Your Budgens September 2023

Comingsoon

it on! BRING

A very warm welcome to your latest issue of Your Budgens as our thoughts turn to autumn opportunities and we gear up to make the most of the second half of the year – and there’s plenty to get excited about.

snacks, food-to-go, confectionery and soft drinks.

In this issue you’ll also learn more about some new ranges we are introducing that we are confident will help generate interest and sales. Firstly, we have added a new and improved horticulture range that is perfect for Budgens stores. Mintel data from this year shows that 77% of shoppers deem flowers and houseplants an “affordable luxury”. Best of all, the entire range delivers PORs of at least 30%.

After the drama of the recent Women’s World Cup we move straight into the Rugby World Cup and, as it’s being held in France, the matches kick off at more sales-friendly times, typically 4.45pm and 8pm. With all four of the home nations having qualified, there will be back-to-back games that will generate huge interest across the nation. With a total of 48 matches across 51 days in September and October, this represents an enormous opportunity to drive sales in a range of key categories like alcohol,

Secondly, we have continued to expand the Jack’s offer with the addition of a new range of family-friendly meal solutions, perfect for cost-conscious shoppers with a lot of mouths to feed.

Don’t miss the article on Yext, our new and completely free solution to help you improve your web search results and boost sales. There’s also a great refresher on our Fit For The Future programme which brings a world of opportunities together into one place and all geared towards helping you increase your profits.

I wish you all fantastic trading over the next couple of months.

There’s plenty to look forward to over the next couple of months as we enter the autumn period and a series of opportunities to grow footfall, sales and profits.

To find out about further ways we can support you please visit MY.CCEP.COM

Industry News

Preferential Amex rate agreed for Budgens retailers

Booker has negotiated a special preferential rate for Amex transactions for Budgens retailers, helping reduce cost.

Booker has concluded a new deal with Amex that offers Budgens retailers a specially discounted preferential rate of just 0.8% on Amex transactions for all applicable stores*.

The deal offers Budgens retailers another great way of driving down the cost of doing business. New and existing customers of Amex are eligible for the preferential rate although existing customers will not see the discount applied immediately. The rate they pay will, however, be updated within 60 days of application.

l If you are not set up to accept American Express, simply email wthuk@aexp.com with your name and phone number and a member of the Amex team will call out to you to set up.

Alcohol Duty overhauled

August 1st saw the implementation of a new Alcohol Duty system which means that all alcoholic drinks are now taxed based on their alcohol by volume (ABV), with drinks with a higher alcoholic percentage subject to higher rates of duty. The net effect is a 10% increase in duty, the largest single increase to date. The point of the reform, says the Government, is to encourage customers to choose products with lower ABVs. Lower-strength drinks below 3.5% ABV are now charged at a new lower rate of duty to “encourage the growth of health-conscious consumption”.

l If you are already set up to accept American Express cards and would like to have the preferential rate applied, please call the Amex servicing team on 0800 032 7216.

Stewart Fenn, Sales Director Booker Retail Partners, commented: “We know how challenging it is at the moment for Budgens retailers and we are always looking at ways to leverage the scale of the Booker Group to drive cost savings for our retailers. This preferential rate from Amex is just the latest in a long series of benefits we have secured to help Budgens retailers drive down costs and drive up profits.”

* Stores already accepting Amex will not receive the rebate immediately. The new rate will be updated within 60 days. The rate is not available to stores linked to a petrol forecourt.

The new system, however, means that the excise duty levied on the vast majority of commonly purchased alcoholic products has increased. Wines with ABVs lower than 11.5% are, however, being treated more favourably. Furthermore, separate duty rates for still and sparkling wines have been abolished. This means bottles of Champagne, Prosecco and other sparkling wines will have their duty reduced by 19p.

0.8% Preferential rate for Budgens retailers

Lottery commission levels unchanged

Allwyn, the incoming licensee for the National Lottery, has set out the next steps for National Lottery retailers ahead of the changeover on 1 February 2024. All retailers will need to be transferred over from Camelot to Allwyn by 18 December 2023.

Under the new agreement, commission levels will remain exactly the same for National Lottery draw-based games, Scratchcards and prize payments, and payment terms will remain the same for all games.

In addition, any bonds and direct debit mandates already in place will automatically transfer from Camelot to Allwyn.

Allwyn will also be removing the monthly lease fees, saving some retailers up to £600 per year.

Ofgem targets reforms to improve service for retailers

Energy regulator Ofgem has proposed a series of reforms to “tackle poor behaviour by energy suppliers” and raise customer service standards for retailers.

In the midst of the ongoing energy crisis, energy regulator Ofgem has announced that it is proposing a series of reforms to “tackle poor behaviour by energy suppliers” and raise the standard of customer service provided to retailers and other business customers.

Following extensive engagement with energy suppliers, businesses, shoppers and other organisations, Ofgem has announced a Non-Domestic Market Review and consultation. The review summarises the challenges retailers and other businesses face and proposes a number of actions for the sector, Ofgem, and government to address.

Some of the immediate actions Ofgem has taken include working with industry to adopt the Retail Energy Code to avoid excessive delays and unreasonable requests for documentation during tenancy changes and urging suppliers to be more flexible with businesses who signed up for peak fixed rate prices.

Ofgem will also consult on several other measures to improve service for business customers and is asking the government to consider further protections in areas it doesn’t have the power to regulate, like energy brokers, and is also asking for businesses to be given access to the energy ombudsman.

Tougher penalties to tackle illicit tobacco

New penalties to reduce illicit tobacco sales came into force on 20 July. Any business or individual caught selling illegal tobacco products now face fines of up to £10,000.

In addition, Local Authority Trading Standards can now refer cases to HMRC for further investigation. HMRC, where appropriate, will administer the penalties and ensure the appropriate sanction is applied and enforced.

More than 27 million illicit cigarettes and 7,500kg of hand-rolling tobacco were seized in the past two years, resulting in more than £2bn in lost tax revenue annually.

Convenience stores play ‘vital’ role in communities

Independent convenience stores and Post Offices both rank in the top three vital services that shoppers say have the most positive local impact.

Impulse driving convenience

Traditional Impulse categories drove strong growth in independent convenience in the 13 weeks to 9 July, with total sales through the channel growing 5.0% in value terms, new data reveals.

The critical role that independent convenience stores play in positively impacting upon local communities has been confirmed by new research from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS).

In the ACS 2023 Community Barometer report, convenience stores and Post offices both rank in the top three services that shoppers say have the most positive impact on a local area. These services were also rated highest among local people as the most essential, second and third only to pharmacies.

The Barometer, which looks at how people value the services in their area, what they would like more of, and how they would prioritise investment in their community was put together from the findings of an Omnibus poll of 1,000 UK consumers.

Commenting on the research ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “UK shoppers are sending a very clear message.

Convenience stores are increasingly acting as service hubs, including post office counters, prescription collections, and banking services within their businesses, which are highly valued by their customers.”

In this year’s report, 18–24-year-olds were the most keen on having more convenience stores in their local area compared to other age groups, and were the most positive about their local convenience store being a community hub, reducing loneliness, and helping to keep people safe at night.

Lowman continued: “The importance of convenience stores to older customers is well documented, with stores acting as social hubs and a support network for those that are vulnerable or less mobile, but these figures show that on areas like reducing loneliness, local shops are incredibly important to young people as well. It’s encouraging to see the continued relevance of convenience stores to the next generation of shoppers.”

Wholesale and convenience data expert TWC Group’s latest SmartView Convenience market report revealed a strong value performance for soft drinks (+15.7%), confectionery (+19.8%), and crisps, snacks and nuts (+21.0%).

Tom Fender, Development Director at TWC, said: “Despite very tough trading conditions, value sales through the independent convenience channel have increased by 5%. Sales of vape have also continue to expand rapidly and we’ve also seen growth coming through beers and lagers.”

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Norfolk Budgens has a heart

CT Baker Budgens of Holt, in Norfolk, has helped purchase a potentially life-saving defibrillator that is now located outside the store and is available for use by anyone in the community in an emergency situation.

The defibrillator device gives a high-energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest and has been proven to be extremely effective in saving lives.

The retailer worked with charity Heart 2 Heart, which was set up by Jayne Biggs after a defibrillator saved her sevenyear-old daughter’s life, to supply and install the equipment.

Window winners

Budgens of Alva, in Clackmannanshire, has retained the title of Best Dressed Shop Window at the famous Alva Games.

The event features a full range of traditional events including athletics, cycling, highland dancing, heavyweight events, and the four hill races run.

The Best Dressed Shop Window competition aims to cheer up the main street in games week and bring a feelgood factor to the town.

Alva Community Council said: “A stunning display indeed and worthy of retaining the title of Best Dressed Shop Window. “Well done to everybody that took part.”

Charity bags

Fraser’s Budgens of Three Mile Cross in Reading, Berkshire, has donated £452.90 to Sue Ryder Hospice through the plastic bag tax in the first six months of 2023.

The charity cares for people with complex conditions in its hospices and neurological care centres, and also provides care in people’s homes, in the community, and online.

Food funds

Budgens Stivichall, in Coventry, has donated an undisclosed sum to Sky Blue Support.

The charity serves fresh homemade food and supplies healthy food parcels to anyone who needs it, and also supports mental health and dementia patients.

Raju Mukund, from Sky Blue Support, said: “We are very grateful for the donation.”

Food collection

Budgens East Finchley, in North London, has supported charity Our Forgotten Neighbours’ food donation appeal.

The charity aims to enrich the community for those who are often forgotten – people sleeping rough, people with mental health issues, people on low income, and refugees –anyone in need or vulnerable.

A Budgens store in Holt in Norfolk has helped buy a defibrillator that has been sited outside the shop for the use of the community.

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ACS supports responsible vape retailers

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has launched a new campaign aimed at cracking down on rogue vape sales and supporting responsible retailers. As part of the campaign, ACS has published new Challenge25 posters, shelf sliders and badges specific to vaping to help responsible retailers when serving customers.

The kit is available free of charge to retailers at acs.org.uk and includes a detailed retailer guide on how to spot fake, potentially dangerous vapes.

ACS says challenging customers who look underage is one of the biggest triggers of abuse, so reminding shoppers of the Challenge25 policy can be an effective way of reducing the risk of confrontation.

The campaign is also highlighting the main things to look out for when trying to spot a fake or illicit vape. These include:

l Check the number of puffs. Anything over about 650 for a disposable could be a sign of an illicit product.

l Check the warning label. If there’s any variation on the words “This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance” then it shouldn’t be on the UK market.

l Check the nicotine content. If there’s no stated content and delivery per dose, it might be fake.

l Check the manufacturer details. If there’s no legitimate name and address of the manufacturer/importer, it might be fake.

Funding solution from PayPoint

PayPoint has announced that over £12.5m in funding has been provided to more than 750 retailers as part of its innovative YouLend ‘embedded finance platform’. Instead of paying a fixed monthly repayment, a small percentage of every card transaction is used to repay the funding, giving businesses peace of mind that repayments will be proportional to their income from card sales.

The funding is open to any business which meets the criteria and is designed to free up funds enabling retailers to focus on growth, buy stock or assist with cash flow.

The service is provided through PayPoint Group’s Handepay business and its partner YouLend.

A new campaign seeks to support responsible retailers and offers new shopper-facing Challenge25 materials and a guide to spotting fake vapes.

Food-to go occasions ‘up 16%’ in independent retailing

Shopper spending ‘continues to rise’

The continued growth of food-to-go in the independent retailing sector has been confirmed by the latest findings from out-ofhome tracking programme MealTrak which found that food-to-go and out-of-home eating occasions grew by 13% in the 12 weeks ending 12 June.

The data, from TWC Group in partnership with MealTrak, shows all retail channels experienced growth in food-to-go with supermarkets and multiples up 15% but sales in the convenience channel grew even faster at 16%.

Workplace catering grew by almost onethird (29%), suggesting that employees are attending their workplaces more frequently than this time last year, potentially representing a growth opportunity for Budgens retailers.

Tom Fender, Development Director at TWC, said: “It is fantastic to see doubledigit growth for food-to-go this period and importantly this is not just in value terms, but also the number of occasions.

“Whilst ‘something inexpensive’ is the fastest-growing mission this period, ‘something sweet’ is also in strong growth with cakes and pastries performing particularly well.”

Own-brand sales ‘up 9.7%’

Sales of own-brand products outstripped those of branded goods in July, growing by 9.7% in the four weeks to 6 August, new data from Kantar reveals. Sales of branded products increased by 6.4% over the same period.

The figures show that overall take-home grocery sales increased by 6.5% while food and drink price inflation fell by 2.2% to 12.7%.

Shopper card spending continued to rise in July, up 4.0% yearon-year in July, despite concern around food prices remaining high at 91%, according to the latest data from Barclaycard.

Around 70% of shoppers said they were looking for ways to reduce the cost of their weekly shop, the highest percentage so far this year.

Some 13% say they are having to remove some items at the checkout to avoid going over budget and more than one-third are buying items in bulk because they cost less in the longterm.

The latest slowdown in price rises is the second-sharpest monthly fall since Kantar started monitoring grocery inflation in this way in 2008.

Fraser McKevitt, Head of Retail and Consumer Insight at Worldpanel Division, UK, said: “Shoppers will have been relieved to see the cost of some staple goods starting to edge down compared with earlier in 2023.”

New MealTrak data shows that food-to-go and out-ofhome eating occasions in the independent retailing sector grew ahead of the wider market at 16% in June 2023.

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Requests for GroceryAid support ‘up 44%’

GroceryAid’s Impact Report for 2022-23 has revealed a huge 44% increase in demand for support from industry colleagues.

Industry charity GroceryAid has published its Impact Report for 2022-23 revealing the steeply growing requirement for the charity’s financial, emotional and practical support services from independent retailing and grocery colleagues.

The report shows a massive 44% increase in the number of requests from industry colleagues for support over the last 12 months.

In total, GroceryAid spent £5.6m supporting colleagues including a record £642,000 awarded in School Essentials Grants. This ensured that more than 2,340 children had the right equipment and clothing when they returned to school in September 2022. The charity’s free and confidential helpline also received over 10,000 calls from colleagues which resulted in more than 5,000 in-themoment counselling sessions with a fully qualified and accredited counsellor.

There was also a 14% increase in referrals for legal advice from Law Express and 1,282 Relate relationship counselling sessions were delivered.

Allan Leighton, GroceryAid President, commented: “GroceryAid is here for every colleague working in the independent retailing and grocery industry and we have been doing this for over 165 years. More colleagues than ever before are coming to GroceryAid for support, and last year GroceryAid provided more than 40,000 incidents of support to colleagues: a 44% increase compared to the previous 12 months. This reflects the increasing number of businesses engaging with the charity and telling colleagues about how to access our support.

“We understand the challenges that the industry is facing and the importance of our services remaining relevant. Thank you once again for helping us achieve this.”

Barcode 2024 date unveiled

you need support of

kind, contact GroceryAid’s free and confidential 24/7 helpline on 08088 021 122.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

l 44% increase in requests for support

l £5.6m spent supporting industry colleagues

l 10,000 calls made to the helpline

l 5,000 in-the-moment counselling sessions

l £642,000 awarded in School Essentials Grants, helping 2,340 children

l 1,282 Relate relationship counselling sessions delivered

l 14% increase in referrals for legal advice

GroceryAid has revealed the date for Barcode 2024, its flagship event. Barcode will be back next year on Thursday 4 July at Magazine London.

The event raised more than £1m for the charity this year – vital income to help support the huge growth in requests for support GroceryAid is experiencing from industry colleagues.

Visit barcodefestival.co.uk to purchase tickets, which are on sale now.

If

any

A store like no other

Fresh produce and freshly-prepared foods are the stars of the show at Kavanagh’s Budgens Belsize Park.

When the Kavanagh Group took on its largest English store to date – a vast 10,000sq ft existing Budgens store in the heart of London’s affluent Belsize Park – it knew that it had “a significant opportunity to do something very different and very, very exciting.”

Following a jaw-dropping store development project costing north of £3m, the group has certainly done just that and then some, creating a totally unique, unequivocally independent premium food offering that perfectly fuses “the

look and feel of a supermarket with a world class food emporium”.

Following a top-to-bottom refit, the inimitable new store opened on 16 December 2022 – its smart wood-panelled fascia boards proclaiming it to be ‘The Fresh Food Specialist’.

From the moment shoppers step through the doors and into its vibrant entrance area, there can be no doubt whatsoever that the claim is truly well-founded.

Primely-located at the front of the store, fresh produce is a key jewel in its crown; a vast range features a kaleidoscopic array of quality fresh fruits and vegetables. “Fresh produce sets the tone for the whole store. It’s a perfect demonstration of exactly what we are trying to do with range and how we are striving to excite our shoppers with quirky and interesting products,” Noel says.

Just six months after opening, produce sales are already in the region of £27,000 a week and growing, while the store’s total fresh sales participation currently stands at 55%.

And, while spectacular to behold, produce is far from this store’s only outstanding feature.

A sparkling wet fish counter, staffed by two experienced fishmongers, is another major USP.

The counter, which offers an array of whole or filleted fish, is already taking in excess of £9,000 a week and growing.

Closely sited next to the fish counter is a dedicated cut cheese counter staffed by a dedicated cheesemonger that takes around £5,000 a week.

“The store is resonating exceptionally well with the shoppers; the feedback is fantastic and customer count and sales are both growing week on week.”

Noel Kavanagh Jnr

There’s also an olive bar and a delicatessen counter featuring an array of salads, deli meats and even a rotisserie.

The store’s beautiful bread and bakery section offers yet another feast for the senses, with mouthwatering displays of freshly baked loaves and baguettes, plus dedicated fixtures for breads of the world and kosher breads. Further doughy delights are also available at the store’s sensational in-store patisserie counter, including a selection of home-made donuts and cakes.

Another key USP is the store’s vast range of fresh store-made foods. “Being in London, our shoppers tend to be quite time poor yet they are looking for premium quality, inspirational meals. As a result, we offer a wide array of different meal solutions, including pre-cooked and raw ready-to-cook options, which are all freshly made by our in-store chefs and packaged on site,” Noel explains.

A vast range of fresh meat products is also housed in a smart 12-door chiller, which boasts a strong focus on both Jack’s and Meat Market products, complemented by a selection of goods from London’s premier kosher butcher, poulterer and delicatessen, Louis Mann & Son.

There’s also a dedicated chiller for vegan produce.

Food-to-go is yet another USP. Shoppers on a grab-andgo mission can choose from a mouthwatering array of Kavanagh’s Kitchen sandwiches, baps, wraps and more, all of which are prepared fresh every morning.

Further food-to-go needs are met by the store’s two food-anddrink concessions: Maido To Go sushi and Didi’s Juice Bar.

Kavanagh’s Budgens Belsize Park also features a number of big sustainability wins, including a five-metre display of

FACTFILE

Store name: Kavanagh’s Budgens

Belsize Park

Store size: 10,000sq ft

Staff: 60

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 7am10.30pm, Sun 12-6pm

Services: Post Office, ATM, E-Top Up, National Lottery, PayPoint

Best performing categories: Fresh produce, chilled, BWS

Customer Profile: Noel Kavanagh

Im

100% CHICKEN BREAST

unpackaged refillable dry goods, electronic shelf edge labels, LED lighting and energy efficient chillers.

Six months on from opening, Noel describes shoppers’ reaction to the store as “incredible.”

Sales have consistently grown by around £5,000 a week since opening – helping the store to hit its target for August 2023 a full three months early.

“The store is resonating exceptionally well with the shoppers; feedback is fantastic and customer count and sales are both growing week on week,” he says.

“We are currently way ahead of where we had anticipated, so it certainly seems as though we are moving in the right direction!” he concludes.

Hosting one of the RAF’s busiest bases and home to the world-famous Red Arrows, the Lincolnshire village of Waddington is certainly no stranger to aerial activities.

And now thanks to a canny refit of the village’s highly prized Budgens convenience store, it isn’t just jets that are soaring – with loyalty, footfall and sales all on the up at Budgens Waddington.

Owned by Budgens retailer Sam Sangha, the 4,000sq ft former corporate store re-opened its doors in June 2023 following a smart refit targeted at streamlining operations and driving key efficiency gains.

“I bought the store five years ago but, apart from a few small tweaks, we hadn’t yet invested in any major upgrades. In the wake of the pandemic, the store was due a refit that would give it a fresh lease of life and make much better use of its large space,” Sam explains.

“We began having discussions with our Budgens RDM Peter Kowalczuk back in 2021 and after months of planning and 24 proposed layouts, work started in May 2023.

“The insight and advice from the Budgens team, and Peter in particular, has been invaluable at every stage of the process – we couldn’t have done it without them,” he adds.

Central to the development was a plan to reduce the store’s cavernous shop floor by 1,500sq ft to 4,000sq ft – an astute move designed to allow Sam and the Budgens team to streamline the range.

“This change has been key – the range is much tighter now which enables us to concentrate on the products

Flying high

Sam Sangha’s Budgens store in Waddington is reaping the benefits of its efficient new look.

and categories that really sell along with more profitable categories such as local foods, vape and food-to-go,” he says.

“Before, we were filling the shelves because we had to, and now, we are now able to turn stock over much quicker.

“The change has also made the store much easier for shoppers to navigate, everything is in much closer reach now.”

An overhaul of the store’s tired and uneconomical lighting and refrigeration systems formed another key pillar of the development. All of its old chillers replaced with smart new energy efficient models with doors. The heating system was also replaced with a modern heat recovery system which

The store’s layout was flipped 90 degrees so that shoppers entering the store now walk directly into the fresh and food-to-go aisle.

now helps to keep the store warm in the winter months and nice and cool in the summer. While it’s still early days, this development has already led to a 35% reduction in the store’s energy costs.

The store’s layout was also flipped 90 degrees so that shoppers entering the store now walk directly into the fresh and food-to-go aisle.

“We’ve also brought in a number of new local lines from a butcher, baker and brewer which are already proving to be very popular with locals,” Sam adds.

Another key development included an overhaul of the store’s former checkout zone, where the old, seated checkouts were replaced with a shiny new counter area.

This change has also enabled the store to build a brandnew backlit vape and spirits display – with the spirits range boosted from one to four metres.

The store’s vape offer has also been significantly enhanced, making it easier for customers to navigate, as Sam explains.

“The old store only offered a very small vape range of less than one metre and the way it was displayed made it really difficult for shoppers to see the offer.

“We now have an outstanding three-metre display featuring underlit shelving and an array of strong multibuy deals. This change in particular has been one of the most powerful, with vape sales having grown by more than 60% since we re-opened.”

“The insight and advice from the Budgens team has been invaluable at every stage of the development, we couldn’t have done it without them.”

Sam Sangha

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The store’s food- and drinks-to-go offer has been similarly enhanced.

“We knew from talking with other Budgens retailers that we had a significant opportunity to grow our food- and drinkto-go sales and so we’ve gone after that market with the introduction of a brand-new Costa Coffee offer, plus Tango Ice Blast and Hershey’s and Reese’s Freeze,” says Sam.

The store previously offered a bog-standard slush solution and Sam says that bringing Tango Ice Blast into the mix has been “a gamechanger”.

“It’s such a strong and well-known brand and shoppers can’t get enough of it. The feedback from shoppers has been phenomenal and it’s also helping us to attract a younger demographic though the doors.”

Meanwhile, catering to Waddington’s middle-aged and older generations is a brand-new bank of six Cook freezers which offer a wide range of high-quality frozen meal solutions not seen anywhere else locally.

FACTFILE

Store name: Budgens Waddington, Lincolnshire

Store size: 4,000sq ft

Retailer: Sam Sangha

Staff: 16

Opening hours: 8am-10pm Mon to Sat, 10am-4pm

Sun

Services: ATM, Payzone, National Lottery, ETop Up, home delivery,

Best-performing categories: Vape, BWS, fresh and chilled

“Waddington is a fairly affluent area and many shoppers are happy to pay a more premium price for great quality convenience foods, so the new Cook offer is already proving to be extremely popular,” Sam adds.

The new-look store has also been updated with Budgens’ latest signage concepts and equipment, including smart trimesh metal cubes for BWS promotions and wooden nosing for ambient BWS.

Attractive new bakery units have also been fitted in the bake-off zone to enhance product presentation and freshness.

All of the store’s old shelving was also swapped out for smart new anthracite units, while the store’s old floor was diamond sanded and repolished – a move which has lent the whole space a fresh, bright and modern new look.

A number of important changes have also been made outside the store, including a renovation of its large free car park with new white lines.

The store’s old excess space has also been converted into a new retail unit which Sam hopes to rent out to a local business in the coming months.

When it comes to the store’s digital façade, Sam and his team have also been working hard to enhance Budgens Waddington’s social media presence.

The store has just signed up to the SocioConnect platform, a move which will allow Sam and the store team to use Booker’s centrally created posts on its own social pages and post engaging content more regularly.

While it’s still early days, Sam says that store sales are increasing across the board with noticeable spikes in key areas such as vape, food-to-go and frozen.

The coming weeks will also see Budgens Waddington add electric car charging spaces, as well as Amazon lockers, to help drive footfall even further.

“We’ve so happy with the outcome. It’s been a long time in the planning, but it really feels now like the store has been future-proofed for years to come,” Sam concludes.

Good sport!

This summer the stage has been set for what is proving to be a rip-roaring season of major sporting events, sure to help retailers create high-impact in-store excitement and boost footfall, sales and profits.

The Lionesses set the nation roaring with pride in July and August as they made it all the way to the FIFA Women’s World Cup final and now excitement levels are once again at fever pitch , thanks to the start of the 2023 Men’s Rugby Union World Cup.

Held between 20th of July and 20th of August, the FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) helped retailers to net great sales and profits, as shoppers from all across the country eagerly stocked up before tuning in and cheering their favourite teams on.

Sajeev Gowrinathan of Budgens Tarvin said the tournament had offered a fantastic opportunity to create in-store excitement and drive sales.

“We always strive to make the most of key sporting events. Alcohol and snack categories performed very well during the WWC along with ready to eat meals like chilled pizzas. Our Cook-branded frozen meals also sold well during the period.”

Among the major brands who helped retailers make the most of the event was Budweiser, the official beer of both the Lionesses and the FIFA Women’s World Cup which ran a high-impact ‘scan to win’ on-pack promotion offering a range of great prizes including top-end TVs.

Budgens ran a special promotion on 660ml bottles of Budweiser throughout the WWC tournament, offering shoppers ‘Any 2 for £5’ – a mechanic which was also in play across a range of other large-format bottled beers, including Birra Moretti, Kronenbourg 1664, Heineken, Becks, Peroni, Stella Artois and Corona.

With a packed summer of sporting events, retailers have a winning opportunity to score additional sales over the coming weeks.

“Across the 10 host cities and around the world, excitement is at fever pitch. From ticket sales to international visitors, records are tumbling and there is a genuine air of expectation as to which nation will ultimately lift the biggest prize in men’s rugby, the Webb Ellis Cup.”

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont

Key Rugby World Cup Beer and Cider Deals

Key Rugby World Cup Snack Deals

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Supporting stars

Big sporting events such as the Women’s World Cup and the Rugby World Cup provide a fantastic opportunity to create some high-impact in-store theatre.

l If space allows, why not create an off-shelf display to promote key promotional lines on popular categories such as Beer, Soft Drinks, Snacks and Confectionery?

l Use all available POS to give your displays some extra kick!

l Be sure to promote your range and any supporting promotions on social media too. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok offer a great way to engage with shoppers of all ages.

Meanwhile, having kicked off in Paris on Friday 8 September, the Men’s Rugby Union World Cup is providing even more opportunities for retailers to cash in, as France hosts what is already proving to be one of the most hotly contested series in the tournament’s history.

With England, Ireland, France, New Zealand and South Africa all boasting strong potential to win, the stage is set for one of the most open championships ever, including the possibility of the first Northern Hemisphere victory for 20 years, since England claimed the prize in 2003.

In addition to alcoholic drinks, the tournament is also

providing ample opportunities for retailers to boost sales of soft drinks, sharing snacks and key meal solutions with an array of deals on big-name brands as well as Jack’s products.

Budgens retailers can offer their shoppers a winning selection of great soft drinks promotions focusing on larger pack formats ideal for sharing that are sure to help drive up basket spend. Deals will include 2L bottles of Pepsi Max, Pepsi Diet and Pepsi Max Lime at ‘2 for £3’.

Other stand-out soft drink deals running during the Men’s Rugby Union World Cup include multibuys such as: ‘Any 2 for £3’ on 500ml bottles of a wide range of top-selling brands

including Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Dr Pepper and Oasis.

In confectionery, a special ‘Any 2 for £1.40’ deal is also running across key impulse bars including Aero Milk, Kit Kat Chunky, Toffee Crisp and more.

Budgens has also put together a fantastic package with Walkers that allows retailers to offer shoppers an ‘Any 2 for £3.50’ deal on 140g bags of Walkers Max Pizza Hut Pepperoni Feast and Walkers Max Pizza Hut Texas BBQ, helping to shoppers to host Big Match Nights Night In at home.

Sweet-toothed sharers will also be able to indulge with 100g packs of Butterkist Cinema Sweet, Sweet & Salted, and Hazelnut Chocolate popcorn – available on a ‘2 for £2.50’ deal.

With many of the Rugby World Cup matches kicking off late in the afternoon or around dinner time, Budgens shoppers are also able to take advantage of a number of great value deals on key fresh and frozen meal solutions and products including pizzas, chips and ice creams.

One standout deal includes ‘Any 2 Chicago Town Takeaway Pizzas and a Magnum Classic 3-pack for £6’ – the perfect partner for shoppers to cheer their teams on with.

With so much excitement to come, this packed summer of sport certainly looks set to help retailers score.

All that remains is for the home nations to do the same!

MEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP KEY MATCHES

QUARTER FINALS

Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 October –4pm and 8pm

SEMI FINALS

Friday 20 and Saturday 21 October –8pm

FINAL Saturday 28 October – 8pm

The Jack’s brand is performing strongly and answers and important value-formoney call which, despite our affluent surroundings, remains key to many shoppers in the current economic climate. The Jack’s range perfectly complements our more premiumpriced offerings from small and artisan producers. Sales are doing particularly well in the snacking, ambient grocery and frozen categories, as well as chilled, where Jack’s Beef Steaks and Chicken Breasts sit comfortably alongside goods from our independent butcher Louis Mann & Son.

Noel Kavanagh,

New Jack’s family solutionsmeal

Retailers can now offer an array of family-friendly meal solutions for four, at a great-value price of less than £2.50 per person.

Each Jack’s Meal Solution features a simple recipe that will feed four people for less than £2.50 per person.

JR Kavanagh’s Budgens Belsize Park

Jack’s Family

BEEFBURGER AND CHIPS

Value for money remains front-of-mind for shoppers and especially for busy families with lots of mouths to feed.

Luckily, Booker’s Jack’s brand is here to help, with a brand-new initiative offering a wide range of palate- and pocket-friendly family meal solutions.

The new Jack’s Family Meal Initiative will enable retailers to offer their shoppers a different family meal solution each new promotional period.

From ‘Bangers and Mash’ to ‘Spaghetti Bolognese’ and ‘Chilli Con Carne,’ all of the easy-to- cook recipes in the new collection have been carefully designed for broad appeal and maximum convenience.

Each of the recipes has also been carefully crafted to create delicious meals that will feed a family or group of four people, for a great-value price of less than £2.50 per person.

The recipes have also been designed

The Jack’s Family Meals initiative uses Jack’s products from across the categories to help shoppers create an array of family and pocket-friendly

Recipes will include:

Sweet and Sour Chicken and Rice

Beefburger and Chips

Chilli Con Carne

Bangers and Mash

Sausage Casserole

Spaghetti Bolognaise

Chicken Tikka Masala

Macaroni Cheese

Tuna Pasta Bake

Chicken Korma

Spaghetti and Meatballs

to showcase the quality, value and breadth of the full Jack’s range, by encouraging shoppers to buy across

Each of the simple family-friendly recipes features Jack’s products from across the fresh, chilled and ambient categories, to help shoppers cook up the crowd-pleasing meals.

From 24 August to 13 September, Budgens retailers will be able to offer their shoppers the means to make mouthwatering ‘Sweet and Sour Chicken and Rice’.

Using Jack’s Easy Cook Long Grain Rice, Jack’s Sweet and Sour Sauce

Mix and Match

The Jack’s cheese line-up has also been boosted with the addition of Grated Mozzarella. Available now, the “delicate and creamy” cheese is sold in resealable 180g packs pricemarked at £ 2.49. Packs can also be purchased as part of the ‘Any 2 for £4’ deal which spans the Jack’s cheese range.

Media Magic

Social media offers another really effective way to drive trial and repeat purchase of the fantastic Jack’s range. Use key social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to highlight Jack’s promotions and flag up new products.

Booker offers a professional suite of social media assets that you can easily use to showcase your Jack’s range, helping you to create engaging posts in just a few simple clicks.

The new Jack’s Family Meal initiative lends itself perfectly to social media and is sure to help drive footfall, sales and profits in-store.

The initiative will be supported by a special web tile for use on social media.

and Jack’s Chicken Breast Fillets, the recipe will allow shoppers to feed a family of four for just £2.30 per person.

Following on from that, from 14 September to 4 October, the NP8 promotional period will see them offer a juicy ‘Beefburgers and Chips’ recipe choice.

Each of the new recipes will also be supported in-store with a range of high-impact point of sale materials, including Posters and Shelf Cards, featuring prominent Jack’s branding and the key ‘Part of the Tesco Family’ message.

Pricing information and cost per portion will also be boldly displayed to really drive the value-for-money message home.

In-store POS will also be supported by a web tile for retailers to make use of on social media.

In addition to the new Jack’s Family Meal initiative, retailers can also offer their shoppers a fantastic range of quality chilled ready meals which offer the ultimate in convenience and value for money.

From Asian to Italian and traditional British fare, plus vegetarian options, the Jack’s ready meal range caters to a broad array of style and flavour preferences, with all meals available for an RSP of just £3.35 or on a ‘Any 2 for £6’ deal – offering great value for money.

The Jack’s chilled range also includes an array of crispy Stone Baked Pizzas, featuring bestselling toppings such as Three Cheese, Pepperoni and Meat Feast for £4 each or at ‘2 for £7’.

And for shoppers after the ultimate in convenience, the Jack’s brand also includes a selection of frozen pizza products, which can be cooked straight from frozen in just 22 minutes.

HOW

Bearing the Jack’s branding and the key ‘Part of the Tesco Family’ messaging, pizza packs also feature a prominent £2.29 pricemark offering shoppers exceptional value for money.

Budgens shoppers can select from two tasty variants: Deep Meat Feast and Deep Cheese variants. .

Budgens retailers can also offer their shoppers a sweet treat at the end of their family meals with a wide range of chilled desserts also included in the Jack’s line-up.

Shoppers can choose an indulgent stack of Chocolate Profiteroles, creamy Caramel Panna Cottas and zesty Limoncello Desserts among others.

NEW JACK’S BAKERY PRODUCTS!

JACK’S GINGERBREAD MAN

Case size: 12x55g

WSP: £7.15

RSP: 95p

POR: 37.3%

JACK’S CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

Case Size: 12x70g

WSP: £7.15

RSP: 89p

POR: 33.1%

“The Jack’s brand is becoming an increasingly powerful contributor to sales, especially in categories such as fresh, chilled and frozen. Frozen, in particular is becoming an increasingly significant category for us. We currently have four freezers and Jack’s-branded frozen products including potato products and other ready-to-cook vegetables are flying.”

Sajeev Gowrinathan, Budgens Greenacre, Tarvin

YOUR LAUNDRY ESSENTIALS

M282154

M282153

M282128

Blooming marvellous

A new and improved horticulture range is helping sales and profits to bloom in Budgens stores.

Despite

Mintel Flowers and Houseplants 2023

With their kaleidoscope of colours, shapes, textures, scents, and in some cases even tastes, flowers really do deliver a feast for the senses, adding a splash of beauty and spreading smiles wherever they are.

Little wonder then, that the UK’s floral industry continues to make such a significant contribution to the economy, with the UK market for fresh flowers and indoor plants valued at £2.2bn, according to the Flowers and Plants Association.

From birthdays to anniversaries, as tokens of thanks and as marks of condolence, flower sales are also prompted by an equally vibrant rainbow of drivers.

A great many shoppers also purchase flowers for personal use, buying blooms to beautify their homes – which for many shoppers also continue to double up as their place of work.

In fact, according to a 2023 Mintel study, despite the current squeeze on shopper spending, 77% of shoppers deem flowers and houseplants to be “an affordable luxury” that they are happy to treat themselves too.

Whatever the motivation, it’s clear that flowers account for a significant part of many shoppers’ spending habits

Fabulous Flowers

The new and improved range of flowers and plants available to Budgens retailers is bursting with benefits. These include:

l Minimum 30% POR

l Minimum Five-Day Life Guarantee for home user from point of purchase including last shelf-life day

l Florist feel

New Plants Range

ROSE IN CERAMIC

Case size: 6 WSP: £17.36

RSP: £4.99 POR: 30%

GIFT ANTHURIUM

Case size: 6 WSP: £22.69

RSP: £6.49 POR: 30%

FOLIAGE GIFT

Case size: 8 WSP: £18.64

RSP: £3.99 POR: 30%

KALANCHOE

Case size: 12 WSP: £13.96

RSP: £1.99 POR: 30%

New Flower Range

l Everyday Range now features eight SKUs – up from six

l All lines renamed with florist-style names

l Range includes Premium £15 Aqua Bomb Bouquet

l Additional Seasonal Range to feature across the year

l Cash profit per case increase on new range vs previous

Great Value!

CUPCAKE GIFT

Case size: 6 WSP: £17.34

RSP: £5 POR: 30.6%

Premium Gifting

TRUE LOVE AQUA

Case size: 2 WSP: £17.50

RSP: £15 POR: 30%

and now, thanks to a perfectly timed development by Budgens, flowers and plants also look set to contribute more significant sales and profits to retailers’ tills.

Budgens has recently launched a new and improved horticulture offer in a bid to help retailers make even more of the blooming flower opportunity.

Available now, Budgens retailers have access to an enhanced Every Day Range of Summer Bouquets, in a larger line-up of eight beautiful SKUs.

Featuring the Booker Group’s exclusive ‘Olive & Acacia’ brand, the high-quality flower range has been carefully designed to offer shoppers an authentic florist-style feel, with quality blooms enrobed in attractive papers and packaging materials.

All products in the beautiful new range are sourced directly from the growers, a feat which not only helps to maximise the life of both cut flowers and plants but also their quality.

In fact, from the point of purchase, all products feature a minimum five-day life guarantee for shoppers, including the last shelf-life day.

The new range also offers retailers a more generous cash profit per case compared to previous ranges, with all products in the new line-up offering PORs of at least 30% and some offering as much as 35%.

All eight of the beautiful new Summer Bouquet SKUs have also been graced with names that have been carefully chosen to replicate florist naming conventions more closely, further reinforcing their quality credentials.

New mid-priced Summer Bouquets feature sweet juice- and patisserieinspired names such as Cupcake Gift, Strawberry Shortcake, and Blackcurrant Smoothie.

All three of these bouquets feature great-value prices, with Cupcake Gift featuring an RSP of just £5, and Strawberry Shortcake and Blackcurrant Smoothie both boasting RSPs of £6.50.

All three bouquets also offer retailers a POR of 30% or more, with the Blackcurrant Smoothie variant offering a margin of 31.9% on a case of five.

The Summer Bouquet range also includes the more premium-priced Tropical Sunrise, Four Seasons and True Love bouquets – all of which offer PORs of 30% or more.

The new Summer Bouquet range also includes a striking Rose & Lily arrangement which features an RSP of £7 and a POR of 31.6%, along with a classic bouquet of 12 red roses, which also features an RSP of just £7 and a lush POR of 35%.

Answering the call for more premium options, Budgens has also launched a new Everyday Premium Line.

Enrobed in a smart Aqua Bag, the £15 True Love bouquet includes premium quality-roses in a burst of bright colours.

The new horticultural range also includes additional Seasonal lines such as Sunflowers, Tulips, Daffodils and Gladioli which will change throughout the year, helping retailers to inject added interest and appeal to their floral displays all year round.

Key floralUK industry trends

l Sustainability: There has been a growing emphasis on sustainability in the UK floral industry, with some shoppers seeking out ecofriendly options for their flower arrangements –including dried flowers.

PERFECT PLANTS

For shoppers seeking longer-lasting blooms, Budgens has also launched a fantastic new Plants range. The new Everyday Gift Plant range features four SKUs that are all top sellers in Tesco stores.

The range includes:

l A Rose plant in a decorative ceramic pot

l A Gift Anthurium

l A Foliage Gift plant

l A Kalanchoe plant

All four products in the new Plants range offer Londis retailers a POR of 30%.

And of course, flowers don’t just serve to beautify homes. Buds and blooms can also help to create valuable in-store theatre, their pretty petals acting as beacons of quality and freshness that can enhance shoppers’ perceptions of your whole store.

So what are you waiting for, isn’t it time you put some more petal to your metal?

Seasonal selling

A Mintel study of 2,000 shoppers in 2022 revealed Mother’s Day to be the biggest seasonal occasion for flowers:

l 27% of shoppers bought flowers for Mother’s Day in 2022

l 14% of shoppers bought flowers for Easter 2022

l 14% of shoppers bought flowers for Valentines Day 2022

l Local businesses: Shopper interest in supporting smaller local businesses is prompting a rise in popularity of locally grown flowers.

l Seasonal: Shoppers are also becoming more interested in flowers that are in season.

l Exotic: Consumers are becoming more adventurous in their floral choices and are starting to seek out more exotic flowers and plants.

(Source: The Last Bunch)

Drive footfall and sales with Yext

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

If you’ve ever spent time trying to ensure that all your various online listings and data are correct and up to date, you’ll know how time consuming that process can be. Regularly updating every listing on every major search engine as well as various relevant directories is clearly

important, but it’s a huge task – and that’s precisely where Yext comes in.

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

The initiative represents a significant investment by Booker Group but it is forecast to be money well spent. It is estimated that Yext could help generate a £20m retail sales opportunity across the group.

WHAT IS YEXT?

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

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

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

HOW WILL YEXT HELP YOU?

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

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

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

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

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

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

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

STEP 1: GOOGLE LISTINGS PERMISSION EMAIL

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

l Click on the blue ‘Respond’ button.

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

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

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

STEP 2: USING YEXT

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

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

l Set up your account and password.

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

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

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

Talk to your Budgens RDM or visit help.yext.com for more details and extra help on how to use Yext.

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

Improved web search results = better sales

COMELLE ICE CREAM MIX

KITKAT CHUNKY HAZELNUT

COOLMORE LOAF CAKES COFFEE AND WALNUT FRUIT CAKE CLASSIC CARROT CHOCOLATE FUDGE LEMON CAKE

Case size: 6x400g

WSP: £13.29

RSP: £2.99

POR:25.9%

JACK’S GINGERBREAD MAN

Case size: 12 WSP: £7.15 RSP:95p POR:37.3%

JACK’S CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

Case Size: 12X70g

WSP: £7.15

RSP: 89p

POR: 33.1%

CALIFIA FARMS COLD BREW COFFEE

CARAMEL AND OAT ALMOND MOCHA

Case size: 6

WSP: £12.55

RSP: £2.99

POR: 30%

Helping you get Fit For The Future

4 Key Pillars

Identifying the best opportunities for your business can be a difficult task when you and your team are busy with the day-to-day running of your store. Finding the time to visit other Budgens stores, staying on top of the latest trends and finding new ways to grow sales and profits is undoubtedly challenging – but that’s precisely why Budgens first launched its Fit For The Future series of guides.

Fir For The Future is now in its fourth edition and has been regularly updated and improved to help highlight some of the biggest opportunities around for Budgens retailers to grow sales and profit. Critically, everything you will find in the guide has already been tried and tested in the real world by other Budgens retailers. In other words, the solutions found in the guide have been proven to work.

Essentially, everything in the guide will either help you grow your sales or cut costs, with the net effect being an increase in your bottom line.

To help you do just that, the Fit for the Future 4 guide focuses on four key areas: energy, value, availability and ‘Make More, Save More’. If you haven’t seen a copy yet, just visit booker.co.uk to read it or ask your RDM for a copy and they’ll be delighted to help.

ENERGY

Reducing the amount of energy your store uses has never been more critical, which is why the first section of the latest Fit for the Future Guide focuses on this vital area.

One of the easiest ways you can make sure you are getting the best deals possible is by joining the Booker Energy Buying Club. Run by longstanding Booker partners Saffron Business Solutions, the Buying Club allows Budgens retailers to take advantage of the fact that, as part of a much bigger group, they can benefit from increased buying power.

The Buying Club allows Saffron to negotiate on behalf of Budgens retailers and potentially secure better terms for your energy bills.

The regularly updated Budgens Fit For The Future guide is an invaluable tool to highlight some of the biggest opportunities around for Budgens retailers to grow sales and profit.

Speak to your RDM or contact Saffron direct on 03448 222 802 or by emailing info@sb-solutions. co.uk or by visiting their website at sb-solutions. co.uk to find out more.

You can also make savings of up to £20,000 a year by following the tips featured in the panel within this article.

These tips include the use of alternative technologies such as solar arrays, air source heat pumps and electric vehicle chargers. Booker works with Hawley Energy, an independent business that specialises in this area and it can carry out an audit on your business and help advise on where you can improve your energy usage and how to go about it.

Call 0333 8000 771, email energysaving@hbsmep.co.uk or visit hsmep. co.uk for more information.

VALUE

Thanks to the current challenging economic environment, value has never been important to shoppers and one of the ways may shoppers have found to get more value for their pound is by turning to own-brand products.

Indeed, according to the latest data from IGD, some 37% of shoppers have switched to ownbrand options – a huge increase on the 17% of shoppers who said the same thing less than two years ago.

That’s precisely why the Fit for the Future 4 guide dedicates a section to the Jack’s and Euro Shopper ranges.

Euro Shopper delivers the amazing value that many of today’s shoppers are seeking on over 75 everyday essentials. This exclusive to Booker Group range lets Budgens retailers offer their shoppers a fantastic value alternative on a wide array of products that they need every day in life, helping reduce the cost of the shop and helping them manage their budgets more effectively.

Energy Saving Top Tips

LIGHTING

l Upgrading to LEDs can generate savings of around 30%

l Install motion sensors in low traffic areas

l Use timers so lighting is only on during opening hours

l For outdoor areas consider “dusk to dawn” photocell lighting

HEATING AND COOLING

l Heat and cool your shop sensibly

l Maintain Heating, Ventilation and Air Con (HVAC) systems

l Check thermostats are in the most suitable position – e.g. not next to a window or heater and not at a high level

l Don’t use extra electric heaters – these are expensive to run

l Keep main/front doors closed in colder temperatures

REFRIGERATION

l Retrofit doors to upright refrigeration and save around 50%

l Upgrade old refrigeration to see savings of around 40%

l Review your current refrigeration and frozen temperatures

l Review the temperature and timers of soft drinks & BWS chillers

l Regularly check and clean the condensers and evaporators on your fridges

OPERATIONS/MANAGEMENT

l Incentivise your team to come up with energy saving ideas

l Use an external audit company to identify possible savings

l Use alternative technology such as solar and smart meters

l Review all hot food units and ensure these are switched off at non-peak times

l Don’t leave IT equipment on standby overnight

MAKING THE MOST OF PROMOTIONS?

To help you ensure you are communicating your value proposition effectively to your shoppers, the Fit for the Future 4 guide asks some helpful questions:

l Are you using your external poster frames fully?

l Mega Deals

l Fresh 4

l Key Deals

l Have the promo ends been merchandised properly?

l Is the POS kit used throughout store?

HOW DO YOU USE YOUR LEAFLETS?

l Distributed?

l Placed in baskets?

ARE YOU ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

l Facebook

l Instagram

l Tik Tok

l Do you use the Budgens social media assets?

GREAT NEWS

Starting today, all applicable* Premier, Londis, Budgens, and Family Shopper locations across the UK will be eligible for a new and preferential rate of 0.8% for Amex transactions.

There’s no better time to accept.

If you are already set up to accept American Express® Cards and would like to have this preferential rate applied to your business, please call our Servicing team at 0800 032 7216 to get this updated.

Did you know?

AMERICAN EXPRESS® CARDMEMBERS SPEND 3.8X MORE ANNUALLY COMPARED TO THE AVERAGE UK CREDIT AND CHARGE CARDMEMBERS?1

Also, American Express Cardmembers spent £230 million in the convenience store sector with a 27% increase in transactions.2

Otherwise, if you are not set up to accept American Express and would like to take advantage of this preferential rate, all you need to do is send an email to wthuk@aexp.com including your name and phone number and our team will call out to you to complete the set up or follow the QR code for a digital form.

Once you receive your American Express Merchant Number(s), simply contact your payment provider who will program your terminal(s) to accept American Express Cards.

All Euro Shopper lines carry a POR of at least 30% so Budgens retailers also benefit from stocking this exceptional range.

The Jack’s range, meanwhile, now extends to more than 500 lines across most product categories, again delivering a minimum 30% POR on the vast majority of products. Exclusive to the Booker Group, Jack’s delivers Tesco-quality products at fantastic prices.

Jack’s has been constantly enhanced with the addition of a selection of ‘2 for’ deals and ‘Fresh 4’ market-leading deals each promotional period as well as the addition of new product lines like the new range of Jack’s family meal solutions.

AVAILABILITY

Having the products your shoppers want on-shelf at all times is critical to growing footfall, sales and profits.

The Fit for the Future 4 guide reminds retailers that Booker offers a wealth of tools and resources to help you manage availability. These include:

NEW AVAILABILITY REPORT

l Reason & Resolution dates

l Product Search available

l Every Monday & on website

NEW LINES

l Headstarts & POF

l Category Guidance

l Pre-sells

USE OF PLANOGRAMS

l Provides latest range and insight

l Different sizes to suit store type

l Now with barcodes to order products

ADDS & DELETES

l Weekly updates for new lines and deletions

l Available every Friday

COMMS

l Daily email for latest updates

l Weekly bulletin

l Historical comms available

BOOKER.CO.UK

l Are you using all the tools?

l Single location for all information

MAKE MORE, SAVE MORE

The Plan for Profit 4 Guide concludes with Budgens’ outstanding ‘Make More, Save More’ model which can add up to £154,000 of improvements for Budgens retailers every year!

It’s worth finding the time to pour yourself a coffee and find 10 minutes in your hectic day just to read this.

This section alone features 14 different solutions that Budgens retailers can adopt to add more than £123,000 to their sales and three solutions that can help you save as much as £31,330 a year.

The question to ask yourself is: how many are you taking advantage of?

Making the most of footfall drivers?

With so many tools available to Budgens retailers to maximise footfall, the Fit for the Future 4 guide provides a brief reminder of areas where you can ensure you are doing all you can to drive footfall:

MILK & BREAD

l Competitive pricing

l EDLP POS

l Improved choice – Hovis Simple EDLP

l Over 350 SKUs

l New improved EDLP POS

FOOD TO GO

l Do you have a hot food offer?

l Do you sell frozen drinks?

l Do you offer coffee?

VAPE

l Extended range available

l Over 130 lines

l Wholesale deals now available

l Do you run multibuys?

l Now qualifies for Spend & Save

TOBACCO CLUB

l Marketing leading WSPs & RSPs

l Earn up to 12% POR

FROZEN MEAL DEAL

l Feed the family for £5.50

l Impactful POS kits available

GROUP EXCLUSIVES & NPD

l Do you stock?

l Are you highlighting with POS?

l Do you upsell to customers?

SANDWICH MEAL DEAL

l Are you running the deal?

l FREE POS kit available

TO READ THE LATEST FIT FOR THE FUTURE GUIDE VISIT BOOKER.CO.UK OR ASK YOUR RDM FOR A COPY

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.

ARBURY ROAD Cambridge

Cambridgeshire

BEECH HILL

Headley Down Hampshire BURWASH Burwash

East Sussex

CKF GORSEINON Gorseinon Glamorgan

CKF LAMPHEY Lamphey Pembrokeshire

DULWICH London

EAST FINCHLEY East Finchley London

SOUTHWATER Horsham West Sussex

TUFNELL PARK LONDON Brockley Road London

Store openings and refurbs

We’re delighted, as always, to welcome new stores to the Budgens family.

LUCOZADE SPORT ZERO S U G A R

Orange & Peach M285696

Raspberry & Passion Fruit M285679

Keep it

A Community Barometer survey finds two-thirds of shoppers believe investment should be directed to their local area rather than in the nearest town or city centre.

At ACS, we recently launched our Community Barometer report which looks at how people value the services in their area, what they would like to see more of, and how they would prioritise investment in their community. The report looks at a total of 16 different local services from petrol stations and pubs to takeaways and charity shops.

We first launched this report in 2014 and over the years the findings have revealed the important role that local shops play in their communities, providing essential services and acting as social hubs for their customers.

This year’s report has seen Post Offices rank the highest for the most positive impact on a local area followed by pharmacies and convenience stores. These three services were also rated highest among local people as the most essential, with pharmacies topping the list, followed by Post Offices and convenience stores.

Convenience stores have kept adapting and evolving to meet the needs of customers and many stores do this by spotting gaps in their local area and then expanding to meet these needs. This can run from hosting Post Offices to offering banking services and prescription collections.

As a retailer, the Community Barometer report is a useful tool not only in validating the important role that you play in your local community but also to give you an idea of the services that your customers might be looking for and that you might be able to offer.

A key area the report looks at is where people think investment should be directed. This year’s report has shown that two-thirds of people would want to see investment in their immediate local area rather than in their nearest town or city centre.

The shift to hybrid working has meant that many people are spending less time commuting and more time near where they live and with this shift there has been an increase in demand for high quality services closer to home.

This is something that the Government should take into consideration to ensure that local parades, villages and rural hubs are not left behind in the levelling up agenda.

The full Community Barometer report is available on our website at acs.org.uk and, as always, if you have any questions please get in touch.