Your Budgens February 2023

Sales

are flowing at Budgens Sandyford Road

The Jack’s rollout is now almost complete Eliminate food waste in three simple steps

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A YEAR OF opportunity

A very warm welcome to your first issue of Your Budgens in 2023, with a whole new year and a world of opportunities ahead of us. There’s no doubt that 2023 will be another challenging one for many shoppers but we firmly believe that Budgens has the offer to help grow your business.

It was interesting to read the very recent Barclaycard report which found that almost half of all shoppers are turning increasingly to own-brand products in order to secure the very best value from their hard-earned cash in 2023. With utility bills continuing to increase, it’s clear that shoppers will be more focused on value than ever before.

The great news is that in Jack’s and Euro Shopper, Budgens retailers have the products to offer outstanding value everyday without shoppers having to sacrifice on quality. The entry-level Euro Shopper range is likely to be in big demand over coming months so it’s worthwhile reviewing your range to ensure that you have everything your shoppers will need. Don’t forget to also make the most of the free POS available.

In this issue you’ll find features on both of these outstanding exclusive own-label ranges and find out more about how you can drive footfall, sales and profits with Jack’s and Euro Shopper while also delivering the fantastic value and quality that today’s shoppers are looking for.

With sustainability more important than ever, Booker has partnered with three great organisations to help Budgens retailers completely eliminate food waste – you can read more about that inside too. As well as eradicating food waste, these solutions can also help you recover and minimise costs as well as sending a positive message to your communities.

Besides all that, there’s the usual mix of customer profiles, new product information, news and views.

I hope you enjoy the issue and wish you all fantastic trading in 2023!

Budgens retailers have the perfect tools to make the most of this fresh new year of opportunities

is growing in Independent and Symbol stores so make sure you are maximising all seasons in store and exciting your shoppers

Seasonal Convenience Confectionery shoppers have a £12.50 higher spend per visit!**

The main mission is a planned top-up, so availability of branded best sellers like Cadbury is key**

More affluent shoppers tend to buy seasonal confectionery so stock premium products to trade-up customers**

75% shoppers buy gifts from different stores; advertisingevents will maintaintheir loyalty**

Plan early to maximise sales. Shoppers who buy early continue to buy through the season

Advertise the event in store and on social media

Chocolate, flowers and alcohol are the most popular gift combinations, so display them together

Create eyecatching displays to attract customers and encourage impulse purchasing

Consider advertising other occasions to drive sales like ‘Big Night In’, Birthdays and ‘Just Because’

Industry News

Unwrap greater choice, price and service at Booker’s 2023 Trade Shows in March.

Booker unveils dates for 2023 Trade Shows

Budgens retailers are invited to register now for Booker’s innovation-packed Trade Shows, set to take place in March 2023.

Held at Doncaster Racecourse on 16 March and Sandown Racecourse in Surrey on 23 March, both shows will be packed with top suppliers plus an array of new exhibitors offering retailers the very best in choice, price and service.

Retailers attending the shows will also be able to see and sample new products and take advantage of Exclusive Trade Show-only

deals plus market-leading WOW deals.Free products, inspiring cookery demonstrations and an array of fantastic competitions will also be on offer.

The shows will also give retailers the perfect opportunity to meet and talk with Booker Teams as well as fellow retailers.

Retailers will also be able to find out the latest on the 500-plus Jack’s products which are exclusively available to the Booker Group now.

Booker Trade Shows 2023

l Doncaster Racecourse 16 March

l Sandown Racecourse 23 March

l Shows open from 9.30am to 4.00pm

l New exhibitors

l Top suppliers and new products

l Market-leading WOW deals

l Meet and greet with Booker Teams

l Cooking demonstrations and sampling sessions

l Free products and competitions

l Exclusive Trade Show-only deals

l 500 Jack’s products exclusively available to Booker Group

Half of shoppers ‘choosing own-brand’ to save costs

ACS urges MPs to support rural shops

The ACS is encouraging MPs to support its Rural Shops Pledge by recognising the crucial role that rural shops play in their constituencies.

New research into the way shoppers are reducing their outgoings in the new year has found that almost half (49%) are choosing to buy more own-brand products to help them manage their outgoings.

According to Barclaycard, average spending on utility bills increased by 40.6% in December, leading almost two-thirds (65%) of shoppers to proactively seek out ways to get more value from their food and drink spend.

Over one-third of shoppers (34%) say they are planning to prepare healthier or cheaper meals by batch-cooking at the weekends, offering another opportunity for Budgens retailers to meet their needs with a strong range of key own-brand ingredients.

The survey also found that around half of all shoppers (52%) plan to cut their discretionary spending on ‘luxury items’ with eating out at restaurants

(63%) the most popular way to do so.

This offers another opportunity for retailers, as Esme Harwood, Director at Barclays, said: “When purse strings tighten, the categories which tend to perform well include takeaways as a substitute for meals out, and staycations instead of holidays abroad.”

The trade body is calling for more support for rural areas as part of the government’s ongoing levelling up agenda.

The call came as the ACS launched the 2023 Rural Shop Report, which highlights the crucial contribution that the UK’s 17,720 rural shops make. This year it reveals:

l Rural shops provide local, flexible and secure jobs to 142,000 local people.

l More than one in four rural shops provide local grocery deliveries.

l More than three in four rural shops have engaged in community activity over the last year.

l Rural shops have invested £214m in their businesses in the past year.

Camelot acquired by incoming operator

Allwyn AG, which is set to run the National Lottery from 1 February 2024, has reached an agreement to acquire Camelot UK Lotteries.

The Czech-based company was granted the licence to operate the National Lottery earlier this year. It has confirmed that it is working with Camelot and the Gambling Commission to ensure the transition goes smoothly.

The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals, including from the Gambling Commission.

A new report from Barclaycard has found that almost half of all shoppers are choosing ownbrand products to help them save money and balance their budgets.

Government scales back energy support

The government has announced that it will scale back the energy support scheme it provides to UK businesses when the current scheme ends in March. The current scheme effectively controls the wholesale price that is the main component of businesses’ energy bills. After extensive consultation, the government will be moving away from this model on 1 April and instead providing a subsidy to electricity bills of 1.96p per kilowatt hour for all business customers paying over a minimum rate.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: “Wholesale energy prices are falling but to provide reassurance against the risk of prices rising again we are launching the new Energy Bills Discount Scheme, giving businesses the certainty they need to plan ahead.”

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman described the new package, however, as “woefully indadequate”. He said: “By moving to a subsidy on energy bills and failing to target specific sectors or those

worst affected, the government has spread £5.5bn support over every type of business, the result being a level of subsidy that is ultimately pointless.

“This policy will have very serious consequences for our members and the customers and communities they serve. Our sector is resilient, plays a vital role in communities, and in fact offers energy bill payment facilities for millions of customers including the most vulnerable. It is not too late for the Chancellor to reconsider the support he is offering, to find practical ways of targeting it more effectively.”

More resources needed to tackle illegal vapes

The government must provide trading standards with better resources to tackle the UK’s illicit vape trade, the Association of Convenience Stores has said.

The call comes as an ACS survey of trading standards enforcement officers reveals that 61% don’t believe they have the resources to tackle the illicit trade.

ACS has developed comprehensive guidance that includes everything that retailers need to know to recognise legitimate products, as well as the age verification policies that should be in place to ensure that products are only sold to those who are legally allowed to purchase them. View the guidance at www.acs.org. uk/advice/selling-vapes

Veganuary hits new record

The 10th annual Veganuary campaign saw a record-breaking sign-up rate of one person every 2.4 seconds, according to new YouGov research. The campaign saw people pledge to go vegan for the whole month of January and represents a clear opportunity for retailers to target this growing market.

YouGov research shows 9% of Brits have taken the pledge at least once since it launched in 2014, with 53% of past participants having done it more than once. In total, 85% of non-vegan past participants have reduced their consumption of animal products since doing Veganuary, while 23% have become vegan.

There has also been an increase in plantbased consumption among people who have not taken part in Veganuary, with 37% saying they eat more plant-based food now than 10 years ago.

A new scaled-back energy scheme for businesses has been confirmed by the government ahead of the current scheme ending in March.

By joining the Booker Group Energy Club, you can potentially gain access to better terms on your energy bills, as hundreds of other Booker Group customers have done. Simply email info@sb-solutions.co.uk or call 03448 222 802 and quote your Booker Group Customer Number to find out what you could save.

M212371 Happy Hippo

M261987 Kinder Country

M115492 Bueno White

M940140 Bueno Classic

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Sustainability ‘more important’ to 61% of UK consumers

Spending up 10.6% in 2022

Total consumer spending grew 10.6% in 2022 compared to 5.9% in 2021, as the lifting of all Covid-19 restrictions encouraged people to shop more in-store and eat on the go more often, according to Barclaycard.

Bricks and mortar retail stores saw spending rise 8.3% while online retail spending fell by a significant 12.2%. Spending on essential items such as food and drink grew 6.3% in 2022.

Nearly two-thirds of UK consumers feel sustainability is more important to them than it was two years ago, with 30% saying this was because of personally being impacted by extreme weather events, new research reveals.

NielsenIQ’s latest study – The Changing Climate of Sustainability –shows global consumers say that cost

(41%), access (35%), and a lack of clarity (26%) stop them from adopting more sustainable lifestyles.

The study also revealed that: l 55% of UK consumers try to make sustainable choices when they can. l 18% say sustainability is an important priority in their daily lives.

Unsurprisingly, spending on utilities rocketed by 32.%, with shoppers telling Barclaycard that they were increasingly concerned about rising household bills. There was also a 28.3% rise in fuel spend driven by surging petrol and diesel prices and increased car use.

Some 69% of shoppers said they were actively looking for ways to reduce the cost of their weekly shop with more than half (51%) switching to own brand products.

Fatboy Slim to top Barcode bill

Industry charity GroceryAid has named Fatboy Slim as headline act for this year’s Barcode Festival.The event will be held on Thursday 6 July at Magazine London, with the aim of raising more than £900,000 to help support grocery colleagues in need with free and confidential emotional, practical and financial support.

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Deposit Return Scheme Plans confirmed

Booker presented with a GroceryAid Gold Award

Booker has been presented with a GroceryAid Gold Award in recognition of its support and fundraising efforts for the industry charity throughout 2022.

The UK government has confirmed that it intends to launch a deposit return scheme (DRS) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2025 following an extensive consultation. The government says the consultation found 83% support for a DRS, five years after the scheme was originally due to be introduced. Meanwhile, a DRS is set to be introduced in Scotland on 16 August this year.

The scheme will see shoppers pay a small deposit on each drinks containers they buy with the deposit returned to them when they bring the container back for recycling. Unlike the Scottish scheme, the DRS will not include glass and will be restricted to plastic and cans. The scheme will include automated reverse vending machines allowing shoppers return their bottles and receive their deposits back without input from store staff.

The intention of the scheme is to reduce littering and pollution.

Home delivery remains vital for independent retailers

New research from Lumina Intelligence has revealed that home delivery remains an important revenue and profit opportunity for independent retailers. The company’s Convenience Delivery Report found that younger shoppers aged 18-24 are the key group to target, as they over-trade by 13% compared to the total convenience market.

The report found that shoppers are most likely to use convenience delivery for ‘top up’, ‘meal occasions’, ‘treats’, ‘entertainment’, and ‘gifting’ missions.

Seasonality was also highlighted as a key driver for convenience delivery with colder weather prompting an increase in usage. Easter 2022 saw the peak in spend per item, again suggesting seasonal opportunities.

Price has become increasingly important to consumers with a 7% increase in its importance year-on-year, says the report, while household budget challenges and reduced concerns around Covid-19 led to an overall decline in convenience delivery usage from 2021 to 2022.

In 2022, GroceryAid provided 28,204 instances of support to industry colleagues - a 61% increase on the year before.

With cost-of-living worries set to increase in 2023, GroceryAid expects to see even more colleagues turning to it over the coming months.

The Gold Award has been presented to the companies and organisations which provided the charity with the highest levels of support over 2022, participating in eight activities across all three of its “critical pillars” including: Awareness, Fundraising and Volunteering.

Other companies to have been presented with a Gold Award include M&S, Spar, Diageo, Highland Spring Group, CCE and Premier Foods.

The government has confirmed that from 2025 it plans to introduce a deposit return scheme for drinks containers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Are you ready for GroceryAid Day 2023?

GroceryAid Day 2023 is fast approaching, and the industry charity is encouraging independent retailers to get involved and help ensure that everyone in their team is aware of the free, confidential support available to them.

With the clock ticking down towards GroceryAid Day 2023 on 10 May, industry charity GroceryAid is urging Budgens retailers to get involved in this vital awareness-raising event.

The annual GroceryAid Day was created to be a high-profile opportunity for the entire industry to come together and make sure everyone in our industry is aware of the free and confidential support services the charity can offer to industry colleagues in need of financial, emotional or practical help. Support is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The charity works on behalf of the entire

industry and, unfortunately, demand for its services has never been higher following the challenges of the last few years. Last year over 220 businesses took part in GroceryAid Day and the charity reached millions of people through company engagement. This increased level of awareness contributed to a 61% increase in incidences of support last year, but there are still so many people who don’t know about the free and confidential support available to them.

GroceryAid Day 10th May 2023

the message and ensure that everyone within your business knows that professional help is available, free and confidentially.

With a new year underway, it’s the ideal time to remind your team about the welfare services GroceryAid provides. To order free posters, leaflets and wallet cards for your store, visit: groceryaid.org.uk/get-involved/orderprinted-materials/.

By getting involved in GroceryAid Day 2023 you and your team can help share

GroceryAid has also produced a ‘Save The Date’ kit to share internally with colleagues. Visit groceryaid.org.uk to download a kit.

To register your interest in taking part or if you have any questions about GA Day, please email news@groceryaid.org.uk.

Booker presented with a GroceryAid Gold Award

Booker has been presented with a GroceryAid Gold Award in recognition of its support and fundraising efforts for the industry charity throughout 2022.

In 2022, GroceryAid provided 28,204 instances of support to industry colleagues - a 61% increase on the year before.

With cost-of-living worries set to increase in 2023, GroceryAid expects to see even more colleagues turning to it over the coming months.

The Gold Award has been presented to the companies and organisations which provided the charity with the highest levels of support over 2022, participating in eight activities across all three of its “critical pillars” including: Awareness, Fundraising and Volunteering.

Other companies to have been presented with a Gold Award include M&S, Spar, Diageo, Highland Spring Group, CCE and Premier Foods.

Fresh foot forward

A quality fresh and chilled offer is scoring top marks with Budgens Sandyford Road’s student shoppers.

Just over one year ago, it was the sound of taps, rather than tills, that could be heard running through the interior of 132 Sandyford Road, which formerly traded as a bathroom store.

Today however, tubs and tiles have been replaced with aisles and smiles, following a transformative refit of the site which is now trading as a highly successful 1,500sq ft Budgens store.

Owned by retailer Noreen Akhter and managed by Stephen Hutchinson with the support of his Budgens RDM Jerry Tweney, the site was opened on 6 December 2021, after the team spied an opportunity to create a quality convenience proposition, featuring a strong focus on fresh and food-to-go.

Despite its modest size, the 1,500sq ft store’s fresh participation currently stands at 38%, with more than 450 fresh lines.

Its prime location, just a USB stick’s throw from Northumbria University’s main campus, means that students account for the vast majority of footfall and, as manager Stephen explains, those students are all about the fresh.

“Fresh sales are huge here – driven by our unique demographic. We’re surrounded by student accommodation and primely located on the main road to the university, so the footfall that we get is huge and fortunately the students have really embraced our offer,” Stephen explains.

“These students like to cook fresh every day. They choose to buy fresh pastas and fresh pasta sauces as well as fresh

soups over ambient varieties. They are also keen to scratch cook and be self-sufficient. When we first opened, we were confident that fresh would be a top-selling category but we had no idea that we’d sell the volumes of broccoli and parsnips that we do! We also sell a large amount of fresh meats such as steaks and chicken breasts which they use to make their own stir fries and curries.”

Fresh ready meals, such as the Jack’s-branded pizzas and pasta dishes are also “strong sellers” with the store’s freshfocused student shoppers.

“They also love the price and promotions offered by the

Jack’s brand,” Stephen adds. “We offer the full range of Jack’s ready meals and students can’t get enough of them, especially the Spaghetti Bolognaise and Ham & Mushroom Tagliatelle which offer excellent value for money at £6 for two.

“Students are value driven but they are also happy to pay for quality – that’s what’s most important to them. If you can offer them great quality and value combined then you’re on to a real winner – and that’s why the Budgens brand has proved to be so powerful here.”

“In an ideal world we would offer even more fresh, but we

have to work with the space that we’ve got and we’ve increased the number of deliveries from three to four a week since opening, which is helping us to ensure the best possible availability and meet shopper demand,” Stephen adds.

Also responding to shopper demand is an enhanced range of ‘free from,’ vegan and organic products which are now available throughout the store and across a wide range of categories including cereals, snacks, fresh, confectionery and beyond.

The store’s second-biggest-selling category is BWS which accounts for 20% of sales – led by chilled wines and lagers.

“We are very white, rosé and lager-dominant, and since opening we have reduced the number of red wine lines that we stock and given more space to chilled wines, ales and lagers.

“We’ve currently got four chilled bays for rosé and white wine, and now we are hoping to give chilled

FACTFILE

Store name: Budgens Sandyford Road, Newcastle on Tyne

Store size: 1,500sq ft

Manager: Stephen Hutchinson

Staff: 13

Services: National Lottery, PayPoint

Opening hours: 7am – 11pm

Best-performing categories: Chilled, BWS

“Students are value driven but they are also happy to pay for quality. If you can offer them great quality and value combined then you’re on to a real winner – and that’s why the Budgens brand has proved to be so powerful here.”

Stephen Hutchinson

wines an additional two bays, in line with demand,” Stephen adds.

“Before opening we expected to see strong sales of pre-mixed cans and spirits, but wine sales are far more significant. Our shoppers are just as happy to pay for more premium wines as they are for value-for-money options. It’s a real mixed bag.”

Confectionery sales are also offering a “mixed bag” of opportunities, with sales driven by multipacks from both Jack’s and the big brand confectionery makers. American Candy, which is merchandised in a half bay, also sells, although not as strongly as more traditional brands,” Stephen adds.

Also selling strongly is the store’s vape range which was extended and re-housed in a smart display unit out on the shop floor just a few months after the store opened.

The range is heavily promoted both in-store and on social media, where Stephen is “very proactive” about putting on and shouting about deals.

An on-trend food - and drinks-to-go zone located at the entrance to the store also offers lecture-bound student shoppers a mouth-watering selection of hot and cold options

to take away, in the form of Costa Coffee, Tango Ice Blast and Fwip, plus an array of hot food products from Country Choice.

There’s also an indulgent range of fresh Dunkin Donuts for shoppers with a sweet tooth.

“Food - and drinks-to-go account for a major slice of our sales,” Stephen explains. “We get large amounts of passing trade from students and also the many other people who work in and around Newcastle city centre.

“It’s still in its infancy, but already it’s so clear that Budgens Sandyford Road is a great success and there’s still so much more room to grow,” Stephen says.

He’s got a point. Since starting off at a “genteel” £20,000 a week, store sales soared to £30,000 and are now sitting pretty at £35,000 a week on average and “growing week on week”.

“There’s no such thing as a lull in this store, we’re busy from the moment our doors open at 7am until they close at 11pm. It’s exhausting but it’s also one of the most vibrant, fun-filled and engaging places I’ve ever worked. I can’t what to see the future holds,” Stephen concludes.

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TASTY BARS, JAW-DROPPING SALES

Zero food waste in three easy steps…

Budgens retailers can entirely eliminate food waste, recover costs and support their local communities by taking advantage of three fantastic partnerships.

Booker is helping Budgens retailers completely eradicate food waste, reduce costs and bring major benefits to their local communities with three exciting partnerships.

With the cost-of-living crisis continuing to affect many shoppers in your community and a growing awareness of the need to refocus on sustainability commitments, Booker is helping Budgens retailers entirely eliminate food waste in three easy steps:

1 Use Too Good To Go to sell shortdated food and recover costs.

2 Use OLIO to donate surplus food not sold to your local community for free, and save on food disposal costs.

3 Use FareShare to set up a donation box for your shoppers to support local charities with collections provided by FareShare.

By taking advantage of these three partnerships, retailers can ensure that not a single food or drink product is wasted – and getting involved with all three solutions couldn’t be simpler.

Step 1: Too Good To Go

Help to sell short-dated food and deliver income.

Step 2: OLIO

Donate surplus food not sold to your local community for free and save on food disposal costs.

Step 3: FareShare

Set up a donation box for your shoppers to support local charities.

OLIO

OLIO: Summary

l 6.5 million Olio app users

l 68,000 food-safety trained volunteers

l 6,000 participating stores

Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go: Budgens 2022 Summary

l 67,000 Magic Bags sold

l 29,800 unique shoppers

l 168 tonnes of Co2 saved

l 171 stores signed up

Too Good To Go is the world’s largest business-to-consumer app for surplus food and has over 2.5m registered users in the UK.

How does it work?

Retailers sign up on the Too Good To Go website, then download and log in to the app. After that, all they need to do is preload the portions of unsold food as ‘Magic Bags’. Shoppers then buy them through the app and collect in-store at the time set by retailers. Generally, Magic Bags should be sold at around one-third of the cost of the contents.

Benefits

Too Good To Go lets retailers minimise food waste and win back costs on products that would ordinarily have gone into the food recycling bin. Additionally, it can help you reach new shoppers and increase footfall. Your local community is also sure to appreciate your commitments to reducing food waste and helping the planet. Each Magic Bag sold through Too Good To Go is subject to a £1.09 fee with a yearly admin cost of £39. This is deducted from what retailers are paid each quarter.

How to find out more

Want to learn more? For more information or to sign up, visit toogoodtogo.co.uk and you can download the app on both Google Play and the Apple app store.

While Too Good To Go is a fantastic way to sell short-dated products, if any products remain unsold, don’t worry – you can use OLIO to ensure that the unsold food doesn’t go to waste. OLIO is a hassle-free way for Budgens stores to redistribute more of their unsold food. There are 6.5 million OLIO app users in the UK and a team of 68,000 volunteers help ensure OLIO provides a fast, reliable service for retailers.

How does it work?

OLIO couldn’t be easier for retailers to take advantage of.

1 Notify: Your team simply scans a QR code to let OLIO know there’s food to collect.

2 Prepare: Your team prepare unsold food for collection.

3 Collect: An OLIO volunteer arrives at an agreed time to collect unsold food for free.

4 Share: The volunteer arranges collections with people in their local area.

OLIO will collect all edible food waste including hot, chilled or frozen food, loose ingredients and cooked meals. They will collect food up to the ‘use by’ date and will collect any volume of unsold food from carrier bags to full pallets. Collections are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be ad hoc or regular, as specified by the retailer.

Admin fees apply

Benefits

Sharing unsold food through OLIO is an easy way to support families in your local area, especially during the cost-ofliving crisis.

Cath Marston, Head of Sustainability at Booker, commented: “At Booker, we’re proud to have been working with OLIO for the last two years. During that time we’ve donated over five million meals, and supported 17,000 local families and charities with good, edible food that would have been thrown away.”

How to find out more

Want to learn more? Get in touch today at olioex.com/business or by emailing business@olioex.com. Alternatively, you can call 07729 130 824.

FareShare

You can even help generate additional donations to support vulnerable people by working with FareShare to set up a donation box in your store for your shoppers to support local charities.

FareShare is the UK’s largest charity redistributing surplus food to frontline charities and community groups that support vulnerable people.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Speak to your RDM about having a FareShare dumpbin and relevant POS installed in-store. Once the dumpbins are full, retailers can contact FareShare who will come and collect the donations.

BENEFITS

The FareShare scheme allows your community and shoppers to play their part in helping fight food poverty and waste.

FareShare redistributes food to a wide range of charities and community groups across the UK such as drop-in services, lunch clubs for older people, breakfast clubs for disadvantaged children, homeless hostels and domestic violence refuges.

HOW TO FIND OUT MORE

Want to learn more? Simply get in touch with your RDM who will be happy to help.

I’ve really enjoyed OLIO so far and met some really lovely people who are all close friends. We are struggling a bit at the moment, so it’s been a huge help the past couple of weeks. Thank you to everyone who gave to us. Once we are back on our feet we hope to give back to those who need the help too. OLIO is the best!

Sammy, OLIO user

Euro Shopper: more relevant than ever

Value has never been more important to shoppers in today’s challenging economic times, which is why the outstanding entry-level Euro Shopper own brand is more important ever.

EURO SHOPPER: FAST FACTS

l Launched over 15 years ago

l More than 70 products in the range

l All products pricemarked with eyecatching yellow band

l Over 50,000 customers buy Euro Shopper products regularly

l Minimum 30% POR – with many lines offering more than 40%

Launched over 15 years ago, the Euro Shopper range now includes over 70 price-marked products and consistently provides a winning combination of exceptional value and excellent quality. Just as important, the entire Euro Shopper range also delivers for retailers: every single product offers a minimum POR of 30% while many products offer PORs in excess of 40%.

Euro Shopper has grown to become one of the bestselling value brands in independent retailing, with over 280,000 shoppers buying Euro Shopper products regularly.

VALUE AND QUALITY

With pressure on household budgets, Euro Shopper is set to play an even more important role moving forward, allowing Budgens retailers to offer their shoppers a brilliant-quality entry-level own-brand range that doesn’t mean compromising on quality.

The independent proof of that quality can be found in the many industry awards that the range has picked up over the years, including several Quality Food Awards, with a ‘Gold Q’ for Euro Shopper Baked Beans. Other Q winners include

Drink in the value!

The Euro Shopper soft drinks range offers a great value option for every occasion. The range includes:

Chocolate heaven!

The Euro Shopper chocolate range is as popular with retailers as it is with shoppers and includes:

*All prices correct at time of going to press.

Euro Shopper Mild White Cheddar, Classic Ice Creams, Euro Shopper Bacon and Euro Shopper Jaffa Cakes.

Before launch, every Euro Shopper product is benchmarked against for taste and is tested for quality. These quality tests continue throughout the life of the products, ensuring they always meet the demanding standards of both retailers and shoppers.

In addition, every product must meet stringent own-brand standards around minimum processing, healthier products, transparency and ethical production, labelling regulation and safety standards.

For example, all soft drinks fall under sugar tax levies and FSA salt targets.

VALUE FOR ALL

Perfectly complementing the fast-growing Jack’s range, Euro Shopper was specifically developed for independent retailers and is exclusively available from the Booker Group.

The extensive range provides the ideal entry-level offer for retailers, ensuring they can offer their shoppers maximum value every day of the week while also delivering truly excellent quality.

The range covers many key product categories including soft drinks, confectionery, tea, coffee, bacon, homecare, chilled and grocery – with every product priced extremely competitively. All products in the range are price-marked to help reassure shoppers and the iconic yellow price band acts as a signpost in stores, ensuring shoppers can quickly and easily see and appreciate the value delivered by the range. A raft of free POS material is also available to help support the value message

Additionally, the price-mark is shown on the outer cases in branch to help retailers find products quickly and easily.

Now may be the perfect time to take a fresh look at your range in-store and see if there is more you can do with Euro Shopper to meet the changing needs of your shoppers.

Making bacon!

The Euro Shopper bacon range is among the most popular products in the range, delivering brilliant value and quality:

*All prices correct at time of going to press.

“The general aim is that each product in the range should be approximately half price or less when compared with the leading brand.”

Everyday essentials!

Shoppers can choose fantastic value, exceptional quality products from the Euro Shopper range to meet their everyday needs. The range includes:

Domestic Bliss!

The Euro Shopper range features a selection of great quality homecare and domestic lines delivering fantastic value, including:

*All prices correct at time of going to press.

Stock up now Stock up now

Value and quality

The rollout of Booker’s Jack’s own brand is now almost complete, giving Budgens retailers access to 530 great-value products with PORs of at least 30%* with more to come.

Shoppers often rein in their spending at the start of a new year but 2023 looks set to see shoppers being more careful than ever with their hard-earned cash after the excesses of the festive period and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

New research from KPMG predicts that two-thirds of shoppers will be seeking to reduce non-essential spending in 2023, with the reduction of meals out and takeaways being the top two ways in which shoppers plan to save money.

Given those challenges, it’s clear to see the need for Budgens retailers to offer shoppers quality and value – and this is precisely where the Jack’s own-brand range excels.

The rollout of the exclusive Jack’s range is now almost complete, with Budgens retailers now able to access 530 greatvalue products that allow shoppers to keep spending in check, without compromising on quality.

The vast majority of products in the Jack’s range are price-marked, something that research has repeatedly shown helps inspire trust and confidence in shoppers.

The Jack’s range is already delivering extremely well in Budgens stores, with sales up double-digits on previous ownbrand sales.

Jack’s grocery and non-food ranges are performing exceptionally well.

Jack’s products are supported by a wide range of high-impact promotions, including attention-grabbing ‘2 for’ deals across many categories, including chilled ready meals. Retailers also have access to a wealth of high-impact POS to further support the range

Stephen Hutchinson, manager of Budgens Sandyford Road in Newcastle on Tyne says:

“Shoppers love the price and the promotions offered by the Jack’s brand, the Jack’s Spaghetti Bolognaise and Ham and Mushroom Tagliatelle are two of our best-sellers and offer excellent value for money at £6 for two.”

The Jack’s range is clearly landing well with shoppers but the extremely strong PORs available mean the range is just as popular with Budgens retailers themselves.

Most Jack’s lines deliver at least 30% POR with a large number of the lines already launched carrying even stronger PORs of more than 40%. Some, such as Jack’s Swing Bin Liners offer PORs of as much as 44.4%!

Covering every key product category, the Jack’s own brand caters to a vast range of different shoppers.

The range will also benefit from a number of exciting new developments as Booker continues to help Budgens retailers set themselves apart from the competition and drive those all-important sales and profits.

A raft of new product launches is planned over the coming months across important categories like cake, grocery, frozen, crisps & snacks, soft drinks, fresh, confectionery and deli – so there will be plenty to maintain shopper interest as the year progresses.

Among the planned launches is a new range of three premium sausages that will launch early in spring. Sharing high-end product specifications with Booker’s top-quality catering Black Gate range, the superior sausages will be available in Traditional Pork, Cumberland and Lincolnshire variants.

Each of the smart black packs will also feature the eye-catching ‘Part of the Tesco Family’ messaging, something many Budgens retailers have said is critical in generating shopper trust in the brand.

Answering the shopper call for healthier snacking products, Budgens retailers can also expect to see the launch of 12 new Fruit & Nut snacking products, including Roasted Pistachios, Almonds and Chocolate Fruit & Nut Mix.

Two new SKUs of Jack’s-branded Olive Oil are also planned to launch in the first quarter of the year, as are and an extended Jack’s cake range will be made available over the next few months.

Booker will also be supporting Budgens retailers

Sign of the times

Budgens retailers have access to a suite of highimpact, top-quality POS to help them signpost and showcase the Jack’s brand.

The POS kit available to all Budgens retailers includes:

l Shelf cards

l Shelf strips

l Freezer vinyls

l SEL backers

l Posters

l Barker ears

Budgens retailers can also order extra materials from the Budgens printshop including banners and spare POS kits.

30%* minimum POR

A total of 531 Jack’s products have now been launched, representing 97% of the of the entire range that will soon be available to Budgens retailers.

“Fresh sales are huge here - driven by our unique student demographic. Students love the Jack’s fresh pastas and fresh pasta sauces as-well as fresh soups. They are also keen to scratch-cook and be self-sufficient. We sell huge volumes of Jack’sbranded broccoli and parsnips, plus fresh meats such as chicken breasts which they use to make their own stir fries and curries.”

“Fresh ready meals, such as the Jack’s branded pizzas and pasta dishes are also strong sellers.

with detailed category and merchandising advice for the Jack’s range which will help them continue to grow footfall, sales and profits with this gamechanging range.

Speak to your RDM for more information.

“Shoppers love the price and the promotions offered by the Jack’s brand, the Jack’s Spaghetti Bolognaise and Ham and Mushroom Tagliatelle are two of our

offer

Sandyford Road, Newcastle on

best-sellers and

excellent value for money at £6 for two.”

Stephen Hutchinson, Manager of Budgens

Tyne

SNAX

New Tobacco Club pricing now in eff ect

Budgens is advising retailers that they can boost their bottom lines by joining the Budgens Tobacco Club, which now features new pricing and a number of lower WSPs.

Sale price must be at or below the manufacturer’s RSP to comply with the Tobacco Club T&Cs

NEW TOBACCO CLUB LINES

SOVEREIGN KING SIZE BLUE TOBACCO TRACK AND TRACE

COMPLIANT

Case size: 10x20 WSP: £78.82

RSP: £10.65 POR: 11.2%

SOVEREIGN SUPER KING BLUE

Budgens is advising retailers that they can secure stronger PORs on more than 20 leading tobacco products by joining the Budgens Tobacco Club, which now features new pricing from 9 January and lower WSPs across a number of lines.

Some of the leading brands included in the Budgens Tobacco Club offer retailers PORs of up to 18.1%.

The Club has also been bolstered at the start of the new year with new products: Sovereign Blue King Size and Super King – both of which offer retailers PORs of 11.2% when sold at the RSP of £10.65.

Speak to your RDM now to sign up to Tobacco Club and benefit from lower WSPs and bonus PORs.

TOBACCO TRACK AND TRACE

COMPLIANT

Case size: 10x20 WSP: £78.82

RSP: £10.65 POR: 11.2%

LOWER WSPS

l Earn up to 18.1% POR

l Market-leading RSPs

l Over 20 lines across cigarettes and RYO

l New products

Tobacco Club Lines

*All prices correct at time of going to press.

Time to shine!

2022 proved to be a glittering year for Budgens retailers, with stores and retailers from across the country celebrating high-profile wins at the key industry awards, recognising convenience retailing excellence.

Now, at the start of a brand-new year, Budgens retailers face a fresh calendar of opportunities to win big.

Winning industry awards certainly has its benefits and these extend way beyond the glitz and glamour of the ceremonies themselves.

AWARD / EVENT

SLR Awards 6 September 2023

www.slrawards.com

Asian Trader Awards 7 November 2023

www.asiantraderawards.co.uk

Retail Industry Awards Date TBC

www.retailindustryawards.com

Convenience Retail Awards Date TBC

www.theconvenienceawards.com

PLAN OF ACTION

The start of the new year is the perfect time to plan ahead for the industry awards you intend to enter in 2023.

Entering awards can take time, sometimes around 30 minutes for each individual category, so be sure to devote enough time to the process so you don’t end up rushing the result.

Entering industry awards can be a great way of sharpening your game and if you win, so much the better. Your Budgens is here to help you build a winning entry.

PICTURE PERFECT

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so make sure you include photos or video that bring your entry to life. Ensure that all pictures you submit are of a high resolution and infocus.

Stick to the point. It’s tempting to include pictures of everything in your store but if they don’t relate to the specific category or initiative you’re describing, leave them out.

SLOW AND STEADY

Take the time to read the entry form carefully! Each of the industry awards have different entry processes and questions so it’s vital that you understand the requirements before you begin.

Some of the awards will allow you to upload your entry in a word document format, while others will require you answer specific questions directly via an online form. When deciding which categories to enter, the best place to start is by focusing on areas of your store that you feel you have made great progress with over the last year.

2022’s shining stars

Sweeney’s Budgens of Wendover in Buckinghamshire claimed the Independent Community Retailer of the Year accolade at the Retail Industry Awards 2022 and Community Retailer of the Year at the Convenience Retail Awards 2022.

Judges were “blown away” by owner Dary Sweeney’s efforts to help his local community with strong charity initiatives and offering work experience to the local Academy.

NUMBERS GAME

Some of the awards request specific figures, such as sales per square foot, weekly or annual sales, average basket spend and sales increases. Have your epos data handy to help you do this.

Try to answer all questions as accurately as possible and with the most up to date data.

Resist the urge to miss out any questions.

Many entry forms carry specific word limits and try to keep within those limits.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

Looking back at past winners and reading the judges comments can help you to understand why they won and inspire you.

If the category you are entering has a specific industry supplier sponsor, don’t be afraid to flatter them by mentioning them by name in your entry and including their products in your photos.

A win, or even a shortlisting, can have a hugely beneficial effect on your business, highlighting your store’s strengths to suppliers, local shoppers and your community, as-well- as to fellow retailers and the wider industry. Winning retailers also say that awards are a great way to recognise and motivate your hard-working team.

The process of entering also delivers benefits -prompting you to assess your store’s strengths – and identify areas for future development.

Keen to see your name in lights this year? Read our handy guide to help you be a winner in 2023.

NEVER GIVE UP

If you do enter but don’t get shortlisted or win, don’t give up! Entering awards is a skill that needs to be developed – and there’s always next year...

Budgens retailer Jayaseelan Thambirajah, who owns the MSP & Noble Group, claimed the Convenience Chain of the Year accolade at the Asian Trader Awards 2022.

“Winning this award meant so much to me but also to our incredible members of staff. We employ 140 people across our sites and a win like this is so motivating for everyone involved. We are already working hard to ensure that we win big in 2023! At MSP & Noble Group we strive to offer the very highest standards and winning awards is a wonderful way to recognise all the hard work that is put in every day,” he told Your Budgens.

Budgens

Many happy returns to all those celebrating their time with us. More than just a brand, Budgens is a family of like-minded convenience retailers whose focus is to provide a much-needed service to their local community.

Grimsby, Lincolnshire HORDLE

Lymington, Hampshire

Abbey Heath, Thetford, Suffolk

Store openings and refurbs

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Promoting a safe

community

The #ShopKind and Women’s Night Safety Charter initiatives are helping retailers promote safe, respectful communities and ACS is urging Budgens retailers to get involved.

We know from talking with consumers that convenience stores have the most positive impact on the local areas where we operate. That’s partly by being there and providing a vital service, but it’s also about what we do to add value to the community. This might be in the form of charity work and positive engagement, but it’s also about promoting a safe community, and being a place that customers feel they can rely on and turn to.

This is one of the reasons we’re encouraging convenience retailers to sign up to the Women’s Night Safety Charter to contribute to helping women feel safer when walking around at night. The Women’s Night Safety Charter started as a London initiative but has since been rolled out wider; local shops in all areas are being encouraged to consider these steps to make streets safer at night in their communities.

Here are four easy steps that you can consider:

l Say hello to everyone who comes into your store –acknowledge customers so you both know that each other are present;

l Keep your store well-lit into the evening – show people that you are open and operating;

l Engage with your community on social media – having

an online presence will increase familiarity with people in-store;

l Be aware of helpline numbers – call 101, 999 or your local Safer Neighbourhood team.

These are simple steps that many of you are probably already taking, but signing up to the charter and talking with your colleagues about how you can help could make a practical difference and send a really powerful message about your commitment to your community.

Of course, the safety of you and your colleagues is also paramount. You will have seen our #ShopKind campaign which encourages kind and respectful behaviour in stores and we’re pleased to see how retailers have been engaging with this campaign, displaying the posters and nominating #ShopKind Champions to raise awareness amongst both colleagues and consumers.

You play a crucial role in keeping colleagues and customers safe, I hope these resources help you to do this even better, and to promote your commitment to your customers.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with a member of the ACS team for more information.