FEMALE SHOP OWNERS SPEAK OUT
Alex
Yau,
editor
SUPPLIERS and wholesalers are o en pushing concepts such as food to-go zones or beer caves to retailers, claiming these services can help boost footfall and customer engagement.
However, these ideas are unrealistic for most independent retailers, o en requiring huge sums of investment and large amounts of space within a store.
O en, the best ideas to engage with communities are the simplest.
This month, I attended the annual ACS Conference in Birmingham, where retailers shared some of these simple, but impactful, ideas.
Several store owners took to the stage in an ‘Ideas Battle’, pitching some successful initiatives they had done to raise their pro le with customers.
For example, Joshua James, of Fresh & Proper in Cambridgeshire, sponsored his local pantomime a couple of years ago, raising the pro le of his store.
Meanwhile, Natalie Lightfoot, of Londis Solo Convenience in Glasgow, went to her local school to raise awareness of road safety to pupils. The influence of her involvement went far beyond her visit. A erwards, parents thanked her for helping to educate their children about such an important issue.
THE BEST IDEAS ARE OFTEN THE SIMPLEST
Similarly, Sophie Williams, of Premier Broadway in Edinburgh, visited her local school to talk about healthy eating.
Making an impact on your customers and community doesn’t require a major investment. The best and most inexpensive ideas can be found on your doorstep.
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Editor Alex Yau
alex.yau@ newtrade.co.uk
020 7689 3358
News editor
Ciarán Donnelly
ciaran.donnelly@ newtrade.co.uk 07743 936703
News reporter
Kwame Boakye
kwame.boakye@ newtrade.co.uk
Production editor
Ryan Cooper 020 7689 3354
Sub editors
Jim Findlay 020 7689 3373
Robin Jarossi
Head of design
Anne-Claire Pickard 020 7689 3391
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020 7689 3380
Designer Lauren Jackson
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Chris Gardner
020 7689 3368
Cover image: Getty Images / PeteWill
Editor – news Jack Courtez jack.courtez@ newtrade.co.uk 020 7689 3371
Features editor Charles Whitting charles.whitting@ newtrade.co.uk 020 7689 3350
Features and advertorial writer Shyama Laxman shyama.laxman@ newtrade.co.uk
Head of marketing Kate Daw 020 7689 3363
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Natalie Reeve 07856 475 788
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PayPoint’s new ‘store growth’ scheme to increase sales
ALEX YAU
PAYPOINT is helping stores improve and boost demand for its services with the trial of a new team of ‘store growth specialists’.
As part of a three-to-sixmonth trial, the reps will analyse data from PayPoint EPoS and identify which services are potentially underperforming when compared with
other nearby PayPoint stores. They will then visit stores and work on improvement plans.
PayPoint chief marketing and corporate affairs of�icer Steve O’Neill told Retail Express: “Their focus is on driving growth and maximising revenue.
“That could apply to any PayPoint service. For example, a store’s Counter Cash service might have fewer transac-
tions than other stores nearby. How do we work with that retailer to improve this?
“This team can spend more time in store. What we’ve found is a short, 30-minute store visit might not be so effective.
“The team has more freedom to look at areas such as
merchandising, PoS or training. They’ll spend time in stores to talk to retailers.
“Once the initial visit has been completed, the team will agree the follow-up strategy with the retailer.
“This can vary depending on the individual needs of the retailer.”
Specialist reporter Dia Stronach dia.stronach@ newtrade.co.uk 020 7689 3375
Editor in chief Louise Banham louise.banham@ newtrade.co.uk
Features writer Jasper Hart jasper.hart@ newtrade.co.uk 020 7689 3384
Account managers Megan Byrne 07530 834 009
Lisa Martin 07951 461 146
Finance manager Magdalena Kalasiuniene 020 7689 0600
Managing director Parin Gohil 020 7689 3388
Head of digital Luthfa Begum 07909 254 949
ALLWYN and Snappy Shopper have expanded their partnership to allow nearly 200 independent retailers to sell scratchcards online.
Retailers must meet several criteria to take part, including completing all nec-
essary safeguarding training through the National Lottery Retail Training Centre.
The expansion follows a small-scale trial last summer, with the initiative having generated £150,000 for participating stores.
For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘Allwyn’
GROWTH in Booker’s retail sales have dipped below 1% for the �irst time since 2021. Responding during an analyst call for parent group Tesco’s 2024/2025 results, Tesco chief executive Ken Murphy said the wholesaler
would be investing in more value options to help retailers combat the decline.
He added: “Despite a very tough year last year for the wholesale market in general, Booker has continued to grow market share.”
For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘Booker’
ROYAL Mail is targeting small shops for the distribution of its new outdoor lockers, earning partnered stores between £800 and £1,200 per year. It is part of the company’s plans to become one of the UK’s largest parcel operators. To help its expansion, Royal Mail has teamed up with consultancy C-Store Collective, which claimed the lockers can help stores generate additional footfall and sales from customers.
POST Of�ice’s (PO) decision to sell all of its remaining 108 centrally-owned branches to franchisees has received opposition from the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU).
Criticising its decision, CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: “PO’s claim that these community services will be maintained by their failed franchising model is laughable to anyone who has seen their local post-of�ice services reduced to the back of a shop.”
SEXUAL remarks, staring and being undermined by male staff are some of the discriminatory incidents regularly faced by female retailers at work.
Speaking at the Scottish Grocers’ Federation’s Diversity and Inclusion conference this month, Nathalie Fullerton, of One Stop Dumbarton Road in Glasgow, shared instances in which she was made to feel uncomfortable by male staff.
One example was how she would attract unwanted attention while purchasing stock at a cash and carry. She said: “If I wear tight jeans, I know I’m going to get stares. If I wear a slightly low-cut top, I’m going to get stares.
“Even when I wear hoodies, I still get stares, just because I’m a female in a male-orientated environment, and that’s not right.”
These instances were not exclusive to wholesale visits, however. Fullerton stressed how she would also face discrimination in her own store, where reps would immediately ask to speak to the manager, or if her father or husband were available to discuss issues.
She added: “Whatever that rep has come in to speak to me about, he’s lost me instantly with that conversation, because I’m instantly shut off and I’m not interested in anything he’s got to say. He could offer me
Discrimination against female retailers unchecked
gold bars, and I wouldn’t be interested.”
Such experiences are not unique to Fullerton, with Fiona Malone, of Tenby Stores & Post Of�ice in Pembrokeshire, highlighting similar issues with representatives asking to speak to men. “That can happen quite a lot, “she said.
“I tend to ignore it and just �ind the person very ignorant. I’ve got an incredible amount of con�idence, so if someone said that to me, I’d think it was their problem and move on.
“If they were then to come in the shop wanting help and support, I would think twice about that.”
Trudy Davies, of Woosnam & Davies News in Llanidloes, Powys, told Retail
“AS a small business that had been operational for a decade last year, we made the decision to sell our newsagents. After an arduous nine months, we nally achieved our sale. We would like to extend a warm welcome to Ketul Desai as the new owner. We hope the local community and sta will extend their support and assistance to him, enabling him to take the business forward.”
Deven Changela, Watton Edwards Post O ce, Norfolk
Express about an incident in which she introduced herself as the owner of the store to a rep, only for him to address an older male employee instead.
She said: “I remember one incident when [an older, male employee] said: ‘You’re speaking to the wrong person. The person next to me is the owner of the shop.’
“[The rep] took one look at me and his jaw dropped. He started to talk to me, but as soon as he’d said his �irst sentence, he went back to [the male employee], even though he’d been told I was the owner.”
Discrimination against Davies has also involved vulgar comments made at her during cash-and-carry
visits. She said: “I had a horrible experience once when I pulled up in the van, and one of the workers in the cash and carry made a sexually explicit insult.
“It was as if because you were in a mainly male environment, they felt it was almost acceptable to be a little bit vulgar.”
Meanwhile, a midlands shop owner said she has had to dismiss staff over discrimination.
She explained: “I had a certain member of staff who would only take orders from men. I spoke to my husband about it, and we sacked him on the spot.”
In a tribunal last year, Booker was deemed unfair to have sacked delivery driver Rob Ogden, who was
alleged to have swore at and made comments about a female colleague’s weight.
The tribunal judge ruled in favour of Ogden, arguing Booker did not follow “proper processes”.
The ACS and SGF stated they were working hard to address gender imbalance across the industry, with the creation of speci�ic committees consisting of female retailers.
Retail Express’s owner, Newtrade Media, runs the Women in Convenience initiative, which connects, supports and empowers women in the convenience channel. To �ind out more, go to betterretailing. com/category/womenin-convenience
FOOD TO GO: Matthew Algie is to launch a Smokin’ Bean co ee machine aimed at stores that sell 30-to-40 cups per day. The machine, expected to roll out to retailers by the end of the year, will feature new hot and cold drinks, while a digital screen at the top will notify customers about certain multi-buy promotions.
MORRISONS: The multiple is to launch its More rewards scheme into franchised Daily stores in June, with trials to begin soon. A source from the supermarket con rmed the date to Retail Express, making it the rst multiple to o er its loyalty programme to independent retailers. Stores have already been informed about the scheme through material earlier this year.
NEWSPAPERS: The number of late paper deliveries into wholesale depots throughout March increased by 70% from the average of 9% in February. Ashford and Norwich remain InPost Newstrade’s most badly hit, with Norwich retaining an average of 1.25 arrivals coming in late a week. Late arrivals into Ashford rose from 1.25 to 1.5.
For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘newspapers’
SALES: Retailer con dence in growing sales and pro t has dipped, with 22% fewer store owners con dent about their future. The pessimism was highlighted in Newtrade Media’s quarterly Sentiment Tracker, which surveyed nearly 250 retailers. The proportion of stores with falling pro t increased from 52% to 64% in the past six months.
For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘Sentiment Tracker’
“I’VE been thinking of exiting the industry for a while now and potentially moving abroad. Times have been challenging and trade has been down due to several factors. I’ve seen sales decrease over the past year, despite trying several measures to prevent this. It’s taking more time and e ort just to run the business. I’d rather retire sooner rather than later, as I would certainly experience a lot less stress.”
Anonymous retailer
“THESE are massively testing times for the convenience market and independent retailers due to rising costs in tax and wages, as well as upcoming legislation, such as the disposable-vapes ban, but these factors aren’t the reason we sold our shop. As retailers, we can navigate these challenging times, but for us personally, now was the right time. It’s a positive thing and we’re looking forward to the future.”
Aman
Coventry
Uppal, One Stop Mount Nod,
KWAME BOAKYE
Scottish Grocers’ Federation’s Diversity and Inclusion conference
Disposable-vapes ban ramp-up
THE government is putting more pressure on independent retailers to get rid of any remaining disposable-vapes stock, with just over a month until the 1 June ban.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs warned stores must take immediate action, which includes selling any remaining stock and only purchas-
ing vapes that follow new regulations.
Waste minister Mary Creagh said: “Businesses must play their part by running down stock and ensuring the remainder is collected for recycling.
“The government is committed to moving towards a more circular economy, where we use, repair and re�ill things for longer, to reduce waste.”
Wholesalers and symbol
groups have ramped up support for retailers in preparing for the disposable-vapes ban.
Morrisons convenience and franchise director Paul Dobson said the multiple is currently helping Daily retailers return stock and pick compliant alternatives, while Spar told Retail Express support would vary between its different regional wholesalers. Filshill has also launched a guide.
Meanwhile, Dipak Shah, of
H&R News in Camberley, Surrey, told Retail Express some of the major tobacco brands had promised to swap out noncompliant stock.
Businesses in England caught �louting the upcoming restriction face a £200 �ine, with all products seized by trading standards. The �ine in Scotland is £5,000-£10,000.
Any further infringement could escalate to an unlimited �ine and prosecution.
Police recruitment
MORE than 13,000 new police of�icers will be going on the beat by 2029, as part of the government’s new neighbourhood policing guarantee.
The measures promise to give every neighbourhood a named, contactable of�icer, while also ensuring every town centre and crime hotspot in England and Wales have guaranteed police patrols.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “What really matters is what these new of�icers do.”
BOBBY’S and Hancocks are ramping up guidance on compliant US confectionery, amid bans on some lines in the wider category across the UK. The advice comes as trading standards has issued warnings over unauthorised additives found in imported US confectionery.
A spokesperson told Retail Express: “World of Sweets, as a responsible confectionery
Bestway expansion
BESTWAYis making more foodservice products available in depots as part of its acquisition of Adams Foodservice, completed last year.
The wholesaler added:
“Looking ahead, we are thrilled about opening more concessions and continuing this journey of growth and collaboration.”
In a social media post by Adams Foodservice, the �irm said it had launched its �irst concession within a Bestway cash and carry.
ALEX YAU
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PRODUCTS
Getting fruity with Bebeto
SHYAMA LAXMAN
BEBETO has added a Forest Fruits variety to its bagged sweets range.
It will also launch an online retail platform for independent retailers to register and purchase directly from the brand at wholesale prices in May.
Forest Fruits comprises centre-�illed gummy treats, inspired by the �lavours of cherries, strawberries and raspberries. They are free from arti�icial colours and �lavours and halal certi�ied. The line is available to independent retailers – in a 10 x 130g hanging bag format, at an RRP of £1 –from Parfetts, Bestway and Dhamecha.
Phil Hulme, commercial director at Bebeto supplier Kervan Gida UK, said: “2024
was a phenomenal year for Bebeto. We doubled our turnover in just two years, sold over 46 million packs of sweets, introduced eight new products and signi�icantly expanded our customer base. Our commitment to innovation, affordability,
and quality has fuelled this success, making Bebeto an unmissable opportunity for UK convenience retailers.”
Cadbury adds to birthday cheer
help drive incremental sales and inspire shoppers.
CADBURY has added to its Dairy Milk range with the nationwide rollout of the Cadbury Dairy Milk Happy Birthday gifting bar.
The 360g bar is available at an RRP of £5.85.
Supplier Mondelez International recommended merchandising the bar adjacent to other gifting categories, such as �lowers and cards, to
With birthdays accounting for 25% of all gifting occasions, the supplier added that it gave retailers a year-round gifting option for shoppers.
LAUNCH
Get summer ready with Wall’s
WALL’S has launched two HFSS-compliant ice creams, including a collaboration with Haribo.
The supplier says innovation is the number-one driver of ice cream category growth.
The Haribo Push Up ice cream comes in a single stick format, combining vanilla ice cream, strawberry sauce and Haribo Goldbears. Twister Mallow combines raspberry and grape �lavours with a creamy marshmallow swirl.
Grab and go with McCoy’s Hot ‘n’ Spicy
KP SNACKS has expanded its McCoy’s Hot ‘n’ Spicy variety with the launch of a 45g grab-bag format.
The new smaller size is available now at an RRP of £1.15. Its expansion comes as McCoy’s is worth £190m and is growing by 5%, ahead of the overall crisps, snacks and nuts (CSN) category.
John McDougall, brand manager at McCoy’s,
KP Snacks, said: “‘Spicy’ �lavours continue to thrive in the CSN category and the new McCoy’s �lavour is adding variety and quality to the segment.
“By launching the new �lavour in a grab-bag format, we’re engaging even more consumers and catering to the critical food-to-go mission.”
Eat Real’s new plant-based lines
SNACK brand Eat Real has added �ive new plantbased variants to its range: Hummus Chips with Lime, Chilli & Sea Salt; Hummus Chips Caramelised Onion & Balsamic �lavour; Hummus Chips Italian Cheese and Black Pepper �lavour; Lentil Chips Chargrilled Pepper & Smoked Paprika �lavour; and Lentil Chips Greek Cheese,
Tomato & Herb �lavour.
The launch comes as nonpotato-based snack sales are growing by 14% year on year according to the supplier, which claims to be the UK’s fastest-selling free-from snack brand.
Get sour with Funkin’s new RTD
FUNKIN Cocktails has added an Apple Sour Martini variety to its nitro cocktails ready-to-drink (RTD) range, as citrus �lavour pro�iles are in growth.
It will be available to convenience retailers from Bestway, Booker and Parfetts, at an RRP of £2.25.
Funkin Cocktails’ head of brand Ashley Birch-Ruffell said: “With the apple �lavour soaring in popularity, perhaps thanks to last year’s Brat Summer, we saw the opportunity to introduce a fresh cocktail that we know Gen Z drinkers will love – in time to welcome spring and the warmer weather.”
Daymer Bay’s mocktail multipack
FOLLOWING a successful 2023 on-trade launch, Sunmagic Juices is set to launch Daymer Bay Mocktails fourpack range to wholesalers and retailers. The �lavours include Classic Mojito, Passion Fruit Martini and Strawberry Daquiri, which the supplier said can be enjoyed on their own or mixed with spirits for a cocktail base.
Andy Lewis, marketing controller at Sunmagic Juices, said the mocktails would appeal to younger consumers who are actively reducing their alcohol consumption.
Get inspired with Inspo juices
SUNMAGIC Juices has added to its portfolio with the launch of its Inspo range.
It is aimed at the growing number of Gen Z consumers looking for hydrating soft drinks that contain less sugar but don’t compromise on taste, the supplier said.
The range consists of four new varieties: Citrus Smash, Berry Blast, Tropical Punch and Ruby Crush, available in 500ml bottles.
Each variety contains around 5% fruit juice.
ALKALINE ionised water brand Actiph has launched the ‘Find Your Sport’ campaign, giving away more than one million free sports passes, including those for people with disabilities.
Crack open a can of La Casera RTD
SUNTORY Beverage & Food Great Britain & Ireland (SBF GB&I) is expanding its readyto-drink alcohol (ARTD) offering with the UK launch of La Casera. It follows on from SBF GB&I’s launch of Japanese ARTD brand -196 last year.
Produced in Toledo, La Casera is the number-one ‘Tinto de Verano’ brand in Spain, combining wine and soda to create a refreshing aperitif. It is available in Red Wine, Soda & Lemon (3.4% ABV) and White Wine, Soda & Lemon (2.5% ABV) varieties.
The promotion is available across 600ml and 1l single and multipack bottles of Actiph Water. Customers who buy any qualifying Actiph Water product can claim a free sports pass worth up to £15.
Actiph is available from CLF, Epicurium, Bestway,
‘Find Your Sport’ with Actiph promo
Focus on… shopper habits
AFTER 30 years in the convenience retail sector, I am sensing a real move in shopper habits.
Anthony Joshua joins forces with Lucozade
LUCOZADE Alert has unveiled a limited-edition of its Mango Peachade variety in collaboration with its brand ambassador, boxer Anthony Joshua. The new version, available now, features Joshua on the front of both 250ml and 500ml cans. It is being supported by a social campaign and in-store PoS, as the supplier aims to capitalise on the growth of zero-sugar stimulation drinks. It follows from Lucozade’s recent collaboration with footballer Jude Bellingham on its Sport Ice Kick launch.
It became clear to me about 10 years ago that customers knew what the price of a jar of co ee was in every outlet – so the answer was to bring in pricemarked packs for transparent pricing, and switch to a number of buy-one-get-one-free o ers to compete, hoping that margin could be maintained.
Added to that were deep-cut promotions, which were very repetitive, but necessary, and food to go to give a point of di erence to the store.
But our customers are evolving and they are demanding something di erent. They want destination stores, almost like the old department stores, where they can treat themselves to whatever they like.
All the products are separated into categories and displayed strategically, but they’re never stale, and they have to be ahead of the curve all the time.
It’s about concession-type convenience, where we make use of the power of the brands that have invested thousands into research, so we don’t have to.
Imaginative convenience, which inspires us to evolve with twists and turns, is desirable.
Let’s lead the customer on a journey – from a decision to visit, an invitation to purchase and, importantly, an experience they wish to revisit.
Trelander Stores & Post Office and The Old Dairy – Pydar Stores, Truro, Cornwall Headline
Tropicana Wholesale, Muscle Finesse, JD’s Foods, Chapple & Jenkins and AF Blakemore.
PRODUCTS
BrewDog marks Punk’s 18th
BREWDOG is offering shoppers a £10 meal and pint with every purchase of promotional packs of Punk IPA, to celebrate the �lagship beer’s 18th anniversary.
The offer runs until June across 4x330ml, 8x330ml and 12x330ml Punk IPA multipacks, as well as 4x330ml Punk AF multipacks.
Shoppers can claim a burger & chips or a pizza and pint of one of BrewDog’s headline beers for just £10 at any BrewDog bar, and other participating outlets.
Hannah Corker, head of customer marketing at BrewDog, said: “Punk IPA has been a constant in our portfolio since we launched in 2007. It feels right to be celebrating
our �lagship beer as it comes of age and rewarding shoppers with a compelling meal deal, especially when we know so many are conscious of spend out of home.”
‘Tyrrellbly, Tyrrellbly Tasty’ is back
To enter, consumers can scan the on-pack QR code to generate a digital voucher and select their nearest participating venue. They can then take the voucher, along with the on-pack voucher, to the chosen venue to claim their meal deal by 31 October.
sumers of Tyrrells’ quality credentials, driving engagement with Britain’s favourite premium crisp brand.”
KP SNACKS has launched a spring iteration of its ‘Tyrrellbly, Tyrrellbly Tasty’ campaign for its Tyrrells crisp brand.
YOPLAIT is moving into the adult yoghurt category with the launch of Skyr Natural, at an RRP of £2.25.
Its expansion into the UK comes as plain and natural yoghurt is growing in volume by 18.2% and value by 21.7%, partly by bringing new customers to the category.
The thick, creamy yoghurt is fat-free and rich in protein. The supplier is supporting the launch with an in-store and online campaign.
Skyr Natural for the adult in you
The campaign runs until the end of May across TV, video on demand, outdoors and social media to build Tyrrells’ premium reputation. It spotlights the new Roasted Chicken & Sage variety.
Jane Jones, marketing manager at Tyrrells, said: “The new campaign reminds con-
Savour Sobremesa with Trivento
Rustlers gets a major rebrand
TRIVENTO has launched a European video campaign entitled ‘Savour the Sobremesa’, encouraging customers to ‘stay, sip, savour’.
The campaign video will be available to view until 30 April across all ITVX, All4 and Sky channels, “targeting premium wine shoppers”.
The title derives from the Argentinian ritual of “lingering at the table at the end of a meal, exchanging stories and good wine”, according to Preety Johl, senior marketing manager for Trivento at VCT Europe.
KEPAK has unveiled a brand refresh for its Rustlers range, to improve on-pack messaging and drive clearer differentiation between Rustlers Burgers, Sandwiches and Subs.
Win up to £1,000
CELSIUS energy drinks and Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I (SBF GB&I), have partnered with Retail Express to give retailers the chance to win up to £1,0001
In celebration of Celsius now being available nationwide in convenience, there are �ive brilliant prizes up for grabs. Four winners will win £100-worth of Celsius stock and merchandise for their store, with one retailer winning a grand prize of £1,000 cash.
Inspiring a ‘Live Fit’ mindset and lifestyle, Celsius is the feel-good
energy drink that’s all about crushing your goals – so don’t forget to enter to win big for your store and crush the competition.
Celsius is available in standard and £1.79 pricemarked 355ml cans, with �lavours including Peach Vibe, Sunset Vibe, Cosmic Vibe and Fantasy Vibe.
CARLSBERG Britvic is relaunching its limited-edition Tango Blast range, available for six months.
The range’s Cherry Blast and Raspberry Blast varieties come in 500ml bottles with an RRP of £2.15.
First launched in April 2024, Tango Blast Raspberry and Cherry secured �irst and second place for fruit-�lavoured carbonate launches the same year.
Both drinks are available in branded printed cases, which the supplier hopes will bolster the relaunch.
Key elements of the packaging refresh include new product names and imagery, cooking-method sticker on the front of the pack, as well as a ‘�lame grilled’ and ‘source of protein’ sticker. Retailers can order PoS kits from Kepak’s trade website for free.
To support the rebrand, Rustlers will also launch a campaign in May, aimed at encouraging shoppers to ‘Lose yourself in �lame grilled taste’. The consumer campaign will be supported across social and digital media.
Tango Blast back on shelves
Mystery flavours from Irn-Bru
AG BARR is adding two mystery limited-editions to its Irn-Bru Xtra range, Nessie Nectar and Unicorn Tears.
The two ‘Legends Editions’ are launching in May and will be available for eight weeks. Their names are inspired by terms consumers have used to describe the taste of original Irn-Bru, said Kenny Nicholson, head of Irn-Bru brand.
AG Barr is supporting the launch with a £2m outdoor and social campaign, which aims to reach 70% of all 16-to-24-year-olds across
have access to a full range of PoS to drive sales.
SHYAMA LAXMAN
the UK. Retailers will also
‘Smiths News does not take ownership of problems’
SMITHS News has consistently made delivery errors, and missed credits as well as voucher shortfall credits over the past three months.
We have submitted numerous claims to its call centres, but it keeps fobbing us off with excuses by asking for more copies of recall notes already sent. It regularly has different people
dealing with each complaint, but without resolution.
Smiths News seems to use them as a mechanism to delay credits or hope that we give up.
We have been running our store for 28 years, but we have to accept that this is the worst service from any supplier and their associates in this period. No one wants to take ownership of
COMMUNITY RETAILER OF THE WEEK
‘We support you and have your back’ Ajay Singh, Premier Morley, Leeds
“CHARLIE Kaye has been a customer and a friend of us and the store for a very long time. She’s been coming in our store for such a long time and is part of our retail family. She’s had her struggle with multiple sclerosis and other health issues in the past.
“However, she has recently been diagnosed with cancer. As she awaits her results, we just want to say that from us at Premier Morley and Morley in general, we support you, love you and have your back. We also asked customers to share their love for her.
“Let’s smash it, champ.”
the problems.
Dave Holborow, Uf�ington Stores, Oxfordshire
A Smiths News spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear that this customer has faced delivery errors and missed credits over the past few months, as customer satisfaction is at the heart of what we do.
“Our executive complaints team have reached out to the customer directly and are currently working through the problems the customer has experienced. We will be moving forwards with solutions in place that the customer will be satis�ied with and will try our utmost to ensure there are none of the mentioned issues in future.”
Nishi Patel, Londis Bexley Park, Dartford
“I AM thrilled to announce our business partnership with Charlton Athletic Football Club this year. Our sponsorship includes prominent boards at the stadium and training ground. A memorable lunch at Sparrow Lane with captain Greg Docherty and the team highlighted his exceptional character. Docherty graciously shared insights into his personal life, from navigating fatherhood to his professional football journey. This collaboration not only delights me as a Charlton fan, but also strengthens our business’s ties with this incredible family and community club.”
Very excited for the year
THE start of 2025 has brought its challenges as well as its successes.
One topic that has been a recurring theme for the beginning of this year is retail crime and how much it is a ecting our industry.
One of two leading retailers shares her thoughts on the challenges in retail
A er attending the Scottish Grocers’ Federation’s Crime Seminar last month, I was absolutely staggered by some of the violent acts I witnessed on videos and stories told by my fellow retailers. I count myself, my store and my sta very lucky as we have never experienced any violent or threatening assaults. We have, however, seen a huge upli in the in the past six months.
As a result of this, we have had to move our alcohol into an entirely di erent section of the store, and have had to apply for a minor licensing variation, which is a cost to the business as well as extremely time consuming.
Thankfully, since moving our alcohol we have seen a decrease in the as the aisle is more visible to sta on the till, but it is an awful lot of work, time and money to try and prevent teenagers stealing Dragon Soops.
As for successes, Broadway Convenience Store has been the latest store to launch on Booker’s new delivery platform, Scoot. We have all been super excited about this in store and have been buzzing around picking orders like bumblebees in our bright-yellow jumpers.
We had a successful launch day with some fantastic o ers funded by the Scottish Government Healthy Living Programme and by Booker itself, as well as lots of support from Damian Sanderson, Garry Wright and the Booker/ Scoot team, and from social media company Orrest.
Our local community has been begging us to set up online home delivery for years now and it’s fair to say that Oxgangs is chu ed with Scoot, and so are we.
The team and I are very excited about what the rest of 2025 will bring.
RETAILER OPINION
OPINION
ACS CONFERENCE 2025: What were your key highlights?
“I HAD the opportunity to connect with suppliers and collaborate with colleagues. The energy, innovation and shared passion at the event were genuinely motivating. I am really grateful for the connections, conversations and opportunities – and excited for what’s to come.”
Nathalie Fullerton, One Stop Dumbarton Road, Glasgow
“I WAS asked to do a team battle with fellow retailer Rav Garcha, where we pitched ideas for retailers. There were amazing ideas and I captained the green team. Thank you to my team, which consisted of retailers Natalie Lightfoot, Bobby Singh and Joshua James.”
SERVICE: How are you addressing local needs?
“WE recently installed a defibrillator, as part of an initiative by Durham County Council. Whenever we are approached to support such initiatives, we are keen to be there for the communities we serve, and it aligns to one of our ambitions, which is to nurture our neighbourhoods.”
Fiona Drummond, Spar Mendip Avenue, Chester-le-Street
“I’M expanding our partnership with Morrisons with the transformation of the Helmsley store. The new site features fresh food to go and post office services. With three successful stores and more in the pipeline, this partnership will help the company’s growth strategy.”
Jagadeesh Kandasam, Shree Sai Convenience, York
GENERATIONAL TOBACCO BAN: What challenges do retailers face?
“WE do need things in place, no one wants anyone smoking, but it’s more about human rights. Further still, how do we enforce it? Give us the resource to enforce it and we’d be happy to do it. We don’t have a national ID system.”
Atul Sodha, Londis Harefield, Uxbridge
“I DO agree with the mindset that smoking is harmful and see the argument for putting measures in place to improve the nation’s health. My concerns are the potential abuse the retailers will face from enforcing it. We already have enough issues from other age-restricted products.”
Anonymous retailer
COMPETITION: How are you setting yourself apart? It’s more about human rights
“MEAT and produce are key if you’re a bigger store because they are the cornerstones of meals. If someone is looking to get ingredients and they can’t get meat and vegetables from you, they won’t buy the extras from you – they’ll just do their whole shop somewhere else.”
Adam Hogwood, Budgens of Broadstairs, Kent
“I HAVE my own clientele. People talk to us while they shop. Other stores that have opened will often have their own niche market of goods and products I don’t sell, so we try to make sure we’re concentrating on what we’re good at and focusing on our own customer base.”
Ushma Amin, Londis North Cheam, Surrey
Fiona Malone, Tenby Stores & Post Office, Pembrokeshire
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SCORE SALES THIS SUMMER
With football tournaments in the women’s and men’s games, as well as a big rugby event and much more, retailers should start gearing up for summer now, as TIM MURRAY discovers
A DIFFERENT BALL
GAME
AN odd-numbered year used to signify a fallow time for summer sporting events beyond traditional occasions, such as Wimbledon, but it’s di erent now. In fact, a lot of sport is happening this summer.
Women’s sporting events are set to dominate the summer calendar in 2025.
England are favourites in the Rugby World Cup – with the women’s iteration of the sport growing in popularity – and with England’s women football-
ers defending their Euro trophy as well, the women’s game is a strong proposition for fans and retailers.
The expanding nature of the FIFA Club World Cup also gives fans the chance to see Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami joining Premier League clubs and teams like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Boca Juniors in a month-long event.
Sports drink Mas+ by Messi launched into convenience this year, which retailers can also
capitalise on.
Stuart Graham, head of convenience and impulse at KP Snacks, says: “Barbecues and summer events all represent excellent opportunities for retailers to drive sales.
“As friends and family get together for summer and sporting fun, they will seek their favourite snacks.”
KP has an ongoing deal with The Hundred cricket tournament and will see its brands on the shirts of all men’s and
women’s teams taking part.
“The sporting events help in the summer, especially if teams do well,” says Julie Kaur, of Jules Convenience Store (Premier) in Telford, Shropshire.
“It gets people talking about something di erent, rather than the cost of living and other things, which creates a good feeling in store.
“Football is the key one for us – everything else falls into place around it.”
CATEGORY ADVICE SUMMER SPORTS
SPORTING STAPLES
THE biggest drivers of summer sporting sales are drinks and snacks, with beer and cider chief among the beverages most wanted by customers.
“Sport is a huge driver for beer and cider sales,” says Alexander Wilson, category and commercial strategy director at Heineken.
“They’re more likely to spike during big sporting events, as opposed to the week before. For example, ahead of England’s match against Slovakia in the 2024 Euros, beer and
cider sales peaked at £164m, which was an overall increase of 13.5%.
“There was also a 6% increase in overall spend per buyer compared with the year before.”
Kaur focuses on beer, snacks and ice cream for sporting events, ensuring she gets PoS and in-store activity ready in advance as well.
“We’ll make sure we’re wellstocked-up before events – I always keep an eye on the calendar,” she adds.
Summer sporting events go hand in hand with good weather, creating the perfect opportunity for retailers.
“Summer sporting events call for barbecues, or if it’s raining, burgers and buns indoors, and Baker Street is key to capitalising on sporting sales opportunities,” says Josh Corrigan, customer development director, UK, at St Pierre Groupe.
“Consumers can recreate ‘stadia’ favourites with hot dogs and burgers.”
RETAILER VIEW
Narayan Siddhu, Wagon Convenience Store & Post O ce, Rotherham
“WHENEVER a major sporting occasion happens, we put up England flags and decorations. We also sell the flags to customers, but we don’t sell footballs or anything like that.
“We try to run some special o ers on beers and promote them to shoppers. We cut down our margins on beer massively to initially get people through the door, and then they’ll buy something else, so the overall basket is bigger.”
CREATING AN EVENT
SPONSORS are lining up to make the most of sporting events with on-pack promotional activity and giveaways all likely in the coming months.
The FIFA Club World Cup is sponsored by AB InBev (Budweiser) and Coca-Cola. The latter is also one of the backers, alongside Walkers (Lay’s) and Heineken, of the women’s Euros
summer sporting calendar
tournament. In rugby, sponsors of this year’s women’s World Cup include Asahi.
Wimbledon has a host of sponsors including Pimm’s, Evian and Sipsmith gin.
Retailers should talk to suppliers and reps about getting PoS, products and prizes to create in-store theatre.
“We usually get some things
from Coca-Cola Europaci c Partners (CCEP),” says Kaur. “CCEP is really good at supporting events it sponsors, helping with things such as hats and in-store theatre.”
Retailers should also keep an eye out for other, more unusual opportunities. Kaur is winding up the traditional football season, which ends next month,
and kicking o the summer of sport with a unique promotion in her store.
She picked up a full-sized chocolate football at a Cadbury event earlier this year and will be ra ling it o instore to coincide with the nal game of the Premier League season, with the proceeds going to charity.
THE PREMIUM LEAGUE
WITH a big sporting event, customers are more likely to want to trade up to premium items for the big occasion.
Heineken’s Alexander Wilson says: “There is an opportunity for retailers to encourage consumers to trade up to more premium brands during the sporting season.
“This comes into play when consumers are hosting friends and family at home, so there is a good chance they will
be looking to trade up and celebrate.”
KP’s Stuart Graham points to brands such as Tyrrells as an opportunity to trade up.
“There is a high demand for premium lines as consumers look to make in-home occasions feel more special. Fortysix per cent of shoppers are more inclined to trade up to premium food-and-drink options when dining at home,” he adds.
FA Cup men’s and women’s nals 17-18 May
FIFA Club World Cup 15 June-13 July. The tournament has been expanded to feature 32 teams and takes place for a month. The Premier League is represented by Manchester City and Chelsea.
British and Irish Lions Tour to Australia 18 June-2 August
Wimbledon 30 June-13 July
UEFA Women’s Euros 2-27 July
Formula 1 British Grand Prix 4-6 July
The Open (golf) 17-20 July
Women’s Rugby World Cup 22 August-27 September
World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 13-21 September
Cricket
England take on the West Indies in one-day and T20 games in May and June, while India are visiting for a ve-Test series in June, July and into the rst week of August.
GET READY TO SELL MORE RTD S
SHYAMA LAXMAN nds out where retailers can grow sales of RTDs and seltzers in their stores
WHAT ARE RTDS AND SELTZERS WORTH?
THE prevailing view among retailers and suppliers is that ready-to-drink (RTD) is one of the fastest growing segments in the alcoholic beverage category. It o ers variety and doesn’t require additional ingredients to be enjoyed with, thereby making it a convenient drink option.
“RTDs in the convenience sector have grown by 12.6% in the past year and the category is worth over £226m,” says Clark McIlroy, managing director of Red Star Brands.
Suki Athwal, of Shop Around
the Clock in Tenterden, Kent, attests to the strong growth of the category, saying that his shelf space has increased from one metre to two.
“We have added quite a lot of new lines for RTDs. They are very convenient as a grab-andgo option,” he says.
Athwal’s sales go up during weekends as shoppers are looking for drink options to take along on journeys outside the city.
The hard seltzer category, however, has dropped by 19%, according to Jacob Barrett,
brand manager of Hooch at Global Brands.
“Many brands have exited the hard seltzer space entirely, contributing heavily to this decline,” he says.
Athwal, who previously offered options from White Claw, had to discontinue the line as he was unable to successfully tap into the category and encourage uptake. “We’ve tried a few di erent things a few di erent times, but we just can’t get it to work for us. It is just too slow for us to justify it being in the fridge,” he says.
KEEPING UP WITH THE TRENDS
“PRICE and flavour are crucial to the success of RTDs, with availability playing a key role in driving consumer choices,” says Barrett.
“O ering a well-balanced selection of popular flavours at the right price is more important than ever. This approach not only aligns with consumer demand for value, but also responds to the current economic climate, ensuring that RTDs remain an attractive option for all budgets.”
Retailers could consider options including Soopa Hooch,
Fancy Frolic and Four Loko.
However, McIlroy says consumers are also looking for “bar-strength” RTDs that o er a premium drinking experience in a single serve. O ering premium and higher-ABV options gives consumers a wider range to choose from, thereby increasing the opportunities to trade up.
Campari’s ready-to-serve Aperol cocktail – with a strength of 9% ABV – is an option that retailers could turn to. Kaual Patel, of Nisa Torridon Convenience Store in Cat-
ford, south London, believes “old-school collaborations” between renowned brands will remain on trend.
“Think of Coca-Cola Europaci c Partners (CCEP) in terms of how they incorporated CocaCola with Jack Daniel’s, or Absolut with Sprite – those are the key ones. Two big brands pulling together seems to have shown the best strength in the market.”
CCEP and Diageo also provide promotional o ers on refrigeration units and in-store remerchandising.
NO- AND LOW-SUGAR VARIANTS
PATEL and Athwal believe zerosugar RTDs are also gaining popularity as consumers become more health conscious.
“When people generally go on nights out, they’ll be more conscious of what to drink and ask which products are lowercalorie,” says Athwal, who
adds that Gordon’s Gin & Diet Tonic is one of his fastest-selling lines.
“No-and-low remains in growth, too, and eye-catching options such as Crodino are a great option here,” says a Campari spokesperson. “Each bottle is just 20 calories, so
health-conscious shoppers will nd it hard to ignore.”
McIlroy predicts future trends in the category would include collaborations, such as RTD brands teaming up with entertainment, gaming or music influencers; and larger formats for sharing and multipacks.
TAPPING INTO SALES OPPORTUNITIES
KEY sales periods for RTDs include summer, major sporting events and popular calendar events, such as Halloween and New Year’s Eve.
Athwal, on the other hand, has kept category sales strong throughout the year.
“Sales obviously do dip o a little bit in winter, but we still like people to know that we have that o ering at all times,” he says.
McIlroy suggests retailers can capitalise on RTD sales by stocking chilled RTDs in high-tra c areas during peak seasons, running multi-buy
promotions to drive trial and increase basket spend, leveraging limited-edition and seasonal flavours to maintain consumer excitement, and engaging younger consumers through socialmedia-led activations and influencer collaborations.
RETAILER
RANGE OPTIMISATION
“IT’S important to make sure things are refreshed,” says Patel.
“GIVE a range, and o er price-marked packs where possible. And link a multi deal, if possible, as well. Your margin may be impacted, but your average basket spend will move up. You’d be surprised the amount of people that will pick up the extra one for the sake of a slight discount.”
Athwal has three-to-four lines as part of his core RTD range, whereas other lines are swapped or discontinued if they are not performing well.
Barrett believes introducing new flavours – whether they are limited-editions or permanently available – adds an “extra layer of diversity to the range”.
Retailers can turn to Hooch’s alcoholic lemonade, available in variants including Pink Hooch Raspberry and Blue Hooch Tropical, for inspiration.
A rotating selection of RTDs will also help maintain consumer interest and drive im-
EFFECTIVE MERCHANDISING
“RTDs are perfectly suited for grab-and-go shopper needs, particularly for same-dayconsumption occasions, making strategic placement crucial for maximising sales,” says Barrett.
“By positioning these beverages at the front of the store or in prominent chillers, retailers
can boost their visibility and appeal to consumers seeking convenience.
“This prime placement not only draws attention, but also taps into the immediate, onthe-spot purchase mindset, driving higher sales and capitalising on the impulsive nature of RTD shoppers.”
In the wake of continued decline of seltzer sales, Barrett advises that retailers carrying seltzers should reallocate the space to popular RTD lines.
“Shelf management is very important as well,” says Patel. As the RTD cans are rather slim, they can get pushed around easily on the shelves.
pulse sales.
“Retailers should balance core bestsellers with new innovations to create an engaging mix,” says McIlroy.
In so far as formats go, Barrett believes canned RTDs are driving most of the sales, whereas bottled options have experienced a decline.
“Singles are always the best,” says Patel. “Because people like to pick. But the option with the multipacks is also a good one, especially with the weather as people gather for barbecues.”
Patel is also in discussion with CCEP to o er eco-friendly folding cardboard trays which will allow consumers to pick and choose RTDs from what’s available.
Position chilled RTDs near checkout areas to drive impulse purchases
Place them alongside beer and cider in the alcohol section to encourage cross-category sales
Putting RTDs near party and event essentials (snacks and soft drinks) can help to tap into occasion-led purchases
Dedicated RTD bays can highlight the variety and premium options available
RETAILER VIEW
Suki Athwal, Shop Around the Clock, Tenterden, Kent
“OFFER a good range of diet options. Labelling is so important. Make sure shelf-edge labels t properly and are clear, as to how much each product is. Make sure it looks nice.”
Investing in shelf organisers that provide adequate support is crucial. “If people can’t see it, they can’t buy it,” he says.
Athwal advises paying attention to labels is crucial. Retailers must ensure the labels are not skewed or overlapping as customers need to be able to read the price points correctly.
Top tips for merchandising RTDs from Clark McIlroy, managing director at Red Star Brands top tips
Kaual Patel, Nisa Torridon Convenience Store, London
MAKE COOL PROFITS
ANNE BRUCE nds out what retailers can do to sell more ice cream this summer
CATEGORY OVERVIEW
THE ice cream category is dynamic in nature, growing by 2.3% in value, despite challenges such as HFSS restrictions, commodity price rises and poor weather last summer.
The category is a must-stock for every retailer, according to Louise Morley, marketing director for ice cream in the UK and Ireland at Unilever.
Consumers are looking for new, indulgent experiences. More adventurous options such as pistachio, Dubai chocolate, and Middle Eastern-inspired flavours are gaining popularity, says David Equi, managing director at Equi’s Ice Cream.
Retailers can maximise sales by listing the widest possible selection, from smaller single-
serve packs to larger tubs, to appeal to di erent customer preferences.
Freezer placements in hightra c areas of the store and clear PoS displays are also essential to encourage impulse buys, suppliers agree.
Displaying single-serve options in freezers near the front of the store and at PoS loca-
tions helps capture consumer interest as they browse.
Where possible, retailers should run promotions such as buy-one-get-one-free or multibuy o ers, particularly during peak seasons.
A well-executed promotional strategy can help ensure ice cream stays top-of-mind for consumers.
CATEGORY TRENDS
Multipack sales up
In the independent convenience channel, Mars has seen value sales of its multipacks increase by 89% and total sales by 25% over the past three years. Kerry Cavanaugh, general manager at Mars Chocolate Drinks and Treats, says: “In 2024, the weather had an impact on the sales of impulse bars in convenience. However, it was interesting to see a spike in sales of ice cream multipacks all year round, and particularly during autumn.”
Vegan growth
Magnum’s vegan ice cream range has grown by more than 75% in the past year, largely due to its 2024 Magnum Blueberry Cookie launch, says Daniel Lythgo, brand manager at Magnum UK, Unilever. Now, 10% of households contain someone following a vegan or vegetarian diet and 5% contain a flexitarian person.
Snacking
Unilever says ice cream is being enjoyed at home as an evening snack, as well as a dessert. In response, it launched the Magnum Bonbon snack range, available in the convenience channel in White Chocolate & Cookie, Salted Caramel & Almond and Gold Caramel Billionaire.
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CATEGORY ADVICE ICE CREAM
SUMMER SALES TIPS
HOT and sunny weather is a key driver of ice cream sales and retailers should plan their ice cream promotions now to ensure they can take full advantage in the warmer months.
Early planning allows for thoughtful product placement, marketing and o ers that drive
sales when demand peaks. Natalie Lightfoot, of Londis Solo Convenience in Glasgow, sells three times as much ice cream in summer than in winter.
She is expecting a good summer this year, having just invested in a double-door
freezer for the shop floor. She says her frozen sales have risen from £100 to up to £500 a week, due to the extra capacity.
“I wish I had done it sooner, we would have made a lot more money,” she adds. In take-home tubs, the Glas-
Five STEPS TO SELL
Louise Morley, marketing director of ice cream UK and Ireland at Unilever, shares ve steps to sell for convenience retailers
Choose the right freezer for your business. Select one that suits the size of your shop and consider available space and footfall.
Stock a wide variety to suit all customers for all occasions.
Stock innovations and exciting flavours. New products account for 15% of all impulse sales.
Draw attention to your cabinet – using impactful PoS can increase ice cream sales by 77%.
Keep your cabinet clean and well stocked. Ensure you also keep spare stock for busy summer weekends.
THE ice lolly and ice poles market has grown steadily in recent years, with many brands introducing a freezable spin on confectionery favourites and incorporating unique and exotic flavoured lollies to their ranges.
Gemma Allanson, national eld sales manager at World of Sweets, says: “Customers
gow shop o ers a branded option and an own-label option. With single sticks, Lightfoot will stock up on promotions, with brands, led by Magnum, being key sellers.
gow shop o ers a branded opbrands,
Deals where pizza is paired with a multipack of ice cream do very well.
LOLLY OPPORTUNITIES
are looking for low-cost, value packs from brands they know and trust.
“Fruit-flavoured freezables are an alternative to ice cream and o er customers a wide range of refreshing, fruit-flavour options.”
Lightfoot recommends retailers keep ambient ice poles on standby, ready to put in the
freezer to ll up any empty spaces as stock sells through between deliveries.
Retailers are encouraged to stock up on ice poles such as the Paw Patrol Freeze Pops, Warheads Snap Ice Pops and Barratt Ice Duo multipacks to give themselves the best chances of boosting sales ahead of summer, says Allanson.
new products
Ben & Jerry’s new Bohemian Raspberry icecream is a non-dairy music-inspired brownie and raspberry-swirl celebrating the 50th anniversary of Queen’s song, Bohemian Rhapsody. Available in a 465ml tub, it has an RRP of £5.75.
Another launch from the brand, its new Brookies & Cream Sundae is inspired by the flavour combination of brownies and cookies. This launch brings the bakery favourite to the ice cream category for the rst time. A 427ml tub has a £5.75 RRP.
Magnum has added a new recipe to its vegan ice cream range, which includes Magnum Vegan Almond.
The new soy protein-based recipe replaces Magnum’s former pea-protein recipe to o er consumers a more velvety taste and texture. The 90ml product has a £2.30 RRP.
Magnum has also launched its Utopia range, featuring Magnum Double Cherry and Double Hazelnut. The launch will be supported by a TV, radio and social media campaign from June. Both varieties have an RRP of £2.30 for 85ml or £4.25 for a multipack of three.
Mars has extended its range of multipacks with the launch of Snickers White Ice Cream bar in packs of four. The white chocolate flavour has proved to be extremely popular in other European countries, it says. It has an RRP of £2.50.
Mars will also be launching a Galaxy Ice Cream impulse bar into wholesale and convenience channels, with an RRP of £2.
World of Sweets has added Bluey Ice Pops to its line-up to appeal to fans of the popular animated kids’ TV show. It comes in Blueybranded 12-packs of natural fruit-flavoured freeze-at-home ice pops.
The HFSS-compliant product comes in pineapple, strawberry, apple and blackcurrant flavours and is made with 25% real fruit juice, with no added sugar.
Artisan ice cream maker Bears Ice Cream
Imaginarium has launched a wholesale range. It includes seven dairy and three plant-based flavour combinations, available in 475ml tubs for speciality retailers (wholesale £5.25, RRP £9.50) and 125ml single-serve tubs (wholesale £1.55, RRP £3.95).
Flavours include Brown Butter Popcorn Ice Cream and Pear, Coconut & Cardamom Plant-
NEWTRADE INSIGHT PAID FEATURE
In partnership with
FIVE STEPS TO SELL MORE ICE CREAM WITH
This feature is created by Newtrade Insight. Data is gratefully received from the two retailers who participated in a 12-week trial of Wall’s ice cream. Any data from other sources is cited.
WALL’S
RETAIL EXPRESS’ NEWTRADE INSIGHT
service partnered with Unilever to help two retailers over a 12-week period to optimise their ice cream ranges and increase sales
RATIONALISING THE RANGE
RETAILERS Meten Lakhani, of Premier St Mary’s Supermarket in Southampton, and Gursh Singh, of Kings Wines in Feltham, west London, took part in the trial from July to October 2024, which had several aims, among them to show how retailers can drive sales with Wall’s ‘Five steps to sell in summer’ advice.
These steps are: choose the right freezer for your business; stock Wall’s bestselling products; stock innovations and exciting flavours; draw attention to your cabinet with free PoS; and keep your cabinet clean and well stocked.
Before the trial, both retailers were over-stocking their impulse ice cream freezer baskets with more lines than recommended, clutter-
ing their ranges. Singh had 24 lines in a 12-basket freezer, while Lakhani was selling 19 in his 18-basket freezer, with Ben & Jerry’s take-home tubs among them. The rst step was to re ne these ranges to ensure all lines available stood out to shoppers. Own-label lines and slow sellers were removed, while value-friendly branded lines were brought in and popular lines such as Magnum were given additional listings. Lakhani also reintroduced Solero Exotic, a top seller for him in 2023, but one he had stopped stocking by the time of the trial.
Throughout the trial, di erent products such as Cornetto Go, Magnum, Twister and Calippo Orange were introduced at di erent points.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
THE principal takeaway from both retailers’ sales during the trial was the role of space in the category.
Many stores won’t have room for large ice cream chillers, but cramming as many lines as possible into a 12-basket chiller is counterintuitive and won’t be as good for sales as a cleanly stocked chiller with clearly visible products. Both retailers stocked fewer lines during the trial than before and still saw sales increases across key Wall’s lines. Additionally, the visibility of the chiller plays a role in what
STRONG RESULTS
BOTH retailers viewed the trial as a success. Lakhani’s ice cream unit sales increased by 26.2% compared to the same period in 2023, while his value sales rose from £1,277 to £1,805.51, a 41% increase.
Meanwhile, sales of all four key Wall’s brands – Magnum, Calippo, Cornetto and Twister – grew in Singh’s store. Cornetto saw the best performance, increasing by 142%.
Singh attributed this increase to the reduction of his range, which turned some shoppers away when they found out he wasn’t stocking certain “pocket-money” lines, but which caused others to trade up to lines such as Cornetto Go. Branded lines are also important for Singh
sells. Lakhani said that as shoppers approach one side of his freezer rst due to its positioning, this was a “hot spot” for sales, so he focused on this side rst and most often. Ice cream also behaves differently to many other convenience categories, with shop-
due to the high level of competition around him.
A mixture of supermarkets, convenience stores and newsagents is near his shop, so stocking a simplied range of core bestsellers, with branded new flavours and formats, is crucial to maintaining his sales.
These strong sales also occurred despite unfavourable weather. The average weekly temperature in the second half of the trial in Singh’s area was 5.5°C cooler than in the year before, and 3.4°C cooler in Lakhani’s.
Ice cream has a reputation for “selling itself” over summer, but this trial showed that a proactive approach to ranging can pay dividends, even in poor conditions that can a ect shopper attitudes.
pers returning less frequently and heavily influenced by the weather.
The length of the trial and its di erent focuses, alongside rep visits and EPoS check-ins, allowed both retailers to see in real time what worked and what didn’t.
For more information, scan the QR code to discover ve easy steps to maximise your ice cream sales
insight in action
Meten Lakhani, Premier St Mary’s Supermarket, Southampton
“SOMETIMES I’m a bit stubborn. But this trial taught me something: to not just stick to what we’ve been selling for the past 20 years. We can branch out and win.
“The sales increases we saw across lines such as Twister and Magnum, purely by o ering a full range, displayed together, and engaging with the newest flavour variations, was fantastic. Also, in a di cult trading environment where my shoppers don’t have as much money in their pockets, to increase sales overall by more than 40% is amazing. Knowing that this is possible with a focused approach is something I can apply to other lines in store.
“I also learned about how my shoppers actually shop my freezer. Because of where it is, they approach from one side rst, so that has to be my ‘hot spot’, and the area where I drive real value for both my shoppers and me.”
Gursh Singh, Kings Wines, Feltham, west London
“I HAVE no negatives about this trial. I’ve learned how to more e ectively range my freezer, to keep high-end products in the display, and that shoppers will trade up to known brands when they are o ered them.
“It was really interesting to see the dramatic increase in sales of products that I have sold for years – in particular Cornetto and Twister – driven not only by new lines and flavours, but also by making my display simpler and easier for shoppers to see what is available.
“The big takeaway here is that even if you think you have space, it isn’t necessarily the right thing to do to cram too much on your shelves. You can encourage shoppers to trade up, and maintain your sales, by stocking the biggest brands more e ectively.”
ADVICE
PUSHING SALES OR MARGINS?
CHARLES WHITTING nds out how retailers are balancing the need to drive footfall and sales against the need to generate healthier margins
Mark
Marcus Parkinson, Windermere Convenience Store, Cumbria 2
“EVERYONE tells me my Pokémon trading cards are the cheapest in the Cardiff/south Wales area. Our current batch is priced at £3.99, but people tell me that they’ve seen them selling for double elsewhere because of supply and demand.
“I’m moving more volume, however, and am happy to leave them at my current price.
“It’s also meant that word is getting around that I have got good prices. There’s no grass growing under my products –they are in and sold before we’ve even got the bill from the supplier. It is more important to get them shifting and to boost my reputation.
“It was the same with things like freeze-dried sweets and Prime. I was happy to get a small amount in, price them fairly and get them sold. It’s promoting my store as the place you can get the latest gimmick at a reasonable price.”
3
Saeed Sarkar, Mini Market, Falkirk
“THERE is a balance to strike. The margin is something we’re trying to raise, but we want to do it accordingly with everything else. You don’t want it to rocket and have people say ‘it’s 30p cheaper down the road’. If you push prices up, you will increase your margin, but people might stop shopping with you after a week because you’re too expensive.
“We are trying to increase the volume, which is dif�icult to do when the multiples are nearby and Co-op is doing an Aldi price match.
“I’ve started doing weekend deals on popular categories such as alcohol, milk, eggs and bacon. Customers might be able to get a loaf of bread for 50p one weekend or eggs and bacon for £5 on another weekend. I drop the margin on the weekend to get the footfall and try to claw it back elsewhere in the week. It’s all about trying to balance it out.”
“WE have lots of offers and promotions on, which means our margins are slim, but they’re encouraging customers to come into the store more. You have to do it very consistently to get them coming back, so they have to know you’re doing decent promotions. About 10% of the store is on promotion at the moment. We have promotions in every department – in some, we have more than one. These promotions are there to increase sales and footfall.
“It’s more important to chase sales rather than margins. Things are very competitive now and people can get things delivered from further a�ield if they want to get it cheaper. There are lots of shops and multiples near us and they’re trying to get their share as well.
“Overall, our margins are about 20-21%, but the promotions cut that down a bit. It’s up to us to work to increase it elsewhere.”
In the next issue, the Retail Express team nds out how retailers are gearing up for the summer trade. If you have any problems you’d like us to explore, please email
Dudden, Albany Post O ce, Cardi
I think margin is the most important thing. You’ll go out of business if you just chase sales. What do other retailers think? – Matthew Hunt, Filco Supermarkets, south Wales