Talking Shop December 2018

Talking Shop ISSUE 98 – December 2018

The magazine for Premier retailers

Let the good times roll!

A new housing development across the road and an IAA award crown an outstanding year in Hull

PLUS

Healthy sales

Cash in on healthier food trend

Value rules

Own brand key to delivering value

Talking Shop | December 2018

Welcome Talking Shop ISSUE 98 – Decem

ber 2018

It’s hard to believe that it’s almost

The magazine

for Premier reta

ilers

Christmas already and a new year beckons – but hopefully it’s been a good year for Premier retailers with a great summer of sunshine and big events helping

Let the good times roll!

grow sales, footfall and profits.

Our plan at Premier is to keep building on that momentum to help you enjoy a profitable festive period and kick off another great year in 2019.

It was fantastic to see record numbers of retailers attend our recent Trade Show and the energy and passion of Premier retailers is inspirational. Together we have a lot to look forward to next year.

In this issue we are tackling some of the most important opportunities that lie ahead including the continued growth of healthier products, the importance of own label ranges to a profitable product mix and the massive role that active community engagement has to play in all Premier stores.

That aside, we offer some help on preparing for an in-store spring clean early in the new year and some advice from award-winning Premier retailers on how you too can benefit from entering and hopefully winning industry awards.

I hope you have a busy, profitable Christmas and New Year.

Martyn Parkinson, Brand Director Premier

4 TalkingShop

December 2018

A new housing development the road and across an outstanding yea IAA award crown an r in Hull TS.indd 1

PLUS

Healthy sales Cash in on hea lthier food trend

Value rules Own brand key delivering val to ue

12/12/2018 16:09:45

COVER STORY Three decades of hard work pays off in Hull.

THE THREE BIG STORIES 29 Healthy and wealthy Cash in on one of the biggest trends in retail.

33 Driving value

Increased focus on own label can help drive footfall, sales and profits.

49 Community counts

Premier retailers offer advice on great community engagement.

Share your shop news

If you’ve got news, tips or feaure ideas, get in touch with Talking Shop. Just pick up the phone and call:

0141 22 22 100 or write to: Talking Shop c/o 55 North Ltd. Waterloo Chambers 19 Waterloo Street Glasgow, G2 6AY or email: talkingshop@55north.com DISCLAIMER: Prices are correct at time of going to press, but may be subject to change.

43

8

Win with gin deals

Trade show attracts record numbers

7

Winning ways

39 Ones To Watch

49

Community first

7

8

Winning ways... again

22 Doubling up

45 It’s spring clean time

Premier retailers have been busy

Doubling the size of the store has

Early next year is a good time to

collecting yet more industry

helped these Skelmersdale retailers

give your store a freshen up.

awards.

transform their business.

Trade Show treat

24 Going local

Retailer attendance at Booker

Local sourcing has helped build a

Trade Show up by 50%.

destination store in Norfolk.

11 Community news

28 Healthy and wealthy

County Durham retailer brings

With shoppers looking to eat more

defibrillator to village.

healthily there’s a big opportunity

13 Industry news IGD highlights its five biggest retail trends for 2019.

15 Hearts of gold Orpington retailers take community engagement to a new level.

18 Plenty to smile about With a new housing development

for retailers.

33 Value is vital Own brand has never been more crucial is delivering shopper value.

39 Ones To Watch New gins, alcohol-free wines and

49 Community first Top tips from Premier retailers on how to engage with your shoppers.

53 Rewarding strategy Entering and winning awards can benefit your business.

61 Retail crime on rise Retail crime is only getting worse, says ACS.

59 How tech drives sales

lots more.

43 Prices down

nearby and a new IAA award in

Great gin deals set to drive footfall

the bag, business is good in Hull.

this Christmas and New Year.

December 2018 TalkingShop

5

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PremierNews NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS PREMIER

Premier shines at the IAA awards Premier retailers stole the show once more at this year’s IAA awards in London winning four categories on the evening.

INBRIEF SHOPPERS TO SPEND £21.6BN ON FESTIVE FOOD AND DRINK A new forecast from IGD predicts that shoppers will spend £21.6bn on food over the festive period, representing growth of 2.4%. Almost half (48%) of shoppers said food

SERVICE STAR: Dennis Williams collects the customer service award.

COMMUNITY HEROES: Asif and Abada Akhtar add another community award to the colection.

and drink is the most important part of Christmas Day. While 65% are planning to have turkey this year, nearly one in 10 will opt for a vegetarian or meat alternative.

Shoppers anticipate spending an average of £90 on their main Christmas meal

RESPONSIBLE RETAILER: Samantha Coldbeck wins the Responsible Retailer category.

TOP LAYOUT: Simon Dixon was named Category Star for Shop Layout.

this year with 33% estimating they will spend over £100.

Some 71% of those surveyed

It was another fantastic night for Premier retailers last month at the annual Independent Achievers Academy (IAA) Category Stars event in London with no fewer than four awards collected by Premier retailers.The IAA Gala Dinner recognises retailers who have performed brilliantly over the last year.

The 2018 Category Star for Customer Service was Premier Broadway Convenience Store in Edinburgh where owners Dennis and Linda Williams were praised by the judges for having “a robust customer service training programme that is constantly updated based on suggestions from staff and customers”. The judges added that the couple “empower their his team to take responsibility” and “continually go above and beyond”.

Also successful was 2018 Category Star for Shop Layout, Simon Dixon of Premier Lower Darwen in Lancashire. The judges commented: “Simon has a clear strategy and has carefully considered his store size and what will work best for his customers when making decisions on his shop layout. The main priority for his shop is range and flow, with impulse displays carefully

placed at the front of the store. His first aisle is filled with food-to-go to draw customers in, and key categories are well displayed to draw people around the shop.”

Samantha and Mark Coldbeck of Wharfedale Premier in Hull were named 2018 Category Stars for Responsible Retailing by “taking a proactive approach to responsible retailing, going the extra mile to protect their community”. The judges also said: “Samantha and Mark have introduced a new CCTV system which has facial recognition to alert staff when someone undesirable enters.”

Also on stage to collect the 2018 Category Star award for Service to the Community were Asif and Abada Akhtar of Premier Smeaton Stores in Kirkcaldy. The judges said their store “has created a true community hub in an in-need area of Scotland”.

Other comments included: “They set up their own charity in memory of a customer and community-funded £4,000 so he could take his daughter to Florida. They give talks at local schools, have setup a breakfast club for local children and provide school uniforms to those who can’t afford them”.

said they see Christmas as “a time to splash out”.

Advertising is increasingly influencing purchases over Christmas with 35% of shoppers stating they are likely to buy certain food and groceries based on adverts they have seen. This figure rises to 49% among those under 45.

Around 62% said they always look out for new and different products at Christmas with the desserts category drawing the most NPD interest.

TALKING TACTICS What are you doing in-store to stand out in your local market?

Share it with us and your Premier retailer colleagues at talkingshop@55north.com 0141 222 5380

December 2018 TalkingShop

7

NEWS

INBRIEF Booker trade show ATM BUSINESS RATES BOON FOR RETAILERS In a landmark decision, the Appeal Court has ruled that retailers will no longer have to pay business rates for cash

a massive hit with attendance up 50%

machines outside their shops

50%

and that they will be refunded

Increase in retailer numbers

for the previous payments, backdated to April 2010.

60%

The Court also ruled that

Increase in Trade Show Deal sales

shop owners should not pay business rates on ATM

170

machines inside their stores.

The ruling will bring an

Suppliers in attendance

estimated £300m back to businesses which are struggling with burdensome business rates and an increasingly challenging economic environment.

NEW LOOK LOTTO OFFERS £5M COMMISSION BOOST National Lottery operator Camelot has unveiled an array of changes to its Lotto game including an average annual commission boost of around £5m for retailers.

For the first time sales commission will be paid out to

Booker’s annual trade show was bigger and better than ever this year with retailer attendance up 50% and sales of Trade Show Special deals up 60%.

retailers when a player claims a Match 2 free Lotto Lucky Dip prize in-store.

Other changes include bigger, fixed cash prizes – including £1m for matching five main numbers + the Bonus Ball – as well as jackpots that will be won more often and a new ‘rolldown’ mechanic.

8 TalkingShop

December 2018

Booker’s annual trade show continues to go from strength to strength with growth on all fronts this year.

With over 170 suppliers in attendance, the event was bigger and better than ever which culminated in record attendance figures by retailers – up 50% on last year.

One of the major attractions of the show was the huge array of exclusive Trade Show Deals available with retailers able to take advantage of hundreds of show-specific deals this year. So popular were the deals that sales were up an amazing 60% on last year’s figures.

Attendees were treated to a number of engaging activities and insights including seeing the Lichfields for Retailers range for the first time and new concepts such as Food to Go brought to life.

Thousands of samples and free giveaways were handed out during the event and highlights for retailers included the chance to see the Premier League Trophy on the Mondelez stand and the chance to get a selfie with ex-England footballer Emilie Heskey on the Carabao stand.

Then, when it was all over, 2.2 tonnes of products were collected by Phoenix Food Bank, enough to provide over 5,000 meals to people in need.

Martyn Parkinson, Brand Director – Premier, commented: “This was the most successful show yet and it was fantastic to see so many retailers in attendance. It’s a really exciting, engaging event and with hundreds of special Trade Show Deals on offer there was plenty of scope for Premier retailers to cash in as they prepare for the Christmas period.”

NEWS

Food to go set to be key for Premier retailers in 2019 New research from HIM shows that many independent retailers are missing a trick by failing to grasp the food to go opportunity – but Premier has the perfect solution.

Exclusive research from shopper insights agency HIM suggests that many independent convenience stores are missing out on the food to go category – which reinforces how timely and vital the introduction of Premier’s comprehensive new food to go solution is.

The HIM insight highlights

that average spend on food to go within independent convenience stores is just £1.40. That’s more than 50p lower than the market average and more than £1.20 behind forecourts, the channel with the highest food to go spend across convenience.

A similar disparity is seen in hot drinks with around 10%

of shopper baskets within forecourts containing hot drinks compared with less than 1% for independents while 7% of forecourt baskets include sandwiches versus 2% for independents.

Martyn Parkinson, Brand Director – Premier, commented: “Food to go represents a huge opportunity for Premier retailers to differentiate themselves from competitors and create their own USP. “That’s why Premier has recently launched its new comprehensive food to go solution and I would encourage all retailers to take a closer look at the solution and see how they can make food to go a stronger and more prominent part of their in-store offer to the shopper.

“This will be a massive opportunity for all Premier retailers in 2019. Please contact your RDM for advice.”

INBRIEF FROZEN FOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR PREMIER RETAILERS The frozen food market has remained “the most buoyant part of the entire grocery sector in the last 12 months”, according to Nigel Broadhurst, Chairman of the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF). He commented: “Frozen food sales totalled £8.5bn last year and we have seen 5% market growth in the last 12 months, putting frozen foods ahead of both chilled and ambient.”

Broadhurst said that growth had come from a focus on innovation, a move into premium quality products and the convenience of everyday products which save food waste every day.

He added: “The frozen food industry is offering highly relevant products to consumers’ kitchens, delivering real solutions to the problems they face.”

Low and no alcohol ‘more acceptable than ever’ A study carried out among 2,000 UK consumers by OnePoll on behalf of Carlsberg UK has found that consumers believe that low or no alcohol beer is now more socially acceptable than ever, suggesting that demand for these types of products may be set to rise in Premier stores.

The study found 59% of respondents had tried a low or no alcohol drink and more than half of those asked (52%) agreed that drinking a low or no alcohol beer had become more socially acceptable in the last year or two. Some 28% of respondents would consider drinking an alcohol-free beer as an alternative to alcohol and 26% would consider it

over an alternative soft drink.The study also found there are differences in attitudes towards alcohol between men and women. Around 35% of women have become more conscious about their alcohol intake over the last year or two versus 30% of men.

Men were more likely to consume low or no alcohol alternatives at home and females were more likely to try it on a night out.

Millennials, a consumer group which has often been identified as consuming less alcohol than previous generations, was the group most likely to enjoy the taste (70%) and the most likely to try an alcohol-free beer (24%).

December 2018 TalkingShop

9

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CommunityNews OPINION, NEWS AND ACHIEVEMENTS FROM PREMIER RETAILERS

INBRIEF Country Durham Premier retailer makes a big hearted plan COMMUNITY AWARD FOR MONIAIVE RETAILER

Premier retailer Jack Lee has been working with Durham County Council to install a new life-saving defibrillator in his store for the use of his local Easington Village community.

Graham Watson of Watson’s Grocers in Moniaive near Dumfries was the proud recipient of the first ever Community Hero Award for Independent Retailers at the recent Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) Community Heroes Awards.

The awards were launched to recognise and reward the immense contribution that independent retailers make to

Kind-hearted County Durham Premier retailer Jack Lee has been the driving force behind a new campaign to add a defibrillator machine outside his store for the use of the local community.

Jack’s store is in the small village of Easington and he decided to take the challenge on board when concerns were raised in the community about the fact that there was no defibrillator available anywhere in the village for emergencies.

Keen to help out, Jack quickly set up a fundraising page on Facebook to pay for the potentially life-saving machine and he immediately began to receive donations as well as generating a lot of interest in the local community.

Jack told Talking Shop: “The initiative created quite a buzz in the local community and that’s when Durham County Council got in touch

to say they’d like to help. They told me about a fund that’s available for things like this but unfortunately it’s not open to private businesses like ours.

“But after some discussions the Council decided to apply on my behalf and we were delighted to get verbal confirmation that the funding has been granted. We’re just waiting on the official confirmation now and we plan to install the machine in January. It will be an exceptionally valuable service for the community although I hope that it never has to be used, of course!”

The machine will be situated outside the shop requiring Jack to remove a panel of glass from his shop front and replace with a frame for the box to fit into. He is covering the cost of this work himself as well as the cost of the electricity to keep the machine charged.

communities across Scotland.

Graham was rewarded for his “innovative and impactful community engagement” work and the presentation took place during the SGF’s Centenary Conference at RBS’s Global Headquarters in Edinburgh.

TALKING TACTICS What are you doing in-store to stand out in your local market?

Share it with us and your Premier retailer colleagues at talkingshop@55north.com 0141 222 5380

December 2018 TalkingShop

11

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IndustryNews A DIGEST OF NEWS FROM THE INDEPENDENT RETAILING INDUSTRY

Five trends set to shape retail in 2019 The IGD has highlighted the five trends that it believes are set to have the biggest impact on retail in 2019.

INBRIEF NFRN BACKS DIGITAL TAX DELAY The National Federation of Newsagents (NFRN) has expressed relief that an influential parliamentary committee has urged the

IGD has published its predictions for the five trends it believes will shape the convenience retailing industry in 2019. The trends are:

1. DATA DICTATES THE WAY Data will be one of the main building blocks of retail growth. As well as helping to boost sales, accurate data will help retailers understand customer behaviour and reward loyalty.

2. DOING GOOD IS GOOD BUSINESS Retailers will increasingly take the lead on sustainability issues such as food waste and plastic pollution. Retailers are no longer thinking about just reducing waste, but want to make a positive, tangible contribution, moving beyond simply reducing their impact.

3. SEAMLESS STORES

Physical stores will become more digital and offer a more ‘seamless’ shopping experience by using technology to make it easier for customers to find items and gain product information.

government to delay its plans for mandatory Making Tax Digital for VAT. The Economic Affairs Committee has recommended that the introduction is delayed

4. HELP ME BE HEALTHY Retailers will play a more active role in supporting the health and wellness of consumers.

85% of shoppers aspire to eat and live well with so helping them look and feel good will be a major priority.

by “at least one year.”

NFRN National President Mike Mitchelson said: “We back calls for the government to postpone the project to redefine a realistic implementation schedule.”

5.ANYWHERE, ANYTIME

HEALTH MATTERS: Healthier options will be key in 2019.

Social commerce will grow with more options for buying ‘on the go’. Retailers will deliver targeted marketing, and new ways to make online shopping easier and quicker.

HMRC’s plan would see any business with an turnover over the VAT registration threshold of £85,000 as of 2018/2019 required to keep digital records and submit VAT returns digitally from April 1st 2019.

However, the Economic Affairs Committee has found

Home Office to host shopworkers meet Shopworkers’ trade union USDAW has welcomed a commitment from the Home Office to meet with the union and retailers on how to legally protect staff from violence, threats and abuse.

Speaking during the report stage of the Offensive Weapons Bill Home Office Minister Victoria Atkins told the House of Commons: “We want to ensure that our shopworkers feel protected as

well as actually are protected by the law. I’d like to invite organisations involved in retail into the Home Office to discuss these concerns.”

The Minister was responding to an amendment tabled by David Hanson MP that would create a new offence if a person attempting to illegally buy corrosive substance or knives abuses, threatens or assaults the retail worker who is enforcing the

law. Hanson said: “I hope that we can make progress on this key issue that impacts on the lives of so many retail staff, this issue is not going away.”

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary, said: “Shopworkers are on the frontline of keeping our communities safe by enforcing age-restricted sales law. Their role should be valued and they deserve the protection of the law.”

many businesses will not be ready by then, the costs will be far more than HMRC’s impact assessment and the smallest businesses will struggle unless HMRC provides a basic free software option.

TALKING TACTICS What are you doing in-store to stand out in your local market?

Share it with us and your Premier retailer colleagues at talkingshop@55north.com 0141 222 5380

December 2018 TalkingShop

13

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Orpington | STORE PROFILE

Putting the community first

PEOPLE FIRST: Anita (2nd right) and Raju (right) have served the same community for decades.

Store CV:

Name: Premier Eldred Drive Stores, Orpington Retailers: Raju Patel and Anita Nye Time as retailers: 38 years Time with premier: 5 years Size: 1,200sq ft Staff: 13 Services: Licensed, Lottery, Payzone, UPS, Parcelly, Espresso Essentials coffee machine, loyalty cards.

Nearest competition: Tesco, Sainsburys, Co-op under a mile; McColl’s CTN next door Trading hours: 8am to 9pm Mon-Fri; 8.30am to 9pm Sat; 9am to 9pm Sun

After 35 years serving the same community, award-winning Orpington retailers Raju Patel and Anita Nye view their shoppers more as friends than customers.

December 2018 TalkingShop

15

STORE PROFILE | Orpington

W

RESPONSIBLE ROLE: The store takes is responsibilities to the community seriously.

HEART OF GOLD: Anita puts her responsibilities to the local community above all else.

hen you’ve worked in the same community and the same store for decades as both owner Raju Patel and manager Anita Nye have, the bond that you develop with your shoppers goes “way beyond a retailer-customer relationship”, says Anita. Raju has owned the store in Orpington for an amazing 38 years and Anita has been alongside him for 34 of those – surely one of the most impressive periods of unbroken service in the independent retailing trade!

“I’ve lived in this community my whole life and I’ve worked in this store for most of that time,” explains multi-award-winning Anita. “Which is why we’ve developed a relationship with our shoppers that I think is pretty special. After almost 35 years in this store, we’ve seen generations of families grow alongside the business. I’m now seeing the grandchildren of our original customers come into the store and that creates a very special bond between us.”

That partly explains the truly inspiring passion and commitment that Raju and Anita have consistently demonstrated to

their local community. “They’re friends, more than customers,” says Anita. “So we take our responsibilities towards them very seriously and we try to do everything we can to support and help them, whether that’s through supporting local charity and community activities or encouraging our younger shoppers to eat more healthily.

You’ve got to look after your friends, after all, haven’t you?”

It’s a very good point and there’s no doubt that Anita drives some of the most innovative and proactive activity not just in the store but in the industry.

Recently, for instance, she instigated a Smart Snack Club which has been hugely successful in encouraging local kids to eat healthier, lower calorie snacks. “The kids get their own little loyalty card, which they just love,” says Anita. “Then every time they buy a healthier snack they get a stamp and once they collect 10 stamps they get a free snack or a small reward like a pen or pencil.”

The snacks are all under 100 calories and the initiative has been a huge hit with kids and parents alike, and has also been supported by the local school and the

GETTING INVOLVED: The store is recognised as a hugely valuable part of the community.

POPPY WALL: A recent Remembrance Day ‘poppy wall’ has been a huge hit with shoppers.

16 TalkingShop

December 2018

REWARDING APPROACH: Anita has collected numerous awards for her outstanding efforts.

SOCIAL STARS: The store uses Facebook extensively to promote local activities and events.

What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

Family Centre across the round which advertises the Club.

Another fantastic and hugely popular recent idea saw Anita build a ‘Poppy Wall’ in the shop to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War. “I bought a camouflage net on eBay and mounted on a wall in the shop then posted it on Facebook and asked customers to bring in poppies or make their own and add them to the wall to mark Remembrance Day.” The response was overwhelming with customers knitting poppies to bring in and kids making their own at home to display in the store. “We even had customers post us poppies from Cornwall and the local nursery made some for us too,” beams Anita. “It was just wonderful!”

Halloween was yet another highlight that struck a chord with the local community, as she explains: “Halloween is just getting bigger every year and this year we held another party for everyone We couldn’t believe how many people turned up! It was supposed to only last a couple of hours but everyone was still here at 8pm and it just brilliant fun.”

On top of all of this in-store activity,

SERVICE WITH A SMILE: Outstanding customer service sets the store apart.

SNACKING SMART: The Snack Smart Club encourages younger shoppers to eat healthily.

TOP PRIORITY: A responsible approach to retailing helps drive shopper loyalty.

LEST WE FORGET: The store gets behind projects that are important to the community.

FREE FROM: A free-from range offers choice for shoppers on specialist diets.

HELPING HAND: Lending a hand to less able shoppers is all in a day’s work.

Anita and Raju support other community activity such as sponsoring the local cricket and football teams – the Natwest Ones and Orpington Rovers FC. “We just do what we can,” says Anita.

“We can’t support everything but we give it our best shot and we get behind as much activity as we can. At the end of the day, our customers recognise all the good work we do and they reward that with loyalty to the store. Don’t get me wrong – we don’t do all the community work to drive business, but it just works out that if you support your community, they support you back.”

And is if all that wasn’t enough, Anita also finds the time and energy to constantly evolve the store, as she explains: “The community activity is obviously hugely important but our shoppers also expect a great Premier store too. We provide great value products and a guaranteed smile for every shopper. It’s what makes this store so special for our customers.”

After 35 years in the trade, it’s simply inspirational to see the passion burning as brightly as it did all those years ago – and the Orpington community is all the better for it.

December 2018 TalkingShop

17

roll

STORE PROFILE | Wharfedale, Hull

Let the good times

After 29 years in the same store, Samantha Coldbeck and her husband Mark are riding high at the moment with an IAA Award in the bag and a new housing development set to bring 600 new shoppers.

Winner at

A

Store CV:

Name: Wharfedale premier, Hull Retailers: Samantha and Mark Coldbeck Time as retailers: 29 years Time with Premier: 21 years Size: 1,500 sq ft Staff: 14 Services: Licensed, Lottery, Pay Point, ATM, UPS, hot food and # drinks Nearest competition: Sewells fore court across the road; Asda, Morrisons and Co-op less than one mile away Trading hours: 5.30am to 9.30pm

18 TalkingShop

December 2018

s good news goes, there’s very little to beat the news that a new housing development is going ahead just a stone’s throw from your store, as Hull Premier retailers Samantha and Mark Coldbeck have been only too delighted to discover over the last 18 months. “They are building 167 new houses and the two-year build is due to be completed in March next year,” explains Samantha. “That is set to bring something like 600 new customers but even during the building period we’ve seen sales increase massively thanks to all the construction workers on site. Our food to go sales have gone through the roof!”

Half of the houses are already occupied and the benefit to the store is enormous, but

to get the very best from the opportunity Samantha and Mark have had to redouble their efforts in the last year or so in order to make sure that the store was ready to really cash in.

“The new development was obviously fantastic news but we knew that we had to keep improving so that the store was in the best possible place to capitalise on all those new shoppers,” says Samantha. “That’s why we’ve worked hard and spent a lot of money in the last year or so to really expand the food to go and chilled sections, as well as extending our chilled beer and wine offer.

We want to have the best and freshest offer available to those 600 new shoppers, as well as those that have been loyal to us for decades.”

Sam grew up in and around the business

What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

LOYALTY DRIVE: The store operates a loyalty card to drive up footfall.

when it was owned by her parents and has seen it grow and develop over more than three decades, so it’s tempting to view the housing development as just reward for all that commitment and effort. Amidst all this change, Samantha and Mark have also just helped Samantha’s mum finally retire from the business.

“While Mark and I have effectively been running the business for many years now, we only officially bought it from my mum in the last few weeks!” says Sam. “So now she can go and enjoy retirement and we can go back to growing the business.”

And that growth process is still very much ongoing. “We have literally just had a Dr Oetker pizza oven delivered yesterday which we hope will help us expand our

GOOD TIMES: Samantha (left) and Mark are enjoying a great year.

VALUE CHAIN: The Premier promotions are key to the store’s success.

FRESH FOCUS: The store offers a broad fresh range.

CHILL OUT: The chilled range is increasingly important.

food-to-go-offer as well as extend it into the evening period. We’ve also reworked the tillpoint area, moving the cigarettes into drawers under the counter and converting what was the tobacco gantry into space for spirits. That’s already making a difference and we’re seeing big increases in spirits sales. We’ve also introduced a loyalty club.”

The net result of all of these improvements is that the store as a whole is seeing year-on-year growth of 11%, an exceptional growth rate for a mature store that’s been there for decades.

“I think we’ve been very lucky in the last year or so with lots of things going our way like the new housing and an absolutely unbelievable summer, the best we’ve ever had,” comments Samantha. “But I also

believe that we’re achieving such good growth because we’ve worked hard as a team to make sure the store is in position to capitalise on that good luck.”

So quickly are things moving and changing that Samantha and Mark now have planning sessions every six months to get ready for the next phase of the store’s development. She explains: “We used to have an annual planning session but things change so quickly these days that we need do them twice a year. We try to take an objective look at the store, analyse what’s working well and what could do with improvement, then set ourselves some goals to aim for.”

In the most recent session, one of the focuses was on reducing space for slower December 2018 TalkingShop

19

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Contains no more than 0.05% alcohol. *Source is Nielsen Scantrack GB Total Impulse, Value Sales, 52w/e 6th October 2018

What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

GOOD TO GO: Chilled food to go is increasingly important to the store.

moving categories to free up room for growing categories. “Ambient grocery was one area where we decided to reduce the space in-store because it’s just not turning over the way it did five or ten years ago,” says Samantha. “The space that we have created around the store is being used for high growth categories like food to go, chilled, vaping, flavoured gins, rums and, interestingly, lower alcohol liqueurs. I’m not sure why but liqueurs are growing at 12% in the store.”

As well as overseeing a fast-growing business, Samantha and Mark have also found time to make a big impression at industry awards ceremonies, most recently being named finalists in no fewer than three categories at the IAA Awards and picking up the Responsible Retailing award into the bargain.

“It’s an enjoyable period at the moment and we feel that we’ve earned it but we’ve also been in retail long enough to know that there will be another challenge around the corner,” says Samantha. “So while it’s amazing to win awards and see the store growing, our focus is firmly on where the next growth is coming from. We’ve got to keep investing in improving the store and we’re also working hard at communicating with the new tenants and owners in the

RAISING THE STANDARD: Merchandising standards throughout the store are very impressive.

CHILLER THRILLER: Fresh investment has allowed an expansion of chilled space.

CATEGORY STAR: Samantha has just won the IAA Responsible Retailing Award.

COUNTER CULTURE: The tobacco gantry has been replaced by a spirits range.

housing development. We’ve distributed leaflets to all of the properties that are already occupied and we’ll be doing the same as the rest of the properties fill up.”

When those new opportunities and challenges do appear on the horizon, Samantha knows she has the best partner possible on her side. She concludes: “I believe that, in Premier, we have the perfect partner to capitalise on every opportunity.

For me they are clearly the best symbol group and have by far and away the best overall package. The promotional programme is the best in the business and for us it sits at the heart of our offer. Our shoppers know they’ll get great value and great deals every day – and that’s what builds loyalty and sales.”

HOT STUFF: Hot food sales are in double digit growth thanls to the new housing development.

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STORE PROFILE | Upholland, Skelmersdale

Doubling Doubling up up Since doubling the size of his store, Upholland retailer Suresh Patel has worked hand in hand with Premier to build an exceptional award-winning store.

A

s so often happens in independent retailing, opportunities come along like buses. There are none for a while, then two come along at once – and that’s exactly the situation that faced Skelmersdale husband and wife retailing team Suresh and Prem

Patel in 2010.

Having just acquired a former Costcutter store that had lain empty for a long time, they were then offered the property next door too.

“We had only just bought the store and then, within six months, we were offered the unit next door,” he recalls. “The original store was only 500 sq ft and the property next door was roughly the same size, so it was an opportunity that was too good to miss.”

They wisely decided to go for it and, after a significant refit and some significant building work to knock the two units together, the new and hugely improved Premier Upholland Village Store began trading.”The original store was not in great shape when we took it over as it had been empty and it needed a lot of work to freshen it up,” says Suresh. “The first six months were difficult and we knew

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we had a big task ahead of us but by adding the second unit we instantly had the space and scope to create a modern convenience store with exceptional customer service at its heart.”

So convinced was Suresh of the need to make outstanding customer service a part of his business that he has even gone to the extent of having every member of staff complete a Level 2 NVQ in Retail Knowledge. “It’s all very well asking your staff to be friendly and knowledgeable but we wanted to really give them the tools to help them develop these skills,” he says.

That sort of organised, professional approach to business led the store to begin appearing on the IAA Top 100 Stores list within a year of opening – a stunning achievement for a store which had been closed a year before – and it has been a more or less permanent feature on the list ever since.

Along the way, the store has also picked up two NFRN Excellence Awards, the Asian Trader Impulse Retailer of the Year Award and has twice been a Finalist at the IAA awards.

“We’ve been pretty successful at industry awards,” says Suresh

What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

LOCAL FOCUS: A growing number of locally sourced lines are helping drive sales.

SALES BREWING: Coff has become a more important part of the sales mix at the store.

BIGGER RANGE: A much larger store has allowed for a much stronger range.

Store CV:

Name: Premier Upholland Village Store, Skelmersdale Retailer: Suresh and Prem Patel Time as retailer: 30 years Time with Premier: 8 years Size: 1,000sq ft Staff: 4 Services: licensed, Payzone, UPS, Lottery, free ATM Nearest competition: Co-op 500 yds away Trading hours: 6.30am to 9pm Mon – Sat; 7am to 8pm Sun

FRESH LINES: More space has been allocated to fresh and chilled lines, including food to go.

modestly. “It’s a good way to benchmark yourself against the competition and it’s always nice for the staff and customers if you win one.”

Suresh’s sustained success at awards is at least in part down to a continued commitment to developing and evolving the store in line with changing shopper demands. “We make a point of taking a step back and formally reviewing the business every six months,” he explains. “Most recently we’ve decided to introduce a hot food to go offering and we’re in the midst of planning what that will look like right now. We have also grown our range of vaping products significantly.

“Another success has been the introduction of Rijo coffee machine which has definitely helped drive footfall and increase spend in the store.”

The store has also added chilled space for everything from beers and wines to fresh produce and food to go such as sandwiches and savoury snacks.

The couple are very active in the local community. “I’m a parish

COOL IT: Beer and wine sales have benfitted from more chiller space.

councillor and we take our role at the heart of the Upholland community very seriously,” says Suresh. “We deliver breakfasts to the local school and we also do deliveries to the after-school club and we offer a delivery service for elderly shoppers who aren’t always able to make it down to the shop themselves. We also take newspaper and magazine orders for the local sheltered accommodation.”

Additionally, the store also sponsors the local junior football team and is extremely active on Facebook. “We advertise the Premier promotions on a daily basis and we use it to highlight things like our large range of gins, but we also use Facebook to help publicise local community events and initiatives.”

Standing still is not an option for Suresh and Prem, as he concludes: “If you’re not moving forwards, you’re going backwards.

We’re always looking for new ideas and I’ve been particularly inspired by the latest thinking from the Premier store in Hull.

“We’ve been along to see it and were really impressed. We have taken a lot of great ideas from it. You’ve got to keep the business fresh these days. That’s the key to success.”

December 2018 TalkingShop

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STORE PROFILE | Kenninghall, Norfolk

Building a

destination store

Norfolk retailing team Mike and Karen Humphreys have built a successful two-store chain by focusing on creating true destination stores that offer shoppers the best choice, value and service in the area.

T

he secret to running a successful Premier store in today’s competitive marketplace, according to Norfolk retailer Mike Humphreys is simple: “You’ve got to offer shoppers a range that they can’t easily get anywhere else.”

For Mike and his wife Karen who run two great Premier stores in Norfolk, that means offering the best choice, price and service in the area. “I’m very conscious that I sound like I’m just repeating Booker’s philosophy,” laughs Mike, “but Booker had it right all along. We have tried to make the business a destination store by offering a great range of basics plus a lot of local and more unusual lines, we try to keep our prices very competitive and we try to deliver the very best customer service we can.”

That strategy appears to be working extremely well for Mike and Karen so far.

Since they first bought their Kenninghall store in 2011 they have succeeded in more than doubling the turnover of the business and it now takes around £23,000 a week.

This is even more remarkable in light of the fact that Kenninghall only has around 800 residents!

“We have a great rapport with the local community but we couldn’t have built the turnover so much without the support of shoppers from neighbouring towns and villages and we’ve done that through

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Store CV:

Name: Premier Kenninghall Store & Post Office, Kenninghall, Norfolk Retailers: Mike & Karen Humphreys Stores in chain: 2 Time as retailers: 8 years Time with Premier: 8 years Size: 1,400 sq ft Staff: 10 Services: licensed, Lottery, Post Office, ATM, hot food and drinks Nearest competition: One-Stop and Nisa two miles away; Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s 5 miles away Trading hours: 6.30am to 8pm

focusing on great quality, unusual and mostly local sourced products. We get shoppers coming from many miles away.”

On top of his core Premier range, Mike has added what he believes to be around 400 locally sourced lines. He explains: “We get a lot of our stock locally, everything from sandwiches, cakes, fruit and veg, pies, flours, honey and jams to cheeses, meats, beers and even wines.”

Additionally, he has also focused on building huge ranges of products in the fastest growing categories like craft beers and gins. “We now stock over 100 different gins and we really do get people driving for an hour to get here for them. We started with about 20 gins four or five months ago then we doubled that as they were selling so well, and now we’re over 100.”

When Talking Shop spoke to Mike he was just in the final stages of preparing a gin and wine tasting session at the store and said that he expected “literally half of the village” to be there. “We’ve had a few in the past and they’ve become a real highlight in the local community,” he says. “They’re cracking fun and it always ends up in us selling a lot of product.”

As part of their drive to become a destination store, Mike and Karen also focus on bringing in shoppers who are looking to buy a full meal, as he explains: “It’s great to see shoppers pop in and buy a few bits and bobs but we really want them to come

for everything they need for lunch or their dinner that evening – and that doesn’t just mean shoppers who cook from scratch. We now stock every single Discover the Choice ready meal because they all sell.”

The store has recently added a range of 60 Cook frozen ready meals that are also beginning to sell well. “It’s all about trying to build the basket spend,” says Mike.

Facebook has been instrumental in helping Mike achieve many of his aims in recent times. He comments: “Social media has become huge for us. For example, just last weekend we managed to get hold of half a dozen cases of Zymurgorium Gin Liqueur so we advertised that on Facebook.

The gin arrived on the Friday and by Sunday morning we’d sold three of the cases.

Facebook can be that powerful.”

The store also does a range of hot food through Country Choice and has a bean to cup coffee machine from Rijo 42 which has been hugely popular with shoppers and ensures the store is on top of all the latest trends in convenience retailing.

“Booker offers Premier retailers everything we need to build brilliant, modern convenience stores,” concludes Mike. “All that’s required after that is a bit of work to understand what your particular shoppers are looking for and then bringing in some great, locally sourced lines to meet that demand. And never, ever forget: choice, price, service!”

What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

GIN PARLOUR: A small selection from the 100+ strong gin range.

GRAPE EXPECTATIONS: Mike sources a unique wine range including from local producers.

BAKE OFF: A range of local pies and savoury bakes sells well.

DEEP FREEZE: The new Cook range of frozen ready meals is a hit.

FLOWER POWER: Fresh flowers help draw shoppers in.

CLEAR VISION: Mike and Karen have worked to a clear strategy.

DESTINATION STORE: Mike’s aim has been to make this a destination store.

CRAFTY SALES: The craft beer range is extensive featuring many local brews.

BRILLIANT BASICS: The store also gets all the basics right.

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Healthy Habit-Forming Products | FEATURE

Healthy products mean healthy sales The latest IGD research suggest 85% of shoppers are actively trying to improve their diet which represents a massive opportunity for retailers to meet that demand with healthier, habit-forming products.

O

ne of the most important growth trends in independent retailing over the last couple of years has been food and drink that shoppers perceive to be healthier and better for them, allowing them to live busy active lives and enjoy healthier, more

balanced diets.

This trend is only set to accelerate in 2019, so much so that a new report from IGD highlighted healthier foods as one of the five most important trends for retailers to be aware of next year. The report says that shoppers increasingly look for retailers to ‘help me be

healthy’ and outlines the opportunity for retailers who are willing to play a more active role in supporting the health and wellness of shoppers.

The report included research that found that most shoppers aspire to eat and live well, with the vast majority – 85% – saying they are actively trying to improve their diet. These same shoppers, however, were quick to accept that their aspirations don’t always translate into action – and that they need help from retailers to make that journey towards a healthier lifestyle easier and more convenient. Ideally, they are seeking to get into the habit of buying December 2018 TalkingShop

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FEATURE | Healthy Habit-Forming Products

RETAILER VIEW MIKE HUMPHREYS Premier Kenninghall Store & PO, Norfolk “There is absolutely no doubt that shoppers are increasingly looking to eat that little bit healthier and look after themselves more.

That’s got be a good thing and it’s also great news for retailers because we are able to help them along that journey by proving a good choice of healthier, better for you products.”

and consuming healthier foods and drinks as part of their regular routine.

The opportunity for Premier retailers couldn’t be clearer. With shoppers keen to be more health conscious going forward, supporting them to both look and feel good should be a major priority for Premier retailers in 2019.

Healthier means different things to different shoppers, of course, but Premier’s range offers everything retailers need to provide their shoppers with healthier alternatives in practically every product category in-store.

If you are looking to cash in on this growing trend, read on….

2 FREE-FROM

1 PROTEIN

High protein products have evolved from being niche products for fitness fanatics and those on specialist diets to being true mainstream lines with broad appeal for a wide cross-section of shoppers.

Sales of protein products in the UK grew by around £360m this year alone, according to Euromonitor sales data.

Seen by shoppers as delivering many important health benefits, high protein products are available in a vast array of categories these days from protein bars and shakes to chocolate bars and protein powders.

Booker stocks a huge selection of high protein products from both specialist producers and global brands, so it’s never been easier to build a dedicated eye-catching protein fixture in your store. Make the fixture prominent using impactful signage and site the fixture in a high footfall area for maximum effect.

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Similar to protein, free-from products are now solidly mainstream with more and more shoppers choosing to exclude certain ingredients from their diet, either for health reasons or as a lifestyle choice. According to charity Coeliac UK, sales of gluten-free products alone have grown by almost 30% in the last year while Kantar data reveals that a significant 13% of Britons are now opting to go gluten-free.

Then there’s the huge surge in interest in dairyfree diets with a whole range of milk substitute products now available.

Again, it makes sense to group any free-from products together where possible to make it as easy as you can for shoppers looking to avoid certain ingredients.

Most shoppers looking for free-from lines will be looking to find as many lines as possible – so merchandising them together makes the shopping trip easier and increases the chance of a bigger basket spend.

What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

RETAILER VIEW FARAZ IQBAL Premier Linktown Local, Kirkcaldy “I’ve noticed a lot more shoppers opting for healthier options over the last year or so with a lot of interest particularly in categories like protein and sugar-free. We’re also seeing an increase in sales of fresh produce which is great to see. It’s encouraging to see my shoppers taking more interest in their health.”

3 VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN

You only have to pick up a newspaper or watch TV to see the dramatic surge in interest in veganism that has been a high-profile trend in the UK over the last 12 months. More and more shoppers are keen to eliminate animal products from their diet and this trend looks set to continue into 2019. It also opens up another opportunity for Premier retailers.

Catering to vegetarians is also a key opportunity with a rapidly growing range of meat-free products available through Booker from brands like Quorn.

RETAILER VIEW JOE PUNIAN Premier Victoria Dock, Hull “When we opened the store earlier this year we knew that we had to embrace categories that looked likely to be in good growth and many of those are products that shoppers see as being better for them. We have an entire aisle-end dedicated to protein and we have an extensive selection of fresh produce.

We also stock a huge range of low and no sugar products and we have a dedicated free-from section too.

Shoppers want to have better, more balanced diets and it’s up to us to make sure they have all the choice they need.”

4 FRESH FRUIT AND VEG

The original health foods, fresh fruit and veg represent a massive opportunity that many Premier retailers have already capitalised on but there is always room for growth. A strong fresh offer is now a core element of most stores and for many shoppers fresh produce is the cleanest, healthiest food they can consume.

Keeping the fresh fixture clean, neat and tidy and regularly checking it is key to giving shoppers confidence in the category in your store – so why not appoint a Fresh Category Champion to make sure the fixture always looks its best?

5 LOW AND NO SUGAR DRINKS One of the most important trends over the last year, certainly since the introduction of the Soft Drinks Levy, has been the shift towards low and no sugar soft drinks. This is an easy step for shoppers to take as they move towards a healthier diet and there are now many great low and no sugar options available from the big brands as well as from Booker’s own brand range.

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FRESHNESS

LONG LASTING ON THE CLOTHES YOU LOVE

We’ve added 21% EXTRA FREE* liquid in our PMP bottles for even better value and fuller bottles on shelf *vs. RRP of previous 550ML pack

What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

Fantastic value more vital than ever With uncertain economic times persisting, shoppers continue to seek out great value every day at their local Premier store. One great way of delivering that value is by leveraging the power of Booker’s fantastic Euro Shopper, Happy Shopper and Discover the Choice ranges.

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FEATURE | Own Brand

EURO SHOPPER TOP 20 BEST SELLERS DELIVERING OUTSTANDING VALUE AND GREAT QUALITY, THE PRICE-MARKED EURO SHOPPER RANGE SHOULD BE A CORNERSTONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. BELOW YOU WILL FIND THE TOP 20 LINES, ALL DELIVERING EXCELLENT VALUE FOR SHOPPERS AND FANTASTIC PORS FOR RETAILERS. Euro Shopper Energy Drink 250ml Case size: 24 x 250ml WSP: £3.50 RSP: £0.30 PM POR: 41.70% Euro Shopper Energy Drink 1ltr Case size: 12 x 1ltr WSP: £5.49 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 45.10% Euro Shopper Energy Drink 500ml Case size: 12 x 500ml WSP: £3.50 RSP: £0.59 PM POR: 40.70% Euro Shopper 4-pack Energy Drink Case size: 6 x 4 x 250ml WSP: £3.50 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 30.00% Euro Shopper Sugar Free Energy Drink Case size: 24 x 250ml WSP: £3.50 RSP: £0.30 PM POR: 41.70% Euro Shopper Isotonic Summer Berries Case size: 12 x 500ml WSP: £2.70 RSP: £0.39 PM POR: 30.80% Euro Shopper Isotonic Tropical Berry Case size: 12 x 500ml WSP: £2.70 RSP: £0.39 PM POR: 30.30% Euro Shopper Isotonic Orange Case size: 12 x 500ml WSP: £2.70 RSP: £0.39 PM POR: 30.80% Euro Shopper Orange Juice Case size: 12 x 1ltr WSP: £6.99 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 30.01% Euro Shopper Apple Juice Case size: 12 x 1ltr WSP: £6.99 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 30.10% Euro Shopper Fresh Semi Skimmed Milk Case size: 6 x 1.5ltr WSP: £4.20 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 30.20% Euro Shopper Fresh Whole Milk Case size: 6 x 1.5ltr WSP: £4.20 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 30.20%

A

sk any independent retailer what the biggest trend in independent retailing in the last five or ten years has been and the answer is highly likely to be summed up in a single word: value.

It’s hard to believe it now but the infamous credit crunch that kicked off this shopper obsession with value actually began officially on the 9th of August 2007, more than 10 years ago!

From that point on retailers have had to focus increasingly keenly on delivering both strong promotional packages and, latterly, exceptional everyday low pricing (EDLP). While EDLP has become one of the megatrends in independent retailing

in the last year or two, Booker has long understood the importance of consistently delivering great value, high quality products.

The Euro Shopper and Happy Shopper own brand ranges have long been firmly established as core elements of a Premier store’s offer while the much newer Discover the Choice fresh and chilled range has been a massive hit since launch last year.

With continuing uncertainty on the economic front thanks to challenges like Brexit, that focus on value is unlikely to diminish in the near future – so now is a great time to review your ranging to ensure that you are delivering the value your shoppers are seeking.

STEP ONE: ENCOURAGE IMPULSE MULTIBUYS! Many of the Booker own brand lines are offered to the shopper with eye-catching price-marked multibuy deals such as 2-for£1 or 3-for-£1.20. To drive up basket spend, make sure that you stock related products together to gently encourage shoppers to take advantage of these amazing impulse deals.

Euro Shopper Toilet Tissue 6pk Case size: 10 x 6pk WSP: £5.79 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 30.50% Euro Shopper Toilet Tissue 4pk Case size: 12 x 4pk WSP: £5.50 RSP: £0.79 PM POR: 30.40% Euro Shopper Milk Chocolate Case size: 26 x 90g WSP: £7.55 RSP: £0.50 PM POR: 30.30% Euro Shopper White Chocolate Case size: 26 X 90g WSP: £7.55 RSP: £0.50 PM POR: 30.30% Euro Shopper Jaffa Cakes Case size: 20 x 300g WSP: £13.79 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 31.01% Euro Shopper Mild White Cheese Case size: 8 x 150g WSP: £5.59 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 30.1% Euro Shopper Unsmoked Rindless Back Bacon Case size: 6 x 150g WSP: £4.20 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 30.00% Euro Shopper Coffee Granules Case size: 12 x 90g WSP: £8.39 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 30.10%

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NEW PRICE-MARKED PANELS! Communication of the great value offered by the Booker own brand ranges has been enhanced with new bolder and larger price marks!

What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

DISCOVER THE CHOICE TOP 20 BEST SELLERS THE DISCOVER THE CHOICE RANGE HAS BEEN A HUGE SUCCESS WITH PREMIER RETAILERS AND SHOPPERS ALIKE. THE FOLLOWING LIST OF PRICE-MARKED BEST SELLERS IS A GREAT PLACE TO START WHEN BUILDING A STRONG CHILLED RANGE THAT DELIVERS SUPERB QUALITY AND FANTASTIC VALUE. DTC Thick & Creamy Yoghurt Case size: 20 x 150g WSP: £6.29 RSP: 49p / 3 for £1.20 PM POR: 21.4% DTC Virtually Fat Free Yoghurt Case size: 20 x 150g WSP: £6.29 RSP: 49p / 3 for £1.20 PM POR: 21.40% DTC Cream Aerosol Case size: 12 x 250g WSP: £12.99 RSP: £1.55 PM POR: 30.16% DTC Corned Beef Case size: 8 x 125g WSP: £11.12 RSP: £2.00 PM POR: 30.50%

STEP TWO: VALUE AND PRICE IS NOT THE SAME THING! When shoppers visit your store the vast majority will be on the look out for great quality products at excellent value prices. It’s important to remember that value is not the same thing as cheap.

Modern shoppers are looking for products that deliver on all fronts.

Booker own brand ticks every box and should be at the heart of your offer to shoppers.

DTC Cooked Ham Sliced Case size: 8 x 100g WSP: £6.40 RSP: £1.19 / 2 for £2 PM POR: 20.00% DTC Honey Roast Ham Sliced Case size: 8 x 100g WSP: £6.40 RSP: £1.19 / 2 for £2 PM POR: 20.00% DTC Breaded Ham Sliced Case size: 8 x 100g WSP: £6.40 RSP: £1.19 / 2 for £2 POR: 20.00% DTC Back Unsmoked Bacon Case size: 3x6x200g WSP: £23.33 RSP: £1.89 PM POR: 31.40% DTC Smoked Back Smoked Case size: 3x6x200g WSP: £23.33 RSP: £1.89 PM POR: 31.40% DTC Lincolnshire Sausages Case size: 6 x 454g WSP: £8.95 RSP: £1.99 PM POR: 25.00% DTC Orange Juice Smooth 300ml Case size: 8 x 300ml WSP: £2.99 RSP: 69p PM POR: 35% DTC Orange Juice Smooth 1ltr Case size: 6 x 1l WSP: £4.99 RSP: £1.49 / 2 for £2.50 PM POR: 20.20% DTC Apple Juice 300ml Case size: 8 x 300ml WSP: £2.99 RSP: 69p PM POR: 35.00% DTC Beef Lasagne Case size: 6 x 450g WSP: £11.49 RSP: £2.99 / 2 for £5 PM POR: 23.40% DTC Cottage Pie Case size: 6 x 450g WSP: £11.49 RSP: £2.99 / 2 for £5 POR: 23.40% DTC Chicken Tikka Masala Case size: 6 x 450g WSP: £11.49 RSP: £2.99 / 2 for £5 PM POR: 23.40% DTC Chicken Korma Case size: 6 x 450g WSP: £11.49 RSP: £2.99 / 2 for £5 PM POR: 23.40% DTC Macaroni Cheese Case size: 6 x 450g WSP: £11.49 RSP: £2.99 / 2 for £5 PM POR: 23.40% DTC 3 Cheese Pizza Case size: 5 x 331g WSP: £9.99 RSP: £2.99 / 2 for £5 PM POR: 20.10% DTC Pepperoni Pizza Case size: 5 x 330g WSP: £9.99 RSP: £2.99 / 2 for £5 POR: 20.10%

STEP THREE: GET THE RANGING RIGHT! The size of your store will influence the size of the range of own brand products you carry – but a great place to start when building a choice for shoppers is with the Top 20 products in each own brand range, featured in this article. It’s worth taking a few minutes to check if there are any lines that you don’t currently stock – and get them in!

STEP FOUR: MAKE THEM PROMINENT! Your range of value products will deliver the biggest impact in terms of footfall, sales and growth if you site the products prominently in-store and give them the space that their rates-of-sale merit. This will also help avoid availability and replenishment issues. That means: • Merchandise them in high traffic flow areas such as aisle ends and at the till point • Siting them at eye level on each relevant fixture • Double facing as often as space permits, particularly with the Euro Shopper and Happy Shopper ranges

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What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

STEP FIVE: OFFER INCREASED CHOICE!

Stocking a broad range of great value own brand lines helps offer your shopper more choice, particularly as own brand lines typically offer significantly better value to shoppers than the branded equivalent products. Try siting the own brand adjacent to the branded version to offer your shoppers a value alternative and you will see the benefit in the till. Own brand lines will often have a high rate of sale and can help reinforce the value message in the mind of your shoppers – something that is vital in driving loyalty and footfall in the long term.

HAPPY SHOPPER TOP 20 BEST SELLERS THE HAPPY SHOPPER RANGE IS ONE OF THE BESTSELLING RANGES IN INDEPENDENT RETAIL. THE LIST BELOW HIGHLIGHTS THE TOP 20 BIGGEST SELLING LINES WITHIN THE RANGE WHICH SHOULD FORM THE HEART OF A STRONG PRICEMARKED OWN-BRAND OFFERING IN YOUR STORE AND IS A GREAT PLACE TO START. Happy Shopper Onion Rings Case size: 14 x 75g WSP: £3.99 RSP: 59p / 2 for £1PM POR: 42.00% Happy Shopper Cheese Puffs Case size: 14 x 75g WSP: £3.99 RSP: 59p / 2 for £1 PM POR: 42.00% Happy Shopper Salt Vinegar Sticks Case size: 14 x 75g WSP: £3.99 RSP: 59p / 2 for £1 PM POR: 42.00% Happy Shopper Sour Cream & Onion Wheels Case size: 14 x 75g WSP: £3.99 RSP: 59p / 2 for £1 PM POR: 42.00% Happy Shopper Burger Bites Case size: 14 x 75g WSP: £3.99 RSP: 59p / 2 for £1 PM POR: 30.30% Happy Shopper Sweet Popcorn Case size: 4 x 60g WSP: £4.79 RSP: 59p / 2 for £1 PM POR: 42.00% Happy Shopper Salted Cashews Case size: 24 x 30g WSP: £13.95 RSP: £1.00 POR: 30.30% Happy Shopper Toilet Tissue White Case size: 5 x 9 roll WSP: £8.49 RSP: £2.99 PM POR: 31.90% Happy Shopper Toilet Tissue Luxury White Case size: 10 x 4pk WSP: £9.75 RSP: £2.99 PM POR: 34.60% Happy Shopper Kitchen Towel Jumbo Case size: 6 x sgl WSP: £3.49 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 30.20% Happy Shopper Bourbon Creams 400g Case size: 12 x 400g WSP: £8.39 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 30.10% Happy Shopper Bourbon Creams 150g Case size: 12 x 150g WSP: £4.65 RSP: 59p PM POR: 34.30% Happy Shopper Custard Creams 400g Case size: 12 x 400g WSP: £8.39 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 30.10% Happy Shopper Custard Creams 150g Case size: 12 x 150g WSP: £4.65 RSP: 59p PM POR: 34.30% Happy Shopper Bakewell Flapjack case size: 12 x 100g WSP: £4.79 RSP: 59p / 2 for £1 PM POR: 32.30% Happy Shopper Foil Case size: 12 x sgl WSP: £7.99 RSP: £1.29 PM POR: 38.10%

STEP SIX: GET SOCIAL! Don’t forget to use social media channels like Facebook to promote your value offering. This can be a great way of reminding your shoppers of the fantastic value they can find every day at their local Premier store – and can help drive footfall to the store and give you the chance to boost impulse sales when they visit.

Happy Shopper Firelighters Case size: 24 x 15s WSP: £11.49 RSP: 99p PM POR: 42.00% Happy Shopper Bacon Rashers Case size: 14 x 75g WSP: £3.99 RSP: 59p / 2 for £1 PM POR: 42.00% Happy Shopper Lemonade Case size: 8 x 2ltr WSP: £3.19 RSP: 70p PM POR: 31.60% Happy Shopper Crinkle Cut Oven Chips Case size: 12 x 750g WSP: £7.79 RSP: £1.00 PM POR: 35.10%

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BUY ONE OUTER FOR

£10 SELL 3 BOTTLES FOR MAKE

£10

£6.67 40% PROFIT*

* POR achieved when purchased at £10 and sold at 3 for £10. Normal MRRP £3.99.

You are free at all times to price as you choose. Available at participating wholesalers, offer ends 31 December 2018, while stocks last.

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To purchase these products now, visit www.booker.co.uk

Ones to

watch

A selection of key products that will deliver for you in-store

Get into the Christmas spirit!

WHAT? READY-TO-SERVE / DRINKS RANGE

READY TO SERVE SPIRITS CIROC BLACK RASPBERRY VODKA

WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

CASE SIZE: 6 X 70CL WSP: £134.94 RSP: £33.75 POR: 20% WHITLEY NEILL RASPBERRY GIN

WHY? With the festive season upon us, more and more shoppers will be looking to buy convenient, delicious drinks for the many get-togethers they have planned with family and friends over the next month or so. Booker is catering for this demand with a fantastic range of ready-to-serve drinks in a range of formats and flavours from some of the biggest names in the category. From flavoured vodkas, gins and gin liqueurs to RTD premix cans and bottles, the range will help Premier retailers cater for every taste and occasion with great value products from big name brands like Ciroc, Whitley Neil, Gordon’s and VK.

CASE SIZE: 6 X 70CL WSP: £110.94 RSP: £27.99 POR: 21% WHITLEY NEILL RHUBARB & GINGER GIN CASE SIZE: 6 X 70CL WSP: £110.94 RSP: £27.99 POR: 21% ZYMURGORIUM SWEET VIOLET GIN LIQUEUR CASE SIZE: 6 X 50CL WSP: £119.94 RSP: £29.99 POR: 20% READY-TO-DRINK PRE-MIXES ALL SHOOK UP ESPRESSO MARTINI CASE SIZE: 12X250ML WSP: £10.99 RSP: £1.39 POR: 20% ALL SHOOK UP PASSION FRUIT MARTINI CASE SIZE: 12X250ML WSP: £10.99 RSP: £1.39 POR: 20%

WHO? Christmas is a time to come together and is a time when shoppers are traditionally looking to trade up in order to add some affordable luxuries to parties, dinners and get-togethers.

With flavoured gins and vodkas at the top of many shopping lists, Booker’s range of ready-to-drink products offers something for everyone. From more unusual products like Ciroc Black Raspberry Vodka, Zymurgorium Sweet Violet Gin Liqueur and All Shook Up Espresso Martini to favourites like Gordon’s Pink Gin and VK Watermelon, the range is perfect for adding a touch of glamour and excitement to any occasion with all lines offering a minimum of 20% POR for retailers, rising to a whopping 33% on some lines.

EDINBURGH GIN RHUBARB & GINGER LIQUEUR & GINGER ALE CASE SIZE: 12X250ML WSP: £15.75 RSP: £2.00 POR: 21% GORDON’S GIN & TONIC CASE SIZE: 10X250ML WSP: £9.99 RSP: £15.99 POR: 20% GORDON’S PINK GIN & TONIC CASE SIZE: 10X250ML WSP: £9.99 RSP: £15.99 POR: 20% VK BLUE PM249 CASE SIZE: 6 X 70CL WSP: £8.99 RSP: £2.49 POR: 28% VK ORANGE & PASSIONFRUIT PM249 CASE SIZE: 6 X 70CL WSP: £8.99 RSP: £2.49 POR: 28% VK WATERMELON PM249 CASE SIZE: 6 X 70CL WSP: £8.99 RSP: £2.49 POR: 28%

WHERE TO STOCK? Stock the exciting range prominently in-store to get your shoppers into the festive spirit and drive footfall, sales and profits.

December 2018 TalkingShop

39

To purchase these products now, visit www.booker.co.uk

Lose the alcohol, not the profit WHAT? RAWSONS RETREAT ALCOHOL-FREE WINES WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? More and more shoppers are choosing to eliminate or reduce the amount of alcohol they consume and this trend is expected to be a feature of this year’s festive season. Whether it’s for health reasons or just practical reasons, many shoppers will be looking for alcohol-free products this Christmas and New Year and a great option are two fantastic new alcohol-free wines from Rawsons Retreat.

WHO? Unlike many alcohol-free wines, Rawsons Retreat’s red and white wines actually begin life as full-strength Cabernet Sauvignon and Semillon Chardonnay wines respectively. The wines are then de-alcoholised using the latest in ‘spinning cone’ technology which removes and reduces the alcohol to less than 0.5%.

The benefit of producing the wines this way is that the end products retain much of their character and body making the

wines a brilliant option this year for those looking for the taste and drinking experience of a real wine but without the alcohol. Both wines offer exceptional value at £4.50 a bottle with the Cabernet Sauvignon being a deep dense red with hints of cassis, cinnamon and pepper spices while the Semillon Chardonnay is bright, sun-bleached golden straw in colour with citrus overtones. The wines are fantastic alternatives to soft drinks for those seeking to avoid alcohol.

WHERE TO STOCK? Situate the Cabernet Sauvignon prominently at eye-level on the red wine fixture to drive sales and attract new shoppers into the category and place the Semillon Chardonnay in the chiller alongside other white wines to offer a great option for shoppers looking for a highquality, great value alcohol-free product for themselves or their guests.

RAWSONS RETREAT CABERNET SAUVIGNON; RAWSONS RETREAT SEMILLON CHARDONNAY Case size: 6 x 75cl WSP: £17.99 RSP: £4.50 POR: 20%

Small bottles, big sales WHAT? TRIVENTO RESERVE MALBEC 50CL; MUD HOUSE SAUVIGNON BLANC 50CL WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? Half of all wine drinkers claim a whole bottle of wine is simply too much on certain occasions so Booker is meeting this challenge with two new 50cl wines from leading wine-producing countries: an Argentinean Malbec and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. This new, smaller format is perfect for sharing or for a mid-week treat, providing two large glasses of wine.

WHO? The 50cl bottles will be popular with all wine drinkers, delivering the perfect combination of value, quality and size. The Trivento red is a Malbec from Mendoza in Argentina that has been aged for six months in French oak barrels. The wine is well balanced with sweet tannins and a velvety finish. The Mud House

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December 2018

Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand features bright aromas of nettles, melon and grapefruit, delivering juicy citrus and guava flavours, giving a refreshing finish.

WHERE TO STOCK? The wines should be merchandised within the relevant wine fixtures where the unusual, smaller format will help draw attention to the wines and drive sales as the smaller format 50cl bottles are expected to appeal to many shoppers.

Both wines are fantastic quality and make affordable luxuries at just £5.50 a bottle, delivering PORs of 20% for retailers.

TRIVENTO RESERVE MALBEC 50CL; MUD HOUSE SAUVIGNON BLANC 50CL Case size: 6 x 50cl WSP: £21.99 RSP: £5.50 POR: 20%

To purchase these products now, visit www.booker.co.uk

High energy, low calorie WHAT? ROCKSTAR FIRST START GUAVA PINEAPPLE 500ML CAN 99P PM

Time to sparkle WHAT? MARTINI ROSE DEMI SEC WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? Energy brand Rockstar is targeting the calorie-conscious with its popular First Start range and the latest flavour to join the line-up is Guava and Pineapple. The product delivers the energy punch and flavour that shoppers are looking for but with fewer than 30 calories in every 500ml can.

WHO? The product will appeal to a broad range of shoppers as it is made with 5% real fruit juice, contains caffeine from a natural source and comes in a 99p price marked can. Where chilled, Rockstar First Start has delivered incremental sales by bringing new shoppers into the energy category and current shoppers have expanded their repertoire.

WHERE TO STOCK? The product should be sited within the energy drinks section of the soft drinks chiller where the prominent price mark and on-trend exotic flavours will increase sales, profit and footfall.

ROCKSTAR FIRST START GUAVA PINEAPPLE 500ML CAN Case size: 12 x 500ml WSP: £6.99 RSP: £0.99 PM

WHY? Martini is the number one global Italian sparkling wine brand and Martini’s sparkling wines are growing ahead of the category in both Prosecco and Rosé, the two biggest growth areas in sparkling wine. The category is growing at 13.1% while Martini Prosecco is growing at 43.2% and Martini Rosé is growing at 36.7% [Nielsen, Aug 2018]. To capitalise on this, Booker has launched Martini Rosé Demi Sec, a modern, light and fresh style of wine that is perfectly in line with current shopper tastes.

WHO? The wine will be popular this Christmas with many different types of shoppers and will help Premier retailers capitalise on the consistent and large growth of sparkling wines and rose wines. An aromatic and elegant product from a household name brand, Martini Rosé Demi Sec will help grow the category over the coming weeks and months.

POR: 29.4%

WHERE TO STOCK? The wine should be stocked within the chiller alongside other sparkling wines and will help draw shoppers into the category at a time of year when many are looking to trade up to add some sparkle to a festive gettogether.

MARTINI ROSE DEMI SEC Case size: 6 x 75cl WSP: £41.99 RSP: £10.50 POR: 20%

December 2018 TalkingShop

41

PricesDown

FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITIES TO SAVE ON COSTS AND BOOST YOUR PROFITS

Get in the spirit with festive footfall drivers!

It’s all about gin this festive period and Booker has the perfect range of fantastic shopper deals on a great range of topquality gins to help boost footfall over the coming weeks.

T

here’s no doubt that gin continues to be the hottest spirit in the industry at the moment and that trend is set to be a highlight of the festive period this year.

Shoppers just can’t seem to get enough of gin and Booker is helping Premier retailers cash in this Christmas and New Year with some fantastic promotions on leading gin brands all the way through into 2019.

A series of key deals will help encourage shoppers to trade up this festive period as they loosen the purse strings to treat themselves or their friends and family to help make Christmas a special occasion for all.

The promotions cover two of the biggest brands and four of the most popular products. Gordon’s Pink Gin has been a huge hit in Premier stores this year so a special 10-pack of Gordon’s Pink Gin & Tonic RTDs at just £10 is sure to be popular in the coming weeks.

There’s also three different gins from Whitley Neil including the standard, classic gin and the Rhubarb & Ginger and Raspberry flavoured variants. All three will be available to shoppers for just £22, delivering great PORs of 15.50% for retailers into the bargain.

To round off the promotional package and help drive up basket spend, there’s even a fantastic shopper deal on an 8-pack of Fever Tree Light Tonic for just £3.50, offering a POR of 20.10% for retailers.

Martyn Parkinson, Brand Director – Premier, said: “Gin is set to be massive for Premier retailers this festive period and these deals will help drive footfall, sales and profits at an important time of year.”

Festive footfall drivers These fantastic promotions run until the 1st of January 2019.

Gordons Pink Gin & Tonic RTD Case Size: 3 x 10 x 250ml WSP: £22.45 Shopper deal: £10.00 POR: 10.20% Whitley Neil Rhubarb & Ginger Case Size: 1 x 70cl WSP: £15.49 Shopper deal: £22.00 POR: 15.50% Whitley Neil Raspberry Gin Case Size: 1 x 70cl WSP: £15.49 Shopper deal: £22.00 POR: 15.50% Whitley Neil Gin Case Size: 1 x 70cl WSP: £15.49 Shopper deal: £22.00 POR: 15.50% Fever Tree Light Tonic Case Size: 3 x 8 x 150ml WSP: £6.99 Shopper deal: £3.50 POR: 20.10%

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BetterService IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

Clean up this New Year!

There’s no better time to give your store a freshen up and a thorough deep clean than when the excitement of Christmas and New Year has died down. Talking Shop offers a few tips on where to start…

C

hristmas and New Year may be upon us but thoughts are already turning to 2019 and one fantastic way to start the new year is with a full-store spring clean and spruce up. With long hours and seven day opening it can be difficult to find the time to do a full deep-clean in the store but the slight lull after the festive storm is probably as good a time as any.

It can be all too easy to get caught up in the day to day business of running the store and lose sight of some areas of the shop that could potentially benefit from a little attention or a lick of paint. January is the ideal time to take a few hours out to have a look around your store and start making a list of all the little jobs that need done to help get the store back into tip top condition.

Booker offers a full range of CleanPro products that can help you deal with the vast majority of cleaning and hygiene requirements in-store so there’s nothing stopping you rolling up your sleeves and getting started.

But where to begin? Talking Shop is here to help and offers some tips and advice on making sure the store spring clean is as comprehensive as it can be.

December 2018 TalkingShop

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INTERIOR Once your shoppers step inside, what is the first thing they see? Does it make a good impression and is it how you want your store to be perceived? After that, take a good walk around the store, just the way a shopper would, and make sure that everything is just as you want it. Ask yourself: l Are the floors clean and clear? l Do all the lights work? l Is the ceiling clean and free of stains? l Are the shelves clean, neat and well merchandised? l Is there any old POS that’s dirty or no longer relevant? l Is all in-store signage accurate and in good condition? l Are all shelf edge labels and price tickets clean, tidy and up to date?

STAFF Clearly, one of the most important factors on how shoppers judge your store is how the staff are turned out. Some basic questions to ask yourself include: l Are the uniforms grubby or past their best? l Do the staff require a little pep talk to ensure they greet every shopper with a hello and a smile? l Are staff that handle food wearing the appropriate aprons, bibs, gloves and hair nets?

EXTERIOR The best place to start on the annual spring clean is outside. After all, that’s the first thing new and existing shoppers see when they visit your store – and first impressions count.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself: l Is the signage neat, tidy and clean? l Are all posters up to date and in good condition? l Has the exterior been swept and is it litterfree? l Do the exterior walls need fresh paint or professional cleaning? l Are the windows clean, tidy and free of clutter?

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HYGIENE FOCUS With basics dealt with, it’s time to move onto areas that can potentially be more problematic. Areas to pay particular attention to during a spring clean are those with specific hygiene challenges like milk chillers and hot and cold food storage and preparation areas. Some questions to consider: l Is the milk chiller spotlessly clean? l Have any hot food storage units been deep cleaned recently? l Have all chillers been serviced as specified by the manufacturer? l Are your temperature checks up to date, accurate and within safe guidelines? l Has the shelving in the soft drinks cabinet been thoroughly cleaned to remove sticky residues? l What about your food prep areas? It is a legal requirement that these must be cleaned/sanitised then left for 30 seconds before using again.

STORAGE AREAS OFFICE AND STAFF AREAS While the shopper-facing parts of the store naturally get the most attention, it’s still vital that all storage areas are kept in good shape to avoid accidents, hygiene issues and out of date stock. Ask yourself: l Are the floor areas of any store spaces clean, tidy and trip-hazard free? l Has also shelving been checked recently to ensure it’s safe and sound? l Has all the stock in the storage room(s) been rotated properly to avoid out of date stock and wastage? l Do all of the lights in the storage spaces work? l Could re-configuring the stockroom make re-stocking of the shopfloor easier and quicker?

Another frequently over-looked area is the staff room and office. Spending a little time on the area dedicated to staff shows that you have their interests at heart too. A few suggestions might be: l Is the area clean and tidy? l Does it require freshening up in terms of a coat of paint or some new furniture? l Is there anything you could add that would help make the room more useful and comfortable for your staff? l Do you have a staff noticeboard in place to share important information and advice? l Are the staff toilets clean, neat and stocked as required?

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£1L

DEA

THE UK’S

NUMBER 1

ENERGY DRINK 1

BRAND

BetterService IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

GET CLOSER TO YOUR COMMUNITY! Strong community engagement is a key weapon in the independent retailer’s arsenal and there are lots of creative and simple ways to do it.

B

uilding a strong rapport with the local community that your store serves is absolutely critical in establishing your store as a hub of the local area – and it’s one of the areas where independent retailers can really set themselves apart from their competitors, particularly supermarkets and discounters.

Most Premier retailers already engage very actively with their local community but often this can be in an informal or reactive way: responding to requests for charity sponsorship, for instance, or providing stock for

community events to use in goody bags or as prizes. This is obviously a fantastic thing to do – but by taking a more proactive, strategic approach to community engagement, Premier retailers can really take their role at the heart of the community to another level.

It can be difficult to figure out how to do this, of course, but help is at hand. Talking Shop has been in touch with some of the most proactive Premier retailers to find out how they get more involved with their local area. Read on to hear what they said…

STEPH KULAR, EGGBOROUGH POST OFFICE & PREMIER STORE “In a small village like this the store is the hub of the community. We are always on the look out for ways to support our shoppers with the most recent example being a fundraising drive we organised to buy two defibrillators for the village.

“It happened after a local unfortunately had a heart attack so we decided we had to do something.

We raised over £700 to buy them and one has been sited outside the store while the other has been sited outside the local police station. These things matter to the community so it’s just nice to be able to help when we can.”

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Kirkcaldy retailer Faraz Iqbal gets hands-on with the local children’s club.

Get creative, especially when it comes to big events like the World Cup!

ASIF AND ABADA AKHTAR, PREMIER SMEATON STORES KIRKCALDY “We see passionate community engagement as something that lies at the heart of our store. It’s actually what defines our store and in recent years we’ve been lucky enough to pick up a few industry awards for the work that we do – but that’s not why we do it.

We do it because we are part of this community too and we believe that if you are good to your community, they’ll be good to you in return.

“We don’t go looking for ways to engage, as such, but we do keep our eyes and ears open for opportunities and ways we can help our community. Over the last year, for example, we set up our own charity in memory of a shopper of ours who sadly died. We raised over £4,000 so he could take his daughter to Florida before he passed away. We give talks at local schools, we have set up a breakfast club for local under-privileged children to ensure they get a decent start to the day and we provide school uniforms to those who can’t afford them.

“Most recently I did a bungee jump for my 40th birthday – which I don’t recommend! – but we tied that into a campaign to promote awareness of cancer.”

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December 2018

Supporting local fundraising drives is a great way to engage with your shoppers.

RAJU PATEL & ANITA NYE, PREMIER ELDRED STORES, ORPINGTON “Like many Premier retailers, we’ve been serving the same local community for a long time – over three decades in our case – and that means you get close to pretty much every shopper in the community. For us, it’s all about working out how we can support the local community and make the store a hub.

“Community engagement means different things to different retailers, and shoppers for that matter, but for us it means that everything we do has our shoppers’ interests at heart. Whether that’s building a ‘poppy wall’ in the store for Remembrance Day because it’s an important thing for our shoppers, or whether it’s launching a Smart Snacking Club to encourage our younger shoppers to eat more healthily, it’s all done because we care.”

Premier Eldred Drive Store’s Smart Snack Club has been a huge success.

VRINDER SINGH, SINGH’S PREMIER, SHEFFIELD “Working with our community helps bring people together.

There are countless ways to get involved. It’s obviously brilliant to sponsor local football teams and donate to charity – we donated over £18,000 to charity last year – but we take pride in trying to go that little bit further. We organise an annual football tournament at Sheffield Utd’s Bramall Lane stadium that is now a huge part of the local community’s calendar.

It raises thousands for charity, engages the whole community and it’s just good fun. It also builds awareness of the store and builds loyalty.”

LINDA WILLIAMS, PREMIER BROADWAY CONVENIENCE STORE, EDINBURGH “We’ve been in this store for the best part of 40 years so engaging with our community has long been second nature to us. That can take all sorts of different forms, from sitting on countless local committees to organising firework displays. We’re just trying to help bring our community together and show them that we too are active members of that community.

“There’s no formula you can follow – you just have to be alert to situations where you can help. We’ve had an elderly shopper over to our home for Christmas Day for dinner because she had nowhere else to go, we’ve worked with shoppers with gambling problems to help them manage their spend on scratch cards, we’ve organised Healthy Breakfasts at local schools, the list goes on. Yes, it takes time and effort but you’ve got to give back to the community because without them there is no store.”

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M175572

M175575

M175573

NO. 1 Regular Cereal Bar*

Growing at 21% YoY*

POR 34.6%

NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURS, NO COLOURS, NO PRESERVATIVES. *Source AC Nielsen, Total Coverage, Regular Cereal Bars, Latest 52 weeks to 27th October 2018.

BetterService IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

It’s your time to shine!

RETAILER VIEW ASIF AKHTAR Premier Smeaton Stores, Kirkcaldy

Entering industry awards can be a great way of sharpening your game and if you win, so much the better.

Talking Shop asked some awardwinning Premier retailers for their advice on building a winning entry.

AWARD/EVENT

LAUNCH DATE

ENTRY DEADLINE

SLR Rewards

Dec-18

Jan-19

Jun-19

IAA (Independent Achievers Academy) Mar-19

May-19

Nov-19

Retail Industry Awards

Mar-19

Jun-19

Sep-19

Forecourt Trader Awards

Apr-19

May-19

Sep-19

Sales Assistant of the Year

Jun-19

Aug-19

Nov-19

Asian Trader Awards

Jul-19

Aug-19

Nov-19

Scottish Grocer Awards

Sep-19

Nov-19

Mar-20

Convenience Retailing Awards

Oct-19

Nov-19

Mar-20

1 PLAN AHEAD! l Before the end of the year, sit down and plan the awards that you intend to enter in 2019. We’ve listed the major ones above to help you. l That way you can build a calendar of activity and

EVENT

“It’s such a positive boost for us and our staff to pick up industry awards for the community work we do – and our shoppers just love it too.

We make a point of letting the local press know and the coverage is so good for the business.

Winning awards really helps lift the team and makes it feel like all the work is worthwhile.”

I

t should hardly come as a surprise that more and more Premier retailers have proven themselves fantastically successful at winning industry awards over the years. What might be less obvious is the hugely beneficial effect winning awards can have on the business. And it’s not just winning awards that helps; even the process of entering awards delivers benefits.

Firstly, deciding to enter awards forces you to take a step back and see your store through the eyes of your shoppers.

It’s easy to get caught up in running the store and lose sight of what’s right in front of your eyes. Taking a deep breath and casting an objective eye over every aspect of your store will help you figure out what you’re doing well as well as where there is room for improvement.

The one thing that most multi-award-winning MORE Premier retailers have in common is that they

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ensure that you give yourself enough time before each entry to compile everything you need for a strong entry. l Once you’ve decided, add these into your calendar now – whether that’s on your phone, your computer or on a traditional wall or desk calendar.

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2. TAKE A DEEP BREATH! l When you’ve decided to put together an entry for an award it’s tempting to just get suck in and start building your entry – but try to resist that temptation. Take a deep breath and, before you do anything else, take the time to read the entry form carefully! It’s vital that you know what the judges are expecting before you put pen to paper. l Entry forms for the various awards tend to be fairly similar but be sure to read and fully understand every question because they all have subtle differences. l Always try to provide precise answers to every question on the entry form – and resist the urge to miss any questions. Try to avoid including information that doesn’t add anything useful or informative to your entry.

Moniaive retailer Graham Watson collects an SGF Community Hero award.

RETAILER VIEW SIMON DIXON Premier Lower Darwen, near Blackburn “There is no down side to entering awards. It focuses you on making your store the best it can be. We have just won an IAA award for shop layout and the team is just buzzing!

Awards are a brilliant way of benchmarking yourself against the industry and if you end up winning an award it’s just thrilling.”

3. FOCUS ON THE POSITIVES! l The best place to start when entering awards is to focus on areas of your store that you feel you have made great progress with over the last year. l It’s tempting to try to enter as many categories as possible for each awards programme, but that can be counter-productive. It’s quality not quantity that matters here. It’s better to focus on the awards categories where you genuinely feel you’ve made progress in the last 12 months.

4. BE CONCISE! l Nothing puts judges off more than pages and pages of text that they have to wade through, so keep it short and to the point. l Many entry forms carry specific word limits so be sure to keep within those limits. Go over the limit and it gives the judges an easy excuse to discount your entry and they may not even read the extra words. l Even if the entry form doesn’t specify a word limit, try to only provide information that is relevant to your entry and try not to include lots of data that you might find interesting but the judges might not. If the point you’re making doesn’t add to your argument, ditch it. l Try to structure your entry with one point leading neatly and logically onto the next. Show the judges you understand your business and you know how to get to the point and satisfy your audience.

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RETAILER VIEW DENNIS WILLIAMS Premier Broadway Convenience Store, Edinburgh “I can understand why retailers think that entering awards is hard work and why they feel that they probably won’t win because that’s how we felt years ago – but then we decided to give it a go and it’s been so unbelievably positive for us, our staff and shoppers to realise that our store is actually worthy of an award or two!

“These days we make a point of entering as many awards as we can which has the added benefit of encouraging us to keep improving the store all the time so that we have stronger and better entries every year. I would encourage every Premier retailer to give it a go because you might be surprised at how well you do. You’ve got nothing to lose and a lot to gain.”

5. BE PRECISE! l With a huge pile of entries in front of them, judging panels are looking for hard facts and specifics, not generalisations, to help them sort out the better entries. l Try to avoid vague statements like ‘sales rose’ or ‘footfall improved; instead make it clear that ‘sales increased 13.2% as a direct result of your actions’ or ‘footfall increased 12% on a monthly basis’, for example. l Similarly, try to give precise financial numbers where possible. If you are not prepared to give specifics (sales rose £2,800 per week), then provide percentage figures (sales rose 15.1%). l Avoid using statements that you cannot back up with evidence. This might include things like ‘my shoppers are much happier’ or ‘my staff love it’ unless you back them up with some sort of research or testimonial statement.

6 …BUT DON’T MISS ANYTHING OUT!

7. INCLUDE VISUALS!

l While it’s vital to be concise, it’s also important that you don’t submit an incomplete entry. Answer all questions and provide all supplementary evidence requested, even if you’re not sure it’s important.

If the entry form requests photographs, include them.

If it asks for supplementary evidence such as epos data, provide it.

l They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so make sure you include photos and / or video that highlights your entry and brings energy and colour to the entry.

It’s often much easier to show what you’ve done than explain it in words. l With cameras on every smartphone, there’s no excuse for not providing photographs to illustrate entries. l Be ruthless: use one good photograph rather than providing three or four versions of the same shot. l Only send photos of what you are discussing in the entry! It’s tempting to include lots of pics of everything in your store but if they don’t relate to the specific entry you’re working on, leave them out. The judges don’t have the time to sift through dozens of photos. l It’s increasingly common to enter videos too. They can really bring an entry to life.

9. IF YOU DO IT, DO IT RIGHT! l If you’re going to enter awards, then do it enthusiastically! It takes time to build a good entry so if you commit to entering, then commit to making your entry the best it can be. l Judges can easily spot a hastily prepared entry and will be able to dismiss your entry quickly.

Samantha Coldbeck collects her IAA Responsible Retailing award.

8. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! l You can really get an edge on the competition by doing some research into the awards you want to enter. Look at past winners and see why they won to help inspire you. l If the category you are entering has a specific industry supplier sponsor, don’t be afraid to flatter them by mentioning them by name in the entry and including their products in your photos!

treat regularly entering awards as a key way of keeping their store in great shape all year round. By constantly taking a fresh look at their store these retailers ensure that standards are maintained and improved and the business is always making progress.

A great way to improve your business is to learn from other Premier stores. If you’ve got the time to visit some stores, great. If you don’t have time right now then an easy alternative is to simply take a closer look at the many store profiles we run in Talking Shop.

You can learn a lot from other Premier retailers and more often than not they will be

perfectly happy to offer advice and support when it comes to building a strong entry for an industry awards programme, and there are a lot of them out there. So why not start planning now and you too could be a winner!

10. NEVER GIVE UP l If you do enter but don’t get shortlisted or win, don’t give up! l Entering awards is a skill that needs to be developed – and there’s always next year...

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LaunchReview FEEDBACK ON THE LATEST BOOKER PRODUCTS

Discover the Choice sausages cook up a storm

Discover the Choice Pork, Cumberland and Lincolnshire Sausages Case size: 6x454g WSP: £8.95 RSP: £1.99 POR: 25%

Wow! 25% POR!

Bangers and cash!

The latest additions to the Discover the Choice range – Lincolnshire, Cumberland and Pork Sausages – have gone down a storm with shoppers and retailers alike.

Following the hugely successful brand change on the beef and lamb meat lines earlier this year, the Farm Fresh retail packs of Pork, Cumberland and Lincolnshire sausages were recently moved out of the Farm Fresh brand and into the growing Discover the Choice brand.

The sausages are still made with Red Tractor assured British pork and have the same great taste and competitive retail price of £1.99 but the packaging has been completely revamped and modernised.

The response from shoppers and retailers has been fantastic in Premier stores and the move has helped broaden the appeal of the

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products to a wider audience, while the prominent and great value price mark has brought new shoppers into the category.

With the inspiring photography and a transparent window, shoppers can now see the top quality product through the parchment film, in line with modern packaging trends. This has helped drive rate of sale while the fantastic quality of the product has encourage those all-important repeat purchases.

Best of all, the three lines deliver exceptional PORs of 25% for retailers.

shopper’s view…

Clare Feeney, Glasgow You can’t beat a good British sausage, particularly on a Saturday or Sunday morning, but they can be really expensive these days and you’re never sure of the quality of what you’re buying. That’s why I love the new Discover the Choice range of sausages because you’re getting a great quality, British product at a great value price. The three products look brilliant and appetising in the packaging and they’re even better once you get them into the frying pan. It’s good that there are three options too because it gives me better choice and lets me pick just what I’m in the mood for. My personal favourites at the moment are the Lincolnshire sausages, especially topped off with a good splash of ketchup!

RETAILER VIEW MIKE HUMPHREYS Premier Kenninghall Store & Post Office, Kenninghall, Norfolk “These days you absolutely have to make sure you have a strong chilled offer in your store because that’s what shoppers are looking for. That means a great range of popular products that deliver quality, provenance and value – and the Discover the Choice sausages range ticks every box.

“I think it’s important to a lot of shoppers that meat products like sausages are produced in the UK because they want they reassurance that it gives them. These products are just fantastic.”

RETAILER VIEW SIMON DIXON Premier Lower Darwen, near Blackburn “The Discover the Choice range has been an out and out success in my store with shoppers really buying into that brilliant combination of quality of value. The sausages range really taps into that and is a perfect fit.

“Sausages are one of those great British staple products so it’s important for me to be able to offer high quality lines made with British farm-assured pork that my shoppers can have confidence in. The range is selling really well in-store and I expect these lines to just keep on growing my sales.”

RETAILER VIEW

IN SUMMARY

1

Range of three different sausages moved from the Farm Fresh brand into the fast-growing Discover the Choice range.

2

The sausages are still made with Red Tractor assured British pork and have the same great taste.

3

Packaging completely revamped and modernised while the great value price-marked pack remains at just £1.99.

4

Great quality products with exceptional PORs of 25% for Premier retailers.

MOIRA DEAN Premier Dundee University “The store caters mostly for students, as you would imagine, and they can be quite picky about the products they buy because a lot of them are very conscious of quality and of environmental concerns. The fact that this range is made in Britain and is Red Tractor assured is actually quite important to a lot my shoppers.

“Best of all, though, is the fact that they just taste great and for £1.99 a pack they represent amazing value for money. They are another great addition to the Discover the Choice range.”

RETAILER VIEW BIKRUMJIT SINGH Premier Porth Street Store, Porth “You can’t go wrong with tasty, great value sausages, can you? They’re a great British favourite and this range of three different types offers my shoppers a great choice of sausages in three of the most popular variants.

“The Discover the Choice range has been a hit since day one and I just see it getting bigger and bigger. The packaging is fantastic and looks like it belongs at the premium end of the market. I think that’s why so many shoppers are willing to give the range a go, then once they try the products they’re hooked.”

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IN-STORE TECHNOLOGY | GUEST COLUMN

Joe Punian of Premier Victoria Dock in Hull offers some insight into the benefits of in-store innovation and technology in his Store of the Future.

Tech drives profits in Hull

W

hen I first started working with Premier we were very keen to embrace some of the latest retail innovations in the store to future-proof the business and deliver a store that shoppers in the area would want to return to time and again.

We spent a long time planning how the store would look and what we needed to have in there to really catch the imagination of my shoppers and we knew that creativity and innovation would be key in delivering a true store of the future.

We also knew that adopting some of the latest in-store technology would be a great way of engaging with my shoppers, particularly the younger generations coming through.

One of the first things that shoppers see when they walk through the door is a breakfast bar with free charging points. We were aware that everybody relies on their mobile phones, tablets and laptops these days so free charging points are a great way of offering an important service to shoppers.

We also offer free Wifi to our shoppers which means they can come in, grab a coffee and something to eat from our food to go station and then sit at the bar and read the paper or surf the internet while their phone charges. The service has been incredibly popular and it certainly helps drive sales too.

In the store we also make use of some of the latest digital advertising technology using both LED screens at the tillpoints and two larger screens on the shop floor. We use these screens to advertise the latest Premier promotions and other

advertisements from suppliers and the screens are automatically updated for each new promotional period. We also use the Premier app in this way.

A shopper loyalty card for discounted coffee is another popular service. It works around a small key fob that we offer to our shoppers and we simply scan the QR code at the till and they get a coffee for just £1, rather than the standard price of £1.49. It keeps shoppers coming back to the store regularly and most of them will also pick another item or two up while they’re here.

One tech-related initiative, driven by Premier, that I found really interesting is a ‘heat mapping’ process that is carried out using our Epos data. The process allows us to draw heat maps of the entire store, highlighting the aisles, fixtures, shelves and even individual products depending upon rate of sale.

This allows us to see quickly and easily which areas of the store are performing well and also areas where there is room for improvement. It’s much more efficient than trying to do it manually and it helps us optimise sales and profit quickly and effectively.

But it’s not all about technology. A lot of the innovation in the store is around the range we carry and how the store is laid out and merchandised.

The food to go station has been a massive hit, as has been the dedicated seasonal area. We’ve also embraced all of the latest trends from protein and free-from to craft beers and American candy.

It’s all about keeping up with the expectations of increasingly demanding modern shoppers or, preferably, exceeding those expectations. I think we’ve achieved that in our store.

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Retail Crime | ACS Viewpoint

James Lowman Retail crime remains a huge issue in the industry and the problem seems to be getting worse.

The human impact of retail crime remains the dominant issue in the convenience sector, and unfortunately this problem appears to be getting worse according to the latest ACS Crime Report.

T

here were over 13,000 incidents of violence committed against retailers and staff over the last year, over a third of which resulted in injury. Our Crime Report 2018 found that the top three most common reasons for violent and abusive behaviour in stores were challenging shop thieves, the enforcement of age restricted products such as tobacco and alcohol, and refusal to serve customers who are already drunk.

So while we should rightly be concerned about the cost of crime – which equates to a 7p tax on very transaction in store – it’s the safety of our colleagues needs to be the industry’s top priority, and the Government’s too.

That’s why we’re supporting David Hanson MP’s new clauses in the Offensive Weapons Bill which would increase protections for retailers and their colleagues, and Daniel Johnson MSP’s proposal to create new offences in Scotland to deter harassment, abuse and violence against staff triggered by asking customers for proof of age or denying sale of age-restricted products.

As part of our campaign, I recently took to the airwaves for countless local

with the police can make your store more radio interviews with colleagues from the secure. It’s really important we don’t fall shopworkers union Usdaw, to support their Respect for Shopworkers week and to stress into a victim mentality, expecting the next incident rather than proactively working to the importance of these measures to tackle reduce the risks and make it harder for the crime in our sector. criminals to target our businesses.

We want to hear your experiences of One element of the strategy to prevent crime and how it’s been dealt with the crime is good training to educate our authorities through our Crime Survey. This colleagues about triggers of crime and is absolutely vital in informing our case violence is essential. Of course if the worst to Government Ministers, MPs and Police does happen, it’s important you give your and Crime Commissioners, and the ACS teams – and this is true for you and your Crime report has become a key source of families working in stores too – the information in Whitehall, in retail right support. businesses and for the police.

We’re delighted to be We recently held our IF YOU supporting Grocery new event for 2018, the WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED IN THE Aid’s work in this Security Showcase POLITICAL WORK OF ACS area, specifically which gave retailers the their helpline (08088 chance to hear about ....................... CALL ......................

021122) which you and new crime prevention 01252 515 001 your colleagues can call systems and technology ............. OR LOG ON TO ........... free, 24/7. ranging from cash safety www.acs.org.uk It’s important that mechanisms, monitoring we don’t lose sight of the systems, panic alarms and violent incidents in our stores devices designed to protect are real crimes, against real people, property using technology such as with real consequences. Help us to raise RFID and smart water. these issues with the police and politicians, Of course there’s no simple answer, but and make use of the help that’s available to installing the right equipment and getting you. involved in good partnership working December 2018 TalkingShop

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harrogate’s finest award-winning Vodka Slingsby Black Forest Gateaux 35ml Slingsby Vodka, 25ml cassis, 25ml dark chocolate liqueur Shake all ingredients before finely straining into a chilled coupe and topping off with a cream float and grated chocolate. Enjoy!

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YOURSHOUT GOT A QUESTION? Want to post a question or raise an issue with the Premier Team?

Get in touch by email at talking shop@55north.com or call 0141 222 5380.

YourShout WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND? RETAILERS PUT THEIR QUESTIONS TO PREMIER

Is alcoholfree a thing?

Is the alcohol-free market finally beginning to take off and is it something Premier retailers should be aware of?

FARAZ IQBAL, PREMIER LINKTOWN LOCAL, KIRKCALDY

New year, new you?

With the new year around the corner and lots of shoppers starting 2019 with some fresh resolutions to get healthier, what should Premier retailers be doing to ensure they’re ready to provide products shoppers will be looking for?

SIMON DIXON, PREMIER LOWER DARWEN, NEAR BLACKBURN

MARTYN PARKINSON, BRAND DIRECTOR – PREMIER SAID: Lots of shoppers will be entering the new year with resolutions to focus on their health and wellbeing and Premier stores can be there to help. Many shoppers choose new year as a good time to stop smoking, so having a strong vaping offer will help, but the key

focus is on offering a wider range of healthier choices right across your store. That means a good range in categories like free-from, vegetarian and vegan, protein, low and no sugar drinks and fresh produce. Premier can help you build strong ranges in these categories so please contact your RDM if you’d like some support. Also see p29.

How big can food-to-go get?

Food-to-go is clearly one of the biggest trends in independent retailing at the moment but it can be difficult to decide exactly how much of a focus to put on food-to-go to capitalise on this opportunity. Is it something every Premier retailer should be embracing, and should we all make food-to-go a priority?

SAMANTHA COLDBECK, WHARFEDALE PREMIER, HULL

MARTYN PARKINSON, BRAND DIRECTOR – PREMIER SAID: Food-to-go is possibly the biggest trend in independent retail and we would encourage every Premier retailer to ensure they have a food-to-go offer, and make it prominent in-store as well as advertising it on social media. Premier’s new comprehensive food-to-go solution offers everything you need, whether you are just starting out or already have a food-to-go offer but want to take it up a level.

MARTYN PARKINSON, BRAND DIRECTOR – PREMIER SAID: The market for alcohol-free wines and beers is looking increasingly like it will see significant growth in the near future.

More producers are launching products onto the market and they are better quality than ever, with many produced in exactly the saw way as full-strength equivalents. The increasing shopper interest in healthier lifestyles is sure to accelerate demand for these products and I hear from many retailers that there is also a lot of interest in them from the next generation of younger adults. Booker has added some new alcohol-free wine lines which you can find out more about on p40 of this issue.

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Talking Shop

Issue 98 December 2018

Talking Shop ISSUE 98 – DECEMBER 2018

The magazine for Premier retailers

PLUS

Healthy sales

Cash in on healthier food trend

Value rules

Own brand key to delivering value

Let the good times roll!

A new housing development across the road and an IAA award crown an outstanding year in Hull