Labour’s National Food Strategy aim is laudable, but will drive inflation
When I next sit down to write this column, we will know the outcome of the general election. If the polls are correct, we will be bracing ourselves for an industry arse-kicking under Labour. We may then be implementing the National Food Strategy as Labour’s off-the-peg route to a healthier, more sustainable food system. While I’m a […]
How suppliers can navigate the thorny issue of cost price increases with demanding retailers
Nothing brings out the nervousness of suppliers like taking a cost priceincrease (CPI) to large customers. Buyers have always demanded to seea justification for CPIs, and suppliers have always mumbled responses aboutforeign exchange, transport costs or the global price of raw materials. Untilnow. Recently buyers have made demands for line-by-line, component-by-componentbreakdown of input costs on […]
U.K. Food Retailers Now Need To Slow Shoppers Down Or Lose Share
Bricks & mortar retailers in the U.K. will soon see a surge of shoppers whoonce again feel safe in physical stores having avoided them for the past 14months. But this first contrast to online shopping will be disappointing unlessthe experience changes. Shoppers will not fall back in love with store shoppingbecause whilst touch and feel […]
Retailers now need to slow shoppers down after months of hurrying them in and out
Bricks & mortar will soon see a surge of shoppers who once again feel safe in physical stores, having avoided them for the past 14 months. But I doubt they’ll fall back in love with physical stores – this first contrast to online will be disappointing. Touchy-feely shopping has appeal. Still, picking up an avocado […]
Supplier sales teams lack the expertise to thrive in an omnichannel world
The concept of omnichannel has grown like a weed over the past five years. Although it presents the latest set of expertise to make a supplier indispensable to its customers, it’s also potentially the biggest key account manager communication fail since category management. Brought about by the step-change in customer behaviour that came with the […]
How Mark White’s legal background will influence his work with GSCOP
We’ve had a period of good behaviour as record returns in Covid have put smiles on the faces of the major retailers. So GSCOP may not be top of mind – but, as retailers start to chase growth on top of their phoney year whilst leaking sales to hospitality, the fun will recommence. Get ready […]
Why Morrisons, Iceland and Lidl led the way in a Christmas like no other
Nothing normal about this Christmas, was there? Given the impact of Covid and Brexit, it’s not easy to read the true performance indicators for 2021, but here goes. Starting with the punchline: Morrisons and Iceland shared the prize with sustained campaigns consistently delivering across the four-week and 12-week Kantar share performances. They stood out in […]
Aldi comes out the winner in Tesco’s Price Match, but it must catch up in online
They say there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Take Tesco’s Aldi Price Match. While Tesco appears to be taking aim at the discounter, it’s actually doing Aldi a big favour. Big four shoppers keep hearing ‘Aldi price’ and those who don’t have a nearby Tesco will head to Aldi to take a look. It’s […]
Businesses can’t passively accept a ‘new normal’ – they must define it
The most overused, inappropriate and meaningless term of the moment has to be ‘the new normal’. Not just because it assumes that a normal state of play currently exists, but, dangerously, because it assumes a passive acceptance of the situation businesses have to ‘fit in with’. ‘Normal’ suggests some level of equilibrium. There isn’t one: […]
EDLP is the right strategy, but retailers and suppliers are stuck on big promotions
Covid-19 crisis pricing is an interesting one. Particularly savvy shoppers have noticed their normal basket jump as much as 25% – not because prices have gone up, but due to the lack of their beloved promotions. It’s logical that during crisis shopping, price promotions need to be dropped to ease the burden of surges on […]
