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SUMMON THE FLAVOUR they WANTA
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Industry
Bhavin
AN AUTUMN OF opportunity
As autumn descends, along with it comes a whole new array of opportunities to grow sales and profits.
After what has been a mixed summer in many respects, it’s time to look forward to an autumn full of opportunities as we begin the slow wind up to the crucial festive period once more.
Before Christmas arrives however, we have a wealth of occasions and events to cash in on that can help us drive up footfall, sales and profits. Key among them is Halloween, a festival which is grown in importance over the last five or 10 years. This presents a great chance for Budgens retailers to really leverage the interest and excitement that now abounds around the annual scary season – and it’s not just kids that enjoy Halloween these days!
We have a bumper package of promotions, NPD and POS support to help you and your team ensure that your store is ready to make the most of Halloween and Bonfire Night.
Despite the various legislative challenges that lie ahead for the category, vaping remains critical for Budgens retailers. It drives big sales in many stores and offers very strong PORs, which is why Budgens is offering a new improved pricing package for retailers, all the way through to next April when the disposables ban is likely to come in. We’re also bringing plenty of NPD to market, including rechargeable options that can help you get ahead of the game.
With social media more important than ever, you’ll find a great piece in this issue on the fantastic SocioConnect solution we have which helps you manage all your social media networks quicker and more efficiently than ever before. It also gives you access to professionally created content that you can reshare instantly to help grow awareness and sales.
And, naturally, we have a feature inside to help you begin your Christmas preparations and ensure that the festive period is a cracker this year.
I wish you all fantastic trading over the next couple of months.
Industry News
Budgens retailers are set to benefit from a new strategic partnership agreed between Booker and Snappy Shopper to help drive home delivery trade.
With home delivery remaining a vital growth opportunity, Budgens retailers are in line to benefit from a new strategic partnership between Booker and leading home delivery service Snappy Shopper.
The new partnership has been created to help drive trade for retailers in an increasingly important market and will further enhance the home delivery options available to Budgens retailers, helping to drive sales and cash profit.
The quick delivery market is thriving in the UK with nearly 70% of the population able to take advantage of fast deliveries online. The food category, particularly snacking, dominates this market, presenting a significant growth opportunity for retailers.
Budgens retailers sign up to the delivery service online and local shoppers simply choose their store via the Snappy Shopper website. Items can be delivered in as little as 30 minutes. The new agreement between Booker and Snappy Shopper will further enhance the home delivery options available to Booker retailers.
Colm Johnson, Managing Director of Booker Group, said: “We are delighted to be enhancing our offering with Snappy Shopper. To offer our retailers a brilliant partnership alongside helping them grow is another fantastic step for us.
“This partnership forms part of our continued focus to deliver the best choice, price and service for our retailers.”
Jisp offers up white label loyalty platform
After three years of developing its Scan & Save loyalty and rewards platform, Jisp has announced its plans to provide a white label version of the proposition.
The technology company said it “felt the time was right to open the solution up to other businesses who wished to run a loyalty scheme but did not have the technology or resources to do so themselves.”
Data shows shoppers are becoming savvier, with 80% of consumers in the UK now regularly using smartphones to access loyalty cards and vouchers.
Jisp’s white label opportunity allows businesses to utilise the technology and solutions developed through Scan & Save, while aligning it to their own brand.
The platform also comes with an established retail media proposition including in-app advertising, push messaging and competitions.
Independent retail enjoys ‘biggest growth since January’
The latest Barclays Consumer Spend report shows sales in independent retail grew at their fastest rate since the start of the year while supermarket sales remained flat.
Sales in independent retailing outlets in July grew at their fastest rate since January, up 3.5% year-on-year (YOY), according to the latest Barclays Consumer Spend report which provides an in-depth view of UK spending.
This improved performance was in stark contrast to sales in supermarkets which flatlined at 0.0% YOY in the same month.
Much of the increased spend in convenience stores was attributed to BBQ-related purchases as shoppers made the most of the infrequent sunny days this summer. Fast food and food-to-go sales also grew, up 2.2%.
Shoppers remain discerning when doing their weekly shop with the majority (63%) continuing to look for ways to cut back on grocery spending.
Shoppers’ confidence in their household finances and their ability to live within their means fell by 2% and 3% respectively. Some 45% of shoppers continue to focus on ownbrand products and promotions to help them save money.
Total shopper card spend did, however, fall once again in July, down 0.3% YOY - a slight improvement on June’s figure of 0.6%. This was largely driven by poor weather.
DRS timetable confusion continues
Too Good To Go hits 40 million
Budgens retailers helped food waste company Too Good To Go hit a new milestone recently as the initiative announced that 40 million Surprise Bags have now been saved from going to waste.
Around 10.7 million tonnes of food are wasted every year in the UK, costing the nation an estimated £21.8bn. The 40 million Surprise Bags equates to a C02e saving of the equivalent of 18,770 flights around the world.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh made a surprise announcement last month by confirming that the new Labour government intends to roll out a UK-wide deposit return scheme (DRS) ahead of the October 2027 date originally proposed in March by the previous Conservative government.
However, Defra has since said that it has no plans to implement the new DRS ahead of schedule.
The scheme will include PET bottles and steel and aluminium drinks cans but is not expected to include glass. It is also expected that the scheme will be harmonised across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
MAKE TODAY A BIG ONE
Stock up now
15/06/2024
MULTISERVE SATISFIES GROWING AT HOME CONSUMPTION OCCASIONS Multiserve MBB formats growing +16%YoY*
Down Under deals in Budgens Donington
The reburial of Matthew Flinders is cause for celebration in Donington
The Lincolnshire village of Donington welcomed a horde of visitors last month as key figures from The Royal Navy gathered for the reburial of Captain Matthew Flinders. An 18-gun salute sounded as the remains of the 19th century navigator and cartographer, who is credited with charting much of the Australian coast, were finally laid to rest in the village of his birth, having previously been lost in the 1800s.
Donington Budgens celebrated the occasion with a dual promotion on Australianfounded Fosters lager, with 4 x 440ml cans reduced from a PMP of £5.69 to £4.99 and 10 cans reduced from £12.99 to £10.
The store made sure the offer was unmissable by decorating the beer stacks with an inflatable kangaroo and koala, as well as a hand-knitted Trim – the ship’s cat who famously joined Flinders on his voyages. Donington Budgens posted the promotion on its Facebook page and sent its best wishes to both locals and Australian visitors.
Heart of the community
Norfolk-based CT Baker Group, which owns Budgens stores in Aylsham and Holt, as well as the Bakers & Larners department store, has raised an immense £6,604 from carrier bag sales, enabling the firm to buy a new defibrillator for Holt town centre.
In addition to the defibrillator, the firm made a donation of £1,338.50 to The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust Charitable Funds to recognise “the incredible work carried out by first responders in our local area”.
Kate Lott, Head of Charity, stated that the funds raised would help provide crucial equipment for the teams’ kit bags.
Cream of the crop
Budgens in Abridge has teamed up with Essex dairy farmer, Farmer Paul’s to sell a range of locally produced milks and creams in store.
Commenting on the partnership, store owner Goran Ravan said: “An Essex farmer, an Essex herd, producing Essex milk, to be sold in Essex. It’s the way supply chains work best. Local, family-run businesses providing the local community with top-quality products.”
The ice cream of ice creams.
Barcode goes big for 2025
GroceryAid’s flagship festival moves to a new, bigger location for 2025 as the event continues to grow.
Now well established as the largest single-day event in the UK retailing sector, GroceryAid’s Barcode Festival continues to go from strength to strength. In response to huge demand, GroceryAid has decided to move Barcode to a new, larger site for 2025 with the festival set to take place on 3rd July 2025 at Kenwood House in London.
3rd July 2025
Kenwood House, London
spreads awareness of GroceryAid and its welfare offer. This means more people in the independent and grocery retailing sectors are able to learn about how the charity can help, and find out how to access its services.
The new venue means more people, more brands, and more ways to get involved. As well as raising vital funds, the event
Whether you want to reward and recognise your team for their hard work, provide hospitality for industry connections or simply network and have a great day out, Barcode Festival 2025 provides the perfect opportunity.
Voyage of discovery
Bhavin Shah has taken his family business on a journey to successful new shores.
Many retailers liken the store development process to a journey but for 35-year-old Bhavin Shah, it’s been a veritable voyage – having overseen not only a large extension and refit of his family-owned store – but also the advent of symbol group membership after 18 years of unaffiliated trading.
“My parents bought this store back in 2005, and in 2016 the responsibility for running it transferred to me,” Bhavin explains. “The store has traded very successfully over the years, but we’d always felt that it held untapped potential.”
Early 2024 was the time for Bhavin to unleash that potential and let the opportunity stream flow free.
Building work to extend the store from 1,000sq ft to 1,500sq ft began in January, ahead of a full refit on 23 May.
“One of the development’s key aims was to significantly increase the range of fresh and chilled produce that we stocked,” Bhavin explains.
“Joining a symbol group was a big leap for us but we felt that it was the right time to make such a change. We looked at other groups, but Budgens
“Looking ahead, I’m expecting our sales to grow by at least another 30% on top of where we are now, and we are well on track to achieve that.”
Bhavin Shah
was the right fit for our vision and the range was the best.
“There’s also only one other Budgens store in this area, so the brand holds a real pull for shoppers. It’s different and exciting. There’s a big curiosity factor and we knew that once shoppers walked through the doors, they’d be suitably impressed.”
With the extension complete, a two-week refit started on 23 May, with a week of merchandising thereafter.
Brand-new Budgens Beaumont opened its doors on 14 June, to much local fanfare. “This is a close-knit community and we’re a big part of it,” Bhavin says. “We’d been closed for nine days prior to the re-launch so shoppers were on the edge of their seats waiting for us to re-open and see what we’d changed and what was now available.”
And they’ve certainly not been disappointed.
Budgens Beaumont now offers shoppers a generous serving of fresh and chilled choice, including fresh produce, meats, deli items, ready meals, dairy and much more.
#1 SHOT BRAND* THE UK’S
“We only had two doors of fresh and chilled before and now we have 22!” Bhavin exclaims. “It’s a huge increase and chilled is now one of our biggest-selling categories. It’s actually amazed me how well it’s doing, and we know there’s still plenty more growth to come.”
The store’s fresh and chilled offer includes a number of Jack’s products, along with products from small and local suppliers.
“We also offer a range of local breads, cakes and dog treats,” Bhavin adds.
The store’s BWS offer has also jumped to a full seven metres of space – another “huge increase”.
“The additional space has allowed us to expand successful ranges and introduce new products that we previously didn’t have space for before, or didn’t have access to.
“For example, the Cruzcampo brand is a totally new addition to our range, and it’s already become one of my biggest sellers. Having the space to try all these new lines and watch how well they perform is fascinating.”
The new-look store also features a footfall-driving food- and drinks-to-go offer, including Costa Coffee, slush and Rollover Hotdogs.
“All three have taken off since we re-opened,” Bhavin says. “On a hot day the slush soars but on a mild, or cool day, the coffee and hotdogs take over.”
“Chilled, BWS and food to go are emerging as our three biggest sellers – along with products on promotion. Value for money is important to our shoppers and the Budgens promotions are a huge driver of sales,” Bhavin adds.
Unsurprisingly, implementing all these big changes has necessitated an equally big adjustment. “It’s certainly been a steep learning curve,” he grins.
“Going from daily trips to the cash and carry to planning orders in advance and receiving three large deliveries a week is a huge change – as is managing a large new fresh and chilled offer, getting used to the success of all these new products and executing such a large number of promotions.
“It’s a totally different way of doing business but it’s all been very positive so far.”
Helping Bhavin to successfully navigate the waters of change is his highly prized RDM Peter Kowalczuk.
“I simply couldn’t have gone through this journey without Peter,” Bhavin says. “His advice and support have made this store the success that it is today.
Bhavin’s heartfelt gratitude is also being echoed by his shoppers who are equally grateful for the “fantastic new store” on their doorsteps.
“The overall reaction has been very positive,” Bhavin says. “It’s still early days but already sales are up by more than 20% – a fantastic result seeing as we are still working hard to get the message out there.
“Looking ahead, I’m expecting our sales to grow by at least another 30% on top of where we are now, and we are well on track to achieve that,” he says.
“I’m so thrilled with the changes we have made, as is my dad, and we can’t wait to see the store reach its full potential.”
FACTFILE
Store name: Budgens Beaumont
Retailer: Bhavin Shah
Size: 1,500sq ft
Key categories: Fresh, chilled, BWS Staff: 5
Services: Post Office, free ATM, National Lottery
The spice of life
Jay’s Budgens of Crofton Park offers customers variety across a range of categories, including sensational Indian food, freshly prepared before customers’ eyes in the vibrant new food-to-go area.
Jay’s Budgens’ samosas – or “little pieces of heaven” as the store refers to them – are legendary in Brockley. So, in the run up to the London store’s 44th anniversary on 29 June, the shop decided to share the love by distributing hundreds of cards in the local area entitling holders to two of an incredible total of 1,000 free samosas.
On the day of the big celebration, which followed a refit to upgrade the store’s food-to-go area, shoppers were treated to even more goodies with free sushi, craft beer, kimchi, and Indian street food. It’s a far cry from your standard convenience fare and with good reason.
“Over the 44 years the area has changed a lot,” says Jay’s son, Pratik Patel, who runs the store with help from brother Tilak. “Currently, it’s becoming an affluent area where house prices are quite high because of good commuter links to central London, hence that’s led to a migration of the older generation cashing in and moving out. Then you have a lot of families coming in with higher disposable income.”
Pratik’s dad, Jay, remains a familiar face at the store, along with wife Nalini. “My Dad is basically a PR machine,” states Pratik. “The best advice Budgens gave us was to put Dad’s
picture on the front of the store and that’s been a big marketing success. People like consistency.”
Indeed, with the store’s latest refit taking place over April and May of this year, Jay’s image on the shopfront instantly reassured passersby that while it was all change inside, the much-loved family at the heart of the business was staying put.
The main focus of the refurb, throughout which the store stayed open, was to keep up with the market shift in terms of food to go and to improve the shopper experience.
The development saw precious storage space sacrificed to allow for the creation of a larger shop floor. “We’ve increased the shop floor by expanding into the storeroom,” says Pratik. “It’s pushed us to be more efficient in terms of stock space. It is a challenge, but we need to make it work for us.”
He was also keen to introduce zoning in order to improve shopper navigation. “We’ve looked to group merchandise together,” Pratik explains. “Dairy cabinets are in a line on the back wall, Cook freezers are in front and because of the height difference it gives the perception of a bigger space.
It gives that feel of openness and allows people to visually scan the store.” He has also managed to fit in an additional fifth Cook freezer for desserts.
A new standalone chiller is dedicated to meal deals. “People are looking for value right now, so it’s important,” says Pratik. “It’s a cleaner look, a better offer and more transparent. Crisps are alongside it now, making it easier to shop, whereas before they were separate.”
The investment has enabled the store to shine a spotlight on its quality food-to-go offering, which now has a dedicated space at the front of the shop. “Sometimes the space the product is in is more important than the product itself,” Pratik observes. “If you like it you’ll come back and buy again, but the first buy is what it looks like and what attracts you to the product. We eat with our eyes and the theatre of shopping is where we’ve given a better experience to the shopper.”
Pratik’s wife, Meghana, has her own Indian food brand, and her dishes, which include chickpea curry, vada pav, and of course samosas – are wildly popular. “On and off she’s been cooking for 10 years,” he says. “Local schools needed support – they needed food stalls at summer and Christmas
events, so we’d go and provide food and sell it at cost price and raise funds for their current project. Sometimes it’s better to help than to make money.”
With a young family, Meghana didn’t have much time and so she made packaged produce, but the new food-to-go area means she can cook up a storm in store.
“On a Saturday we do cooking on the front table. My wife cooks and packs it and it’s labelled with allergens and ingredients,” says Pratik. “We do fresh samosas, which offers something different and makes us stand out from other businesses. Giving these USPs, that’s what people want.
He capitalises on the extra weekend footfall generated by the samosas by encouraging increased basket spend. “We’ll put baskets down the first aisle at the end as we know people will pick up more than they came in for and we’ve trained staff to offer people baskets if they have several items.”
Along the wall of the food to go area, which has white tiling to give it a premium kitchen feel, stands a row of self-serve machines and cabinets. Pratik has added a microwave, a second hot food tower from Country Choice, and has
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switched out his Tchibo coffee machine for Costa.
Next to the Costa machine are Tango Ice Blast and Fwip ice cream machines, which were previously located separately.
“The increase in Fwip and Tango now that they have been placed together has been quite substantial and coffee sales have grown too,” says Pratik.
Sushi is another dish that helps the store to differentiate itself and so the store has introduced a standalone chiller in which to display it. “Currently we sell it on an everyday basis. It wouldn’t work everywhere, but it shows we have that demographic, and it shows the shift in who we used to serve and who we serve now,” says Pratik.
He claims that the emphasis is on more premium products and more variety. The store sells fresh watermelon and two types of strawberry priced at £6 and £2, as well as £6 sourdough from Cooper’s Bakehouse in Brockley and more than 70 craft beers, including some from local Brockley Brewery.
“This is what people are looking for rather than the bog standard,” Pratik says. “People still do their weekly shop, there’s no negating that, but they also do a top-up shop – all
this choice brings people in.”
As part of the development process, lines that didn’t make the grade were given the heave ho. “We’ve been more harsh, more targeted in terms of slow sellers,” says Pratik. “Some of the traditional lines that used to sell well like baked beans will never sell as much as they used to. They used to be a staple but eating habits have changed. Some facings have come down, some things we delisted.”
Reducing grocery lines has meant more room for top-selling categories. “We’ve increased our drinks section, which used to be more cramped. We do a lot of ‘café drinks’ – Dalston, Trip, Whole Earth, Dash, posh lemonade, fresh juice.”
There’s also a vegan chiller packed with goodies. “We stock 13 different kimchees and one kimchee ketchup, 12 tofus, all the [vegan] Booja Booja chocolate, and 10 different vegan cheeses,” Pratik says, adding that the store also stocks 20 different types of milk.
“These are the new areas of growth. Margins are good, whereas traditional grocery has gone down in margin.”
Sales have definitely improved since the refit, states Pratik,
noting that the revamp has helped them to crack the daytime trading hours of 11 till two, which were previously quiet. “People really do appreciate a good space to shop in, the environment and the range,” he says.
He is confident that the refit has helped to futureproof the store. “We’re in a good place, ready for the coming years,” he says. “It’s always good to invest. You need to keep moving in this industry.”
He claims that a solid symbol partnership has helped the store to stay ahead. “We’re supported by a good partner in Budgens and we’ve got our RDM Abdul Mustapha. He has been with us 19 years; he’s been very good.”
The key to success is adapting to your audience. “Things will change, and you have to keep up with the market and the trends,” says Pratik. “People love us, but if it’s not priced and placed in the proper manner people won’t come. You’re only as good as your products, you can’t take it for granted.
“The shopper is a mirror of our improvement – that’s what gives us encouragement.”
Christmas crackers!
The start of the all-important festive season is almost upon us, presenting retailers with the ultimate opportunity to delight their shoppers.
Festive finery
Budgens retailers can deck their stores with a hoard of eye-catching POS materials guaranteed to help their seasonal lines shine.
Christmas 2024’s suite of POS materials includes Header Panels for key seasonal products and categories, including Christmas Meats, Christmas Veg, Christmas Wine, Christmas Sweet Treats and more.
Featuring a smart green background and colourful images of Christmas baubles and presents, the striking, professionally designed materials will not only help your shoppers to navigate the store – but will also help to spread that all-important festive cheer.
Other POS materials available to Budgens retailers include bunting, pennants, shelf strips, posters and barker ears, all in the same festive colourways.
Christmas is a time for giving and sharing joy, and Budgens retailers, many of whom trade at the heart of their local communities, are certainly well placed to do exactly that this year.
The season of goodwill is the perfect time for retailers to have some fun with their shoppers, support community events and spread that all-important festive cheer.
From kids’ colouring competitions to product giveaways, letters to Santa and Christmas bake sales, the list of opportunities to engage with local shoppers is almost as bottomless as St Nick’s sack.
The festive season is also of course, the biggest and brightest sales highlight of the calendar year and the big ticket to sparkling footfall, turnover and profits.
“Christmas is the highlight of the year in terms of seasonal sales opportunities. We start to push Christmas as soon as Halloween has passed, and we make the most of all the new products and great deals available to us. We always see major uplifts in categories such as confectionery, snacks and BWS but also in deli items and meats as shoppers start to host get-togethers at home in the run-up to the big event. Christmas is also a great time to engage with shoppers and spread that all-important festive cheer. The whole team gets involved with decorating the store and we also ensure that all promotional bays and seasonal shelves look the part too.”
CADBURY MINI PUDS
Case size: 22x73g
Promo WSP: £24
RSP: Any 2 for £3 Promo POR: 34.2%
It’s a time when new product development tends to peak, with all sorts of weird and wonderful launches from across the category spectrum hitting the shelves in the run-up to the big day itself – perfect for driving those all-important impulse purchases.
It’s also a time for the return of much-loved seasonal classics – those sweet treats and merry morsels that no Christmas would be complete without.
As ever, Budgens has all your Christmas needs covered –offering shoppers the very best in festive choice and prices to help the season get underway with a bang.
Some of the key seasonal products available to retailers in the NP9 period as shoppers start to get set for Christmas include Cadbury Mini Puds.
The festive favorites are available to Budgens retailers in cases of 22x73g for a promotional WSP of £24 – offering them a promotional POR of 34.2%. Available on an ‘Any 2 for £3’ deal, shoppers are sure to be delighted too.
Other seasonal novelties sure to help boost basket spend in the coming weeks include key US lines such as Kingsize
KINDER JOY
Biren Patel, Budgens Berrymoor
Jolly good opportunity!
Christmas is a cracking time to have some fun in-store and liven up your social media pages. Read on for our top 10 suggestions for fun and simple activations you could try in-store and online this year.
1 Elf on the shelf
2 Staff fancy dress
3 Your pick of the best festive NPD
4 Christmas competitions
5 Festive windows
6 Christmas bake sales
7 Christmas in-store displays
8 Letters to Santa
9 In-store sampling: mince pies, pigs in blankets, Christmas cake
10 Festive products from local suppliers
Reese’s Peanut Butter Trees and Mini DJ Santas Disco Lights, both of which are available as part of an ‘Any 2 for £2.50’ deal and offer promotional PORs of 30% and 33% respectively.
Shoppers with an eye out for early festive gifting can also take advantage of fantastic prices on classic gifting lines such as Ferrero Rocher’s T24 Diamond, available for just £8.50 and offering retailers a POR of 15.3%.
Also, don’t miss Lindor Milk and Assorted cartons, available in cases of eight 200g packs for a promotional WSP of £24.99. Packs are available to shoppers for an RSP of just £5, offering retailers a POR of 25%.
Christmas party season will also see Budgens retailers offer their shoppers an array of great deals on big brand beer and cider multi-packs including Carlsberg Pilsner, Fosters and Strongbow.
Kicking off in NP9, Budgens shoppers will be able to get their hands on 18-packs of 440ml cans of Strongbow for just £16 – offering shoppers a POR of 13.8%. What’s more, 18-packs of 440ml cans of Fosters will also be on offer to shoppers for £17, and Carlsberg Pilsner for £13.
With nine Group Exclusive lines and more than 190 new products, Budgens retailers who took advantage of the 2024 Winter Pre-Sell will also be set for success this Christmas.
Some of the many new products available in the pre-sell this year included Malteser’s pre-filled mixed milk and mint Reindeer giant floor units which will give retailers the chance to make PORs of more than 50%. Also new to the pre-sell were Nestlé Giant Tubes Units – featuring Smarties Giant Elf Tubes, Milkybar Buttons and more.
Retailers will also be able to offer their shoppers an array of fantastic prices on key branded lines thanks to a mountain of Mega Deals. Take the Group Exclusive 295g Aero Peppermint Block, for example. With an RSP of just £3.50, this giantsized sharing bar is sure to be a hit with shoppers when it lands in store – and what’s more, it offers a tasty POR of 20%.
Other Mega Deals well worth calling out include 310g boxes of Maltesers with an RSP of just £4.50 – which will also earn retailers a POR of 20%.
Carve out pleasing sales and profi ts this Halloween
Budgens has everything you need to make the most of the 2024 Halloween opportunity.
Halloween has long since become a frightfully good opportunity to unearth additional footfall, sales and profits.
And that opportunity just keeps on getting bigger and better.
In fact, 2023 was a record year for consumer spending on Halloween, with expenditure topping £1bn, according to Mintel UK’s Halloween and Bonfire Night Report.
2023 WAS A RECORD YEAR FOR CONSUMER SPENDING ON HALLOWEEN, WITH EXPENDITURE TOPPING £1BN [Mintel]
The rise, Mintel says, was driven by “a significant uptick” in spending from younger generations, with 16 to 34-year-olds, the highest spending age group.
Offering your shoppers a broad range of SKUs that appeal to a range of different Halloween occasions is key to making the absolute most of the opportunity.
From ‘trick or treat’ offerings, to cakes and biscuits for Halloween parties, drinks, snacks and simple meal solutions for scary movie nights at home, the Halloween season offers a wealth of different shopper missions to profit from.
You also need to make sure that you offer a broad range of SKUs that appeal to all shoppers: sugar-free, full sugar, vegan, nut-free, wrapped, sharing and individual portions.
Fortunately for independent retailers, Halloween is also a key highlight on manufacturers’ new product development calendars – with a flood of innovative new lines launched in the run up to 31 October.
These new products are also ideal for making the most of the sizable impulse sales opportunity that Halloween always dishes up.
From novelty self-treats to ghoulish gifts and spooky sharing formats, Halloween products offer a wickedly good way to boost footfall, sales and profits, and also craft excitement in-store and online.
Budgens retailers will be able to offer their shoppers a
Create droppingjaw-impact
The Halloween season presents a cauldron of opportunities for retailers to brew up additional impulse sales, so good visibility, and well-positioned, high-quality POS are key to making the most of it.
Perfetti Van Melle says that shoppers respond well to crossmerchandised fixtures and clearly signposted sections in store that target specific occasions:
l Countertop units should ideally sit at arm’s reach from the main till point to drive impulse sales;
l Front of store POS that sits at eye level can capture attention and increase impulse purchases.
Budgens’ POS package for retailers this Halloween includes a raft of materials including posters, header cards, bunting shelf strips, hanging panels and more.
The striking orange and yellow materials feature the ‘No Tricks, Just Treats’ strapline along with eyeballs, pumpkins and cobwebs for added impact!
vast range of choice this Halloween season with a host of spooktacular themed products at head-turning prices.
Look out for amazing value ‘2 for £2.50’ deals on McVities Jaffaween Cherry Cake Bars – the perfect addition to any Halloween tea party – and offering a POR of 32.9%!
Other teatime treats include Cadbury Goo Head Cake Bars for an RSP of just £1.50 and Cadbury Pumpkin Patch Cakes for £2.50, which offer PORs of 20.6% and 20% respectively.
Offering a terrific POR of 43.6% are also Mr Kipling Toffee Terror Whirls – available in cases of 10x6packs for a promotional WSP of £12.69.
Trick or treaters can also get their claws on 650g Swizzles Sweet Shop tubs for just £5.99, offering retailers a treat of a POR at 29.9%.
Budgens retailers who took advantage of the Winter PreSell 2024 can also expect strong sales from a raft of new products and great deals.
These include Group Exclusive Deals on products like Vidal
Creepy Jelly and Monster Jelly cards which will offer a POR of 30.9%.
The spooky season is also one of the best times of the year to brew up high-impact in-store theatre by showcasing new and novelty products and making the best use of all available POS.
With candy eyeballs, fake bones, cobwebs and gore galore at your disposal, it’s also a great time to create striking displays that will give your shoppers a giggle and drive up basket spend.
Pumpkins also offer a great way to create high-impact shop floor or storefront displays.
Budgens retailers who made the most of the pre-sell will soon be taking delivery of their large Monster Pumpkin Cages containing 36 units and offering PORs of 25%.
Frightful fun
Halloween is a cracking time to have some fun in-store and liven up your social media pages too! Here are our top suggestions for fun and simple activations you could try in store this Halloween:
l Kids’ fancy dress competition
l Staff fancy dress
l Kids’ Halloween colouring competition
l Face painting and Halloween tattoos.
l Spooky dip
l Halloween bake sale
l Pumpkin carving and decorating
PROFIT! JAM PACKED WITH
v+20.6% alue sales YOY in the impulsechannel
Max out vaping profits with long-term promotions!
Budgens is offering retailers fantastic opportunities to maximise profits from the critical vaping category with long-term promotions delivering improved WSPs and PORs.
No Budgens retailer needs to be reminded of the importance of the vaping category after the last few years of stellar category performance. While the vaping category took quite a few years to get into its stride, recent times have seen the category explode, thanks to the success of key brands like Crystal, Lost Mary, Elf Bar and Gold Bar.
“Vape is an important category in our store, given its village location and the high volumes of passing trade that we also receive. Disposable vapes remain the major sales drivers and we sell a very broad range including all the key brands such as Lost Mary and Elf Bar. We offer most of our disposable products as part of a ‘Mix and Match 2 for £10’ offer which is a popular promotional mechanic that most regular vape shoppers will take up. The offer is supported by clean and clear shelf edge POS to make it as simple and convenient as possible for shoppers to understand.”
Ben Simons, Budgens Toddington, Cheltenham
DON’T FORGET YOU CAN NOW EARN UP TO 5% SPEND & SAVE DISCOUNT ON VAPE PURCHASES!
Coming Soon!
FULLY COMPLIANT WITH ALL UK LEGISLATION
200+ VAPING PRODUCTS
Due in September – Vuse reload – two flavours
Due in September – Vuse EPOD 20mg – four new flavours
Due in September – Lost Mary BM6000 – nine flavours
Due in September – Zyn – three new flavours
Due in October – Nordic Spirit – two new flavours
Due in November – Vuse Go 1000 – five new flavours
The category is also continuing to develop. New entrants are coming into the market and the existing key brands continue to innovate and offer exciting new options to retailers and their shoppers.
To help retailers meet demand, Budgens has also put in place a long-term promotional package that delivers improved WSPs and enhanced PORs for its retailers.
Take the new lower price on SKE Crystal for example. Budgens Retailers can now snap up cases for a WSP of just £19.99 and an RSP of £5.99 - making them a POR of 56.9%.
There’s also the IVG 2400 device which has a case WSP of
£27.49 and an RSP of £12.49.
MARGIN MAKERS
RECHARGE YOUR VAPE SALES!
IVG Air 2 in 1 Starter Kit –Fully Rechargeable Device
Flavours: 3
WSP: £23.22
RSP: £9.99
POR: 44.2%
IVG Air 4 in 1 Starter Kit –Fully Rechargeable Device
Flavours: 3
WSP: £27.76
RSP: £12.99
Promo POR: 48.7%
IVG Air Refill Pods
Flavours: 12
WSP: £22.21
RSP: £4.95
POR: 46.2%
SKE Crystal 4-in-1 Starter Kit – Fully Rechargeable Device
Flavours: 10
WSP: £30.29
RSP: £12.99
POR: 44.0%
The vaping category, as all Budgens retailers know, also delivers exceptional PORs and cash profits. PORs often start at around 40% or 50% – but thanks to Budgens’s long-term promotional programme, these can rise to over 70%.
Popular brands like Elf Bar and Gold Bar are also available at special promotional WSPs to help deliver PORs of over 63% while 32 flavours of Crystal are available on a deal that delivers PORs of 56.9%.
The new Crystal Plus device, for example, is a prefilled pod kit available in two flavours –Passion Guava and Blue Fusion – that both carry promotional WSPs of just £15, a saving of
SKE Crystal Refill Pods
Flavours: 5
WSP: £40.39
RSP: £8.99
POR: 46.1%
TOBACCO-FREE NICOTINE POUCH NO.1 NICOTINE POUCH IN THE UK*
* Based on NielsenIQ RMS data for the Nicotine Pouches category for the 18-month period ending 30/12/2023 for the UK total retail market (Copyright © 2023, NielsenIQ).
** This product is not risk-free and contains nicotine, an addictive substance. For adult nicotine consumers only. For tobacco trade use only. Not to be left in sight of consumers.
£10.99, which delivers PORs of 74.2% when sold at the RSP of £5.99.
FRESH CHOICE
As well as providing retailers with exceptional promotional pricing, Budgens is also continuing to provide retailers with access to brand-new lines.
We now have a choice of more than 200 vape products, including a growing range of fully rechargeable devices and pods to ensure that your vaping offer meets the widest possible range of needs, trends and budgets.
The Crystal Plus device is new to market while Booker has recently listed a range of new fully rechargeable devices and pods from key brands like SKE Crystal and IVG Air, ideal for beginning the journey of migrating your shoppers over to rechargeable solutions.
It’s also important to remember that all vaping products sold by Budgens are fully compliant with all relevant UK legislation. In addition, you can also now earn up to 5% Spend & Save discount on vape purchases.
ADD 2% TO YOUR TOBACCO PORS
With all your vaping profits maximised, don’t forget that you can also add 2% to your tobacco category PORs by joining the Budgens Tobacco Club.
By simply selling Tobacco Club products at or below the manufacturer’s RSP, you can add an extra 2% POR on sales of Tobacco Club products, all of which are high cash value lines.
To join the Budgens Tobacco Club or to find out more, please speak to your RDM.
And with many shoppers still defaulting to the ‘Cheapest On Display’ option, Budgens retailers should be aware that Lucky Strike cigarettes now carry an RSP of just £11.40, making them very attractive to shoppers, and are available at a WSP of just £89.45 which means that retailers secure improved PORs of 5.8%.
“Vape is a major sales category for us and a significant footfall and profit driver too. We have a large shop-floor display unit and a huge amount of time and effort goes into making sure that it is always perfectly ranged and merchandised. Staff receive regular training on the category so that they are up to speed with trends, new products and prices. We tend to make around £11,000 of vape sales each month and that’s with a strong margin of more than 50%. More than 90% of our sales these days are accounted for by disposable products but some vapers are starting to show an interest in rechargeable products. I expect most of our existing vape shoppers to buy disposables right up until when the ban is enforced and only migrate over to other formats afterwards.”
Sajeev Gowrinathan, Budgens Greenacr, Tarvin
DISPOSABLE HEROES!
SKE Crystal
Flavours: more than 23
Promo WSP: £19.99
RSP: £5.99
Promo POR: 56.9%
IVG 2400
Flavours: more than 20
Promo WSP: £27.49
RSP: £12.49
Promo POR: 49.2%
Crystal Plus Device
Flavours: 2
Promo WSP: £15
RSP: £6.99
Promo POR: 74.2%
Lost Mary
Flavours: 18
Promo WSP: £22.99
RSP: £5.99
Promo POR: 53.9%
Crystal Strip
Flavours: 10
Promo WSP: £13.99
RSP: £5.99
Promo POR: 72%
Elf Bar v2
Flavours: 20
Promo WSP: £18.49
RSP: £5.99
Promo POR: 63%
Gold Bar
Flavours: 12
Promo WSP: £18.99
RSP: £5.99
Promo POR: 62%
Product Code
Tassimo Costa American M293056
Tassimo Costa Cappuccino M293058
Tassimo Costa Latte M293062
MCVITIE’S JAFFA CAKES COLA BOTTLE
Case size: 12x110g WSP: £12.09
19.4%
JACK’S VAC PAC MINCE
Case size: 6x400g
£15.00
£2.99
16.4%
CMA Pricing Practices Update
The Competition and Markets Authority recently completed an investigation into pricing practices and has issued official correspondence to independent retailers.
You may have seen recent press coverage about consumer pricing in symbol and convenience stores. This is a result of an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) working alongside Trading Standards.
The CMA found a number of examples of poor and misleading pricing in some symbol/convenience stores. No stores were named but the CMA is clearly concerned and are expecting Trading Standards to take particular interest in the way pricing is displayed and communicated to shoppers.
We need to let you know about this because the CMA have the power to issue fines and in the worst cases bring criminal prosecutions.
Trading Standards also has wide ranging powers to issue fines. We very much want you as our retailers to be up to
speed and not accidentally running into problems like that.
We would please request that you, as the business owner, read the guidance on the following pages.
It is really important that you ensure that all of your staff and colleagues in your business also see it, read it and understand it and that new staff are fully trained. It’s very likely that the CMA will come back to this subject in a few months to see if things have improved.
Part of the strength of the Budgens brand is the great standard of in-store operations by retailers.
We thank you for reading this and taking action where it might be needed.
STRENGTH COMES FROM WITHIN
You must clearly display the total selling price in writing. It should be obvious to your customers what the price is, without them having to get help from a member of staff. Prices should: be clearly displayed; be easy to read; be close to the relevant product; and match what the customer is charged at the till.
Do
Do
Say hello to...Amy Leahy
This issue we catch up with Category Planning Manager Amy Leahy to learn more about the vital role she plays in helping maximise BWS sales and profits for retailers.
ABOUT AMY
Amy Leahy is a Category Planning Manager and has been working at Booker for the last six years.
Prior to joining Booker, Amy started her career in retail as a supervisor in Sainsbury’s where she developed a keen interest in category planning. She then joined Booker working initially as an Assistant in the Beers, Wines and Spirits (BWS) department. Having gained a couple of years’ experience in the role, she accepted a new role as Category Manager Designate for Packaged Retail Food before moving into her first full Category Manager’s role, this time working in Retail Non Food.
Just over a month ago, Amy rejoined the BWS team as Category Planning Manager and is thoroughly enjoying her new role.
AMY, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF…
I’m Amy and I’m a Category Planning Manager specialising in BWS. I’ve only been in the role for just over a month, so I’m still settling in, although I have been with Booker for over six years, working in a variety of category management and category planning roles. Before that I worked as a store supervisor in Sainsbury’s, so it’s fair to say, retail is very much in my blood!
WHAT PROMPTED YOUR MOVE TO BOOKER?
I really enjoyed my job at Sainsbury’s but I was very much at the sharp end in-store. I can range and merchandise a store like nobody’s business, but I had no control over what we were doing, how we were doing it or even why we were doing it. I saw that Booker were advertising for category staff so I sent in my CV and basically asked what jobs were going! I actually didn’t get the job I applied for but I was offered a role as a Category Assistant, so I jumped at it.
IT WAS IN BWS?
Yes, that’s right. I did that for a couple of years before being offered a job as a Category Manager Designate in Packaged Retail Food, which I really enjoyed, then about a year later I got my first full Category Manager’s job working in Retail Non Food. Then, about a month ago, I took on my new dream role of Category Planning Manager for BWS – and I’m loving it!
WHAT DOES A CATEGORY PLANNING MANAGER DO?
Essentially, a Category Planning Manager’s job is to make sure that the right products are promoted at the right time in the right way. In reality, what that means is that my role is to liaise between everyone to make sure that we deliver a joined-up approach to managing the BWS category. We also provide a lot of support to the various members of the BWS department and the wider company in terms of sourcing and providing market research, insight, trend data and so on to
make sure that the products and promotions we are offering to our customers are in line with what today’s consumers are looking for. I work with Category Managers, Category Buyers, the web team, the PR and comms team – everyone, really!
SOUNDS LIKE A BUSY AND VARIED ROLE?
It’s incredibly busy and varied and, as the cliché goes, no two days are the same. BWS is a challenging category at the moment, as everyone knows, so we need to make sure that the support we are providing is helping everyone pull in the same direction and deliver the best possible promotions on the best possible products at the right time.
AND CATEGORY PLANNING MANAGER ROLES ARE QUITE NEW AT BOOKER?
Yes, they were only introduced for the first time about a year ago. Tesco has had Category Planning Managers for much longer and it was clear that Booker’s efficiency and performance in terms of how it serves its customers could be enhanced by adopting a similar structure. We now have Category Planning Managers at Booker for all categories.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
At the moment I’m working on our enhanced promotional programme for our customers and also on growing awareness of the new lines we’re making available through a programme of advertising and education. Booker is able to offer an exceptional NPD programme through Group Exclusives, first-to-markets, own brand and so on, so it’s vital that we make our customers aware of these lines and deals as quickly and efficiently as possible to help them maximise the benefit they get. We also formally review the performance of activity and campaigns.
HOW DOES THAT WORK?
Well, we do a lot of activity and promotions and programmes and so on and it’s critical that we understand how well
they worked. If they worked really well, why? If they didn’t work as well as we’d hoped, why not? We then go back to Category Managers to share our findings and in that way we are continually learning and developing. Everything we learn – good and bad – can then be used to help drive constant improvements in performance over time.
IS CHRISTMAS KEEPING YOU BUSY?
Absolutely, and that’s a great example of what I’ve just been talking about. We have been working hard to take learnings from last year’s Christmas campaigns to make sure that we can deliver even better campaigns this year. It’s a complex challenge with lots of moving parts, but it helps us to continually improve the offer we deliver for our customers and help them grow footfall, sales and profits.
DO YOU WORK DIRECTLY WITH SUPPLIERS?
Typically, I only deal with very large suppliers. The Category Managers deal with suppliers on a daily basis but usually I only get involved with larger suppliers and that’s generally around helping them plan their expenditure with us to help them get the biggest bang for their buck and maximise the benefit that gets delivered to retailers.
WHAT DOES 2025 HOLD IN STORE?
Being so new to the role, I’m still very much getting up to speed but for 2025 I have a lot of work ahead of me. I’m planning to bring as much structure as I can to the whole process so that I can give the Category Managers everything they need to do their job as effectively and efficiently as possible. They are extremely busy people so it’s up to me to provide them with the framework, insight, research and support they need to continue to deliver a top-quality service to our customers.
SOUNDS LIKE YOU’RE ENJOYING YOUR NEW ROLE?
I’m loving it! It’s very satisfying to see the fruits of your hard work playing out in the real world. That’s what I like most about the job. I can see the benefit of the work and time I put in because it’s there in front of me in black and white and when I see something I’ve personally worked on delivering better products and better deals for our customers, I can’t help feeling a little bit of pride. I am so excited about the future and how we can keep delivering for our customers.
Give your social media some Christmas sparkle!
The run-up to the festive season is the perfect time to spruce up your social media output.
Benefits of social media:
l It’s FREE!
l Connect with your local community
l Reach new customers
l Drive footfall
“It’s just a great service and easy to use. Keeps our page alive even when we are busy with other store work. Many thanks!”
Aidan’s Budgens, Farnborough
Christmas! All retailers will surely agree that the festive season is the biggest and brightest highlight of the calendar year and the big ticket to merry footfall, sales and profits. So the Christmas lead-up is the perfect time to take your store’s social media to the next level.
Social media offers the ideal way to reach and engage with current and new customers, shout about your fantastic deals, show off your festive-looking store and have some fun!
Finding the time to manage social media networks can be challenging enough at the best of times, and even more so during busy periods, such as the run-up to Christmas.
That’s why Booker has recently relaunched a fantastic solution that can help to dial down the pressure – making the posting of regular, high-quality content to multiple social media networks quicker and easier than ever before.
SocioConnect is an innovative solution that lets
retailers
manage all of their social media content across all popular networks all from a single app.
1 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!
2 Manage all your social platforms from one place – no more logging into separate networks.
3 Message customers directly and respond to their messages.
“This should make life so much easier for us going forward.”
Budgens Fairford, Bourton On The Water, Lechlade
Stay Social Savvy
When used correctly, social media can be an incredibly powerful tool for engaging shoppers and your local community. A particularly popular promotional mechanic used by many convenience retailers these days is the ‘like and share’ competition.
To be in with a chance of winning, this type of competition requires shoppers to like and share a store’s post with their friends and family and, if the prize is tempting enough, can often result in soaring page ‘likes’, heightened shopper engagement and reach.
However, the power of ‘like and share’-style competitions is sadly not being lost on the criminal fraternity.
Unfortunately, independent retailers are increasingly being plagued by scammers trying to impersonate their stores’ official social media pages with a view to scamming unwitting shoppers.
And ‘like and share’-style competitions appear to be their targets of choice.
A quick trawl of Facebook reveals numerous examples of stores impacted by the problem of fake Facebook profiles – mostly created by scammers after legitimate stores have posted like and share competitions.
Fake page - what to do?
Often, these fake pages will target shoppers who have liked and shared legitimate store posts – falsely claiming that they have won the competition and asking them to provide personal or financial information.
To help fight the problem, vigilance is key – especially when posting legitimate ‘like and share’-style competitions.
It’s a good idea to always add a disclaimer to your post warning shoppers to be careful of fake accounts.
You can also add that the winner will only ever be announced on your store’s official Facebook page and the date on which the announcement will be made.
It’s also advisable to keep a close eye on your store’s Facebook page after posting any ‘like and share’-style competitions, so that should scammers try to target you, immediate action can be taken.
Posting a nice picture of your official winner in-store collecting their prize is also a great way to highlight the legitimacy of your page and your competition – and have some fun!
l Immediately report the fake account or page. For Facebook, it can be reported as a fake page or as a fraud or scam.
l Go to the impersonating profile or page.
l Click on the three dots below the cover photo.
l If you’re reporting a page, select ‘Find support or report page’. If you’re reporting a profile, select ‘Find support or report profile’.
l Follow the on-screen instructions for impersonation to file a report.
l Inform your followers of the impersonating page/account.
l Ask your team and shoppers to also report the fake page if possible – more reports help to get fake accounts taken down.
Sign up here: socioimplementation. com/booker-storessignup
OTHER WAYS TO GET OUR CONTENT
l Download centrally produced content from the web:
l Visit booker.co.uk-> Promotions -> Digital Marketing
l Like our pages @discoverbudgens & share our content!
Make strong savings with Booker’s waste management deal
Working with its waste management partner Collect My Waste, Booker is helping Budgens retailers save an average of 35% on waste management fees.
Benefits:
l Instant quote showing best price for each service
l Booker Group exclusive discount on every collection
l Easy-to-use app that holds all your data and invoices in one place
l Connected, real-time updates about your collections
l Environmentally-friendly with realtime analytics reported
How do I obtain a quote? Visit collectmywaste.com and use the ‘BOOKERWASTE’ code and your Booker customer number for a free, discounted quote, and follow the quick and easy steps.
What types of waste can I get collected?
What types of waste can I get collected? General waste, dry mixed recycling, cardboard, food waste and glass.
shortly before the service starts.
FAQs
What bins or containers can you provide?
A variety of wheelie bin and frontend loader containers are available in all sizes to suit your needs. A skip hire service is also available.
Once I have my quote and have agreed to proceed, what is the next step?
Once your services are set up and processed, you will be contacted by your Collect My Waste Account Manager to discuss any further specific requirements. A welcome email will be sent confirming all relevant details such as delivery date, collection schedule and contact details.
When will I need to make my first payment? Your first payment will be taken by credit/debit card or Direct Debit
Every penny that Budgens retailers can save on their costs helps boost profits and build stronger businesses – and Booker is helping you do exactly that with a Group exclusive deal which will help you make significant cost savings on waste management.
Working with its waste management partner Collect My Waste, Booker has secured a deal that helps Budgens retailers gain access to better prices for the collection of general waste, mixed recycling and much more.
The average saving per store is 35%, with some stores saving up to 69%.
How can I request an extra collection or arrange for excess waste to be cleared? You can request an emergency collection or arrange for excess waste to be cleared via your online account or by contacting our customer service department on 01992 765260.
Am I able to view my account information and collection history?
Yes. All information will be readily available to you via a quick and easy-to-use online portal where you can view all your important waste and recycling statistics.
How do I keep up to date on the progress of my collections?
You can contact Collect My Waste at any time to discuss any issues but as soon as you’ve downloaded the app, you will receive notifications on the morning of each waste collection day indicating which collection(s) are due. Similarly, in the afternoon, notifications confirming that collection(s) were done.
The service is available via a simple, easy-to-use app and website – collectmywaste.com - which provides instant quotes showing the best prices for each service, including a Booker Group exclusive discount.
Simply choose the service you require and you will be kept up to date in real time on the progress of your collection, helping you organise your team and maximise efficiency.
Collections are made by professional, friendly drivers who know their way around and can ensure fast, no-fuss pickups to let you get back to the business of running a great store and focusing your attention on your business and your shoppers.
Opportunities abound under
reshaped government
With more new MPs at the Houses of Parliament than returning MPs, opportunities abound to engage with politicians on key subjects affecting our sector.
As the dust settles on the surprise election of July this year, there are now hundreds of new MPs getting their feet under the table and working out how to prioritise the dozens of issues and concerns that get put in front of them on a weekly basis. In fact, there are more new MPs in parliament in 2024 (335) than there are returning ones (315), so the whole face of decision making in the House of Commons has changed.
During the election campaign, we were fortunate to be able to count on dozens of retailers who arranged store visits in their constituencies with prospective parliamentary candidates, many of whom are now settling into their offices in Westminster. We were also fortunate to be able to meet with several new MPs during our Heart of the Community reception just days after the election, and the one thing that came across from everyone throughout was that there is an energy and a willingness to engage with the business community.
Once the summer recess is over and we move toward the first fiscal event of the new government, engagement with new MPs is going to be absolutely crucial. There are rumblings about widespread reform of business rates and
a sense that the nation’s finances are worse than expected, suggesting tax rises on the horizon. Labour have committed to not raising income tax, national insurance or VAT, but have said little about business taxation.
Taken together, I cannot stress enough how important it is for us and for you to be explaining in detail how the costs that affect your business can stack up. It is often the case that changes to costs like business rates, or National Living Wage, are considered in a vacuum away from product regulations – the most significant of which will be the ban on disposable vapes in April 2025 – so presenting the impact of these costs together is important in highlighting how much they can change the outlook and investment potential of a convenience store business in the future.
Our sector has a great story to tell, and with many of the same faces in power for over a decade it’s been easy to think that decision makers know all about the value that we bring in communities, as job creators, and as local investment hubs, but this is a new parliament with more than 300 new faces, so reminding MPs about why convenience stores are at the heart of their communities has to be our top priority.
James Lowman considers the scope for increased engagement under the new government.
