Budgens Toddington is in the fast-lane.
Fire up your footfall this BBQ season.
Shake up sales with the first Budgens Cocktail Festival!
Volume 27
In this issue…
The CMA’s new guide on pricing practices.
The latest roundup of community news from Budgens stores.
Requests for GroceryAid support up 93% 2023/24 Impact Report reveals.
A heartfelt store development is meeting local needs in Weston.
Get ready to make the most of the summer BBQ opportunity.
Shake up your sales with Budgens’ first ever Cocktail Festival!
Retailers are anticipating hot winter sales thanks to the Winter Pre-Sell.
A roundup of some of the top new products available to Budgens retailers now.
The Back To School period offers a great opportunity to shine up sales and profits.
James Lowman considers what a Labour government might mean for retailers.
PLENTY OF CHANCES to profit
The months ahead are laden with opportunities for retailers to boost footfall and sales.
A very warm welcome to the latest issue of Your Budgens as we continue through the key summer months and embrace a new array of opportunities to grow footfall, sales and profits.
It’s been a solid start to the summer with the Euro Finals helping to drive sales all the way through to the Final. The great news is that there are plenty more opportunities around the corner, including the Olympic Games which kick off at the end of July.
Despite the patchy weather, there are sure to be some good periods, and catering for BBQs and outdoor dining is always a good way to grow sales and profits. You’ll find a great feature inside helping you to do just that – and Budgens has everything you need to unlock the BBQ occasion.
We know too that cocktails continue to grow in importance for shoppers with more people than ever keen to replicate the bar experience at home. Budgens’ Cocktail Festival delivers everything you need to capitalise on this new opportunity as well as helping your shoppers make more of a night in with family and friends.
And, before long, it will be time for children and young adults to return to school, college and university, once more opening up an annual opportunity to drive sales.
I would also urge you to read the two customer profiles in this issue. There is so much to learn from fellow Budgens retailers and you might pick up an idea or two that might work in your store.
And, as always, you’ll find the usual mix of news, views, NPD, insight and advice that makes Your Budgens required reading for Budgens retailers.
We believe that we have put together a fantastic support package for Budgens retailers this summer and we really do want you to make this a summer to remember. I wish you all fantastic trading.
SHAKE YOUR FRUITY
FLAVOURED CIDER*
Industry News
The Competition and Markets Authority recently completed an investigation into pricing practices and has issued official correspondence to independent retailers.
CMA Pricing Practices Update
You may have seen recent press coverage about consumer pricing in symbol and convenience stores. This is a result of an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) working alongside Trading Standards.
The CMA found a number of examples of poor and misleading pricing in some symbol/convenience stores. No stores were named but the CMA is clearly concerned and are expecting Trading Standards to take particular interest in the way pricing is displayed and communicated to shoppers.
We need to let you know about this because the CMA have the power to issue fines and in the worst cases bring criminal prosecutions.
Trading Standards also has wide ranging powers to issue fines. We very much want you as our retailers to be up to speed and not accidentally running into problems like that.
The CMA has produced a guide for retailers which you can find on the Government
website, detailed below. We would please request that you, as the business owner, read the guide.
It is really important that you ensure that all of your staff and colleagues in your business also see it, read it and understand it and that new staff are fully trained. It’s very likely that the CMA will come back to this subject in a few months to see if things have improved.
Part of the strength of the Budgens brand is the great standard of in-store operations by retailers.
We thank you for reading this and taking action where it might be needed.
CMA ADVICE SUMMARY
You must clearly display the total selling price in writing. It should be obvious to your customers what the price is, without them having to get help from a member of staff.
1. Prices should:
l be clearly displayed
l be easy to read
l be close to the relevant product; and
l match what the customer is charged at the till.
2. Price information must be provided:
l prices must be displayed in all areas of the shop
l do not hide prices behind other products or labels.
3. Do not display different prices for the same product:
l labels for PMP products should match the pricemark.
4. You must match the price to what you charge at the till:
l when increasing prices, make sure the shelf edge labels have been changed before the price increases at the till.
5. Do not display the wrong price label next to a product:
l the price label should be next to the correct product.
C-stores are ‘top service’ supporting the local economy
Convenience stores were also deemed to be the third most essential local service after pharmacies and post offices.
UK shoppers view their local convenience stores as the most important service when it comes to creating jobs, encouraging local investment and attracting more customers, the 2024 Community Barometer compiled by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has revealed.
Convenience stores employ more than 400,000 people and consistently invest over half a billion pounds each year in improving their businesses, investing in sustainable technologies and curating their range of products and services for customers, the report highlighted.
Convenience stores were also deemed to be the third most essential local service after pharmacies and post offices.
Post offices were felt to have the most
positive impact on their local area, while pharmacies came in second and convenience stores ranked third out of 16 different local services featured in the report, which was based on an omnibus poll of 2,000 adults.
The most wanted services were banks, followed by specialist food shops and non-food shops.
ACS claimed that the most wanted list of services was a good blueprint for convenience retailers when looking at ways to diversify their offer locally.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “Communities across the UK clearly recognise the importance of their local convenience store in providing secure and flexible employment, supporting the local economy, and driving investment in a wider range of services.”
Convenience retailers invited to apply for higher education bursaries for their children
The bursary has been designed to help families who may be concerned about supporting a child through higher education.
University students whose parent, carer or spouse is a convenience retailer or c-store worker, have been encouraged to apply for a higher education bursary through The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust (LTCT).
Applications for the scheme will be open between 1 August and 15 October and students can apply to receive up to £3,000. The bursary can be put towards tuition fees, or other expenses such as course materials, equipment or travel costs.
As the cost of attending university mounts year on year, the bursary has been designed to help families who may be concerned about supporting a child through higher education.
In 2024, the total number of bursaries awarded since the scheme launched was expected to exceed 5,000, totalling £28m worth of financial aid.
Consumer confidence grows as inflation tumbles
Consumers’ confidence in their ability to manage their budgets has risen once more as food inflation falls to just 1.7%, its lowest level since October 2021.
Despite the fact that consumer card spending fell in June, the first decline since February 2021, consumer confidence continues to grow as more and more shoppers feel able to manage their budgets and live within their means.
The latest Barclays Consumer Spend Report, which combines hundreds of millions of customer transactions with consumer research to provide an in-depth view of UK spending, has found that consumer confidence has risen again, this time to 73%.
Concerns around inflation also continue to evaporate as food inflation fell to 1.7%, its lowest level since October
Labour to focus on retail crime
2021. Concerns around the rising cost of fuel also eased in June, down 3.2% on the month before.
June did, however, see the first drop in total card spending since February 2021, down 0.6%, with supermarkets also experiencing their first decline (-2.6%) in two years.
The slowdown in sales was driven largely by poor weather and falling food inflation. Encouragingly, over a third (36%) of shoppers say they have noticed food prices have been rising at a slower rate in recent months.
Conversely, sales of takeaway food grew by 4.4%.
Karen Johnson, Head of Retail at Barclays, said: “Once again, our data demonstrates the undeniable impact that unseasonable weather can have on consumer spending. However, the dreariness didn’t dampen spending across the board with takeaways benefitting from people sheltering at home.”
The newly installed Labour government is expected to put forward legislation designed to combat the scourge of retail crime, including following Scotland’s lead by making assaulting shop workers a specific offence.
The new legislation is also expected to close the ‘£200 loophole’ that means thefts of goods worth under £200 are less likely to result in prosecution.
Plans to tackle antisocial behaviour are also set to be outlined and the government is expected to revive Rishi Sunak’s generational smoking ban legislation.
VANILLA
Sharing is caring
Essex-based Raven’s Budgens is donating food to locals in need.
Raven’s Budgens Abridge in Essex has teamed up with Zero Waste Redbridge, which collects food that would otherwise go to waste and delivers it to community groups, including children’s centres, churches and schools. Since announcing the partnership in May, various members of the local community have reaped the benefits. Zero Waste volunteers delivered bags of food from Raven’s to Abridge Village Church last month, which then distributed it to those in the local community who needed it the most. Tots attending Little Bees playgroup at the church were treated to pancakes from the store as part of the project. “If it was not for the hard work of Zero Waste’s volunteers this food would be destined for landfill,” said the store. “Connections and good people make things happen.”
Raven’s is a fourth-generation family business, which is currently celebrating its 95th year of trading, having served the community from the same site since 1929.
Beers and cheers in Bluntisham
Bluntisham Budgens in Cambridgeshire was “thrilled” to be the entertainment sponsor at the local village beer festival on 14 and 15 June. It was a mixed bag of weather, but spirits were sunny as locals supped on beers, ales, cider and gin, while the store’s banner was proudly displayed on stage as a live band played to the crowd.
The store told Facebook followers: “It’s an honour to support this amazing local event and contribute to the community’s festivities. Cheers to great times and even greater people, fantastic brews, and unforgettable memories!”
Samosa celebration
Jay’s Budgens of Crofton Park has celebrated its 44th anniversary with a samosa giveaway. The store, which is based near Brockley in Lewisham, South London, gave out more than 500 special cards in three locations. Each card could be redeemed for two samosas on the store’s Saturday 29 June birthday. The shop also dished out free sushi, beer, kimchi and Indian street food to lucky locals. The store said: “Thank you to everyone who has made the shop what it is, and supported us for all these years!”
Requests for GroceryAid support up 93%
GroceryAid’s latest Impact Report has revealed a whopping 93% rise in demand for its financial, emotional and practical support as industry colleagues continued to struggle with cost-of-living challenges.
The Industry Charity spent more than £6m helping colleagues in the past year, including £364,306 in financial grants awarded to independent retailers, its 2023/24 Impact Report shows.
In total, GroceryAid provided more than 78,000 incidents of support in the last year.
More than 22,000 colleagues visited GroceryAid’s cost-of-living web page in 2023/24, with GroceryAid’s Grants Officers having dealt with a 57% increase in colleagues receiving non-repayable financial grants in the past year.
GroceryAid’s Impact Report for 2023/24 has revealed a whopping 93% increase in requests for its support in the past year.
meant that 5,926 children benefitted from a £150 grant, to start school with new uniforms and equipment.
The charity’s free and confidential helpline also saw a 22% increase in calls from colleagues looking for emotional and practical support. Qualified counsellors provided more than 5,000 in-the-moment counselling sessions – 11% more than the previous year. There was also a 108% increase in colleagues accessing support for problem gambling.
There was also a 44% rise in grants awarded to support those leaving domestic abuse situations.
The charity’s School Essentials Grant also
There was also a 25% increase in family and relationship counselling and a 48% increase in demand for legal advice.
Commenting on the year’s accomplishments, GroceryAid CEO Kieran Hemsworth said: “We are very grateful that the support for GroceryAid continues to grow, so we can match the increase in the demand for our services.To help more grocery workers and their families in need, we are asking our supporters to continue to attend our events, provide donations, and partner with us.”
GroceryAid Booker Dragon Boat Race 2025
l 93% increase in requests for support.
l More than £6m spent supporting industry colleagues.
l £364,306 in financial grants awarded to independent retailers.
l 5,926 children benefitted from £150 School Essentials grant.
l 108% increase in colleagues accessing support for problem gambling.
l 25% increase in family and relationship counselling
l 48% increase in demand for legal advice.
The GroceryAid Booker Dragon Boat Race will return for a second year on Thursday 12 June 2025!
Set to be held once again at Bisham Abbey Sports Centre in Marlow, the event will provide another fantastic opportunity to network, enjoy sponsor activations and raise vital funds.
The 2024 event was a spectacular success, with more than £275,000 raised for GroceryAid in the lead up to the event and on the day.
Visit groceryaid.org.uk/events to book your place or enquire about sponsorship.
The day itself saw 32 teams take to the water while 400 guests enjoyed delicious food, sponsor activations and the chance to meet and greet senior Booker colleagues.
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TOP 8 MUST STOCK RTD COFFEE SKUS
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Starbucks® Frappuccino Coffee 250ml
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Heart of the community
A heartfelt store development is helping the Odedra family to meet their growing community’s needs.
There’s a plaque on a bench outside of Budgens Weston that reads: ‘In memory of Chris Dykes who came here not just to shop but to see her friends and chat.’ It’s a touching tribute to a much-loved former shopper – and also perfectly sums up the important place that this family-run store holds in local hearts.
Since taking it over a decade ago, husband-and-wife team Vanraj and Roshni Odedra have worked tirelessly to ensure that the store meets the precise needs of its now thriving local community – and thanks to a recent store development – including a switch to the Budgens brand, their store is now more prized than ever.
“Since day one we have tried our hardest to support the local community,” Vanraj, who likes to be known as Van, says. “We introduced a great new value for money proposition, brought in lots of local products and added as many helpful services as possible. We have also tried to play an active role in community life supporting a wide range of local initiatives, especially the schools, and I have served on the local parish council for a number of years too.
“In 2015 we adopted the Premier fascia and traded very successfully under it. However, by late 2023 it was time for us to take the store in a new direction.”
Work to build 460 new homes just a stone’s throw away from the store was underway – a move which Van and Roshni knew would not only herald a dramatic change in the store’s shopper demographic – but also its footfall.
“The village was going to double in size, so we knew that we were going to need a lot more space and also a much wider range – including a lot more fresh, chilled and frozen,” explains Van.
A major building project began in early 2024, which saw Van and Roshni knock through the store’s wall into their living room and build out into their garden – creating a new 1,600sq ft shop floor.
“It was tough living next door with all that work going on, but we managed it. Thankfully we had a wonderful team of builders and shopfitters, and we kept the store closure to a minimum by creating special partitions. We are a Post Office too and local people rely very heavily on us for services as well as products. We try our best to offer as many services as possible and we are open for long hours. If a local business owner wants to come and do their business banking after
6pm on a Saturday, they can rely on us.”
The next job was to select a new symbol partner. “Everyone knows that Budgens is famous for fresh, so switching to Budgens was the logical move to make,” Van says. But he didn’t just sign on the dotted line straight away. “I visited a number of Budgens stores on different days of the week and at different times to judge the standards for myself – and the availability and quality was always impressive.”
The brand-new store opened with a vibrant new fresh and chilled offer featuring 3.75 metres for chilled fruit and vegetables and more than 5 metres of chilled foods including
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ready meals, fresh meat, fish, deli and dairy products. “Cheese has been a big win,” Van says. “Shoppers around here like their cheese! Prior to the development we had a basic range featuring mainly cheddar and Red Leicester but now we are offering 25 different types of cheese and it’s all selling!
“The fresh Meat Market products are also doing really well, as are meal accompaniments such as garlic breads and fresh dips. If shoppers are making fajitas for dinner, they can now get it all: wraps, chicken, peppers and dips from here!
“Our RDM assured us that wastage wouldn’t be a problem and he was right. When we launched the new store, we started offering Too Good To Go’s Magic Bags as a way of managing wastage. In the first few weeks of trading, we made up around five bags – but now we are struggling to fill even one.”
Van and Roshni have also introduced a new local bakery offer. “There is a fantastic local bakery in Spalding called Pacey’s who now supply us with a fantastic range of goods which they deliver to us three times a week. The range is a huge footfall driver, locals love it,” Van adds.
Food to go has been another major change. A smart new Good To Go offer has been crafted at the front of the store offering Costa Coffee, Thick Fresh Shakes, Rollover Hot Dogs and hot food from Bake&Bite. “The milkshakes have been a gamechanger,” Van laughs. “I was offered one of the shakes at the Budgens Trade Show in Doncaster earlier this year and I was hooked from the first sip. I drank the whole thing as I walked around the show and I had to buy another one when I left! It was so delicious – I knew I had to have a machine in my store.”
And it’s not just Van who is hooked, as he explains: “Weston is still quite a small village but already we are selling more than 30 shakes a day! It’s not just young people buying them either. We have benches outside the store and people of all ages are coming in to buy a drink and have a sit and a chat. The store was always a popular meeting point for the local community but now it’s a real destination.”
The store has also retained its keen focus on value – making the very most of Budgens’ special offers, EDLPs on key brands and products – and of course the Jack’s range.
Its spirits range, meanwhile, has also been endowed with
FACTFILE
Store name: Budgens Weston
Location: Spalding, Lincolnshire
Retailers: Vanraj and Roshni Odedra
Size: 1,600sq ft
Opening hours: 7am-7pm
a bright new backlit display enhanced by a smart black ceiling and colourful pendant lights overhead. “Shoppers are bowled over by the store’s new look,” Van says. “My spirit sales alone are up by 10% since the development and we haven’t changed the range at all, it’s just displayed so much better.”
Overall, total sales have grown by a stonking 42% since the development, driven by fresh, chilled, frozen – and milkshakes! “The reaction to the new store has been outstanding,” Van says. “Our shoppers love everything about it. We’re serving their needs better than ever before and we’re ready to welcome in even more new shoppers when the housing development is finally complete next year.”
Services: Post Office, Evri Parcel Shop, National Lottery, Payzone, E-Pay Retailer Profile:
In the fast lane
Sales are motoring ahead at Ben Simons’ newest Budgens store.
Having once operated as an auto repair garage, the old 1,300sq ft retail unit that now trades as Budgens Toddington was no stranger to tricky fixes.
But the retail mechanics that veteran store owner Ben Simons put in gear once he took the site over back in 2019, really are extraordinary to clutch.
The 1,300sq ft site in the heart of Toddington village had been trading as a Spar when Ben, who operates three other Budgens stores across Gloucestershire, first got the keys.
“The store serves the village of Toddington as well as many other small outlying villages. It’s also located just off a busy roundabout – and so
benefits from a good deal of passing trade too,” he explains.
Ben’s “usual plan” when he takes on a new store, is to work in it for a short period of time, so that he can see “first-hand all the opportunities and all the issues” prior to planning any kind of development. However, with the Covid-19 pandemic hitting shortly after - and a lengthy planning backlog to follow, that period of time ended up being quite a lot longer than he’d initially anticipated. Finally, with planning permission granted in 2023, work on Ben’s £250,000 development could begin.
“A major part of the plan involved increasing our sales space by 50%, which would allow us to introduce lots of exciting new products and
ranges,” Ben says.
Doing that required a three-phase development, the first phase of which involved moving the store’s old office and staff facilities upstairs. Building work then began in December 2023, with one of the first tasks being the creation of a large new opening on what was previously the side of the old building.
Sales are up by 25% – driven by overall customer spend, which is up more than 10% and customer count, which is also up more than 20%.
“When the building was first converted from a car garage into a store around 20 years ago, the shopfitters brought all the refrigeration in through the old car servicing bays. The old bay entrances were then bricked up to create new walls. What that meant was that 20 years on I found myself with a store full of old refrigeration that I couldn’t get out!” he laughs. After creating the large new entrance on the side (and removing the old offending refrigeration) work to refit the store began.
The whole store was re-flowed to create a better shopper experience, including relocating the store’s counter area and creating space for a brand-new Beer Cave at one end.
The third phase of the development was to build the new
POWERED BY On Offer NP7
extension on the side, before knocking through and uniting the two new spaces.
Incredibly, the store continued to trade throughout the bulk of the complicated development, before re-opening bang on schedule on 28 March 2024.
“We re-opened with a stunning new store featuring a much larger sales area of 1,950sq ft,” Ben says.
“I’d carried out a full space matrix analysis prior to the development and I knew that we had a significant opportunity to expand fresh, chilled and frozen.
“We were previously operating from a 10-metre chilled run, and we have now moved to 20 metres, allowing us to offer a full range of fresh and chilled produce including lots of lovely local products in addition to the extensive range we get through Budgens. It’s all located in the new part of the store and offers a really pleasant shopping experience, with lovely wide aisles and easy browsing.
FACTFILE
Store Name: Budgens Toddington, Cheltenham
Retailer: Ben Simons
Size: 1,950sq ft
Key categories: Fresh, chilled, BWS, frozen
Opening hours: 6.30am-9pm
Staff: 13
Services: Free ATM, National Lottery, self-service checkout
“The reaction from shoppers has been an absolute delight. We are seeing lots of new shoppers, while existing shoppers are also using us more frequently and for larger top-up shops. In the old store you could barely get round carrying a basket, but now we have shoppers parking up and walking round with trolleys.”
Ben Simons
The new store has also been fitted with three new Cook! freezers, which are already racking up more than £1,000 a week in sales. Frozen itself has moved to four-doors with a separate cabinet for ice creams and desserts.
The store’s existing ‘to go’ offer was augmented with Costa Coffee and hot food from Bake&Bite as well as a large new run of chilled snacking. “Costa is a huge draw; we’re already selling more than 50 cups a day,” Ben adds.
BWS has been a “big area of development too,” as Ben explains: “From the very outset I knew that I wanted to create a beer cave. We’ve branded it up as ‘The Cellar’ and it’s fabulous.”
The store’s smart new till area also features a self-service checkout – usage of which is growing weekly.
“The reaction from shoppers to the new store has been an absolute delight,” Ben adds.
“We are seeing lots of new faces, while existing shoppers are also using us more frequently and for larger top-up shops. The biggest wins in terms of sales increases have been fresh meat – which is up 120%, fruit and vegetables also up 120%, fresh bread and cakes, up 60% and dairy, up 40%.
In total, just three months on from the development, sales are up by 25% – driven by overall customer spend, which is up more than 10% and customer count, which is also up more than 20%.
“I’d set myself a sales growth target of 25%, so to have surpassed that figure for the last four weeks, just three months on, is wonderful,” Ben says.
All fired up!
Summer BBQ season is here and Budgens has everything you need for smoking sales and profits.
64 million BBQs took place over the summer of 2023
Kantar 16 w/e 3 September 2023
BEEF UP YOUR BBQ SALES THIS SUMMER
l Ensure good availability of classic red meat BBQ choices, with marketing emphasis on their great taste and treating potential.
l Safeguard against poor weather by pushing products that are suitable for both oven and BBQ cooking.
l Offer simple recipe inspiration for shoppers both online and in store to drive growth.
[Source: AHDB]
The great British BBQ: the scent of sizzling sausages floating on the summer breeze is a staple of summer – and with vegan, beef and chicken varieties now widely available in additional to the humble pork banger – it’s a scent that surely no-one can resist.
A hot 64 million BBQs took place over the summer of 2023 – with peaks in May, June and early September –driven by the return of warm and sunny weather.
This year, shoppers, and indeed retailers, are anticipating even meatier figures thanks to a hot end to June,
a warm and sunny beginning to July and promising Met Office long-range forecasts for the weeks ahead.
The packed calendar of big-ticket sporting occasions also looks set to help boost summer BBQ occasions, as shoppers get together to enjoy grills, goals and golds.
Kicked off by UEFA Euro 2024 in June, the summer’s next big sporting highlight is The Olympic Games – set to unfold in Paris between 26 July and 11 August.
Interestingly, last summer saw a shift in the type and size of gatherings that UK
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shoppers were choosing to BBQ at.
While small BBQ gatherings of two to four people fell, gatherings of five or more people increased by 20% year on year according to Kantar data gathered by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
Looking ahead to this summer, AHDB expects to see this trend deepen –with BBQs likely to be “less used as a cooking method for everyday meals, and more for larger gatherings of friends and family”.
After all, the BBQ grill is one of life’s great levellers – allowing large groups
“Our
fresh Meat Market products are doing really well at this time of year, as are BBQ accompaniments such as cheeses and buns. If shoppers want a BBQ – be it on impulse or a planned event – they know that they can rely on us for it all. That includes BBQ accessories too. This is a small village, and shoppers really value the fact that they don’t need to travel far when they suddenly realise they are running low on coal or need some firelighters! Our range includes a variety of instant disposable BBQs as well as 2.5kg bags of Homefire Lumpwood Charcoal for just £7.99
and Barbecue Briquettes for £6.99.”
to quickly and easily cater to a wide variety of different tastes, textures and trends – as well as to all ages.
Featuring great-value products such as sausages, pork steaks and chicken drumsticks, the BBQ occasion can also offer shoppers a lot more bang[ers] for their bucks – and is often a far cheaper alternative to eating out of home.
When it comes to pork, the humble sausage really is the star of the BBQ show. In fact, according to AHBD, sausages account for more than onefifth of all pork consumption – with 80% of households having bought pork sausages in the last year.
Sausages saw volume growth of 2.1% year on year last summer as existing pork sausage customers bought larger quantities per shop. Their costfriendly credentials also won over more shoppers “switching from protein sources with a higher price point”.
Budgens retailers can offer their shoppers a wide range of quality sausages all of which are sure to glorify their grills this summer – or their ovens – should the weather take a turn for the worse!
The Jack’s line-up alone includes Premium Traditional Pork, Cumberland and Lincolnshire Sausages – all of
Vanraj Odedra, Budgens Weston, Spalding
which are currently available for an Amazing Value RSP of just £2.50 per 400g pack. The stunning NP6 deal also offers retailers a POR of 20%.
And it’s not just sausages that are helping summer sales to sizzle.
With UK shoppers continuing to seek out exotic flavours, The Meat Market range available to Budgens retailers includes a variety of quality flavourpacked products designed to help them conjure up a taste of the faraway at the flash of a flame.
Featuring hand-selected prime cuts of meat which offer up to 38% POR, Meat Market products include Salt and Chilli Sizzle Steaks, Honey Chilli Chicken Mini Fillets and Chinese Pork ribs – all of which are available for shoppers to buy on an ‘Any 2 for £10 deal.
There’s also Salt and Chilli Pork Chops, Honey and Chilli Pork Chops, Beef and Cracked Black Pepper Sausages and plain Beef Sausages, all of which are on offer at ‘Any 2 for £8’, along with others.
Chicken wings, legs and thighs are also the ideal partner to spicy sauces, exotic rubs and flavour-packed marinades –as well as providing an amazing value option for more cost-conscious local shoppers.
Once again Budgens has you covered this BBQ season with its upweighted ‘Butchers Specials’ – specifically designed to drive meat sales.
Running until 14 August, the NP6 period includes great value deals on budgetand BBQ-friendly Jack’s Chicken Drumsticks which are available at the promotional price of just £1.29 for a
430g pack – offering a POR of 20%.
Also included in the NP6 Butchers Specials are British Chicken Breast Fillets – on offer for an RSP of just £4.25 – down from £4.99.
With their quality and amazing value credentials, both products are sure to score with shoppers looking to get their grill-on this summer.
And of course, no proper BBQ occasion would be complete without a generous serving of sides.
From fresh and crispy salads to cool, creamy dips – and not forgetting the buns, wraps and rolls – BBQ-bound shoppers can find it all in Budgens stores.
The perfect partner to a juicy burger, sliced cheese is also a must stock at this
time of year. The Jack’s range includes both Mild and Mature Cheddar slices which are available to shoppers as part of an ‘Any 2 for £4’ deal or individually for £2.49.
The Jack’s cheese range has also been boosted by improved PORs across the range, with all products, now offering a POR of up to 43.8%.
Budgens retailers can also make sizzling PORs on a range of BBQ accessories including Charcoal Briquettes, Instant Light Charcoal, Minigrills and more. Most of these key accessories offer PORs of 30% and up, with Jack’s Firelighters offering a blazing 46%!
So, with all that said and done, all that remains is for the sun to keep its hat on and for shoppers to fire up those grills. It certainly is one smoking hot opportunity!
Budgens: Cocktail Festival
SUMMER COCKTAIL FEST
Shake it till you make it!
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Budgens’ first-ever Cocktail Festival offers a punchy blend of opportunities to drink in juicier sales and profits this summer.
BUDGENS COCKTAIL FESTIVAL – 18 JULY TO 11 SEPTEMBER
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With their fresh and fruity flavours, vibrant colours and cooling credentials, cocktails are synonymous with summer and the perfect accompaniment to a vast range of outdoor occasions – from folky festivals to family BBQs, picnics and park trips – or just for sipping slowly on a warm summer’s evening at home.
in Stockport are certainly cheering the opportunity. “Cocktails are popular with shoppers all year round, but demand grows in the summer months, so we’ll be doing everything we can to make the most of that opportunity,” co-owner Muralidharan Salaikuberan says.
And Muralidharan is certainly not the only retailer expecting great things from RTD cocktails this summer.
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Helping retailers to make the most of this stirring opportunity is Budgens’ first-ever Cocktail Festival – new for 2024 and guaranteed to shake up your sales and profits!
The owners of Budgens Vendees Local
“Pre-mixed cocktails are driving footfall and sales, and we expect this trend to continue growing, especially with some of the great deals available as part of the Budgens Cocktail Festival. Our large range of pre-mixed cocktails are found inside our large glass-fronted beer cave where they are all chilled and ready to drink.”
As many other Budgens retailers will also attest, RTDs are knocking it out of the park when it comes to sales growth at the moment, with the category up by 24.2% in volume and 16.5% by value in convenience in the 12 months to the end of February 2024 [IRI data] – making it comfortably the fastestgrowing sector of the wider BWS category.
With stats like that, it’s clear that RTDs present a juicy opportunity for
Your Budgens: Cocktail Festival
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Perfect serve
The Budgens Cocktail Festival will be supported by a vibrant suite of supporting POS to help retailers create maximum impact in store. Featuring bold and bright summer colours, the range includes posters, shelf strips, barkers and more.
Visit the Budgens Printshop or speak to your RDM for more information.
Refreshment is the number-one preference amongst shoppers when making an alcoholic RTD choice
Source: IWSR RTDs Strategic Study
convenience retailers to cash in –especially when you consider that volumes have actually been falling in supermarkets and were down 13.2% to the end of February 2024, according to IRI data.
Make a stir
includes an upweighted ‘Any 3 for £5’ Core Plus deal on a range of RTD products from big-name spirit brands including Malibu, Bacardi, Southern Comfort and more.
Helping retailers to squeeze every drop out of the RTD opportunity, The Budgens Cocktail Festival includes an irresistible mix of deals and multi-buy offers across a wide range of leading RTD brands, including innovative new products.
Running throughout the NP6 and NP7 promotional periods, the festival
Retailers will also be able to offer their shoppers an array of RTD formats on an ‘Any 3 for £6’ deal which includes 250ml cans of Gordon’s Gin & Tonic, Pimm’s & Lemonade, Smirnoff & Cranberry and more.
An ‘Any 2 for £5’ core deal on a variety of top-selling RTD brands, including AU, is also sure to shake up the shelves.
With the RTD category growing 24.2% in volume and 16.5% by value in convenience [IRI data] it’s well worth ensuring that your range is up to scratch to make the most of this refreshing opportunity.
Why not consider devoting more space to the RTD category in your chiller or beer cave?
While you’re at it, take a moment to check your range and ensure that you are stocking the most popular lines and getting maximum sales and profits out of every facing.
RTD specialists such as WKD and AU are continuing to drive sales this summer, along with big-brand NPD such as Jack Daniel’s Whisky & Zero Sugar Coca-Cola and Gordon’s & Schweppes Pink Gin & Tonic – all of which are on offer as part of the Budgens Cocktail Festival.
MEGA DEAL AU RTD VARIETY PACK
Case size: 1x8x330ml
WSP: £8.99
RSP: £13
POR: 17%
CORE PLUS FUNKIN MIXED PARTY PACK
Case size: 3x8x200ml
WSP: £24.49
RSP: £12
POR: 18.4%
The deal includes AU Vodka Pineapple Crush, AU Vodka Cherryade, AU Vodka Blue Raspberry and more – plus new products such as AU Vodka Strawberry Daiquiri Cocktail and AU Vodka Hawaiian Cocktail.
For shoppers keen to mix it up themselves, the Budgens Cocktail Festival also includes great-value prices on a stirring range of ‘perfect mixers’ such as Funkin Margarita, Mojito, Pina Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri for just £5 each –offering a POR of 20%.
A range of new Spirit Link Deals are also up for grabs allowing shoppers to simply ‘shake and serve’ a number of classic mixes.
Deals include 70cl bottles of Absolut Vodka for just £18.99, down from £23.59, and 1L cartons of Funkin Passionfruit
Martini for £5, down from £7.99.
Shoppers can also whip up a mean Mojito in a flash with a link deal on Bacardi cocktails offering a 70cl bottle of Bacardi for £16.99 and a 1L carton of Funkin Mojito for £5.
With such an irresistible range of choice and prices, ‘cocktail hour’ is sure to be a round-the-clock affair this summer –don’t forget the ice!
70% of alcoholic RTDs are consumed within two hours of purchase
Source: CCEP BEACH data
Winter winners
Budgens retailers have winter 2024 all wrapped up thanks to 2024’s sparkling Winter Pre-sell.
9 EXCLUSIVE LINES! More than 190 New Products! Extended Credit until W/C 30 December 2024
The colder months may be knocking – but thanks to the 2024 Winter Pre-Sell, Budgens retailers across the country are looking forward to cozying up to extra-toasty sales and profits this winter season.
Pre-sells always offer a fantastic opportunity for retailers to set themselves up for a footfalldriving edge – and this year’s proved to be no exception – offering a winter wonderland of choice, price and service benefits.
With nine Group Exclusive lines and more than 190 new products to look forward to receiving, the 2024 Winter Pre-Sell offered retailers a veritable cornucopia of choice.
The first drop of the main 2024 Winter Pre-Sell is set to land in stores the week commencing
26 August, with a further four drops to follow in September, October and November – right up until the main month of December itself – when on the week commencing 9 December, retailers will receive a Santa sack-load of profit-priming products in readiness for the vital Christmas season.
Some of the many new products that look set to add some sparkle to retailers’ shelves this winter season are Reese’s King Size Chocolate Trees, Reese’s DJ Santa Disco Lights pouches and Cadbury Puds Minis – all of which offer PORs of 30% and up.
Novelty items such as these are sure to drive footfall, sales and profits from the start of the winter season, right through to the New Year.
Retailers can also look forward to furnishing their floors with an array of festive pre-filled Dumpbins and Floor Units. New to the pre-sell this year, Malteser’s pre-filled mixed milk and mint Reindeer GFUs will give retailers the chance to make PORs of more than 50%. Also new to the pre-sell are Nestlé Giant Tubes Units – featuring Smarties Giant Elf Tubes, Milkybar Buttons and more.
MEGA DEALS
Retailers can also look forward to offering their shoppers an array of fantastic prices on key branded lines thanks to a mountain of Mega Deals. Take the Group Exclusive 295g Aero Peppermint Block for example. With an RSP of just £3.50, this giant-sized sharing bar is sure to be a hit with shoppers when it lands in store – and what’s more, it offers a tasty POR of 20%.
Other Mega Deals well worth calling out include 310g boxes of Maltesers with an RSP of just £4.50 – which will also earn retailers a POR of 20%.
New to the pre-sell this year are also a number of products from leading alcohol brands including 10x330ml cases of Birra Moretti – which offer a POR of 15.3% on an RSP of £15 – and 4x330ml cans of Kopparberg Winter Punch, which deliver a juicy POR of 30.5%.
Budgens also has your alcohol gifting
needs covered with an array of gift packs from leading spirit brands including Jack Daniel’s, Baileys, Absolut, Edinburgh Gin and Kraken – all of which are new to the presell. The Smirnoff Trio Gift Pack, for example, has an RSP of £8.49 and features three 50ml bottles of Smirnoff Raspberry Crush, No21 Vodka and Mango & Passionfruit Twist offering a POR of 20.5%.
Retailers can also look forward to charging up their profits with energising margins of more than 60% on batteries – an absolute must stock in the run up to and during the festive season.
New to the pre-sell this year are prefilled counter display units of Panasonic batteries. The units feature a selection of AA, AAA and CR2032 batteries –each of which offer a POR of 61.1% when sold at the RSP of £4.
IT’S A WRAP
Budgens retailers will also have their Christmas wrapping paper, crackers and cards needs met by a separate presell set to open later this August.
Look out for fantastic deals on festive napkins which will help you to clean up with a POR of 40%. The range includes a number of new designs, featuring snowflakes and gingerbread men, guaranteed to add a splash of festive magic to your shoppers’ tables.
The Christmas paper pre-sell will
Winning streak
Your Budgens: Winter Pre-sell
NEW TO PRE-SELL
Lindor Tiramisu and Lindor Pistachio
Case size: 8x200g
WSP: £24.99
RSP: £5.00
POR: 21.1%
TERRY’S CHOCOLATE ORANGE TOFFEE CRUNCH
Case size: 12x157g
WSP: £12.75
RSP: £2.49 ANY 2 FOR £3
POR: 48.8%
New to Pre-Sell HERENCIA
Case size: 6x75cl
WSP: £31.95
RSP: £7.99
POR: 20%
Budgens retailers are also in with a chance of winning an array of fantastic prizes thanks to the 2024 Winter Pre-Sell. Up for grabs is a chance to win £250 for buying four cases of Lindor Christmas lines plus a £125 Amazon voucher for buying one case of Cadbury Puds, Cadbury Snowballs Blocks and Cadbury Puds Minis each.
also include cracking deals on bottle bags and tags helping you to meet all your shoppers’ gifting needs in one convenient place.
Set to follow in September, the Fresh Foods Winter Pre-Sell will also ensure that Budgens retailers will have the pick of the bunch when it comes to fresh festive eats.
Get set to take advantage of great deals and fruitful PORs across a wide range of quality fresh products across dairy, deli, produce and more.
With so many opportunities to come, Budgens retailers can surely look forward to a particularly merry 2024 Winter season.
THE DROP! PUMPKINS
Drop 1: W/C 7 October 2024
Drop 2: W/C 14 October 2024
Drop 3: W/C 21October 2024
WINTER
Drop 1: W/C 26 August 2024
Drop 2: W/C 23 September 2024
Drop 3: W/C 21October 2024
Drop 4: W/C 18 November 2024
Drop 5: W/C 9 December 2024
Frightfully good profits
Retailers who took advantage of the 2024 Winter Pre-Sell can also look forward to a spooktacular Halloween spread, including new products and great-deals across cakes, biscuits, sweets and treats. This includes Group Exclusive Deals on products like Vidal Creepy Jelly and Monster Jelly cards which will offer a POR of 30.9%. Retailers also had the opportunity to pre-order a pre-filled ‘Large Monster Pumpkin Cage’ with 36 units and PORs of 25%.
NEW VUSE GO RELOAD 1000
RED BULL PINK SUGAR
GAME. SET. REFRESH.
M245763
Say hello to... Isabel Mulligan
This month we catch up with Category Manager Designate Isabel Mulligan, who is partway through her two-year Tesco graduate programme and currently specialises in wine buying for Booker.
ABOUT ISABEL
Isabel Mulligan is a Category Manager Designate at Booker working within the Beers, Wines & Spirits buying team and specialising in wine.
She joined Booker 10 months ago as part of a two-year Tesco graduate programme having spent the first year of the programme working in the Group Communications department within Tesco.
When she joined Booker she joined the Beers, Wines & Spirits buying team to gain experience in the buying function and has focused on wine buying for the last 10 months. Her graduate programme ends in the next few months and she will then be ready to consider her options moving forward as she continues her career within the Group.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF?
Isabel is a graduate of the University of Leeds where she earned her degree in English Literature and French, spending a year in France as part of her course.
I’m Isabel Mulligan and I’m a Category Manager Designate at Booker, which essentially means I’m a trainee buyer. I’ve been working with Booker for around 10 months now and I work in the Beers, Wines and Spirits (BWS) team, focusing on wine buying. I’m now in the second year of a two-year retail graduate programme and I spent the first year of the programme in group communications at Tesco working in the press office and on internal communications.
SO, A BIG CHANGE THEN?
Yes, a huge change – but that’s why the graduate programme was so attractive to me. I wanted the chance to see all sorts of different parts of the wider Group, so it was fantastic to spend a year in group communications at Tesco then be able to move over to Booker and into the buying teams. It’s given me a really good insight across lots of parts of the Group and has helped me develop different skillsets.
WAS THIS YOUR FIRST ROLE?
Yes, I did English Literature and French at the University of Leeds and spent a year in France then came back and pretty much went straight into the graduate programme. The year with Tesco was fascinating and it was really exciting to learn so much about Tesco’s communications strategies first-hand. It involved dealing with everyone from journalists to internal and external stakeholders and it was pretty full-on! Having come straight from university, this was my first time working in a retail business.
THEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO MOVE OVER TO BOOKER?
I was very lucky because, when I joined Booker about 10 months ago, it was actually the first year that Booker had taken Tesco graduates. I felt it was the perfect opportunity for me because I was keen to get more involved in retail and in buying specifically. I joined the wider BWS team but have specialised in wine buying, doing lots of project work and helping the team on all sorts of different initiatives.
HAVE YOU ENJOYED IT?
Absolutely! I like to push myself, try new challenges and get out of my comfort zone so moving to Booker meant I had to get to know a whole new business, albeit part of the same Group. There are lots of similarities between the two businesses but there are also a lot of major differences.
SUCH AS?
Well, one of the most obvious differences is that with Booker I get the chance to work in the ontrade, something I didn’t experience within Tesco. I’ve really enjoyed getting experience across both retail and wholesale.
HOW HAS YOUR WINE BUYING JOURNEY BEEN?
I started off on smaller projects in smaller subcategories as part of my training, but I faced the same challenges and opportunities you face across all categories: pricing, range, dealing direct with suppliers when working on trade plans and so on. Then I gradually progressed onto bigger projects in bigger categories.
WHAT HAVE YOU ENJOYED MOST?
I think I would have to say the fact that it’s all so real and tangible. Within a couple of years of leaving university, I’m actually involved in buying products that I can physically see and touch when I walk into Booker branches. I can see a specific wine and say, ‘I was involved in getting that onto that shelf!’ which is really rewarding. It’s very realworld and practical.
WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST?
Probably the amount of creativity that goes into buying. From the outside it probably looks like buying is just spreadsheets and number crunching and sales figures – and there is definitely a bit of that involved, but there’s also huge scope for creativity. You can bring yourself to the job and Booker allows you to shape your role to suit your skillsets. It’s hugely enjoyable.
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?
I do a lot of research, I spend a lot of time watching our competitors and, in a typical day, there’s a good mix of group work and solo work. I often set aside a block of time to dedicate myself to once specific challenge that I own, but I do spend a
lot of time collaborating with other teams within the BWS buying function and, indeed, across the wider business.
DO YOU MEET WITH EXTERNAL SUPPLIERS?
Yes, regularly! We try to keep up to date with key suppliers to find out how sales are going, what exciting NPD is coming, what they’re thinking about in terms of promotions and so on. We’re always trying to get the best-possible products, prices, packages and deals for our customers.
AND LOTS OF PRESENTATIONS?
Oh yes! We do a lot of research and generate a lot of data, so a key part of our role is understanding that data and presenting it in the most efficient way to the various teams within the business to help them deliver strong, effective decision making. We do a lot of PowerPoint decks!
WHAT TRENDS HAS YOUR RESEARCH IDENTIFIED?
As far as retailers are concerned, the biggest trend at the moment is still towards low- and no-alcohol products. The market is still moving that way and the increase in alcohol duty has accelerated that trend as many suppliers have worked hard to reduce the ABV of their products to meet price points that work for shoppers. So we’re seeing a lot more 9% ABV wines, for instance, and they are popular with shoppers, especially younger shoppers with different taste profiles who like jammier or fruitier wines. Echo Falls Watermelon and Kiwi is a good example.
ANY OTHER TRENDS WORTH FLAGGING UP?
As part of the moderation trend, we’ve also seen a lean towards premiumisation - customers choosing higher quality products on the occasions that they do drink. So it’s important to stock more premium wines for those occasions when customers want to treat themselves. Meet the Team: Isabel
Class Act
The annual Back to School period is a great opportunity for retailers to drive incremental sales and offer convenient solutions to busy parents.
YOU CAN CHECK WHEN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES IN YOUR AREA START BACK ON YOUR LOCAL AUTHORITY WEBSITE.
It’s time to sharpen those pencils, shine up those shoes and swap sunhats for thinking caps – as all across the country, parents, carers and kids start to gear up for the annual Back To School and College period.
The start of the new academic year also presents a fresh opportunity for retailers to chalk up their store sales and profits.
Additional sales can be made across a number of different categories in store, including fresh, chilled and frozen products as well as a variety of non-food categories such as laundry, stationery and medicines.
LUNCHBOX LOVELIES
The return of school heralds the return of packed lunches and everything that goes towards the making of sandwiches, wraps, salads and other lunchbox essentials.
For many parents and carers, the start of the new school term can be a challenging time, especially for those with young children who are new to the daily grind of academic life.
Those parents and carers will be especially appreciative of stores which can offer them a great range of healthy, convenient products that can help them to create tasty, balanced lunchboxes for great-value prices and a minimum of fuss.
Offering a good range of staple sandwich components is a great place to start and Budgens has you covered when it comes to the bread and bakery side of things with an excellent choice of sliced bread products. WSPs and RSPs across Budgens’ entire Hovis EDLP bread range have also been reduced, offering retailers and their shoppers, great new pricing on a wide array of products including Hovis Simple White and Simple Wholemeal medium loaves, which both have an RSP of just 89p and a POR of 19.1%. Other crowd-pleasing products such as Hovis Best Of Both feature an RSP of £1.19 and a POR of 24.4%.
A good choice of classic sandwich fillings such as ham, cheese and tuna – along with salad products – are also a must.
The Jack’s cheese range includes a great
Shelf help
As ever, the key Back to School period will be supported by a professionally designed suite of high-impact Point of Sale materials. Featuring cheery pictures of lunchboxes and bags, the materials are sure to support retailers in their efforts to add up Back To School sales.
Materials include shelf and ear barkers as well as strips.
For more information visit the Budgens Print Shop or speak to your local RDM.
choice of sliced, grated and block products, perfect for filling sandwiches, wraps, rolls and more. There’s also improved PORs across the Jack’s cheese range, with all products available under an ‘Any 2 for £4’ deal or individually, with PORs of up to 43.8%.
And with no lunchbox complete without a tasty snack, Budgens retailers can also offer their shoppers a wide range of choice when it comes to crisps and dried fruit snacks from well-known brands as well as Jack’s.
Budgens retailers can also offer their shoppers a great-value deal on Dairylea Lunchers Ham & Cheese and Chicken & Cheese, both of which are available for the amazing value RSP of just £1.25, offering a POR of 20.1% on a case of 12.
Yogurt lovers can also pack a great deal on Muller Crunch and Fruit Corners for an RSP of just £2.50, offering retailers a POR of 21.5%.
Helping to wash it all down is another refreshing deal on a variety of Tropicana juices including Multivitamins, Orange & Mango and Smooth Orange for an
Pass the back-to-school test
l Focus on quick and easy lunchbox solutions for parents.
l Offer a good range of staple sandwich fillers: cheese, ham and tuna.
l Look out for great-value deals.
l Make use of all available POS.
l Offer a good range of healthier options, especially healthier snacking products.
RSP of just £1.
The Back To School period can also add an extra dimension to retailers’ food-togo sales, with older students choosing to spend their lunch money on prepacked sandwiches, snacks and drinks to go at lunchtime as well as on the way home. If you don’t already, offering the great-value Budgens Sandwich Meal Deal is a great way to drive footfall and sales.
EVENING INSPIRATION
With children back at school after the long summer break, parents and carers will also be busy adjusting to new termtime routines – meaning that quick and convenient evening meal solutions, that can help them get back into the groove will be popular.
Stores that can offer their shoppers a good range of crowd-pleasing products to create fast, healthy and tasty evening meal solutions are sure to score full marks with local shoppers.
From quick and easy fresh or frozen pizzas to hearty home-cooked dishes, such as sausages and mash, gammon,
l Don’t forget the evening meal opportunity! Offer a great-value range of quick-and-easy dinner solutions for time-poor parents.
l Stationery will be in demand too. Don’t miss out on this high-margin opportunity.
l Give some first aid to your Winter Remedies and Medicines range in advance of cough and cold season. Your Budgens:
LUCKY STRIKE GREAT
It’s an offence to sell tobacco to any person under 18 years of age. For tobacco trade use only. Not to be left in the sight of consumers.
Healthy marks
Demand for products which help to deliver healthier diets for children and young people has never been higher. Make sure your range meets this need by including as many low fat, salt and sugar products as possible such as low-fat cheese snacks, rice cakes, yogurt, sugarfree jellies and more.
Also ensure your range includes key healthy snacking products such as carrots and cucumbers (ideal for chopping up into snack-sized sticks), along with dips such as houmous. And don’t forget plenty of fresh fruit, especially apples, grapes, bananas and tangerines, all of which are perfect for packing into lunchboxes. Make the most of the Jack’s Fresh 4 promotion, which offers shoppers outstanding value on a range of great quality, healthy, fresh products each promotional period.
egg and chips or Spaghetti Bolognese –the Jack’s range offers everything that your shoppers’ need to whip up tasty, great-value solutions in a flash.
What’s more, the start of the new school and college term also signals an opportunity to score additional sales of high-margin products such as stationery.
Unfortunately for parents, carers and kids, the classroom comeback also tends to herald the return of autumn coughs and colds. Set your store up to be front of mind for shoppers at the start of sniffle season with a great range of cold and flu remedies for kids and adults alike – as well as plenty of tissues and anti-bacterial wipes, hand
soaps and sprays for grubby little hands and fingers.
The back-to-school period can also present a sparkling opportunity for laundry sales, especially in the detergents category.
With parents and carers looking to keep those new uniforms looking as crisp and clean for as long as possible, products that deliver ace stain-fighting abilities – along with value for money –look set to win big.
So, with all that said and done, it’s clear that retailers have all they need to score full marks with shoppers and additional sales and profits.
SIZE: 5x320g code: M296258
Will Labour work
for retailers?
A landslide victory for the Labour Party brings the potential for huge change that may affect retailers, but how different are Labour and Conservative policies on key matters?
James Lowman considers what a Labour government might mean for retailers.
For the first time in 14 years, the Labour Party will form a new government, under the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer. There is an entire generation of retailers that will have traded entirely under Conservative policymaking, so what should we expect from Labour in the next five years?
The first thing to highlight, which came out clearly in analysis of the main party manifestos, is that the previous and new governments have a lot in common on a number of key issues. Examples include the introduction of a standalone offence for assaulting a shopworker, and the introduction of a generational ban on tobacco products, both of which fell short of becoming law under the Conservatives because of the timing of the General Election, but have both been highlighted in the Labour manifesto as priorities.
There’s also consensus on the need for greater resource around the numbers of police officers on the ground, but as always it’s not the numbers that necessarily make the difference, it’s the wider prioritisation of retail crime and a commitment to respond and follow up on incidents where they occur.
There will be areas however, where the new Labour government will look to set itself apart from its predecessors. Commitments in the manifesto to introduce a ban on energy drinks for under-16s, ban junk food advertising to children, and replace the business rates system are all measures that
will affect the sector, so will be important for us to engage with ministers and officials on the detail of.
It is not necessarily surprising that the Labour manifesto for government feels pretty safe without too much fundamental change. This is a party that has spoken of the need for stability in the coming years, so we shouldn’t expect too many radical ideas, especially in the first 100 days of Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership. Even the commitment to change the business rates system feels like a long-term goal (which is still going to be cost neutral) rather than an overhaul that is ready to go in the first Autumn Budget.
The coming weeks and months, through the Kings Speech on 17 July and the first fiscal event in the Autumn, will make it clear which areas the new Labour government see as the most pressing priorities. This period of time over the summer and into the end of 2024 is the perfect opportunity to get to know your MP, or reconnect if they’ve managed to hold onto their seat.
Because of the nature of this election, MPs will be feeling pressure from competing parties of all colours, pushing in different directions, so they will be acutely aware of the importance of getting local people and local businesses on side. We will be continuing to support retailers in arranging store visits during 2024, highlighting what local shops need to continue to flourish in their communities.
