News and Trends

"We need to tackle price perception to take advantage of market share opportunities." - M&S Food MD Stuart Machin Marks & Spencer seeks to combat perception that its food is expensive in new campaign “Re-Marks-able Value” campaign follows price cuts on more than 500 food items over the last year Campaign is also part of M&S’s wider turnaround strategy Marks & Spencer’s food division is looking to counter shopper perceptions that it is expensive with a new campaign that highlights value among its products and ranges. Launching tomorrow, M&S Food’s “Re-Marks-able Value” campaign will be used across everything from shelf edge ticketing to in-store “hot points”, through to social media and print advertising. The campaign follows price cuts on more than 500 food items over the last year. It also forms part of M&S food managing director Stuart Machin’s turnaround strategy for the retailer’s food division. To qualify as Re-...

The Co-op spends £4.4 million on new Scottish stores New openings expected to create 60 jobs Now more than 360 Co-op stores in Scotland The Co-op has stepped up its Scottish investment as it looks to open seven new stores north of the Border this month. The supermarket chain is spending £4.4 million expanding its store presence in Scotland, in a move that will create 60 jobs in the country. New stores in Stornoway and Stirling will open later this week on November 15, followed by a new Edinburgh site on November 22. On November 29 five new stores will open in Galston, East Ayrshire, Barrachnie in Glasgow, Wemyss in Inverclyde and Forres in Moray. Co-op will run its new stores on 100 per cent renewable electricity and sell compostable carrier bags. “Our sustained investment in Scotland is indicative of the long and proud history we have here and we’re delighted to be able to open yet more stores in such a diverse range of locations,” said Co-op divisi...

Britain remains a nation of bread-lovers, with nearly every household in the country (96%) buying into the category, according to the latest market figures. But although bread is still the most-consumed food item in the UK, the days when sliced white and perhaps the odd loaf of wholemeal were the only game in town have long been consigned to the recycling bin of history. These days, they compete for shelf space with the likes of pittas, bagels and ciabattas, as well as ‘artisan’ loaves made with a variety of exotic grains that would have been unheard of 20 years ago. Branded sales That doesn’t necessarily mean you should ditch the big names and start making your own organic sourdough to sell in-store – 70% of bread sales still come from branded products, says market analyst Nielsen. But the big brands – along with the retailers who stock them – have been busy adapting their offer to cater...

As a nation we’re blessed with a seriously wide range of bakery products we can buy in stores – and we’re doing more part baking and scratch baking, spurred on by the mighty Great British Bakeoff, which returns to our TVs in August. At £3bn, bread and bakery is one of the largest categories in the supermarket, a key driver of retail footfall and one of the most important categories for retailers and consumers alike. Firmly established in consumers’ daily routines, it is the most consumed food item in the UK, bought by 96% of households. Allied Bakeries is one of the UK’s largest bakers, making more than 8 billion slices of bread every year and remains committed to investing in brands, business and people to help maintain its position as one of the leading suppliers of UK bakery products. With 70% of bread sales attributed to branded bread, Allied Bakeries – home of Kingsmill, Allinson’s and Burgen – is playing a crucial role in meeting changing cons...

Click here to see the report:  Plastic Pact Member Progress Report - May 2019

YouGov examines supermarket crossover shopping – where do loyal customers of each supermarket go for additional bits and pieces? New YouGov Profiles analysis highlights Tesco’s dominant position in the supermarket sector: not only is it the most popular place to shop overall, but it’s also first on the list for additional shopping among people who buy most of their groceries elsewhere (between 37% and 45%, depending on the first-choice supermarket). Only among one group of shoppers is Tesco not the secondary supermarket of choice: those who do their primary grocery shop at Marks and Spencer, who are more likely to opt for Sainsbury’s for other bits and pieces (47%) than Tesco (43%). In fact, this M&S-and-Sainsbury’s crossover is the largest of any supermarket crossover. The strength of this pattern is only one-way, however – only 28% of those who do their main shop at Sainsbury’s do additional grocery shopping at Marks and Spencer. The lea...

2019: a return to kindness Waitrose & Partners Food and Drink Report 2019-20 reveals: Posh crumpets, tahini, celery juice, skewers and pink drinks are among the year’s hottest food and drink trends One in eight Brits now does an online grocery shop at least once a week with 61% doing at least some grocery shopping online We’re a nation of crisp lovers, with the average crisp eater crunching through 178 packets a year As a nation we’re returning to kindness, compassion and a sense of what matters – decluttering our homes and lives, being mindful of our spending and cooking and caring for others Released today (6th November) the seventh annual report is based on comprehensive new OnePoll consumer research of people across Britain - not just Waitrose & Partners shoppers.  Supported by focus group research, alongside insight from its food and shopping experts, and millions of purchases in shops and on Waitrose.com. Says Managing Director Rob Col...

Consumers increasingly want to make ethical food choices, taking into account their personal values and the interests of the planet and the people living on it. The Taste Tomorrow survey clearly revealed that the link between food, lifestyle and ethics is proving the old adage: “You are what you eat”. Find out about the key take-aways of this ‘ethical lifestyle’ trend. Taste Tomorrow: a foodstep into the future  Taste Tomorrow is the world’s largest bakery, patisserie and chocolate consumer survey. It gathers data from over 17,000 consumers in 40 countries and leads to fresh insights about health, taste, convenience, experience, digital trends and more. The latest survey reveals nine key worldwide trends . One of these trends is ‘ethical lifestyle’. Food as a lifestyle The latest Taste Tomorrow survey shows that food and lifestyle are increasingly linked. Consumers think more about what they eat. They want to act responsibly an...

Tesco is switching plastic bags for paper ones in its bakeries as part of a pledge to remove a billion pieces of plastic for sale in its UK stores by the end of 2020. The retailer plans to remove non-recyclable and excess packaging from its business under its Remove, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle strategy. Where Tesco can’t remove plastic, such as where it prevents food waste, the retailer said it will work with its suppliers to reduce it to a minimum. Suppliers have been told Tesco reserves the right to no longer stock products that use excessive or hard to recycle materials. The retailer will explore new opportunities to reuse its packaging and ensure anything left is recycled as part of a closed loop. Tesco will be removing: Small plastic bags used to pack loose fruit, vegetables and bakery items, and replacing them with paper ones Plastic trays from ready meals Secondary lids on products such as cream, yoghurts and cereals Sporks and straws from s...