Better Retailing - 3 November 2026 by BetterRetailing

PRODUCTS, NEWS & ADVICE FOR INDEPENDENT NEWS & CONVENIENCESNACKING RETAILERS 20

Supersize your snack sales with these top tips from leading retailers, alongside advice and launches from SNACKING Mondelez, KP Snacks, Wall’s andyour Doritos Supersize snack sales with these top tips from P20

E CATEGORY ADVIC SNACKING

S U P E R S IZ E K YO U R S N A C SALES

3-16 NOVEMBER 2026 STRICTLY FOR TRADE USERS ONLY

3-16 NOVEMBER 2026 | KEEPING BUSY RETAILERS ONE STEP AHEAD

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leading retailers, alongside advice and launches from Mondelez, KP Snacks, Wall’s and Doritos P20

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increas“Shoppers are this ties into looking for products Huel buy it. But e of pay- ingly drinks such as combine convenianother challeng of GLP-1 ment al for these that are selling.” WITH the rise many and yfood into this trend, ing a higher price looking ence, taste and nutrition says. weight-loss drugs,looking so we’re To lean credentials,” she Belvita the products, we can boost is looking into consumers are as snacks or Patel ts of introducing a to see how showing value “Brands such for low-calorie while beneﬁ to meet this demeal deal sales customers,” he says. continue formats suited c peciﬁ higher-protein options. our with Londis protein-s as a way to to noticing mand Vrajesh Patel, of t, lunch and onSuppliers are London, for shopperswhile educatSu- to breakfas too. shift, value, s.” Dagenham in east this health the-go occasion bars such offer recently trade communihas found that customers. The range was Barebells ing we’re san Nash, as Grenade and “The challenge don’t cations manager for Mon- expanded with Honey & nal, says is people Minis. The are doing well. delez Internatio Chocolate Chip healthier, seeing contain “Anything time to read labels healthier biscuits remain or low- have to bite-sized biscuits t part of any whether it’s protein well,” or they aren’t prepared 85 calories per bag. see an importan er calorie, is sellingprotein read them, so they’ll feature. and snacking he says. “Even ‘protein’ on the packet replacemeal shakes and

INSIDE INSIDE NICKTOK: NICKTOK : THE NICKTOK: THE SHOP THEFT SHOP THEFT INFLUENCERS INFLUENCERS Cocky thieves thieves caught ••Cocky caught telling telling others others howto tosteal steal from from small how small shops shopsand and supermarkets on on TikTok supermarkets TikTok

Action by by Better Better Retailing ••Action Retailing pushes pushes social media media giants giants to social to ban ban those thosetrying trying todrive drive aa UK UK shoplift ing epidemic to shoplifting epidemic P3

AUTUMN BUDGET AUTUMN BUDGET

KNIFE ROBBERY KNIFE ROBBERY

PRODUCTS PRODUCTS

The The latest latestgovernment government measures measureswhich whichwill willhave the biggest impactimpact on have the biggest your business on your business

Brave Braveshop shopowner ownerreveals reveals how more howhe heused usednothing nothing than wooden stick to moreathan a wooden ﬁstick ght off attacker to fight off attacker

Red Bull, Bull,Absolut Absolut Red and KitKat leadthis this and KitKat lead fortnight’sbiggest biggest fortnight’s launches launches

is changing...

A fresh new look and more of what matters to you Sorting the news that matters most so you don’t have to More product news than any other title A bigger spotlight on retailer views and opinions A new colour key so you can ﬁnd what you want, fast

New name. Fresh content. Still the news you rely on.

PRODUCTS, NEWS & ADVICE FOR INDEPENDENT NEWS & CONVENIENCE RETAILERS 20

E CATEGORY ADVIC SNACKING

SNACKING

S U P E R S IZ E K YO U R S N A C SALES 3-16 NOVEMBER 2026 | KEEPING BUSY RETAILERS ONE STEP AHEAD

r explores the majoers TAM ARA BIRC H king and how retail trends with snac range are evolving their

TH E HE ALTH TR

Supersize your snack sales with these top tips from leading retailers, alongside advice and launches from Mondelez, KP Snacks, Wall’s and Doritos P20

EN D

increas“Shoppers are this ties into looking for products Huel buy it. But e of pay- ingly drinks such as combine convenianother challeng of GLP-1 ment al for these that are selling.” WITH the rise many and yfood into this trend, ing a higher price looking ence, taste and nutrition says. weight-loss drugs,looking so we’re To lean credentials,” she Belvita the products, we can boost is looking into consumers are as snacks or Patel ts of introducing a to see how showing value “Brands such for low-calorie beneﬁ to meet this desales while continue deal options. meal says. c otein he ” peciﬁ higher-pr our customers, with formats suited Londis protein-s as a way to to noticing mand Vrajesh Patel, of t, lunch and onSuppliers are breakfas to London, for shopperswhile educateast Suin m too. value, s.” Dagenha this health shift, the-go occasion bars such offer recently trade communihas found that customers. The range was Barebells ing we’re san Nash, as Grenade and “The challenge don’t cations manager for Mon- expanded with Honey & nal, says is people Minis. The are doing well. delez Internatio Chocolate Chip healthier, seeing contain “Anything time to read labels healthier biscuits remain or low- have to bite-sized biscuits t part of any whether it’s protein well,” or they aren’t prepared 85 calories per bag. see an importan er calorie, is sellingprotein read them, so they’ll feature. and snacking he says. “Even ‘protein’ on the packet replaceshakes and meal

INSIDE NICKTOK: THE SHOP THEFT INFLUENCERS • Cocky thieves caught telling others how to steal from small shops and supermarkets on TikTok • Action by Better Retailing pushes social media giants to ban those trying to drive a UK shoplifting epidemic P3

AUTUMN BUDGET

KNIFE ROBBERY

PRODUCTS

The latest government measures which will have the biggest impact on your business

Brave shop owner reveals how he used nothing more than a wooden stick to ﬁght off attacker

Red Bull, Absolut and KitKat lead this fortnight’s biggest launches

OUR SAY

Alex Yau, editor

We’ve had a makeover WELCOME to your new-look Retail Express… or Better Retailing, to be more precise. After 25 years, we’ve given the title a makeover and a new name to match our online presence. As busy store owners, how you consume industry news has moved on. Many of you still enjoy reading the newspaper when you have a spare 10 minutes at the till, but we know you also like to get the latest news online. The rebrand ensures it’s easier to ﬁnd this information quickly, in a format that suits you. So, what’s new? Alongside the fresh lick of paint, we’ve made the biggest product stories of the fortnight much HOW YOU easier to spot, ensuring you don’t CONSUME miss out on any major sales opportunities. INDUSTRY Our website and updated social media below can help you stay on NEWS HAS top of the latest news. CHANGED Not everything has been revamped, however. Better Retailing will continue to give you leading industry news every fortnight. This issue’s cover story (p3), for example, goes inside the recent craze of shoplifters using social media to boast about their crimes. It’s certainly not one to skip. I hope you enjoy your new-look Better Retailing. If you have any feedback about the makeover, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

ALEX YAU

THOUSANDS of small shops are to become exempt from business rates as part of several measures announced in the Autumn Budget. In his 28 October announcement, chancellor John Healey revealed the Small Business Rates Relief threshold for retail, hospi-

tality and leisure businesses will increase from £12,000 to £18,000. He added: “For all other businesses in these sectors, I will freeze their rates in real terms so that none face an above-in�lation rise for the next two years.” The National Living Wage will also increase from £12.71 to £13.21 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, while

the National Minimum Wage ness are the same. The home for 18-to-20-year-olds will is the of�ice. The van is the rise from £10.85 to £11.27 family car. “With the war in the Midan hour. Meanwhile, retailers rely- dle East still driving high fuel ing on regular cash and carry prices, I am extending these runs will receive some re- tax cuts for motorists through prieve as the existing 5p-per- the winter and spring to July.” Other measures include litre fuel duty cut has been “radical reform to produce extended to July 2027. Healey said: “For millions cheaper power” and susof people, the cost of living pending tariffs on more than and the cost of doing busi- 100 everyday products.

IT search ‘Autumn Budget’

facebook.com/betterretailing

Editor Alex Yau alex.yau@ newtrade.co.uk

Associate editor Jack Courtez jack.courtez@ newtrade.co.uk

Editor in chief Louise Banham louise.banham@ newtrade.co.uk

News editor Ryan Butcher ryan.butcher@ newtrade.co.uk

Features editor Charles Whitting charles.whitting@ newtrade.co.uk

News reporter Kwame Boakye kwame.boakye@ newtrade.co.uk

Features & advertorial writer Shyama Laxman shyama.laxman@ newtrade.co.uk

Deputy insight & advertorial editor Jasper Hart jasper.hart@ newtrade.co.uk

Production manager Chris Gardner

Head of marketing Kate Daw

Finance manager Magdalena Kalasiuniene

Senior production & content editor Ryan Cooper

Head of commercial Natalie Reeve

Managing director Parin Gohil

Senior account director Lindsay Hudson

Head of digital Luthfa Begum

Opinion & Letters: p12-13

Product news: p6-11

Features & Advice: p14-26

Cover image: Getty Images/Alexandra Lapini/Loops7/art-skvortsova

42,624

Retail Express is printed and distributed by Newsprinters at Broxbourne and delivered Audit Bureau of Circulations July 2024 to June 2025 to news retailers free by their newspaper average net circulation per issue wholesaler. Published by: Newtrade Media Limited, 11 Angel Gate, City Road, London EC1V 2SD Phone: 020 7689 0600 Retail Express’ publisher, Newtrade Media, cares about the environment Reproduction or transmission in part or whole of any item from Retail Express may only be undertaken with the prior written agreement of the Editor. Contributions are welcome and are included in part or whole at the sole discretion of the editor. Newtrade Media Limited accepts no responsibility for submitted material. Every possible care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information. No warranty for goods or services described is implied.

DRS awareness

rules under the Tobacco and MORE than 60% of superVapes Act. The scope covers market shoppers have never 0mg short�ills, nicotine-free heard of the upcoming Deposvapes, and nicotine pouches, it Return Scheme (DRS) ahead strips and pearls. of its launch in less than a year. Giveaways and substanRecent polling by YouGov tial discounts on these prod- found that 61% of UK suucts are also prohibited. permarket shoppers were

unaware, with a further 24% stating they knew little about how it would work, while just 13% considered themselves familiar with it. The sustainability legislation is expected to launch in October 2027.

the full story, go to DO For betterretailing.com and

IT search ‘vaping’ 04

News: p2-4

New vape rules

NEW age restrictions on vaping and nicotine products have come into force across the UK. The sale of all vaping and nicotine products to under18s became outlawed from 29 October, as part of the �irst

Senior account manager Tommy King

Designer Lauren Jackson

In this issue

The Autumn Budget’s impact on your shop

betterretailing.com

TEAM

Senior designer Jody Cooke

the full story, go to DO For betterretailing.com and

THE

Copy editor Minhaj Zia

The ﬁve biggest stories this fortnight

Cyber threat

CRUCIAL shop equipment such as refrigeration is at risk from hackers, cybersecurity experts have warned. Following cyberattacks on hundreds of French supermarkets that destroyed chilled and frozen stock

IT search ‘DRS’ 05

Canary closure

worth millions of euros, UK THE Canary has been closed Cyber Defence identi�ied at inde�initely, just months least 800 internet-exposed after launching a national refrigeration and building- daily newspaper exclusively control systems which had through independent newsvulnerabilities. Multi-site re- agents. tailers are particularly at risk, The publication had blamed other experts have warned. the loss of access to bank

the full story, go to DO For betterretailing.com and

IT search ‘hacking’

the full story, go to DO For betterretailing.com and

IT search ‘Canary’

funds and alleged attacks by former employees. Following its earlier print suspension in July, the title’s chief executive, Steve Topple, told Better Retailing the newspaper was “not going anywhere.”

@betterretailing facebook.com/betterretailing

3-16 NOVEMBER 2026 betterretailing.com

alex.yau@newtrade.co.uk 020 7689 3358

Shoplifters boast about crimes on social media ALEX YAU

SOCIAL media is driving a new shoplifting epidemic, with offenders bragging about stealing from convenience stores and supermarkets, and sharing advice with others. During one 30-minute search, Better Retailing found six TikTok accounts boasting about items they had stolen from shops. To bypass TikTok’s community guidelines on criminal behaviour, users will often make these posts under the terms ‘racking’ and ‘borrowing’. One account classified off-licenses as “risky” places to shoplift from, warning of security sensors and facial recognition. It added that stores such as Co-op were the easiest to shoplift from, stating “employees don’t really care and there usually aren’t any alarm systems because they’re really cheap shops”. Another advised to “rack in the rush hours, you’re less likely to be accused/caught”. Other accounts posted shots of items they had stolen, with one bragging about a haul of £82.42, which included popular confectionery and soft drinks items. These accounts were deleted after Better Retailing approached TikTok about them. According to TikTok, it does not allow content that facilitates or encourages criminal activi-

ties, including theft. In the second quarter of 2026, the platform identified and removed 99.4% of content that violated its community guidelines before they were reported. In a separate 30-minute search session, Better Retailing found four accounts on Snapchat promoting shoplifting from supermarkets and convenience stores. One included someone boasting about stealing energy drinks. Three of these accounts were removed after Better Retailing contacted Snapchat. Similar posts have reportedly appeared on Instagram under the hashtags ‘racking’ and ‘borrowing’, although Better Retailing found no evidence of them during its searches. Independent retailers have hit back at the craze, claiming a lack of enforcement could lead to incidents across small shops. Faraz Iqbal, of Premier Linktown Local in Kirkcaldy, told Better Retailing: “I am aware of the trend, but thankfully it’s not happened to us. You do see it a lot in supermarkets, though. “As a community store, it’s important for us to engage with youngsters because it creates that respect. It’s an independent shop in their neighbourhood and any shoplifting impacts our livelihood. We actually had a youngster come into the shop trying to steal before, but another kid had

YOUR SAY

GOOD WEEK COMMUNITY: A portrait of retailer Kaual Patel is to go up in London’s Saatchi Gallery as part of a campaign celebrating local business owners. He said: “It’s an incredible way to celebrate everything that goes into running a local business, and I’m really proud to be part of it.” For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘Kaual Patel’ POST OFFICE: Parcel drop boxes will be installed in 500 Post Office branches before the end of 2026, with more to follow. The firm’s product director for parcels and mails, Simon Lambert, claimed they would help “reduce the cost to serve”. For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘Post Office’

BAD WEEK

stopped them. They actually said: ‘No, not from here.’ Of course, stealing from anywhere, whether you’re a small or large retailer, is not OK. “It’s growing on social media because there’s not a lot of punishment from the police or parents. There should be something more severe.” Nishi Patel, of Londis Bexley Park in Dartford, added: “Nothing has happened to us, but it’s detrimental to our trade. It’s just going to get someone hurt because smaller shops will try and

the column where you can make your voice heard

combat it. There’s not really been any proper policing and people think it’s funny online. “They’re more brazen right now because they’re going after bigger shops. If you’re doing it in bigger shops, at what point will they think it’s acceptable to start doing it in smaller stores?” Multi-site retailer Kevin Polley agreed, adding a lack of proper punishment was encouraging the craze. Last month, the government launched Respect Orders, designed to tackle

persistent antisocial behaviour across England and Wales. It means any adult found to be engaging in repeated antisocial behaviour can be banned from shops and their surrounding areas, while having curfews placed upon them. The TikTok trend follows social media prankster Mizzy posting a video of himself ransacking a newsagent in London in 2023. Although the post turned out to be a hoax, retailers warned its popularity could spark copycat incidents in other shops.

NEWSPAPERS: Tesco has begun accepting PayPoint’s i-movo digital vouchers for newspapers, a move that will increase competition for independent shops and could mark “the beginning of the end” for paper vouchers, according to one industry source. For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘i-movo’ RACISM: A husband and wife who have run a convenience store for nearly 20 years were targeted with racist abuse. Pritesh and Himaliben Patel, owners of a Londis in south London, had unsubstantiated claims made about them in hundreds of leaflets dropped through local letterboxes. The police are investigating the incident.

How are you making the most of home delivery?

“WE’VE got two company cars plus a van. “I WOULD say that 40% of our revenue comes There are stores in our area closer to some of from delivery and 60% from the shop. We’ve my customers, but they get deliveries from us got two cars and a van, and we’re doing about because we get it to them faster. Like with any 70-80 deliveries every day. I know people sell it employee, we do a clock-in, clock-out system, as something you can run with your shop, but and if they’re falling behind, you have to have a you’ve got to run it as a separate business. You chat with them.” can’t do it on the side, you’ve got to dedicate a Asim Iqbal, Roslin Convenience Store, team to it.” Midlothian Hardav Singh, Swaran Mini Market, Doncaster Do you have an issue to discuss with other retailers? Call 07814 677528 or email alex.yau@newtrade.co.uk

“WE took the risk and went heavily into a chilled range. Retailers look past it due to the wastage, but customers want these things, and online is a different landscape. We’re selling more grocery now than ever. You want to give them everything. That’s why our online basket is averaging £31, up from £27.50 when we launched.” Dev Patel, MJs Premier, Royton, Greater Manchester

Dev Patel

NEWS

3-16 NOVEMBER 2026 betterretailing.com

Retailer fights off knife attacker ALEX YAU

the till and grabbed a stick to defend himself. Williams then threatened Sivan with a hammer before following him out of the store. Describing the incident to Better Retailing, Sivan explained: “The gentleman came in to steal beers and cheese. He puts these in the bag and then comes to the till asking me for lots of money. He was parked on the corner with a motorbike. I took a photo of

A SHOP owner used nothing more than a wooden stick to bravely �ight off an armed robber who threatened him with a knife and a hammer. CCTV footage shows Jason Williams (52), of Perth Avenue, approaching Vijay Sivan, owner of King Richards News in Leicester, at the till before demanding money at knifepoint. Sivan refused to empty Image credit: Getty Images/Anna Botova

the registration and sent it to the police. “It is the �irst time a robbery has happened and I was a little bit scared, but everything has returned to normal. “My wife is afraid to work in the shop, though, so it’s just me running it now. I can’t afford to pay for any extra security measures or staff.” Williams pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a bladed article at Leicester

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Crown Court on 19 October. He will be sentenced on 5 November. The incident comes as the latest Of�ice for National Statistics �igures revealed robberies from businesses including convenience stores rose by 67% from 18,600 to 31,089 in England and Wales in the year to June 2026. Shoplifting offences fell from 530,336 to 519,516 during the same period.

CATEGORY ADVICE

Credit: CCTV provided by Sivan

Bestway ups support BESTWAY Wholesale has appointed 23 territory sales managers to help independent retailers improve sales and store performance. The team is now working

with unaf�iliated independents and Bestway Retail Club members across the UK, offering face-to-face advice on product ranges, promotions, pricing and more.

● REVEALED: The major bra nd looking to supply loca l shops for the first time ● Everything you need to wor k out if this 50% margin opportunity is right for you Page 4 »

Alternative snacking brands

Eight brands and launches in health10 snacking deser ier ving space on your shelves Page 34 »

IMPROVE YOUR RANGE

Your area’s top beers and ciders

Make sure you’re not missing out on bestselling lines in your region Page 28 »

WHOLESALE

NEWS

Scottish symbol invasion

the full story, go to DO For betterretailing.com and

KeyStore expan ds efforts to conve rt English store ownemore its brand Page 5 rs to

● How to give shoppers value without

losing profit on price-marked packs

● The winter-night-in essentials that

could boost your basket spend

EXCLUSIVE PRICING DATA TO BOOST YOUR PROFITS Pricewatch: discover the most profitable price points on top-selling whiskey

COMING UP IN NOVEMBER: WIN A £1K HOLIDAY WITH RN!

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A LABOUR PO? ED MILIBRANCH THE UK foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, helped promote an independent subpostmaster’s new branch on social media. The MP for Doncaster North stepped behind the counter at Woodlands Post Ofﬁce and, when asked about recent holidays, he responded: “I’ve been to the Philippines and New York recently.

Woodlands Post Office

Now I’m here in Woodlands and I love this new post ofﬁce.”

Christmas boost FUTURE Publishing is to send sales-boosting PoS kits to independent shops promoting its big Christmas TV listings and Women’s weekly editions.

Future’s head of newstrade, Emma Bone, told Retail Express: “Retailers are encouraged to provide full facings where possible to maximise sales potential.”

KNOW MORE ● SELL MORE ● MAKE MORE ORDER YOUR COPY from your magazine wholesaler today. Find out more at bit.ly/RNMagazine.

the full story, go to DO For betterretailing.com and

IT search ‘Future’

PRODUCTS

Red Bull Glacier in Booker SHYAMA LAXMAN

RED Bull has added the Frosty Raspberry �lavour to its Editions portfolio with the launch of Red Bull Glacier. The new full-sugar variant is available exclusively via Booker and in Tesco stores, ahead of a wider rollout planned for early next year. Flavoured energy remains in growth, having outperformed un�lavoured energy and gained share over the past three years, according to NIQ. The launch builds on this demand and follows the latest Red Bull Winter Edition Pistachio & Berries. Red Bull Editions have played a key

role in the category momentum, delivering year-on-year growth, as per Nielsen. With penetration and awareness continuing to grow, 60% of energy drinkers are now aware of Red Bull Editions, while the brand’s new products rank among the

IN SHORT

Product: Red Bull Glacier Edition Supplier: Red Bull RRP: £1.80 (250ml plain), £1.75 (250ml PMP), £2.85 (473ml plain), £2.80 (473ml PMP), £5.75 (4x250ml)

Absolut partners with artist Kaws

ABSOLUT Vodka has released a new Artist Edition bottle made in collaboration with American contemporary artist Kaws and available for a limited time. Inspired by a specially commissioned painting by Kaws, the bottle features the artist’s ‘XX’ motif and

Chum character on the front, and an image of the original painting on the back. It is available now in 70cl and 1l sizes with respective RRPs of £23 and £32. Previous Artist Editions are Absolut Warhol and Absolut Haring, which launched in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Old Mout drops new winter cider HEINEKEN UK has launched a limited-edition �lavour from its premium cider brand, Old Mout Cider, available until February 2027. Old Mout Cider Spiced Clementine & Cranberry is designed to bring a fresh seasonal proposition to cider

IN SHORT

Product: Old Mout Cider Spiced Clementine & Cranberry Supplier: Heineken UK RRP: £11.75 (10x330ml) and £2.55 (500ml) ABV: 4%

bestselling launches across FMCG, Nielsen �igures reveal.

shoppers. The launch is supported by a social media and in�luencer campaign running until December across Meta and TikTok, targeting Gen Z and Millennials. Designed to drive awareness, the campaign aims to help retailers maximise sales of the limitededition variant during a key trading period.

3-16 NOVEMBER 2026 betterretailing.com

Walkers has gone for Gold PEPSICO has unveiled a new Walkers sharing range called Walkers Gold. Priced at £2 for 140g, the Walkers Gold range brings together new, premium versions of old favourites. Flavours in the range are Somerset Mature Cheddar & Onion, Sea Salt & Olive Oil and Black Truf�le. These lines are available now across the grocery, convenience and wholesale channels. In addition, Walkers Gold Cider Vinegar & Sea Salt �lavour is available exclusively at Tesco. All four of the new �lavours will be available in 140g packs featuring a gold foil lining inside.

The launch is supported by in-store activity and retail media to help drive awareness and visibility for the range.

ELLIE Goulding co-founded RTD cocktail brand Served has expanded its portfolio with the launch of a duo of Vodka-based cocktails, available in Booker and Tesco stores nationwide. Served Vodka+ comes in two �lavours, Blue Raspberry and Black Cherry. The range combines Served Founders Reserve premium vodka and

natural �lavours with a blend of coconut water and Himalayan pink salt. The cocktails have an ABV of 6% and come in 330ml recyclable cans. According to the supplier, the launch will be backed by a major marketing campaign, ‘Somewhere More Refreshing’, alongside retail, shopper and out-ofhome marketing.

Red Star brings back Served Vodka+ RTD lands in Booker Four Loko Black FOLLOWING the success of its initial limited-edition launch in 2024, the premium vodka-based Four Loko Black ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail has been rereleased for a limited time in Scotland and online only this autumn. The kiwi-�lavoured RTD has an ABV of 8.4% and is available in 440ml cans priced at £3.69. The relaunch is supported by a social media campaign featuring exclusive discount codes and prize giveaways, including a ‘scan to win’ on-can competition over Black Friday weekend in November. For retailers, a wide range of in-store

PoS materials, including shelf wobblers and barkers, �loor stickers and pop-up banners, are also available.

THE Wholesale Group has expanded its growing ownbrand portfolio Core with Core Spring Water. Core Spring Water will be offered in 330ml and 500ml cartons, packed 24 per case. The cost price of the stock is £12.99 for 24 units of 330ml bottles and £13.99 for 24

units of 500ml bottles. It comes in recyclable Tetra Pak packaging, helping retailers meet consumer demand for more sustainable packaging choices, according to the supplier. Other products in the Core range include a trio of juices in Apple, Orange and Cranberry �lavours.

Core Spring Water Petits Filous drops expands with launch single pouches YOPLAIT has introduced single Petits Filous Greek Style pouches, designed to meet the growing demand for nutritious, delicious on-the-go snacks. Following the success of the multipack format launched this April, Yoplait is now launching individual pouches in Vanilla and Strawberry �lavours into the fast-growing singlepouch category. The 85g pouches are priced at 95p each. Currently worth £24m and growing by more than 22% in the past two years, kids’ single yoghurt pouches are one of the most popular formats in the kids’ yoghurt category, according to NIQ.

STOCK MORE LINDT. SELL MORE LINDT. Stock the No.1* premium bars and snacking brand

Lindt Treat Range Premium chocolate. Stronger sales.

*Circana, 52 w/e 14.02.26, Total Market, Value Sales.

PRODUCTS

3-16 NOVEMBER 2026 betterretailing.com

Zero Sugar Gingerbread returns Mr Kipling rings in SHYAMA LAXMAN

PEPSI has brought back its Zero Sugar Gingerbread �lavour into the convenience and wholesale channels for the festive season. The limited-edition �lavour is available until the end of December in 500ml (RRP £2.15) and eight-can multipacks (RRP £6.89). The launch will be supported by a marketing campaign spanning shopper, social, digital and earned media, alongside in-store activation and sampling. To mark the relaunch, Pepsi is giving retailers the chance to win £1,000 towards a Christmas party. Two runners-up will each receive

a tarty Christmas

a Pepsi-branded Christmas jumper to keep or give away to a lucky shopper, alongside one case each of Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread, Pepsi Max and Pepsi Max Cherry, Lime and Tropical stock.

MR KIPLING has launched two Festive Novelty Tarts as part of its Christmas range this year. Priced at £2.50 each, the tarts are available in Chocolate & Gingerbread and White Chocolate & Hazelnut �lavours. The brand’s Mince Pie Whirls also make a comeback in a four-pack priced at £1.80.

HOW TO ENTER

Retailers simply need to preorder Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread or Pepsi Max seasonal PoS materials from Carlsberg Britvic’s At Your Convenience platform and ﬁll out a short form for the chance to win.

All products are available to Nisa and Spar retailers. Kantar data suggests the cake category at Christmas is worth £307m, reaching 21 million shoppers. However, the category is less popular with younger shoppers. On average, only 55% of under45s shop the category, versus 79% among over-45s.

Van Holten’s will KitKat brings back leave you in a pickle 4 Finger White

KP Snacks updates ‘25 to Thrive’ guide

FOLLOWING the successful launch of Van Holten’s Pickle Puffs, Whatever Brands is expanding its partnership with the iconic American pickle brand into confectionery. The new Van Holten’s Pickle Candy collection will launch in January. The line-up features Sour Pickle, Watermelon & Pickle, Chilli Mango & Pickle and Pineapple &

KP SNACKS has unveiled a refreshed version of its ‘25 to Thrive’ ranging advice to help retailers boost bagged snacks sales. The guide includes a range recommendation of the 25 bestselling products in the category in PMP format. It also features an updated, easy-to-follow planogram and helpful top tips to maximise

Pickle, alongside limited-edition Cola & Pickle. The 100g bags are priced at £1.29. The candies will be distributed by American Fizz in the UK. The launch will be supported by promotional activities including taste tests, creator and social content, competitions, advertising and in-store activations to introduce the range and encourage trial.

New Malibu RTD packs a Punch MALIBU is capitalising on the fast-growing ready-to-drink (RTD) category with the launch of Malibu Punch. UK RTDs grew 28% in value year on year, and higher-ABV lines are driving this acceleration, re�lecting increasing consumer demand

IN SHORT

Products: Watermelon Punch, Peach Tea Punch and Piña Colada Punch Supplier: Pernod Ricard RRP: £3.50 ABV: 10%

for convenient, �lavourforward serves. Malibu already holds a leading position in the UK RTD market, with two products among the country’s top 20 RTD cans and Malibu Piña Colada ranking among the UK’s largest cocktail RTDs by value, according to Nielsen. The launch will be supported by the ‘Do Whatever Tastes Good’ campaign.

KITKAT has relaunched KitKat 4 Finger White exclusively for convenience retailers and wholesale. Priced at 89p, it joins the existing 4 Finger Milk and Dark �lavours. KitKat is the number-four chocolate singles brand in symbols and

independents, and is worth more than £40m in the channel, according to Circana. KitKat White ranked within the top 15% of launches and recruited 100,000 new shoppers to the category when it was previously available in 2024.

category sales, while also tapping into major consumer missions including food to go, treats and planned top-up. The launch of the refreshed guide comes as the bagged snacks category is now worth £5.4bn, with the 25 spotlighted lines generating nearly a third of all category sales within symbols and independents.

Delice autumn/ winter catalogue

Forest Feast expands snacking range

DELICE de France has unveiled its 2026 autumn/ winter catalogue. It comprises a trio of mini doughnuts in Blackcurrant, Nutty and Coco �lavours. While Blackcurrant and Coco are �inished with white icing, Nutty is coated in a nut-�lavoured icing and sprinkled with peanut pieces. There are also full-sized Ball Doughnuts in Boston Creme and Forest Fruits, �illed with a blend of strawberry, raspberry and black cherry. Two free-from rolls in White and Brown varieties, and a Gluten Free Farmhouse Twin

FOREST Feast has added two mango products to its dried fruit snack range. Coconut Mango and Chili & Lime Mango are available in 130g bags priced at £3.50 each. Vypr research shows 43% of UK households claim to have bought east Asian snacks in the past six months. As such, the new range seeks to grow the category, “transforming dried fruit from traditional to trending”, according to the supplier. Both products are available for purchase from wholesalers Auguste Noel and CN Foods. The launch is supported through social media, retailer media, consumer PR, sampling and in�luencer activity.

pack, is also available to cater for gluten intolerances. Delice has also launched a new rPET Acetate Bakery Container – a lightweight, crystal-clear box supplied in a case of 320 units.

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PRODUCTS

3-16 NOVEMBER 2026 betterretailing.com

Mars unveils 2027 Easter lines SHYAMA LAXMAN

MARS Wrigley has unveiled its roster of new products for Easter 2027. The line-up features M&M’s Crispy Mini Bunnies in a small sharing format, Maltesers White XL Egg and Maltesers Popcorn Flavour Giant Egg in the shell egg format. Kantar data reveals Easter is one of the biggest opportunities in the confectionery calendar, with shoppers buying on average six eggs each year. Furthermore, NIQ �igures suggest small sharing bags have the highest penetration among any Easter treat format at 48%. While Maltesers Mini Bunnies is

one of the top lines in the category, growing at more than 8.3% year on year, the brand has also added M&M’S Crispy Mini Bunnies to the category. According to the supplier, the launch aims to recruit new shoppers into the segment. They will also be

available on clip strips, helping retailers extend the range into impulse locations. Gifting accounts for 56% of Easter confectionery, with extra-large eggs growing by more than 8.7% in value year on year. Capitalising on this are the two new Maltesers

shell eggs: the Maltesers White XL Egg, which brings Maltesers White into the extra-large egg segment, and the Maltesers Popcorn Flavour Giant Egg, taking consumer favourite Maltesers Bunny Popcorn Flavour into the giant egg format.

Champion Your Flavour with Tango

Tropicana reveals Christmas formats

TANGO has unveiled its latest ‘Champion Your Flavour’ campaign, coinciding with the release of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, on 20 November. Promo packs are available until 22 December across Tango Orange Zero’d, Apple Zero’d and Cherry Zero’d, including 2l bottles, 500ml bottles, and eight-can and 24-

TROPICANA has launched its 2026 festive packaging spanning 16 lines across various �lavours and formats. Alongside core Original and Smooth Orange, the range includes Extra Pulpy Orange, Orange & Mango and Tropical Fruit in a selection of pack sizes. Brand new for 2026 are 1.8l festive packs (RRP £4.90) of Smooth Orange and Orchard Apple for larger family gatherings and sharing occasions. The launch comes at an important time for retailers, with Christmas remaining one of the biggest trading opportunities of the year and food and drink among consumers’ top spending priorities. While shoppers remain

conscious of value, branded goods see sales increase to 4.2%, as per Kantar �igures.

BIOTIFUL Gut Health has expanded its dairy portfolio with the launch of Biotiful Gut Health Ke�ir Cottage Cheese. Priced at £2.50 for 350g, Ke�ir Cottage Cheese is available in 3% and 0% fat variants. Following its initial launch in supermarkets in December, the new range is expected to roll out into convenience and wholesale channels from February. Cottage cheese is one of the fastest-growing dairy categories, with value sales up by 54% year on year and volumes increasing 29.4%, as per NIQ data. Earlier this year, Biotiful

also expanded its core Ke�ir range with the launch of Greek Recipe Ke�ir in 3% and 0% fat variants.

can multipack formats. To enter, shoppers can scan the QR code on their purchased product, before voting for their favourite Tango �lavour for a chance to win £10,000. The campaign is supported by in-store activity including chiller vinyls, pre�illed shippers, digital screens, barkers and hanging �lags.

EBF taps into ‘fricy’ with Hot Tamales RESPONDING to growing consumer demand for ‘fricy’ – fruity and spicy – confectionery, Empire Bespoke Foods has introduced two new confectionery �lavours from the American brand Hot Tamales. Hot Tamales Fierce Cinnamon, which is available now, is a chewy confec-

tionery which combines sweetness with cinnamon’s heat. Hot Tamales Tropical Heat, launching in January, combines tropical fruit with a chilli kick. It is available in three �lavours: Fiery Lime, Mango Chilli and Pineapple Picante. Both variants are priced at £2.50 for 120g.

Biotiful launches Keﬁr Cottage Cheese

MY STAR STAFF

OPINION

MEMBER

RETAILER OPINION ON THIS FORTNIGHT’S HOT TOPICS

What do you think? Call Better Retailing on 07814 677528 for the chance to be featured COMMUNITY: How are you contributing positively? “WE often focus on the inside of our shops and overlook the outside. I’ve recently broken away from the standard Costcutter shopfront layout and gone with my own design. There’s more emphasis on the fruit and veg section, as we want to provide healthier products to customers.”

JADE NICOLE STANLEY

Rakesh Bhimjiyani, Costcutter Hampstead, London

“WE have created something for Hemel Hempstead called What About Us. It’s for local independent businesses. It offers free bene�its to people who frequent local businesses and those who join up will get a chance to get a £100 voucher for any local business of their choice.” George Phillips, TJ’s Lateshop, Hemel Hempstead

My role in the shop: sales assistant How did you ﬁnd work at the shop? I’ve grown up in the area, so I was a customer before. I was previously working retail in a different shop, but was made redundant. There was a role vacant here and I applied. My mum works at the shop and I’ve always wanted to be here since I was a kid.

There’s more emphasis on fruit

You must know a lot of the customers already, then? Yes, I do. It’s busy every day, helping familiar customers, but also seeing a lot of new faces. Whether it’s assisting customers or just general chit chat, I really enjoy it.

BUSINESS RATES: Will you survive without reform?

Do you get involved in any local events? We actually held a charity event on 23 October to raise money for breast cancer awareness. I know people who have suffered from it. We’ve done it previously and, this time, we raised several hundred pounds. What do you usually do in the shop? I’m busy on both the shop floor and post office. It’s very fast paced. My day usually involves managing the parcels, depositing the cash and overseeing deliveries. I’m also in charge of a lot of the food to go, and we recently got awarded a five-star food hygiene rating. Do you have a favourite product? We do a lot of fresh pies, but I have a sweet tooth – I like a lot of the new cakes we get in, especially the recent sponge cream range.

Picture by Lauren Hurley, No 10 Downing Street

I don’t think I will survive these rates

“I’VE gone from paying no business rates to facing an £800 annual bill after my property’s rateable value increased. I don’t think I will survive. I’m still �ine for another three years, but I’m not sure about the future. The government should increase that cap to protect small businesses.” Parth Patel, The Paper Shop, Leicester

“I’M considering selling my business due to recent challenges with business rates. The business is OK, but rising bills and dif�iculties �inding reliable staff are making it harder to keep going on. It is just getting harder in that sense, so I am considering selling, de�initely.” Roopie Gill, Wattville Road Post Of�ice, Birmingham

SOFT DRINKS: What trends are you seeing in your shop? “MORE customers are purchasing eight- to 24-packs of colas. They know that they can get a decent deal. There will be some offer, rather than buying a single can or two, especially if it’s for people who don’t drink it every day.” Neil Godhania, JSN Retail, East Anglia

“WE started the US versions of UK drinks two years ago, with different, quirky �lavours of Dr Pepper, Fanta, Mountain Dew, 7Up and even Monster. At the beginning, it was slow; they’re now �lying. Price points are slightly higher – between £1.49 and £2.99.” Bhavna Patel, Go Local Stockport, Greater Manchester

Sales were slow – they’re now ﬂying PARFETTS ENGAGEMENT DAY: What was your key message?

Store owner: Bisi Osundeko, Go Local Junction Lane, St Helens

Get in touch

Want to recommend a star member of staff? Call 07814 677528 or email alex.yau@newtrade.co.uk

It’s still important to go into depot

“I STRESSED that it’s really important to try to get that balance between delivered and cash and carry right. We get most of our stuff delivered, but I think it’s still really important to go into depot because it can bene�it you by creating the good relationship with depot managers.” Max Bashir, Go Local Belle Vue Convenience, Middlesbrough

“I TOLD people that I like to treat suppliers as partners. They know their brands and I know my shop. We come together and it works. It makes my shop stand out. We’re always looking for the next activation which can help grow our business.” Andy Campbell, Go Local Extra Hursthead Convenience, Stockport

LETTERS

3-16 NOVEMBER 2026 betterretailing.com

of Christine Hopes Longtown, Hope Hereford

Letters may be edited

Dealing with sad news I AM an upbeat, positivethinking person with a can-do attitude and a creativity for solutions. However, this week I received some sad news: one of my lovely colleagues resigned with immediate effect. Resigned? You might expect me to say they stole and resigned before I could fire them, Each issue, one of seven top but it is sadder retailers shares advice to than that. My make your store magnificent colleague needs a lung transplant, and while coming to work with oxygen has been an option in the last few weeks, her condition has deteriorated. We had reduced hours, but we could no longer offer a safe place to work so that she could continue to be normal. I had suggested sick pay. But sat in a car to be warm and so our chat would be confidential, she resigned with immediate effect. The team is sad, but there is nothing they can do, either. We will follow out the route as an employer, but this is a tough place for any business to be in. So, these are the small three gestures we’ve made to help and that retailers should consider when looking after their team in times of need.

MAGNIFICENT

SEVEN

‘Don’t neglect your physical well-being’ OCTOBER is my reset button for body and mind. From Easter to the end of September, Tenby does what a seaside tourist town does best: it gets busy. The shop does well, but that doesn’t just happen on its own, and let’s be clear, it’s not just me making it happen, either. The trouble is, the busier

we get, the more I focus on the business and less on myself. My eating turns purely transactional, get the calories in and fast. Our local takeaways know me by name and probably my order. My head feels it, and the waistband de�initely does. Then October arrives and I �inally get the time and headspace to look after me.

I’m cooking proper evening meals, back on the bike, lacing up the running shoes. I’m already feeling better. I’m a couple of pounds lighter, sleeping better and buzzing with more energy. It’s amazing what a bit of self care does, and the business bene�its, too. So, next year, I’m setting myself a target (I do love a target).

What’s your reset? Whatever it is, you don’t have to wait until later in the year. The NHS Better Health site has free tools, apps such as Couch to 5k and Active 10, plus a quick quiz to help you �ind your starting point. Vince Malone, Tenby Village Stores & Post Of�ice, Pembrokeshire

COMMUNITY RETAILER

OF THE WEEK

Your thoughts:

Raising money for Marie Curie

2. I have stalled communication on the team WhatsApp for an ofﬁcial announcement so she has time to process before messages of support come in. We had a scheduled team meeting that night so everyone is aware. 3. We have brought the Christmas gathering forward hoping she can come for half an hour at least to be part of the Secret Santa under the tree. And I will be attending an upcoming Retail Family call because it is so useful to share ideas and thoughts, as well as experience. I know someone will have a great idea to help. While we are running a business here, the connections we make with the members of our team are so important, and rallying around at this moment is one of the most important things I will be doing this Christmas.

*Based on 200 retailers

We asked retailers how their average weekly basket spend changed in the past year. There are clear differences in how stores have fared on basket spend over the past 12 months.

Chloe Taylor-Green, Spar Western Downs, Stafford

1. We have refused to take the staff member’s work uniform back. After all, I may need to phone her in 12 months’ time to help – offering hope she is wanted.

To compare your store, join Better Club Rewards and click ‘Insights’

“FOR our recent Halloween Fun Day, we were raising money for Marie Curie as part of our London Marathon fundraising. We asked our peers across the convenience industry for any donations or prizes to help make the day a success. This included a product, voucher, hamper or something small for our rafﬂe, tombola or Halloween games. Any support offered was greatly appreciated because it helped us raise as much money as possible for this fantastic cause. Thank you to those for the continued support.”

Get in touch

betterretailing.com facebook.com/betterretailing alex.yau@newtrade.co.uk 07814 677528

CATEGORY ADVICE PRICE-MARKED PACKS

PUMPING UP PMP S As retailers face growing ﬁnancial pressures, CHARLES SMITH looks at how to make the most out of price-marked packs

THE VALUE OF PMPS WITH six in 10 shoppers on tight budgets, price-marked packs (PMP) offer a way for retailers to conﬁrm prices and communicate value, but their consumer appeal goes beyond people looking to save money. “With shoppers increasingly value-conscious, price-marked packs play a practical role in reducing purchase hesitation at the ﬁxture – particularly

relevant in an impulse-led category where price visibility can be the difference between a basket addition and a missed sale,” says Emma Shannon, shopper activation lead at Nestlé Confectionery. Dave Peacock, from Mercer Way Stores in Romsey, Hampshire, agrees that customers are looking for value, but cautions against simply using PMPs to solve

this problem, recommending retailers take them on a case-by-case basis. “With staff, energy and property costs rising and cash reserves getting squeezed, PMPs are increasingly unmanageable in some categories,” he says. “I look more closely now at margins in deciding whether to add new ones or replace slow movers.

The lowest margin we get on PMPs is 20%, but I’d like to average 30% across the store, so I go for a mix of PMPs and pushing standard packs.” Peacock has PMPs “in virtually all categories” with plenty of chilled PMPs, including butter, but none in fresh vegetables and bread. He includes PMPs in his Snappy Shopper delivery-only offers.

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PMP PROS & CONS The pros of PMPs, according to Raj Suchak, Coldean Convenience 02, Brighton, East Sussex: “We’re in a residential area and offer everything that’s available as PMPs across the categories. PMPs show customers you haven’t made up the prices, so you gain their confidence. Tesco sells standard Red Bull 250ml packs for £2.10, but we make 44% margin on a case of 250ml £1.75 PMPs by buying in quantity when it’s on offer from the wholesalers. “Some stores sell standard cans for £3, but customers know what the price should be, and it’s easier to keep them coming back than find new shoppers. Even if a PMP gives less margin than standard products, you can still make money by selling more volume. It’s better to sell a case of PMPs than have non-price-marked stock sitting doing nothing.” The cons of PMPs, according to Shelley Goel, Gospel Lane Post Office, Solihull, West Midlands: “We don’t stock any PMPs because Tesco doesn’t offer them, yet we do more sales per square foot than most stores. PMPs were brilliant when they first came out, but after some time, the ceiling was set on what cash and carries could offer them for, and the margins were cut. People assume PMPs will sell quicker, but stores are also free to create promotions by lowering prices on standard packs as they wish.”

ALSO ENTER THROUGH NESCAFÉ ICED RANGE BUY ANY CASE OF NESCAFÉ QUALIFYING PRODUCTS, FOLLOW THE STEPS AND ENTER FOR A CHANCE OF WINNING PURCHASE A CASE OF NESCAFÉ QUALIFYING PRODUCTS TEXT ‘CASH’ AND THE LAST 4 DIGITS OF YOUR PRODUCT BARCODE TO 80800 RETAIN A COPY OF YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE

Text ‘CASH’ to 80800 together with the last four digits from a qualifying case of NESCAFÉ product for a chance to win £1,000. 12 PRIZES AVAILABLE TO BE WON* in 12 weekly draws. *T&Cs apply. Mobile phone required. Open to Wholesale managers/Convenience Store Owners in UK only. 1 prize of £1000 available to be won each week (12 weekly draws in total). Purchase of one of the qualifying products required to enter (retain receipt). Each entry requires a separate unique case purchase by Wholesale managers/Convenience Store Owners. Max. one prize per business. Text entries are free. Enter only during the relevant week between 00:01 on 28.09.26 to 23:59 on 20.12.2026. Abridged Terms and Conditions: UK Wholesalers customers & Convenience Store Owners, 18+ only. Normal exclusions apply. Employers/employee consent required to participate. Weekly draws open between 28.09.2026 to 20.12.2026. Purchase a qualifying case of NESCAFÉ AZERA Americano 6x75g £4.49 PMP; NESCAFÉ Gold Blend 6x95g £4.79 PMP; NESCAFÉ Gold Blend Decaf 6x95g £4.79 PMP; NESCAFÉ Classic Original 12x50g £2.49 PMP; NESCAFÉ Classic Original 6x95g £4.19 PMP; NESCAFÉ Classic Original Decaf 6x95g £4.19 PMP; NESCAFÉ Original 2IN1 11(6x9g) £1.00 PMP; NESCAFÉ Original 3IN1 11(6x16g) £1.00 PMP; NESCAFÉ Original 3IN1 Caramel 11(6x16g) £1.00 PMP; NESCAFÉ Latte Caramel 7 Sachet 6x119g £2.49 PMP; NESCAFÉ Cappuccino 7 Sachet 6x108.5g £2.49 PMP; NESCAFÉ Latte 7 Sachet 6x126g £2.49 PMP; NDG Flat White 12 Pods 3x140.4g £3.99 PMP; NDG Cappuccino 12 Pods 3x139.8g £3.99 PMP; Nescafé Iced Coffee Espresso Concentrated Caramel Flavour 6x500ml; Nescafé Iced Coffee Espresso Concentrated Vanilla Flavour 6x500ml; Nescafé Iced Coffee Espresso Concentrated Unsweetened 6x500ml; Nescafé Iced Coffee Caramel Flavour Latte 6x750ml; Nescafé Iced Coffee Latte 6x750ml; Nescafé Iced Coffee Latte 12x250ml £1.49 PMP; Nescafé Iced Coffee Caramel Latte 12x250ml £1.49 PMP; NESCAFÉ AZERA Americano 6 x75g PMP £3.99; NESCAFÉ Original Decaf 6 x 95g PMP £3.89; NESCAFÉ Original 6 x 95g PMP £3.89; NESCAFÉ Gold Blend Decaf 6x95g PMP £4.39; NESCAFÉ Gold Blend 6 x 95g PMP £4.39 from a participating wholesaler and text, the word “CASH”, and the four last digits from the barcode of a case of a participating product (each entry must be a new purchase), to 80800 to be entered into the relevant weekly prize draw for a chance to win. Participants must retain a valid till receipt/invoice showing the purchase of a qualifying product during the stated promotional dates for each entry. 12 prizes of £1000 (payable as a BACs transfer) available to be won in total across the 12 weeks of the promotion (1 prize available per week). Texts should be free of charge to send but participants may wish to check with their service provider if in doubt. There are no restrictions on entries, but participants must ensure each entry is supported with a new till receipt/invoice showing the unique purchase of a qualifying product made during the promotional period. However, a maximum of one prize win per business. Visit https://www.nescafe.com/gb/campaigns/retailer-win-2026/terms for more details and full terms and conditions.Promoter: Nestlé UK Ltd, Nestlé House, Haxby Road, York YO31 8TA.

CATEGORY ADVICE PRICE-MARKED PACKS

WHAT TO STOCK IN PMPS CHOOSING which lines to push as PMPs needs to be a balancing act based on examining data and where customers are actively seeking value. Soft drinks, snacks and alcohol are all cited by suppliers and retailers as popular pricemarked options.

Gail Watling, from Tidings Newsagents in Horning, Norfolk, stocks whatever PMPs are in Booker. “The only items we don’t sell as PMPs are gifting items, over-the-counter summer medicines and suncare, and impulse ice creams such as Magnum,

which we can’t get in PMPs,” she says. Seasonal occasions are a great time to push PMPs, when the likelihood of incremental and impulse spend increases. Check out wholesalers’ seasonal PMPs for top-up shopping, self-treating and sharing

lines, to maximise sales around peak periods. Christmas is an obvious occasion, but retailers should make the most of all the seasonal opportunities. Watling sells more PMPs of snacks, biscuits, soft drinks and cereals in the summer, to holidaymakers.

SUPPLIER TOP TIPS

SUPPLIER

VIEWS

Georgia Ladbrook, shopper marketing manager – impulse, BrewDog “PMPS simplify execution for retailers, without the need for shelf-edge labelling and enable a consistent price across all outlets, so they can be conﬁdent of the margin they will receive. “As an indication of success, with brands moving to offer consumers value through price clarity, the fourpack PMP drove £27.7m growth in convenience last year, which was 41% of total lager growth.”

Stuart Graham, head of C&I and value channel, KP Snacks “PMPS are especially important in crisps, snacks and nuts, representing a signiﬁcant portion of purchases. With clear pricing and strong value perception appealing to cost-conscious consumers, they help retailers better serve shoppers at a time in which cost-of-living pressures still dictate consumer spending. “PMPs have a 71% share of bagged snacks sales in independent stores and the top 10 bestselling lines are all PMPs.”

Lauren George, external communications manager at Mars Wrigley, offers these four tips for optimising PMPs Don’t put in too many PMPs PMPs work best when they stand out against what’s around them. Having too many reduces their impact and hinders retailers’ ability to price those items where shoppers aren’t thinking about price at all, like gifting, seasonal and boxed confectionery, and premium wines and spirits. Capitalise on impulse purchase In confectionery, the lines price-checked the most are singles, treat bags and everyday sharing formats, which shoppers pick up on impulse or in top-up shopping missions. Placing price-marked confectionery and other high-impulse products in key impulse zones helps drive sales by capturing customers’ attention. Place products at eye level In busy retail environments with competing products and distractions, impulse purchases are often driven by visual cues and emotional responses, rather than logical decision-making. Placing impulse products at eye level increases the chances that shoppers will notice them and be motivated to make unplanned purchases. Use PoS to communicate your offering Using creative PoS throughout your store, such as shippers and free-standing display units, captures shoppers’ attention in otherwise redundant areas of the store.

3-16 NOVEMBER 2026 betterretailing.com

LATEST LAUNCHES

What’s new in PMPs? Boost AG Barr’s Boost Energy has launched 250ml cans price-marked at 75p, including Zero Sugar Citrus Zest and Dark Fruits, and limited-edition White Peach. Rubicon Raw’s new Cherry Burst and Zero Added Sugar Cherry Raspberry are available in 500ml £1 PMPs. That’s Nuts Following the launch of its That’s Nuts range last year, PepsiCo introduced £1.35 PMPs of its top-selling That’s Nuts ﬂavours: Doritos Chilli Heatwave and Walkers Salt & Vinegar. They are available in 60g packs. Mountain Dew Carlsberg Britvic’s new Mountain Dew Pitch Black is available in a 500ml £1.75 PMP. Coca-Cola Coca-Cola Europaciﬁc Partners has lowered the price of Coca-Cola Original Taste and Original Taste Cherry 1.75l PMPs to £2.49. 2l PMPs of Zero Sugar, Zero Sugar Cherry, Zero Sugar Cherry Float and Diet Coke have also been reduced to £1.99. Coca Cola’s limited-edition Holiday Creamy Vanilla range includes Original 500ml £1.50 PMP and Zero Sugar 500ml PMP at £1.25. Fini Fini Cotton Candy Tubes and Fini Sour Blue Raspberry Tubes are available in 140g packs price-marked at £1.25. Florette Florette is rolling out £1.25 PMPs across its Crispy (90g) and Mixed (125g) salads. KP Snacks KP Snacks’ Butterkist/Paramount on-pack promotion on Butterkist popcorn £1.35 PMPs gives consumers a month’s access to movies and shows on Paramount+. McCoy’s Coated Peanuts, in Flame Grilled Steak, Salt & Malt Vinegar and Thai Sweet Chicken, are available in £1.35 PMPs. Peperami Peperami’s limited-edition BBQ Sweet Tang range in partnership with Doritos includes a ‘two for £2’ single-format PMP. Perfetti Van Melle Perfetti Van Melle’s new Chupa Chups Bites and Tubes come in 120g PMPs, with a price of £1.25. Red Bull Red Bull Glacier Edition Frosty Raspberry and Winter Edition Pistachio & Berries come in 250ml and 473ml PMPs of £1.75 and £2.80, respectively. Lucozade New Lucozade Energy Zero Sugar Sherbet Twist 500ml comes in plain bottles and £1.50 PMPs. Lucozade Energy Zero Sugar Grafruitti is available in a 900ml £1.50 PMP.

If I need to know the latest retail trends or industry news, I start by looking at Better Retailing Dave Hiscutt, Better Retailing survey, 2024.

We ﬁnd the news and trends that matter, so you don’t have to. Join thousands of successful retailers who rely on Better Retailing to stay informed, competitive and proﬁtable.

betterretailing.com

CATEGORY ADVICE PRICE-MARKED PACKS

3-16 NOVEMBER 2026 betterretailing.com

TOP TIPS Top merchandising tips Availability Ensure you have adequate stock of PMPs of top brands’ bestsellers and launches, and try out PMPs in underperforming categories. Blocking Block similar products together to help shoppers ﬁnd what they need, and brandblock PMPs for stronger impact. Extra sites Use secondary siting in high-footfall areas to increase visibility and drive impulse purchases, with branded displays, PoS, stackers and dump bins. Incremental sales Cross-merchandise PMPs across categories frequently bought together. Where appropriate, include PMPs in meal deals and multi-product offers. Displays Use suppliers’ initiatives: access PoS materials and downloadable digital assets to help drive visibility and awareness in store, and on social platforms and delivery apps.

STOCK UP NOW!

CATEGORY ADVICE SNACKING

SUPERSIZE YOUR SNACK SALES TAMARA BIRCH explores the major trends with snacking and how retailers are evolving their range

THE HEALTH TREND WITH the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, many consumers are looking for low-calorie snacks or higher-protein options. Vrajesh Patel, of Londis Dagenham in east London, has found that bars such as Grenade and Barebells are doing well. “Anything healthier, whether it’s protein or lower calorie, is selling well,” he says. “Even protein shakes and meal replace-

ment drinks such as Huel and yfood are selling.” To lean into this trend, Patel is looking into the beneﬁts of introducing a protein-speciﬁc meal deal for shoppers as a way to offer value, while educating customers. “The challenge we’re seeing is people don’t have time to read labels or they aren’t prepared to read them, so they’ll see ‘protein’ on the packet and

buy it. But this ties into another challenge of paying a higher price for these products, so we’re looking to see how we can boost sales while showing value to our customers,” he says. Suppliers are noticing this health shift, too. Susan Nash, trade communications manager for Mondelez International, says healthier biscuits remain an important part of any snacking feature.

“Shoppers are increasingly looking for products that combine convenience, taste and nutritional credentials,” she says. “Brands such as Belvita continue to meet this demand with formats suited to breakfast, lunch and onthe-go occasions.” The range was recently expanded with Honey & Chocolate Chip Minis. The bite-sized biscuits contain 85 calories per bag.

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Susan Nash, trade communications manager, Mondelez International “THE UK snacking market continues to evolve as shoppers seek confident, affordable products that fit seamlessly into busy lifestyles. Whether it’s lunchboxes, on-the-go consumption, sharing occasions or moments of indulgence at home, retailers have an opportunity to drive sales by offering a balanced range that caters to a variety of shopper missions. “Looking ahead, the snacking category is expected to continue growing as consumers increasingly replace traditional meal occasions with more flexible snacking throughout the day. Success for retailers will come from offering a balanced range that combines trusted household brands with premium indulgence, healthier alternatives and innovative launches.”

THE DEMAND FOR VALUE IT’S no secret that customers are on a budget. In fact, retailers say some customers are being strategic with their spending, investing in bigger formats in a bid to make their money go further. Amit Vekaria, of One Stop Duchy Stores in Greater Manchester, has seen a rise in demand for multipacks and sharing bags. “Across the full range,

we’re seeing customers switch from single-serve to multipacks,” he says. “This is largely because they’re on promotion and offer a more competitive price.” Vekaria adds that most of his snacking range will be on promotion and can be anywhere between £1.50 and £2, but even when the promotional cycle ends, prices remain competitive. “Our full-priced multi-

packs of crisps are around £3 to £3.50, which customers are happy to pay because of the value they’re getting,” he says. Vekaria worked with his symbol group to ﬁnd the right range, but feedback from customers is also just as effective. Talking to customers who visit your store every day is similar to having a focus group. Ask a few customers

about which snacking lines they’d like to see, and then ask others to see if there’s a product in common. “Even kids are looking for value for money, and we found that by asking for feedback, customers didn’t want certain multipacks in store, so we worked with our symbol group, tried new products and now we’ve got a multipack range that sells,” he says.

INTERNATIONAL SNACKING INTERNATIONAL lines are sweeping the convenience market, and snacking is no different. Patel says international snacks are a real sales opportunity for him and other retailers. “We have a full Japanese range in store, and they’re selling really well,” he says. “We have crisps, chocolate and noodles. Prices range from £2 to £5, and we get around 40% margin on each product.” Patel works with several

wholesalers, as availability can be a challenge because of various conﬂicts across the globe. To prepare for these challenges, Patel stockpiles where he can. “When one wholesaler runs out, we’ll ﬁnd another and use them,” he says. If you’re new to stocking international snacks, remember to research the rules and regulations to stock them. While your wholesaler should be well

versed in these requirements, if you’re clued up, you can check you’re being as compliant as possible in store. One of the key regulations is ensuring all ingredients are listed in English, so consumers can check them for themselves. Check if your wholesaler does this, as some will provide stickers that you and your staff will need to apply when stocking up the shelves.

CATEGORY ADVICE SNACKING

NEW PRODUCTS

A Kind Mind launches Lion’s Brain crisps The new range of premium hand-cooked potato crisps contains lion’s mane extract and added zinc. Three flavours are available. Wild Mushroom & Black Garlic and Shiitake Mushroom & Truffle Salt are both vegan and gluten-free. The third flavour, Raclette Cheese & Shallot, is vegetarian and gluten-free. Wall’s High Protein Scotch Egg The Wall’s High Protein Scotch Egg has a £1.50 RRP and contains 15g of protein per serving, and has been available to retailers since late September. PepsiCo’s festive snacking range has four limited-edition lines The limited-edition flavours include Doritos Gingerbread (RRP £2.50, 180g), Sensations Honey Glazed Roast Ham (RRP £2.50, 150g), Walkers Pigs in Blankets (RRP £2.30, 5x25g) and Walkers Roast Potatoes (RRP £2.30, 5x25g). Pigs in Blankets and Roast Potatoes have HFSS-compliant recipes. ‘Hit the Bullseye’ with KP Nuts’ promotion Live until 22 November, the new ‘Hit the Bullseye’ promotion features two dedicated prize pools, one for consumers and another for retailers. Both feature a £20,000 top cash prize, alongside giveaways. Shoppers can enter via a simple scan-to-win QR code featured on promotional KP Nuts formats, including £1.35 PMPs, 80g, 90g, 225g and 250g packs. Doritos Protein Retailing at £2 for 48g single-serve bags, Doritos Protein is available in two flavours: Sweet Chilli Chipotle and Sizzling Steak. Each bag contains 10g of protein, has 30% less fat, and is made from soya, lentils and corn. Cadbury Delights Oreo The launch combines the taste of Cadbury chocolate with Oreo in a chocolate-coated soft nougat snack that has fibre and contains less than 100 calories per bar. Walkers launches two limited-edition flavours PepsiCo’s latest Walkers flavours are now available via wholesale, Better Retailing can report. According to listings seen by Better Retailing in a wholesaler’s catalogue, the new Salt & Pepper Chicken and Grilled Cheese & Chilli Jam flavours come in cases of 18 and 32. The launches are available in 45g plain single packs (RRP £1.25), 70g grab bags price-marked at £1.49, and multipacks of six for £2.15, with an estimated profit on return of up to 40%.

HOW CAN RETAILERS BUILD A STRONG SNACKING RANGE? OFFERING a choice of ﬂavours that meet different shopper needs is key to building a strong range of snacking options for your customers, according to Shaun Whelan, head of convenience at Link Snacks. “Core ﬂavours are important for recruiting shoppers and driving repeat purchase, but consumers, particularly younger adults, are also open to bolder and

more distinctive experiences,” he says. “Jack Link’s combines its Original Beef Jerky with Teriyaki and Sweet & Hot, while Peperami’s partnership with Doritos demonstrates the opportunity to unite familiar brands and ﬂavours.” While value for money is a key focus for many right now, there’s room for premium, better-for-you prod-

ucts that shoppers won’t find in multiples or in every convenience store. “Rotating in newer challenger brands keeps the fixture feeling fresh and gives shoppers a reason to come back,” says Meg Matthews, head of marketing at Datekin. Your snacking fixture should be easy to find and to shop. Block by brands and consider having a ‘val-

ue’ option, whether that’s share bags or an own-label option, up to a more premium line that warrants the higher price tag. You can then drive further sales through linked purchases or build them into a meal deal to increase baskets and give customers a sense of value. If the ﬁxture isn’t close by, use PoS to point your customers in the right direction.

THE POWER OF SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS SUPPLIER activations and trialing new snacking lines is a priority for Vekaria to help drive his snacking range. “We had a vehicle parked

outside the store for four hours offering samples to customers,” he explains. “We went speciﬁcally from 2.30pm to 6.30pm, so we could catch the lunchtime

and after-school trade with kids, parents and working professionals.” Vekaria says supplier activations help him stand out among his competitors

and drive footfall into his store. “For us, working with brands is a win-win situation. We support the brand and provide for our customers, too,” he adds.

CATEGORY ADVICE EPOS

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GETTING MORE FROM YOUR EP O S SHYAMA LAXMAN speaks to retailers and a supplier to understand the beneﬁts of EPoS and how to get the most from it

IMPORTANCE OF AN EPOS SYSTEM FOR YOUR STORE WHETHER it’s running transactions or keeping on top of stock, pricing, margins and promotions, retailers agree that a modern-day convenience store cannot function without an EPoS system. “The very basic function would be to serve customers. Without EPoS, it will be a nightmare,” says Vidur Pandya, of Kislingbury Village Store & Post Ofﬁce, in Northamptonshire, adding that as offers show up when scanning products, EPoS also helps him upsell.

“But looking at the wider context, I can pull up the reports and send it to my accountant, so it makes accounting easier.” Elsewhere, Lewis Woodward, of Nisa Local Colley Gate in Halesowen, West Midlands, who uses an Evolution EPoS system, says ordering, range rationalisation and labels are the main activities in store that he performs using this equipment. Speaking speciﬁcally about vapes, which is a hugely popular category, Woodward says: “We go

through the vape sales and if there are any that aren’t paying their way, then they’ve got to go. If I did this manually, it would take me hours, whereas I can just type in the product range, and I’ll have it within two minutes, so it’s saving several hours.” Rob Lough, head of growth of MHouse, echoes this sentiment in that having an EPoS system gives retailers a sense of “control”. “Traditional methods rely heavily on people recording information correctly

and then manually making sense of it,” he says. “That’s time-consuming and creates plenty of opportunities for mistakes. With EPoS, every transaction creates useful data. You can understand what’s selling, what isn’t, what your margins look like and where stock is going. “And for an independent retailer, that information can be incredibly powerful. It allows them to make decisions based on their own business rather than simply following what the multiples are doing.”

CATEGORY ADVICE EPOS

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Darren Nickels, retail technology operations director, Henderson Technology “CONVENIENCE stores increasingly offer services such as food to go, coffee and parcel collection alongside groceries, while managing cost pressures and changing customer expectations. Retailers need technology that does more than process transactions. “Retailers should consider which parts of their operation need to work together, what information they need from the system and how the technology will ﬁt their stores. They should also ask about support.”

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOUR STORE “FOR an independent retailer, I’d look for simplicity, reliability, speed and strong support,” says Lough. “If you’ve got multiple stores, central management and reporting become much more important. “I’d also look at how easily the system integrates with everything else you’re using – payments, loyalty, wholesalers, security, ecommerce and accounting. And don’t underestimate the people behind the technology. A great product

with great support is a very different proposition from a great product that leaves you on your own,” he says. Woodward, in fact, reiterates the importance of support and integration when choosing an EPoS provider. “We have a lot of extracurricular things in the shop,” he says, “Some of them require till integration. So, if it’s a versatile system that can be integrated with lots of different plug-ins, that’s always a bonus.”

Currently, Woodward’s electronic shelf-edge labels are integrated to his back ofﬁce, though he would welcome similar plug-ins to be available for his delivery platforms and reverse vending machine as well. Pandya switched from IPOSG to ShopMate when he underwent a reﬁt in 2024. Pandya, who pays around £20 a month, says wholesale integration was a non-negotiable when choosing an EPoS provider.

“The reason is prices get updated every day by wholesalers,” he says. “So, if that could be done automatically, like ShopMate and few others do, it saves you from losing margins. Cigarette prices went up recently. I didn’t have to worry about it because the EPoS changed my own prices accordingly automatically. Whereas someone who doesn’t have that integration with their wholesale, they would have to manually update.”

Rob Lough, head of growth, MHouse “FOR us, the really important shift is that EPoS has moved from being a piece of equipment on the counter to becoming a business management tool. “Before I invested in an EPoS system, my ﬁrst question would be: ‘What do I actually need my EPoS to do for me?’ “Every retailer is different. A single store has different requirements from a 20-store group, and a forecourt has different needs from a high-footfall convenience store. “I’d ask other retailers what they like and dislike about their systems, what the support is actually like and whether the provider continues to invest in the product. Then ask the provider about integrations, upgrades, support, hardware, software and the total cost of ownership. “Most importantly, don’t just look at the price of the till. Look at the return on the investment. A cheaper system that limits your ability to manage the business could ultimately cost you much more than a premium system that gives you better data, saves time and helps you improve margins.”

INDUSTRY NEWS Latest innovations within EPoS MSP Systems upgrades EPoS EPoS firm MSP Systems is helping retailers prevent shoplifting at the checkout, reduce wastage and forecast rising demand earlier through major updates to its till systems. Founder and managing director Romesh Perera claimed MSP is one of the first grocery EPoS firms to include paperless receipts to help retailers cut wastage. The updates also include artificial intelligence features designed to help retailers clamp down on shoplifting and spot potential sales trends earlier. This includes specialised CCTV at semi-manual tills, which can detect when a shopper has not scanned all the items they have taken. Snappy Shopper partners with EDGEPoS Henderson Technology has integrated Snappy Shopper with its EDGEPoS EPoS system, a move aimed at making operations easier for convenience and forecourt retailers. The integration allows retailers to track inventory in real time, process orders efficiently and schedule deliveries. Henderson Technology says centralising these processes reduces manual work, minimises errors, and streamlines preparing and sending out orders. The system also lets retailers use customer data to offer personalised promotions and improve forecasting.

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OPTIMISING YOUR STORE WITH EPOS PANDYA says the more information you feed into your EPoS when initially setting it up – for example details of stock, margins, price, top sellers and non-performing lines – the more beneﬁts you can reap by analysing that data down the line. “The whole store runs on data,” he says. “I look at the ﬁnancials, category level, product level, seasonality changes and margin. I can then analyse that data with AI and information available in trade media to make my own decision whether to keep the product or to delist.” Pandya says he reviews

his data daily by looking at different kinds of reports. The “bigger picture”, he says, is to have better sales and margins. “If I know I’ve sold 100 Red Bulls, the EPoS will tell me if I’ve sold them on offer, or when it was not on offer. It will tell me whether that promotion has been effective and I can judge whether it’s worth having that product back on offer or otherwise,” he explains. This kind of granular analysis can also help him understand shopper behaviour, such as whether promotions drive purchases and whether price inﬂuences customers to

switch brands. Lough echoes this sentiment, adding that retailers “often massively underestimate the amount of information sitting inside their EPoS”. “Sales reporting is the obvious one, but you can use that information to make much better decisions around ranging, pricing, ordering and promotions. Look at your best and worst sellers. Understand your margins. Identify products that are sitting in the store too long. Look at when your busiest periods are. Understand which promotions work. And then act on it,” he says.

STORE ADVICE

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MAINTAINING STORE STANDARDS CHARLES WHITTING ﬁnds out what steps retailers take to ensure their store remains shipshape at all times

My store standards are excellent and I always go the extra mile to ensure this is maintained. How do other retailers with high standards ensure consistency? – Nishi Patel, Londis Bexley Park, Dartford, Kent

Matthew Hunt, Filco Supermarkets, south Wales

“IF you do your external stuff and store theatre badly, it has more of a negative impact than the positive impact of doing it well. If you start to let things slip, then you’ve got to work hard to bring it back before it starts costing you. “As standards across the board rise, so, too, does expectation. Costa used to offer free WiFi and it made it a destination – now it’s an expectation. That principle extends across everything we do. We bring in new services and points of difference, but it’s about graft at the end of the day. “Our bigger stores will employ cleaners, but with smaller stores it’s about having that culture of constantly checking on things and doing little bits all the time. That’s a far superior approach to trying to do a deep clean for a major issue. “The customer expects you to be clean. You won’t have much turnover if you’re dirty.”

Peter Patel, Seven stores in south-eastern England

“YOU’VE got to make sure your storefront is clean and tidy all the time. And if you’re doing any promotions or stocking key categories, advertise it out front, but make sure you’re not keeping out-of-date posters or anything that will send out mixed messaging. You’ve got to ask yourself, ‘What would make me go into my store instead of the one down the road?’ “You must sweep inside and outside as well. You need to get the window cleaners in every week so things look open and airy from the front. “Every store should have a cleaning log, so you can make sure everyone knows what needs to be cleaned. If you don’t document it, people don’t take ownership of it. We give managers tablets and make someone responsible. If the tablet says this person was down to mop the �loors and they’re not mopped, you know who to talk to.”

Asim Iqbal, Roslin Convenience Store, Midlothian

“WE have a family member on duty all the time. They are the ones who watch for things getting done and getting done properly. “They check that the �loors get swept at night – nighttime is best because it’s quieter then – or the baskets have been placed back in the right locations, and the washing up in the back of�ice has been done to a decent standard. “Sometimes it’s all done by eye, but having paper records is also really helpful, especially for things such as temperature checks on the fridges. But you need to be walking the store all the time and checking things, whether it’s making sure the prices on the shelf-edge labels match up to what’s on the EPoS system or even the price-marked pack. “It’s not complex stuff, it’s about attitude. And that can be hit and miss with staff, so you need to be on top of it.”

In the next issue, the Better Retailing team ﬁnds out what retailers are planning for January. If you have any problems you’d like us to explore, please email charles.whitting@newtrade.co.uk