YOU’VE been serving the community for decades and have witnessed rst-hand how customer demands have shied. From major legislation to falling sales of newspapers and magazines, there have been a fair few challenges thrown your way making business tough at times.
Despite these obstacles, you’ve managed to stay in business and remain pro table by adapting the products and services on o er. Yet, one day you receive a letter through the post notifying you that your annual rent is to double. You’re forced to close because no amount of change or great customer service can protect you from such a signi cant price hike.
This was the very real predicament that had forced Pritesh Patel to close his beloved newsagent on 13 February, a er nearly 40 years of serving the Brixton community in London. Patel shared the challenges and what he will miss the most with Retail Express (page 4), but unfortunately many of you are facing similar cost pressures. These di cult situations will be determined by your individual contracts with your landlords.
THERE ISN’T ENOUGH PROTECTION FOR SHOPS
Manish Jadav, founder of commercial property rm Trinity Retail Sales, has worked with many independent retailers across the UK. Advising on what to do in similar situations, he says: “It’s a challenging one determined by what was agreed and the terms of your contract. It’s about coming to a middle ground with your landlord. Look at the prices of similar commercial premises in your area. Explain how any rental increases will make it di cult to attract new owners.”
Scottish stores lose more than £10,000 a year to theft
KWAME BOAKYE
SHOPWORKERS in Scotland are fearful of turning up for their shifts, as a new report has revealed the average Scottish store is losing an average of £10,431 to theft.
The �igures from the Scottish Grocers’ Federation’s (SGF) annual crime report released this month claimed
four in �ive Scottish retailers reported increased violence targeting their staff. It added that more than half of convenience retailers (54.8%) said shoplifting has increased over the past year, with almost all (99.6%) stating it is now a daily occurrence.
The �igures are based on responses from 732 stores participating in the SGF’s crime
THE Welsh government has received the green light to launch its own Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), which will include glass containers.
The inclusion of glass has caused concerns about addi-
survey.
Speaking at the SGF’s crime and security seminar on 12 February, SGF chief executive Pete Cheema said:
“Retail crime in Scotland has escalated to an unprecedented level; theft, abuse and violence are no longer an occasional incident. They have become routine, and this is not acceptable.”
Catherine Lindsay, pro�it protection manager at wholesaler CJ Lang, added: “We’ve got situations arising with known offenders in local communities now where their reputations alone elicit fear and anxiety in our stores. People are genuinely apprehensive about coming to work and living with that every day.”
tional costs alongside health and safety challenges for stores.
The scheme will launch in October 2027, with glass returnable from day one, but without deposits charged on glass containers until 2031.
state of your store’s parades could in�luence the upcoming May local elections, a new report has suggested.
According to the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods (ICON), those living in “deprived parades”
were becoming “politically disaffected”.
ICON head of research analysis Ross Mudie said: “We’re going to estates with challenges around deprivation. People are overwhelmingly talking about their parades.”
INPOST is set to be acquired by a consortium led by FedEx and private equity �irm Advent, which it said will allow plans to increase its UK locker points to 30,000 from 14,000. The consortium added that the deal would allow InPost “to operate more ef�iciently” while removing costs linked to being listed on the stock market.
This comes as new data from the �irm found 130 million parcels were handled at Collect+ points in 2025.
RETAILERSwho ignore home delivery and supermarket price matching are at risk of being left behind, according to a new IGD report. The new report warned that declining traditional categories such as tobacco pre-
sent the biggest challenge for local shops.
Other challenges were found to be competing with specialist food-to-go providers and ensuring price matching with multiples is clear to customers.
A BELOVED newsagent who has served his community for nearly 40 years has been forced to close permanently following a £45,000 annual rent hike.
Pritesh Patel pulled down his newsstand’s shutter in Brixton tube station for the �inal time on 13 February. He had served the area for 36 years, but was forced to vacate after Places for London – Transport for London’s (TfL) commercial property company –increased his annual rent from £40,000 to £85,000.
As well as being a beloved newsagent to thousands of residents and commuters each day, Patel has also served celebrities including food critic Jay Rayner alongside actors James Nesbitt and Mark Rylance.
The community don’t want anything else. Customers have asked if we wanted to start a petition.
“I started the newsstand in my 20s and I’ll be turning 60 this year. Most of my life has been here. I’ve seen Brixton change so much over the years, from the Riots to the area gentrifying slowly. It’s a melting pot. Every �ive-to-10 years, we get a new demographic. At the moment, the main demographic is South American; before that it was eastern Europeans and before that it was the Portuguese.
“Specialists in newspapers and magazines are a dying breed. You’re not going to �ind businesses like these anywhere else once we go.”
GOOD WEEK
DHAMECHA: The wholesaler has quietly relaunched its retail club. Called Dmart, it o ers eligible retailers special discounts, early access to promotions and dedicated support from the Dhamecha team. There is no joining fee required. Retailers will also gain access to insight designed to improve their business.
Patel told Retail Express:
“I was going to have a re�it and I was on a 12-year lease which ran out in January. TfL said it wouldn’t renew the lease because it wanted to redevelop. They offered us compensation if we surrendered the lease.
“After taking legal advice, we decided this was the best option. Even if we won the dispute, we couldn’t afford the rent. Whoever moves in will have massive costs. TfL gets businesses willing to pay stupid rents, but they don’t last.
“We’ve had a massive response from our customers.
Explaining what he will miss the most about being a beloved community business, Patel said: “I’ll miss the conversations I have with my customers, whether it’s politics or sports. I’ll miss the knowledge you get. I’ve seen seen many of them grow and develop over the years.”
The challenges faced by Patel has sparked anger from other retailers, who had criticised the government for failing to protect small shops from “greedy landlords”.
Matthew Hunt, of Filco Supermarkets in Glamorgan, said: “The cost base is now unbearable. Jobs are being cut across the board, and we are at the bottom of
the curve with this. Rachel Reeves will destroy high streets, communities and generational businesses across the country. Here in Wales, they have gone further and decided to remove relief entirely. Shameful decisions by a Labour government who have run out of other people’s money to spend.”
Dimark Cash and Carry managing director Ibrahim Yucesoy added: “Unfortunately, greedy landlords across the UK, especially in the commercial property sector, are seriously
hurting small and mediumsized businesses. When is the government going to acknowledge this reality? The high street is dying, and businesses are closing left, right and centre.”
For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘Dhamecha’
MHOUSE: The EPoS rm has partnered with Ubamarket to o er partnered independent retailers supermarket-style loyalty schemes. The partnership launched this month and adds to existing partnerships with Morrisons Daily and MyDD Points. Ubamarket has worked with other independent retailers for similar loyalty schemes.
For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘MHouse’
BAD WEEK
“WE have a joke running here that we’re a small village, but there’s always at least one road closed. It could be water pipes bursting, internet installation or road damage, or all three at once. Infrastructure networks planning these closures aren’t considering local businesses and the community; in the run-up to Christmas, half of the roundabout to our store was closed.”
A Places for London spokesperson told Retail Express: “We are proud to support more than 1,500 businesses across our estate, 95% of which are small and medium enterprises. Our varied estate includes hundreds of businesses that have been with us for years located in and around stations across the
capital, including Pritesh at Brixton, providing passengers on the network with conveniently placed options for a vast range of goods and services.
“At Brixton, we have the opportunity to increase the size of the retail unit currently occupied by the newsstand, and asked Pritesh in January 2024 if he’d be interested in the larger space. He decided not to stay, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavours and would welcome him elsewhere on our estate.”
ACS Rural Shop Report 2026: what are the challenges you face
“OUR local police o cers are stretched thin as they cover several huge village areas. Resources are more limited by being in a rural area. We’re lucky in that we don’t have a lot of trouble, but we still try to keep in contact with police o cers. We encourage them to come in and get a co ee. Police presence is the most valuable thing for us, and it can be much harder for teams with larger areas of responsibility.”
Josie Chamberlin, J Robarts & Son, Hertfordshire
“POOR mobile network can have a huge impact on trading and shopper mood. Customers are frustrated if they need anything o their mobile while paying or accessing a service in store, but they haven’t got the signal strength. Our sta are under tension as well. Everything takes more time, and even though people know it’s the technology and not you, they can take it out on you.”
&
BLAKEMORE: The wholesaler has vowed to “reset the business” through investments in its store estate and ranging after reporting its rst pro t loss since 2022. In recently led annual accounts for the year ending 27 April 2025, it saw operating losses of £7.8m, compared to operating pro t of £12.2m in the previous trading period.
For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘Blakemore’
REACH: Retailers and publishers could see disruption following Reach’s decision to signi cantly scale back its newspaper printing. The rm announced plans to outsource to rivals Newsprinters, run by Daily Mail Group and News UK.
For the full story, go to betterretailing.com and search ‘Reach’
Trudy Davies, Woosnam
Davies News, Llanidloes, Powys
ALEX YAU
Trudy Davies
• Keep your dispenser fully stocked with the Deal or No Deal Scratchcard on sale
• Suggest the game to your customers
THE government has recommended that CCTV be removed from business rates evaluations, as part of a wider strategy designed to tackle crime and reduce costs for small shops.
The report from the Business and Trade Committee released this month makes more than 60 recommendations to help retailers.
Business rates shop support Carriage charges
These include excluding CCTV from a premise’s rateable value, simplifying and making business energy billing for small businesses similar to domestic customers, and ensuring there is a named assistant chief constable for every police force.
Liam Byrne, chair of the Committee, said: “Small and medium businesses are facing late payments, rising energy costs, increasing crime, a com-
plex tax system and barriers to growth that are compounding rather than easing. These pressures are not isolated; together, they pose a real risk to business viability, high streets and economic growth.
“High streets do not die by accident. If the government is serious about growth, it must set out a more coherent and ambitious plan for the businesses that make up so much of the UK economy.”
ACS chief executive James Lowman added: “This in�luential group of MPs have backed ACS’ long-standing campaign for CCTV and security to be excluded from business rates calculations. At a time when business rates bills are set to rise signi�icantly for thousands of independent retailers, we welcome these common-sense measures that would relieve some of the cost burden for local shops.”
CARRIAGE charges for around half of retailers supplied by InPost are to stay the same or shrink following the news wholesaler’s annual review.
charges and variable percentage rates have been frozen.
Stores with larger news bills will see their maximum weekly charge rise by a “below in�lation £1.99”. The rate will be capped at £4.49 for stores with news bill value increases.
Letters sent to stores on 12 February, seen by Retail Express, show the minimum
CO-OP Wholesale has launched new terms for “eligible Nisa retailers”, scrapping membership fees and adding a 6% rebate tier. The terms were launched alongside Mike Sohal’s revamped store in Warrington, the second shop to receive the symbol group’s new fascia design. However, Co-op Wholesale con rmed the new rates would only be for “eligi-
Parcel opportunity
LOCKERQUEST is on the lookout for convenience stores to host its units. The �irm works with major parcel locker providers for its service, chief executive Jonathan White told Retail Express. He added that stores working with LockerQuest get the same commercial terms as if they are working directly with the individual parcel locker �irms.
ALEX YAU
PRODUCTS
Red Bull pays homage to Japan
SHYAMA LAXMAN
EXCLUSIVE
Red Bull has added a new variant to its Editions series called Spring Edition Cherry Sakura, which is inspired by Japan.
Cherry Sakura is available in formats including 250ml, 355ml, 473ml and 4x250ml. Moreover, price-marked packs (PMPs) of the 250ml can (RRP £1.75) and 473ml can (RRP £2.80) are also available.
This is the �irst time an Editions format has offered a 473ml PMP format.
Red Bull’s seasonal �lavours are consistently strong performers in independent shops, according to Retail Express’s exclusive till data from
Aero
10,000 independent convenience stores.
The data revealed the brand’s winter edition, Fuji Apple & Ginger, was the second-bestselling new product in stores in the month of its release, generating average weekly sales of £6.10 per store.
Additionally, Red Bull’s growing Editions range has helped functional energy become the number-one driver for the category’s growth, while last year’s Peach Edition was among Nielsen’s top FMCG launches in 2025.
Bubbles
launch has an air of caramel
NESTLÉ Confectionery has added to its Aero Bubbles roster with the launch of a Caramel Flavour variant.
Aero Bubbles is available in an 80g bag with a £1.65 price-mark, and it’s current listing on Bestway offers retailers a 20.07% margin. It joins Aero Bubbles Peppermint Flavour in the
Bubbles range. It follows a series of launches from Nestlé at the beginning of this year across its KitKat, Rowntree’s and Munchies brands.
Biona spotlights
spelt
with new range
BIONA has launched a range of breakfast cereals made using spelt, available to retailers now.
The range includes Spelt Puffs, Crispy Spelt Flakes and Honey Spelt Puffs, and is priced between £2.69 and £3.49. All three products are HFSS compliant. The brand recently also launched a trio of ready-to-eat meals made
with beans and chickpeas.
In the 7 November 2025 issue of RN, Retail Express’s sister publication, retailer Sonny Saini, of Barnes Pantry in south-west London, said Biona was one of his steadyperforming lines.
Nestlé hatches
its 2026 Easter line-up
NESTLÉ Confectionery has unveiled its 2026 Easter range.
The range comprises new lines such as KitKat Chunky Funky Incredible Egg, KitKat Crispy Egg, Rowntree’s EggVenture, Aero Brownie Egg and more. The launches are priced between £1.50 and £13.80. Meanwhile, retail-
ers can also get their shelves ready for returning favourites including Smarties Sea Splash and Smarties Dinosaur Eggs, The Quality Street Incredible Egg, plus KitKat Bunnies and KitKat Mini Eggs.
Lion’s mane adds zing to Tenzing
NATURAL energy drink brand Tenzing has launched a functional range called Natural Energy+.
The �irst variant within the Natural Energy+ sub-range is infused with lion’s mane, with a second variant set to launch in April. It is available on Amazon and via wholesalers including UNNU and Tropicana.
In 2025, the brand also launched a Peach & Honey Melon variety, as well as reintroduced its Winter Edition Super Natural Fiery Mango in a 500ml format.
‘Fingers Crossed’ for Cadbury’s promo
CADBURY has launched the third iteration of its ‘Fingers Crossed’ on-pack promotion.
It runs until 1 July on Cadbury Dairy Milk Fingers 114g, Cadbury Dairy Milk Fingers 114g PMP, Cadbury White Fingers 114g and Cadbury Dairy Milk Fingers 189g family pack. Shoppers can win up to £20,000 in cash if they �ind a crossed �inger biscuit and a winning ticket inside any promotional pack. Thousands of instant cash prizes can also be won by scanning
the QR code on pack and entering the barcode and batch code on the competition website.
This launch puts the Cherry on the Coke
COCA-COLA has launched a Cherry Float �lavour, available with and without sugar. It joins Coca-Cola’s existing cherry portfolio alongside Diet Coke Cherry, Coca-Cola Cherry and Coca-Cola Cherry Zero Sugar. The new �lavour comes in a 1.75l bottle (£2.55), 330ml can (£1.25), 500ml plain bottle (£1.89) and 500ml price-marked bottle (£1.79). Meanwhile, Coca-Cola Cherry Float Zero Sugar is available in a 2l plain bottle (£2.15), 2l pricemarked bottle (£2.29), 500ml plain bottle (£1.79), 500ml price-marked bottle (£1.40), 330ml can (£1.25) and multipack of 8x330ml cans (£5.59).
DIVINE Chocolate has launched a Luxury Milk Chocolate Mini Eggs collection to help retailers tap into the premium Easter opportunity.
late range that retailers who are looking to premiumise their hot beverage offering could tap into.
The collection features two mini egg varieties: Luxury Milk Chocolate Mini Eggs with Smooth Caramel and Luxury Speckled Mini Eggs with Hazelnut Praline. Both are available at an RRP of £8.99 via Triangle Wholefoods, Essential Trading Cooperative, Greencity Wholefoods and CLF Distribution.
Last month, the brand also launched a luxury hot choco-
PRODUCTS
Walkers gets new PMP seal
SHYAMA LAXMAN
EXCLUSIVE
WALKERS has added to its £1.35 price-marked pack (PMP) portfolio by launching an 85p PMP across its core impulse range.
The new PMPs are available in 32.5g packs across Ready Salted, Salt & Vinegar and Cheese & Onion varieties. The move follows PepsiCo launching its ‘Max Your Snacks’ guide in 2025, aimed at helping retailers optimise their savoury snacks range through practical, easy-toimplement advice.
Kantar research indicates that almost 750,000 shoppers risk exiting the category at the £1 RRP price
threshold. As such, the 85p PMP provides a format that reassures customers they are getting a fair deal while helping retailers retain shoppers, said the supplier. Retailer Vidur Pandya, of Kislingbury Village Store & Post Of�ice, said impulse
Trial new brands with The Discovery Stand
EXCLUSIVE
THE Discovery Stand allows retailers to trial new food and drinks brands each month, before committing to larger stock.
Founder Joe Woolf, who launched it in 2025, said: “We work with a brand to develop a ‘discovery bundle’ with between six and 12 units. It’s not loads of product, but enough to see how successful a brand will be in store.” Retailers can trial up to 60 brands a year.
While the modular wooden shelving unit is free of charge, the bundles are capped at £50 each. “The maximum a retailer will spend on the �ive brands in a month is £250 and the minimum margin is 50%,” Woolf explains.
Tango teases with Zero’d Thirst Trap
TANGO’S latest limited-edition �lavour, Tango Editions Thirst Trap, is a zero-sugar variant blending �lavours of peach, orange and pineapple. Thirst Trap is the latest addition to the brand’s 12-month rotational �lavour strategy, and is available in formats including 330ml single can (RRP 95p), 500ml plain bottle (RRP £2.29), 500ml price-marked bottle (RRP £1.30), 2l bottle (RRP £3.35), 8x330ml can (RRP £5.29) and 24x330ml can (RRP
sales in his store are driven primarily by PMPs. His advice when stocking PMPs is to consider whether the line is offering enough margin to justify shelf space. Walkers’ current PMP lines offer Pandya, on average, 20-25% margins.
Pandya said the 85p PMPs are a nice middle option for shoppers who are looking for lunch-on-the-go solutions or a quick impulse purchase and don’t want to opt for larger packs. “You could also include it in a meal deal,” he added.
Snü expands its nicotine pouch range
EXCLUSIVE NICOTINE pouch brand Snü has launched three new �lavours, available to convenience retailers via wholesale.
The �lavours include Wild Cherry, Cherry Cola and Tropical Punch. The pouches are available in 9mg, 12mg, 18mg and 60mg strengths, at an RRP of £4.49 across all
strengths. The new �lavours feature the brand’s signature ‘rub-and-smell’ label, which encourages trial and helps prevent lost sales when customers open pots to smell before purchase.
£13.19). The last Tango Editions launch was Tango Strawberry Smash Sugar Free in February 2025.
Is the new F’real flavour for real?
F’REAL has unveiled a new limited-edition Raspberry & White Chocolate milkshake, available now to stockists.
It marks the milkshake brand’s �irst product launch in more than 12 months.
The brand plans to bolster the launch with further innovation, marketing campaigns and presence at key trade shows this year.
F’real’s current core range consists of Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Salted Caramel, Rolo and Cookes & Cream.
Bijou
launches into Co-op Wholesale
WINE brand Bijou has extended its distribution across independent and symbol retailers nationwide by launching Bijou Terre de Providence Rosé into Co-op Wholesale.
According to Nielsen data, French rosé is bolstering the rosé category in the UK, up by 23% in volume year on year, signi�icantly outperforming the wider wine category. This growth is being driven by premiumisation, with consumers moving away from sweet American styles and trading up to higher-quality rosé.
Bijou Terre de Providence Rosé has an ABV of 12.5% and is available at an RRP of £10.
EXCLUSIVE NESTLÉ Confectionery has launched KitKat Cookie Dough. The range includes KitKat 4 Finger Cookie Dough, available as 41.5g single pack (RRP 89p) and in 166g multipack format (RRP £2.50).
KitKat 2 Finger Cookie Dough is available in a 165g multipack format (RRP £2.50). Meanwhile, the 99g sharing bag retails for £1.65. The range is available in selected stores now with wider availability from April.
Barratt Sweet Shop rebrands key lines
BARRATT Sweet Shop has rolled out a rebrand across nine lines, available via Hancocks, Bestway, Confex, Sugro, Unitas and Monmore now and throughout March.
The rebrand will be supplemented by brand activations rolling out across the year.
The rebrand spans the Wham, Flumps and Fruit Salad brands. It also includes new lines Wham Chewy Asteroids, Wham Sour Belts & Sweet Eggs, Wham Tangy Rockets, Fruit Salad Fruity Mix, Fruit Salad Squishy Sunburst, Fruit Salad Duo Combo, Flumps Jumbos, Flumps Originals and the Valentine’s special Flumps Hearts.
All redesigned packs now feature George the Jaguar, the brand’s new mascot, and range from £1 to £1.50.
PRODUCTS
New Irn-Bru flavours to land
SHYAMA LAXMAN
EXCLUSIVE
SOFT drinks manufacturer
AG Barr is to release two new Irn-Bru Zero �lavours –Ice Cream and Cherry.
The launch was �irst reported by Retail Express sister title Better Retailing. Both �lavours are available in 500ml and 2l price-marked bottles.
According to wholesale listings seen by Retail Express, the take-home format bottles offer stores 30% margin when sold at the £1.69 price-marked retail price. The 500ml bottles carry a £1.29 price-mark.
According to exclusive data in Retail Express’s sister title What to Stock, Irn-Bru
was a strong performer in Scotland in 2025, with the 500ml bottle proving four times as popular among shoppers compared to the rest of the UK.
AG Barr told Retail Express the Ice Cream �lavour will be released in April, followed by Cherry in May. This contradicts the wholesaler listings seen by Retail Express, according to which the 2l Irn-Bru Zero Ice Cream bottles should be available in stores now, with the 500ml Ice Cream version to follow at the beginning of March.
Nestlé adds fruity twist to brekkie
NESTLÉ Cereals has launched a Shredded Wheat variant called Raisin Wheats. Raisin Wheats is available to retailers at an RRP of £3.50 and joins the wider Shredded Wheat Fruit Wheats range, alongside Blueberry Wheats, Apricot Wheats and Red Berry Wheats. Incidentally, various Nestlé cereal lines – includ-
EXCLUSIVE
KP SNACKS has partnered with Now That’s What I Call Music on a new onpack promotion.
Shoppers can win thousands of prizes as part of the promotion, which runs until 10 May across £1.35 PMPs and £1.15 grab bags of Nik Naks, Skips, Discos, Wheat Crunchies, Space Raiders and Roysters. Shoppers must scan the QR code to �ind out if they’ve won.
Lost Lager and Cold Beer PMP launch
ing Nestlé Cheerios Honey and Nestlé Shreddies – made up the top 25 cereals sold in convenience in 2025, according to exclusive data in Retail Express’s sister title What to Stock.
LAUNCH
Soreen relaunches Lunchbox Loaves
SOREEN has relaunched its Lunchbox Loaves range with a new pack design that emphasises its high iron content. The relaunch is supported by a £2m advertising campaign across TV and on-demand, as well as digital media, social media activity
and shopper marketing. Last month, Soreen also partnered with lexicographer and broadcaster Susie Dent on the ‘Wordplay’ campaign. It includes the launch of limited-edition packs of Soreen Lunchbox Loaves, carrying Wordplay inserts to aid learning among children. LAUNCH
FOLLOWING the success of its price-marked four-pack launch last year, BrewDog is extending its PMP range with the introduction of Lost Lager and Cold Beer in fourpack pint cans.
Cold Beer (3.4% ABV) is price-marked at £5.49 for 4x568ml cans and available now. Meanwhile, Lost Lager (4.5% ABV) is price-marked at £7.25 for 4x568ml cans and will be available widely from March, after exclusive Booker availability until 3 March.
The four-pack pint can is the top format
for lager buyers in convenience, growing by 9.4%, with the format driving 25% of solo shoppers across lager within the channel, according to the supplier.
PML launches Iqos Iluma i range
PHILIP Morris Limited (PML) has launched Iqos Iluma i, the latest iteration of its Iqos heated tobacco brand.
Iqos Iluma i is available to convenience retailers via PMI Open, the supplier’s online trade platform. The device is
available in three variants: Iluma i, Iluma i Prime and Iluma i One. All three variants are compatible with Terea tobacco sticks and the newer Terea Pearls range.
‘Fight in Every Bite’ says Tony’s choc
TONY’S Chocolonely has launched its �irst-ever global TV campaign, ‘There’s Fight in Every Bite’, across Sky channels.
The campaign, running until 6 April, invites chocolate lovers, brands and retailers to join its �ight against exploitation in the cocoa industry. The commercial introduces two wrestlers Tony and
X-Ploitation battling it out, with X-Ploitation representing the dark side of the cocoa industry, such as child labour and deforestation. The commercial forms part of the brand’s biggest campaign, spanning TV, social, digital and PR.
ABSOLUT Vodka has partnered with Tabasco to launch a new spicy co-branded vodka with an ABV of 38%. Absolut Tabasco can be ordered from Amazon, where it is listed at an RRP of £23.50.
Cox&Co Cacao unveils Easter range
DARK chocolate brand
Cox&Co Cacao has launched a range of Easter eggs in different formats.
Aleppo Chilli & Cherry Easter Egg weighs 155g and is available at an RRP of £14. The range also includes two multipack options: Miso & Caramel Triple Pack and Bee Pollen & Honey Triple Pack. Both these variants weigh 60g and are available at an RRP of £18. The full range can be ordered from Amazon.
Nakd to launch Cherry Protein Bar
NAKD is expanding its range with the launch of a Protein Cherry Bar.
The non-HFSS bar will be available as a single 45g bar at an RRP of £1.38 and threebar multipack at an RRP of £3.30. The launch comes as
demand for functional health bars is at an all-time high according to Nielsen data. Meanwhile, Nakd is among the top 10 cereal bar brands in the UK, worth £40.8m and growing by 9.6% year on year, while its Protein range is up by 25% annually.
Fini unveils fruity new Mini Mochis
FINI has expanded its UK range with the launch of Mini Mochis in Fruits and Berries varieties. The new products are designed to help retailers tap into growing interest in Asian sweets and snacks. Online discussions around Asian sweet and savoury snacks are up by 9% year on year, while research shows 78% of UK shoppers now purchase Asianinspired bagged snacks.
Fini Mini Mochis are available from Unitas, Scotmid Coop and Spar at an RRP of £1.25.
Molson Coors revives Carling Black Label
Focus
ROOPIE GILL
Wattville Road Post Office, Handsworth, Birmingham
on… being resilient
BACK in 2015, I was wrongly convicted of false accounting and the in the Post O ce’s Horizon scandal, and I was removed from my role.
Fini has become the fastest-growing confectionery brand stocked by Parfetts, delivering 37% growth.
MOLSON Coors Beverage Company is adding to its Carling lager portfolio by bringing back Carling Black Label. Carling Black Label will be
available nationwide in the off-trade from 16 March in 4x568ml and 10x440ml pack formats. The lager has an ABV of 4.7%.
I found it di cult to face people, and in the a ermath, I also had to deal with the grief of my husband and mother passing away. I initially shut down, but over the years, I’ve learned to be strong for myself and for my kids.
Get cosy with McVitie’s and PG Tips
PLADIS is spotlighting its McVitie’s plain biscuits range in a limited-edition partnership with PG Tips tea.
Titled ‘Cosy Season Isn’t Over Yet’, the McVitie’s PG Tips partnership is rolling out across grocery and wholesale, running until mid-April. The partnership focuses on McVitie’s plain biscuit range – Digestives, Hobnobs and Rich Tea – which are consumed during
41.9% of tea breaks, according to McVitie’s. Chocolate lovers can also pick up a pack of McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives or Chocolate Hobnobs as part of the partnership.
Time to get Happi with pistachio egg
OAT milk chocolate brand Happi has launched Pistachio Crunch egg, in time for Easter.
I worked really hard to get my post o ce back – I did it for my dad, who always believed in me. Sadly, he didn’t get to see me reopen the post o ce last year, but I know he would be proud.
Since reopening six months ago, I’ve had no issues. I wasn’t sure I would get continued support from Post O ce, but it’s continued to be there for me.
I’ve added new services, including car tax and parcel services, and my customers have been brilliant. My new partner and children have been my rock. I nearly gave up, but I’m so glad I’m still here. This is not just a job for us, it’s our livelihood.
When faced with di cult situations, you have to stay strong and believe in yourself. I fought hard to get to where I am today. You must reach out to people to talk about it. You need support – it is out there.
To read more about Roopie’s story, go to bit.ly/4rqwKCz
other �lavours, including Plain M!lk, Salted Honeycomb and Cherry & Almond.
Pistachio Crunch Easter Egg is available via Amazon at an RRP of £15 for a 155g pack. It joins the brand’s
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MY STAR STAFF MEMBER
OPINION
RETAILER OPINION ON THIS FORTNIGHT’S HOT
TOPICS
What do you think? Call Retail Express on 020 7689 3357 for the chance to be featured
Rachel Young
My role in the shop: store assistant
How did you get involved with the store?
I’ve lived the area for 18 years and have known the owners, Ken and Kuldeep, through being a customer during this time. A member of sta had fallen ill and they asked if I wanted to ll in for her part-time.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
It’s more than just a shop for me – it’s like working with family and friends. Having been in the area for so long, I’ve gotten to know all the customers. I’ve seen them grow up, get married and some sadly pass away. It’s like EastEnders.
Do you have any memorable moments?
I visited a valued customer with Ken in hospital, who ended up passing away from cancer there. His girlfriend from Japan visited, and I made friends with her. We still talk to each other on a daily basis.
What are your regular duties?
It varies and I enjoy everything, whether it’s working on the tills or mopping the floors to make sure the store is clean. I’ve become an expert on so drinks from putting them into the chillers every day.
How involved are you with the community? We do all sorts of fun activities to get children and their families involved. For example, we had Actimel in to encourage nearby residents to be healthier and more active through football challenges.
This is what
community support
looks
RISING COSTS: How are they harming stores?
“SOMETHING needs to be done about rising costs over the next �ive years, which many retailers across the board are facing. There won’t be many of us left if there is nothing to prevent them. The other people who will lose out alongside retailers are the communities they serve.”
Nishi Patel, Londis Bexley Park, Kent
“CONVENIENCE stores are part of a community and add to their vibrancy. Rent rises and increases in rates, energy and cost of goods are making the landscape extremely challenging. We all must be mindful of what we want our high streets and communities to look like.”
Rent rises are making it a challenge
for retailers
ACCESSIBILITY: How are you contributing in your area?
“WE’RE collecting roller skates for Skate Rite, our local Blantyre group that helps people of all ages get on wheels. Any skates donated will be loaned out, helping make skating accessible for all. Every donation makes a difference. This is what community support looks like.”
“A CUSTOMER recently collapsed, but our quick-thinking team member, Denis, immediately left the till to help. He called an ambulance. I encourage retailers to do a risk proper assessment. Walk down your aisles and ask yourself: are there preventable hazards?”
Mo Razzaq, Premier Mo’s, Blantyre
Bisi Osundeko, Go Local Junction Lane, St Helens
NATIONAL LOTTERY: Were you surprised to win a £10,000 prize?
“I DIDN’T believe it when the National Lottery called, as I usually think it’s going to be bad news when the phone rings. It’s great news for us, as it means that the newer car we have been looking to buy can now become a reality.”
Dennis Forsyth, KeyStore Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway
Store owner: Ken Singh, BB Superstore, Love Lane
Want to recommend a star member of sta ? Call 020 7689 3358 or email alex.yau@newtrade.co.uk
like It encourages customers to add to their baskets
“THIS was a huge surprise because we never expected it. The money will make a big difference for our family. The National Lottery is really important to our shop, as it brings in loyal customers and increases our overall sales.”
Rajendrakumar Lad, Local 2U Staveley Stores, Keighley
The
money will make a big di erence
PARTY PRODUCTS: How are they generating sales?
“WE’VE started working with Riverside Greetings on a range of birthday badges, banners and party bags. The RRP is set by us and we generate around 40% margin. They’re a good way to encourage customers to boost spend. Customers who come in for general cards have usually picked them up.”
Kevin Polley, Kash Retail, Darlington
“ONE Stop provides a range which caters to different seasons, from birthday badges to cutlery and plates for picnics during the summer periods. They don’t boost sales considerably, but the category is de�initely important to have as it encourages customers to add to their basket.”
Priyesh Vekaria, One Stop Carlton Convenience, Salford
Vince Malone, Tenby Stores & Post Of�ice, Pembrokeshire
‘Rural shops need investment and support’
BEING Cornish is weird. Everyone thinks you’re a yokel, the whole county is rural (it’s not) and that we all sound ‘cakey’ (dumb). We perpetuate that because we love our identity. We want to protect it, want to be identi�ied as a protected minority and we love our way of life.
Being Cornish is a �ight
we �ight. From the days of 20,000 Cornishmen marching to London to today �ighting for infrastructure to maintain the growing population who chose our way of life.
The devastation of Storm Goretti and the lack of help we received proved that our peninsula, stuck out on a limb buffeted by the
COMMUNITY RETAILER OF THE WEEK
‘Helping to support safer schools’ Priyesh Vekaria, One Stop Carlton Convenience, Salford
“ON 14 February, we hosted a pre-launch event marking the beginning of our partnership with a nearby school and our commitment to supporting the ‘Walk the Premier League’ challenge. Peter Stewart, a headteacher in the area, walked 1,000 miles to raise awareness and funds for safe school communities, passing through all of England’s 20 Premier League stadiums. We helped donate items collected through a 60-second dash directly to pupils. Supporting Peter through a 60 Second Store Dash ensured he began this journey backed by his local community.”
storm, is essentially an island managed by a cash-poor unitary authority with little or no help now the European money has gone. My roots are entirely Cornish and banging the drum for the retention of the Cornish identity lies with those of us who respect the old ways, while accepting that we need investment and
modernisation.
Cornwall relies heavily on tourism, adapts well to seasonal pressures and has produced exceptional businesses which thrive on identity. Let’s not let wholesale takeovers happen with the trade-off being our identity.
Judith Smitham, The Old Dairy – Pydar Stores, Cornwall
Bashir, Go Local Fleet Stores, Middlesbrough
“AFTER what has felt like the longest ve days ever, we nally completed the refurbishment of our Go Local Fleet Stores, and we’re delighted with how it turned out. I wanted to give a huge shoutout to the Parfetts team who helped us. I also want to say a huge thank you to all of our fantastic suppliers who have supported us for the reopening and sent out a wide range of stock and amazing branded merch to make it extra special. This has allowed us to make more than 100 goodie bags, which I think our customers loved.”
CHRISTINE HOPE Hopes of Longtown, Hereford
Finding your store’s niche
WE have lots of niches and points of di erence in our shop, but we are always looking for more.
One of our points of di erence used to be our range of seeds and plants. We had a single organic supplier of plants, and we had a very good contract with them. It gave us a real unique selling point compared to all the other shops, garden centres and wholesalers in the area. They knew what they were doing and, as a result, we developed a good customer base for it.
But they have unfortunately now retired, and we cannot currently get hold of any organic items to replace them. Given the importance of the organic niche for our plants, we also don’t feel that we can just start selling standard seeds and plants because we would have to start competing with other places in the area, and there is one big player out there we simply can’t match – particularly on price.
But critically, they don’t sell compost. So, we’ve adapted our o er to make sure we are not just selling compost, but we also have special organic compost on o er as well to maintain that point of di erence. That’s been our thing, and so having organic, peat-free compost on o er ts with our overall store ethos and reputation. We had to go to a di erent wholesaler, but our old one vouched for us, and we’ve been able to set that up and nd a little niche for ourselves. We sell them at £12.99 a bag or three for £30.
Currently, we’re o ering four di erent types of compost – not all of them organic. But all of them have the date they were made put on the bag. Compost loses its nutritional value the longer it sits in the bag, so having the date on it lets people know how impactful each bag will be, and shows them we’re taking it seriously.
The hunt is on for a replacement supplier of other organic horticulture products, but for now, we’ve adapted and maintained our niche.
Each issue, one of seven top retailers shares advice to make your store magni cent
TAKING TOBACCO FORWARD
CHARLES WHITTING nds out what retailers are doing to make their tobacco work better for them
VALUE REMAINS THE KEY DRIVER
THE tobacco market remains important for independent retailers as both a high-value source of income and a key footfall driver.
However, with space behind the counter at an absolute premium, knowing what to stock – and what to leave out – is an ever-more important decision. Retailers and suppliers agree that, while preferences may di er depending on location,
value remains universally important.
“Price remains key as economic pressures continue to bite, meaning many customers are shopping around to nd products which give them an enjoyable smoking experience without hitting them too hard in the pocket,” says Andrew Malm, UK market manager for Imperial Brands. “Sales of value products continue to
burgeon, with the value sector now representing nearly 37% of the UK cigarette market, so there is a clear need to focus e orts there.”
Yogesh Patel, from Warwick Convenience Store, says his bestselling brand at present is Paramount cigarettes from Imperial, but adds that this is because the supplier is subsidising him to sell them at £1 less than the RRP.
“Everyone goes for price rather than the brand,” he says. “They come in and ask for the cheapest one and they’re not fussed what it is. We’re selling it for £12.50 and we get a 7% margin on that.
“It’s become a footfall driver because we now have that reputation for being cheaper than other stores, so people are aware of it now and come to us.”
STILL A PLACE FOR PREMIUM PRODUCTS
DEPENDING on customer demographics, there are still opportunities for retailers to boost sales value and, often, margin with a more premium o ering as well. By talking to customers, they can nd out which brands are most important to them and ensure they have good availability of them for the future.
“It is worth remembering that premium products can carry a higher margin than economy and value products, and will always retain a loyal group of smokers, so we would advise against removing these products from any store completely,” says Imperial’s Malm. “This is especially the case across roll-your-own
(RYO), where the premium price sector holds the largest share of the market at 37%.”
However, this tactic is not going to be appropriate in every store, so it is worth testing the waters before leaning too heavily into certain brands.
“There’s not much loyalty among our customers when it comes to tobacco,” says Patel.
RETAILER VIEW
Mandeep Khela, Spar Sandygate Road, She eld, South Yorkshire
“I’VE got two stores. One of them has a transient passing trade demographic, so we try to make more of a pro t o tobacco and put a mark-up on the RRPs. But my second store is in a more suburban area. So, in that one, we sell at the RRP.
“It’s an a luent area, so we sell Marlboro, Lambert Original and Embassy, rather than Sterling or Players. But we’re still selling less tobacco than we were.
“In the commuter store, we do well on Mayfair, Sterling and Amber Leaf, with a little bit of Marlboro from the Chinese students in the area.
“We keep a broad range, we want to give a full o ering so we can get repeat custom. We work with the suppliers – we’ve got a new gantry on order from BAT – and o en they’ll say if we can reduce the price by 30p, they’ll reimburse us the di erence.”
OCB
Republic Technologies has introduced OCB Authentic Real Rice Papers to appeal to the growing number of RYO consumers looking more closely at products with natural ingredients. Organic and chlorine-free, OCB Rice Papers are made from a blend of rice and organic hemp.
Swan lter tips
Republic Technologies has also recently launched Just Paper plastic-free Swan lter tips, which are similar to traditional cellulose acetate lters, but have a lower environmental impact. Featuring a ‘flip-a-tip’ design which dispenses loose, extra slim lters without the use of plastic rods, each box contains 120 lters, with 10 boxes per outer, with an RRP of £1.45 per consumer unit.
Product launches PRODUCT NEWS
CATEGORY ADVICE TOBACCO
BOOSTING MARGINS WITH ACCESSORIES
ACCORDING to Gavin Anderson, sales and marketing director at Republic Technologies, the tobacco accessories market is now worth more than £479m, with value sales of papers up 7.9% on last year as demand for RYO continues to grow.
“The combination of introducing more choice to longestablished products, including those brands of choice which RYO enthusiasts know
SUPPLIER VIEW
Prianka Jhingan, head of marketing, Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK
and trust, complemented by the launch of category-boosting new products which reflect changing consumer needs and aspirations, is proving to be a winning formula,” says Anderson.
Retailers agree that tobacco accessories bring in far higher margins, so it’s important to have a strong range that is effectively displayed to ensure that you are driving those incremental sales.
“I would say the cash and carries don’t give the best margin and you’re often better o going direct to the supplier or to smaller, local cash and carries for your accessory needs,” says Kiefer Shea-Godden, from Local Convenience Ltd in Newport, Gwent.
“They often have a full range of accessories at a competitive price and they’ll deliver it to your door if you send them a WhatsApp message.”
“OUR latest data shows the UK cigar market to be worth just over £328m in annual sales, which demonstrates value growth of 1.3% versus the same time last year. By far the largest segment within cigars is cigarillos (£157.4m of that total), followed by the miniature segment (£93.2m), the small segment (£52.2m) and the medium/large segment (£23.2m), with the rest (£2.2m) being made up of handmade cigar sales.
“There’s no doubt it’s cigarillos which are the current success story within cigars. This segment in the cigar category only really started six years ago with the arrival of these smaller, peppermintflavoured products, but sales are now worth £157.4m and they account for more than half of all cigars sold in volume terms.
“One way retailers can improve the margins on their tobacco sales is by stocking the more pro table tobacco items, such as cigars, which in general o er three-times-higher margins than those from cigarettes. Additionally, they can also consider their pricing, but much will depend on the location of the store.”
HOW TO MAKE TOBACCO WORK FOR YOUR STORE
TOBACCO is a high-value, low-margin product, but this means that if retailers can sell decent volumes of it, they will still end up with handy pro ts at the end of the week. But keeping large quantities of high-value items in store is no longer what Patel advises retailers do.
“Gone are the days when you’d stock up on cigarettes if there’d been a price increase,” he says. “Our overall range
has diminished, as people give up brands they might have been loyal to in the past, and just look for the cheaper options. As a result, we don’t hold as much as we used to. That has freed up a couple of thousand pounds a week from our cashflow.”
Arneet Thakker, from Woking Wines in Surrey, agrees, stating that tobacco is, rst and foremost, a footfall driver for his store.
“It’s about having the cheapest and making sure that people know that’s the case so they come to you,” he says. “We’re looking at 5% margins on some of our tobacco, but I see it 100% as a footfall driver, so we’d rather get them in with us and then hopefully they’ll keep coming back and use our parcel services or buy a co ee. Imperial has been very good with support schemes to keep our prices low.”
A new enforcement approach between National Trading Standards (NTS), local authority Trading Standards, Scottish Trading Standards Services and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has led to more than £1.4m in civil penalties being issued to retailers and individuals involved in the sale of illicit tobacco.
The £1m milestone, reached in late November 2025, had risen to £1.4m by early January 2026. It comes as enforcement activity against illegal sellers continues to grow, with the strengthened partnership between NTS and HMRC speeding up investigations and delivering tougher sanctions for those supplying or selling illegal tobacco products.
The stronger powers enable local authority Trading Standards o cers to make direct referrals to HMRC. HMRC can then investigate and issue civil sanctions, including penalties of up to £10,000. A survey by Fresh (Making Smoking History), a regional programme for tobacco control, of nearly 3,000 north-east adults has found that the frequency of illegal tobacco use has dropped. The survey shows that the proportion of people who sometimes or often buy illegal tobacco is still around one in ve smokers – but smokers who buy it were not buying it as often.
Fight against illicit tobacco gains ground FIGHTING CRIME
PRICE-MARKED PACKS
THE IMPORTANCE OF PMP S
Retailers unveil the reasons why they stock PMPs. TAMARA BIRCH reports
WHICH CATEGORIES WORK AS PMPS?
Price-marked packs (PMP) are important as they o er consumers guaranteed and consistent pricing. In a world where the market is driven by value, many retailers say it’s vital to include them in your range.
“We o er PMPs throughout the entire store, and they are truly ingrained in customers’
brains,” says Goran Raven, of Raven’s Budgens in Abridge, Essex. “Customers want to know what they’re looking at, they want transparency, and with PMPs, they know it’s manufacturers setting the pricing.”
Gail Watling, of Tidings Newsagents in Norfolk, echoes this and adds: “If it’s available as a PMP, we’ll stock it as it
helps communicate value.”
Although Watling chooses PMPs, she says the main exception is seasonal goods, such as teddy bears.
“We are a seasonal goods store and customers will typically pay more for lines like fudge, biscuits, teddies and boxed chocolates,” she says. “But we have to keep the lo-
cals interested and PMPs help with this.”
Confectionery, soft drinks, and crisps and snacks are the strongest performers, says Cheryl Hope, trading director at Parfetts. She adds that even own-label lines deliver a consistent rate of sale across convenience categories and o er strong pro ts on return (PoR).
HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR MARGINS
THE challenge with PMPs is that they are not always the best course of action for retailers, especially as many tend to o er lower margins, on average. If you’re worried about this, Raven recommends doing your research.
“We look at margins and if you play around, you can get better margins on PMPs,” he says. “For example, Booker has a 250ml Red Bull can for £2 non-PMP and o ers 37% margin, whereas the £1.75 PMP
format o ers 36.6% margin.
“Sometimes you need to look at PoR and see if the product will drive volume. Cash flow is king, so look at volume sales.”
Watling also follows the volume sales ethos, adding that if you sell 20 PMPs over 10 nonPMPs, you’re making more as a result.
“It also helps shoppers come back to us, which is what we want, and that’s how we’ve grown as a result,” she says.
Priyesh Vekaria, of One Stop Carlton Convenience in Greater Manchester, recommends looking for alternative routes to show “genuine value” and o er retailers more flexibility for promotions.
“Prices for PMPs and nonPMPs are similar now, but there’s fewer mechanics available if you stock PMPs,” he says. “With non-PMPs, you have more room to play with promotions, or you can have it in meal deals, etc. There’s a lot
more engagement opportunities with non-PMPs.”
Other ways to showcase value – aside from PMPs – are multipacks, or small or midsized packs.
“This ensures retailers are catering to all occasions,” says Alexander Wilson, category & commercial strategy director at Heineken UK. “In alcohol, for example, all pack formats in beer and cider experience a massive jump in sales during peak seasons.”
SUPPLIER VIEW
Alexander Wilson, category & commercial strategy director, Heineken UK
“PMPs are an invaluable tool for helping increase beer and cider sales in the independent and convenience channel, providing a point of di erence from supermarkets. In the convenience channel, beer and cider PMPs are worth approximately £376.1m, accounting for 48.7% of the value sales in the total category.
“On the whole, this does vary by brand, but if you look at PMPs of smaller packs of beer and cider in the impulse channel, 51.2% of value sales come from standard packs, versus 48.7% being price-marked. The bestselling Heineken UK PMPs are Cruzcampo (4x568ml), Foster’s (4x568ml), Strongbow Original (4x440ml) and Inch’s Medium Apple (4x440ml).”
RANGING AND MERCHANDISING PMPS
PMPS are becoming prevalent, but the key is merchandising them e ectively.
Watling makes sure that all of her PMPs are merchandised together, and if she’s unable to source them, she’ll replace them with non-PMPs.
“PMPs are our preference, but we will use non-PMPs if needed,” she says. “However, if we get a case of PMPs later, we’ll remove the non-PMPs
SUPPLIER VIEW
Lauren George, external communications manager, Mars Wrigley
and store them until they’re needed.”
Raven also merchandises his PMP range together to avoid confusing his customers.
“If you have baked beans in both PMP and non-PMP, you’d have them together. There’s no point separating them because you’ll confuse sta and customers, and possibly lose a sale, too,” he says. This ethos is further backed
by a spokesperson for World of Sweets: “PMPs perform best when merchandised within the category, clearly highlighted with PoS and value messaging. This allows shoppers to compare options while still recognising the value bene t.”
They also recommend considering secondary siting near tills, aisle ends or high-tra c areas, which can be just as e ective.
“PMPs drive impulse purchases, which are o en fuelled by visual cues and emotional responses, rather than logical decision-making. To capitalise on these opportunities, retailers should place price-marked confectionery at key impulse zones, such as at the end of aisles in eye-level displays. They should also capture shoppers’ attention in otherwise redundant areas of the store using creative PoS such as shippers and freestanding display units.
“Finally, consider cross-category purchases. For example, bigger-bag sharing options naturally suit the big-night-in occasion, so situating a sharing PMP chocolate or sweet display near beverages will drive purchases.”
LATEST Launches
New price-marked lines
Walkers launches 85p PMP core line range PepsiCo launched 85p Walkers PMPs across its core impulse range on 16 February. The range joins the brand’s existing £1.35 PMP range and will be available in 32.5g packs across Ready Salted, Salt & Vinegar and Cheese & Onion varieties.
Nestle’s Aero Bubbles Caramel Nestle Confectionery has expanded its Aero Bubbles range with a Caramel flavour, featuring a milk chocolate and caramel flavour shell. It is available now in an 80g bag with a £1.65 price-mark. It joins Aero Bubbles Peppermint and marks the latest in a series of launches from Nestle at the start of 2026 across its KitKat, Rowntree’s and Munchies brands.
Coca-Cola Cherry Float
The new Coca-Cola flavour is available with and without sugar. Coca-Cola Cherry Float comes in a 500ml £1.79 PMP, while its Zero Sugar variant is available in a 500ml £1.40 PMP and a 2l £2.29 PMP. The flavour is inspired by the nostalgic taste of classic soda floats and joins the brand’s Diet Coke Cherry, Coca-Cola Cherry and Coca-Cola Cherry Zero Sugar.
Maltesers White Chocolate
Maltesers White Chocolate was relaunched last year in direct response to consumer demand and catered to the rising popularity of white chocolate, as well as shoppers’ desire for nostalgic products. The product is available in a treat size 54g PMP.
HOT & COLD COFFEE TO GO
SELLING COFFEE TO GO
On-the-go co ee is becoming big business, with hot and cold options both in increasing demand. ANNE BRUCE nds out more
POSITION IS EVERYTHING
THE UK out-of-home co ee market continues to grow, now valued at £8.36bn – a 6.1% increase on the past year.
With iced co ee reaching a market value of £357m out of home, 55% of consumers have purchased an RTD co ee in the past year, jumping to 80% among 25-to-34-year-olds.
In a convenience store, everything should be done to encourage the customer to grab a quick co ee. Grabbing the customer’s attention with highly visible co ee options –both hot and cold – maximises impulse purchases and sets the scene for add-on sales.
As soon as a customer comes into a store, they should see
co ee, and something to go with it, too, says retailer Bhavik Odedra, of Welford Road
One Stop in Leicester.
“If you walk into my store, the co ee machine is the rst machine on the left,” he says. “I have a vending station there. We have croissants right beside the machine as well and flapjacks – all the things you can combine with co ee.”
If not placed by the entrance, Colm Johnson, Booker’s retail managing director, says co ee machines should be in high-footfall locations or alongside bakery and foodto-go areas to ensure they become part of the shopper’s
natural journey through the store, reinforcing co ee as a convenient purchase rather than a considered one. Similar rules apply to cold co ee.
“Clear pricing, clean xtures and strong signage are key,” he says. “Linking cold co ee to bakery items, breakfast products or lunch missions helps drive incremental spend and increases basket value.”
Refrigerated single-serve cans or bottles should sit alongside other soft drinks options in meal deal mechanics, while ambient multipacks of cans or bottles work well positioned next to larger multiserve bottles and multipacks.
MORNINGS MATTER MOST
MORNING is when demand for co ee peaks, and retailers need to be ready early to maximise sales.
Odedra sees both his hot and cold co ee sales peak before midday, with up to 20-30 cups of hot co ee sold in the
morning. Even though mealdeal co ee sales continue throughout the afternoon, the early rush is the biggest opportunity.
Mandeep Singh, from Singh’s Premier in She eld, says 80% of his hot co ee sales
take place before noon, so the machine must be ready to go as soon as the doors open.
However, while the morning window is key for hot drinks, cold co ee performs steadily all day, so needs to be kept topped up consistently.
CATEGORY ADVICE
HOT & COLD COFFEE TO GO
A WINNING COLD COFFEE RANGE
STRONG brands, a varied flavour range and limitededition launches help inject excitement into the cold co ee range and drive incremental sales.
Customers look for familiar and trusted names in cold co ee, with brands such as Starbucks, Costa and Hell iced co ee performing strongly, according to retailers.
O ering multiple flavours within those brands
– around ve variants – is a better strategy than carrying weaker lines.
“You have to keep the Starbucks Mocha, the Creamy and the Caramel option. There’s a customer for each one, but Creamy is my biggest seller,” says Singh.
Seasonal and limitededition items, such as maple syrup in autumn and Christmas specials, can spike sales.
Odedra says a limited edition might bring in an extra £50£100 a week on just one line.
“If I see something I think will be appealing, I will denitely bring it in,” he says.
Retailers should also think beyond traditional iced coffee and o er a mix of readyto-drink formats alongside freshly prepared options.
“Chilled lattes, flavoured iced co ees and milk-based drinks appeal strongly to younger shoppers, particularly when combined with seasonal flavours and plantbased alternatives,” says Booker’s Johnson.
FUELLING SALES WITH COFFEE
A STRONG loyalty scheme for hot co ee can signicantly boost repeat visits and basket size.
Odedra o ers a loyalty scheme where every ninth coffee is free. The scheme helps
drive repeat and add-on purchases in his shop as well.
Hot co ee is sold alongside croissants and flapjacks, and included in the One Stop meal deal at £4 (for a regular or a large co ee).
“Some people trade up to a meal deal when coming in just to buy co ee. It helps keep trade constant through the day,” he adds.
With almost 55% of consumers saying they use a loyalty
scheme when buying co ee, the appeal of loyalty cards and apps shouldn’t be overlooked, says Richard Milner, category and insight manager at private label co ee roaster Lincoln & York.
SUPPLIER VIEWS
Colm
Johnson,
retail managing director, Booker
“TO boost your co ee sales, rst prioritise visibility and simplicity – customers should instantly see and understand the o er.
“Second, focus on quality and cleanliness, as these heavily influence repeat purchase. Third, treat co ee as part of a wider food-to-go destination rather than a standalone product.”
Stuart Wilson, founder, Lost Sheep Co ee
“MY number-one prediction for 2026 is the premiumisation of iced co ee. With the RTD sector no longer in its infancy, we’re seeing a shi away from high-street brands towards challenger brands o ering high-quality co ee with greater traceability, more functional bene ts and less sugar.
“With Gen Z fuelling growth in RTD co ee, ensuring your RTD range ticks the boxes for both visual appeal and quality is key. These consumers are looking for Instagram-ready products. Packaging needs strong shelf standout and to be aesthetically appealing.”
Richard Milner, category and insight manager, Lincoln & York
“RTD co ees come in a broad range of flavours, with vanilla and chocolate currently the fastest growing. With the popularity of alternative milks also on the rise, stocking options such as oat or almond milk co ees is also key.”
CHOOSE THE RIGHT HOT COFFEE MACHINE
RETAILERS must weigh up their priorities on cost, footprint, terms and conditions, and maintenance support when choosing a hot co ee machine, but taste is crucial in driving repeat business.
Odedra replaced his Costa machine with a Tchibo-branded model, with positive customer feedback on the taste.
The switch works operationally, too: Tchibo reps visit routinely to clean and service
the machine, supplies arrive next day and all stock is included in a xed-fee subscription model.
“I’d seen the Tchibo machine perform really well in my other store, and customers told me it actually tasted better than Costa. It was cheaper, too, so switching over was a no-brainer,” he says.
Sudesh Patel, of Londis Coulsdon in south London, is replacing his Jack’s Beans
Co ee Company machine with a Lavazza in his re t from this month.
“This is part of the re t; the Jack’s machine is good co ee, but it is quite tall, whereas Lavazza is a tabletop, so you can move it about if needed.”
Singh has invested in a UCC bean-to-cup co ee machine, as he says it brews a superior-tasting product that brings customers back again and again.
RETAILER VIEW
Mandeep Singh, Singh’s Premier Teynham Road, She eld
“WE have a loyalty scheme where we sell co ee for £1.50, but only charge £1 for those using our ownbranded reusable co ee mugs. We sell 220-250 co ees a day, with a margin of 22% even at a price point of £1.
“Customers don’t just buy a co ee. The average basket size of those buying a hot co ee is around £7, as they usually pick up additional items such as a chocolate bar or a so drink. These customers also come in regularly – ve or six days a week – drawn by our co ee o er.
“We hand out the mugs, which have an advert on the side for the store, free to returning customers.
“In the morning, if you have an energy drink on at a good price and a co ee on a good price, probably 70% of the morning customers are going to come to your store over any other store. You are getting the morning worker, ve or six days a week.”
COLD COFFEE POTENTIAL
COLD co ee is a growing category, with many convenience retailers expanding their o erings.
Odedra is excited about the potential of cold co ee, which particularly appeals to his student customer base. He started stocking it around eight months ago and now sells more than 60 cans or bottles a day across its range. “It has done really well,” he says. “I can see cold co ee growing massively. We will see where it takes us. Currently, co ee accounts for 15% of turnover,
with cold co ee around 6-7%.”
Patel sees cold co ee as a big sales opportunity for the future. A major store ret is currently underway; he is extending his refrigerated space, with a metre added for cold co ee. He will double his range from seven lines to 15, adding speciality products with alternative milks such as Alpro with soya and di erent flavours of cold co ee.
“At the moment, we know the demand is there. It is a growing market, but we do not have the space,” he says.
ADVICE
PROMOTIONS THAT WORK
CHARLES
WHITTING nds out what kinds of promotions have been driving sales and footfall in retailers’ stores
Neel Pudaruth, Lighters Newsagents, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex
“WHEN we �irst took the shop over, it didn’t sell any vapes and didn’t have that association or reputation among customers. So, I started out with some big vape deals – three Lost Mary 600s for £10. They were outrageous and helped us gather some momentum. After that, I pushed it back to two for £10, which was enough to retain the customers. It was about making a splash with the category as a whole.
“But you have to take a bespoke approach to promotions because each category is different. What matters is getting people’s eyes to light up. It needs to be something they are talking about when they walk out the door. Every time I’ve done a deal that’s looked stupid, people are telling their friends all about it and they’re bringing them in. It’s better to lose some money now than later. It’s about building that emotion and momentum around your store.”
2
Gav Singh, Charlie’s Convenience, Worcester
Stilyana Trifonova, Frome Valley Store, Bristol 3
“IN my �irst site, where we sell a lot of groceries, we don’t do many promotions, except for when we can get a good deal on beers, such as Foster’s. Then we’ll put on a ‘star’ price for them. I get PoS and promotion packs coming in from Booker and so I’ll look through those, pick out the ones I think are going to work and then stick them up in the windows.
“In the other store, we do my own promotions in conjunction with the suppliers. For example, at Christmas last year, CocaCola sent lots of PoS and Santa hats, so when people were buying a big bottle of Coca-Cola, we’d give them a free Santa hat. It worked really well and people really got into it. The hats came in three weeks before Christmas and were given away on a �irst-come, �irst-served basis. I get emails from MyCCEP, which has forms you can �ill in to participate in things like this. It’s de�initely worth doing.”
“AT the moment, we’re focused on working with Nisa and Booker so we can bring in their promotions. We’ve had some good success selling Nisa frozen meals on promotion.
“We’re also working with lots of independent suppliers, and we’ve been able to introduce a lot of Australian and US products, but we’ve also recently created a special corner in our store which has lots of frozen halal products for our Muslim customers. The majority of our customer demographic likes halal, so it’s been a great success. We have two big freezers and we’ve been running promotions such as four for £10.
“We’ve been working on pushing promotions on our Facebook page and very soon we will have our own shop website where we can upload deals and promotions. We’ve also started doing lea�let drops from Shop Locally in partnership with Booker.”
In the next issue, the Retail Express team nds out how retailers are connecting and working with local suppliers. If you have any problems you’d like us to explore, please email
We do very few promotions in our store to keep them impactful, but what’s working for other retailers? – Conrad Davies, Spar Dolgellau, Gwynedd
