Retail Express - 14 June 2022

SOFT DRINKS

The major events and lifestyle trends to boost your sales CATEGORY ADVICE SOFT DRINKS

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WHAT’S TRENDING IN ?

SOFT DRINKS g of the fastest-movinpast Soft drinks is one changed in the categories, so what’s A BIRCH finds out 12 months? TAMAR

14-27 JUNE 2022 STRICTLY FOR TRADE USERS ONLY

CATEGORY OVERVIEW

Matt Gouldsmith, channel number-one says at Suntory Schweppes, the director, wholesale independents to focus mixer brand in convenience,” GB&I (SBF Beverage & Food £182m in nity for in the next 12 SOFT drinks added says Burgess. chan- on soft drinks sales. is the GB&I). habit will and drive sales to the convenience A further opportunity The ‘shop local’ the category months Burgess, senior trade events adopt nel in 2021, with Amy multitude of sporting continue, as shoppers according ons manager at now worth £2.48bn, this year, including a hybrid working approach. soft drinks communicatiEuropacific (CCEP) happening Championfor instant to Britvic’s latest re- Women’s European also up 11% Coca-Cola lth They’re buying review. Sales are more, as well as and the Commonwea recommends independent ships versus consumption 8% well top-selling on 2021 and up in the summer, as dwell time. It is, tailers focus on on leading Games Men’s Football World having more to have 2019 figures. as the soft brands. “Focus therefore, important Within this, sparkling in brands such as Coca-Cola, Cup later in the year. variety of on-the-go £737m segment a wider continues to drive formats to drinks are worth “Sports drinks as a by coffee is which options and larger in convenience, led convenience, chilled even more popular cater for these missions. Juice, growth prove will more fastthe summer are also worth £228m, energyavoured Coca-Cola zero sugar, the fl Fan- as we approach sporting oc- cordials and water mission. than £1.4bn and increase est-growing cola in retail, and these for the breakfast an avoured months increase,” ideal milk worth £496m, the number one fl casions and events to last year. ta, brand in GB, and of 26% compared opportu- carbonates This provides a huge

As the cost-of-living crisis fuels a new wave of dodgy illicit tobacco sellers, retailers and experts warn…

‘DON’T GET CAUGHT OUT’

RETAILER CRITICISM

PAYPOINT

STORE ADVICE

F’real’s latest recruitment drive slammed by retailers ditched by milkshake supplier

EPoS company pledges not to impose any further service fee increases

Retailers share what they are doing to meet changing shopping habits

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BACK PAGE

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our say

Alex Yau, acting editor

The problem of illicit tobacco hasn’t been solved THIS issue marks exactly a year since Retail Express launched its Stubbing Out Illicit campaign. Over the course of the last 12 months, we’ve continuously fought hard to clamp down on the illicit sellers who are harming the businesses of honest retailers like yourselves.

Although we’ve seen some positive results from our previous campaigning, the problem is far from over. Our work remains only one part of a larger battle.

This issue’s cover story features a stark warning from the local government that the cost-of-living crisis is helping to fuel a new wave of illicit tobacco, with dodgy tobacco sellers looking to exploit those who are living on tighter incomes.

Not only is the crisis affecting your cost of goods, utility prices and footfall, but it could also now potentially have a detrimental effect on your cigarette sales.

The Tobacco Manufacturers’ THE LIVING CRISIS Association director Rupert Lewis warns retailers to stay COULD FUEL A vigilant.

NEW WAVE OF Research from the trade body’s annual anti-illicit trade ILLICIT TOBACCO survey released last month revealed that at least 44% of the public claimed higher prices tempted them to buy illicit tobacco.

Worryingly, Lewis said this figure was only a conservative estimate and warned the real figure could be much higher.

Retailers and trade bodies provide advice on the next page on what you can do to stay one step ahead.

As a title that has your interests at heart, Retail Express is not going to stop here in the fight back against the scourge of the illicit trade. @retailexpress betterRetailing.com facebook.com/betterRetailing Acting editor Alex Yau @AlexYau_ 020 7689 3358

Editor – news Megan Humphrey @MeganHumphrey 020 7689 3357

Features writer Jasper Hart 020 7689 3384 @JasperAHHart

News reporter Noemi Distefano @NoemiDistefano_ 07597 588955 Deputy insight & advertorial editor Tamara Birch @TamaraBirchNT 020 7689 3361

Features editor Charles Whitting @CharlieWhittin1 020 7689 3350 Senior features writer Priyanka Jethwa @PriyankaJethwa_ 020 7689 3355

Editor in chief Louise Banham @LouiseBanham

Production editor Ryan Cooper 020 7689 3354

Production coordinator Chris Gardner 020 7689 3368

Account manager Marie Dickens 020 7689 3366

Sub editor Jim Findlay 020 7689 3373

Head of marketing Kate Daw 020 7689 3363

Sub editor Robin Jarossi

Senior account director Charlotte Jesson 020 7689 3389

Management accountant Abigayle Sylvane 020 7689 3383

Head of design Anne-Claire Pickard 020 7689 3391 Designer Jody Cooke 020 7689 3380

Head of commercial Natalie Reeve 020 7689 3372

Managing director Parin Gohil 020 7689 3388 Head of digital Luthfa Begum 07909 254 949

Business delivery manager Ifzal Afzal 020 7689 3382

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The five biggest stories this fortnight 01

F’real recruitment drive slammed by store owners ALEX YAU

MILKSHAKE supplier F’real has been criticised for its latest recruitment drive, just months after stripping machines from underperforming stores.

In April, the company was spotted by retailers at the National Convenience Show in Birmingham looking for new stores to install its ma-

02

chines. In January, F’real de- have tried to reach those tarcided to remove machines gets. We could have negotifrom retailers on its free-on- ated a deal or worked together.

“I don’t understand why loan model who failed to sell they are trying to recruit new 10 cups per day.

Criticising the decision, retailers. I invested in a table Hitesh Modi, of Londis Chesh- and altered my shop layout – am, told Retail Express: “I re- these were all my costs – but ceived a letter to say I was not now the machine has gone. meeting my target but there I’m not happy about it.”

Responding to the criticism, was no offer of support to help me achieve my target. If they a F’real spokesperson said: had engaged with us we could “As we detailed with Retail Express in January, we continue

Tobacco warnings

LEGITIMATE tobacco products could give a “warning” message under track-andtrace (T&T) when scanned at cash and carries.

From 1 July, Dentsu will replace De La Rue as the operator of a new database under the anti-illicit legisla-

tion. HMRC said legitimate products scanned during the transition process will generate “return warnings rather than errors”. However, these warnings do not prevent the movement or sale of legitimate stock, alert messages must still be reported.

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Asda Wholesale

It also suggested the sucASDA is recruiting for the launch of a new convenience cessful applicant will be responsible for 60 people. and wholesale division.

Wholesale expert, David In a job advertisement for a senior director role, the Gilroy, told Retail Express supermarket stated con- the move is likely to be good venience and wholesale is a news for retailers as it will be “new channel” set to ful�il its “very competitive in wholesale pricing”. “growth ambitions”.

For the full story, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘F’real’

Morrisons McColl’s

THE Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into the deal between Morrisons and McColl’s amid fears the recent merger could affect competition.

Morrisons acquired McColl’s for £190m in May

For the full story, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘tobacco’

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to actively encourage store owners who feel their store would make a great F’real outlet to apply for a blender, as we will be growing overall blender numbers this year.

“We continually benchmark all stores throughout the course of the year, making the necessary adjustments for seasonality.”

following the convenience chain collapse which had put 1,160 stores and 16,000 jobs at risk.

The regulator has now issued initial enforcement which means both companies will continue to trade individually.

For the full story, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘Morrisons’

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Food price hikes

A REPORT by the Of�ice for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the price of 30 everyday staple grocery items rose by 7% in the past year.

For 13 of the 30 sampled items monitored from supermarkets, the average lowest price increased by

6.7% in the 12 months to April 2022.

The largest price rises were for meat, poultry, vegetable oil and crisps with prices in�lated by up to 32p.

The news comes as in�lation hits its highest level in three decades at 6.2%.

Audit Bureau of Circulations July 2020 to June 2021 average net circulation per issue

Retail Express’ publisher, Newtrade Media, cares about the environment.

Reproduction or transmission in part or whole of any item from Retail Express may only be undertaken with the prior written agreement of the Editor. Contributions are welcome and are included in part or whole at the sole discretion of the editor.

Newtrade Media Limited accepts no responsibility for submitted material. Every possible care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information. No warranty for goods or services described is implied.

For the full story, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘Asda’

For the full story, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘food price’

@retailexpress facebook.com/betterRetailing

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

Illicit tobacco spike fuelled by cost-of-living crisis ALEX YAU THE cost-of-living crisis could fuel a surge in the illicit tobacco market, retailers and trade bodies have warned.

In a report released last month, the Local Government Association (LGA), which represents 350 councils across England and Wales, claimed smokers on tighter incomes were at risk of rogue traders taking advantage of them. The exploitation would add to the growing list of pressures faced by retailers as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.

Nesil Caliskan, chair of the LGA’s Safer Stronger Communities Board, said: “Quitting smoking is the single most impactful thing a person can do to improve their health, and while considerable progress has been made in reducing the number of smokers, there is an increasing risk that the sale of illicit tobacco will undo the progress already made.

“Councils are a key player in supporting the government’s ambition of eliminating smoking in England by 2030, through their tobacco control and other public health and support services, however it is vital this review provides certainty over longterm funding.”

Initial signs of an increase have already been spotted by independent retailers.

Ken Singh, of BB Nevison Superstore in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, told Retail Express: “I’ve noticed more customers come in asking for ‘cheaper’ cigarettes, which is usually code for illicit tobacco. Some of them also ask for brands I’ve not heard of. We’ve been here for 40 years, but we’d never want to fuel the illicit trade as we know it’s wrong and also harms the businesses of honest retailers. I know of a couple of stores nearby who do.

“A lot of them are �inding it harder because their essential spending has increased. My advice for my fellow retailers is don’t get caught out by selling illicit tobacco. Inform customers about the impact if they ask for dodgy cigarettes. If you’re aware of any stores nearby who are selling dodgy tobacco, you can report them to trading standards anonymously.”

Sam Coldbeck, of Premier Wharfedale in Hull, also stressed the importance of striking up a relationship with local trading standards of�icers. “It’s communication and it comes down having a relationship with the of�icer,” she said.

“People who have price pressures will seek cheaper prices elsewhere and this is constantly in the back of my mind. You’ve always got to be on the lookout and give information where you can.

“We advertise our

express yourself “Actually, it’s got a lot better for us. A month-or-so ago we had availability problems on a variety of key lines of fresh produce such as cucumbers and tomatoes. We didn’t know the reason, but we were always sent replacements, like cherry tomatoes, so it all worked out.

Other than the odd line such as Carters soda waters and tonic waters that we’ve had a few out-of-stocks on, we’ve been pretty much okay.”

Vip Measuria, One Stop, The Prior Way

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GOOD WEEK SELECT & SAVE: Symbol group Select & Save has expanded outside of England into Wales with the introduction of seven new stores.

Previously, the company’s majority of stores were concentrated around the Midlands, but the company’s managing director, Andrew King, said word-of-mouth has accelerated the expansion.

“Suddenly we get a recommendation and suddenly here we are seven stores later,” he added ALCOHOL: Bestway is to extend its trial of digital age verification for tobacco and alcohol purchases.

The wholesaler partnered with facial recognition firm Innovative Technology (ITL) for the trial in three stores in Leeds earlier this year, and is to extend the partnership to more Bargain Booze sites.

For the full story, go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘Bestway’

BAD WEEK

Nearly half of smokers were tempted by illicit tobacco due to higher costs

cheapest tobacco as that’s what people will go for.

There’s no brand loyalty.”

Findings of a survey by the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association (TMA) released last month revealed that at least 44% of consumers were tempted by purchasing illicit tobacco from illegitimate sources due to high prices.

The trade body’s director, Rupert Lewis, warned this was a conservative estimate, “with the real �igure being much higher.”

“The government’s

the column where you can make your voice heard

choice to repeatedly raise taxes on legitimate tobacco products is resulting in more consumers being driven towards buying illegal unregulated tobacco, which is having a devasting impact on legitimate retailers, especially small independent retailers.”

Imperial Tobacco antiillicit trade manager James Hall also warned of an increase in illicit tobacco.

“Given the reopening of international borders and increasing demand for foreign travel, combined

with the rising cost of living squeezing households nationwide, it’s likely that there will be an increase in illicit tobacco trade in the UK moving forward,” he said. “With this in mind, it’s crucial that retailers and their staff remain vigilant and take action by reporting any suspected illicit activity in their area.”

Philip Morris UK&I head of �ield force Cem Uzandal added: “It’s clear smokers are facing tough choices in their spending and could feel driven towards illicit cigarettes.”

FUNDING: Retailers under pressure from rising costs were dealt a blow following chancellor Rishi Sunak’s announcement of support to UK households. Help to businesses went unmentioned in a raft of measures that included a £400 payment to all UK households this autumn to mitigate rising fuel costs. It came during a week when leading industry figures have called on the government for urgent intervention.

GOVERNMENT: The government has come under fire after it launched a consultation over proposals to revert from Britain’s metric system to imperial units. Premier retailer Shahid Razzaq said: “This is a needless exercise. The government should be more worried about the local shops closing down due to rising energy, staff and fuel costs.” The review will last three months. An online petition has been formed to stop the decision.

Are product shortages on key lines becoming more severe?

“Over the last month-and-a-half there have been lots of out-of-stocks. It’s definitely got worse for me. I have three suppliers and I get around 75% of my delivery now. Lines particularly affected are Pedigree pet food and household items such as Flash antibacterial wipes.

These are really good sellers for me. I cannot find these in the cash and carry either. I don’t know the reason, but I think it’s connected to the prices soaring.”

Rana Ali, Spar Errol, Perth

“I can honestly say that compared to the availability problems we experienced during the pandemic there is nothing out-of-the ordinary that’s causing us huge issues. Perhaps being a Londis, we are a bit more shielded than some of the smaller symbol groups. We’re in a state of change on some own brands coming through, but on key lines I would say it’s no different to normal and nothing that’s causing me huge hardship.”

Dave Hiscutt, Londis Westham Road, Weymouth

Do you have an issue to discuss with other retailers? Call 020 7689 3358 or email alex.yau@newtrade.co.uk

Dave Hiscutt

NEWS

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PayPoint service charges frozen ALEX YAU

PAYPOINT has promised not to impose any hikes on service charges until April, as it reveals plans to put “convenience retailers at the heart of its strategy”.

In April, the service provider was criticised by retailers after its weekly service fee was increased by 3.9% as part of an annual review. Defending its decision, PayPoint

said the charge was capped at half the rate of the retail price index, “in recognition of challenges faced by stores.”

Speaking to Retail Express following the release of its trading �igures for the year ending 31 March, PayPoint chief executive Nick Wiles promised retailers would not see any further increases. “We want retailers to earn more commission through us and we’re sensitive to the costs

faced by retailers and we want to engage them,” he said.

“I don’t see any further increases. We review it annually and there’s no intention to look at it again until it’s appropriate in a year’s time.”

Elsewhere, PayPoint revealed its estate of independent convenience stores had risen annually from 17,462 to 18,100. Commenting on the rise, Wiles added: “We have a committed sales team

who are engaged with retailers and roam the convenience sector consistently.

“The growth within independent convenience is 3.8%.

If we grow at a similar rate of 2.5% to 4% each year, that’s good and re�lects the quality of our network.”

Wiles also identi�ied opportunities for stores in home delivery and digital voucher services amid the cost-of-living crisis.

For the full story go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘PayPoint’

Delivery competition SYMBOL groups are teaming up with home delivery companies to help their retailers tackle the challenges posed by rapid delivery startups.

Recently, Go Local’s operator, Parfetts, expanded its portfolio of partners by joining with Just Eat, adding to

High fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) legislation is coming*, and we are here to help

its partnership with Snappy Shopper. One Stop is also aiming to expand its Uber Eats partnership to 500 stores.

Similarly, United Wholesale Scotland recently launched a home delivery platform called Yuu for its Day-Today symbol group.

For the full story go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘Home Delivery’

PIZZA VENDING OPPORTUNITY PIZZA vending machine supplier Pizza Rebellion is looking for partnerships with independent retailers.

The self-serve machines have six options of pizza, which can be cooked in four minutes once an order has been placed.

Founder William Jack told RN partnered stores would receive income from a rental agreement, while Pizza Rebellion keeps the pizza sales.

Look out for this logo

in any of our products to find the latest information, insight and advice.

If you have any questions about HFSS, or Newtrade Media products, please call the team on 020 7689 3363

HFSS restrictions to come into force in October 2022

HFSS. We’ve got it covered.

HFSS multi-buy deals

The Retail Success

multi-buy deals on HFSS food such as chocolate and crisps

by October this year.

Meanwhile, Mars Wrigley revealed it had reviewed its portfolio of products and will launch HFSS-compliant products this month.

For the full story go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘HFSS’

Handbook

HFSS AD.indd 2

SUPERMARKETS are implementing high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) regulations despite the government having decided to delay the legislation until 2023.

Tesco and Sainsburys have con�irmed they will remove

*

Visit betterRetailing.com/HFSS

For the full story go to betterRetailing.com and search ‘Pizza Rebellion’

29/11/2021 15:26

PRODUCTS

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IAA #COMMUNITYSTARS

WKD partners with Love Island JASPER HART

The Independent Achievers Academy (IAA) joined ARJAN SINGH, owner of Premier Morley in Leeds to discuss becoming a destination, sustainability and how he continues to innovate

KEY TAKEAWAYS 1

To help the store become more sustainable and reduce growing fuel costs, Arjan has invested in multiple electric vans to help with deliveries.

The vans are also used for picking up stock from local wholesalers.

2

After seeing the growing demand for disposables in America, Arjan launched his own vape brand, with more than 37 flavours available.

Arjan runs a four-for-£10 deal, with customers buying up to 20 packs at once.

3

In 2020, Arjan launched a cocktail and dessert bar and plans to expand this innovation with street food, using local vendors to drive repeat custom. Arjan uses TikTok to find what’s trending and source these businesses.

ARJAN’S TOP IDEA “Tailor what you’re doing to your customers. Have the basic standards, but make sure you have an effective range, you’re marketing to customers and then just be free flowing with new things.”

Read the full coverage of Arjan’s session by scanning the QR code or visiting betterRetailing.com/arjan-singh

SHS Drinks‘ WKD brand has renewed its partnership with reality TV show Love Island for a second year.

The brand will be the show’s of�icial alcohol partner throughout its eighth series.

Last year’s series was 2021’s most-watched programme among 18-25-year-olds, WKD’s target market, with an average of 4.2 million total viewers per episode.

As part of the tie-up, there will be a limited-edition design across WKD Pink 700ml bottles, as well as a £3.39 price-marked pack (PMP) exclusive to independents, which is included in the WKD 700ml bottle range’s two-for-£6 deal.

There will also be a cobranded offer across all WKD 10-packs, giving customers the chance to win Love Island merchandise including tote bags, phone cases and personalised water bottles.

Additionally, the partnership will see WKD adverts airing across TV and on-demand on ITV2, ITV Hub and the of�icial Love Island app.

The supplier anticipates the broadcast elements of the partnership will reach 7.2 million viewers.

Alison Gray, head of brand – WKD at SHS Drinks, said: “In a fragmented media landscape, the continued success of Love Island highlights just how much our target consumers still relish

a shared media experience.

“Last year, Love Island attracted three times more all-important 18-25 viewers than other similar programme formats.”

Cîroc Summer Citrus returns

Boost enters 500ml can segment

DIAGEO has made Cîroc Summer Citrus vodka a permanent line following a limited launch in 2021.

The blood orange and lime-�lavoured spirit sold out during its initial launch last summer. The supplier intends to further capitalise on the growth of the �lavoured vodka category, which is currently the fastest-growing vodka segment at 51.9%.

Samantha Newby, category marketing director, Diageo GB, said: “Cîroc Summer Citrus was a hit when it launched last year, so it made sense to relaunch during what is set to be an exciting season of celebration, as well as make it a permanent �ixture in the existing range.”

BOOST Drinks has launched its �irst range of 500ml canned drinks, Juic’d, to capitalise on growth in the segment.

The new range, made with 5% fruit juice, will be available this month to retailers in Mango & Tropical Blitz, Watermelon & Lime Twist and Pineapple & Guava Punch varieties. The £1 pricemarked cans wil come in cases of 12.

The launch of Juic’d comes as the 500ml can segment is the fastest-growing in energy drinks, worth £232m and having grown by 28%.

In support of the launch, there will be marketing campaign including outdoor, digital advertising, social media and in-depot activations.

CARLSBERG Marston’s Brewing Company has announced a rebrand of its Shipyard ale brand.

The rebrand features a new design which will appear across the brand’s entire range, as well as across new PoS material.

Al Cross, Shipyard brand manager, said: “The refreshed design for Shipyard launching here in the UK re�lects a much bolder iconography to put our credentials front and centre, which in turn allows us to tell our story.

The supplier will support the rebrand with

Shipyard’s �irst UK advertising activation which will showcase the new designs.

Relx enters disposable market RELX International has launched a range of disposable vapes in collaboration with Bubblemon, the number one vape brand in South Korea.

The range comes in 10 different varieties, including Watermelon, Lychee Mango and Banana Coconut. Eight additional �lavours, including Blood Orange and Breakfast Tea, are set for a future release.

Devices feature a transparent oil cabinet which indicates the levels of eliquid remaining within the device.

Relx is also set to become the of�icial distributor of disposables brand

Waka Mini. The Waka Mini range comes in �ive varieties – Cherry Bomb, Triple Berry, Watermelon Chill, Mango Orange and Peach Apple – each with 700 puffs.

Shipyard ale gets a rebrand

RETAIL

IN ACTION

PAID FEATURE BRAND SPOTLIGHT

14-27 JUNE 2022 betterRetailing.com

In partnership with

Why stock Boost drinks?

FOCUS ON:

BOOST DRINKS BOOST is the only brand that plays in four functional drinks categories – offering energy, sport, protein and most recently iced coffee drinks to convenience stores

In action

Boost retains a strong position within the channel, being the third-largest energy stimulation and sports drinks brand1. Boost also prides itself on being the only brand operating in four functional drinks categories: energy stimulation, sports isotonic, protein shakes and most recently, readyto-drink (RTD) iced coffee. These functional drinks categories are the fastest growing within the soft drinks industry, providing retailers with a wide range of products and the confidence that they are in high consumer demand. The supplier continues to focus on price-marked packs (PMP), while still offering strong margins – a key selling point for independent retailers by helping to build trust among shoppers.

The supplier is continuing to diversify its offering, entering the 500ml can stimulation energy market for the first time with three new products. The Boost Juic’d range will be available in wholesale packs of 12 and comes in a £1 PMP.

Three bestsellers Boost Energy Original 250ml PMP

1

IRI Marketplace Data Protein Shake Total Market 52 weeks value sales to 20th February 2022

RRP: 65p

Group products by category and pack format to improve ease of shop for your consumers, ensuring all lines are faced forward so brands are visible.

Make use of eye-catching PoS to draw attention to products on-shelf and provide greater standout therefore increasing your consumer’s purchase intent.

Make use of ambient space for takehome formats, allowing more room in the chiller for impulse lines – a great way to generate further sales and maximise in-store space.

Boost Mango & Tropical 500ml PMP RRP: £1

Eugene Diamond, Diamonds Newsagents, Ballymena, Northern Ireland “BOOST continues to outperform all other soft drinks within my chiller and they’re always looking to add more products to their range. This is great news for me and my customers. The Red Berry 250ml energy drink is the most popular and can be seen on a mural painted outside the store. I personally have supported every new product from Boost and for a small business like mine to have an outstanding mural created by experts and placed on the side of my store is a privilege.”

To find out more information on Boost’s brands, visit boostdrinks.com

Boost Iced Coffee Caffe Latte 250ml PMP RRP: £1

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PRODUCTS

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Cadbury Twirl Caramel launched MONDELEZ International has expanded its Twirl range with the launch of a limited-edition Caramel �lavour.

Available with an RRP of 69p in cases of 48, the launch sees the bestselling chocolate �lavour combined with one of the UK’s most popular chocolate bars.

In support of the launch, Mondelez has hidden a series of adverts in unexpected places. These include spots on the River Thames only visible at low tide, as well as billboards on a remote island off the coast of North Wales with a population of just two people.

Those who have spotted the adverts featuring the hashtag #ControlTwirlHype have been among the �irst to try the new bar.

Frederike Grohmann, brand manager for Cadbury Twirl at Mondelez, said: “When Twirl Orange launched it became Cadbury’s biggest selling single bar. We know Twirl Caramel is going to be a hit with consumers, which is why we are controlling the hype with our fun and playful launch campaign.”

There is also additional, PR, digital and social media activity as well as in-store PoS material in support of the new variety.

WHITE Claw will be appearing at more than 40 UK summer festivals as part of a £4m summer marketing strategy.

The hard seltzer brand will appear at festivals including All Points East, Mighty Hoopla, Wide Awake, Parklife, Love Saves the Day and Boardmasters.

The brand’s Wave of Summer bar will appear at these festivals, with LED interac-

tive lighting, 8,000 recycled cans forming a sensory wave experience, and a 360-degree bar. There will also be VIP festival experience and merchandise giveaways.

White Claw’s festival appearances come off the back of its recent global brand campaign, “Bring the wave”, which appears on TV and social media, featuring surfer Caio Vaz.

JASPER HART

White Claw to make festival waves

sponsored

Win samples with Lucozade Alert SUNTORY Beverage & Food GB&I has partnered with Retail Express to offer 250 retailers the chance to sample its Lucozade Alert range.

The range includes Lucozade Alert’s three �lavours: Cherry Blast, Tropical Burst and Original. The 500ml cans are available in £1.39 price-marked packs or plain cans with an RRP of £1.55.

Each retailer will receive three cases from Lucozade Alert’s range.

Lucozade Alert is the �irst stimulation drink from To enter, head to betterRetailing.com/ competitions

the brand. Its great-tasting �lavours contain naturallysourced caffeine and vitamin B3 which helps reduce tiredness. Upon its original launch, the range generated £1m in sales through convenience in less than two months.

14-27 JUNE 2022 betterRetailing.com

Pernod launches Campo campaign PERNOD Ricard UK has launched a new marketing campaign for Campo Viejo wine, called ‘Decanta la vida’.

Running until to the end of June across on-demand, social media, outdoor and News UK properties including Virgin Radio, the campaign intends to celebrate the Spanish way of life.

The supplier hopes the campaign, which emphasises the wine’s cross-generational appeal, will reach 75% of 25to 54-year-old wine drinkers and highlight the breadth of the Campo Viejo range.

According to Lucy Bearman, wine portfolio director at Pernod Ricard UK, and

Nielsen �igures, Spanish wine has an 8.4% market share in the UK while Campo Viejo is the UK’s number-one red wine brand.

Tenzing launches Jacob’s Twiglets reformulated for HFSS energy shot range PLADIS UK&I has reformulated its Jacob’s Twiglets recipe to contain 60% less salt, making it high fat, sugar & salt (HFSS) compliant.

The reformulation comes alongside a new look across the brand’s range, now worth £11m, to put greater emphasis on the bene�its the snack can offer shoppers, and promote that the product is oven-baked. It lists the product’s �ibre content and high levels of wholegrain.

Leighton Wall, marketing director for savoury at Pladis UK&I, said: “The new Jacob’s Twiglets recipe doesn’t just retain the brand’s familiar taste, our improved recipe will help us offer even more non-HFSS

choices to shoppers.”

The new recipe and design is available now and includes multipacks, sharing bags and caddies.

PLADIS UK&I is relaunching its Go Ahead Fruit Slices range with a non-HFSS recipe.

The new recipe has more �ibre and less sugar and salt than in the original range.

Each slice now contains 54 calories. The range is available in Apple, Forest Fruit and Raspberry varieties in multipacks of �ive at an RRP of £1.59.

“With a heightened nationwide focus on health, more shoppers are actively seeking snacks that deliver on taste and health credentials,” said Charlotte Priest, senior brand manager for Go Ahead at Pladis UK&I. “This means that now, more than ever, healthier biscuits represent an attractive and scalable growth opportunity for retailers.”

FUNCTIONAL energy brand Tenzing is building on its recent growth with the launch of a new range of Plant Power Shots.

The new range comes in a small 150ml can in two varieties: Apple, Matcha & Ginger and Black Cherry, Guarana & Goji.

Each variety contains 120mg of natural caffeine (80mg per 100ml) and 22% of a consumer’s daily recommended vitamin C intake, with 30 calories per can.

Tenzing Plant Power Shots will be available to independent retailers later this summer, following an initial launch in Tesco and on Tenzing’s online shop on 27 May.

Non-HFSS Fruit Slices Robinsons’ fruit hunt get the Go Ahead for shoppers ROBINSONS is launching a ‘Big fruit hunt’ Augmented Reality (AR) campaign.

The £1.5m campaign is running until 2 September across promotional packs of Robinsons squash. Packs feature a QR code, which shoppers can scan to go to an interactive map to �ind virtual fruit to �ill a virtual water bottle and collect prizes. More than 90,000 prizes are available to be won.

Supplier Britvic will support the campaign with in-store PoS, and digital, social media and outdoor advertising.

‘Big fruit hunt’ is Robinsons’ second major piece of summer advertising, following its announcement as the

of�icial soft drinks partner of The Hundred cricket tournament.

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RRP effective 14 February 2022. Retailers are, of course, at all times free to sell JTI’s products at whatever price they choose. 2 Source: Kantar / Online One Tracker: Wave 3 2021Base: All RMC Smokers 19+ n = 1,149, All RMC/RYO/MYO n = 1,611.

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PRODUCTS

10

New Snickers Dessert Sauce MARS Chocolate Drinks and Treats (MCD&T) has announced the launch of Snickers Dessert Sauce.

For the �irst time ever, the popular chocolate bar’s peanut and caramel �lavour will be available in a sauce format to pair with desserts or use as an ingredient in dessert recipes. It joins the existing Mars and Bounty Dessert Sauces in the supplier’s range.

The supplier recommends the sauce as an ideal accompaniment for ice cream, crepes and waf�les.

It will be available to convenience stores and whole-

salers later this summer at an RRP of £1.99, having launched initially in Tesco at the end of May. Michelle Frost, general manager at Mars Chocolate Drinks and Treats, said: “The ambient dessert category has been a major driver in fuelling dessert sales, and we had a great opportunity to introduce another of our much-loved brands into the category.

“As we approach the summer months, Snickers Dessert Sauce will no doubt be a popular addition to consumers’ shopping baskets as they look for fun ways to enjoy their at-home creations.”

MOLSON Coors Beverage Company has launched a campaign for Cobra Beer aiming to provide meal inspiration for consumers and help retailers drive more linked food and drink sales.

The ‘Where there’s spice there’s Cobra’ campaign will feature in-store displays highlighting a range of dishes the beer is a good accompaniment for. It will focus on pan-Asian cuisine,

including curries, Thai dishes and Asian-style spicy chicken wings.

There will also be supporting social media and in�luencer activity with at-home recipe inspiration.

Currently, Cobra is worth £26m in the off-trade.

Kevin Fawell, off-trade sales director at Molson Coors, said: “Cobra has always been a popular choice to enjoy with a host of differ-

JASPER HART

14-27 JUNE 2022 betterRetailing.com

Mars Food bolsters Ben’s range MARS Food has announced two additions to its Ben’s Original brand, including a new plant-based offer.

Ben’s Plant Powered is a ready meal range aimed at the growing �lexitarian market. It is launching in Chilli Non-Carne, Spicy Lentil Stew and Sweet Potato & Chickpea Tikka Masala varieties, each at an RRP of £2.49.

Its launch comes as 34% of Britons are interested in trying a plant-based diet, according to YouGov.

The supplier has also added to its Ben’s Original microwaveable rice range with the launch of limitededition Korean BBQ and Katsu Curry varieties, each with an RRP of £1.76.

Social media mentions of Korean BBQ rose by 90% in 2021 in the UK, while those for Katsu Curry grew by 23%.

According to the supplier, new �lavours are important for attracting younger shoppers to the category.

Cobra’s spicy new campaign ent Asian dishes and the campaign will help consumers explore new recipes and combinations, partnered by a brand they know and love.”

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PRODUCTS

12

One Stop shows Tesco branding JASPER HART ONE Stop has launched ‘Selected by Tesco’ labelling across around 160 of its own-label lines.

The symbol group has added the label to its chilled range to enhance quality perception and highlight its connection to its parent company.

Products featuring the label include produce, meat, �ish, poultry, dairy, ready meals and desserts.

Nigel Prendergast, One Stop head of customer and business support, said: “Our own-label products have grown rapidly as customers search for better value.

Buying habits have changed

over the past couple of years and convenience retailing has exploded,with more customers choosing to get what they need closer to home.

“For One Stop, there is a huge opportunity for us to capitalise on these new shopping trends. However, as customers demand more, the quality and value must also be right. Tesco is a brand that is well-known and trusted for producing quality products.

“Launching our ‘Selected

by Tesco’ range allows us to challenge perceptions of our brand and show how our products are the same quality as Tesco’s.”

John Miller, head of franchise, added that the

Hancocks unveils Father’s Day range CONFECTIONERY wholesaler Hancocks has unveiled its range of Father’s Day treats for 2022.

The range includes gifting options including Bonds Pun Boxes, in new Love You More Than Pizza, Top Banana and Absolute Gem varieties.

Hancocks also has toffee from Walkers Nonsuch including the Nutty Brazil Toffee Hammer Pack, which features a block of toffee and a small hammer to break it into bitesized pieces.

There are traditional favourites such as Kingsway Chocolate Covered

Cinder Toffee, Bonds Rhubarb and Custard Bags and a range of fudge from The Fudge Factory.

Additionally, Kingsway has launched Pint Pots, which are small, fruit-�lavoured, pint-shaped gummies.

CLEANING products supplier Elbow Grease has announced the return of its limited-edition pink range, after a successful run last year.

The limited-edition range contains �ive products: Punk Blush Degreaser 1l, Pink Blush Washing Up Liquid, Pink Scrub Mate, Pink Scrubbing Pad and Pink Hand Grip Scourers.

During its initial launch, the range was popular among the housecleaning community

on Instagram when used as part of the #PinkWednesday cleaning trend. To support the launch, Elbow Grease has partnered with cleaning in�luencers for a social media campaign, #sweetcleanhome.

Additionally, two Elbow Grease fans can win personalised Elbow Grease Washing Up Liquid and Pink Blush Degreaser as well as a £100 Sweet Cheeks pick ’n’ mix voucher.

Elbow Grease’s new pink cleaning range

rebrand would appeal to potential new One Stop franchisees, with One Stop recently passing the 250-franchisestore mark.

Buzz Lightyear Pez flies into stores

14-27 JUNE 2022 betterRetailing.com

Weetabix launches FA promo for summer WEETABIX’S partnership with the Football Associations of the UK and Republic of Ireland is returning this summer with a new on-pack promotion.

Running until 30 September across Weetabix’s non-HFSS range, the promotion offers prizes including tickets to international football �ixtures involving the participating nations, signed shirts, football kit and Weetabix vouchers.

Participating lines include Weetabix Original, Crispy Minis, Protein and On The Go. Weetabix will support the promotion with in-store displays and social media

content, as well as updating outer cases in wholesale to feature football assets.

The supplier also plans more football-themed promotional activity in the leadup to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in November.

MONDELEZ International’s French biscuit brand LU has partnered with TV host Fred Sirieix in its �irst marketing campaign, ‘Taste of love’.

The campaign intends to highlight the brand’s French origin, simple ingredients and inspiration from traditional French ingredients, as Sirieix encourages people to ‘taste the love’ baked into every LU biscuit.

Following the TV launch, there will also be a broader marketing campaign, also featuring Sirieix. This campaign will include in�luencer content, radio, outdoor, digital, social, in-store and partnership activations.

Mondelez announced the launch of LU in January in four varieties: Le Petit Chocolat, Le Petit Beure, Le Petit Biscotte and Le Petit Citron.

Television debut for French biscuit LU

CONFECTIONERY wholesaler World of Sweets, also known as Hancocks, has launched a new Buzz Lightyear-branded Pez dispenser ahead of the new Lightyear �ilm, which is launching on 17 June.

The dispenser comes in three character options: two different Buzz Lightyear varieties and Sox, a robotic cat who’s the astronaut’s companion in the new �ilm.

Each pack contains one dispenser and individually wrapped packs of Pez re�ill. It

has an RRP of £1.75.

The supplier says the dispenser can be a strong impulse purchase for both young and older shoppers who have grown up with the character.

It has also launched Pez Pezimals in Giraffe, Monkey and Elephant varieties, at an RRP of £1.75.

Barr launches two Fruity Lemonades

Put your chin (and sales) up with Ribena

BARR Soft Drinks is aiming to add incremental summer sales to the soft drinks category with the launch of

Barr Fruity Lemonades.

The new sub-range is available in Cherry and Blue varieties in 500ml PET bottles at an RRP of 89p. It is targeting Gen Z shoppers, who are the heaviest soft drinks consumers.

In consumer research with 12-24 year olds, both new �lavours performed well, according to the supplier. More than 85% said they would buy the range again and 77% of non-Barr drinkers said they intended to purchase it.

The supplier has also launched in-store PoS to drive sales throughout the summer months.

‘CHIN up’ is the new £7m campaign from Ribena designed to help independent retailers drive soft-drink sales this summer.

It spans TV, digital, outdoor, social media and in-store PoS, focusing on ‘awkward moments’ in life, and is set to reach 91% of adults in the UK at least seven times. The campaign will run for the rest of the year.

Charlotte Flook, head of Ribena at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, said: “With the brand in growth of 15%, now is the perfect time to launch our new campaign.

“This new positioning will drive reappraisal of the drink to help retailers to grow their sales of the brand in store across our ready-to-drink and squash ranges and give their category sales a lift.”

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OPINION

14

COMING UP IN THE 24 JUNE ISSUE OF RN

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 SUPPLY: Would you consider using a supermarket?

“NOT at the moment, but I would never say never. We do already use Co-op. Supermarket supply is something we are keeping an eye on, but if you are offering supermarket own-brands yet can’t offer the same cheaper pricing then it can be a draw-back.”

Gins & mixers: how to give your customers what they're looking for this summer

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“SHRINKING margins haven’t forced me to cut supply but shrinking sales have. I’ve not cut down on my selection, but I don’t order as many copies. Newspapers like The Times don’t sell like they used to and so the Sun is probably my biggest selling newspaper.”

Julie Kaur, Jules Convenience Store, Telford

“NEWSPAPERS are a declining market, so over the years we’ve concentrated on higher margin products. But for newsagents relying on news these days it’s getting much harder. The sales are still there on newspapers but it’s not enough to make a living.”

Jayesh Parekh, Newsagents, Little Lever

PLATINUM JUBILEE: How did you prepare for this major celebration?

“WE had a cardboard cut-out of the Queen in the shop. We also gave out free cake and sherry, and I did offers on picnic boxes for customers.

The shop was decorated in bunting and the community could tie a peace ribbon in the town.”

Trudy Davies, Woosnam & Davies, Llanidloes

“WE sold a whole range of Union Jack bunting and tea towels. I also earmarked some stock for giveaways on the day, but generally we ran with the existing Jubilee-themed Booker offers alongside a promotional leaflet drop.”

Simon Dixon, Premier Lower Darwin, Blackburn

The shop was decorated in bunting BEER SHORTAGES: Do warnings of shortages concern you?

STAY INFORMED AND GET AHEAD WITH RN ORDER YOUR COPY from your magazine wholesaler today or contact Kate Daw on 020 7689 3363

Shailesh Parekh, Nisa forecourts, Wolverhampton

I didn’t see it as the silver bullet for my business

Pricewatch: see what other retailers are charging for flavoured waters and boost your own profits

3,451

“I HAVE six sites and I looked at converting one to a Morrisons Daily, but I decided not to in the end.

The pull was not too strong because I didn’t see much difference in price.

I just didn’t see it as the silver bullet for my business.”

There have been warnings of shortages

“I’VE not experienced any, but I know there have been warnings of glass shortages affecting supply. I don’t think it’s a panic situation. We work closely with Booker and since the pandemic wholesalers are more prepared. We’ve experienced far more shortages in grocery than alcohol.”

Faraz Iqbal, Premier Linktown, Fife

“ANY potential shortages coming into summer would be a real worry for me.

People in my area prefer bottled beer so any problems with the supply of bottled beer would affect me dramatically. At the moment Kingfisher is my top-selling brand.”

Jodi Pritchard, Londis Oaktree Road, Southampton

LETTERS

14-27 JUNE 2022 betterRetailing.com

15

of CHRISTINE Hopes Longtown, HOPE Hereford

Letters may be edited

#ShopLocal30 – the effort is worth it

‘Constant cold calls from Camelot aren’t just isolated to me’ I’D like to make Retail Express aware that I have recently been experiencing an issue with Camelot reps calling me consistently.

It’s become more frequent than usual throughout the week. I am aware of other retailers who are also experiencing the same thing on varying levels, so the issues aren’t just isolated to me.

The issues have been �lagged up in some of the retailer WhatsApp groups recently.

Retailers are feeling annoyed by the constant calling. It’s doing their head in. It has reached the point where they are calling me at busy times of the day.

It’s not as if I don’t want to receive support from Camelot or speak to reps be-

cause I’m happy to do so, but they have to understand that I’m busy running my shop.

Anonymous retailer

Camelot replied: We’re sorry to hear this National Lottery retailer isn’t happy. To put it into context, last year we made around 300,000 calls to c30,000 retailers – less than a call a month with

an average call length of less than two minutes. We know retailers can be very busy, so we aim to avoid calling at peak times. If a retailer tells us not to call at a certain time, we endeavour to meet their request. If this speci�ic retailer is happy to provide their details, one of the team can discuss with them the best times to call.

COMMUNITY RETAILER

OF THE WEEK

WIN four bottles of Summer Citrus

THE number one super-premium vodka in the off-trade, Cîroc, is giving two Retail Express readers the chance to win four bottles of Cîroc Summer Citrus (37.5% ABV) each to celebrate its relaunch as a permanent fixture within the brand’s vodka range.

TO ENTER Fill in your details at:

betterRetailing.com/competitions This competition closes on 12 July 2022.

Editor’s decision is final.

Alan Mannings, Shop on the Green, Chartham – @ShopOnTheGreen

‘We’re raising dementia awareness’

“I’VE been recently working with the local community warden to help raise awareness of dementia, and share how sufferers can get support. One of our regular customers suffers from the illness and that’s how the idea came about. We direct any customer who needs support or knows anyone who might need help to the warden.

The warden will chat to them, provide more information and give them details on organisations that can provide support. We’re also giving talks to various disability organisations about dementia. This educates people about what sufferers have to deal with on a daily basis.”

BEFORE I wax lyrical about local products and shopping, it’s important to recognise that retail is tough at the moment.

If we break even this year we will have done well. The team at Hopes of Longtown will have gone above and beyond. Our sales and average basket spend is still higher than before the pandemic and gross profit is Each issue, one of seven top surprisingly holding retailers shares advice to up better than make your store magnificent anticipated.

But our overheads are stripping out any net profit. Some of the challenges we face include energy price increases, rising delivery costs, product availability and increased monthly overheads with a tourism season.

On top of that, we need to be thinking about who our suppliers will be in six months’ time and looking for complementary opportunities into which we can invest.

I am in a phase of redesigning how we understand our business. I want to know what to expect and what we want as business owners. One of the key pillars for me will be continuing to showcase local products. While cheese and butter will likely be too expensive for some customers, we expect ice cream to grow in the summer. Our pop up local soft scoop ice cream, which is in its second season now, is a real point of difference for the store.

From our EPoS data we can see general everyday items – we call them ‘classic’ – sell the best. That’s what you would expect for a small village shop. After that, the bestselling products are those that are made within 30 miles of the shop. And that’s not just food and drink. Postcards and greetings cards celebrating our picturesque location have also done well.

When making decisions about a new product, I have to ask if I think an item is pushing at the limits of our customer spend. If it is, I ask myself a secondary question: would it be given as a gift? If it wouldn’t, I tend to not purchase it unless recommended by a customer.

Currently, we’re finding that local suppliers have fewer billing errors, they help to promote our business on social media and they bring in a better net profit margin than national suppliers. In these currently challenging times, they are the point of difference to get customers coming back for repeat visits.

I would recommend any retailer finds 10 to 12 local products that suit their customer demographics. A success we’ve had recently is a nearby allergy therapist and reflexologist who has been recommending her customers visit our shop to buy locally made Bach Remedies. Last Wednesday afternoon, we had three customers come from her recommendation alone.

Get in touch

@retailexpress betterRetailing.com facebook.com/betterRetailing alex.yau@newtrade.co.uk 020 7689 3358

16

CATEGORY ADVICE PRICE-MARKED PACKS

PRICEMARKED POSSIBILITIES There are many debates about the effectiveness and benefits of price-marked packs for independent retailers.

CHARLES WHITTING finds out how best to use them

14-27 JUNE 2022 betterRetailing.com

17

THE FUTURE OF PRICE-MARKED PACKS THE looming cost-of-living crisis is making people more price-conscious, especially as inflation has reportedly hit 12%, with deals, promotions and value options becoming increasingly valued. For some retailers, this might make price-marked packs (PMP) very attractive, with their clear-cut and assured pricing allowing customers to feel confident that what they are buying is the same price as anywhere else.

“PMPs can make the shopping experience easier in store

– they look bolder on-shelf, which, in turn, drives quicker purchase decisions. Eliminating confusion with straightforward on-pack pricing is especially helpful in a highly competitive category like sugar confectionery,” says Paul Robinson, controller of convenience and wholesale at Perfetti Van Melle.

Johnny Dennys, head of brand and trade marketing at Mast-Jägermeister UK adds: “With the cost of living increasing, consumers are looking for value when making

their spirits purchases. PMPs are effective at contributing to an overall positive price perception for consumers, which encourages repeat purchases in store, driving sales.”

But the cost-of-living crisis runs alongside a considerable margin squeeze for retailers and the inflexibility of PMPs has left some retailers feeling too exposed to stock them.

“Manufacturers actually seem to be getting rid of PMPs,” says Atul Sodha, from Londis Peverills in Uxbridge, west Lon-

don. “There used to be a lot of confidence in PMPs, but what if we find out that we never needed to use them.

“We used to sell cigarettes at 3% margin, but now we sell at 10% and the volume is just the same. The consumer can certainly feel more confident with a PMP, but then I can always put my own price-mark on a product and we still get volumes on those products. And with better margins. It will be interesting to see how everything pans out.”

PROS AND CONS OF PRICE-MARKED PACKS THERE are certainly benefits to stocking PMPs for retailers when it comes to increasing footfall to their store and increasing volume sales.

“Forty-three per cent of shoppers say they are more likely to shop in a convenience store that sells PMPs,” says Matt Stanton, head of category and insight at DCS Group. “One in three shoppers say a PMP reassures them they’re not being overcharged, 35% of household, health and beauty shoppers say they are more likely to buy a product if it’s offered as a PMP, and 22% of shoppers believe that a PMP is cheaper than the standard price.

More than a quarter (27%)

believe it means the product is on promotion.”

It is ultimately important for retailers to recognise where these products will have the most impact. Too many PMPs and a store’s margins will run beyond its own control. Too few

and the PMP customers it is trying to attract may not enter the store or return.

Anish Panchmatia, whose Spar Wylde Green in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, is switching to One Stop,

believes the use of PMPs can depend on the customer demographic, the size of the store and the products for which it is used.

“Newsagents and smaller CTN stores are a good place to use PMPs,” he says.

“But it’s also completely dependent on customer demographic. We have wealthy customers and not so wealthy customers, but because we have a 3,000sq ft store we can service both, with £1 products and upgrades that are almost £2. This strategy also benefits stores that can store a lot because they can hoard more stock when they’re on for a good price. But we don’t like to be sat on stock. If it falls out of favour how will you sell it?”

18

CATEGORY ADVICE PRICE-MARKED PACKS

14-27 JUNE 2022 betterRetailing.com

WHAT PRODUCTS TO PRICE-MARK FOR some retailers, impulse products like confectionery and crisps are the best products to price-mark, with the noticeable price adding an additional impulsive lure to customers.

But there are other categories where PMPs are seeing growth.

Alcohol can sell well when pricemarked, particularly in the runup to summer gatherings.

“Typically sales of pricemarked bottles are growing by 8.5%, making up 45% of total convenience sales,” says Lauren Priestley, head of category development, off-trade at Diageo.

Soft drinks, too, are benefitting from growth. “Pricemarked soft drinks are growing quicker than non-price-marked packs, with PMPs growing by 9.7% versus an increase of 7.8% from non-PMPs,” says Matt Gouldsmith, channel director, wholesale at Suntory Beverage

RETAILER

VIEW

Jonathan Cobb, Miserden Stores & Post Office, Stroud, Gloucestershire “WE sell PMPs because we’ve got a mix of customers from those on low wages to multi-millionaires. So we keep a mix of PMPs and non-PMPs for value. We use them for sweets. We’re next door to a primary school so it makes a big difference to sweets sales. We use PMPs to get parents to buy the sweets because they think they get it cheaper.

“We also do price-marked biscuits because we can’t get hold of non-price-marked. It’s predominantly confectionery and a few price-marked wines as well.

“Everyone seems to be getting rid of them though.

We’re trying to retain as much as we can as long as we can get the margin. I don’t really look at the price-mark itself, I just look at the margin. If the margin is there, I’ll buy it and if it’s not then I’ll switch to non-PMP. There have been products where I switch one way and then the margins change again and I switch back. I’d rather go PMP with a margin than non PMP because it gives the customer a better feeling of value. And even though we might make a couple of pence more, there’s always the risk that we’d start losing customers if the price was too high.”

SUPPLIER

VIEW

Paid for by Nestlé Confectionery

Jack Sharp, customer category manager, Nestlé Confectionery “PRICE-MARKED packs provide clear pricing and, therefore, assurance to shoppers that they are getting value for money. We also know that price-marked packs attract a younger adult demographic, with shoppers aged 18 to 24 being 30% more likely to purchase price-marked packs. In addition, price-marked packs account for 35% of product sales within the singles category (excluding Duos) and are set to benefit from the continued recovery of food-to-go occasions post Covid-19.

“Nestlé’s 60p price-marked packs have seen continual acceleration in value sales growth within symbols and independents, and are now outperforming the category, with Nestlé up 27% versus the category being up 21%.”

& Food GB&I. Some think PMPs work most effectively with the best-known brands, bolstering an already recognisable item on the shelf. Others think it is best to use PMPs to create a distinction within essential purchases, allowing customers to either make an easy choice to focus on price or to look for a specific brand or product they favour.

“Saputo Dairy UK advocates merchandising PMPs in the main chilled/dairy fixture as part of the core range and ensuring they are in the relevant category fixture, driving footfall to your PMP range,” says Allison Wallentin, category manager for convenience at Saputo Dairy UK. “For suppliers of PMPs, the challenge for 2022 will be to manage volatile input costs, to

ensure that price-marked lines continue to pay back, while continuing to offer a transparent and competitively priced solu-

tion for shoppers. In such an environment, vigilance towards market pricing and agility will be key.”

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CATEGORY ADVICE PRICE-MARKED PACKS

14-27 JUNE 2022 betterRetailing.com

21

PROMOTING PRICE-MARKED PACKS THE major selling point for PMPs is clear-cut pricing. Customers can quickly see the price and assess its value within their shop. For customers counting every penny, this is a considerable help. This means that in order for PMPs to have the greatest effect in store, they have to be prominently positioned so the big clear price is front and centre.

“PMPs are a key impulse sales driver with clear pricing, helping consumers make quick purchase decisions,” says MastJägermeister UK’s Johnny Dennys.

Ensuring PMPs are visible is, therefore, an important consideration for retailers to prevent missing out on incremental sales opportunities. When merchandising your spirit range, for example, make sure to check bestselling trusted brands can be seen by shoppers.

It is also worth considering the incremental sales

that can be created through clever positioning and promotional displays with PMPs. Having a dedicated section of PMP products, whether at an impulse point in the store or surrounding a seasonal event like summer events, can grow the basket spend even among people looking for a budget shopping experience, increasing the

chances of repeat purchases.

“Using eye-catching displays with beer PMPs at their heart or cross merchandising with food items, such as burgers and barbecue products will boost spend and profitability over the summer season,” says Sunny Mirpuri, director for wholesale and convenience at Budweiser Brewing Group.

NEW PMP RELEASES THIS summer, Swizzels is launching a Minions-themed Banana and Blueberry flavour bag of Squashies, with a £1 PMP, presented in blue-andyellow striped packaging to echo the Minions’ dungarees.

The product will hit shelves this month in advance of the new Minions film release.

Pladis UK&I recently launched Jacob’s Mini Cheddars Sticks Grilled Cheddar & Sizzling Steak in PMP format, with a price of £1 for a 75g bag. “We’re continuing to look at

introducing PMPs to a number of our most popular products in convenience stores,” says Scott Snell, vice president of customer at Pladis UK & Ireland.

Gallo Family Vineyard has introduced price-marked labels to its White Zinfandel and White Grenache varietals across the wholesale channel, with an RRP of £6.49. “With 85% of rosé sold in the UK priced under £7, it’s important to highlight our approachable price to

both retailers and consumers,” says Mark Stammers, sales director UK & Ireland at E&J Gallo Winery.

Mars Chocolate Drinks and Treats’ range of 350ml milk drinks are presented in pricemarked packs. Within convenience, sales of the range have increased by 20% year on year.

The 350 ml Milk Drinks range includes Mars, Galaxy, Mars Caramel, Milky Way, Bounty, Maltesers, Snickers and Twix flavours.

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CATEGORY ADVICE SOFT DRINKS

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WHAT’S TRENDING IN SOFT DRINKS? Soft drinks is one of the fastest-moving categories, so what’s changed in the past 12 months? TAMARA BIRCH finds out

CATEGORY OVERVIEW SOFT drinks added £182m in sales to the convenience channel in 2021, with the category now worth £2.48bn, according to Britvic’s latest soft drinks review. Sales are also up 11% on 2021 and up 8% versus 2019 figures.

Within this, sparkling soft drinks are worth £737m in convenience, chilled coffee is worth £228m, energy more than £1.4bn and flavoured milk worth £496m, an increase of 26% compared to last year.

This provides a huge opportu-

nity for independents to focus on soft drinks in the next 12 months and drive sales.

Amy Burgess, senior trade communications manager at Coca-Cola Europacific (CCEP) recommends independent retailers focus on top-selling brands. “Focus on leading brands such as Coca-Cola, which continues to drive growth in convenience, led by Coca-Cola zero sugar, the fastest-growing cola in retail, Fanta, the number one flavoured carbonates brand in GB, and

Schweppes, the number-one mixer brand in convenience,” says Burgess.

A further opportunity is the multitude of sporting events happening this year, including Women’s European Championships and the Commonwealth Games in the summer, as well as the Men’s Football World Cup later in the year.

“Sports drinks as a segment will prove even more popular as we approach the summer months and these sporting occasions and events increase,”

says Matt Gouldsmith, channel director, wholesale at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I (SBF GB&I).

The ‘shop local’ habit will continue, as shoppers adopt a hybrid working approach.

They’re buying for instant consumption more, as well as having more dwell time. It is, therefore, important to have a wider variety of on-the-go options and larger formats to cater for these missions. Juice, cordials and water are also ideal for the breakfast mission.

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CATEGORY ADVICE SOFT DRINKS

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VALUE OR PREMIUM? PERSONAL finances will have a major impact on buying habits of shoppers in 2022, a Britvic report has found, with consumers on average £1,200 worse off this year compared to 2021. Also, one in five are financially squeezed, although the same number of consumers claim they are now better off financially following the pandemic. Independent retailers will need to react accordingly.

Larger formats can play a key role for shoppers who are on a budget. Chris Newman, head of category management for convenience and impulse at Britvic, says: “Convenience

retailers must be alert to the budget pressures of these customers and adapt their soft drinks ranges accordingly to offer more value-friendly options.

“Retailers can meet these shopper needs by stocking market leading brands in added-value pack formats. Pepsi Max six-pack price-marked pack (PMP), for example, will help give these shoppers an easier way to buy into the soft drinks category.”

Despite the growth of drinklater formats as reported by several suppliers, SBF GB&I’s Matt Gouldsmith says drinknow formats are seeing high

year-on-year growth at 26% and are something retailers should focus on.

“Shoppers have sought more hydration while out and about following the end of Covid-19 restrictions,” Gouldsmith says.

“To capitalise on this trend, retailers should stock up on on-the-go formats of energy and sports drinks like Lucozade Energy and Lucozade Sport to meet shopper needs, particularly as the weather gets warmer and shoppers spend more time outside.”

Although there’s been a clear shift to value, Andy Lewis, marketing controller at

Sunmagic Juices, says there’s an opportunity to focus on premiumisation and encourage trade up, especially within mixers.

“The premiumisation trend is continuing in adult soft drinks,” he says. “Taste appeal is the number one purchase driver in premium soft drinks and Daymer Bay understand this, ensuring their juices and still lemonades offer a consumer preferred flavour.

“The value of premium mixer sales rocketed by 81.3% in 2019 to £323.1m. It’s a trend that was apparent before the pandemic, and it’s picking up again as normal life returns.”

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Adam Hacking, Head of beverages, Arla Foods “SOFT drinks are a key player to convenience stores, especially RTD chilled coffee, with the category continuing to see consumption and household penetration growth throughout the past year. More people are buying into the category, to a greater extent, and on a more frequent basis than ever before. As a result, the past 18 months have told a positive story for the RTD chilled coffee subcategory.

“As a category leader and representing close to 50% of all RTD coffee sales, Starbucks chilled coffee has played a fundamental role in spearheading total category growth, adding more than £28m in incremental sales.

Now worth £110m, Starbucks is one of the wider soft drinks category’s most successful brands. This means that not only has it earned its place in all soft drinks’ fixtures, but also that consumers expect to see it.”

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CATEGORY ADVICE SOFT DRINKS

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HEALTH TRENDS “SIXTY-EIGHT per cent of people are concerned about the sugar content of soft drinks,” says Michael Ratheram, customer engagement manager at Epicurium. “Evolving lifestyles, cultural changes and increasing consumer sophistication have changed the way we look at soft drinks. Retailers can capitalise on this urge to reduce sugar and calories.”

Suppliers have long been responding to health trends within soft drinks by launching low-sugar varieties of popular brands. And according to Clare Denham, customer category director at Danone UK & Ireland, low-sugar options continue to grow ahead of full-sugar varieties, which has been driven by health interests. As a result, Denham recommends offering a strong water range, especially as the weather continues to improve.

“From studies we know that drinking more water is the number one way shoppers want to support their health, with 44% of people saying they are aiming to drink more water,” says Denham.

“People are consuming more water than ever before, with 17% occasions year on year,” says Denham. “Bottled water has recovered since the pandemic and is now the fastest-growing soft drinks segment. Volvic and Evian are the must-stock brands, leading growth in the category.”

As availability issues continue, Denham recommends planning early to ensure stock levels remain high, especially during the summer.

Juice also meets the health mission and makes up 7.3% of the soft drinks category and the segment is currently expe-

riencing 11.3% growth. “There was also a 43.5% decrease in the amount of sugar in takehome soft drinks between March 2014 and March 2020,” says Gouldsmith. “Low- or nocalorie also continues to outperform regular soft drinks, with a 68.6% share of total soft drinks.”

However, Ratheram says premium drinks can help boost spend and meet the health mission, too.

“Premium drinks, especially those with healthy credentials, are experiencing strong growth and increasing share,” Ratheram says. “Sports and energy, still and water and flavoured non-carbs have accelerated their growth in the soft drinks category as demand increases and single-serve consumption returns.”

Health will become more important as the upcoming HFSS legislation is implemented. “While we know the regulations require a lot of changes for impacted retailers, there can be opportunities too,” says CCEP’s Amy Burgess.

“Seventy-three per cent of soft drinks value sales already come from HFSS-compliant products, significantly more than other HFSS categories “Two thirds of our volume sales (67%) now come from low- and no-sugar varieties, 40% more than 10 years ago.

This means 86% of all our soft drink brand ranges will be non-HFSS come October.”

It’s important, however, not to overhaul your entire soft drinks range to include lowand no-calorie options as this can impact zero sugar. Instead, strike a balance and have a zero-sugar option for every full-sugar variety.

SUPPLIER

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Matt Gouldsmith, channel director, wholesale, Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I “THE energy drinks market is currently worth £14bn and has grown by over 17% in the past year as shoppers have sought more energy while out and about following the end of Covid-19 restrictions. Lucozade Energy has had a 9.3% year-on-year growth and the entire range is now worth £318m, making it a must-stock for retailers.

“The sports drink segment is incredibly buoyant.

Sports drink shoppers are loyal, and if retailers don’t have the brand, format, or flavour they’re looking for, they may go elsewhere. This means leading brands like Lucozade Sport, which has had a change in share value by 44.2% year on year, are an incredibly important part of any chiller.”

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GREAT

NEW

CATEGORY ADVICE SOFT DRINKS

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TASTE

The

COOLEST

THE READY-TO-DRINK COFFEE AND DAIRY OPPORTUNITY CHILLED coffee is now worth £228m, a growth of more than 38%. Part of this popularity can be attributed to the fact it meets one more consumer need: taste, hydration, an energy boost and satiety, according to Adam Hacking, head of beverages at Arla Foods.

“The RTD coffee category has continued to see consumption and household penetration growth throughout the past year,” says Hacking.

“More people are buying in to the category, to a greater extent, and on a more frequent basis than ever before, making it a key shopper trend.

This is why Starbucks developed multiserve – enabling consumers to enjoy chilled coffee at home.”

The demand for multipacks and multi-serve offerings is expected to grow in the next 12 months, offering scope for suppliers to launch new lines and flavours to help retailers drive sales.

“We also anticipate 2022 will be the most notable for the sheer level of change with the category required to readily adapt to inflationary pressures, reductions in disposable income, HFSS legislation and any future lockdown implementation and easy,” says Hacking.

However, Hacking says despite these challenges, the RTD category meets a wide range of consumer needs, which will allow “robust performance to remain in the fact of any potential uncertainties”.

h & Lusciou c i s R S F H S co ge mp n a r lia ll nt Fu

Ready-to-drink coffee is growing by

37%

a must-stock sub-category for retailers*

89% Costa growth is

*

top tips Amy Burgess, senior trade communications manager, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners gives her top tips to merchandising soft drinks effectively Dedicate space to bestsellers in key segments, like cola, mixers, energy and flavoured carbonates.

Make room for new products that will excite shoppers, like Monster Ultra Watermelon and our mystery pink What the Fanta flavour.

Drive linked purchases with ‘meal deal’ offers – e.g. by placing on the go soft drinks next to snacks and sandwiches, or positioning larger sharing packs alongside chilled meals and barbecue favourites.

Stock a wide range of low- and no-sugar varieties, and position them on aisle ends and near till points the catch consumers’ eye and drive more sales.

2022 Costa Ltd. All rights reserved. *Nielsen Total Market Value MAT w/e 26.03.22.

Ask your sales reps about the latest marketing support for key brands like Coca-Cola, Monster or Costa Coffee RTD so you can make room for products that will drive sales.

Friesland Campina’s business unit controller for grocery, Dan Chesbrough says sales of the category reached £191m in the UK in 2021.

“Consumers are now much more aware of cold coffee and stocking a variety of RTD coffees is a must for convenience stores, especially those near transport hubs.

“Our entrant into this category was our Barista Coffee Co can, in Caffè Latte, Caramel Latte and Double Shot Espresso varieties,” says Chesbrough. “This was created with the convenience and on-the-go channel in mind, serving as an entry level RTD coffee that could bring shoppers into the category.”

Dairy drinks and flavoured milk is also an opportunity for independent retailers to boost

sales. Across the UK, chocolate flavoured milk is the second largest subcategory worth £114m, an increase of 14.4% over the past year.

Smaller formats are expected to grow within the subcategory, so Michelle Frost, general manager at Mars Chocolate Drinks & Treats (MCD&T) recommends stocking with category champions, like Mars Milk and Galaxy Milk to meet demand.

“The familiarity represented by these staple brands means they should be displayed prominently to entice shoppers and drive on-the-go sales,” says Frost. “While MCD&T’s range of milk drinks are suitable for ambient storage, they are best presented to consumers in chillers and served chilled.”

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COLA & CARBONATES ARE A MUST-STOCK COLA & carbonates should be a key focus throughout the summer, as they traditionally overtrade during this time, as reported by Angela Reay, brand and innovation controller at Nichols PLC. Raey says: “More than half of all category sales take place between April to September, and soft sales increase by over 10%

from quarter one to quarter two.

“This is due to consumers seeking out those products that are refreshing, as well as flavours to capture the mood of the warmer weather and longer days.”

The big night in occasion is a key sales driver for independents, as is the festival season, which has made a comeback

this year following the full easing of restrictions.

“We expect the big night in will remain a part of consumers’ lives,” says CCEP’s Amy Burgess. “With many consumers also conscious of their spending right now, nights at home provide an opportunity to meet with friends and family – whether that’s for a relaxed

movie night or a more sophisticated evening meal – without the expense of going out.”

Consider running a nights in offer or a festival-specific promotion to help showcase value, boost sales and drive repeat custom. Make sure you’re able to maintain availability throughout any promotional cycles by planning ahead.

top products

Boost Iced Coffee Boost Drinks has added to its RTD Iced Coffee range with a Mocha variety. Seventy-five per cent of the sales value are made up of just four flavours: latte, caramel, espresso & mocha. “Adding Mocha allows Boost to capture the consumer demand and provide more choice for customers,” says Adrian Hipkiss, marketing and international business director at Boost Drinks.

Boost Juic’d Boost Juic’d is made with 5% real fruit juice and pricemarked at £1 on-pack. The product aims to help retailers communicate great value on fixture, amid increased consumer price consciousness, while still delivering excellent margins.

Lucozade Alert Lucozade Alert is available in three flavours: Tropical Burst, Cherry Blast and Original. It is high in caffeine and vitamin B3 for an energising boost. According to SBF GB&I’s Matt Gouldsmith, the Lucozade Alert range has generated £1m in sales under two months through wholesale and convenience.

Fentimans Good and Fruity The Good and Fruity range consists of three flavours: Cherry & Bloody Orange, Apple & Elderflower and Lemon & Pink Ginger. The range has 35% fruit juice, as well as calcium, zinc and vitamin B6 to support digestion and metabolism.

Tenzing Plant Power Shots The new range comes in 150ml can formats in Apple, Matcha & Ginger and Black Cherry, Guarana & Goji varieties. Each flavour contains 120mg of natural caffeine and 22% of a consumer’s daily recommended vitamin C intake, with 30 calories per can.

Starbucks Multiserve range Available in Caffe Latte and Caramel Macchiato varieties are sold in convenient, fully recyclable and ethically sourced 750ml packs. The flavours are made with 100% Arabic Coffee beans.

NEW

line up

this summer

ick & Cream h y T S F S H com ge n a pli an ll r u t F

Costa is growing by

+£6.8m vs previous year*

To find out more email connect@ccep.com, call 0808 1 000 000 or visit my.ccep.com.

2022 Costa Ltd. All rights reserved. *Nielsen Total Market Value MAT w/e 26.03.22.

CATEGORY ADVICE SOFT DRINKS

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WHAT’S NEW IN SPORTS & ENERGY? “ENERGY is the largest soft drink category in the independent channel and with £1 in every £3 spent on soft drinks being spent on an energy drink,” says Boost Drinks’ Adrian Hipkiss.

The energy drinks segment has become very diverse in the past few years, with the likes of functional and stimulation lines entering the market for shoppers looking for more than a caffeine boost, instead looking for additional vitamins, minerals and protein.

CCEP’s Amy Burgess says: “Fitness and healthier life-

styles remain a priority for consumers and shoppers are increasingly looking for food and drink with functional qualities that can help them achieve maximum results during sports or workouts.

This has given rise to the performance energy drinks segment.”

Dan Broughton, general manager (drinks) at Grenade echoes this and adds: “Functional energy drinks present a golden opportunity for retailers, offering an array of ingredients that are attractive to health-conscious consumers,

RETAILER

VIEW

Sophie Towers, One Stop Kibble Bank, Manchester “OUR bestselling lines are still the traditional soft drinks brands, like Lucozade and Ribena – although this has slowed down as the price has increased. We also sell a lot of Coca-Cola and energy drinks are swiftly becoming top sellers.

“Customers are still choosing full-sugar options rather than low- and no-sugar as we’ve noticed they’d rather have less of a full-sugar soft drink than drink something that uses sweeteners. As a result, we don’t stock a large amount of low- and no-sugar soft drinks as they don’t sell.

“In energy drinks, Monster sells well but that’s because of the flavour. Customers will always try something once, so we initially get high sales from new products, but once the novelty wears off, sales drop.”

including natural caffeine for an energy boost, BCAAs studied for their role in muscle recovery, and vitamins to support overall health.”

SBF GB&I’s Matt Gouldsmith says low-price stimulation drinks are a big seller and recommends merchandising these near higher-priced stimulation drinks to give the whole range more importance.

“The stimulation category is growing by 22%, so make sure to stock up on drinks such as Lucozade Alert to take advantage of this trend,” he says.

Merchandising effectively

is vital to ensuring customers can shop the category with ease. Broughton advises: “To maximise sales, retailers should place healthier alternatives in prominent store locations, with impactful PoS such as shelf toppers and barkers to grab customers’ attention.

“If space is limited retailers should make the most of their chillers, situated near the counter to turn waiting time into buying time – especially as shoppers are more likely to buy drinks for immediate consumption if chilled.”

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Bay Bashir, Go Local Belle Vue Convenience, Middlesbrough “CUSTOMERS are choosing the classic, traditional soft drinks, like Coca-Cola, Lucozade and Ribena. While there’s been a lot of innovation within the category recently, there aren’t any new lines customers are asking for specifically.

“Costs are rising, but we’ve noticed customers are buying branded lines more and more. The exception are isotonic sports drinks where own-label lines have always performed well. Branded lines in soft drinks, like Pepsi Max and Diet Coke will always sell better because people trust the brand and feel it tastes better than own-label alternatives.

“Energy drinks continue to be strong and shoppers are choosing low- and no-sugar options more than ever before – but they want a choice so offer both. We’ve noticed if a zero sugar variety is merchandised next to its full-sugar counterpart, they’ll typically choose zero sugar.”

THE UK’S NO.1 CHILLED COFFEE *

Stock up now *Nielsen 23/04/22

CATEGORY ADVICE CEREAL & CEREAL BARS

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WHAT CEREAL AND CEREAL BARS SHOULD YOU STOCK? Cereal is the ultimate breakfast meal, while cereal bars are ideal for on-the-go consumption or a morning pick me up. TOM GOCKELENKOZLOWSKI explores the products to stock to maximise sales

WHAT’S TRENDING? WHETHER it’s a healthier snack grabbed on the go or a bowl of cereal before work or school, the occasions that defined the cereal and cereal bar market were particularly affected by the impact of the pandemic.

This has now changed as the market shifts towards that much discussed ‘new normal’.

“With life now returning to normal, and more people on the move, the future is looking bright for the snacking market, but particularly for healthier snacks,” says Gerry Roads, marketing manager for snacking at General Mills.

“We have noticed a shift in snacking habits as consumers are demanding more permissible options, with healthier snack bars forecast to grow by 14% over the next three years as confectionery and sweet biscuits become a smaller part of the snacking repertoire.”

Darryl Burgess, head of sales at Weetabix, adds: “We believe we’ll continue to see cost pressures throughout the industry in the next few months, meaning shoppers will be

focusing on value for money more than ever,” he says. “This is where cereal has a huge advantage compared to other breakfast options.”

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CATEGORY ADVICE CEREAL & CEREAL BARS

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HEALTHIER OPTIONS GENERAL Mills’ Gerry Roads says snacks that boast nutrition through added fibre or protein, those fortified with vitamins or that offer quick ways for consumers to hit their five-a-day goals are all in demand as shoppers look for snacks that fit in with their busy lives while helping them reach lifestyle goals.

General Mills’ Nature Valley brand offers added benefits through its core platforms: Nature Valley Crunchy (made with 100% wholegrain oats) and

Nature Valley Protein, which is high in protein and fibre.

Together, these ranges have contributed to the brand’s 4.3% year-on-year growth (to £58.7m).

“We also know more shoppers are turning to weight management solutions, with the overall weight management snacks category now valued at £120.7m,” says Roads.

The supplier’s main growth driver in this area is Fibre One, which is now the third biggest

brand in the category and a significant contributor to growth at £6.5m, according to the firm.

“Famous for its 90-calorie brownie and square range, we reduced the sugar content by 30% without compromising on taste. The range is delivering 22.7% growth and has contributed £1.3m to the overall category over the past 12 weeks,” Roads adds.

Another brand that has introduced a healthier, non-HFSS (high in fat, sugar and salt)

recipe is Go Ahead’s Fruit & Oat bakes, produced by Pladis.

The new recipe, launched in February.

“With a heightened nationwide focus on health, more shoppers are actively seeking snacks that deliver on taste and health credentials,” says Charlotte Priest, senior brand manager for Go Ahead. “Now, more than ever, healthier biscuits represent an attractive and scalable growth opportunity for retailers.”

The new Go Ahead Fruit Slices are available in three flavours – apple, forest fruit and raspberry – in multipacks of five, with an RRP of £1.59.

WHAT ARE CUSTOMERS LOOKING FOR? THE investment in new flavours, brand extensions and other innovations suggest suppliers see the return of more consistent work patterns as heralding a golden age for the cereal bar.

Yet, as General Mills’ Roads says, the category is versatile enough to stay relevant even when many of us are enjoying less ‘on the go’ lifestyles.

“People are looking for options that will help them stick to healthier habits, especially in the post-pandemic world of hybrid working,” Roads says.

“Nearly half of those who work at home and in the office said

they are conscious of what they eat to stay healthy.

“While there’s less commuting – which means reduced daily demand for on-the-go breakfast bars – homeworking means the mid-morning fuel or 3pm pick-me-up occasions have grown in relevance.”

Following a steep increase in sales of honey-flavoured cereals (value sales have soared 14.5% since 2019, according to analysts IRI), Nestlé Cereals has launched a new Shreddies cereal, dubbed ‘The Honey One’.

It will be available to select convenience stores progressively

throughout 2022 and has also been formulated to be HFSScompliant.

The launch follows an announcement from Nestlé that

it has removed an estimated 59 million teaspoons of sugar and three million teaspoons of salt from its products since 2003.

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CATEGORY ADVICE CEREAL & CEREAL BARS

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CAPITALISE ON ON-PACK PROMOTIONS THE domestic football season may be over but that doesn’t mean football is going anywhere.

In fact, from 31 May to 30 September, Weetabix products will give customers the chance to win tickets to men’s and women’s international games, signed shirts, football equipment and Weetabix vouchers.

Lorraine Rothwell, head of marketing at Weetabix, says: “We are proud to be championing women’s football and will be featuring women’s players from all five [UK] nations on our packs and point-of-sale.

“Last year’s partnership with the Football Association brought new customers to Weetabix and we are expecting

big things for this year’s partnership.”

All the promotional packs will be widely available to convenience stores, and Weetabix says the promotion is the first in a big year of football promotions, with more planned to coincide with the World Cup in November.

The latest campaign will be supported with in-store displays and social media content, aiming to encourage children to get active.

top trends Health and HFSS Health continues to be a key focus within the cereals and cereal bar category. While HFSS legislation won’t affect all convenience stores, shoppers will still be looking for healthier options.

Value With the cost of living rising, shoppers will be looking to make their money go as far as possible. “Cereal is by far the cheapest solution,” explains Weetabix’s Burgess. “It offers affordability, convenience and great taste in a bowl from big brands that consumers love.”

On-the-go While it took a hit during the pandemic and the rise of hybrid working, on-the-go consumption has made a comeback. Many of these lines are also HFSS-compliant meaning retailers have an opportunity to boost impulse sales by merchandising bars near the till.

SUPPLIER

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Darryl Burgess, head of sales, Weetabix

“THE cereal category is worth more then £70m in the total impulse category. Big cereal brands still dominate in the category, drawing shoppers to the aisle and Weetabix remains the UK’s number one breakfast cereal brand.

“Within the cereal bar category, choice and variety are the key drivers of growth. We will also be reviewing our range to ensure we offer leading, on-trend flavours that jump out to consumers. We continue to bring innovation to the market, such as the White Chocolate, Raspberry & Shortcake Alpen Light bar, which is already one of our fastest-selling bars.”

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BRAND PARTNERSHIPS ARE INCREASING WEETABIX has also paired up with Lyle’s Golden Syrup to launch a HFSS-compliant cereal. Gareth Turner, head of marketing at Weetabix, says: “Consumers are looking for products that hit the mark taste-wise, but also offer nutritional benefits.

“On top of this, brand partnerships are on the rise, with shoppers seeking authentic flavours and new experiences. It’s the perfect time to bring two huge British kitchen cupboard staples together to launch this new cereal, which offers a unique flavour combination of two exciting brands and a strong nutritional profile.”

Weetabix baked with Lyle’s Golden Syrup is available

across grocery, convenience and wholesale with an RRP of £3.29 for a 24-biscuit pack.

It came as the cereal’s sister brand Oatibix launched a new TV advertising campaign which, the firm says, aims to increase sales by 30%. The company has also launched a limited-edition Weetos Orange Chocolatey Hoops.

Available in 420g packs across convenience and wholesale, with an RRP of £3.29, the new variety is also high in fibre.

This activity highlights how suppliers are showing increased confidence in the cereal and cereal bars category, which is significant at a time when the media is full

of stories of families reducing their spending and cutting out non-essential purchases.

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CHANGING CUSTOMER BEHAVIOUR The RETAIL EXPRESS team finds out how customer purchasing behaviour is changing and how retailers are adapting

“Cost of living is having an effect at the counter. What other changes are retailers noticing in their customers?” – Colin Savage, Baxters Newsagents, Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire

1

Paul Thomas, One Stop Main Avenue Bridgend

“THE feeling is that customers will shop little and often rather than doing big shops. Offers and promotions are more important to them than ever and as long as we’re able to keep offering good offers and low prices they’ll keep coming back. That’s true across all product categories as well.

“Over the past couple of months, we’ve gone much bigger on promotions than we used to because we know our customers will de�initely take up the opportunity to get more for their money. We’ve got double packs of biscuits on at the moment and they’re going extremely well. Customers are almost stockpiling them a bit. When they see a promotion they buy extra because they know it won’t last forever.

“Although we used to shy away from directly comparing prices on our social media, we do now to try to show that our prices are lower.”

2

Suleman Khonat, Burnley Road News, Blackburn

“OVER the pandemic, people were social distancing, wearing masks and ordering home delivery. While things are getting better now, a lot of people are still very reluctant to go back to ‘normal’ to an extent.

“There are customers who’ll look through the door and check how people are in the store before they come in. It’s no longer a straightforward thing for them to just walk into a shop. It used to be a very rare occasion, but there’s now a larger number of customers doing it.

“The weather will impact people’s behaviour this summer as well. If good weather can last then we’re in for a good time. We’ll keep our �ingers crossed because I think good weather will do our customers’ mental health a lot of good, and it will also do our trading good as well. We need to encourage people to use their local shops.”

3

Phil Moutray, Wm Moutray & Sons, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone

“PEOPLE are doing fewer trolley shops and are preferring to come in with a basket every day or two to avoid wastage. We have fresh produce on the shelves and customers can buy what they need, not what they think they might need later on in the week. That’s bringing people away from the big supermarkets and it really works for convenience stores. People are spending less when they come in, but those people just keep coming back in.

“There’s been an increase in ready meals. Through Costcutter, we’re able to get really good deals where you can get chips, nuggets, ice lollies and some sides for £5. It’s about getting that in customers faces and then keeping it well stocked. There are also customers we have who want to prepare their meals from scratch and then it’s about having a good range of fruit and vegetables in stock for them.”

In the next issue, the Retail Express team finds out how retailers are managing their margins. If you have any problems you’d like us to explore, please email charles.whitting@newtrade.co.uk