After 10 days of voting and an amazing number of votes, RN revealed the companies you chose to recognise in this year’s Retailer Choice Awards. Read on to discover the supplier reactions to the results
Supplier of the year: PepsiCo
Hüseyin Tulpar, Vice president for impulse sales, PepsiCo
As we move into next year we will continue to support our customers and have some exciting plans in the pipeline, capitalising on key trends such as ‘better for you’ and sharing. We are committed to providing outstanding service to the impulse channel, whether that is through core range advice, innovative new products or our field team.
Newsstand performer of the year: Daily Mail
Andy Law, Retailer sales manager, Mail Newspapers
Retailers can win with the Mail in 2018 by continuing their fantastic support of our market-leading titles and our comprehensive promotions. We continue to put more money into tills than any other UK newspaper title and by double-facing both the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday you can maximise your sales.
Salesforce of the year: Imperial
Andrew Miller, Head of field sales UK
Looking to 2018, innovation will be a buzzword around both e-vapour and tobacco. Being able to impart expert advice to both smokers and vapers will be the key to success and we urge retailers both continue to work with their Imperial reps and also consider joining our Ignite retailer reward programme.
Symbol group of the year: Spar
Debbie Robinson, Managing director, Spar
Everyone in Spar is working harder than ever before. We are being vigilant about how we plot our course as we look to support a thriving independent sector. We have had another record year with wholesale sales and retail sales up 6% respectively and record high Spar brand sales, up 5%.
Wholesaler of the year: Booker
Steve Fox, Managing director, Booker Wholesale
Throughout 2018, we will be concentrating on how we help our customers ‘make more save more’. We will be looking at many different ways to achieve this. We are privileged to serve over 100,000 independent retailers and by focusing on choice, price and service we will be working to help them prosper.
Ad campaign of the year: Imperial Suspect it, report it
James Hall, Anti-Illicit trade manager, Imperial
In response to the ever-increasing threat posed by the illicit trade, we’re launching a new anti-illicit trade app in January 2018 to work alongside our Suspect It? Report It? campaign. It represents a technological sea-change in our ability to act on #illegaltobacco information supplied by our retail partners and fight back against the criminals.
Digital innovation of the year: Zapper
Gerry Hooper, Chief executive, Zapper UK
Zapper’s affordable app enables retailers to instantly reward top customers to help increase basket spend and drive visit frequency. Looking ahead to 2018, we’ll be launching our mobile payment and built-in loyalty solution into more retailers around the UK, giving them the opportunity to reward and communicate with their loyal customers.
Footfall driver of the year: Click and Collect
Vanessa Walmsley, Managing director, Qmatic
Click and collect gives retailers a huge opportunity not only to improve their service to their customers, but also to unite the online and physical retail environments like never before. By offering customers the facility to order their items and then pick them up at their convenience, retailers can bring a new generation of consumers in-store.
Merchandising initiative of the year: Better Biscuits, Better Business
Hena Chandarana, Trade communications controller, Pladis
Better Biscuits Best Sellers has had a huge impact within the convenience, received industry- wide recognition and has driven an average 21% uplift in sales for retailers. 2018 will be a year of accelerating the platform even further and we look forward to sharing more with retailers to help them grow their biscuit category in-store.
Launch of the year: Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreos
Scott Snell, director of sales for the impulse sector, Mondelez
We recommend a focus on range and space. The range should cover all formats: singles, duos, tablets, sharing bags and gifts, with bestsellers from each format. Have a fully-stocked fixture and display new, promotional and seasonal products in secondary sites at the store front or near the counter to inspire extra sales.
Innovation of the year: Deliver my newspaper
Chris Hughes, Head of retail marketing, News UK
All involved are so proud of our win for Deliver My Newspaper, and it’s made all the more sweeter because we know it helps retailers win too. To ensure store owners maximise the benefits of the initiative, the key is to advertise the home news delivery offer using the PoS that we can provide.
Growth category of the year: Next Generation e-cigarettes
Jennifer Roberts, VP customer marketing, Blu
It’s good to remember that retailers can actively display their vaping ranges – they don’t need to be behind the tobacco shutters. Counter- top units are great for displaying liquids so that consumers can see what is stocked without having to lean over the counter or queue up and feel pressurised to buy.
