Your Budgens May-June 2024

Booker secures exclusive SEL deal.

Score winning sales with Euro Finals 24.

Get in on the own label opportuniy.

STOCK UP NOW!

STOCK UP NOW FOR SUMMER

IT TAKES 15 YEARS TO FILTER THROUGH THE ROCK, WE BOTTLE IT JUST DOWN THE ROAD

Budgens retailers have access to a new Group Exclusive deal on ESLs.

73% of shoppers are looking to cut the cost of their weekly shopping.

The latest round up of community news from Budgens stores.

Industry charity GroceryAid has committed £1m to the School Essentials Grant.

Budgens Pomeroy Street’s unique community focus and range sets it apart.

built-Budgens Stowmarket has everything that local shoppers need and more.

Finals 24 offers stacks of opportunities to net bigger sales and profits.

Budgens’ Fit For The Future 5 guide has landed.

The latest developments to hit Booker’s great value Jack’s brand.

The Budgens Beer and Cider Festival is back and better than ever!

GET SET for summer

Budgens is helping retailers get set for what is promising to be a hot summer of opportunities.

A very warm welcome to the latest packed issue of Your Budgens as we move towards the all-important summer season, and what a season of opportunity it promises to be. This summer is crammed full of fantastic sporting events like the Euro Finals 24 and the Olympics, which are sure to drive footfall, sales and profits as shoppers stock up to enjoy the action with friends and family.

The Euro Finals 24 will be here very soon with the opening match on 14th June set to be a cracker as Scotland face hosts Germany. It’s a tough challenge for Scotland but it’s a huge opportunity for retailers both in Scotland and across the country as the tournament gets off with a bang. Then it’s back-to-back matches for a full month with England also involved and hoping to progress to the latter stages.

To help you make the most of the festival of football, we’ve organised this year’s Budgens Beer & Cider Festival to coincide with the Euro Finals 24, meaning you’ll have a whole array of NPD and Group Exclusive products to tempt your shoppers with, as well as a host of truly fantastic beer and cider promotions to help your shoppers support in style.

We also take a look back at our recent hugely successful Trade Shows in this issue and update you on the latest

developments on some great solutions to help you save money on waste management with Collect My Waste and make money through more efficient social media planning with SocioConnect.

And if you haven’t yet invested in digital SELs, there’s news inside of a brilliant Group Exclusive discount deal on solutions from Avery Berkel that make adding digital shelf labels in your store more cost-effective than ever.

It’s set to be a cracking summer for Budgens retailers and I wish you all the very best of trading over the next couple of months – and the best of luck to England and Scotland at the Euro Finals 24!

Industry News

Budgens retailers can now benefit from a Group Exclusive deal offering discounted Electronic Shelf Labels to help them take the next step towards the digital future.

Exclusive deal puts ESLs in reach

Many Budgens retailers have already taken advantage of the huge benefits of installing Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs). Thanks to a Booker Group Exclusive deal, all Budgens retailers can now gain access to a specially discounted 0% interest package that allows them to kit out their full store for as little as £232 a week.

The deal with leading provider Avery Berkel offers Budgens retailers an exclusive deal on a package featuring

2,500 ESLs, a mix of 2.6” and 2.4” ESLs, and all networking equipment. The deal also features an additional £100 per year saving on the solution and includes an additional two-year warranty on top of the standard two-year guarantee, giving retailers complete peace of mind for four years in total.

The ESLs have up to 10 years’ battery life and are also available with up to two years of interest-free credit. All of

Exclusive deal

l Up to two years’ 0% interest-free credit

l Up to 10 years’ battery life

l Two extra years’ warranty –four years in total

l From only £232 per week

Exclusive Spec

l 2,500 ESLs

l Mix of 2.6” and 2.3”

l Networking equipment

l Software as a Service (SaaS)

l Extra £100 discount on yearly SaaS

Benefits

l Up to 70% labour savings

l Real-time price and promotion updates

l Manage from any device from anywhere at any time

l Up to 10% additional revenue per year through accurate price updates

this is available for as little as £232 per week.

ESLs have been proven to cut labour costs by up to 70% and can deliver up to 10% additional revenue every year simply by ensuring that prices are always up to date and accurate.

Real-time pricing and promotional updates mean the entire store can be re-priced in seconds with nothing more than the click of a mouse.

Own-brand opportunity as 73% of shoppers look to cut spending

The latest monthly Barclays Consumer Spend Report shows a record 73% of shoppers are looking to cut the cost of their weekly shop with many turning to ownbrand products.

The opportunity for Budgens retailers to leverage the power of the Jack’s and Euro Shopper own-brand ranges is clearer than ever as the latest Barclays Consumer Spend for April showed that a record-high of 73% of shoppers are looking to cut the cost of their weekly shop.

One of the key ways many shoppers do this is by switching to trusted own brands like Jack’s and Euro Shopper that deliver great quality products at exceptional value prices.

Almost half of all shoppers (49%) said they worry about how much they spend on food and drink, with the same proportion making the effort to cut back on discretionary spending. Of this group, the majority (54%) are spending less on dining out and ordering takeaways.

Despite falling food price inflation, down from 5.0% to 4.0% in April, grocery spending growth reached its lowest level

DRS postponed yet again

(1.0%) since June 2022 (-0.8%), hampered by cold and wet weather. More broadly, spending on essential food and drink items grew just 1.7% year on year in April, the lowest rise so far this year.

Other opportunities for retailers are presented by the findings that more than a third of shoppers (37%) are stockpiling their go-to products when they are on offer, and three in 10 (29%) are batch cooking to save money.

Total consumer card spend growth slowed to 1.6% in April, down from 1.9% in both March and February, and supermarkets saw the smallest uplift in sales since June 2022.

Despite all of this, consumer confidence in household finances reached a 28-month high at 71%.

The Westminster government has confirmed that the introduction of deposit return schemes (DRS) in the UK will be pushed back two years to October 2027.

In a written ministerial statement, Robbie Moore MP said this was a “stretching” target and that an October 2027 implementation would be required to ensure that the rollout of schemes was effective and efficient.

The revised date has been agreed by the devolved administrations. Moore also confirmed that the UK government has no intention of including glass within its DRS, with only the Welsh government currently committed to a scheme that includes glass. The statement refers to figures from Keep Britain Tidy which show that just 4% of litter was comprised of glass drinks containers in 2020.

Shoppers urged to #ShopKind once more

Retailers, the Home Office and industry groups came together in May to once again support #ShopKind Week urging shoppers to treat shopworkers with consideration.

The retail sector, a collection of industry groups and the Home Office worked together in May to support #ShopKind Week, the annual awareness-raising initiative that aims to remind shoppers about the importance of being considerate to shopworkers and each other.

UK-wide polling highlights that 31% of customers are more anxious when they shop and 36% of customers have witnessed violence and abuse towards shop workers while shopping.

Figures from the Association of Convenience Stores’ annual Crime Report also show that almost nine in 10 colleagues working in convenience stores have experienced verbal

abuse over the last year.

The #ShopKind campaign is backed by the Home Office and supported by high street retailers, convenience retailers and trade union Usdaw.

In April, the Government announced that it would be introducing a separate offence in England and Wales for assaulting a retail worker, building on previous sentencing guidelines that made assaulting someone working in a store an aggravated offence.

#ShopKind Week ran from 6-10 May and gave retailers a platform to remind shoppers of the important role of shopworkers to communities.

‘Generational smoking ban’ edges nearer

Westminster MPs have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the ‘generational smoking ban’, passing the Tobacco and Vapes Bill by 383 votes to 67.

The bill still has to clear several legislative hurdles but it is possible it could pass into law as soon as the second half of this year.

It means anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will never legally be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco in the UK.

The bill also includes measures to tackle underage vaping, with new restrictions on the display of vapes, packaging and flavours.

MUP to jump 30%

The minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol in Scotland is set to rise by 30% from 50p to 65p per unit from 30 September after the Scottish parliament voted to back the proposal.

MUP has been set at 50p since Scotland became the first country in the world to implement such a policy in May 2018. The increase is intended to counteract the effect of price inflation.

It means the minimum price for a 70cl bottle of 37.5% ABV spirits will increase from £13.13 to £17.06.

A sunset clause in the MUP legislation meant the current rules would have expired at the end of April but MSPs voted by 88 to 28 in favour of extending them – with the increase thrown in.

The Perfect Summer Shave

Hot stuff

CT Baker’s Budgens of Holt is organising a Fire Walk that will take place on 23 October 2024.

Shoppers are being encouraged to buy tickets for the event which will be held outside the store between 5pm and 8pm.

Tickets are £10 per person, with a fundraising target of £100 per person.

All entrants will receive “an hour of motivational training” after which they will walk across burning wood embers

Local lovelies

“without experiencing any pain or injury”.

Money raised will go towards the Break charity, which aims to support young lives.

The initiative is the latest in a long line of charitable support from Budgens of Holt, which raised £7,522 for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust in 2023/24.

Budgens of Walkern in Stevenage is hotting up for the summer BBQ season with an expanded range of locally sourced meat products from local butchers Bridget B’s.

The range is available to shoppers the whole time that the store is open, from 7am till 9pm Monday to Saturday and on Sundays.

It includes classic British favourites such as sausages, alongside international inspired eats such as Texan Steak Kebabs, Chilli Cheeseburgers and Piri Piri Pork Medallions. The store also stocks a wide range of local bread and bakery products.

Footing the bill

Smiths Budgens of Codford in Wiltshire has helped to raise £515 for South Newton and Barford Football Club with an in-store bake sale. Proceeds of the bake sale will be put towards new kit costs for the team.

Charity climb

Budgens employee Connor Dobbin has climbed Ben Nevis in a bid to raise vital funds for the Macmillan Cancer support charity.

Connor successfully completed the challenge on 5 May and raised £280 for the charity.

Trail of success

One lucky shopper has won £100 worth of vouchers to spend at CT Baker’s Budgens of Holt, following the store’s Easter Eggventure treasure trail competition.

To be in with a chance of winning, shoppers had to follow a trail of clues that led them to 12 locations around the Georgian town of Holt.

The lucky winner was picked from a draw of 20 winning entries. A number of local businesses featured on the trail, including the local bakery, fish and chip shop, school and opticians.

GroceryAid commits £1m to School Essentials Grant

GroceryAid is set to provide £1m of support to retailing industry colleagues who have children of school age this year to help buy the essentials they need.

Industry charity GroceryAid has announced that its School Essentials Grant will make £1m of support available to convenience and grocery colleagues who have school-aged children this year.

The support has been made possible after GroceryAid secured funding from The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust.

Now in its fourth year, the fund provides a £150 non-repayable grant for every child of school age, up to a maximum of three children per eligible household, up to the fund total.

This year, it is estimated that more than 6,660 children will benefit from the fund, an 11% increase on last year.

are thrilled to be able to offer more children than ever the chance to start school with the essential items they need to have the best start to the school year.

“After listening to valuable feedback from our supporters, we are leaving applications open for three days to enable more people to apply. We want to ensure the application process is fair for shift workers and those who may not have access to a computer/phone during working hours. We will notify colleagues about the outcome of their application within six weeks.”

Applications Window 9am on 18 June –5pm on 20 June

Industry colleagues can apply for the School Essentials Grant on the GroceryAid website from 9am on Tuesday 18 June with an extended application window of three days and a closing date of 5pm on Thursday 20 June.

Sir Dave Lewis, Adviser to the Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust said: “The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust is delighted to support GroceryAid’s Schools Essential Grant, providing muchneeded assistance to grocery workers and their families during the expensive back-to-school period.”

Mandi Leonard, Welfare Director at GroceryAid said: “We

Successful applicants will be chosen at random from those who meet the criteria and have provided all the information requested.

Full details about the 2024 School Essentials Grant and eligibility criteria can be found at groceryaid.org.uk/finances/school-essentials-grant/

The space race

Budgens Pomeroy Street stands out from the crowd with its unique community space and range.

Seasoned convenience operator Amarjit Singh knows a good opportunity when he sees one. And he certainly picked a winner with his latest store acquisition – a high-spec 2,800sq ft, newbuild retail unit in residential Peckham.

Amarjit, who now operates seven independent stores in and around London with his wife Pritpal and their team of loyal staff, explains.

“I started out in the convenience industry 32 years ago when Pritpal and I bought our first store – a small CTN in central London. We still have that store, and over the years we have grown

the business with more sites, including a very successful unaffiliated organic food store called Organic Village Market which is located less than two miles from here.”

“That’s how came to learn about this site.

“We had a great feeling about it from the start. It’s a new-build, with flats above and it’s surrounded by housing and local schools.”

However, with a 2,800sq ft shop floor and a further 1,800sq ft of space upstairs, Amarjit and Pritpal were keen to take a different approach to

their newest store by signing up to symbol support.

“This was a large site, so we knew that we needed a large, well-established supplier who we could trust to deliver a high-quality and consistent range and service. Budgens just ticked all the boxes and were impressed with the look and feel of the stores.”

A six-week fit out began in late September ahead of Budgens Pomeroy Street’s Grand Opening on 10 November 2023.

And the new store certainly doesn’t fail to impress.

Once through the smart automated doors, shoppers are treated to the high-quality range, experience and service that they have come to expect from the Budgens brand.

A comprehensive fresh and chilled offer allows them to meet a wide variety of needs and meal solutions – with 10 doors devoted to chilled ready meals, milk and juices, and a further six doors holding chilled meats, deli products and cheeses.

The range includes a winning mix of products from Jack’s, as well as big brand manufacturers and goods from local suppliers.

There’s also three bays of fresh fruit and vegetables, many of which are attractively displayed in rustic wooden crates.

A tempting array of breads and bakery items is also on offer, including store-baked goods, packaged branded products and vegan sourdough breads from local supplier The Baker’s Art.

The store’s wide and well-lit grocery aisles meanwhile, are packed with a wide range of traditional and international

products, from cooking sauces to condiments, noodles and spices.

There’s also a one-metre bay for vegan and gluten-free products, including artisan pastas and gluten- free varieties from Rummo.

An eight-door food and drinks-to-go corner also offers shoppers a wide range of chilled soft drinks, sandwiches and snacking items.

Further needs are met by a smart Good To Go fixture featuring Tango Ice Blast, Think Fresh Shakes and Jolly Rancher Slush, the latter of which Amarjit says shoppers are “responding very well to”.

And that’s not all.

Coffee-quaffing shoppers at Budgens Pomeroy Street are also treated to a Grande array of choice from the Nero Roasting Company’s Aroma franchise concept – including hot and cold options and a choice to ‘drink in’ or ‘take away’.

The quality barista offer is complemented by a truly

FACTFILE

Store name: Budgens Pomeroy Street, Peckham, London

Retailer: Amarjit Singh

Size: 2,800sq ft

Staff: 12

Opening hours: 7am-11pm

Best-performing categories: chilled, BWS, food to go Services: PayPoint, parcel collection, National Lottery, work space and printing

mouthwatering selection of homemade products available from a striking glass-fronted serve over counter. The flavourpacked display includes a plethora of samosas, curries, pakoras, Turkish pizzas and much more.

“The products all come from our Organic Village Market store in East Dulwich where we have a fantastic production kitchen,” Amarjit explains. “Products are delivered fresh to Budgens Pomeroy Street every morning. Shoppers can take things away to heat up at home or they can have them heated up here to enjoy straight away.

“This range is proving to be a real hit with shoppers, especially at lunchtime and in the evenings. It really sets us apart.”

The range also includes an array of fresh homemade dips, including hummus and tzatziki, plus olives and fresh salads.

And the innovation doesn’t stop there. Up on the first floor, Amarjit has devoted a full 1,800sq ft to the creation of a unique community workspace and wellness centre.

Featuring free Wi-fi, desks and comfortable seating for solo worker or team meets, the space is open to anyone from the local community who has need of it.

“I’m of the mindset that we must support the local community wherever we can,” Amarjit says. “I truly believe that meaningful community support is the way to drive loyalty.”

The workspace is open to all from 7am until 5pm when it is then used for wellness initiatives such as yoga and fitness classes run by local trainers – with no charge for hire.

Users of the space are of course welcome to enjoy hot and cold refreshments from the store’s Aroma café and deli counter, but they are not required to. “There’s no pressure on that. That’s not what the aim is here,” Amarjit says.

“I’ve been so delighted with the reaction. It’s not just local adults using the space to work, more and more we are seeing it being utilised by local students who don’t necessarily have the space to study at home. We have a lot of GCSE and A-Level kids coming here to revise and do their homework in the space, which is so pleasing.

“We generally close the workspace at 5pm but one afternoon last week, two teenage girls who were using the desks asked me if they could stay for an extra hour as they hadn’t finished their studies. I was absolutely delighted that they valued the space so much. That’s exactly how I hoped it would be used.”

“We needed a well-established supplier who we could trust to deliver a high-quality and consistent range and service. Budgens just ticked all the boxes.”

Amarjit Singh

With so much innovation and goodwill, it’s little surprise that the local community has welcomed their store with open arms.

“We engaged with the local community from the start, especially on social media where we did a countdown to the store’s opening and shared regular pictures and news as the fit-out progressed. It was a great way to create that initial buzz.”

And the buzz just keeps on getting louder.

“The Budgens design team they have done a fantastic job on the design. The store looks fabulous and we consistently get lovely feedback from shoppers about its appearance and the great range.

“All categories are selling well, but fresh and chilled are the standouts. Shoppers really love the quality and value of the fresh products, especially the fruits, vegetables and of course the homemade products from our serve over counter.

“Sales are growing month on month and we’re anticipating a strong summer. There’s a lot of good yet to come!”

Eyes on the prize

Budgens Stowmarket has been years in the planning but it’s been well worth the wait.

It’s been almost three years since Minesh and Sanket Patel first set their eyes on the prize of a purpose-built retail unit on the outskirts of Stowmarket in Suffolk.

Located at the gateway to a brand-new mixed-use development, the 3,000 sq ft store represented a not-tobe-missed opportunity for the pair - who also own three successful Premier stores in the local area.

“Given its location and size, we knew that the store would do really well under the Budgens brand and as existing Premier retailers we were keen to stay within the Booker Group,” Minesh says.

“We were clear from the start that we wanted this store to major on fresh and chilled produce, including local products and food to go, so Budgens ticked all the boxes.

“The fact that there is no other Budgens store trading close by was another major bonus. We knew that the Budgens brand would bring something unique and very special to the local market.”

That unique new offering was presented to shoppers in February 2024, less than two months after the pair got the keys to the brand-new unit.

FACTFILE

Store name: Budgens Stowmarket

Retailers: Minesh and Sanket Patel

Size: 3,000sq ft

Staff: 6

Opening: 7am-10pm Mon Sat Sun 8am-8pm

Best performing categories: Fresh and chilled, grocery, soft drinks

Services: Free ATM, Paypoint

“The development includes 1,100 new homes and there’s no other convenience store here, so we knew that local residents would be crying out for a great quality convenience offering on their doorsteps,” Minesh adds.

“The demographic is quite mixed but there are lots of young families and young to middle aged adults, many of whom appear to be quite health focused. Demand for tobacco and alcohol is lower than in some of our other stores, while demand for fresh produce and health-focused products is very high.”

“As such, fresh and chilled products are currently leading sales,” Sanket says. “In terms of space we have three metres of fresh fruit and vegetables, two metres of fresh meat and a four- metre dairy cabinet.”

“We also have five doors of frozen foods which are doing very well, plus a Cook frozen food offer which has been excellently received by local shoppers and is acting as strong footfall and sales driver.”

Minesh and Sanket’s expert local market knowledge has also driven them to introduce a large number of lines from small and local producers.

“Thanks to our other stores, we have a really strong understanding of local needs and one thing we know shoppers want is local products,” Minesh adds.

“As a result, we have introduced a fantastic bakery offer from the renowned local bakery Palmers, who supply us with fresh bread and bakery products every single day.

STOCK UP ON DELICI US organic dairy

“We’re so proud of what we have achieved. We’ve had our eyes on this prize for a number of years. It’s been a long journey but we’ve made it and we can’t wait to get going!”

Sanket Patel

“We’ve also introduced local meats, some deli products, such as ham and local honey and we’ll be looking to add many more local lines over the coming months. It’s a great point of difference and shoppers really value it.”

“We’ve only been open a matter of weeks but in-line with our more health-focused demographic, we are also seeing strong demand for gluten-free and vegan options.

“We also have a metre bay for protein products which is also doing very well as are soft drinks, especially healthy products and international lines. In fact, we’ve already had to increase our range of American and international soft drinks lines inresponse to demand.

“We’re very customer focused and since day one, we have made it really clear to shoppers that we welcome their input into shaping the range going forward. If they ask us for it, we’ll stock it!”

The store’s range also includes a targeted food and drinks to go offer which is already proving to be a big hit with local residents and office workers alike.

“The development also includes office space so we knew that demand for a high-quality food to go offer would also be high,” Sanket adds.

“Thanks to our great range of freshly baked Country Choice products, one of the first things that shoppers often mention about the store is the delicious aroma when they first walk in.”

Complementing the hot food to go offer is a range of quality drinks to go including Costa Coffee, Think Fresh Shakes and Jolly Rancher Slush.

Shoppers also have access to a number of helpful new services such as Paypoint, Collect + and the National Lottery.

“Shoppers are thrilled with the range and the services that we offer but it’s about more than that. They are also so complementary about the store’s look and feel” Minesh adds.

“We have created a wonderful light and airy store. It’s got all the latest Budgens specifications and wherever possible we’ve used the highest quality materials and technology that we could get our hands on.

“We’ve not cut any corners with the store. From the premium floor tiles, to the quality ceiling materials and fixtures and fittings it’s all the very best. As a result, the store has a real wow factor that shoppers comment on. It’s a space that you feel very happy to be in.”

“We have also fitted a state-of-the-art sustainable Daikin air conditioning system which recycles heat back into the store.

“All lighting and refrigeration is also highly energy efficient and we’re also planning to have solar panels fitted on the roof. Saving money on energy costs is of course key but it’s about so much more than that. We want to do the right thing by the planet and reduce our impact on the environment as much as possible. That’s really important to us and it’s important to our shoppers too.”

Shoppers are certainly thrilled with Minesh and Sanket’s approach so far. The store’s Grand Opening Day was a riproaring success with shoppers queuing in the carpark to get a look inside.

“A good-sized development like this needs a fantastic store and shoppers agree that they have one. The reactions have all been so positive, we’ve been blown away to be honest,” Sanket adds.

“We’re also planning to engage in a raft of community activity over the coming months. We’ve already donated a hamper to the local school and told them that we would love to support any upcoming events. We’re planning to support the local football and rugby club too.

“We’re so proud of what we have achieved. We’ve had our eyes on this prize for a number of years. It’s been a long journey but we’ve made it and we can’t wait to get going!”

Euros cap stunning summer of sport

A fantastic summer of top-class sport is set to create endless opportunities for retailers to maximise footfall, sales and profits with the Euro Finals 24 in Germany the pick of the sporting bunch.

Strip 900x38mm

This summer has the makings of a cracker for retailers across the country, particularly if the sun shines for extended periods, but what is most likely to drive footfall and sales is a packed calendar of amazing sport. From the FA and Scottish Cup Finals, the Champions League Final to Wimbledon and the Olympics, there’s a back-to-back calendar of top-class sport to drive shoppers to your door more often.

The undoubted key opportunity, however, is the Euro Finals 24 held from 14th June to 14th July in Germany. It’s the first Euro Finals 24 since the pandemic pushed the 2020 event back to 2021, when Italy beat England in the final at Wembley. With both England and Scotland having qualified this time around, it’s sure to be a massive opportunity for stores.

Both home nations will play in three matches each in the first round, guaranteeing at least six huge chances to cash in across a range of categories.

EURO FINALS 24 GERMANY

14th Jun – 14th July

Additionally, Scotland have the unenviable task of facing hosts Germany in the opening match on 14 June. It may be a tough start to the campaign for the Scotland team, but it’s likely to be a great start to the footballing festival for stores with so much interest in the tournament.

The event features back-to-back matches for a full month and has the potential to provide retailers with an unbelievably strong start to the key summer trading period.

With the effects of the cost-of-living crisis still being felt, it also looks likely that many people will choose to watch the matches at home with family and friends, rather than venturing out to the pub. Indeed, the latest monthly Barclaycard Consumer Spending Report for April which combines hundreds of millions of customer transactions with consumer research, shows that almost half (49%) of shoppers are concerned about how much money they spend on food and drink. They are managing that challenge by reducing discretionary spending, with more than half of

Euro Finals 24: Key Matches

Germany v SCOTLAND – 8pm Sunday 16th June Serbia v ENGLAND – 8pm Wednesday 19th June

SCOTLAND v Switzerland – 8pm

Thursday 20th June

Denmark v ENGLAND – 5pm

Sunday 23rd June

SCOTLAND v Hungary – 8pm

Tuesday 25th June

ENGLAND v Slovenia

respondents (54%) saying they were cutting back on visits to pubs and restaurants.

That is likely to mean a wave of Big Nights In over the month of the tournament, representing a massive opportunity for retailers to grow sales in all key categories from soft drinks, snacks and confectionery to vapes, wine and spirits.

The biggest opportunity, however, is likely to come in the critical beer and cider categories.

SUMMER OF FOOTBALL

SCORE WITH BEER

As luck – and careful planning – would have it, the annual Budgens Beer and Cider Festival coincides with the Euro Finals 24 this year, guaranteeing retailers a host of marketleading deals to drive up footfall, revenues and profits.

The Budgens Beer and Cider Festival runs all the way through the Finals and features a huge selection of Group Exclusive

products, NPD, first-to-market packs and fantastic deals. The Festival is also being supported as usual by a full POS and digital support pack to help you build the excitement in the run up to the opening match and make the tournament unmissable for your shoppers all the way through to the final on July 14th.

THINK BIG

Among the many exceptional offers available is a range of 4-, 10- and 12-pack deals on big brand beers and ciders like Cruzcampo, Stella Artois, Heineken, Fosters, 1664 and Budweiser as well as Hobgoblin Session IPA, Thatchers Gold and many more.

Ranging from only £7.99 to £11 a pack, these multipack deals are sure to drive basket spend, especially if you are able to offer them chilled, something that the supermarkets can’t match.

If you don’t have sufficient chilled space, why not create visually-arresting floorstacks with these deals to grab customers’ attention and get them in the mood to start shopping for an exciting night in watching the match?

THINK EXCLUSIVE

All Budgens retailers know the power of the many exclusive deals that Booker has been able to deliver. Exclusive and first-to-market products are proven winners when it comes to driving footfall, especially when retailers use social media effectively to reach as wide an audience as possible.

The Budgens Beer and Cider Festival will feature a range of fantastic Group Exclusive products that will help you set yourself apart from the competition. These include Brewdog’s new Cold Beer in 10x440ml multipacks – the perfect product to light up your social media channels and stand apart from the competition.

If you don’t already take advantage of the SocioConnect solution that’s available, it’s certainly worth looking it – see our feature on p82. SocioConnect is an innovative solution that lets retailers manage all of their social media content across all popular platforms all from a single, easy-to-use app. No more having to log into each social media platform individually, SocioConnect allows you to manage all of your platforms from one place.

Importantly, the app also makes it easier than ever to access Booker’s centrally produced posts and then copy them across to your own social media pages in minutes with a minimum of fuss. This could help save time around the Euro Finals 24 when Budegns will be providing a wave of professionally created content to help grow footfall and sales around the tournament.

THINK CIDER

Cider comes into its own during the warmer summer months so expect sales to spike during the Euro Finals 24. Budgens Beer and Cider Festival has a selection of deals and products to help you cash in.

From Thatchers multipacks at just £11 to £7.99 offers on Stowford Press and Koppaberg Raspberry there’s a fantastic deal for every cider-loving football fan in June and July. Look out for 4x400ml packs of Strongbrow Strawberry too - they’re new and exclusive!

ADD SOME THEATRE

Last but not least, a simple way of adding excitement and driving sales during the Euro Finals 24 is to add some theatre in-store to bring the tournament to life for your shoppers.

Why not invest in some football strips for your team and hand out scarves to your shoppers? It’s quick and inexpensive and it can help elevate the whole experience.

STOCK & SCORE BIG PLUS FOOTBALL FOR

Power up!

Budgens retailers have all the tools they need to get fit for the future thanks to the launch of Booker’s new guide.

The fifth edition of Budgens’ Fit For The Future Guide has landed – and it’s the best one yet!

Available to Budgens retailers now, the guide is a veritable powerhouse of advice, insight and solutions – all of which have been specifically designed to help retailers grow sales and maximise cash profits in 2024 and beyond.

The latest edition focuses on three key areas: range, retail crime, and saving and making more money.

2. Retail Crime

1. Optimal range

Budgens retailers now have access to a comprehensive convenience range that covers all need states and allows their shoppers to choose from a truly compelling Good, Better and Best proposition.

Choice is now better than ever thanks to own-label and branded product enhancements as well as an increase in choice on price-marked packs.

The Budgens range now includes 346 new price-marked packs, including 96 new PMP confectionery lines, 80 new PMP soft drink lines and 26 new PMP spirit lines. That all adds up to a stonking 1,636 PMP lines in total now available to Budgens retailers.

Fresh and frozen choice has also been significantly improved, including more than 900 new products which are now available to Budgens retailers.

More space has also been devoted to fast-growing categories such as world beer and confectionery multipacks – which are growing at a rate of 10% year on year.

Act on it!

Be sure to check out Budgens’ new planograms which reflect the latest range updates!

Crime Fighting Deals

l Budgens retailers also have access to an exclusive Booker deal with Reliance Protect, whose body worn cameras can act as a visual crime deterrent. The deal offers exclusive pricing on 12-, 24- and 36-month contracts for their VT100 device. Email denise.gamage@ reliancehightech.co.uk for more info.

The Fit For The Future Guide also includes a raft of helpful advice and solutions to help Budgens retailers stand up to the growing menace of retail crime.

It also features easy to follow best-practice guidance on how to act in a variety of scenarios such as dealing with shop thieves, enforcing age restricted sales, refusing to serve intoxicated customers and robbery.

Act on it!

Please report all incidents of violence and abuse to the police.

l Budgens stores can also take advantage of an exclusive 15% off deal with Veesion. The clever gesture recognition system can detect suspicious gestures via CCTV, helping to strengthen security systems. Use code BOOKERVEE15.

l An exclusive deal on FaceWatch is also available. The system has been proven to reduce crime by up to 50% in the first year and improve staff retention and morale. For more info call 07967 500 952.

l A Booker Exclusive deal on Quail Digital Headsets is also on the table. Retailers who purchase three or more headsets can receive an extra one for free!

3. Save £££ to invest and grow

Budgens retailers can also make up to £165,000 with Booker’s new ‘Save £££ to invest and grow’ model.

The Fit For The Future 5 guide features 22 different solutions for retailers including new ranges, exclusive money-saving deals and profit-driving initiatives including:

MAKE £40,000 WITH VAPE!

Based on £1,750 sales per week with 45% POR on brands such as Elf Bar and Lost Mary.

SAVE £22,500 WITH SPEND AND SAVE!

5% Spend and Save now includes vape! Retailers could save up to £22,000! (Based on £17,000 a week spend and a 50/50 split between tobacco and non-tobacco.)

MAKE £12,480 WITH JACK’S!

Based on £4,000 weekly sales.

MAKE £5,500 WITH COFFEE CLUB!

Based on an average of 25 cups per day and with Booker-enhanced POR.

SAVE £2,000 WITH BARCLAYCARD!

Saving based on a sample of 10 retailers comparing existing rates versus the Barclaycard rate.

£ to Invest and Grow Guidance, Advice & Exclusive Deals

“We

If

Stewart Fenn, Sales Director, Booker Retail Partners.

Own brand key to meeting shoppers’ needs

With shoppers looking to cut the cost of their weekly spend, leveraging the power of Booker’s Jack’s and Euro Shopper brands is a great way to grow sales and profits.

Despite some light appearing at the end of the cost-of-living tunnel, the latest market data shows clearly that shoppers are prioritising cutting the cost of their weekly shop more than ever – creating a huge opportunity for great quality, great value ranges like Jack’s and Euro Shopper.

The latest monthly Barclays Consumer Spend Report for April shows a record 73% of shoppers are looking to cut the cost of their shop with many turning to own-brand products to help them achieve that goal.

Encouragingly, consumer confidence in their own household finances reached a 28-month high at 71% in April as food price inflation fell from 5.0% to 4.0%, but it remains clear that the data, which combines hundreds of millions of customer transactions with consumer research, shows that shoppers remain committed to cutting what they spend each week.

Budgens has quickly recognised this opportunity and is helping retailers boost their profits by increasing the PORs available on key everyday lines like the Jack’s cheese range.

The Jack’s cheese range features 11 different products from Jack’s Mature Cheddar and Jack’s Red Leicester to Jack’s Grated Mozzarella and Jack’s Grated Mature Cheddar.

All 11 of the products are price marked at just £2.49 providing shoppers with the reassurance they need they are getting the best possible value as well as the exceptional quality they have come to expect of the Jack’s range.

Just as important, until 16th July retailers can now secure huge PORs of 43.8% on every product in the Jack’s cheese range when sold individually. The range is available to shoppers on an ‘Any 2 for £4’ deal to drive basket spend but even when sold in this deal, retailers still make 30.0% POR.

Also available until 16th July is a special deal offering retailers £1.80 off a case of Euro Shopper bacon. Available in both Unsmoked Rindless Back Bacon and Smoked Rindless Back Bacon variants, the products cost just £9.00 a case and deliver PORs of 41.9%.

Jack’s Cheese

43.8% POR Range: 11 products

EDLP WSP: £13.99

RSP: £2.49 / Any 2 for £4

POR: 43.8% / 30.0%

POR SAVE £1.80

Euro Shopper Unsmoked Rindless Back Bacon

Case size: 12 x 150g

WSP: £9.00

RSP: £1.29

POR: 41.9%

Euro Shopper Smoked Rindless Back Bacon

Case size: 12 x 150g

WSP: £9.00

RSP: £1.29

POR: 41.9%

M286314 24pk M286315 4pk

M286316 24pk M286317 4pk

M286327 28pk M286329 4pk

Press here!

The Budgens Beer and Cider festival is back and brimming with a barrel-load of opportunities to drive sales and profits this summer.

The power of four

Four-packs continue to be a hugely popular format for convenience shoppers and once again the Budgens Beer and Cider Festival has you covered with a plethora of great deals on 4-packs from leading brands. Deals include a special offer of £5.99 on 4x440ml packs of Madri, Staropramen, Birra Moretti, and Guiness Draught – all of which offer PORs of more than 20%!

Summer’s almost here and bringing with it the promise of long sunny days and warm evenings – perfect for picnics in the park, garden get-togethers and a multitude of funfilled outdoor sporting occasions and events.

And thanks to the return of the Budgens Beer and Cider Festival, Budgens stores will be able to offer their shoppers a refreshing array of perfect pairings to their summer festivities.

Running from 23 May until 17 of July, the Budgens Beer and Cider festival features an extensive array of Group Exclusive products, NPD, first-to-market packs, outstanding deals and more.

As always, the activity will be supported by a comprehensive programme of high quality in-store POS and digital support to make sure

The Budgens Beer and Cider Festival runs from 23 May to 17 July –throughout the NP4 and NP5 promotional periods.

the festival is unmissable for your shoppers.

It’s the perfect opportunity to bring more shoppers to your door more often and to encourage them to spend more on each trip.

EXCLUSIVELY YOURS

As all Budgens retailers will be aware, there’s nothing quite like Group Exclusive products for driving footfall and sales. Stocking products that are not available in your competitors’ stores is a powerful way to generate fresh footfall, particularly if you shout about the exclusive products on your social media channels.

The Budgens Beer and Cider Festival will feature a range of fantastic Group Exclusive products that will help you set yourself apart from the competition.

MIX IT UP!

Mixed packs which offer a range of different flavours and formats are a popular choice for shoppers over the summer season.

Budgens retailers can offer their shoppers a great deal on Brewdog Mixed Cans with an RSP of just £11 for an 8x330ml pack. The deal offers retailers a POR of 15.02% too.

Delightful display

Running from 23 May to 17 July, the Budgens Beer and Cider Festival lends retailers a refreshing opportunity to create attractive off-shelf displays.

If space allows why not try creating a picnic-themed display in store using hampers, picnic cloth and apples to highlight some of the great deals on offer?

SUMMER BEER & CIDER

Themed off-shelf displays not only create an attractive point of difference in-store but also look great online too, so be sure to post pictures on your social media pages.

Group Exclusives include Brewdog’s new Cold Beer which is available to retailers in multipacks of 10x440ml. Featuring the fantastic-value RSP of £7.99, new Cold Beer is made with a combination of pale and light Munich malts. The crisptasting lager has an AVB of 3.4% and each multipack of 10 offers retailers a POR of 17.55%.

HEADLINE DEALS

Category is also experiencing growth of 1.8% year on year.

[SmartView Convenience MAT Oct 23]

As well as bringing your shoppers exclusive and first-tomarket products, the Beer & Cider Festival will also deliver footfall and sales-driving deals throughout the duration of

These deals include fantastic-value RSPs of only £7.99 on a range of big brand multipacks including Stowford Press cider, Carlsberg Pilsner and Fosters Shandy, which are all available in multipacks of 10x400ml.

The Beer and Cider Festival also includes a striking ‘only £10’ deal on 10x440ml multipacks of Cruzcampo, Fosters, Strongbow, Carling, Coors, Hobgoblin Session IPA and more.

PLANT-BASED PROTEIN

INGREDIENTS

nakd. Protein Peanut Butter 16 x 45g

nakd. Protein Cocoa Hazelnut 16 x 45g

£1.40 RRP

9g

PLANT-BASED PROTEIN

FRUITY FUSIONS

When it comes to cider, fresh and fruity flavours look set to continue dominating the NPD agenda and shopper demand this summer.

Cider sales are currently growing by 4.5% year on year in Great Britain and 1.8% in Scotland, driven by Flavoured and Premium ciders.

Once again, Budgens’ Beer and Cider Festival has everything you need to make the most of this trend with a jam-packed array of fruity fusions including 10x330ml cans of Kopparberg Raspberry, which are available to shoppers for just £7.99. Other deals include Thatchers Apple and Blackcurrant 10x330ml for £11, offering retailers a POR of 13.93%. Multipacks of Strongbow Tropical Cider are also on offer for an RSP of just £5.99, offering a POR of 20.23%.

LOW TO NO ALCOHOL

The low and no category continues to grow its share of the total market and this summer will prove no exception as shoppers seek out light and refreshing options to accompany their summertime festivities.

Within independent convenience, the low to no alcohol category is now rapidly growing and worth more than £7.7m sales a year.

Within lager specifically, low and no products are seeing growth of just under 30% year on year. In fact, low and no is one of only two sub-categories seeing growth in the channel – the other being craft. [SmartView Convenience MAT Oct 23]

The Budgens Beer and Cider Festival also includes an array of great deals on low and no beer and cider brands including 10x440ml packs of Bud Light which are available to shoppers for an RSP of just £7.99, offering retailers a POR of 17.5%. Also on offer is Corona Ligera for an RSP of £5.99 for 6x330ml. The newly launched light beer has an ABV of 3.2% and is designed to appeal to mid-week drinkers and those looking to moderate their drinking more generally.

On point!

The Budgens Beer and Cider Festival will be supported with a wide array of eyecatching point of sale material to help retailers make the most of the event and create engaging displays both on and off shelf.

This years suite of materials for Budgens retailer includes header boards, barkers, shelf strips and pennants.

lager, low and no products are seeing growth of just under 30% year on year.

[SmartView Convenience MAT Oct 23]

POS features a picnic theme complete with green grass, gingham cloth and a selection of tasty drinks and snacks.

Jolly good show!

Booker’s Retail Trade Shows at Doncaster and Sandown showcased Booker’s choice, price and service muscle.

Retailers from across the country raced to the Booker 2024 Retail Trade Shows in their droves, keen to grab a slice of the many fantastic deals on offer and see the best of Booker’s choice, price and service.

Live at Doncaster Racecourse on 14 March and at Sandown on 20 March, both shows offered retailers the chance to take advantage of a great mix of exclusive trade show-only deals.

Representatives from hundreds of leading suppliers were on hand to talk retailers through their key initiatives and developments for 2024 – and of course to offer bags of tasty treats to take away.

Retailers could also enjoy a range of cookery demonstrations and the chance to see and sample some of the very latest new product developments about to hit the shelves.

They were also treated to a showcase of key brand initiatives, including the opportunity to get up close and personal with interactive food-to-go zones.

Budgens retailers could touch, taste and talk all about Budgens’ smart Good To Go concept, including the many drinks solutions available.

Retailers also had a fantastic opportunity to learn more about Booker’s Exclusive own-brand ranges including latest innovations from the Jack’s and Euroshopper brands.

And of course, with ample seating, great views and food and drinks aplenty, both shows also provided the perfect place for retailers to meet, greet and exchange ideas with each other – as well as key Booker team members.

Booker’s sterling sustainability efforts were also on display at the Booker Planet stand where Booker’s sustainability manager Cath Marsdon and her team were on hand to talk to retailers about the five pillars of its ‘Better Trolley For A Better Planet’ initiative and the many ways in which Booker is working to better serve its customers, communities and the planet. On display were new Jack’s milk chocolate covered peanuts and raisins which are coated in delicious Rainforest Alliance certified chocolate.

“Our store is a large family-run Budgens forecourt site. We’ve been with Budgens for just over seven years now and I always look forward to this show. It’s fantastic to be able to see so many key suppliers under one roof and to see the new products in the flesh rather than on a planogram.”

Goren Raven, Raven’s Budgens Abridge, Romford

Will Old, Brown Forman

“The shows are always a fantastic opportunity to talk to retailers about new products and latest initiatives and we’ve been delighted to see such a great crowd today. Driving value is a key focus for the market at the moment and because of that the big focus for us today is our new Jack Daniels PMP packs. 70cl bottles now come with a PMP of £23.49 and our 30cl bottles with a PMP of £12.99.”

David Mooney, Off-Piste Wines

“The canned wine market is in massive growth right now so it’s fantastic to be here and be able to speak with so many retailers at the start of what should be a fantastic summer festival season. We’ve had a lot of interest in our newest launch for Most Wanted cans which is a 0.5% sparkling Sauvignon Blanc. With its canned format, low ABV and just 28 calories per serve, its hitting all the key trends of the moment.”

Marco Querci Della Rovere, Ferrero

“The better for you and protein bars categories are continuing to report strong growth and we’ve had a lot of interest in our new Fulfil Chocolate and Salted Caramel Protein and Vitamin bar today. We have a range of seven flavours with more in the pipeline and a great trade showonly deal offering retailers a POR of 40%.”

Jo UnileverBriggs,

“The Booker shows always provide the best opportunity for us to talk to retailers and let them get up close and personal with new products as we head into the crucial summer ice cream season. This year the Walls brand has some fantastic new products that we are shouting about, including Magnum Euphoria Pink Lemonade and Magnum Chill Blueberry Cookie.”

CHARLIE BINGHAMS READY MEALS!

LASAGNA

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

FISH

TAKIS FUEGO

HOVIS SIMPLE WHITE ROLLS

BREWDOG COLD BEER

HOVIS SIMPLE WHOLEMEAL

JACK’S BLUEBERRY MUFFINS Case

There’s a buzz

about Booker!

Booker’s pioneering project to introduce bee hives to its sites has continued to flourish in recent months with apiaries now thriving at its Hatfield, Eccles and Haydock sites where they are creating a buzz locally.

BEES UNDER THREAT

Neonicotinoids, or ‘neonics,’ are a group of pesticides that were once widely used in the UK until a growing body of scientific evidence highlighted the damaging impact that they were having on our pollinators. After years of campaigning, these chemicals were banned for outdoor use in 2018. A single teaspoon of this type of chemical can kill 1.25 billion honeybee. Even tiny traces of these toxic chemicals play havoc with bees’ ability to forage and navigate, with catastrophic consequences for the survival of their colony. Sadly, for the fourth year in a row, the government has temporarily lifted this ban, instead of embracing solutions that work with nature. (Source: Bumblebee Conservation Trust)

Booker’s commitment to helping make the planet a little better every day is by now extremely familiar to retailers and there have been many fantastic initiatives and projects along the way. And there is one unusual project that perfectly demonstrates the creativity, commitment and passion of the outstanding team at Booker: the famous Booker Bees!

Keen readers of Londis News will recall that back in 2018 a group of willing colleague volunteers set out a plan to start an apiary at Hatfield Distribution Centre in Hertfordshire. The volunteer beekeepers, with the help of the local

beekeepers association (BBKA), soon had three hives set up on an unused area of the site and filled with colonies of bees.

While this was clearly an interesting and fun project for everyone involved at Booker, there was a serious and important point to it. Bees play a crucial role in pollinating plants which then contributes to the production of various fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that are essential in human and animal diets.

Like many animals, bees are greatly affected by climate change.

Warmer weather and changes in the environment cause some flowers to bloom earlier or later than usual, leaving bees with fewer food sources at the start of the season. Bees also suffer habitat loss from development, abandoned farms, and the lack of beefriendly flowers, This is precisely where the Booker bees project comes into its own. Thanks to its team of dedicated volunteers, Hatfield has managed to maintain the apiary ever since. Since then, two further Booker sites – Eccles and Haydock – have also introduced apiaries, with both colonies settling in well.

WENDY’S ADVENTURES IN HAYDOCK

Wendy Pennington has worked at Booker’s Haydock Regional Distribution Centre as a Warehouse Administrator for 11 years. Here she tells the story of how she has helped bring an apiary to the site.

“I first got interested when I found an article on the OurBooker intranet site about the apiary at Hatfield and I thought this would be a great idea for Haydock. I contacted the Sustainability Team to ask about the possibility and, as a result, we got a visit from Douglas Waight who had been instrumental in setting up the Hatfield apiary. We had a walk around site and Douglas found us the perfect spot for an apiary!

“We began preparing the area, removing some tree stumps and laying down some tree bark, we then ordered some fencing to create a boundary, along with a shed to store all the equipment. I was introduced to a local beekeeper who kindly agreed to be our mentor here and he invited me to visit some of his hives on a local farm close to where I live.

“During the visits I was given so much information and had the experience of opening the hives and learning about what to look out for in preparation for when our bees arrive. Eddie, our mentor, agreed to take me to collect the bees when they were ready for us, to guide us through the following weeks, and to visit the site as and when we need any advice or help.

“We plan to continue working on the area around the apiary in the coming months, planting flowers to supply our bees with as much pollen and nectar as we can. Wild flower seeds will be planted, and we have someone who is starting some sunflowers for us to plant. We will only start to see the real benefits next year, but we plan to create a natural environment for our bees to thrive in.

“Going forward, we are confident our hives will be successful and provide us with a good supply of honey! Hopefully we can add another hive in the near future but for now we are just enjoying working on this fascinating project, gaining some new skills and contributing to protecting our environment.

“And after all that work, I’m delighted to confirm that we finally took delivery of our bees during the May Bank Holiday. They appear to be settling in well and happy in their new hives – and the team at Booker Haydock is buzzing too!”

Use social media to drive footfall and reach new customers

Budgens retailers across the country are making use of Booker’s exciting free service which takes the stress and hard work out of efficiently managing your social media networks.

SocioConnect: the lowdown

Sign up to use Booker’s centrally created posts and copy onto your social pages for FREE!

l You can opt in to use Booker’s centrally produced posts on your own social pages – either all posts, or just cherry pick those that relate to your store.

l Manage all your social networks from one place – no more logging into separate networks.

l Track each post’s performance.

l Message shoppers directly and respond to their messages.

l Plan promotional posts in advance, or let the app do it for you.

l Compatible with phone and/ or desktop.

l It’s super easy and it’s FREE!

“It’s just a great service and easy to use. Keeping our page alive even when we are busy with other store work. Many thanks.”

Budgens Camp Road (Aiden’s)

Social media is, as most retailers will be well aware, one of the most powerful tools available to help drive footfall, reach new potential shoppers, highlight promotions and engage with the local community.

Finding the time, however, to manage social media networks, create regular posts and answer queries can be difficult in a busy store.

That’s why Booker has recently relaunched a fantastic solution that

can make posting regular, high-quality content to multiple social media networks quicker and easier than ever before – and it’s entirely free.

Relaunched at the recent Booker Trade Shows, SocioConnect is an innovative solution that lets retailers manage all of their social media content across all popular networks all from a single app. No more having to log into each social media network individually, SocioConnect allows you to manage all of your networks from one place.

All you have to do is register, then download the SocioConnect app to your phone or, if you prefer, you can do it all from your desktop.

So it’s easy to understand why almost 100 Budgens retailers have now signed up to use the completely free service and take their social media activity to an entirely new level.

Once you’ve signed up and connected your channels, you are ready to start turbocharging your social media

output, driving more footfall, attracting new shoppers and engaging more effectively with your local community.

Did you know that so far in 2024, Budgens stores signed up to SocioConnect have received an average reach of 1.7k people per month? They also have an average of 25 posts going out on their social pages per month!

The app even makes responding to comments on your pages a piece of cake. Again, you can do it all, across every network, all from within the SocioConnect app.

Additionally, the app has some powerful functionality that allows Budgens retailers to track the performance of every post, helping them work out which posts are most popular and allowing them to continually tailor their new posts to achieve maximum reach and shopper engagement.

On top of all that, the app allows you to access Booker’s centrally produced videos and images. The solution provides you with a full bank of easily accessible content that has been professionally designed and will help you enhance your own pages.

A varied range of promotional posts are available, as well as engaging content to entertain your social media followers.

The app allows retailers to plan posts in advance to ensure that they appear on the platform at exactly the right time. That could be to coincide with the launch of a new promotional period, for instance, or to highlight new products that are being listed in-store.

The SocioConnect solution was initially trialled in a pilot of 30 stores and resulted in a mammoth 180% increase in posts and a 179% increase in followers!

How do I sign up?

1

Visit www.

socioimplementation.com/ booker-stores-signup or scan the QR code below, then enter your email address and store number. You will then be sent an email to allow you to create a password.

2

Download the SocioConnect phone app, or you can use your desktop.

3

Link your social media pages to access branded content and scheduled posts from Booker. You’re good to go!

Drive footfall and sales with Yext

Booker’s successful partnership with Yext has been extended, helping Budgens retailers to improve their all-important web search results and boost sales into the bargain.

£20m Sales increase forecast

The world wide web has been revolutionary in its ability to help customers quickly find what they want and help retailers grow footfall and sales. Now, thanks to a new partnership between Booker and online data management platform Yext, Budgens retailers have a meaningful and significant opportunity to drive even more shoppers and spend to their door.

If you’ve ever spent time trying to ensure that all your various online listings and data are correct and up to date, you’ll know how time consuming that process can be. Regularly updating every listing on every major search engine as well as various relevant directories is clearly important, but it’s a huge task – and that’s precisely where Yext comes in.

Available to all Budgens retailers absolutely free, Yext enables stores to keep all their online information in one place and update all major search engines and directories with just one simple click.

Booker has recently announced that it has now extended its

partnership with Yext, representing a significant investment but it is forecast to be money well spent. It is estimated that Yext could help generate a £20m retail sales opportunity across the group.

What is Yext?

Yext is an online data management platform where you can update your business information once in just one place and it then updates it everywhere for you.

It helps you to manage key information about your business, such as its address, phone number, opening hours, products, menus, services and more, across all search engines and social media platforms. No more inaccurate opening times or out-of-date information!

Critically, Yext also helps to improve your store’s visibility and ranking in web searches. In other words, ‘you’ appear much closer to the top of the page in online searches.

How will Yext help you?

Yext will help Budgens store owners to ensure that Google and all other major search engines have your most up-todate information on their platforms.

In trials, a 77% increase in ‘Get Directions’ searches was seen for stores on Google Maps – proving that Yext really can help to drive footfall to your store.

How much does it cost?

Nothing! Booker is providing access to Yext for all Budgens retailers FREE OF CHARGE.

What do I need to do?

If you haven’t claimed your Google business listing, then you don’t have to do anything.

Delicious baking made easy

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M281784

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M281787

If you have claimed your business, then follow the below guidance:

STEP 1: GOOGLE LISTINGS PERMISSION EMAIL

If you have already claimed ownership of your Google business listing, you will have received an email from Google with the subject line: ‘You’ve received an ownership request’.

l Click on the blue ‘Respond’ button.

l Click on the link to accept Booker as an owner of the profile.

l If you don’t respond to your Google Listings Permissions Email, Google will send a postcard in the post.

l The postcard will contain a five-digit code and link to complete your registration.

STEP 2: USING YEXT

l Following launch, you will receive an email from Yext, inviting you to register with the platform.

l Click on the link at the bottom of the email.

l Set up your account and password.

l Your store information can be updated in the Knowledge Graph panel and Entities sub menu. All amendable information is indicated using a pen icon.

l You can also enable SMS updates to make changes using your mobile phone.

Harnessing the power of Yext, Budgens retailers really do have the opportunity to be at their digital bests, improving their web search results and ultimately boosting footfall and sales into their stores.

Talk to your Budgens RDM or visit help.yext.com for more details.

77% increase in ‘Get Directions’ searches on Google Maps

Sharing

innovation and insight

James Lowman shares some of the insight he gained from the recent ACS Conference in Birmingham.

The recent ACS Conference gave delegates the opportunity to share insight, views, news and innovations from across the sector.

Our annual conference is always a fantastic way to pick up nuggets of information and insight that will be useful to retailers and suppliers in upcoming discussions about their businesses and this year I was really impressed with the learnings that our speakers and panellists shared on the day. Here are some of the highlights of what was discussed, insights that I hope will resonate with many of you reading this.

First, we heard the idea that space constraints are a driver of innovation. When stores have space constraints, retailers need to adapt, prioritise, and embrace technology that can make their stores more efficient. For example, Zabka stores in Poland utilise fully automated food-to-go offers and day part marketing through the use of technology to boost profits. Paul Stone, who operates as a multi-site Spar retailer, ensures that he cuts space from underperforming categories when needed to ensure profits can remain maximised.

Next up, we heard about being measured with change – essentially taking a ‘two steps forward, one step back’ approach. It was highlighted that it is important and often quite normal to drop failed initiatives, as this is a part of natural innovation and will ultimately lead to growth.

Thirdly, it was clear during the day that the rate of change is speeding up. While retailers may not always find themselves being able to adopt every new trend, they can benefit from

embracing innovative new products and making space for them to shine.

In the first of our panel sessions with independents and large retailers, we heard about the importance of a loyal customer base and not just a loyalty card offer. While loyalty cards can be powerful engagement tools, retailers should always prioritise building a loyal customer base, which many retailers have managed to do despite having no loyalty card scheme in their stores.

Getting maximum value from every colleague in store is more important than valuing space. Retailers should consider using technology to remove unnecessary tasks for colleagues and protect them from the rise of retail crime, and this will ultimately help retailers keep the employees they cannot afford to lose.

Finally, we were all inspired by the stories of care-experienced people and the employment opportunities that have improved their lives. Retailers can work harder to find new colleagues in places that might be overlooked, such as careexperienced people, refugees, ex-offenders, and ex-forces personnel. With the core value of the convenience sector being to treat every customer and colleague with respect, this is a natural place for all to feel welcome regardless of their background.