RN - 11 August 2023

Editor Jack Courtez @JackCourtez

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News editor

Megan Humphrey

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Features editor

Charles Whitting

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Senior features writer

Priyanka Jethwa

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News reporter

Alice Brooker 07597 588955

Head of design

Anne-Claire Pickard

Senior designer

Jody Cooke

Junior designer

Lauren Jackson

Production editor

Ryan Cooper

Sub editors

Jim Findlay, Robin Jarossi

Production coordinator

Chris Gardner 020 7689 3368

Editor in chief

Louise Banham @LouiseBanham

Deputy insight & advertorial editor

Jasper Hart @JasperAHHart

020 7689 3384

News editor

Alex Yau @AlexYau_ 020 7689 3358

Specialist reporter

Dia Stronach 020 7689 3375

Features writer

Priya Khaira 020 7689 3379

Head of commercial

Natalie Reeve 020 7689 3367

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Cover images: Getty Images/filo/niwate bunlue

Tooting in London has everything: an Iceland, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and an Aldi, all within a quarter mile of each other. But there was only one shop that had a queue snaking round the aisles last Saturday – Istanbul Food Gate.

This independent grocer has a butchery, bakery and an extensive fruit and veg range that puts its rivals to shame. The shelves run floor to ceiling, and apart from the smash hit sellers sold almost by the pallet, most other lines have no more than two facings.

Jack Courtez

@JackCourtez 020 7689 3371

I was visiting with a chef with more than two decades’ experience in kitchens, including managing the buying. For his home, the local Aldi may get his custom for the big buys, but around 30-40% of his grocery spend goes to Istanbul Food Gate. Looking at many of the customers laden with two full baskets at the till, I would say he’s far from alone. “The meat is better and there’s so much more choice. You can go to Sainsbury’s and buy the same three pepper pack each week or come here and choose from five different types for a similar price,” he said.

But the main reason for the store’s busy market feel is that it keeps pace with the diverse community’s kitchen needs better than the major players. With less than 2,000sq ft at its disposal, it still manages to fit in strong ranges of goods key to Turkish, Eastern European, African and Afro-Caribbean, Middle-Eastern and Indian subcontinent cuisines. Here are some of the 300+ five star reviews the shop has. “The store manager is helpful and gives discounts for regular customers.” “Regularly shop here. Great produce, lovely owners, the butchers is probably the best in Tooting and [they] are unfazed by requests.”

Customer service, a passion for sourcing and expertise in ranging underpin the shop’s popularity, but the secret weapon is stock turn, allowing a small store to stock niche lines like fresh feta, mooli or even turnip juice, which hammer home its point of difference. The products will seem alien to many communities, but your local area has equivalents. Whether it’s specialist magazines, fresh food on the go or craft beer, finding them and making them your passion is a principle for success anywhere in the world.

HEADLINES

3 INDUSTRY NEWS

Frozen Brothers and slush machine firm deny causing disastrous fire

Post Office services placed in Payzone stores under a mile from existing branches

5 SYMBOLS & WHOLESALE

Bobby’s success with courier boxes and Northern Ireland expansion

6 N EWS & MAGS

Inside the success of the UK’s only growing national newspaper

7 FED NEWS

Retailers react to police and politician crime crackdown pledges

8 YOUR VIEWS

‘Getting a grant to retrofit my van for ULEZ has been a nightmare’

10 PRODUCT NEWS

Discover Cadbury’s new kids on the chocolate block

12 PRICEWATCH

The hottest prices on tea and coffee lines revealed

14 WHOLESALE PRICEWATCH

Five wholesalers’ prices on the top vodka lines compared

16 STORE ADVICE

Retailers share their EPoS tips and tricks

19 EXPERT OPINION

Why print is still king for the big publishers

20 COCKTAILS AT HOME

What stores need to know to grab bigger booze baskets

24 CUTTING STORE ENERGY COSTS

Retailer Ken Singh reveals the gadgets and changes saving him £5,000

27 PERSONAL CARE GUIDE

Discover 30 important lines and how to sell more of them

29 THIS WEEK IN MAGAZINES

The Football

EXCLUSIVE

Slush machines alleged to have caused blazes

by Jack Courtez jack.courtez@newtrade.co.uk

A slush machine commonly found in convenience stores has been blamed for fires causing millions of pounds of damages to businesses.

Court records uncovered by RN reveal allegations that a Slush Puppiebranded Faby Express Twin Bowl unit, made by CAB Spa and supplied by Frozen Brothers, caused a fire at Regent Superbowl in Great Yarmouth, which burnt more than 30 nearby small businesses to the ground in 2016.

Over in Pittsburgh in the US, a similar case is underway with another twin bowl Slush Puppie machine made by CAB Spa, which is alleged to have caused a fire in Trail View Neighbourhood Convenience Store.

Official fire brigade incident reports for the Great Yarmouth blaze, obtained by RN, claim the blaze was caused by an electrical fault with a freezer compressor, which Regent Superbowl alleges was the Frozen Brothers supplied unit. Court records show the

DRS collapse debts

business is attempting to recoup millions of pounds in damages from both Frozen Brothers and CAB Spa. Both parties strongly deny the claims.

Alarmingly, for the thousands of local shop owners who rely on, and even live above, slush drinks equipment from CAB Spa and Frozen Brothers, the case includes accusations that negligence in the CAB Spa’s design and in Frozen Brother’s refurbishment, alterations and maintenance created the dangerous blaze. It took more than 80 firefighters to bring it under control.

Regent Superbowl says fire prevention components in the machines, known as klixons, failed to work due to poor maintenance and design, causing the unit to overheat.

Investigators for the company claimed two klixons matching those from the unit were found “welded together” at the site.

While it accepted that it did not change klixons during the machine’s refurbishment, Frozen Brothers denied the unit was the cause of the fire and denied fault even

if it was, stating that it would blame CAB Spa for an “inherently defective” design if it is found that the machine was responsible. Frozen Brothers also claimed Regent Superbowl had failed to properly maintain the machine.

In a defence document filed last week by CAB Spa, the Italian manufacturer hit back that Frozen Brothers voided the warranty by making unapproved alterations to the device, which “can make the machine unsafe”, and that Frozen Brothers failed to pass on vital guidance to switch the machine to refrigeration mode overnight to reduce wear on the compressor. CAB Spa claimed this failure meant Frozen Brothers was “materially contributing to the likely

fault that caused the fire”.

An independent slush machine maintenance engineer shown the fire reports, photos and legal claims by RN said that CAB Spa machines were considered to be “pretty good”. They added: “I’ve seen Klixons melt, I’ve seen them malfunction and cause overheating, but I’ve never seen one cause a fire.”

The disputed claims against Frozen Brothers build on its poor reputation for maintenance, with more than 70 small business owners accusing its machines, which include Tango Ice Blast and Coca-Cola Frozen, of regularly breaking down.

Neither CAB Spa or Frozen Brothers replied to RN’s requests to respond to the claims.

Vape law loopholes exploited

Several disposable vaping brands are using new designs and technology to offer more than 600 puffs while staying under the 2ml e-liquid per tank legal limit.

Under the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), e-cigarette tanks including those on disposables must have a capacity of no more than 2ml of eliquid, usually equivalent to 500-to-600 puffs.

However, new products like IVG 2,400 puff are claimed to be legal to sell.

The lines are registered with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the brand claims to have been approved by Trading Standards.

Each device features four 2ml tanks to overcome the limit. Happy Vibes Twist 3,500 uses the same loophole, while

BAT’s Vuse Go claims to offer 800 puffs while also being MHRA registered and TPD compliant.

The developments caused confusion among shop owners, who have been told for more than a year by suppliers and trade bodies to avoid products with more than 600 puffs.

Stores are still advised to check that all new vaping products are reg-

istered with the MHRA, and to demand proof that any product offering more than 600 puffs does not contain individual tanks with more than 2ml e-liquid in.

One in 12 independent convenience stores are selling products in breach of the legal limit, most commonly the Elux Legend 3,500 puff range, despite it being illegal to sell in the UK.

Collapsed deposit return scheme (DRS) administrator Circularity Scotland (CSL) owes nearly £90m in debt, with Booker and major drinks suppliers among those owed money.

Documents filed at Companies House at the end of last month revealed CSL owes more than £86m following its administration this year, when Scotland’s DRS was delayed until at least October 2025.

Waste management company Biffa is owed the majority at £65m, while nearly £75,000 is owed to Booker. Drinks companies such as Heineken, the British Soft Drinks Association, and Nestlé Waters were also hit, with CSL racking up more than £4.6m of debt against the firms.

Administrators said the firms are unlikely to recoup the funds.

Perfect Draft to expand

AB InBev is seeking more convenience stores for its Perfect Draft mini kegs, as the number of independent partners has reached nearly 180.

A source close to the company confirmed it was looking to expand into more retailers and would be recruiting stores in batches. United Wholesale Scotland notably became one of the first wholesalers to make Perfect Draft products available in cash and carry.

Perfect Draft-partnered stores can stock six-litre kegs (RRP £36) from Budweiser, Stella and Corona, allowing shoppers to have pub-style pints at home.

The 2016 fire and, inset, the incident report showing the alleged cause

EXCLUSIVE Youths back C-stores

Young adults want more convenience stores in their local area than any other age group, according to ACS’ Community Barometer 2023 report.

A survey of a thousand shoppers in the new report shows 30% of 18-24 year olds want more convenience stores, compared to around 20% of pension-age adults.

The youngest adults were most likely to believe their shop ‘acts as a community hub’, ‘reduces loneliness’ and is a safe space for people at night.

The ACS said the results break the stereotype that only older customers value the presence of convenience stores. ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “These figures show that on areas like reducing loneliness, local shops are important to young people as well.”

Stores to get free vape bins

More than 80 shops are on track to receive free vape recycling bins and collections after getting in touch with RN magazine.

The 28 July edition featured an interview with Green Wings Project (GWP), which has thousands of vape bins and subsequent collection services still available for free to local shops.

All shop owners that asked for the service were put in touch with GWP, who confirmed steps are underway to get the units sent out.

“We have been looking for a solution for recycling disposable vapes and this just might be it,” one retailer wrote.

Drop & Collect sites too close, say PO branches

by Jack Courtez jack.courtez@newtrade.co.uk

The average Payzone site being given Post Office (PO) Drop & Collect parcel services is only a 15-minute walk from an existing Post Office branch, sparking concerns from existing branches.

Analysis by RN shows consultations on 83 PO Drop & Collect branches have been added, updated or proposed since the start of June. The PO confirmed 345 Drop and Collect sites are currently live, with 57 opening since the 1 June. Drop & Collect allows Payzone shops to provide prepaid Royal Mail parcel services previously exclusive to PO branches.

While popular with those offering the service, full PO retailers expressed concerns that the model would cannibalise their sales. At the time, the Post Office pledged it would balance protecting existing branches with the need to for a bigger network to compete with rival parcel services, such as CollectPlus and Evri.

Mapping of the 87 Drop & Collect consultations by RN revealed the average

distance from an existing Post Office is just 0.7 miles, while 20% of the new sites are half a mile or less from an existing Post Office, according to data from Google Maps and the Post Office’s own branch locator. The figures suggest there is a customer base overlap between many of the existing and new sites.

The Post Office strongly contested RN’s findings, stating the ‘minimum criteria’ for a new Drop & Collect site was for it to be at least 0.5 miles from an existing Post Office.

The firm highlighted that one of the four branches analysed by RN as being under 0.5miles away from an existing site related to bringing ‘extra capacity’ to a town that had recently seen its only Post Office replaced with a temporary ‘Post Office on Wheels.’

Even some of the one in six Drop & Collect sites more than a mile away from an existing post office are providing challenges, according to Anusha Rajani. A Payzone-partnered store 1.2 miles away from her Manor Way Post Office in Borehamwood, Hertford-

shire, was added to the PO Drop & Collect network. The retailer told RN: “I’m angry, to be honest, and yes we have noticed the difference. We are no longer the closest branch for the customers closest to that new site, so we do lose those sales.

“The Post Office says it’s minimal, but the footfall supports the additional shop sales. It all adds up. Perhaps we got five visitors before, but now we get three and the other site gets two. It’s the same sales for the Post Office, but less for every branch.”

A Post Office spokesperson responded: “The growth in retailers wanting to operate a Drop & Collect is evidence of the Post Office’s strong brand, and with the competition in the prepaid parcel market being incredibly fierce, retailers are choos-

ing to work with Post Office.

“Any claim that 20% of Drop & Collect branches are within half a mile of an existing Post Office is categorically incorrect. Each Drop & Collect location is carefully chosen, following criteria that it should be 0.5 miles or more from a nearby Post Office and is monitored to ensure that nearby Post Offices are not detrimentally impacted. This new format launched in autumn 2021 and Post Office has, and will continue, to contact all nearby Postmasters within a mile of each Drop & Collect before it opens, providing them with contact details to address any concerns they may have. We also engage closely with the NFSP on the Drop & Collect roll out providing weekly and monthly updates.”

Prime moves from craze to core

Prime Hydration is making the leap from craze to core ranging in the sports and energy drink category, till data seen by RN suggests.

The Wholesale Company (TWC) data of 5,000 independent convenience stores in mainland UK, commissioned by RN, showed the average selling price coming down to just above the £2.99 RRP,

while the brand cracked the top 10 brands by both value and volume within the sports and energy drinks segment.

The sales figures for the four weeks to mid-July show it is the fourth bestselling sports and energy drink by value, with 5% market share, putting it ahead of major names such as Lucozade Energy, Boost Energy, Relentless,

Boost Sport and Rockstar. By volume, it is in the top 10 brands with 2.2% market share, shifting more units per week than Rockstar in local shops.

Despite a sales slowdown, the brand is still selling 64 bottles per week in the average local shop, according to the data. Ian Lewis, of Spar Minster Lovell in Witney, became one of the first

independent retailers to stock Prime in January, with stock selling out in hours. However, he said demand has dropped recently: “It’s become more widely available. I’ve dropped the price from £2.99 to £1.99 and merged it with my general soft drinks range.”

Store owners told RN Prime will likely remain a permanent fixture.

The locations of some of the most recently proposed Drop & Collect sites

12,000 stores now using Bobby’s Extra service

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

Confectionery wholesaler

Bobby’s has rebranded its boxed courier service, as 60% of the firm’s retailers are now ordering from it.

Initially called Bobby’s Box, the service will be renamed Bobby’s Extra and is exclusive to independent retailers. The firm’s national sales manager, John Lucas, told RN that 12,000 of Bobby’s 20,000 customers have used the service since it launched in September last year.

Available nationwide, retailers can order a box of popular Bobby’s confectionery, with an average margin of 30%. It is available on sale or return and retailers can choose to include plain-pack or price-marked confectionery ranging from £1 to £5. The boxes are delivered through the DPD courier service, with deliveries taking two to four days to arrive from ordering.

Lucas said: “The service started because of our customer engagement surveys where retailers were asking if we could provide more stock. Our vans could only fit so many products. When a delivery comes to a store

Costcutter sales increase

A Bolton retailer has increased sales by 48% after converting to the Costcutter Bargain Booze hybrid in March.

Kersheaup Vagadia invested £250,000 to boost his alcohol section from 500 to 750 lines alongside the addition of a fresh bakery and hot food section.

Since converting his Costcutter to the dual format, average basket spend has increased by £2.20, while weekly alcohol sales have risen by nearly a quarter to £7,000.

we give the retailer the option to order from 25 additional lines, which are delivered through the Extra service.”

Bagged sweets and sugar confectionery are available but savoury products, such as crisps, usually aren't because of space constraints in the box and potential damage through a courier service.

He added: “We have an eight-case minimumorder requirement and the average box price is £10, but it does generate a great incremental sales opportunity for retailers.”

The service can also help with seasonal opportunities, allowing retailers to

adapt more quickly to sudden changes in demand.

He also revealed plans for Northern Ireland, after achieving a 500-retailer milestone in the region with the opening of its first permanent depot last month. Bobby’s currently has four vehicles serving Northern Ireland, and an upcoming partnership with a yet-to-beannounced symbol group will open a fifth route.

The deal will add to existing relationships in the country with Nisa, Costcutter, Henderson Group and Savage & Whitten.

Lucas said: “We’ve got all the vehicles and equipment ready and we’re

recruiting staff who can help support this. We’d always do trade shows in the UK and customers would ask when we’re going to Northern Ireland to support independent retailers.

“The opening of our 12th depot last month will help us meet this demand. We’re bringing the same service elements we have in other regions. One of the vans is geared towards helping with merchandising.

“We started with 36 retailer accounts prior to the pandemic and we’ve got plenty of room to grow further in Northern Ireland.”

Promos help offset alcohol duty rise

Wholesale promotions on alcohol have limited negative customer feedback to changes in duty implemented this month.

On 1 August, a new alcohol duty system based on strength and volume was introduced, leading to price changes on hundreds of lines. The changes meant some wine and spirit products had price

increases ranging from 35-65p, while pre-mix cans saw a decrease in cost.

However, any initial backlash from customers was prevented as the increases were introduced at the same time as strong alcohol promotions. Serge Notay, of Notay’s Premier in Batley, West Yorkshire, told RN that Booker promotions running until the

end of August meant many beer lines were unaffected. He said: “I have to praise Booker as it meant customers didn’t notice any impact. It also gives me more time to work out how I can inform customers about the changes.”

Some retailers, such as Martin Lightfoot, of Londis Solo Convenience in Glasgow, did face a negative

reaction from customers. He said: “Customers aren’t aware and we’ve had to try and explain it’s not us putting the prices up.”

One Spar retailer faced an increased workload to accommodate the new duty, telling RN: “I’ve got 25 products which need the labelling changing throughout my store to reflect the price changes.”

Sales within the hot food section have also grown from £150 to £1,300 per week, with an average margin of 38%.

Since launching the format in April 2022, Bestway has opened 10 Costcutter Bargain Booze sites, with another 20 sites planned. It aims to expand to areas where Bargain Booze has no presence.

Costco to open 30th UK depot

Costco is to open its 30th depot in the UK, giving retailers in the west of England access to a new wholesaler.

The site’s opening has not yet been given a date, but it will be based in the Centric Park industrial estate in Gloucestershire. It is being managed by commercial property developer Chase Commercial, which is working with the cash and carry firm to open more sites across the UK.

The firm’s criteria for the additional sites include space for 650 parking spots, alongside areas to accommodate petrol filling and electric vehicle charging stations.

NEWS & MAGS iWeekend’s continued sales streak explained

EXCLUSIVE Potential sale for Telegraph

Recent financial results from The Telegraph confirm directors are considering a potential sale. The financial statement for the year ending 1 January 2023 included an update on recent developments, with holding company Press Acquisitions pushed into receivership after a spat over loans from Lloyds Banking Group, but stated that the company has continued to trade as normal in line with forecasts.

However, the firm's goal of hitting one million subscribers by the end of 2023 was amended to remove the deadline, with the results showing the firm was short of the target.

Financial terms have been extended from the previous 30 September cliff edge, giving Press Acquisitions a little over a year to potentially sell.

The Guardian also reported results for the year ended 2 April 2023, boasting a total revenue increase of £8.6m.

Paper ‘exodus’ predicted

Media experts Enders

Analysis claimed huge numbers of weekly regional papers will be lost within three years.

A new report stated that “encouraging market innovations” are “building industry confidence”, but “the risk of a massive weekly newspaper market exodus in the next three years keeps growing”.

The analyst admitted similar predictions such as that 650 regional titles would be lost by 2013 were “unnecessarily pessimistic”.

by Dia Stronach dia.stronach@newtrade.co.uk

The iWeekend’s unrivalled copy sales growth is down to affordability, availability and impartiality, according to the title’s key account manager, Paul Bacon.

The iWeekend edition has achieved three months of consecutive increases in copies sold, while its weekday sister editions are achieving the most stable year-on-year results of any Monday-toFriday title.

In an interview with RN to explain how the title is outperforming the market and the opportunities ahead for stores, Bacon said: “We really attribute our success to schemes such as ‘i am on your side’, good availability and good visibility.”

Bacon told RN that in the 13 years i has been in print, it has become known as “no-nonsense, and no editorial opinions”. He said its impartiality had made it “a lot of people’s second-choice paper”. This, along with a strong investment in higher allocations to stores, has meant the i has become popular as a ‘household paper’ or as a second choice when other titles are unavailable.

He highlighted projects such as the regular ‘i’m on your side’ campaign, which provides retailers with packs including voucher sheets, datacapture information and booklets of tips to help promote the i. RN understands these promotional packs are currently available free to any i stockist. Bacon said that while the latest campaign was relatively new, it had led the i to offer extra incentives for newsagents to join their schemes.

“We’ll be supporting HND month in October with a lot of subscription campaigns,” he said, and highlighted offers available to retailers using i-movo or PaperRound services, which are both

partnered with the i’s owner, DMG.

Bacon added that while people “aren’t willing to spend what they would have” in a cost-of-living crisis, i’s policy of explaining the reasoning behind cover price rises to readers had been successful in retaining sales. “No one else is close to our sales despite our cover price increases being in line with the average,” he stated.

Despite the rises, the i remains the lowest-priced weekday paper and the second-lowest-priced middle-market newspaper.

The title is also adding further value through innovative mixed digital and print subscriptions.

Bacon revealed that customers can now subscribe

to receive print at weekends and digital during the week. He told RN: “We don’t see it as taking existing sales in the week, it fits in with people’s lifestyles and when they do have time to read and enjoy a print paper.”

Bacon predicted the i’s “neutral” stance in an increasingly polarised world will continue to pay dividends.

He said that making sure that its columnists come from a wide range of political viewpoints and having its journalists appear in other media was drawing new readers to i.

Bacon forecast: “With an election next year, i will come into its own, because we will not tell people who to vote for.”

Gardeners’ World tops revenue charts

BBC Gardeners’ World magazine’s May edition delivered the highest sales of any monthly magazine in 15 years, publisher Immediate Media has announced.

Managing director

Catriona Bolger attributed the issue’s success to the title's annual 2-for-1 Gar-

dens Entry Card & Guide, which offers readers 2-for-1 entry to 416 gardens nationwide, saying its appeal had been confirmed “with readers recognising the great savings the card delivers at many of the country’s most beautiful gardens”.

The May issue sold

164,576 copies on the newsstand, putting more than £1.4m through retailer tills, an increase of 6.3% compared with the same special May issue the year before.

A statement from the publisher added the issue was supported by “an extensive trade market-

ing and promotional campaign”, which included national print and television coverage.

The gardening magazine was a big beneficiary of the pandemic, with the title's average sales in 2022 and 2021 up by more than 65,000 copies compared to before 2020.

Police shoplifting pledge welcomed by retailers

by Alice Brooker alice.brooker@newtrade.co.uk

Independent retailers have welcomed a police pledge to investigate every shoplifting incident and a separate plan to put more shoplifters behind bars.

Police commissioners have committed to investigating all shoplifting occurrences as long as there is a ‘lead’, such as goodquality CCTV footage. The news followed concern over the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data showing a 24% jump in shoplifting reports in England and Wales in the past year.

A separate push is underway from ministers to build more prison space to use to lock up prolific shoplifters, with transport minister Richard Holden stating: “If people are persistently breaking the law, then they should go to jail, and if we need to build more prison places for them, then so be it.”

Research from the ACS suggests 63% of shoplift-

Head office

Telegraph ends freeze

ing incidents in convenience stores are by repeat offenders.

Fed national president Muntazir Dipoti responded: “Sadly, many incidents of shoplifting are becoming increasingly violent.

“After so many years of police forces appearing to turn a blind eye to shoplifting offences, the Fed is pleased to hear that these crimes will be investigated, provided there is evidence available to help lead to a conviction.”

Dipoti added the Fed will be writing to chief constables and police and crime commissioners to “ensure that officers do act” when shop theft is reported.

Fed member Hitesh Pandya, owner of Toni’s Newsagents in Kent, said: “More resources doesn’t mean better. It means diddly squat. There are opportunist shoplifters, and if nothing is done about it, they’ll do it on a regular basis. Some people are desperate, but some do it just because they can.”

In Pandya’s county, shoplifting was reported to increase by 3% for the year ending March 2023, according to ONS figures, one of the lowest increases of any part of the England and Wales.

“[Retailers] have got to do their due diligence and make sure their stuff is protected,” Pandya continued. “A lot of retailers don’t provide evidence, which is not acceptable. If you feel the police aren’t doing enough, you have to pursue them. Not because they’re lazy, but because

they’re incompetent. If crime isn’t reported, we lose, the police lose – society loses.

“Some stuff we’re allowing to happen. We can’t expect the police or retailers to do everything. Both sides need to be a lot more interactive, then you should not have any problems with persecution.”

Dipoti also expressed a concern for retailers failing to report crime due to “lack of police action”, and that the current scale of crime could be worse as a result.

Fed helps return £100k to retailers

The Fed has clawed back more than £100,000 for members who have suffered issues with publishers and news publishers in the past seven months alone, the highest success rate on record.

The Fed Contact Centre has achieved the figure each year for the past four years, mostly for missing or late papers, vouchers or credit. However, this year’s results suggest

the Fed is on track to hit £171,000 returned to members by year end.

Based on approximately 9,000 calls about news wholesaler issues during the latest seven-month period, this equates to £11.11 returned to members for each call received. However, the largest single amount recovered for an individual member stands at £13,000.

Contact Centre man-

ager Andrew Williamson said the team “leave no stone unturned when attempting to resolve an issue,” adding that Fed staff involved are “immensely proud” of the level of funds returned to retailers.

Fed national president Muntazir Dipoti added: “Every penny counts during these difficult trading times.

“The work that our

Contact Centre team does on a daily basis to get remuneration for members who would otherwise be unfairly out of pocket is exemplary and much appreciated.”

The latest complaints level data from Smiths News and Menzies suggests the Fed is receiving double the number of news wholesaler service complaints as the two wholesalers themselves.

The Telegraph has ended its six-month margin freeze, but percentage terms on weekend editions are still lower than before.

A Telegraph letter to stores said from 5 August, retailer terms on weekday editions rose to 20% (64p per copy), Saturdays to 19% margin (81.7p) and Sundays to 20% (64p).

For the past six months, stores were denied the benefits of the price increases, with the terms freeze costing a store selling 15 copies per day £108 in profit.

Last week, The Telegraph described the subs strategy behind the freeze as “a fantastic opportunity to work together”.

The Fed was not convinced, with a statement describing the strategy as “hugely disappointing” and driving stores to drop newspapers altogether.

Republic of Ireland

Vapes: recycle, not ban

A ban on disposable vapes in the Republic of Ireland would be “extremely detrimental” to stores, Fed Ireland president Martin Mulligan has warned.

In response to the Irish government’s consultation on the topic, the Fed acknowledged harm caused by the products, but called for recycling rather than a ban.

Mulligan said a recycling system “is a more effective way to reduce the environmental impact”. He added if recycling doesn't work, “we will happily support a deposit return scheme for vapes, just as we have for plastic bottles”.

A shoplifting incident escalated to a knife attack in Bristol last month

YOUR VIEWS

TfL ULEZ rejections are confusing

I have been totally confused by rejections from Transport for London (TfL) when I applied for a grant to retrofit my van and make it compliant with ultra low emission zone requirements.

The restrictions were designed to improve the air quality in London by encouraging people to use more climate-friendly cars. There are certain vehicles that are charged a fee to enter the capital. I have applied twice.

On 26 July, I received a letter responding to my first application where TfL claimed the van’s insurance was out of date, or I failed to provide its certificate.

I then received another rejection letter on 1 August for another application, claiming the photo ID I provided of myself wasn’t valid or that I had forgotten to include it.

I attached all these required documents in my application and I still

have the scans of them to hand. I found the application process and the rejection letters confusing, and the processing teams were not helpful at all in guiding me through it.

The email addresses I received with the rejection letters did not have any means to reply and I have been told to submit my application again.

I would appreciate it if RN could help me in getting a grant to retrofit my van. The processing team needs to understand how difficult the application process is, and how much a small business owner in London has gone through to survive the current economic situation.

Ravi Raveendran Colombo Food and Wine, Hounslow

Transport for London failed to comment as RN went to print.

Smiths News complaint

I would like to make a complaint about

LOOKING AT THE MOST VITAL SERVICES FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS

James Lowman, chief executive, ACS

Recently, we launched our Community Barometer report, which looks at how people value the services in their area, what they would like to see more of and how they would prioritise investment in their community. The report looks at a total of 16 different local services, from petrol stations and pubs to takeaways and charity shops.

We first launched this report in 2014 and, over the years, the find-

Smiths News regarding my magazine tote box, which was left outside and ended up with the magazines getting absolutely soaking wet.

I tried to contact Smiths regarding the issue, but nothing happens.

Humza Shahid

Hillwood News Market, Birmingham

A Smiths News spokesperson responded: “Smiths News appreciates feedback and believes that communication is key to maintaining strong and successful relationships with our customers.

“When they’re not happy, we want to hear about it. We pride ourselves on offering a swift resolution to any issues that arise and we can confirm we have reviewed Mr Shahid's complaint with the depot concerned to ensure that appropriate action is taken.

“After speaking with Mr Shahid, he has assured us he is happy he has spoken to us directly and the complaint is now resolved.

“We look forward to providing him with the usual high levels of customer service we are known for.”

lowed by post offices and convenience stores.

VIEW FROM THE COUNTER with Serge Notay

The weather hasn’t been typical for the summer, but the constant rainfall hasn’t put a dampener on my sales. A lot of recent footfall has come from families who have children off school for the summer holidays. Many nearby residents also work from home and there’s demand for home delivery, so they don’t have to trek through the rain.

I’ve also reduced the space I give to chilled to accommodate more soft drinks. There’s more demand and sales are up by 50%, so I’d be a fool not to do this. It’s less labour intensive to get soft drinks onto the shop floor and there’s no risk of wastage, either, due to the long shelf life.

I’ve always been a community-focused retailer and I’ve recently been working with local activist Tanisha Bramwell to support schools. I recently donated 150 bottles of water, bags of crisps and treats for a youth holiday summer programme she has organised.

MY HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

I had a really proud moment this month when my daughter, Jeevna, became the youngest member of the England Amputee Football Association. We are truly blessed and I had an amazing time watching her train with the team. It made me reflect on how much we’ve grown as a family and how proud I am seeing her achieve many milestones we never imagined.

YOUR SAY

ings have revealed the important role that local shops play, providing essential services and acting as social hubs for customers.

This year’s report has seen post offices rank the highest for the most positive impact on a local area, followed by pharmacies and convenience stores. These three services were also rated highest among local people as the most essential, with pharmacies topping the list, fol-

Convenience stores have continued to evolve to meet the needs of their customers, and many stores do this by recognising gaps in their local area and then expanding to meet these needs. This can be anything from hosting post offices to offering banking services and prescription collections.

As a retailer, this report is a useful tool not only in validating the important role that you play in your local community, but also to give you an idea of the services that your customers might be looking for.

Another key area that report looks at is where people think investment should be directed. This year’s report has shown that two-thirds of people

would want to see investment in their immediate local area rather than in their nearest town or city centre.

The shift to hybrid working has meant many people are spending less time commuting and more time near where they live, and with this shift there has been an increase in demand for high-quality services closer to home. This is something that the government should take into consideration to ensure that local parades, villages and rural hubs are not left behind in the levelling up agenda.

The full Community Barometer report is available on our website and, as always, if you have any questions, please get in touch.

Has shoplifting in your store risen in the past year?

No 17% Yes 83%

NEXT WEEK’S QUESTION

Are you stocking more own label to help customers on tighter incomes?

Vote now

Lucozade updates design and recipe

Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I (SBF GB&I) has updated its Lucozade Energy Original and Orange varieties with a new pack design and recipe. The suppler says the lines now have a more “zingy” taste. Additionally, their new pack design reveals more of the liquid to shoppers, creating greater appeal. According to consumer research carried out by SBF GB&I, the new-look sleeves increase purchase intent among shoppers.

Available now

KP snacks expands PMPs

KP Snacks has expanded its price-marked pack (PMP) range with the addition of KP Flavour Kravers Flame Grilled Steak in a £1.25 pack. According to the supplier, Flame Grilled Steak is Flavour Kravers’ best-performing variety. Additionally, the KP Nuts portfolio is worth £95.8m and is growing in value by 18.1%, with a 25.9% market share, nearly five times larger than the nearest branded competitor.

Available now

Quality Street launches Collisions

Nestlé Confectionery has added a new Quality Street variety to its sharing bar range. The 235g Quality Street Collisions bar is the third addition to the Quality Street sharing bar range, and the first “collision” of two flavours. It combines The Green Triangle and The Purple One, two traditional Quality Street flavours, together into a caramel and hazelnut sharing bar. The bar will roll out to convenience stores later this month.

RRP £2.50

Golden Wonder’s new PMP

Bobby’s has added a 65p price-marked-pack (PMP) version of the Golden Wonder Ringos snack range to its offering. The new format is available in Ringos Cheese & Onion and Salt & Vinegar varieties. According to the supplier, PMPs now account for 75% of snacking sales in symbols and independents, while 96% of convenience store retailers agree they are as or more important than ever, per IRI data.

Available now

Frosty Jack’s launches PMPs

Aston Manor Cider has launched a new range of price-marked bottles for its Frosty Jack’s extra-strength cider range. The new formats consist of a 2.5l bottle with a £5.99 price-mark and a 1l bullet bottle, price-marked at £2.99. Retailers will also have access to non-price-marked options. The supplier says it introduced the price-marked packs to help reassure customers that they were not being overcharged.

Available now

Panini relaunches Adrenalyn XL

Panini has relaunched its Adrenalyn XL trading card game in association with the Premier League ahead of the 2023/24 football season. The collection has undergone a full redesign featuring categories, new materials and real autographs. Additionally, the game’s Golden Baller cards have a new finish to increase desirability for collectors. PoS, including a branded envelope and window poster, is available.

Available now

Cadbury adds to tablet range

by Jasper Hart jasper.hart@newtrade.co.uk

Mondelez International is building on the success of two of its Cadbury ranges with the launch of two new tablets: Cadbury

Darkmilk Hazelnut Praline and Cadbury Caramilk Crispy. Both varieties are available in an 85g tablet, each with a £1.49 RRP.

Darkmilk Hazelnut Praline contains Darkmilk’s high-cocoa chocolate with a hazelnut filling. It joins the Darkmilk range in its fifth year, as hazelnut is the number-three chocolate flavour, growing by 13% annually.

Meanwhile, Caramilk Crispy consists of a golden blend of white chocolate with a light

Urban Eat launches ‘micro-snacking’ range

Urban Eat is adding to its portfolio with a new heat-to-eat ‘microsnacking’ range.

available, including a Sausage Bap and Bacon Roll.

crisped rice inclusion. According to the supplier, this will build traction with shoppers under 45. Mondelez said Caramilk has become one of Cadbury’s biggest brands in the UK since launching 18 months ago.

Christina Bland, junior brand manager for Cadbury Tablets at Mondelez, said: “We know Cadbury Darkmilk has brought new shoppers to the category, adding incremental sales for retailers. Cadbury Darkmilk Praline will further build on this. Additionally, Cadbury Caramilk has already built up a dedicated following. We know 82% of shoppers who have tried Caramilk would repeat their purchase –and the new Crispy launch will help build on this.”

The sandwich brand’s expansion includes offerings available in Mexican Beef Burrito, Curried Chickpea Wrap, Three Cheese Panini, Cheese & Ham Panini, Spicy Chicken Panini and Tex Mex Chicken Panini varieties, which the supplier says can be enjoyed at any time of the day.

There are also breakfast options

The ‘micro-snacking’ range will launch on 14 August. The supplier says the breadth of the range and its all-day appeal can help retailers appeal to a broad customer demographic.

Additionally, it is an affordable alternative to restaurant or takeaway food, making it a good option for busy people at home, at work or on their commute.

Wayne Greensmith, head of marketing at Urban Eat, said: “We’ve designed the range to provide our customer channels with options that will not only tempt consumers’ tastebuds, but also provide a hot-food option for sites that operate 24 hours.”

The launch will be supported with in-store PoS, including barkers and branded SRPs for easy merchandising and restocking.

PRICEWATCH

Profit checker Hot beverages

Behind the numbers

Some £268m-worth of hot beverage sales go through convenience store tills every year, 70% of which comes from coffee. But this week’s data shows that retailers should consider a wide range of hot drinks, with options to review pricing across segments.

Smaller count lines can provide an oppor-

tunity to widen margins: 69% of retailers are charging up to 69p on Cadbury Instant Hot Chocolate 28g, nearly double the most-common price of 35p set by 30%. Meanwhile, 68% are going as high as 80p on Cadbury Wispa Frothy Instant Hot Chocolate 27g, more than twice the 39p set by 31%.

At the premium end, 53% are selling Lavazza Qualità Rossa Ground Coffee 250g for above its most-common price of £4.39, with some charging £6.80. Retailers selling Tassimo Costa Latte Coffee Pods could also take a second look: 52% charge above the most-common price of £5 for a 16-pack, some going as high as £7.05.

Yorkshire

SIZE 12,500sq ft

TYPE Residential

TOP PRODUCTS

Royal Chai Karak Chai 400g

Royal Chai Masala Chai 400g

Nescafé Original 300g

Hot beverages sell really well in the winter time, while margins have dropped slightly in the summer. Come winter time we extend our range of hot drinks as much as we can. We mostly use Nisa to supply this category. Our ethnic lines like Royal Chai do well along with Nestlé Everyday and Nestlé Instant. We sell larger packs, which do well with cost-of-living affecting people who make drinks at home instead of going out. Instant coffee and tea bags sell as well and we have not had any real availability issues with these types of products.

Priyesh Vekaria

STORE Carlton Convenience (One Stop)

LOCATION

Salford, Greater Manchester

SIZE 1,200sq ft

TYPE Residential

Our average margin on hot beverages sits at 30%. We sell supermarket value packs, which means customers can benefit from buying bigger pack sizes, but they’re not having to go to the supermarket to buy them. Retailers should keep a variety of market-leading brands. We keep Nescafé, Twinings, PG Tips, Tetley and Typhoo. Own brands are a staple on our shelves as customers need to see a price comparison point. We sell Nescafé at own-brand prices and make a strong margin as our customers have an opportunity to make that trade-up.

Must-stock products

Price distribution chart

Percentage of stores selling above, below and at the most-common retail price

Wholesale checker PRICEWATCH

Vodka continues to be the largest part of a spirits offer, with sales opportunities across value and premium brands, and price-marks proving particularly important for the former. There is also the growing flavoured vodka market to consider. Here, we compare pricing across five wholesalers to help retailers drive profits in the segment.

Prices accurate as of 3 August, prices may vary by region. Rebates, delivery costs and membership fees not included. All prices are inclusive of VAT. Minimum or maximum orders may apply.

Booker Wholesale Abra Wholesale Bestway Wholesale

Online cash and carry Costcutter National delivered cash-and-carry wholesaler

We get all of our vodka lines from AF Blakemore and we get deliveries every week. Margins and sales are always good. We offer vodka in price-marked packs and we find this makes customers stay confident in us – it’s important for consistency and their perception of value. I look out for promotions on popular vodka lines as well. It’s important to stay up to date on market trends and popular flavours.

Putting retail at the heart of the Licence transition

There are exciting times ahead with Allwyn UK having been awarded the next Licence to operate The National Lottery from 1st February 2024. Camelot is supporting Allwyn with this transition to ensure there is no interruption to you selling The National Lottery and serving your customers.

July 2023

August 2023

September 2023

October 2023

November 2023

December 2023

January 2024

February 2024

2024

March 2024

There is a jam-packed plan* for the remainder of the current Licence to continue to maximise your sales and returns to Good Causes. Plans to transform The National Lottery over the next 10 years are on track to make it even Bigger, Better and Safer. This will be underpinned by a strong and thriving retail network, with YOU selling Draw-based Games and Scratchcards from YOUR stores.

You will be hearing from us soon on how you can easily transfer your current Retailer Agreement from Camelot to Allwyn. Your Retail Sales Executive will also visit your store to guide you through the process. Thank you for your continued support as a National Lottery retailer and the role you play in raising £30 million every week for Good Causes across the UK.

To find out more, scan the QR code and visit The Retailer Hub website

STORE ADVICE

Better EPoS performance

In the past, RN has compared different EPoS suppliers in the UK, offering advice on what questions to ask, what to look for and what you should expect from each provider before settling on the right model for your store. But once you’ve got the EPoS in place, the next step is to ensure that you are actually getting the bang for your buck. There’s plenty of information and data available on modern EPoS machines, but what can retailers actually do with this data? Not only can EPoS data provide you with accurate information of what’s been happening in your store, from margins and sales to footfall to till interactions, many are now linked to stores’ principal suppliers and can automatically update and change the orders

to reflect what is needed on the shop floor, streamlining menial tasks such as stocktaking and ordering to ensure that you are getting what your store needs, even if it’s things you might not have been aware of.

“I just generate the report and tell them I’ve got a delivery coming in and it will give me suggested items I should be ordering based on sales, stock levels and other data,” says Faraz Iqbal, from Premier Linktown Local in Kirkcaldy, Fife. “Once you get the hang of it and you understand how your system works, it’s pretty simple.”

Retailers can also use their EPoS data to identify slow sellers and delist them efficiently, while they can also work with suppliers to get better rewards and merchandising

support. With some manufacturers now offering retailers rewards where they get a certain amount of money back per product if they sell a certain amount, having correct, up-to-date data to hand can help you to take full advantage of these offers.

Imtiyaz Mamode, from Wych Lane Premier in Gosport, Hampshire, has been working with Walkers to change the fixtures and displays in his store, using his EPoS to analyse the effects. “They came back after two months and collected our data and now they’ve found out if there have been any changes to sales as a result,” he says.

To see what other stores are doing, go to betterretailing.com/advice

The RN team finds out how retailers are putting their EPoS data to best use as they look to run their stores more efficiently

It will give me suggested items I should be ordering FARAZ IQBAL

Automatic updates

For Faisal Naseem, who runs two stores in Arbroath, the RDP system he uses has enabled him to keep on top of price fluctuations during the cost-of-living crisis.

It is set up with his symbol group to ensure any changes in his delivery requirements are automatically and instantly put into practice, saving him time and ensuring his deliveries are accurate to his needs. On top of this, with prices changing regularly, his EPoS system can provide the new shelf-edge labels quickly so he can keep on top of his prices.

“Any new products and promotional briefs are pre-loaded and automatically added to our delivery order,” he says.

“We don’t have to do anything, which is great because it can be such a time-consuming task. All the new product barcodes are brought up to date and these days, we’re talking of hundreds, if not thousands, of products changing on a fortnightly basis.”

Removing what’s not working

Traditionally, retailers would have to walk around the store or do laborious stock-takes to assess what’s selling effectively in their stores and, importantly, what’s not selling well. But with EPoS data at your fingertips, you can easily view your ranges, find out what’s selling slowest and even look at other ranges that might sell faster. Imtiyaz Mamode, from Wych Lane Premier in Gosport, Hampshire, is able to compare his own feelings and instincts with hard facts and act quickly. When his store was the only one in the area with Tango Ice Blast machines, he could see he was selling 70-80 cups a day. But since other stores now have them, EPoS data has revealed he’s down to 40-45 cups a day.

“The machines are on a three-year lease, but we’ll give one back because not only does it take up space, but they use a lot of electricity. The data helped me keep track across all the products,” he says. »

STORE ADVICE

Setting targets

With EPoS data, Susan Connolly, from Spar Pennings Road in Tidworth, Wiltshire, can assess seasonal trends, allowing her to predict when winter products need to be introduced. It also enables her to set manager targets.

“I can look at last week’s figures, margins, customer footfall and business performance, and create an Excel spreadsheet that we send out to the manager, so they know how well things are going and they’re aware of their targets,” she says.

Having accurate data that gives clear and achievable targets provides motivation for the managers. So far this year, Connolly’s team is 14% up on the previous year. She can also run reports for every time someone opens the till and can cross-reference it with sales to keep an eye on potential sweethearting, where an employee gives free or discounted products to a friend, family member or fellow employee.

Staffing levels

The EPoS data in Danny Wilson’s 13 One Stop stores in Yorkshire helps him to look at the products and categories that are selling well, although One Stop handles most of his range choices. But the sales and footfall data also helps him to make more accurate decisions around his staffing levels at various times of day, week and year. This means that not only is he saving on wage costs because staff members aren’t having to spend hours going through the sales data and amending prices and orders accordingly, but he’s also quickly identifying when he can reduce hours to save costs or increase hours to increase sales potential.

And as a retailer who is often looking for new sites, he also uses store EPoS data to help him make decisions about the potential sales opportunities.

“We also use EPoS data to check staff discrepancies and theft, along with wastage as well,” he says. l

COLUMNIST

Print must be priority Neville Rhodes

Recent company reports and financial statements from three of the national newspaper publishers show that while digital is their main driver, they still depend substantially on their print revenue.

Guardian Media Group (GMG), parent of the Guardian and Observer, reported a 3% increase in overall revenue to £264m last year, with digital’s share of the total increasing to more than 70%. More than a third (35%) of its revenue comes from outside the UK, mainly the US and Australia, as the company pursues its mission to become “more global, more digital”.

In the UK, its market has been more difficult. As the Guardian reported: “The British arm of the business was hit by continuing declines in print newspaper sales and a weak advertising market.”

GMG’s total UK revenues declined by 3% to £171m, with a 4% fall in its newstrade sales and its print subscriptions income.

But GMG can afford these setbacks: it has a £1.2bn trust fund to fall back on.

At the Telegraph, just over half

(51%) of the group’s total revenue of £254m last year came from subscribers, and the company’s operating profit of £40m suggests its subscriptions-first strategy is successful. But success often depends on the way it is measured.

At the end of last year, the Telegraph had 734,000 subscribers – four out of five of them digital – generating an average annual net revenue per subscriber of only £175.

Compare this to the £22 a week a non-subscriber currently pays for a seven-day purchase, or the £82-amonth charge for a Monday-toSunday print subscription, and it’s clear the Telegraph’s print buyers are providing a huge subsidy to their digital counterparts. Only a supreme optimist would believe this can continue indefinitely.

D uring the 12 months to June, the number of Telegraph print subscribers fell by 32,000 to 129,000 – a revenue loss of more than £5m.

Without a big increase in its UK advertising revenue, both print and digital, t he Telegraph’s main focus on growing its digital subscriptions may have to change.

* Second-class treatment

+ I WAS DISAPPOINTED by news wholesalers’ reaction to Egmont’s move to supply its own magazines to independent stores months after the on-sale date, using copies returned by supermarkets. Five years ago, when Egmont previously pulled this stunt, wholesalers indicated their disapproval, but this time they backed the publisher’s waste-reduction excuse. The optics of treating independents as second-class customers are not good, and I can see trouble ahead if a sell-out at the supermarkets means none to send to independents. The wholesalers would have some explaining to do, possibly to the CMA.

Reach – owner of the Mirror, Express, Star and numerous regional and local titles – also urgently needs to grow its UK advertising revenue, which was down 18% in the six months to June, the main cause of a 23% fall in its operating profits.

Its national newspapers have only a few thousand digital subscribers, but its national and regional websites have more than 13 million registered users and many millions more monthly visitors.

Reach’s circulation revenue was up 2.4% compared with the same period last year, entirely as a result of cover price increases and terms cuts. These are mostly being wasted with the haemorrhaging sales of its national titles: their combined loss of almost 900,000 copies a week during the year to June cost the company millions of pounds in lost revenue.

A ll of the national newspapers are investing heavily in digital, but most continue to rely on print for a significant share of their revenue. Even GMG, whose paid-for newspapers have to compete with their free-to-view digital content, earns around 30% of its revenue from print. At Reach, print contributes 77% of the company’s revenue, while the Telegraph’s print subscriptions alone account for about 28% of the publisher’s income.

They are all going to need print for the foreseeable future, so they would be wise to do much more to support the newstrade and its retailers.

Neville Rhodes is a freelance journalist and former retailer providing his views on the major topics affecting news sellers

Despite digital dominating publishers’ thoughts, the latest results show it’s print keeping the lights on

All of the national newspapers are investing heavily in digital, but most continue to rely on print for a significant share of their revenue

COCKTAILS AT HOME

Keeping the party at home

Priya Khaira finds out how retailers can maximise sales in the cocktails-at-home category

The cocktails-at-home market has seen a surge in popularity over the past few years. With shoppers counting the pennies, home-drinking is predicted to continue grow in popularity.

According to Statista, after the pandemic, 54% of British drinkers spent money on alcohol to be consumed at home, while bars and pubs did not hit the expected level of spending.

In fact, research demonstrates that home-drinking has become more popular than it was before the pandemic, with 47% of Brits spending money on home-drinking in 2023, compared to 37% in 2019.

The category presents various opportunities for retailers as the

market encompasses a range of products, from pre-made cocktail mixes (RTD) to entire cocktail kits, featuring spirits, mixers, garnishes and liqueurs. It is crucial for retailers to stay on top of changes so they can maximise sales and engage with customers as much as possible.

TRENDS

At-home cocktails offer consumers a convenient and affordable way to enjoy their favourite drinks. There is a clear trend of consumers looking for premium-quality cocktail ingredients from brands that they are accustomed to regardless of whether it’s RTD or for making from scratch.

“Premium cocktails at home is a

trend that is here to stay,” says David Relph, country manager UK and Ireland at BuzzBallz Cocktails. “There is a clear trend for higher-strength, premium, premixed RTDs for at-home consumption,” he adds.

Within this category, there is also an increase in the number of consumers favouring flavoured alcoholic beverages. A spokesperson from Puerto de Indias says research shows that consumers tend to reach for flavoured spirits for their at-home cocktails.

According to the research, more than 48% of consumers purchased berry-flavoured spirits and 42% of respondents choose strawberryflavoured spirits when making cocktails.

There’s a trend for higherstrength, premium RTDs

Getty images/AzmanL

COCKTAILS AT HOME

Sunita Aggarwal, from Spar Hackenthorpe in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, says: “It is important for retailers to always stay up to date with market trends and the latest flavours. Flavoured alcohol, especially flavoured vodkas along with more expensive brands such as Cîroc, sell well at the moment.”

Young adults are a key consumer of at-home cocktail products. Over the past two years, the trend of at-home cocktails has gained popularity across platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok, so retailers should look to these platforms to gather information on trends and to showcase their own ranges to the right target audience.

“Young adults are a key consumer of traditional RTD and ready-to-serve cocktails and look for recognisable brands that they know and trust, and a variety of flavours when shopping in store,” says Charlie Leaver, head of brand at Global Brands.

POPULAR PRODUCTS

Research from Statista shows that gin and vodka are the two mostpopular spirits in the UK.

Schweppes Classic Tonic and Slimline Tonic are popular mixers. For shoppers looking to experiment

with flavoured spirits, however, the Puerto de Indias Original Straw berry Gin is a popular choice that can be used for a range of different cocktails.

Tequila-based cocktail the Margarita was named the UK’s favourite cocktail, highlighting the importance of stocking tequila. The Margarita is followed by vanilla vodka and passionfruit liqueur concoction the Pornstar Martini. When it comes to RTDs, a mix of new and established options is advised. Funkin offers RTD classic cocktails and has recently launched four additions to its Nitro Can range, including Aperitivo Spritz, Nitro Lime Margarita and Nitro Berry Woo Woo, plus an Alcohol-Free Pas sion Fruit Martini. The 200ml cans have an RRP of £2.25.

VK is the number-one RTD drinks brand for young adults. The 70cl chilled single cans/bottles are popular among students along with the VK 10 x 275 ml mixed pack for at-home occasions.

It’s also important to have a range of non-alcoholic cocktail ingredients, such as Club Soda’s syrup in Gimber or its aperitif in Everleaf Forest, in order to cater to a wider base of consumer preferences and needs l

TOP TIPS

Premium: Retailers looking to expand their at-home cocktail sales should offer a variety of stock, from different flavoured alcohol to products ranging from both premium and affordable price points.

RTD: This category is dominated with single-serve RTD cocktail products. Summer is the ideal time for retailers to expand their range and stock multipack formats for customers shopping for at-home occasions.

Serve them chilled in summer: “Regularly restocking chillers during times of high footfall and double-facing fridge-ready packs is a must with RTD cocktails,” says Ben Anderson, marketing director at Funkin Cocktails. “To any independent retailers, we’d recommend keeping a close eye on summer events in your local area which are going to be particularly appealing to young socialisers and tastemakers. There’s often an opportunity to capitalise on passing trade by making sure their favourite cocktails are on offer.”

Build a cocktail area: Retailers should also consider offering deals or promotions in store with their at-home cocktail products. “Retailers should look at how they can display complementary spirits and mixers together, and even include things such as garnishes in their displays to drive incremental sales,” says Amy Burgess, senior trade communications manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. “For summer occasions, bundle promotions are a great way to maximise sales. For example, consider bundling your at-home cocktail products with your popular snacks, such as crisps, sweets or dips.”

Online promotion: If you are looking to promote your at-home cocktail products to a larger consumer base, then consider promoting your bundle deals and stock on social media. By sharing your at-home cocktail range online, you may encourage more customers, including young adults who are popular consumers of the category, to shop at your store. “Lean into the social media of the brands you stock – they are always showing great recipes and ideas, and you can share these with your customers. Contact the brands and ask them to share some simple in-store cocktail suggestions along with photos that you can add to your social media,” says Laura Willoughby, founder of Club Soda.

CUT ENERGY USE

Take thousands off your annual bills

Charles Whitting discovers the inexpensive tricks and technology that can save you money on your energy bills

Energy bills have been a major issue for independent retailers for some time now. With bills continuing to skyrocket, even retailers who are on more comfortable fixed agreements know that once they come to an end, more money will have to be found or less electricity will have to be used. In addition, the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) ended in April 2023 to be replaced by the Energy Bills Discount Scheme, which offers less protection for businesses.

With the cost-of-living crisis having an impact on retailers’ incomes, it is more important than ever to find ways to reduce your usage to maintain your bottom line. Some of these plans require significant upfront investment and some retailers are not in a position to pay

such large upfront costs for returns further down the line. But there are more affordable approaches which can save retailers thousands on electricity bills.

SPEND £100S, SAVE £1,000S

Convenience stores have a lot of appliances that consume lots of electricity and simply can’t be turned off, but if retailers are clever and lean on technology and apps, they can ensure they are only using energy when they actually need it.

Ken Singh, from BB Nevison Superstore in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, has done just that, spending a few hundred pounds on smart plugs, timers and apps to save on his electricity bills.

“We’ve made small changes and we still have a way to go,” he says.

“It’s not one-size-fits-all, but there are immediate changes you can make wherever you are. Data is king. I can break down the hourly usage on all my fridges and freezers, and set timers using the app.”

Singh has yet to replace his open cabinet fridges because the cost of getting new doors fitted was too high, but it remains on his to-do list. Instead, he has looked at how much time his fridges really need to be on and installed automatic switches on Tapo plugs, which he can monitor using the app.

“It’s easy to put your fridges on timers,” he says. “I have a big range of fridges on timers to minimise our energy use. I’ve spent around £200 on these and I’m saving £4,000-£5,000 a year by doing it.”

By using the app, Singh can identify how much energy each fridge is using on a monthly, weekly, daily and even hourly basis. This has allowed him to compare, for example, the energy usage of the fridges

I have a big range of fridges on timers to minimise our energy use

supplied to him by brands such as Coca-Cola and Lucozade, and to then choose the companies he asks to get him branded fridges accordingly.

Singh has put all his non-perishable fridges on timers so they turn off at certain times of day and throughout the night, without the drinks themselves losing their coldness. The fridges turn on half an hour before he opens his doors and at rotating periods through the day, they are turned off for an hour and a half.

“One is off from 11am to 12.30pm, and then at 12.30pm another goes off until 2pm,” he says. “About half an hour before we close, they all go off. I’ve looked at the data. One of my fridges used 217kW in the past month and used 224kW this month. If I had them on 24/7, I’d be using more than 1,178kw per month.”

While it can be said that the fridges use more energy bringing the temperature down each time they’re turned on, Singh has factored this in. First, his fridges are set up at 5-7 ° C rather than 2° C, which means less energy is needed to bring it down to a temperature with which customers are happy.

“My first hour when I turn it on, it’s using 1.74kW, and after that it’s 1.6kW, so it’s working harder

EXPERT INSIGHT

Max Schwerdtfeger Editor, Newtrade Insight

It is difficult to talk about cutting energy usage and costs without talking more broadly about sustainability.

In a Newtrade Insight report published earlier in 2023, ‘reducing energy costs’ was by some distance the most-popular sustainability-related option retailers gave when asked what they plan to do in the next 12 months. Furthermore, an even larger amount – 79.1% of retailers – said they have tried to cut their energy usage in their store in the past 12 months.

Of those retailers who have tried to cut energy usage in the past, 79% will try to do so again, regardless of how successful they have been, emphasising how important it is to the convenience sector.

initially, but I’m still saving.”

The important balance that needs to be maintained with this approach is ensuring he doesn’t turn them off for so long that it actively drives business away, as people decide to shop somewhere else because his drinks aren’t cold enough. But so far, he’s not lost any business despite having his fridges turned off more often.

“Even when they’re off, we have these LED strip lights stuck on the front of the door which gives the impression that the fridge is still on,” he says. “We’ve never had a complaint about the temperature. My fridges are always cold. When we had that hot period, that was the ultimate test of my timings and they worked well. My stock remained chilled.”

His two Coca-Cola fridges use 3.6kW each over a full day, so by only turning them on for 12 hours, he only has to pay for one full fridge. “At 21p per kW, you’re looking at saving £4-£5 a day, which is around £1,500-£2,000 a year, by that one simple thing,” says Singh.

To achieve these savings, Singh simply had to purchase products that are available at £9.99 – or four for £30 – on Amazon. And he has even integrated these approaches

Energy costs are connected to a retailer’s broader sustainability strategy, and it can also affect plans to modernise their stores.

In the report, Jason Byrne, from Kingsmeadow Post Office in Devon, said: “The main reason we would modernise the store is to improve efficiencies and to bring down our energy bill.”

In Newtrade Insight’s report, a substantial 83% said they think sustainability is going to be either ‘very important’ or ‘moderately important’ in the next 12 months.

However less than half (38.4%) also said it wouldn’t be one of their priorities in the next two-to-three years. This can broadly be attributed to cost, with 53.8% of retailers saying they cannot afford to invest in new sustainability initiatives, with 18% saying that previous efforts to cut emissions have hurt their profit margins.

In a separate survey, developed as part of Newtrade Insight’s upcoming inaugural Retailer Sentiment Tracker, 17.7% of retailers said they are planning to change their energy supplier in order to offset costs in their store.

One of my fridges used 217kW in the past month. If I had them on 24/7, I’d be using more than 1,178kW

CUT ENERGY USE

into his home life.

When it comes to beer fridges, Singh is even more enterprising. From Monday to Thursday, his fridges come on at 11am, come off at 3.45pm and turn on again from 5.30pm to 6.20pm. On Fridays and Saturdays, when demand for cold beer is higher, the fridges come on earlier and run until 5.30pm, keeping the drinks chilled for the whole day.

“On Monday, my beer fridge used 6.33kW, whereas on Friday it used 8.74kW,” says Singh. “That’s a big difference, and I’ve got two of those fridges. That’s £5.40 a week in savings just by having different schedules – and that’s in addition to

the savings I make by having them off overnight.”

BIGGER INVESTMENTS

One way to reduce your reliance on electricity companies is to generate your own through solar panels. Although there is a substantial upfront cost, retailers can save huge amounts on their electricity bills and even potentially make more money selling electricity back to the National Grid.

The Budget announced that companies can receive 100% relief in the first year for qualifying new main rate plant and machinery investments, and 50% first-year allowance

on new special rate assets until 31 March 2026.

“Under the government’s Smart Export Guarantee scheme, licensed small electricity generators can sell their surplus energy back to National Grid buyers based on their current tariff rates. For companies generating more significant amounts of electricity, it’s definitely worth considering,” says Chris Delaney, managing director of Green Building Renewables. “Alternatively, rather than selling back your surplus energy, you can install a solar battery which helps you capitalise 100% of the electricity you generate to provide additional power for lighting and powering equipment and machinery. This greatly increases the speed of payback on a solar panel system.”

Another investment that retailers can consider is the purchase of new equipment. Singh has two identical freezers, but one of them is six years older than the other.

“The older unit used 1109kW over the past 30 days, but the newer one used 804kW,” he says. “That’s 270kW less each month. So, going on 30p an hour bills, that’s £81 saved per month by getting a new freezer. That’s £972 a year and brand-new freezers are around £3,000, so it would take three years to get your money back. And some people are stuck on contracts of more than 50p an hour, so their savings would be even greater.” l

I’m saving £4,000-5,000 a year by doing it

PERSONAL CARE

Clean sales

VALUE IS KEY

As shoppers’ priorities change in the face of the cost-of-living crisis, convenience retailers will have to work hard to stay relevant, warns Kat Simpson, Unilever UK category

“They can do this by flexing their range towards more affordable brands across the different segments. Key categories to focus on would be shower/bath and deodorants, with body sprays being popular as they can double-up as perfume,” Simpson says.

The toiletries category is worth £277m to the convenience channel, and sells as both distress purchases and part of a basket shop. It also offers decent margins and doesn’t take up too much space.

Data supplied by distributor DCS Group shows that key lines in convenience are deodorants and body sprays, with sales at £18m a year and up 19% year on year, according to latest Nielsen figures. Dental care is worth £15.9m, up 6.2% year on year, and washing and bathing is at £14.9m, down 9.5%. Period products are at £14.9m, up 4%, this time according to recent IRI figures, with hair care, skin care and shaving the next biggest sellers.

What sells well in a particular shop will vary according to the demographics and demands of the area, so retailers need to assess their range accordingly.

John Vine, of Vine & Co in Church Stretton, Shropshire, has an older

local population who come in for Fixodent and Steradent in the dental care range, as well as Vaseline and Sudacrem. “Our shoppers tend to be older and they like the traditional brands, such as Imperial Leather and Johnson’s talc. Carex handwash and Listerine mouthwash does well. We have O’Keeffe’s Working Hands cream, which is £10.60 and does well,” says Vine.

But there is also a campsite nearby, which sees summer demand for items that campers may have forgotten, such as shower gel and toothpaste.

Abdul Arain, at Al-Amin Cambridge, also has a distinct clientele. “Around here we have a lot of people visiting the area and they may come in in the evening or morning to pick up something that they have forgot ten for their overnight stay,” he says. He says deodorant and toothpaste are his key sellers. Lynx for men and Lux for women are the two bestsell ing brands at the store.

In most cases, the entry-level product is the top priority, and trade-up products can be added once all the shopper needs are covered, Matt Stanton, at DCS Group, recom-

“Through the cost-of-living crisis, demonstrating value for money to shoppers is the most important factor for gaining share of their spend,” he says. However, this is still a category where brands remain important.

Best-one Preens in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, stocks shower gels, shampoos, deodorants and toothpaste. “We don’t do much own label, it tends to be brands like Lynx that sell,” says manager Kugan Rasu.

LET CUSTOMERS KNOW

It is a good idea to make the category as visible as possible, to attract more high-value planned top-up shoppers and drive impulse purchases.

Visibility is, in fact, the number-

Anne Bruce finds out where the profits can be generated through personal care products

PERSONAL CARE

BESTSELLING NEW PERSONAL CARE LINES

one priority with personal care in the convenience sector. “Unfortunately, 18% of shoppers do not know that toiletries are sold in their local convenience store,” says Unilever UK category director Lucy Richardson.

As awareness can be low, and purchases may be on impulse, retailers need to make it obvious to their customers that they stock toiletries. “Try using PoS to advertise your range and, if retailers feel it is necessary to keep high-value products behind the counter, then it is critical that empty packs or a sim-

ple visual prompt of these products are positioned at the fixture,” she recommends.

In terms of where in the store the range should be placed, DCS’ Stanton notes a correlation between the feminine hygiene and babycare categories, as well as medicines.

“Retailers should usually merchandise personal care and personal hygiene products together on the same bay,” he says.

Vine’s range is kept about two metres from the front door as you go in, Rasu has an aisle for toiletries

which is quite visible as customers go round, and Arain’s personal care area is in the middle of the shop. “People pick up items on their way round or they might come in for something else and see something they need,” says Arain.

SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT

Even personal care can benefit from new launches and interesting trends. For example, Arain has discovered interest from customers in herbal toothpastes.

“A retailer needs to be bringing in new things all the time – 10% of the stock should be rotating. With brands such as Colgate, margins are much more under pressure, but with something new or original, or a niche product, you tend to see a better margin,” says Arain.

“We sell a lot of organic and eco-friendly products in the shop – people are concerned about climate change, but they need to be budget conscious. With the energy crisis, people have become a bit more cautious about their spending now.” l

This is a category where brands remain important

Opportunity of the week FOOTBALL LEAGUE PAPER

The return of the football leagues spells the return of The Football League Paper. RN looks at the renewed sales opportunities from the title and its sister, The Non-League Paper

GUEST COLUMNIST

What do independent shop owners need to know about the titles?

The main focus from our side is that The Football League Paper, after a threemonth summer break (which happens every year), returns to newsstands for the new football season.

The Football League Paper will cover the 72 clubs from The Football League and will continue to provide excellent coverage on all matches, news, features, stats and all the action from the Championship, League One and League Two every Sunday morning.

Its sister paper, The Non-League Paper, will again be featuring all of the action from the world of non-league football – please note this title continued through the summer, so it’s not a relaunch.

The Football League Paper will remain at £2 per issue, but The Non-League Paper increased its cover price to £2.20 per issue from 6 August.

All of our football titles will continue to target the committed and avid football supporter/reader.

Why should they be ranged on newsstands when the weekly editions arrive each Sunday?

With your retail margins at 25%, providing 50p and 55p per copy sold, for The Football League Paper and The Non-League Paper, respectively, you’ll need to sell a number of copies of a national weekday newspaper to achieve similar returns as just one The Football League or The NonLeague Paper. Please therefore ensure both newspapers are displayed adjacent to all Sunday newspapers and given prominent display.

How are you helping local shops sell more copies?

If you would like to receive free point-of-sale mate-

FOOTBALL CARDS RECEIVE SHOT OF ADRENALYN

Panini’s Premier League Adrenalyn XL Official Trading Card Game is back and more exciting than ever. Last year’s collection saw an unprecedented 100% growth in retail sales, making it the number-one-selling collection.

rial to promote both titles, please email me, stating your full delivery address: neil.wooding@ greenwayspublishing.co.uk

Why are independent stockists important for the papers?

Independents account for approximately 40% of sales, making them our most important channel. I’d like to thank them for their continued support and ask that they communicate the start of the football season and the relevance of both titles to all store managers, staff and customers.

I trust that both The Non-League and The Football League Papers will again remain beneficial to their businesses over the coming year.

NewstrAid Cost of Living Crisis Fund

Benefitting from a full redesign, the collection features fresh new card categories, amazing new materials and even more real autographs for collectors to chase. We’ve created stunning new sub-sets and increased the product lines featuring limited-edition cards.

The increasingly popular and sought-after Golden Baller cards also have a new material and finish that will make them more desirable than ever.

Cards are out now and supported with an explosive marketing campaign. Please ensure you have sufficient stock of all lines. Here’s what’s coming up:

• Two national newspaper campaigns with vouchers for a packet pick-up at retail.

• Heavyweight ad campaign, including YouTube, video-on-demand and TikTok.

• Working with the Premier League, footballers including Declan Rice, and influencers.

• Cover-mounting packets across football titles.

• Sampling of products through our club partnerships.

PoS packs will be sent to top-selling independents, with a branded envelope, window poster and shelf talker. For questions, or PoS support, email rsmith@panini.co.uk

Rebecca Smith, head of circulation, Panini

Neil Wooding

Trade marketing manager, Greenways Publishing

THIS WEEK IN MAGAZINES

BARBIE

l Interest in the Barbie brand has never been higher, with the latest film release grossing an estimated £18.5m at the box office in its first weekend in the UK and Ireland.

l With a £5.99 cover price, this title represents a great opportunity to turn the hype into extra sales.

PUZZLER COLLECTION

l Summer is the key selling period for puzzle titles, with many seeing uplifts of 30%. This top title will help capitalise on this traditional uplift.

l Multi-siting the title with travel products or on the counter is proven to increase sales at key points in the year, including the summer holidays.

PIT

l One of the most unique yet mainstream title launches of the last decade, Pit bills itself as a ‘food and fire’ magazine dedicated to outdoor cooking.

l Artistically and demographically, the title stands out from the cookery category and attracts a different audience to its kitchenfocused rivals.

DINOSAUR ACTION

l Transformers Rescue Bots magazine has ceased publication following its recent 2 August off-sale date. Luckily, its publisher has a good roster of pre-school titles to fill the gap.

l Every edition of Dinosaur Action comes with a selection of cover-mounted dinosaur toys.

SUPERTHINGS MUTANT BATTLE

l The UK’s bestselling action figure collectables return with more than 100 new characters to collect and backed by a TV ad.

l Alongside the individual-blind packed figurines, there are £5.50 starter packs and highprice specials available.

MEN’S HEALTH

l This month’s edition features a 64-page supplement on supplements and a free sample of Maxi Muscle protein power.

l Editions in all regions will feature the free sample, except those served by wholesale depots in Birmingham, Dublin, Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, Belfast and Swansea.

On sale 17 August

Frequency monthly

Price £5.99

Distributor Seymour Display with Go Girl Barcode 9770963891892

SPECIALIST CHOICE

JATIN PATEL, ST MARTIN’S NEWS, LONDON

On sale 16 August

Frequency monthly

Price £3.95

Distributor Frontline Display with Take a Break Puzzles Barcode 9770956159312

On sale 31 August

Frequency bimonthly Price £10 Distributor Marketforce

with Retrospective, Popshot

9772755391009

On sale 11 August

Frequency monthly

Price £7.50

Distributor Seymour Display with BBC Good Food Barcode 9772513921004

SANDWICH

What is it?

A literary title with each edition themed around a different sandwich. It includes cultural essays, features, photo stories and even playlists from well-known musicians.

How’s it selling?

On sale 24 August

Frequency monthly

Price £6.50

Distributor Seymour Display with Dino Fun, 321 Go Barcode 9772053983937

We’ve sold two copies of the latest edition. We’re in a transient footfall area, so we may never see the same customer again.

Bestsellers Sci-fi & fantasy

On sale 10 August

Frequency collectable

Price 99p

Distributor Marketforce Display with Roar Botz, SoccerStarz Barcode n/a

On sale 8 August

Frequency monthly

Price £5.99

Distributor Frontline Display with Esquire, GQ Barcode 9771356743958

Partworks and collectables

Creative Toys Company

Scale of third-party advertising insert payments