NEWS IN BRIEF

Retail News
Morrisons has announced that it is to introduce larger and more consistent unit pricing to help customers choose the best deal from different products. http://www.theretailbulletin.com/ Sainsbury's has launched an interactive version of its store magazine featuring content enriched by augmented reality. The supermarket is hoping the ability to enhance print campaigns with interactive features including tap to buy buttons will help to increase advertising as well as make the magazine more engaging for readers. http://www.theretailbulletin.com/ StartUp Britain, a campaign which seeks to inspire entrepreneurship among small businesses, has announced a new scheme in partnership with department store John Lewis.The PitchUp campaign will offer candidates the opportunity to have their products stocked within the department stores once they have submitted a welldeveloped product concept. http://www.retailgazette.co.uk/ Grocery giant Tesco is set to launch a new online food delivery service in London offering party food. Offering pre-prepared food, the service will initially launch solely in the London area though this is likely to be rolled out on a broader scale at a later date. http://www.retailgazette.co.uk/ Sainsburys Bank is taking aim at disgruntled high street bank customers by launching a credit card with an inbuilt loyalty incentive offering customers double Nectar points for every transaction made in store. http://www.marketingweek.co.uk Morrisons is set to step up its convenience store rollout in London and launch a new online wine business , the retailer revealed as it reported a 0.9% drop in like-for-like sales for the 6 months to 29th July. Philips added that Morrisons would have 15 M Local stores open by the end of the year http://www.thegrocer.co.uk Britvic has begun talks with AG Barr, the maker of IrnBru, over a possible merger that would create one of the biggest soft drinks companies in Europe. It has already been agreed that Britvic shareholders would own 63% of the new group and AG Barr shareholders 37%. http://www.thegrocer.co.uk Global Brands is redefining the fridge line-up by reviving Hoopers, an artisanal range of uniquely British alcoholic beverages made with natural ingredients. Hoopers will be supported via branded PoS and bespoke activity on an account by account basis. http://www.talkingretail.com/ Kraft is investing more than 1.5m in a marketing push aimed at promoting the taste of its Belvita breakfast biscuit range as it steps up efforts to ward off fierce competition in the fast-growing category from recent entrants Kelloggs and Hovis. http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/ Cravendale is launching a second TV ad campaign continuing its cats with thumbs world domination plot. http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/ Heinz is to double the number of new products and variants it launches over the next two years after admitting that its products have been underleveraged in the UKthe companys first foray into the ready meals market with the launch of Heinz Big Ready Meals later this month. The launch will be supported with in-store promotions as well activity around the companys partnership with the Rugby Football League. http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/ Heineken is rolling out a fresh creative strategy for its premium lager brand Kronenbourg 1664, centred on its taste and provenance. http://www.brandrepublic.com/ Hasbro is backing the return of Furby with heavyweight marketing push designed to recapture the excitement of its late 90s heyday

Asda news
Asda revealed last month that 600,000 shoppers were using APG every week - just 3% of its reported weekly total of 18 million shoppers. In response, Asda said its unbeatable APG was being used by 25% more shoppers than last year. http://www.thegrocer.co.uk

Brand News
Starbucks is to launch a rival service to Costa Coffees Costa Express by selling coffees from vending machines. The first four vending machines will appear in Sainsburys Local and Sainsburys forecourts from next week and there are plans to roll out thousands more in petrol stations, offices and airports. http://www.theretailbulletin.com/ Johnnie Walker, the world's best-selling blended Scotch whisky, is launching a global ad campaign focused on its 'rich and intense' flavours. http://www.brandrepublic.com

Whats coming up.

Period 10 (11th September 15th October) 15th 16th Sep: National Eczema week 17th 23rd Sep: National cupcake week 22nd - 30th Sep: British cheese week 1st 7th Oct: National porridge week 1st - 7th Oct: Potato week 1st Oct: World vegetarian day 8th 14th Oct: Chocolate week 8th 14th Oct: National curry week 10th Oct: World Porridge day 12th Oct: World Egg day Period 11 (16th October 5th November) 16th Oct: World food day 21st Oct: National apple day 22nd Oct: World nut day 31st Oct: Halloween 1st Nov: World Vegan day Period 12 (6th November 10th December) 12th 18th Nov: Indoor allergy week 13th 17th Nov: Diwali

Whats new this week .

Comment

The Laughing Cow Bacardi

Has announced the launch of a new product The Laughing Cow Light with Blue Cheese

Following the successful launch of BACARD OakHeart, part of Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands, a new addition to the BACARD range of pre-mixed cans will be in available in September: BACARD OakHeart & Cola.
Is making its first foray into frozen , launching a range into Iceland that will go head to head with Greggs Is making its debut with a listing in 135 Tesco stores this month. The chain is stocking sausage & mash and spaghetti & meat balls from 17 September Is gearing up for Christmas by rolling out an updated version of its glitzy J20 Glitter Berry drink It has refreshed the taste of the drink and reduced the calorie content Is launching a range of dips with bread sticks designed for on-the-go snacking Is expanding its Big brand into traditional ready meals with a range designed to offer fellas nononsense food. The Big Ready Meals launch will be marketed under the strapline Big on flavour and supported with in-store activity, PoS material and through existing Big partnership with Rugby Football league Is giving its Homepride cooking sauce range a makeover as part of plans to strengthen the brand. The new look, rolling out later this month, will be supported by online and PoS material

Ginsters
No Added Salt Britvic

GNosh
Heinz

Premier Foods

Pepsi Cherry Max

is rolling out to c-stores after launching last year into the grocery channel. The latest variant is available in a two-litre bottle

Whats new this week .

Comment

Walls Savoury & Sweet Marmite

Is expanding into the hot snacking category with the launch of microwavable sausage baps and muffins. Marketing activity for the snacks would include PoS, trade show activity and sampling Has expanded its portfolio with a range of SpongeBob SquarePants snacks. Is targeting Christmas shoppers with limited-edition Marmite Gold that contains edible gold flakes and comes in a gold jar

Fullers Malibu
Hain Daniels Sco-Fro Seafood Munch Bunch

Has added a new brew to its Past Masters portfolio of historic ales. It is rolling out to Sainsburys now
Is expanding its range with a rum that is flavoured with tequila Is launching four variants of its $80m Greek Gods brand into Sainsburys in November. The move comes after rival US brand Chobani announced plans to launch its yoghurts into Tesco later this month Has won an Asda listing for two new coated shellfish products that Asda claims will fuel growth in the static category. Galloway-branded Scottish Whole Scampi and Galloway Sweet Chilli King Prawns will be stocked exclusively in Asda stores from 17 September Has gone big with the launch of a 450g Fromage Frais pot. Available in strawberry and vanilla, the format would allow mums to experiment with use at breakfast Has jumped on the resurgent functional dairy bandwagon with the launch of Calin+, a new yoghurt brand with added calcium and vitamin D. The brand was launched into Asda last month

Yoplait

Whats HOT and whats NOT.

HOT
A new study has shown that consumers are more likely to purchase outdoor products such as camping equipment and walking boots, as part of their weekly supermarket shop, rather than visiting a specialist outdoor retailer. The research, commissioned by retail agency Gratterpalm, found that for lower priced items such as torches, folding tables and pop-up tents, supermarket sales account for almost three in every five purchases. http://www.theretailbulletin.com/ The UKs leading grower of organic vegetables, Produce World, sees a positive future for the category, despite the recession. This month has been named Organic September by the Soil Association, and according to Produce World there is plenty to look forward to for the UK organic market. http://www.talkingretail.com Full-year sales and profits have soared at frozen food discounter Heron Foods. Pre-tax profits rose 15% to 8.1m, on sales up 11.3% to 164.9m in the year to 31 December 2011. http://www.thegrocer.co.uk The hot beverage category continues to be a steaming success; it has grown by +6% to 1.6bn in the last 12 months. http://www.thegrocer.co.uk

NOT
Food price inflation is set to rise in the coming months as the affects of a poor harvest hit retailers, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) warned today. Although food inflation remained unchanged in August from the previous months level of 3.1 per cent, this is likely to rise over the rest of the year, affecting overall shop price inflation. http://www.retailgazette.co.uk/ According to The Grocer, most supermarket shoppers see price guarantees and brand match schemes as cheap gimmicks and dont take any notice of them when deciding where to shop. In a survey of more than 4,000 shoppers, 82% said price promises had no influence at all over which supermarket they shopped in.