A CTN for the city My mags, sweets and parcels keep Canary Wharf going STORE LOOKBOOK Page 6 »

RETAIL NEWS THAT MATTERS ● £2.50 ● 13.04.2018 EXCLUSIVE Bestway MD on Bargain Booze rescue plan ● ‘We’ll get you on an even keel,’ says Martin Race ● Company to encourage retailers to widen category mix Page 4 & 24 »

TOBACCO OMBUDSMAN SUPPLY CHAIN App sees Retailer’s ‘Newstrade reports of contract could go illicit cigs complaint under’ says rocket upheld NFRN Imperial’s new tech Investigator backs Federation files leads the way on postmaster in fight submission to regulator beating counterfeit against photocopy warning of distributor traders Page 4 » hire firm Page 18 » duopoly Page 11 » 2 13 April 2018 RN CONTENTS Shaping the future NEXT WEEK » of independent retail since 1889 Consolidation: mistakes to avoid the inside story as you launch your 12 summer ice cream range Page 27

Editor Features editor News editor Chris Rolfe Tom Gockelen-Kozlowski Helena Drakakis @ChrisRolfeRN @TomGK_RN 020 7689 3357 020 7689 3362 020 7689 3361

Reporter Reporter Alex Yau Priyanka Jethwa @AlexYau_RN @priyanka_RN 020 7689 3358 020 7689 3355

Head of design Anne-Claire Pickard 020 7689 3391 “Bestway has the buying Editor in chief Account manager Marketing executive Louise Banham Jon Melson Michael Sharp power, scale and logistical 020 7689 3353 020 7689 3372 020 7689 3356 Designer Sales executives Financial controller expertise to restore a stable Emma Langschied Khi Johnson Parin Gohil 020 7689 3380 020 7689 3366 020 7689 3375 supply to these businesses” Production Joe Waxman Finance executive coordinator 020 7689 3363 Abi Sylvane Martin Race p5 Alex Garton Sales support 0207 689 3383 020 7689 3368 executive Finance administrator Account directors Michela Marino Anubhuti Shah George McCracken 020 7689 3382 0207 689 3397 020 7689 3364 Marketing manager Managing director HEADLINES OPINION Chris Carnevale Tom Mulready Nick Shanagher 020 7689 3389 020 7689 3352 07966 530 001 4 BREAKING NEWS 18 YOUR NEWS App boosts illicit trade reporting Ombudsman upholds photocopier contract complaint

If you do not receive your copy of RN please contact Michael Sharp 6 STORE LOOKBOOK on 020 7689 3356 or email [email protected] Peter Wagg’s News on the Wharf 20 YOUR VIEWS

Printed by Southernprint, Poole, on 80gsm Galerie Fine Gloss paper stores in the spotlight Your letters, views and tweets Distributor Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT Audit Bureau of Circulations 10 SYMBOL NEWS July 2016 to June 2017 average net circulation per issue 12,187 Co-op supply deal delay criticised

Annual Subscription 11 UK 1 year £150 Europe £302 NEWS & MAGS 2 years £237 Rest of world £354 NFRN calls for wholesale probe 3 years £333 To subscribe contact 020 7689 3384 12 PRODUCT TRENDS What the Ready-to-drink sales up 16% Newtrade Beast from 11 Angel Gate, City Road, London EC1V 2SD 13 BRAND SNAPSHOT the East Tel 020 7689 0600 News from nine big brands email [email protected] meant RN is published by Newtrade Publishing Limited, which is wholly owned by NFRN Holdings Ltd, which is 14 WHAT’S NEW for you wholly owned by the Benefits Fund of the National Federation of Retail Newsagents. RN is editorially independent of the NFRN and opinions, comments and reviews included are not 11 opportunities for your store necessarily those of the Federation and no warranty for goods or services described is implied. Reproduction or transmission in part or whole of any item from RN may only be undertaken with the 16 PRICEWATCH prior written agreement of the Editor. Contributions are welcomed and are included in part or whole at the sole discretion of the editor. Benchmark your premium Page 19 Newtrade accepts no responsibility for submitted material. Every possible cigarettes prices care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information. For trade use only RN 13 April 2018 3

Follow RN Follow RN Email & Visit the TALK f on Facebook on twitter phone RN website facebook.com/ThisisRN @ThisisRN for expert advice to email [email protected] www.betterretailing.com/RN TO RN to have your say on the latest news help you grow your sales tel 020 7689 0600 extensive galleries and news

MY 2018 WELCOME APPROACH TO TRADITIONAL CTN CATEGORIES Page 6 The CMA has the power to swiftly take action to protect print sales and profits

icture the scenario: an independ- ent retailer has a decent turnover in breakfast bakery goods in-store and Pthrough deliveries to a few nearby B&Bs. Shoppers’ health concerns and an expand- ing selection of alternative breakfast staples are reducing sales, but trade remains re- power, scale and logistical Editor spectable. expertise to restore a stable Chris Rolfe But he faces a challenge he can’t solve. @ChrisRolfeRN Bakery manufacturers set retailers’ prices, supply to these businesses” 020 7689 3362 raising them and cutting terms sporadical- ly, while the only wholesaler he can source supplies from applies above-inflation deliv- ery charges, has the last word on allocation, and often deliv- ers his croissants and pastries so late that his time-sensitive INSIGHT morning trade suffers. In reality, this scenario does not occur – in this or any oth- 24 BESTWAY er convenience category – except one. It is this daily reality Wholesaler unveils rescue plan that the NFRN is challenging on behalf of newsagents and for Bargain Booze HND operators with its call for the CMA to investigate news- paper and magazine distribution this week. 27 ICE CREAM Against a backdrop of regional paper closures and cover How to make sure you don’t miss price increases with terms cuts – such as Trinity Mirror’s any sales opportunities once the temperatures start rising 1.7% recent reduction on the Express and Star’s former 24.2% weekday margins just weeks after acquisition – retailers’ 30 IN-STORE COUNTERS sales are under constant threat from an unregulated whole- From ice cream and bakery sale monopoly beset by regular late deliveries, service failures to butchery and flowers, and above-inflation carriage charges. four retailers tell RN Scoop ice cream Print sales may be falling by an average 8% to 9% year by how they do it earns me 70% year, but the newstrade remains a near-£3bn industry and a 32 THIS WEEK IN margins compared footfall driver for many stores, and the CMA has the power to MAGAZINES to 40% on swiftly take action to protect print sales and profits. A new racing If the NFRN’s request for absolute territorial protection to weekly fills a packaged lines – be removed is granted by the CMA, it raises the immediate gap in the 4 profit-driving in- question of who else retailers could then source newspapers market store counters and magazines from instead. in focus But the indisputable fact is that the current unregulated monopoly is a threat to print sales and the situation needs to Page 30 be addressed. 4 13 April 2018 RN BREAKING NEWS IT glitch A touch of glass for retailer’s cost two vaping display With the intention of present- hours’ lost ing a more professional and stand-out vaping range in store, business one retailer has installed a glass Retailers were left frus- cabinet showcasing his vap- trated after an IT glitch ing range by supplier TABlites. prevented them from ofer- David Lomas, of Lomas News in ing Post Ofce services for Manchester, said the cabinet has nearly two hours. allowed him to increase his vap- The issue happened on ing range by 25%. “I’m trying the morning of 10 April, to be more professional in my but was resolved in the af- range and display, and the cabi- ternoon. Retailers afected net lets us showcase expensive couldn’t use their Post items securely in a professional Ofce EPoS to process ser- manner,” he said. vices such as bill payments or print postage labels. According to a Post Ofce Massive increase in intelligence feedback Retailer’s sales rocket after rogue traders shut down spokeswoman, only a few branches were impacted. However, Vince Malone, of Tenby Stores & Post Of- fice in Pembrokeshire, was told the majority of 11,500 Imperial app drives Post Ofce branches were afected. “I had an outage between 11am and 1pm. I normally serve 80 custom- reports on illicit trade ers in that period, but I was unable to ofer the regular by Tom Gockelen-Kozlowski a month from across our Wear, who was found to be figures, Mr Hall said. “One services.” [email protected] UK and Ireland sales force. filling his gantry with a retailer saw a £500-a-day We have 200 reps, so that mixture of counterfeit and increase in his turnover A huge rise in the report- was one in 10 inputting legitimate stock. for five days until the illicit ing rates of illicit tobacco information every month. 10,000 counterfeit ciga- trader came back – he then Cup ban trading is being attributed In the three months rettes were seized from his passed this information to a new app Imperial since, we’ve had 522 store by authorities while on to trading standards to questions Tobacco has produced to reports.” Imperial Tobacco removed take action again. Waitrose’s pledge to speed up intelligence Of that, Mr Hall re- Mr Singh’s gantry follow- “Another store, whose remove disposable cups gathering. vealed, 420 reports have ing his conviction. reporting led to 50,000 cig- from its stores won’t work The app, SARA, allows focused on illicit tobacco The increased reporting arettes being seized, has in areas with high com- reps to hand retailer re- traders (100 reports were has, Imperial revealed, seen an increase of sales muter footfall, a retailer ports over to its investiga- of online sellers), which also led to 6,500 Facebook of cigarettes of as much as has told RN. tive team in less than 60 led directly to 12 seizures posts being taken down 40% over three months. The scheme will be seconds. in 2018. this year. Every store is diferent but trialled in nine branches James Hall, anti-illicit Last month, the com- Retailers who have been we are seeing short-term from 30 April before being manager at Imperial said: pany released the details of responsible for report- and medium-term spikes phased across more stores “When it was launched one case: Tajinder Singh, ing nearby illicit traders in sales for legitimate in autumn. Members we were averaging under of Washington Wine & have also seen dramatic retailers as a result of suc- on Waitrose’s loyalty 20 pieces of information Convenience in Tyne and benefits in their own sales cessful seizures.” scheme can still get free hot drinks, but will be encouraged to bring reus- able cups. Post Office bank push is welcomed However, Peter Lamb, of Lambs Larder in Tun- Retailers have welcomed a mote its banking services owner of Cannich Stores capabilities themselves. bridge Wells, cast doubt Post Ofce plan to promote to customers. It will start & Post Ofce in the town, “We use our Facebook page over whether the scheme the banking capabilities of with regional campaigns told RN: “We’re very happy and a local community would be successful. its branches in small com- in the north west of Eng- the Post Ofce is recog- newsletter to tell locals “My shop is by a train munities as a way to drive land and in East Ayrshire, nising how important we can essentially do station, but only two shoppers into stores. Dumfries and Galloway in-store banking services everything a bank can in regular customers bring As many small towns later this year. are becoming to stores and the shop. Often custom- reusable cups. Commuters across the UK lose bank The Highlands commu- to the community.” ers start banking with us are busy and don’t want branches, the Post Ofce nity of Beauly has lost sev- He said retailers can simply after we explain to to carry dirty cups with has said it will launch a eral high street banks in boost profits by spreading them what our Post Ofce them,” he said. media campaign to pro- recent years. Brad Collins, the word of their banking counter can do.” RN 13 April 2018 5

Exclusive interview with Martin Race ‘We will be looking at the overall potential of stores’ Praise for Camelot Bestway will ‘develop sales scheme and grow’ Bargain Booze An independent retailer has praised a new in- by Tom GK and Helena Drakakis at the overall potential of Speaking more gener- “If an opportunity comes store standards pro- [email protected] stores, as many Bargain ally, Mr Race added that up that means we can gramme for the National Booze customers were while the trade hadn’t get stronger rather than Lottery, which Camelot Bestway’s purchase of perhaps too reliant on al- come together in the same bigger, then we will look at claims can help boost Bargain Booze following cohol and tobacco,” he said, way as it had following it,” he said, adding that the sales by up to £4,200 the collapse of parent- adding that the company P&H’s crash last Novem- company did not want to per year. company Conviviality will intended to look at “other ber Bestway had “tried its overstretch itself. “When The ‘Site, Stock, Sell’ get retailers “back on an categories to drive footfall”. upmost to help afected we invest, we invest in the scheme started its rollout even keel” and bring the The comments came as retailers”. right things,” he said. to retailers this month scale to generate greater RN put to Mr Race reports With regards to Bargain “The important thing and has been designed to profit. that retailers were looking Booze, he denied the for [Bargain Booze] retail- increase sales through That is the pledge of to move symbol groups move to buy the company ers to recognise is that a 10-step assessment. Bestway Wholesale’s in the weeks following had been made prior to Bestway has the buying Participating retailers managing director Martin Conviviality’s demise. its seeking administra- power, scale and logisti- will be rated out of 10 on Race. Talking exclusively The company entered tors. Mr Race also denied cal expertise to restore a areas such as availabil- to RN, he said the Bestway administration last week rumours that Bestway is stable supply of stock to ity, merchandising and takeover was intended to following its failure to poised to buy Blakemore’s these businesses,” Mr Race where their National Lot- “develop and grow” the raise £125m to settle an wholesale division, the concluded. tery stands are displayed Bargain Booze business. outstanding £30m tax debt sale of which as an ongo- l Turn to p24 for the full inter- in the store. “In terms of store devel- and pay money owed to ing concern was also an- view. Next week: Is this the end Eugene Diamond, of opment, we will be looking creditors. nounced last week. of an era for consolidation? Diamond’s Newsagents in Ballymena, told RN he has seen a diference since taking part in the Nisa and Co-op programme. products meet in the “It has made a dif- store of the future ference because more customers have become Nisa and Co-op products were aware of the National displayed side by side for the first Lottery in my store,” he time in a mock store at the Nisa Retail said. Exhibition 2018. The mock-up comes “I’ve added more ahead of a Competitions and Markets National Lottery posters Authority decision on a takeover of the in my front windows as a symbol group by the Co-op. Gemma result of the programme. Bell, Nisa’s communications manager, The National Lottery is said: “At 4,000sq ft, the mock store is a huge footfall driver for the biggest we have put together and me and any opportunity features the latest version of the store to increase sales further of the future.” She added that retailers is welcome.” had reacted positively to the expo Incentives to earn cash overall. “Retailers have been impressed bonuses also accompany by what they have seen,” she said. the scheme, giving retailers the opportunity to earn up to £140 every year. Bonuses will be awarded based on how Nisa gets boost from P&H’s collapse well they do in the as- The demise of Palmer & response in picking up strated it when we took on be viewed as short-term sessment as well as the Harvey played a key role stores left without a supply My Local in 2016 and when or one-ofs. Meanwhile, quality of their National in Nisa delivering a posi- when P&H collapsed at the we had to wind down after trading “remains tough, Lottery promotion on tive last quarter trading end of November. losing Costcutter in 2014,” uncertain and very com- social media. update, with total sales of He said the “astonishing he said. petitive”. Camelot head of retail £377m, up 26%. growth” was testament Arnu Misra, Nisa Retail Mr Brown confirmed James Pearson added: Robin Brown, chief to the flexibility of Nisa’s interim chief executive, that Nisa is expecting the “Better in-store standards financial ofcer, said the business model. “We were praised the opportunities Competitions and Mar- could increase a retailer’s company grew its mem- able to respond and scale Nisa had converted, but kets Authority decision on National Lottery sales by bers by 1,115 in the 13 weeks up and down better than said some of the contracts its deal with the Co-op to up to 3.5%, the equivalent to 1 April, aided by its quick anyone else – we demon- and business gains can be processed by 23 April. of £4,200 per year.” 6 13 April 2018 RN STORE LOOKBOOK

Confecti30%onery’s contribution to News on the Wharf’s turnover

t would be easy to see the CTN-only “I have to make sure it’s as easy for my range in Peter Wagg’s store and customers to access magazines from me as assume he has been standing still it is to buy an online subscription,” he says. I while the world of retail has evolved “I want my customers to know that I have around him – nothing could be further an obscure American business magazine from the truth. that costs £17 or that they can ask me to A CTN Since his first News on the Wharf store deliver 11 copies of The Economist.” opened in Canary Wharf in 1991, the area The confectionery range at Peter’s five has become a city within a city and is stores has become almost as specialised as home five days a week to a huge part of the his newsstand. In 2014, News on the Wharf capital’s financial services sector. His tradi- began selling ‘candy’ imported from Amer- tional confectionery, tobacco and news ica, when a customer inquired whether for the format has been the perfect fit throughout. he could source peanut butter-flavoured Yet eye-watering rents and rates mean M&M’s. Now one third of all confectionery Peter needs to tirelessly innovate, tailoring sold in the stores is sourced from overseas, and presenting his range in a way that while the category contributes 30% of all of squeezes every penny possible from the News on the Wharf’s turnover. The latest area’s 120,000 ofce workers. arrival is limited-edition green tea-fla- Take the newsstand, for instance: Peter voured KitKats imported from Japan. city plays on a major USP by stocking 1,500 Peter says: “Our confectionery is concen- titles across his stores and delivers 192 trated in Jubilee Place, which is where all diferent newspapers and magazines to the restaurants are based. Each of the five ofces in Canary Wharf. Despite the fact stores has a very diferent customer base.” its contribution to turnover has halved in Tobacco is the biggest driver of revenue Over the past 27 years, Peter Wagg’s the past 15 years, it is responsible for 20% overall however, delivering just under of overall income, and Peter continues to 50% of the company’s turnover, excluding News on the Wharf stores have invest. Lottery and services. Peter is working with developed and flourished alongside Bespoke promotions are advertised on Philip Morris on its IQOS system, bringing digital screens, which also highlight the in-store merchandisers and marketing their Canary Wharf home. It’s all availability of specialist financial titles. staf to Canary Wharf to help raise aware- News on the Wharf’s website acts as a por- ness and drive demand. thanks to hard work and constant tal for customers to check what’s in stock “Canary Wharf is often the centre of the evolution, he tells Ed Chadwick or make an order for hard-to-find titles. ripple efect for new products,” he says. “If RN 13 April 2018 7 I know RN will be the first place I hear about new products and services and I can start thinking about how I can incorporate them PETER WAGG

“There is lots ofSTORE potential TOUR A range of new services forand productssomeone help Peter’s comingstore remain into relevant thisAlongside business mainstream titles, News on the Wharf withstocks manyfresh “obscure” ideas”business magazines Following a customer request in 2014, the stores have built an impressive range of confectionery Tobacco remains vital to the business, contributing the largest share of turnover

INFORMATION Location Cabot Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 4QT Size 650sq ft Number of stores Five (plus one new store to open this year) Number of staff: 37 full-time staff across five stores » 8 13 April 2018 RN STORE LOOKBOOK

something is going to be big or is in any way seen as an aspirational product, this STORE TOUR will be one of the first places it takes of.” One emerging income stream to take of Peter was an early in recent years has been parcel collection. adopter of digital screens to Across UPS, Collect+ and Smiths News’ communicate to time-poor Pass My Parcel service, News on the Wharf customers stores handle 1,000 packages a week, Philip Morris has sent bringing in revenue and extra footfall. merchandisers and Parcels pose a storage and logistics test for promotional teams to smaller stores like Peter’s. He says his staf Canary Wharf to help have risen to the challenge and devised establish the IQOS system their own “filing system”, thanks, in part, Peters wants his to their many years of experience: a third business to be as easy and of the 37 employees have been with the reliable to shop with as any business for 15 years or more. website The News on the Wharf portfolio will grow by the end of 2018 when the company takes up the lease on a 650sq ft store at the entrance of Canary Wharf station on the new Elizabeth Line. And its future as a family business ap- pears secure too. Daughter Janet Donegan- Wagg, is already working as operations director, and grandson Adam Donegan- Wagg joined in 2016. So whatever they need, the workers of Canary Wharf can rely on the Wagg family for generations to come.

Want to see more of Peter’s store? Go to betterretailing.com/news- on-the-wharf INVESTING IN YOU INVESTING AN EXTRA £20 MILLION IN RETAIL OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS

Increase your sales by up to +3.5% with the new SITE, STOCK, SELL in-store standards programme Doubling the size of the Retail Sales Team so you’ll get four visits per year, on average Earn up to £140 a year through the new AllStars Retailer Rewards programme

We will visit soon to tell you all about it

Three simple steps The best experience for your customers Grow your sales

Learn more about The National Lottery AllStars Rewards Scheme and SITE, STOCK, SELL www.nationallotteryallstars.com

RN page ad.indd 1 05/04/2018 13:11 10 13 April 2018 RN SYMBOL NEWS Agreement will start in May ‘I’ve heard of many Costcutter retailers joining rival symbol groups’ Aldi & Lidl boost sales of groceries Costcutter criticised for Discounters Aldi and Lidl drove a 2.5% increase in overall grocery sales Co-op supply deal delay for the 12 weeks ending 25 March, but at the cost by Alex Yau of communication around Another Costcutter retailers enquiring about of symbol groups and mul- [email protected] the changes has been retailer, who also asked a change of symbol groups. tiples losing market share. disappointing. not to be named, added: A Costcutter spokes- Kantar Worldpanel fig- Independent retailers have “Communication has “I’ve been looking forward woman said the delay was ures showed Lidl and Aldi’s criticised Costcutter after been bad and we didn’t to Co-op’s range because due to upcoming promo- market share increased to it pushed back the start of receive much notice. We customers know it well tional activity. “The new 5.3% and 7.3% respectively. its exclusive supply deal had problems with Palmer and there’s a lot of quality Costcutter Supermarkets Meanwhile, symbols with Co-op until the end & Harvey and, following behind it. Group commercial terms and independents’ share of May. Kerryfresh and Convivi- “It is frustrating, but we for our retailers will go live dropped from 2.0% to The wholesale agree- ality’s collapse, further just have to wait now. I’ve on 28 May, which is timed 1.7%, while Sainsbury’s, ment announced in No- uncertainty about the sup- heard of many Costcutter to coincide with the start Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose vember will see Costcut- ply chain is the last thing retailers joining rival sym- of a promotional period.” and Iceland saw similar ter’s Independent range we want.” bol groups because they It comes as Co-op an- declines. Tesco’s share replaced by Co-op’s Own David Wyatt, of Costcut- don’t want to compete nounced a £72m profit for remained flat at 27.6%. Label selection. It was ter in Crawley, added: “It’s with nearby Co-ops selling the year ending 6 January. The increase was also initially set to start this unfortunate, but the mar- the same products.” A statement in the results attributed to customers month. ket has been traumatic Meanwhile, a senior said the supply deal with stockpiling groceries due to A Costcutter retailer, over the past few months. industry source confirmed Costcutter stores and take- heavy snow last month and who asked not to be It is what it is and you to RN he has received over of Nisa would help an earlier Easter holiday. named, told RN the lack have to be patient.” requests from Costcutter increase its buying power. Manchester-based Spar retailer Baz Jethwa’s annu- al sales grew 8% in those Sales up 25% 12 weeks. He said: “Having Easter and Mother’s Day following refit closer together has been A Spar retailer has increased beneficial.” his deli and bakery sales by 25% following a £500,000 refit to his 5,000sq ft shop in Pwllheli, north Wales. No- Lifestyle tably, owner Conrad Davies removed shelves from his helps fight five-metre deli to create more space. Manager Sion Roberts discounters said the refit has allowed A Lifestyle Express retailer the shop to display more lo- has welcomed Landmark cal produce and to expand Wholesale’s new own-label the deli to stock more meat promotion as a way to from the butchery. “Custom- compete with discounters. ers have noticed. Combined The promotion, exclu- with the addition of a larger sive to Lifestyle Express re- on-site oven, sales across our tailers, runs until 21 April deli and bakery have grown and promises margins by 25%,” he said. of 40% through a range of pricemarked products such as digestive biscuits and kitchen foil. New figures reveal wholesale gender pay gap Roger Dhillon, of A divide in the number of than males. Nisa Retail en. However, its retail arm The figures are the Lifestyle Express in wholesalers and symbol had a similar figure of 37%. favoured men with a 14% result of legislation requir- Sunderland, told RN these groups who pay men more Others favouring men diference. ing businesses with 250 or products normally have a than women has been included Blakemore (9%), The gap is calculated by more employees to release 30% margin outside a pro- revealed, as gender pay McColl’s (3%), Bestway (2%) separately lining up all details of their gender pay motion. “There’s a Heron gap figures have become and Costco (1%). men and women working gaps. More than 10,000 Foods and B&M Bargains public for the first time. Meanwhile, Parfetts in a company in salary companies participated, nearby and promotions like Costcutter had one of was in the 8% of com- order. The diference is 78% of which had a gap fa- these that promote value the biggest pay gaps, with panies with no pay gap. measured between the vouring men. The average attract customers away the average female em- Booker Wholesale reported males and females in the gap across all companies from the competition.” ployee being paid 38% less a 14% gap favouring wom- middle. in favour of men was 10%. RN 13 April 2018 11 NEWS & MAGS Accusation of anti-competitive behaviour ‘Retailers could be consigned to history’ Switch to tabloid for NFRN challenges CMA to sales buzz The editorial director of Scottish Provincial Press investigate news supply (SPP) hopes switching six regional newspapers by Alex Yau from broadsheet to tabloid [email protected] format will “create a buzz” around the titles and drive The NFRN has warned sales. newsagents could be David Bourn told RN ‘consigned to history’, that going tabloid gave following its submission the newspapers a more to the Competition and sustainable model. He Markets Authority (CMA) said: “I think we now have urging it to investigate a package that is more at- newspaper and magazine tractive to readers. I hope distribution in the UK it will keep existing read- and remove the duopoly of ers happy, tempt lapsed wholesalers Smiths News readers back into the fold, and Menzies. and maybe even attract a The NFRN’s executive few new ones, too.” committee delivered the The Inverness Courier, ‘explosive’ 32-page docu- Northern Scot and Ross- ment, explaining why a shire Journal switched to market investigation is the new format in the first necessary, to the CMA’s week of April, while SPP’s head ofces in London on The NFRN wants an investigation ‘before it is too late’ other broadsheets – the Wednesday. Caithness Courier, the The document argues they can do business “That’s why we need of hundreds of local news- Northern Times and the Smiths News and Menzies with. the CMA to take action papers, the lack of print John O’Groat Journal – will have no incentive to pro- “We have to contend against the clear anti- launches and the closures convert at the beginning vide an adequate service with spiralling costs and competitive behaviour of news retailers has of May. to retailers, because of greatly reduced margins, in our industry and afected the choice and their market domination, while the service from establish a level playing quality of newspapers and and warns retailers may news wholesalers is frank- field throughout the news magazines available. give up on the category as ly a disgrace,” she said. supply chain before it is Also included in the Future Plc a result. “This is happening at too late.” document is the case of NFRN national presi- the same time that news- Mrs Sood added retail- 17 newsagents who are be- acquires dent Linda Sood said the paper and magazine sales ers “could be consigned ing expected to pay their removal of this control are falling, and this is bad to history if regulatory carriage charges, despite NewBay would lead to better ser- news for news retailers action is not taken”. having no newspaper vice and range, enabling and bad news for our The document also deliveries during heavy British media company retailers to choose who customers. outlines how the deaths snow last month. Future Plc has acquired NewBay Media, which pub- lishes business titles such as BikeBiz, Music Week and Trinity racing special goes national Toynews, in a £9.7m deal. The deal increases Fu- Trinity Mirror has made NFRN news business to all areas of England, ture’s total owned brands its 32-page Grand National development manager Wales and Northern Ire- to more than 100 across souvenir special available Phil Williams said retail- land, and all other horse print, events and online. nationally for the first ers should increase their racing media is printing Steve Palm, president time, with the NFRN urg- eforts in selling racing substantial extra copy.” and chief executive of ing retailers to stock it for papers. “You don’t have Mark Dudden, of Alba- NewBay, said: “This “substantial sales”. to be local to the event to ny News at the Post Ofce combination will result in The £1.50 special benefit and, with national in Cardif, said the special new and better opportuni- includes information on interest high, substantial would appeal to casual ties for both NewBay and who will be competing in sales are expected across fans of the sport. “I see a Future partners.” the famous horse racing the country. good number being sold Zillah Byng-Thorne, event at Aintree Race- “Publishers have across Britain.” chief executive of Future, course on 14 April, along- bought into this phenom- The supplement is un- said: “This deal will drive The Grand National side quizzes and news. enon. Trinity Mirror available in Scotland, the further organic growth in souvenir mag was only It was previously only Regionals has extended Channel Islands and the the revenue and profitabil- available in Liverpool available in Liverpool. its Grand National special Republic of Ireland. ity in the first full year.” 12 13 April 2018 RN PRODUCT TRENDS Ramadan sales tips As the Muslim holy month of Ramadan ap- proaches, retailers can capitalise on snacks sales by ofering shoppers tradi- tional foods, Indian snack brand Cofresh has said. Debbie King, director of commercial sales and marketing at Cofresh, 16.4% said: “Ramadan repre- growth in value sents an opportunity for retailers to highlight their of RDT cans ofering while driving their customers’ average spend.” Ravi Raveendran, of Colombo Food & Wine in Hounslow, said dates are a popular product during Ramadan, along with biscuits and tea. “Retailers need to make sure they are displaying foods like this,” he said. Exotic tastes give a 16% To help retailers increase sales, Cofresh has launched four new products, including two boost to ready to drink date-based snacks, keep- ing with the Muslim by Priyanka Jethwa the same old flavours, cans stand out on shelves in the of-trade channel tradition of breaking a [email protected] which shouldn’t be mis- and encourages shoppers in 2017.” fast with dates. taken for fatigue with the to put them in their bas- Susan Gadd, of Orford Soft and alcoholic drinks category. They want choice ket,” she added. General Stores in Orford, in ready-to-drink (RTD) and are looking for tastes Tim Warrillow, chief said she stocks the normal Natural cans have seen significant that go way beyond the executive ofcer at prem- and light variants of Fever- growth in the of-trade norm,” she said. ium soft drinks brand Fever- Tree, but has customers sales boost channel, with RTD cans Ms Draper said the va- Tree, said its Clementine she orders cases of Aro- growing in value by 16.4% riety of flavours available Tonic, which was launched matic Tonic and Lemon Foods that contain natural in the past year according have helped its VK brand, as a limited edition in the Tonic for. ingredients and are low to a supplier. which ofers flavours such of-trade over the Christmas “Fever-Tree has 50% of in sugar content will con- Jen Draper, head of as Orange and Passion period, became the brand’s the market share for us in tinue to be a decisive factor marketing at independ- Fruit, outperform the third most popular product the tonic category. Over when purchasing dairy ent drinks supplier Global market with a 28% growth by volume sold in December the past year, premium foods in 2018, Danone has Brands, said exotic-fla- in value sales, and 26% 2017. brands have taken over predicted. voured RDT cans have growth in volume sales. He said: “Our 150ml can others like Schweppes as Clare Denham, head been the driving force “The combination of in- format has continued to more shoppers look for of market strategy and behind the growth. teresting can designs and perform extremely well interesting flavours,” she category management at “Shoppers are tired of drink flavours helps RTD representing 43% of sales said. Danone, said: “On the go dairy options will continue to become increasingly important alongside an in- Big brands key to craft beer growth creasing desire for ‘healthy choices’ especially among As the trend for craft beer move towards premiumi- craft, a lot of shoppers craft beer. millennial shoppers. With continues to grow, inde- sation by ofering drinks are confused over choice, Ranjit Singh, of Parans this in mind, we expect pendents should invest with crafty credentials.” concerned the quality Minimart in Leeds, said to see more and more cat- in big brands that ofer Katie Hunter, innova- will be poor, and the taste 50% of his beer sales are egory launches of formats premium, craft labels, tion manager at Guin- will not match their of craft varieties, such as adapted to this.” suppliers and industry ness, said: “Craft and expectations. Old Golden Hen. “People She added shoppers will experts have advised. world beers are currently To help retailers are now willing to spend also place more value on Olly Abotorabi, senior in 15% value growth, capitalise, Guinness has a little bit more on pre- brands with strong prov- regional insights man- performing ahead of the launched Open Gate Citra mium, craft beers. The enance and heritage, with ager at data analyst IRI, rest of the category.” IPA and Open Gate Pils- trend has trickled down a growth in premium dairy said: “We’ve seen strong However, she added ner, with the intention from the pub trade to brands. growth in beer as brands that despite interest in of being a ‘gateway’ into independents,” he said. RN 13 April 2018 13 BRAND SNAPSHOT

Two new from Guinness Milkybar’s Wow factor Mars FA deal renewed Diageo has launched two new drinks Nestlé has launched new Milkybar Mars is renewing its partnership by Guinness: Open Gate Citra IPA and Wowsomes with 30% less sugar than with the FA for a new four-year term, Open Gate Pilsner, available to the similar chocolate products, and con- covering England men’s, women’s of-trade in cans and bottles. taining no artificial sweeteners. and disabled teams.

New Actimel formula Bigger Blue range Pricemarked choc bags Danone has reformulated Actimel’s JTI is extending its Benson & Mondelez has introduced a new, 95g 0% range, replacing it nationwide Hedges Blue range with the addition size of £1 promotional pricemarked from this month with a no-added of a new capsule variant available in packs within its chocolate bags range sugar variant. Superkings size. providing better value for consumers.

New Fruit Shoot ad Dodgers for summer Nestlés lolly additions Britvic has launched its Robinsons In time for the summer season, Nestlé’s new Ice Lolly range includes ‘It’s My Thing’ advert for Fruit Shoot Burton’s Biscuits is launching new Nestlé Rowntree’s Watermelon, Nestlé Hydro, which will run on TV until Jammie Dodgers Lemon Twist with Rowntree’s Fruit Pastille Push Up and 28 May. a RRP of 89p. Nestlé Rowntree’s Fruit Blaster. 14 13 April 2018 RN WHAT’S NEW

CanO Water Vita vodka ÜFIT crisps CanO Water is designed in response to the Vita vodka is the first vodka designed to ÜFIT has extended its range into the high- damaging impact that plastic bottles are be mixed with water for drinkers keen to protein snacking category with protein popped having on the environment. Cans are 100% enjoy alcohol without the sugar, gluten and crisps, containing 10g of protein in each 27g recyclable, in still and sparkling variants. additives prevalent in soft drink mixers. bag and 70% less fat than traditional crisps. RRP 99p RRP £27 RRP £1.25 Contact [email protected] Contact [email protected] Contact [email protected]

Rawr chocolate ZaraMama popcorn Creative Nature flapjack Rawr Chocolate has launched a new range of Pop-a-Cob is a whole popcorn cob that comes Creative Nature Salted Caramel flapjack is a ‘thin’ 30g bars in five flavours: Lucuma Cacao, with a microwave bag so consumers can high-protein snack bar with 22% protein per 68% Cacao, 80% Cacao and Orange & Mint. watch the popcorn pop of the cob while it is bar, designed as a post-workout snack. It is The chocolate is vegan, and dairy-free. being cooked. also certified vegan. RRP £1.49 RRP £2.70 RRP £1.29 Contact [email protected] Contact offi[email protected] Contact [email protected] RN 13 April 2018 15

Priyanka Jethwa [email protected] 020 7689 3355 @priyanka_RN

Focus Granola As a versatile food that can be eaten as breakfast with milk or yoghurt, or used to make flapjacks, retailers must stock granola and muesli to appeal to all occasions.

T Plus tea T Plus vitamin teas are designed to evolve Lakeland Mues Rude Health the tea market and bridge the gap to the granola Ultimate Granola supplement sector. The makers say their intention is to ofer health-conscious drinks. Ranked the ‘finest toasted’ muesli Rude Health’s The Ultimate Granola RRP £3.69 in the UK at the 2017 Great Taste is multigrain, with a mixture of oats, Contact [email protected] Awards, this premium muesli is a spelt and barley for a more complex great addition to retailers’ health food flavour. The subtle sweetness comes oferings. from a blend of honey and date syrup. RRP £5.99 RRP £4.15 Contact [email protected] Contact [email protected]

David Ramsey Best-one, Knottingley, West Yorkshire We have a promotion on Quaker Oats’ Honey & Almond Granola for £2 at the moment and it’s a popular buy. People do tend to buy Biona Choco- it with milk, Coconut granola yoghurt and fruit. Miena’s nougat Biona’s Choco-Coconut granola is a premium, organic breakfast granola Miena’s nougats are all individually wrapped with chunky oats. It is designed to and make an ideal gift. They are certified give consumers a slow energy release. gluten-free and coeliac friendly, with Almond RRP £3.99 & Pistachio nougat a bestseller. Contact [email protected] RRP £2.50 Contact [email protected] 16 13 April 2018 RN PRICEWATCH Profit checker Premium cigarettes Price checker

EMBASSY NUMBER 1 KINGSIZE Price distribution % PRODUCT

25% 57% of independents sell this product at or below the £11 RRP Lambert & Butler Kingsize Original Silver 20% Marlboro Kingsize Gold

Benson & Hedges 15% Kingsize Gold

Benson & Hedges Kingsize Silver

10% Silk Cut Kingsize Purple

Benson & Hedges Kingsize Silver Dual

5% Silk Cut Kingsize Silver

Regal Kingsize Blue 0% Royals Kingsize Red

£11.01 £11.10 £11.15 £11.16 £11.19 £10.95 £10.97 £11.02 £11.03 £11.04 £11.05 £11.06 £11.09 £11.20 £10.90 £10.99 £11.00

-£10.90 +£11.20 Embassy Number 1 Kingsize

Analysis Marlboro Kingsize The introduction of EUTPD II and premium cigarettes is a common of Embassy Number 1, with 23% Red plain packaging almost one year strategy among the retailers choosing to stick at Booker’s £11 ago has made it even more difcult interviewed and this is reflective of RRP. The market shows retailers are Superkings for independent retailers to sell the wider industry. willing to sacrifice higher margins Original Black premium cigarettes. More than 57% of retailers to avoid losing any further sales in a Charging at RRP for a pack of charged at RRP or below for a pack difcult category. How we drive our profit The margins I make on cigarettes The tobacco category has been Vince Malone are 5.7% and I choose to stick with Stuart Reddish really tough for us since plain pack- STORE Premier Tenby Stores & the Booker RRP. I have a lot of STORE Londis aging and closed gantries became Post Office competition nearby in the form of LOCATION Chesterfield a legal requirement. Cigarette sales LOCATION Pembrokeshire a Tesco Express, Sainsbury’s and SIZE 1,500sq ft are down and we tend to charge at SIZE 900sq ft other independents. The multiples TYPE neighbourhood RRP now. Customers are unable to TYPE seaside store charge RRP, while independents see the branding and have become add quite a premium onto their less concerned about premium TOP TIP cigarette prices. I don’t want to go TOP TIP brands as a result. We have some Education is key. above RRP and risk scaring away I don’t over- competition nearby and customers I’m not a smoker, potential customers. Regular complicate things who smoke cigarettes will regularly so I make an effort smokers know what the average and just make sure walk away from my shop if I’m to find out more price of cigarettes is and have an my tobacco gantry charging a premium. They already about products expectation of what to pay. I try to is fully stocked at know what the average price of by speaking to persuade them to spend more by all times a packet of cigarettes is. I keep customers placing lighters, filters and other everything simple and just stock accessories by the till. the brands I know customers want. RN 13 April 2018 17

Alex Yau [email protected] 020 7689 3358

Data supplied by EDFM is a specialist in helping leading suppliers to the UK’s independent convenience channel get value, insights and business benefits from EPoS data. To find out how they could help you call 07976 295094 MY LOCAL HERO AVERAGE BOOKER RETAILER RETAILER RETAILER RETAILER RETAILER RETAILER UK RRP Retailers reveal the most profitable RETAIL 1 2 3 4 5 6 produce on their doorsteps PRICE* BUSY SHOP IN SUBURBAN OFF-LICENCE AND NEWSAGENT IN NEWSAGENT LARGE SHOP IN KENT COMMUTER C-STORE IN SHOP ON MAIN CENTRE OF SOUTH IN CENTRAL RESIDENTIAL TOWN READING SUBURB ROAD IN B’HAM MANCHESTER SWANSEA AREA OF SOUTH SUBURB SUBURB YORKSHIRE TOWN Paul Stone Spar Oxford Road, Manchester £9.52 £9.30 £10.70 £9.44 – £9.30 £9.80 £9.00 Forest Foods vegetarian wraps £11.05 £10.80 £11.60 £10.89 £10.80 £10.80 £11.10 £10.40 (£1.59 to £2.49)

£9.55 £11.25 £10.30 £9.45 £9.50 £9.45 £9.70 £10.60 Where did you discover them? Forest Foods is based nearby in Chorlton and I’ve known about the company for 20 years £11.03 £10.25 £11.60 £10.89 £10.99 £10.95 £11.10 £9.60 when it first supplied to nearby restaurants and cafés. It approached us one day and that’s how we started working together. The fact £11.02 £11.24 £11.70 £10.89 £10.99 £10.95 £11.10 £10.60 the company has been around for so long means it has already established a longstand- ing reputation as a supplier who residents in £10.11 £10.19 £10.90 £9.98 £9.99 £9.85 £10.10 £9.60 and around Manchester trust. This relation- ship means we have a good knowledge of its products, which definitely helps when selling to customers. £9.56 £11.24 £10.30 £9.45 £9.50 £9.35 – £10.60 Who buys them? My stores are based in the city centre where there’s a large population of university stu- £11.02 £11.00 £11.70 £10.89 £10.99 £10.95 £11.10 £10.70 dents and ofce workers. The part of town is quite trendy as well and vegetarianism and veganism are on the rise. There’s a large range £11.05 £10.10 – – – £10.95 £11.10 – of products which meet this demand. Why are they so successful? They are a popular product as we normally £10.15 £11.00 £10.90 £9.95 £9.99 £9.95 £10.10 £10.90 sell hundreds of them every week. Food to go is a really popular part of my stores because the majority of my customers are on busy £11.09 £10.80 £11.80 £10.99 £10.99 £10.95 £11.20 £10.45 schedules. They can just pick up a Forest Foods wrap or sandwich before they go to their lectures or ofce, or while on a break. £10.14 £11.00 £10.80 £10.39 £9.99 £10.00 £9.55 – Word of mouth usually helps with their popularity, too. * from a sample of 3,500 stores

Premium cigarettes in particular I purchase my cigarettes from Jasdev Jatana have been a tough sell since plain Jimmy Patel Booker and aim for 10% margin STORE Family Shopper Subway packaging and closed gantries. STORE Jimmy’s Store Premier by adding 30p on top of the RRP. LOCATION Cambridge Customers can no longer see the LOCATION Northampton There’s no immediate competition SIZE 3,000sq ft packaging and aren’t as bothered SIZE 800sq ft in my area. Nicotine is an addictive TYPE high street about the brands they buy anymore TYPE main road substance and this means certain because of that. I charge RRP for customers won’t be too bothered my cigarettes, which are supplied about paying a little extra for a TOP TIP by Booker and Bestway. My average TOP TIP packet of cigarettes. Customers I always stick margins are between 6% and 10%. Always look at are becoming more price-savvy to RRP because To boost sales, I’m thinking of start- what your nearest now, however, and I can’t aford to cigarettes ing a multibuy ofer where custom- competitors are add too much to the RRP because have become ers can get 50p of if they buy two charging to get an I risk scaring them of. There such a tough packets of cigarettes. Smokers are idea of how to set are customers who want more product to sell normally repeat customers and the prices in your area afordable cigarettes as well, which in a competitive savings will hopefully encourage makes it vital for me to stock a range market them to buy more. of products across all price points. 18 13 April 2018 RN YOUR NEWS Sales lift Agreement wasn’t clear: ‘I told him the offer was too good to be true – it turns out it was’ from just desserts Investigator upholds A retailer has boosted his weekly dessert sales by more than £20 following photocopier complaint the addition of Spar’s new own-label cake range. by Helena Drakakis ofces and shops, began adding that when she tried ment Mrs Edgar signed. The products were made [email protected] working with Mrs Edgar to terminate her contract, “I would expect a available in Spar stores last July. She understood she was ordered to pay a finance agreement to last month at an introduc- A photocopy hire firm her contract allowed her £3,000 fee, which has been clearly set out how much tory price of £2.20, and has been advised to al- to operate a machine with subsequently reduced. the monthly charge would included Lemon Drizzle, low a postmaster to exit profits split 50-50 with Upholding her com- be. In this case, I can’t Belgian Chocolate and her contract without Ezeecopy, which provided plaint, investigator Simon see that it displays clearly Victoria Sponge cakes. financial penalty, after the copier, paper and ink. Todd said it was likely what Mrs Edgar would Joe Williams, of The Vil- her claim she had been However, after Mrs Ezeecopy’s salesman did have been expected to pay lage Shop in Hook Norton, missold an agreement was Edgar began receiving explain the key points of each month,” Mr Todd told RN: “Sales from the upheld by an investiga- large monthly bills, she the agreement. How- said. cakes grew to more than tor from the financial was told she had been ever, he could not find any A spokesperson from £20, just five days after we ombudsman service. required to meet a mini- company instruction to Ezeecopy said, “This is began stocking them.” Susan Edgar, of Guis- mum target of 43 black and its sales representatives a first opinion from an Raj Aggarwal, who runs borough Post Ofce in white and six colour copies to explain the copies per investigator and most three Spars across York- North Yorkshire, lodged a per day. day required or the link to importantly at this stage it shire and Leicestershire, complaint in January after “The salesman didn’t monthly cost. is not legally binding,” add- said he had seen healthy she began receiving bills mention the minimum In a document seen by ing the firm was compiling sales of own-label prod- of £80 per month from requirement once. I even RN, Mr Todd also conclud- further documentation for ucts. “We’ve seen good Ezeecopy. told him the ofer was too ed that Ezeecopy’s terms submission. demand for Spar’s own- The company, which good to be true – it turns were not clearly spelled See betterretailing.com label range. The addition rents photocopiers to post out it was,” she told RN, out in the finance agree- for Ezeecopy’s full response. of the cakes alongside a new wine and fresh meat range only helps boost this selection further.” Rural retailers Food-to- fear rates changes Retailers in rural areas central government. The go grants have expressed fears the money is then redistrib- government will turn uted to councils in line for Scots its attention to rural with a formula based on rate relief to plug revenue population. Retailers in Scotland have gaps Meanwhile, Ash Patel until 30 April to bid for at cash-strapped councils. from Wardour News in up to £7,500 to equip their The comments come London, said increasing stores with food-to-go as around 55,000 retail business rates combined stations. premises in England face with rising rent will lead A total of £250,000 in further hikes in their bills him to close in May after grants, which must be following a rise in busi- 34 years. matched by each retailer, ness rates this month. He said: “We have had is being ofered by the Christine Hope, of enough sleepless nights Scottish government, to Hopes of Longtown, Her- trying to keep the shop encourage healthy eat- efordshire, receives 100% going. We don’t have a ing and sales of locally rural business rate relief. magic tree that grows sourced food. Pasty winner helps Marie Curie However, with ministers £50 notes – how are we John Lee, head of public In-store bakery Country fajita filling, was created by looking at rates more fre- supposed to make up the afairs at the Scottish Choice and Appleby West- Tamzin Grebot of Gilletts quently, she is concerned diference when rates and Grocers Federation, which ward challenged retailers Spar Silverton. Her winning for the future. rent go up?” is handling applications, to shake up their pasty recipe is now in production “We do expect this to Chris Noice, head of said there had been con- ranges in their 2018 Cre- and will be on sale in stores change, because business communication at the siderable interest, with ate a Pasty competition, this summer. Every pasty rates are one of the only Association of Convenience dozens of applications in support of terminal ill- sold at Appleby Westward ways that councils can Stores, said that data sent in so far. “The more ness charity Marie Curie. stores during the first three get more income,” she wasn’t yet available on this applications we get, the The winning pasty, stuffed months will generate 5p for said. year’s changes. “I’m sure more likely it will be re- with a Mexican chicken Marie Curie. Local authorities collect we will hear more as the newed next year,” he said. rates for their area for changes bed in,” he said. RN 13 April 2018 19 COLUMNIST How was your beast? After the recent cold snap stopped normal life for many, EDFM’s John Eastwood took a look at the effect on the independent trade and found some clear reasons for cheer

e don’t need reminding that at the end of Febru- THE WEEK-ON-WEEK EFFECT OF LAST MONTH’S WEATHER ary and the beginning W of March, the whole Change in value Change in value country experienced bitterly cold, 12 often sub-zero temperatures accom- by region by location type panied by heavy snowfall. 15 10.4% 10 But what efect did this have on 12.3% independent retailers? EDFM data 12 11.8% from a sample of more than 3,000 8 9.7% independent shops shows sales dur- 6.50% 9 6.1% ing the seven days ending 3 March 6 were more than 6% higher in value 4.7% 6.0% 6.1% 5.4% 5.5% compared with the average level of 6 5.1% 4 the previous four weeks. 4.1% The conditions in many parts of 3 2 the country made driving to the 1.7% 0.04% supermarket difcult – or in some 0 -1.8% 0 cases impossible – so neighbour- hood stores came into their own, East South particularly in rural communities. -15 Wales Scotland Midlands

Stores in the London area saw East North North West North GB average GB GB average GB little change, with shops inside the West/SouthWest Yorks/Humberside

M25 showing a slight fall of 1.8% shops move the On in value. But stores in Wales and shops Rural/Village London (inside M25) (inside London Town/City centre shops the West Country showed rises Town/City suburbs shops of 12.3% and 11.8%, respectively. 60 Independents in suburban areas Change in value 52.0% or in ‘on the move’ locations close 50 43.7% to rail or bus stations thrived, 41.9% and sales soared in rural villages, 40 proving how invaluable local stores 30.1% 30.5% are to many communities. 30 Turning to sales in individual 20.1% 19.7% sectors, high-volume product 20 13.7% 14.4% categories all remained relatively 10 4.4% stable while the snow was on 3.3% 2.9% 3.8% -4.0% 0.1% -5.3% the ground. 0 Local shopping replaced supermarket trips, leading to -10 Beer Wine Cider soaring grocery sales, with frozen Bread Frozen Spirits Biscuits food, canned goods and biscuits Cereals Cigarettes Soft drinks Soft RYO Tobacco RYO News & mags & News Canned goods Canned

posting the highest rises – 52%, Confectionery Hot beverages Hot 43.7% and 41.9%. Cereals, bread and snacks & Crisps hot drinks also rocketed by 30.5%, 30.1% and 20.1%, respectively. pre-Easter seasonal build-up and an inevitable fall in sales to below While the overall growth in sales secondly because confectionery, the level achieved before the Beast value was very much influenced by particularly chocolate, is comfort from the East struck. But it is also exceptionally high grocery sales, food in cold weather. possible that stocks in independ- alcohol sales were also up by more Lastly, tobacco sales grew slight- ents were low because supply had than the average, at 10.1%. Wine ly, by 0.6%. Cigarettes sales were been disrupted by the previous topped the list, with 19.7% growth, virtually unchanged, while rolling week’s weather. ahead of spirits, cider and beer. Local tobacco grew by just over 3%. Overall, my conclusion is inde- Crisps and snacks sales also grew, shopping By 3 March, the thaw had started pendent retailers deserve hearty by 4.4%, with larger sharing packs in most of the country. Supermar- congratulations for the way they and multipacks showing much replaced ket trips became less of an expe- served local customers during higher sales. Meanwhile, confec- dition and life briefly got back to this disruption. ● tionery sales were up by almost supermarket normal for most people. 14%, firstly thanks to the normal trips The result for independents was John Eastwood is a data analyst for EDFM 20 13 April 2018 RN YOUR VIEWS UPS Access Point network was launched YOUR LETTERS to provide customers with a convenient, secure and flexible way to drop of or collect their packages. A valid UK ID is required to collect a package from a Parcel points are UPS Access Point for the security of the putting us at risk customer and the UPS Access Point.” The purpose of a parcel pick-up point I wonder is to provide a service to the local Publishers need community and to those customers how they coming in the evening to pick up sleep at Parcel collection services to show us respect their parcels, because they aren’t attract footfall – but do they Terms have been cut yet again by at home during the day. However, night attract criminals, too? the publishers. What a surprise. Did out of this, a new type of crime has anyone expect anything else from evolved that is putting retailers at Graham and snoop around the store looking these modern-day pirates? risk. Doubleday for it. This is because they can track They don’t give a tinker’s cuss I operate a UPS Access Point. the parcel online, so they know we about how we are going to put bread Because customers can select which have it. on the table. I wonder how they access point they want the parcel I have spoken to UPS and, accord- sleep at night – like new born babies, to arrive at anywhere in the UK, we ing to them, there is no fraud and I should think. Dialogue doesn’t have had numerous people come in they don’t see it as a risk to the re- work with these people – they don’t with fake IDs. Somehow, they have tailer. UPS also said it’s not my job to even pay it lip service. obtained someone else’s identity, investigate. But it is my job to check We need to hit them where it ordered something online and had it if I’m giving the parcel to the right hurts: their bloated bank accounts. delivered to my store. A lot of these person. I don’t want to give room to Imagine if we all took a day of, IDs – which are sometimes printed criminals to repeat the ofence. didn’t sell their products but sent the with a fake name or address – don’t Ravi Raveendran whole lot back the next day. It would match the details on the parcel label Colombo Food and Wine be a holiday for us and a financial Hounslow and some people don’t come in with nightmare for them. a physical ID, but a picture of the ID They don’t listen to the federa- on their phone. A UPS spokesperson said: “The safety tion. They don’t care about us. But I’ve had gangs of four or five come of UPS employees and our associates is perhaps then they might show us in demanding parcels. If we say we of the utmost importance to us. We are some respect. don’t have the package, because we concerned to hear of Mr Raveendran’s Graham Doubleday can see the parcel address and ID experiences and will investigate the Newsmarket Ashton-under-Lyne do not match, they don’t believe us specific reports that he has made. The

RN READER POLL YOUR SAY Do you have a contingency plan in case something unexpected happens to your suppliers? NO 35% My next genGary Pilsworth bakers stepped up their orders food to go Offleystore Stores, Hitchin, for us. Even if we were missing Foodservice and meal ingredients chart newHertfordshire some key brands, we replaced path for Stone Group’s convenience offer I’ve just been trying to handle them with great quality local STORE LOOKBOOK Page 6 » the changes as best I can. products. I’ve learned the YES ● 06.04.2018 ● £2.50 Kerryfresh was quite a shock, importance of having a diverse RETAIL NEWS THAT MATTERS and I’ve been struggling list of suppliers. 65% ever since to find someone to replace what they sell. It’s Keith Tomes chilled products we need – Costcutter, Swanage Do you use a loyalty bacon, sandwiches, pies. I’ve We were with Palmer & been going to Asda to buy Harvey, and when they went scheme in your The week that products. I can buy a pie from bust we had a turbulent few Asda for a £1 that would have weeks. It’s very hard to plan store to drive more changed retail cost £1.99 wholesale with for incidents like that. I actu- Kerryfresh and Conviviality collapse, and Blakemore shopper spend? ‘consolidating market’ claims more victims to sell, as Kerryfresh. ally think it’s easier for larger » Page 4 & 5 stores like us – I imagine it’s a NEXT WEEK’S QUESTION Scott Graham lot tougher for smaller stores Have you seen tobacco sales rise McLeish, Inverurie with less leverage. We got after raids on illegal traders in BARGAIN BOOZE We felt forewarned so we could helped out quite quickly by your area? Depots EASTER start making provisions to other suppliers as our orders Premium step in eggs put to secure source elsewhere. Local sup- are large. I had to make a lot supply Vote now at spring Customers helped pliers really came into their of trips to the cash and carry in sales by wholesalers as own for us – local butchers and as well. betterretailing.com Retailers report rivals »collapse RN 13 April 2018 21

YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA JOIN NEWSTRAID AT THE RACES COMMENTS THIS WEEK contact us facebook.com/ThisisRN and @ThisisRN

Fantastic team effort @XsemLtd @nisaeventsteam to get us ready to open the doors to #NisaExpo. Look forward to seeing everyone in the next 24 hours @NisaRetail @wesaynisa Steve Leach Retailer @first4retail On 24 May, NewstrAid watch British horse rac- employees – a table for will be holding its ing at its best. We invite 10 costs £1,350. annual race day at Ling- all retailers to come What’s your experience of the first day of Alex van Straubenzee, the soft drinks sugar levy? Are customers field Park racecourse in along. Tickets cost £150, Chief executive, NewstrAid Surrey. which includes a changing habits? Are they happy to pay up? This prestigious event gourmet lunch, @wharfedaleprem @whitstonestores is designed to attract as entry ticket and @Onestop_gospel @costcutterepsom many members of the car parking. @sparhooknorton @SPAR_Parkfoot newstrade as possible Retailers are 100 @MalcolmsCov @handleysnews to come and enjoy first- more than wel- Tom Gk class entertainment in come to bring YEARS AGO the hospitality suite and clients and @tomgk_RN 13 April 1918 A new Manpower Bill meant more retailers were likely to be called Sugar tax levy poorly executed. So up for military service. They much confusion today regarding the tax. were advised to ‘as far as possible AROUND WITH safeguard their businesses and put Consumers are completely unaware and their afairs in order’. confused by what is covered and what isn’t THE ROUNDSMAN #sugartax #confused Blanche Fairbrother Susan Connolly @RetailSusan I can barely believe it but I have now but I point out to them that because it done two days on the run without makes sense, it won’t happen. getting wet. I hope it will continue to Another paper that hasn’t done itself be dry for a few days. Then (maybe) the any good by increasing the price to £1.10 floods that have been about for what is the Stafordshire Newsletter. When seems like an eternity will recede and I took this round on 24 years ago, I sold the farmers will be able to work on the approximately 200 copies per week. fields. At the rate things are going, the But over the years, every time the price planting of potatoes will be a little late went up, some got cancelled. With this Today sees the introduction of the sugar this year. For a start, the ground needs last price hike, I have had to cut my sup- levy. The picture including the tin (left) will to warm up somewhat otherwise they ply from Smith’s News down to 100 cop- now include the levy. The one including won’t grow very well. Let’s hope we have ies per week. So every time publishers Lucozade is levy free. now all seen the back of winter. tell me how much more money a price Eugene Diamond There are going to be a few long faces rise will generate for me, I know it will @EDiamond136 when the folks who buy The Times mean the opposite because people are realise that the price has risen by 20p on getting fed up with what they say are Saturdays. I’m expecting some cancel- extortionate prices for something that Well it’s been a crazy couple of weeks but lations before too long. The same thing is not a necessity. normal service is well and truly resumed! happened with the Telegraph when it Another example is the Daily Express Lots of #opportunity now and things to went up to £2.20 on Saturdays. and Daily Star. Once Trinity Mirror got think about. Thank you to everyone for your All I hear from customers is, “Why its hands on them, it didn’t take long for continued support!! #shoplocal #Porthcawl don’t they cut out some of the rub- it to increase the prices. If only we could #BargainBooze bish at weekends? That way the paper turn back the hands of time to when it would cost less.” That does make sense was a nice trade to work in. BargainBooze Mary St @BargainBoozeM 22 13 April 2018 RN ACADEMY IN ACTION

Follow @IAAcademy for ideas and inspiration Effective Ranging In part four of a 12-week programme, the IAA – and its category partner Coca-Cola European Partners – help retailer David Ramsey improve his in-store ranging.

he next part of our weekly guide to improving your business with the IAA focuses on the area T of ranging. Stocking a mix of bestselling, core, niche and new products across all categories will attract footfall, keep customers in your shop for longer and can increase their basket spend. Before you get started with the benchmarks on the next page, find out how Tina Childs from Coca-Cola European Partners helped David Ramsey using an action plan based on IAA benchmarking criteria. Name David Ramsey David bought his 600sq ft shop, located in the village of Byram near Shop Best-one Byram Park Leeds, five years ago and converted it WHY I TAKE PART Location Byram Park, Knottingley from an independent newsagent into a convenience store branded under the I really value using expert Size 600 sq ft Best-one fascia. Categories ofered in the information provided by major suppliers and wholesalers, Staff Two full-time, three part-time shop range from chilled and fresh, to soft drinks and confectionery. How can the and working with the IAA alongside IAA help improve his ranging? Coca-Cola European Partners can help The Independent Achievers me make the most of my range. Our store Academy is a learning and has been in the local community for development programme that years and we’ve established a name and helps to increase sales and Want to see more? fantastic reputation in that time. Having profits. Academy in Action For more on how to improve your help and advice provided by an expert can shows how retailers like you store and to see more of David’s give us some fresh ideas and attract our are working with our partners shop, go to betterRetailing.com/ customers into the shop more often. to use the Academy’s advice. Academy-in-Action

AiA CCEP.indd 22 10/04/2018 09:24 RN 13 April 2018 23

IAA ADVICE YOUR ACTION PLAN David’s challenge: Ensuring his core 1 Walk your shop range is strong and reviewing it This is designed to be used to help regularly you think like a customer David has no passing trade, so he relies on families, school children, the elderly 2 Benchmark your shop and other nearby residents as his main Use the checklist below, ticking all customers. How can he provide a range which caters for all his diferent shoppers? you see evidence of

Tina says: “David’s range caters for many diferent shoppers, but he could strengthen it with zero-calorie drink options to cater for the health- Ensuring a strong core range and reviewing it regularly conscious consumer ahead of the impending soft drinks tax. It’s also Do you have a list of everything in your important to group product types together to make them easier to shop as core range? Do you review and update your core range at customers can be discouraged from buying if it takes too long to find what least six times a year? they’re looking for.” Does your core range give shoppers three choices Add zero-calorie drink options and group product types together e.g. value, own brand, known brand? Action to make categories like soft drinks easier to shop. Analysing sales data and deciding when to delist David’s challenge: Identifying new Do you have a way to understand your best and worst sellers? and niche products to stock Do you measure the overall margin on Craft beer and spirits are products David best and worst sellers? recognises as growing trends. He gets the Do you check why or what is brought with a odd customer asking for craft beer but is product before delisting? unsure of whether it will have a wider appeal. Should he try this new range and Identifying new and niche products to stock where should he start? Do you look for new or niche products to stock in trade magazines? Tina says: Do you visit other retailers to spot new “There are no other nearby shops selling craft alcohol, so David products to stock? has a chance to take advantage of this gap in the local market. He should Do you have a minimum percentage margin on a create a core range by researching local suppliers. Craft beer and spirit product before deciding to stock it? enthusiasts want an experience when buying. A good way of providing this is to work with nearby suppliers to ofer tastings or events.” Understanding customer preferences Do you have a comments box or similar Research specialist alcohol suppliers and offer tasting Action for shoppers to suggest new products? and in-store events to raise awareness of the new range. Do you have a process to decide when to introduce a requested product? David’s challenge: Understanding Do staf ask customers if there is anything customer preferences you don’t sell which they’d like you to? David has plenty of opportunity to Planning and measuring success maximise food to go sales during peak Do you encourage your team to upsell times during the day. His cofee and on key items to ensure their success? pastry section are positioned prominently, Do you measure the stock turn of the but can he increase sales further? products you sell? Do you have a long-term plan for how you Tina says: “Food to go is a huge trend will increase your sales and margins? which provides David with a massive opportunity to upsell and increase basket spend. He could ask customers what food-to-go items they would like him to sell, as this will increase the likelihood of purchase. He should then move those products to sit alongside his soft drinks to make 3 Pick one thing to improve purchasing easier for shoppers.” Write it down, implement it this week and let us know how you get # Ask customers what food-to-go items they’d like you to sell, Action then reposition products for a better shopping experience. on using #IAA18 PARTNER ADVICE David is doing a fantastic job, his store is well presented and he’s thought about his shopper’s needs. However, there are opportunities to add healthier and specialist lines with relevant adjacencies which CREATE YOUR OWN SHOP REPORT will help him attract additional spend. Go to betterRetailing.com/IAA/benchmark to create your own shop report or call us on 020 7689 0500 to take part Tina Childs Category Manager in a future visit. Coca-Cola European Partners Next week: Digital Engagement

AiA CCEP.indd 23 10/04/2018 09:30 24 13 April 2018 RN RN INTERVIEW

Bestway’s assistance. “Uncertainty is never a good place to be. People don’t invest when there is uncertainty and stores have to invest just to stay still these days. We will be able to bring stability to retailers and the scale to make them Martin Race greater profit. Also, in terms of store In the latest chapter in the symbol market’s era of development we will be looking at the overall potential of stores as consolidation, Bestway’s rescue plan for the Bargain Booze many Bargain Booze customers were perhaps too reliant on alcohol and chain includes clear communication, stable supplies and tobacco,” he says. expanding ranges beyond stores’ alcohol and tobacco One common criticism of Convivi- ality during its period of crisis was heartland. Managing director Martin Race gave his first that retailers were often left in the interview on the deal to Tom Gockelen-Kozlowski dark. Although Mr Race says he understands the reasons for this, he n these uncertain times for scribes the purchase as an “excellent is now focusing on improving com- the supply chain, good news fit” for Bestway. munication. is a precious commodity. So “Conviviality represents brands “It’s always the same when a I when late last week, Bestway who place a strong focus on support- company is in trouble. The main aim stepped in to acquire the stricken ing and servicing the needs of local is to try and keep the business going group Conviviality Retail – securing communities, just like Bestway has or find a buyer rather than share the future of 769 stores and 2,300 done for over 50 years,” he tells RN, what’s happening with retailers. To staf – there was an understandable making his first public comments an extent this is understandable, but sigh of relief in many quarters. since the move. We will be you should never lose focus of your Martin Race, managing director And with stability now seemingly customers. One of the first things we of Bestway Wholesale, admits that achieved for the group, Mr Race able to bring did was to draft communications to there hadn’t been any plans to ac- wants to quickly move on, finding retailers which are being sent out to quire Conviviality before its search areas where Bargain Booze retail- stability to our new store. for an administrator began but de- ers can improve their model with retailers “The main thing is to reassure RN 13 April 2018 25

Interview by Tom Gockelen-Kozlowski email [email protected] RN INTERVIEW tel 020 7689 3361

Martin Race says Bestway will use good communication to end retailers’ uncertainty Bestway has pledged to offer Bargain Booze stores stability through its supply chain much bigger crash, but we have tried towards the strategy Conviviality and convenience product portfolio our upmost to help afected retailers. had taken in recent times: “The main issue is to keep supply “You only have to look at Convivi- going. Shoppers will give stores some ality and P&H to know that big is retailers and you can’t do this unless leeway if they know what’s hap- not best. We have been in wholesale you talk to them. Through field staf pening but not too many chances for over 40 years and look to be in it at both companies, we will be in- if shelves are empty. You can’t sell for many more. We will follow our forming retailers of our plans as and fresh air, so the main thing is to get own strategy for growth looking to when they are confirmed.” supplies to retailers,” Mr Race says. support all customers be they retail, Considering the numerous re- Yet, while Mr Race describes his catering, contracts or pet special- ports RN has heard of Bargain Booze business as “a safe pair of hands” ists and if an opportunity comes up retailers looking to move away from the company has also had to be which means we can get stronger Conviviality as its troubles grew fleet-footed to survive in this era of – rather than bigger – then we will in recent weeks, this communica- Many consolidation, increased costs and look at it.” tion can’t come quickly enough. So, Bargain low margins. It has been yet another remark- what is Mr Race’s message to those “The Conviviality deal will give able few weeks for the wholesale retailers already searching for a new Booze us greater scale and volumes. It is industry and, by association, the partner? the margin mix that is important future of independent retail. Martin “Our message is clear – we will get customers rather than single low margins in Race is hopeful, however, that the them back on an even keel, get sup- were any particular category [which can era of consolidation that began when plies into their stores and work with put pressure on businesses] and we Booker announced its merger with them to ensure they retain footfall perhaps too will work with retailers to make sure Tesco in January 2017 is now coming and sales.” they get their margin mix right.” to a close. Just months after the collapse of reliant on Mr Race will also not comment “I hope it is,” he says. “I’m not sure P&H, Bestway has once more been on the rumours that Bestway will the industry can take too much more a point of stability in a swirling alcohol and step in and purchase Blakemore’s 12 and for the sake of shoppers and market. Although Mr Race warns tobacco wholesale depots, but the acquisi- suppliers we need to stabilise the against comparisons between the tion of Conviviality suggests a new sector, so we can maintain confi- last few weeks’ travails and those at growth strategy for the company as dence in the sector. Also, the targets the end of last year, the company has it looks to compete long term with for consolidation are becoming fewer nonetheless been ready to assist any behemoths such as Booker-Tesco and and fewer.” store afected by issues at Convivial- Co-op/Nisa/Costcutter. Whether or not this is the end of ity and Blakemore and the demise of Martin Race is adamant that consolidation, there will be many Kerryfresh. Bestway is not actively seeking op- grateful to Mr Race and his colleagues “The trade hasn’t come together portunities to grow faster, however, for the security they have brought to in the same way because P&H was a and makes some pointed criticism their stores and their jobs. l

#IAA18 UNCOVER YOUR SHOP’S MAXIMUM POTENTIAL

Benchmark your shop today at betterRetailing.com/IAA

“The IAA helps you to see your store through your shoppers’ eyes. Get involved - it’s well worth it.” Harj Dhasee Nisa Village Stores, Mickleton

Retail profit guide House Ad.indd 1 10/04/2018 09:40 RN 13 April 2018 27 ICE CREAM

Don’t make a mess of it The promised arrival of warmer weather is surely now only a matter of weeks away. Four top store owners tell Joseph Lee how to ensure no ice cream sales opportunities are missed this year

Bob’s seaside store sells ice cream to a mix of holidaymakers and Bob Sykes Denmore Premier local families Food & Wine Store, Rhyl

Facebook is Mistake to avoid Letting the stock as well. If you’ve got a family freezer ice up with three or four children, it can the answer Solution You’ve got to make sure be £4 or £5 to buy an ice cream, but that your freezer is prepared for if we’ve got the economy range it when it the summer season – that’s very works out much cheaper – and they comes to important. It’s always got to be come back again. clean and clear so that everything getting the is on show. We’ve got a Wall’s Mistake to avoid Not being ready freezer with 12 compartments, so for a spell of good weather, so your word out it gives the choice of 12 diferent customers head to a competitor that the soft lines, but you want customers to be Solution A lot depends on the able to see them at a glance. weather. We try – if they get it ice cream right – to look at the forecast seven Mistake to avoid Having a range days in advance. That way we machine is that doesn’t meet every price point can stock up. We don’t overstock, running Solution We have Magnums, though: we get enough to fill the Cornettos, Twisters and Calippos, freezer just for a few days because but we also do an economy range, we can get deliveries every two so we make sure we have those in days. » 28 13 April 2018 RN ICE CREAM Ian has the only soft ice cream machine in his area which lies on Ian Lewis Spar Minster Lovell, the edge of the Cotswolds Witney, Oxfordshire Mistake to avoid Failing to Mistake to avoid Stocking up with promote your unique selling point more cheap deals than you can sell in ice cream at the end of the summer Solution Facebook is the answer Solution Sometimes we get when it comes to getting the overloaded with deals – ‘buy these word out that the soft ice cream cases and get these free’. But then machine is running. We just the weather isn’t kind and you create a post and spend £3 to get can’t sell them. So unless it’s a it out to between 1,500 and 3,000 really good deal we don’t go for people. My staf all help by sharing multibuy ofers. There’s always a it too. It’s much more efective than reason that they’re ofering them a sign outside and it’s so easy. We cheap, especially if it’s the end of have people asking when the summer. it’s coming back from around April. Mistake to avoid Not planning where to put your impulse freezer when summer comes around Solution Ten years ago we refitted in September, but when it came to summer there wasn’t anywhere to put the ice cream freezer. This time, we made sure that we had both a summer and a winter plan. At the moment the space has screenwash and winter fuel kits. But in the summer we’ll have a prime position by the door for single ice creams.

John operates near to a school and pupils often buy ice creams John Parkinson at lunchtime or on the Broadway Premier News, way home Penrhyn Bay, north Wales

Mistake to avoid having a freezer messy, you’ll sell less. But it’s that’s too small to carry enough just like the card section: you stock or so large that it wastes have it all arranged neatly, then electricity customers come in and make a I have a Solution I’ve got a small freezer at mess of it very quickly. So it has to the moment and I’m considering be merchandised frequently. It’s got reserve getting a bigger one. But I’ve got to look good or people won’t open up freezer in to check how much the running the freezer to make a purchase. costs will be. It’ll allow us to have the back, so three separate display areas. It’s Mistake to avoid Getting caught all about how much you feel you out by a sudden spike in demand when the can sell in your area: if you’ve got a at the cash and carry when the sun good population of young people in comes out weather is your area, then go for it. The more Solution I have a reserve freezer better we space you have, the more you’ll in the back, so when the weather sell. But I think the running costs is better we can store more stock. can store will be quite substantially more. There can be a problem when we get a good spell of weather more stock Mistake to avoid Letting the and there’s so much demand freezer get messy so customers that the wholesalers haven’t can’t see if the products they want got any stock left. Because are in stock we’ve got spare capacity, we can Solution You’ve got to make sure stock up in advance so we still people can see the products and have something to sell even if they’re all displayed tidily. If it’s wholesalers run out. RN 13 April 2018 29

PRODUCTS

Wheyhey With no added sugar and 9g of protein in every 100g, this brand is focused on providing a healthier alternative in the ice cream category. Flavours such as salted caramel mean it is still a treat, however. Ben & Jerry’s Topped Pretzel Palooza Pretzel chunks and hazelnut swirls feature in this new tub variant. It comes weeks after the launch of Ben & Jerry’s Birthday Cake and each tub comes with a premium-priced RRP of £5.49.

M&M’s Peanut Ice Cream The new impulse ice cream joins a core range of Mars products which includes Snickers, Maltesers and Mars ice creams. The product has been launched with an RRP of £1.76 and arrives at the same time as a £3 price- marked Mars and Snickers tub format.

Customers look forward to the availability of ice cream during summer

The weather in Eddie’s area makes ice cream sales very seasonal. Miiro Eddie Poole When the opportunity comes, The company’s dairy-free ice cream comes in a “Magnum-like” format. It Poole’s Supervalu of Moir, however, he’s ready to jump Craigavon, Northern Ireland is free from soy and refined sugar and is – thanks to its use of coconut milk – suitable for vegans too. Three flavours Mistake to avoid Forgetting to in the summer. We normally are available – Chocolate Hazelnut, clean the soft-serve ice cream have a big sign – it’s an ice cream Peanut Butter and Salted Caramel – machine, so customers looking for cone that’s about six foot high. and MiiRO bars come with a two-year a treat get a nasty surprise You really can’t miss it. We shelf life. Solution If you have a soft-serve just put it out the front and it machine, it needs to be cleaned brings people in because they Nestlé Rowntree’s about once a week. If you don’t know the soft-serve ice cream Watermelon then it can go sour, and you’ll put is back on sale. A watermelon-shaped and your customers of. You lose some flavoured lolly that is, ac- of the mix, so there’s a bit of waste. Mistake to avoid Putting all your cording to its maker, de- And it takes a long time – you need focus on impulse sales while take- signed to sell well in both to set aside a couple of hours, home ice cream languishes in the summer and winter. but cleaning that machine is freezer cabinets Chocolate-flavoured very important. Solution We use in-store seeds and a £1 price- advertising on the freezers to mark (a multi pack Mistake to avoid When sales are promote take-home ice cream tubs is also available) very seasonal, customers might and multipacks. The freezers are are other plusses not know ice cream is back on sale back to back and in the middle we which makes Solution Because it gets so cold have an area where we can put A4 Nestlé confident this far north, we only bring advertising and promote products of success. l the soft ice cream machine out and deals. 30 13 April 2018 RN IN-STORE COUNTERS Serving up success A well-run in-store counter can provide an extra ‘wow’ factor to any store. From butchers to florists, Olivia Gagan speaks to four retailers who are getting it right

ICE CREAM

Anish phenomenal. In our peak summer MY ADVICE bubblegum flavour ice cream Panchmatia months we can make £2,000-3,000 Cleanliness is so important to kids, and people with Spar Wylde Green, a week from the counter. Ice cream with ice cream. We clean the intolerances really appreciate Birmingham is something everybody likes, from counter very carefully every our dairy-free sorbets and ice kids to adults, and increasingly, day and don’t tolerate any creams. I introduced a people are buying it at diferent mess, because customers dedicated ice cream times of the day – it’s now a late- would pick up on it. We won’t Commit to making sure counter a year ago. I’d night dessert option as well as have any other stock sat on the someone is always keeping noticed gelato shops springing a daytime treat. Be prepared for counter, for example. an eye on the counter. The up in town centres and realised your packaged cabinet ice creams sales opportunity will be lost there was a demand for eat-now, to take a hit in sales. It’s worth Prioritise crowd pleasers if someone approaches it and scoop ice cream. It cost a couple of it, though – the margin on the like chocolate and vanilla there’s no-one there to serve thousand to set up and stock, but it counter’s scoop ice cream is about ice cream, but also try the ice cream. Our counter is very swiftly paid itself of. I stock 70%, compared to packaged ice stocking novelty and free- close to the main sales tills for 18 flavours, and sales have been cream’s 40%. from flavours. We sell a lot of this reason.

BAKERY

Scott Graham We think it reached about 28,000 McLeish, Inverurie people, and it was a lesson in really pushing new in-store developments. We introduced our The bakery now generates us around bakery counter two £1,500 a week. years ago, after realising we were busy with workmen coming MY ADVICE to us for their sandwiches and Freshness is everything with drinks, but they were then going to chilled and ambient goods. We a local baker for their desserts and have the products delivered seven treats. It seemed like a missed sales days a week and we have full sale A big investment has opportunity, so we took a three-metre or return. We could’ve taken a bay which had slow sales and created higher margin to accept the waste, provided Anish with even a bakery section there instead. but we prefer to have a fast- bigger summertime sales We struck up a partnership with a moving, daily supply of products. local bakery, a model which can work very cost-efciently – they invested Constantly review your product in our bakery cabinets themselves, so winners and losers. After the there wasn’t a big upfront cost for us. first six months we reviewed the We launched with a ‘Freebee Friday’ bakery and delisted the items on social media, where we gave 10 that weren’t selling. We also people bakery product hampers if keep customers’ interest high they liked or commented by offering seasonal, limited- on our posts. edition items like Valentine’s Day cupcakes and Easter treats.

Keep promoting your counter. We frequently switch around the bakery items we offer in a two- for-£1 promotion. We also do a meal deal link with our coffee- to-go, advertise with graphics in the store window and run social media offers. Scott continues to use social media to grow his customer base RN 13 April 2018 31 IN-STORE COUNTERS

BUTCHERY Keith Tomes Costcutter Swanage

I’ve had an in-store butchery for many years, but keeping sales consistently high is dependent on continuing to innovate, so I’ve invested in new products and chillers as and when I’ve needed to. To keep quality high we use as many local suppliers as possible, but where their pricing becomes an issue, we will source further Joe Williams adapts his flower afield. However, our meat is always 100% British. I’ve found managing a range to the seasons and take butchery involves striking a balance orders from large groups between sourcing and pricing to keep customers coming back. Marketing is important, too and we advertise FLOWERS in the local newspaper every two weeks, where we flag up our butchery Joe Williams specials. These are typically things The Village Shop, Hook MY ADVICE like bundle deals – an ofer which Norton Offer plenty of small, affordable works well for us is ‘a week of meat for bouquets. People used to two for £20’, where people can buy a occasionally buy a £15 big good-value mix of our mince, burgers We’ve had an in-store bouquet, but now they tend to and chicken breasts. florist counter at the buy little and often, and pick up back of the store since my Dad started a small £5 bunch every week. MY ADVICE it about 15 years ago, when he bought People are also increasingly Change offers if they don’t work. loose flowers and experimented with willing to buy non-traditional We did bulk mince offer, but making bouquets. That’s not too flowers. cooking habits are evolving – difcult, but there are a lot of other people prefer to buy little and things to think about when starting a Be flexible, and make it known in often now. Our ‘week of meat’ deal flower ofer in your store, such as how your community that you can do used to be for four people, but it’s to look after flowers, colour schemes, special orders or source specific now for two. and dos and don’ts for funeral colours or flowers. We will take bouquets. Sales are very much driven one-off orders from church groups Be aware of trends – such as by the seasons, so managing demand or will happily provide the flowers popular cuts of meat used by TV depending on the weather and the for local events or ceremonies. chefs or featured in cookery books. time of year is key. Flowers that are Pork belly, for example, is a trend- only available at certain times sell Don’t go for the obvious choice. led cut of meat that sells well. We’ll really well – dafodils in the spring, We don’t buy a lot of red roses order in whatever our customers sunflowers in August. Our sales peak for Valentine’s Day – they’re request if we don’t have it. is in winter; Christmas actually expensive and too easy to find outsold Valentine’s Day this year. At elsewhere. After big flower-buying Trust is important. People like Easter you can sell a lot too. occasions like Valentine’s Day we to know they can trust their cut our orders right back – the butchers, and the three I have week after, no-one is thinking working in store about flowers. l are all highly experienced. Don’t be afraid to show off your skills or training – our butchers have almost 100 years of experience between them.

Trust is a huge part of being a successful butcher 32 13 April 2018 RN THIS WEEK IN MAGAZINES My week in magazines

Tim Murray Magazines reporter [email protected] LET’S PREVENT THE PARTWORKS CRASH

Having covered my fair share of NFRN meet- ings for RN in recent years, I know only too well the problems caused by supply chain issues in this sector. But a retailer recently raised another issue with me when discussing magazine sales. “How are partworks doing?” I asked. “We sell the first issue,” the reply came, “but no one wants them when they go up in price.” Fair enough – it’s a common problem and one publishers do their best to address, not least with tempting ofers for second and third Launch of the week issues. But, the retailer continued, one of their main tools is to ofer sweet subs deals to poten- tial customers, wooing them with all kinds of free gifts as an inducement. NEW RACING PAPER SET “They’ll then cut us out all together and get the sales directly,” the retailer added. It’s a trend mirrored elsewhere in the maga- TO BE ANOTHER WINNER zine world, with publishers making all kinds of free ofers to court direct consumer subs. Savvy publisher Greenways has a reputation for finding a niche It’s understandable that publishers try to do in the market and its latest title, primarily aimed at horse racing it, not least in the high-risk world of part- works. But surely there’s something that can punters but also taking in other sports, is no exception be done for independents to help cushion the GREENWAYS Publishing is nothing if not crash between issues one and two or three – smart when it comes to spotting a gap in or even help prevent it. the market and filling it with niche sport- With the NFRN and other parties having ing-related products, and the new weekly worked to address supply chain issues with betting and horse racing newspaper, The THE RACING PAPER partworks, surely they can look at this, too? Racing Paper, follows that tradition. On sale 14 April It capitalises on the demise of Racing Plus Frequency weekly Opportunity: partworks and the 50p price hike in Racing Post, Price £1.90 coming in at £1 cheaper than its rival. Distributor Mail Offer to save partworks for What’s more, the timing of the launch Newspapers customers and talk up the fact around the Grand National will capitalise Display with Racing that you’ll hold a copy for them for on the huge surge in interest in horse rac- Post, Non League every issue going forward. Don’t ing that the event brings with it. As well Paper, Football League forget to mention the benefits of as racing matters, it also takes in other Paper guaranteeing their copy from their sports and betting on them. local independent store… RN 13 April 2018 33

[email protected] 020 7689 3350 @ThisisRN f facebook.com/thisisRN

MOUNTAIN BIKING UK l Traditionally one of the best-selling issues of the On sale 19 April year, MBUK puts 20 of the best trial and endurance Frequency monthly bikes through their paces to find its Bike of the Year. Price £5.50 l The issue also comes with a free pair of per- Distributor Intermedia formance riding socks, available in two diferent Display with Mountain Bike Rider, What colours. Mountain Bike

CYCLING PLUS On sale 19 April l The latest issue of Cycling Plus sees the maga- Frequency monthly Bestsellers zine unveiling its Bike of the Year for 2018, always Price £5.50 Computers and gaming a key issue in the magazine’s calendar and one of Distributor Frontline its best-sellers. Display with Cycling Title On sale In l The magazine is foil-wrapped for extra standout Weekly, Cyclist date stock and includes a free pair of tyre levers. 1 Computeractive 25.04 2 Webuser 18.04 3 PlayStation Official 08.05 PLANET MINDFUL 4 Official Xbox 04.05 5 Gamesmaster 19.04 l Planet Mindful aims to help readers slow On sale out now 6 PC Gamer DVD 03.05 down and look after their wellbeing and mental Frequency bi-monthly 7 Retro Gamer 19.04 health. Price £5.99 l The spring issue features tips on how to relax Distributor Marketforce 8 Edge 26.04 through mindfulness, how to sleep properly and Display with Breathe, 9 Games TM 19.04 why kicking plastic out of the bathroom can help. In The Moment, Fit & Well, Women’s Health 10 Mac Format 08.05 11 PC Advisor DVD N/A 12 Neo 19.04 13 PC Pro DVD 12.04 ABSOLUTELY MAMA 14 Computer Shopper DVD 12.04 l Proudly proclaiming itself to be the magazine On sale 16 April 15 Linux Format 08.05 for stylish mums, Absolutely Mama ofers every- Frequency bi-monthly thing that every yummy mummy needs to know. Price £3.95 Data from independent stores supplied by l As well as fashion tips, it features aspirational Distributor Intermedia celebrity mums, as well as parenting tips and Display with Smallish, SYMBOL KEY advice. Lunch Lady, Milk magazine

Price Launch Frequency Bumper OKIDO change change issue l Art and craft magazine for little’uns Okido On sale 20 April promises to keep the kids away from rampant Frequency monthly consumerism normally associated with branded Price £4.50 and licensed publications. Distributor Intermedia l With a keen eye for design, Okido ofers all Display with Playtime, One Special Free Competition kinds of projects for children and their parents. CBeebies Art shot issue gift 34 13 April 2018 RN THIS WEEK IN MAGAZINES UNITED WE STAND Expert advice l The latest issue of long-running Manchester Neil Wooding Trade marketing manager, United fan publication United We Stand arrives On sale 14 April Greenways Publishing on newsstands a week in advance of the team’s FA Frequency monthly Cup semi-final appearance against Spurs. Price £2.50 l The club still boasts the biggest fanbase, not Distributor Intermedia just in England but in the UK and far beyond, too. Display with when Saturday Comes, Inside United, Four Four Two fter a very successful Cheltenham festival for our monthly maga- zine, Racing Ahead, all eyes are now firmly focused on the Grand HEAVY TORQUE National on Saturday 14 April in l Heavy Torque is a quarterly publication look- Amore ways than one: Greenways Publishing ing at the world of haulage and trucking. On sale out now is launching The Racing Paper on one of l The new issue lands in advance of the first ever Frequency quarterly the biggest racing days in the sporting live show featuring the big rigs, further widening Price £5.95 calendar. the appeal of the magazine. Distributor Intermedia With recent changes in the market, such Display with Truck & as the loss of the independently-produced Driver, Commercial Motor Racing Plus at the end of January, and the 20% increase in cover price of the daily publication The Racing Post (from £2.40 to £2.90) we trust our launch goes some THE AUTOMOBILE way towards driving additional sales for l The Automobile prides itself on being slightly independent retailers. diferent from other classic car-related magazines On sale 13 April Priced at £1.90, and to be published every on the market. Frequency monthly Saturday morning throughout England, l This means in-depth research into the cars Price £5.50 Scotland and Wales, The Racing Paper featured, expansive writing, original photographs Distributor Intermedia previews all Saturday and Sunday horse and even technical drawings. Display with Classic racing and features a special pull-out section Sportscar, Classic Car, for sports betting across a range of sports. Practical Classics Our strategy SPECIALIST CHOICE Who buys your titles? MARK ANSELL The Racing Paper is aimed at casual and LISKEARD NEWS, LISKEARD, CORNWALL amateur punters focused on the weekend’s racing and sporting fixtures. BBC GARDENERS’ WORLD How are you investing in independents? Who buys it? Independents are very important to Its audience is widening every this launch, as we estimate they will ac- year. The National Trust two-for- count for approximately 60%-70% of our one issue, giving two-for-one sales. entry into their gardens, is so We know that, unlike multiples, important. We have an uplift of independents know their customers as many as 12 times compared better than anyone else, allowing them to with the previous issue. inform their previous readers of the Racing How do you display it? Plus and that The Racing Paper has been We’re taking around 85 to 90. launched. On sale 24 April Customers are aware of We are also ofering free PoS to retailers – Frequency monthly the National Trust offer please contact me to secure your PoS Price £4.99 so we make sure they pack: neil.wooding@greenwayspublishing. know it’s this issue. co.uk Distributor Frontline

COMING UP IN NEXT WEEK’S RN Stop the press: RN investigates the latest chapter in the consolidation story Plus, making footfall pay – how do retailers ensure the biggest categories drive sales throughout their businesses RN 13 April 2018 35

[email protected] 020 7689 3350 @ThisisRN f facebook.com/thisisRN

Partworks Collectables

Title No Pts £ Title No Pts £ Title Starter Cards Title Starter Cards

DeAgostini Hachette Panini Topps Art Gallery 7 60 8.99 2000 AD Cars 3 sticker collection 2.99 0.60 Journey to Star Wars 4.99 1.00 British Steam Railways 7 50 1.99 The Ultimate Collection 17 80 9.99 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Match Attax 2017/18 4.99 1.00 Build Your Own R2-D2 67 100 8.99 Art of Cross Stitch 68 90 2.99 Find Them Sticker Collection 2.99 0.50 Num Noms sticker cll’n 2.99 0.50 Classic Dinky Toys Collection 9 60 11.99 Art of Quilting 120 120 3.99 FIFA 365 Trading Cards 4.99 1.00 Premier League Enhancing Your Mind, Art Therapy 161 180 2.99 Football 2017 collection 2.99 0.50 Sticker collection 1.99 0.50 Body, Spirit 67 120 3.99 Assassins Creed: The Guardians of Shimmer and Shine My Animal Farm 62 60 5.99 Official Collection 31 80 9.99 the Galaxy volume 2 2.99 0.50 Sticker collection 3.00 0.60 Jazz at 33 and Third RPM 69 70 14.99 Big & Little Crochet 4 72 0.99 Invizimals Trading Cards 3.99 1.00 Shopkins World Vacation 3.00 0.60 Star Wars Helmet Coll’n 60 60 9.99 Classic Routemaster 13 130 8.99 Paw Patrol ‘A Year of Star Wars: The Last Jedi Adventures’ Stickers 2.99 0.50 Zippo Collection 68 60 19.99 Dr Who Complete History 67 80 9.99 Sticker collection 3.00 0.60 Draw The Marvel Way 60 100 4.99 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Adrenalyn UEFA Champions League Eaglemoss Judge Dredd Mega Collection 85 80 9.99 XL Trading Card Game 5.99 1.50 Sticker collection 4.00 0.60 UEFA Women’s Euro DC Comics Graphic Novel 70 100 9.99 Marvel’s Mightiest Heroes 113 112 9.99 WWE Slam Attax 10 2017 Stickers 2.99 0.60 Game of Thrones 52 60 8.99 Transformers GN Collection 35 80 9.99 Trading Card Game 4.99 1.00 Beauty & the Beast My Little Pony Warhammer 42 80 9.99 Sticker Collection 2.99 0.50 DeAgostini Colouring Adventures 58 80 3.99 Panini Magiki Ponies 2.50 Star Trek Ships 122 130 10.99 Magic Box F1 Collection 53 60 10.99 Piranhas & Co 2.50 Zomlings Series 6 0.50 Marvel Figures 7 84 11.99 Star Monsters 1.00

Newspapers

Daily newspapers price/margin pence/margin % Saturday newspapers Sunday newspapers Sun 50p 11.15p 22.3% Sun 70p 14.98p 21.4% Sun £1.10 23.1p 21% Mirror 75p 16.05p 21.4% Mirror £1.20 24.72p 20.6% Sunday Mirror £1.50 31.5p 21% Mirror (Scotland) 80p 17.12p 21.4% Mirror (Scotland) £1.20 24.72p 20.6% People £1.50 31.5p 21% Daily Record 75p 16.05p 21.4% Daily Record £1.10 22.6p 20.6% Star Sunday £1 19.89p 21% Daily Star 40p 7.26p 22.5% Daily Star 50p 12.085p 21% Sunday Sport £1 24.3p 24.3% Daily Mail 65p 14.5p 22.31% Daily Mail £1 21p 21% Mail on Sunday £1.80 37.8p 21% Express 60p 13.31p 22.5% Express 80p 17.152p 21% Sunday Mail £1.80 37.8p 21% Express (Scotland) 50p 12.10p 22.5% Express (Scotland) 90p 18p 21% Sunday Telegraph £2 45.5p 22.75% Telegraph £1.80 38.7p 21.5% Telegraph £2.20 49.5p 22.5% Sunday Times £2.70 56.7p 21% Times £1.60 34.4p 21.5% Times £1.90 39.9p 21% Observer £3 73.5p 24.5% FT £2.70 54p 20% FT £3.50 79.1p 22.6% Scotland on Sunday £1.70 39.95p 23% Guardian £2 44p 22% Guardian £2.90 63.8p 22% Racing Post £2.60 61p 23.46% i 60p 13.2p 22% i Saturday 80p 17.2p 21.5% Sunday Herald (Scotland) £1.70 35.7p 21% i (N. Ireland) 60p 13.2p 22% i (N. Ireland) 80p 17.2p 21.5% Sunday Express £1.50 29.65p 21% Racing Post £2.30 54.0p 23.48% Racing Post £2.60 61p 23.46% Sunday Post £1.60 33.6p 21% Herald (Scotland) £1.30 29.90p 23% Herald (Scotland) £1.70 39.1p 23% Scotsman £1.60 36.0p 22.5% Scotsman £1.95 43.88p 22.5%

Weight Watchers 7-817-18 April December Scale of third-party advertising insert payments Total Supplements Ad inserts Number of Heaviest Insert Original Mail Mirror News Express Guardian Telegraph weight weight weight Inserts ad insert weight scheme UK TelegraphSunday Times 1,300g965g 490g435g 140g60g 63 50g60g Cumulative? no yes no no no no no SundayDaily Telegraph Times 760g915g 345g510g 90g0g 05 35g0g 0-69g n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a TimesObserver 855g575g 130g30g 135g10g 61 10g75g 70-100g 1.5p 2.5p 2.57p 2.7p 2.93p 2.75p 2.93p 101-200g 2p 3p 3.36p 3.3p 3.65p 3.35p 3.65p MailSun on Sunday 790g565g 220g375g 100g40g 45 20g35g 201-300g 4p 5p 6.09p 5.5p 6.26p 5.75p 6.26p FTDaily Mail 720g515g 440g430g 75g0g 03 35g0g 301-400g 5p 7p 7.43p 6.7p 7.06p 7p 7.06p SundayMail on SundayTelegraph 405g720g 240g395g 10g35g 41 10g15g 401-500g * 7.5p * * * * * Guardian 370g715g 350g 20g0g 02 10g0g Over 500g * 8p * * * * * The Times – – – – – Daily Mail 630g 245g 55g 4 30g * By negotiation Insertion payment guide Per copy sold Guardian Newspapers =2p. News UK =2p. Associated Newspapers =2p. Express Newspapers =2p. Telegraph Group =2p. Per copy supplied Independent News & Media =2p. Financial Times =2p. Mirror Group Newspapers =2p CLASSIFIED39 22 December13 April 20182016 RN

FINANCE

MIN Immediate Trading at least two access to 2 months? MONTHS working MIN MONTHLY Gross at least £3K capital! SALES monthly? £3,000

It’s that simple. Approval within 24 hours! Free application Minimal documentation required Approval in just a few hours No personal guaranty or collateral required - sales based funding

CALL US 0800 368 9695 www.gotcapital.co.uk

13 April.indd 39 09/04/2018 10:47 To advertise in the RN classified section call 020 7689 3366 or email [email protected] RNRetail 2213 Newsagent AprilDecember 2018 2016 25th March 2016 (Please mention RN when replying to the advertisements) 40

PROPERTY

Buy businesses. Lyncrof Stores, Greenmeadow Sell businesses. Freehold £229,950 • Unopposed location in residential area Grow businesses. • Income to y/e 31/3/2017 £268,080 T: 02920 023 123 Stoke Village Stores, Somerset 4710047

Freehold £395,000 Christie & Co is a specialist property adviser in the retail, hospitality, • Village square location childcare, care, leisure and medical sectors. With ofces across the • Spacious 4 bedroom owners UK, we focus on advisory, consultancy, valuation services, brokerage accommodation and can provide access to fnance across our key sectors. T: 01392 285 600 Business. Built around you. 3217061

Spar, Stannington, Shefeld Leiston News & Of Licence, Sufolk

Freehold £375,000 Freehold £199,000 • Weekly retail sales c. £12,000 • Total sales Y/E 31/03/17: £192,055 • Local PO with c. £24,000 PA comms ex VAT T: 0113 389 2700 • Ideal family run business with potential Hawthorn Road PO, Ashington, 5416822 T: 01473 256 588 Organic Village Market, Dulwich, Northumberland 1418173 London Freehold £210,000 Leasehold £300,000 • Average sales £7,092 + VAT PW • £19,000 sales per week • PO remuneration 2016 of £42,000 • c. 38% gross proft margins T: 0191 222 1740 T: 0203 846 0614 6410930 2411575

christie.com

EPOS

EPoS Packages from only £855 plus vat

Reposs Pos 15inch touch screen To arrange a free 15inch TFT customer facing advertising screen demo at your shop Receipt printer

Metal cash drawer 01732 762200

RepossCore C-Store software [email protected] Remote training and assistance with set up www.reposs.com Carriage to your store

For more details go to www.reposs.com

13 April.indd 40 09/04/2018 10:47 RN page ad.indd 1 09/04/2018 13:23