insurance contributions, local shops are now facing down another wave of cost increases on business rates. In April next year, the latest revaluation will come into effect, likely increasing the business rates bills of thousands of convenience stores across the country, coupled with the looming threat of a further reduction of the Retail and Hospitality Relief that was introduced at 100% during the pandemic, then reduced to 75% and most recently to a 40% reduction in rates bills this year.
The outlook seems bleak, so what can be done?
We’ve written to the Chancellor outlining a series of measures that would mitigate these increases if announced at the Budget in November. Firstly, government need to deliver on their new Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Multiplier by using it to the full extent of the powers given to it in legislation, which would mean reducing the multiplier by the full 20p.
In practical terms, this would save an average sized high street convenience store several thousand pounds next year enabling to invest in their stores and managing rising employment costs.
Next, we need to make sure that fiscal drag doesn’t take hold of the small business rate relief thresholds and that they’re indexed against the
The ACS has written to the Chancellor outlining a series of measures that would help support local shops with their rates bills and invest in their long term sustainability. The business rates system is in desperate need of change to establish a fair playing field for small businesses says James Lowman.
rise in property values to ensure that those who receive relief now continue to do so next year. Failure to act on these thresholds would see the smallest shops, often in the most isolated areas, hit by increased business rates bills.
Thirdly, we are proud of the record that convenience stores have when it comes to investing in their businesses, but they shouldn’t be hit with higher rates bills soon after as a result. The Improvement reliefs in place for stores that invest should be extended from 12 months to three years to give businesses a chance to see that investment pay back. Finally, we know that convenience store retailers’ number one priority is making their business safer for themselves, their colleagues and their customers. But if a retailer improves their CCTV system, their rates bills go up as a result. This cannot be allowed to continue, so we’ve called for CCTV to be excluded from business rates altogether.
It’s pretty clear that the business rates system is being held together with string and sticky tape at this point, in desperate need of change to establish a fair playing field for businesses that trade on our high streets while ensuring that the online businesses who have seen massive recent growth pay their fair share.
If this Government is committed to growth, supporting retailers on rates can go a long way to achieving that aim.
JUUL REDEFINES FRUIT, AND IT’S WORTH YOUR SHELF.
The brand vapers trust. The flavours they’ll come back for.
JUUL2 shoppers are exceptionally loyal to the brand, spending up to 75% of their vape spend only on JUUL2. This compares with 30-50% share of wallet for leading ex-disposable brands.
If you don’t smoke or vape, don’t start. For more information on the responsible
WARNING: This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance.
