nickshanagher

How much do suppliers really value local retailers, is a question that independent shopkeepers often ask themselves.   Open to the same competitive pressures as the big supermarkets and competing for the same shoppers, independents often feel they are locked out of the best deals and can’t buy at the prices the grocers sell for. A new edition of Store Wars , co-written by businessman Greg Thain and former Cadbury marketer John Bradley, provides some great answers to the question. Most importantly, they advise manufacturers to support weak retailers. Before independents get too hopeful it has to be said that Thain and Bradley argue that in the past 10 years a major switch in power has happened. After around a century in control, the big brand manufacturers are now number two to the likes of Walmart and Tesco. This has implications for all local shops. There are two reasons for the success of big retail. Firstly, they now know more about their shoppers and market to the...

This is the content of my letter that I sent last week to the civil servants asking for feedback on their ideas for tobacco packaging changes in the UK. 9 August 2012 Retaining the status quo on tobacco packaging is the best option for effective long term tobacco control in the UK Dear Sirs My company specialises in energising independent retailers in the news and convenience market in the UK. These local businesses rely heavily on tobacco to generate footfall and for cash flow and profit purposes. They generally comply with tobacco legislation and make very low profits out of handling tobacco products responsibly. Most retailers share your desire to improve public health and they comply with regulation on the sale of tobacco. This is time consuming but there is widespread consumer desire to buy tobacco products and most local retailers want to meet this demand rather than send shoppers elsewhere. Small shopkeepers have lots of rules and regulations to f...