Focus On - Soft Drinks by Occasion 2024

Dear Retailer, The ‘Focus On’ guides by Plan for Profit are specifically designed for the independent retailer. Each guide contains expert product and category insight to help you make the most of opportunities in store and meet the needs of your customers. In this issue, we’re focusing on soft drinks – arguably the most important category in your store. Growing at double digits and bought by almost every household, soft drinks is a fast-moving and extremely profitable category, with a broad appeal. All retailers should offer a range of bestselling soft drinks brands, with a selection dedicated to new products and on-trend flavours, think about the specific missions and occasions that your soft drinks range can tap into and offer the complete package to make the most of the occasions throughout the year. In this issue, we will reveal insights into the key occasions you need to think about in your soft drinks range this year, as well as offer ranging and merchandising advice that you can tailor to your store. All copies of the Focus On Guides are available to review on the Plan for Profit website and app. Visit planforprofit.co.uk or search ‘Plan for Profit’ in your preferred app store. The buying group for independent wholesalers Insights and Top Tips Page 2 View Focus On guides here: View HFSS advice here: 4 Lumina Intelligence Convenience Tracking Programme, data collected 12WE 29/05/22 and 12WE 28/05/23. 5 IRI, Symbols & Independents, Total Sports, Stimulants and Glucose, 52w.e 20/08/23. 6IRI, Symbols & Independents, Take Home Soft Drinks Britvic Defined, 52w.e 20/08/23. 7 IRI, Symbols & Independents, Drink Now Fruit Carbs, 12w.e 20/08/23. 8 Mintel, Recession and the cost of living crisis: Key challenges and opportunities for brands in the UK January 2023. 9 Lumina Intelligence, Menu & foods Trends Report, December 2022. www.planforprofit.co.uk @PlanforProfitRetail @Plan_for_Profit Five top tips to help grow your soft drinks sales 1. Focus on cola for at-home celebrations. Cola remains the heartland of soft drinks among take-home choices, representing 1/3 of both value and volume sales. 6 Check you have the correct space allocated in store to avoid out of stocks. 2. Don’t forget treats. Impulse fruit carbonates are in growth at +14.1%. The category is driven by fun, flavour and variety as it is seen as an accessible treat. 7 Make sure you reflect these trends in your range selection. 3. Balance celebrations with healthier brands. Health benefits are becoming increasingly important, and consumers are prepared to pay more for products they perceive to be better for them. 8 Consumers are drinking less alcohol and one in three is now teetotal. 9 Provide a good mix of soft drinks to replace and capitalise on lost alcohol consumption occasions. 4. Food to go is a growing need. Shoppers are more likely to purchase on impulse in convenience stores year on year. Promotions and meal deals are important mechanisms to drive impulse purchasing in soft drinks. 4 Deliver value outside of lunchtime meal deals by pairing soft drinks with snacks on link deals. 5. Energy is central to key occasions. Sports and energy drinks have contributed most to category growth, putting an extra £149m through tills vs YA. 5 Stock a broad variety of energy brands and flavours in your chillers to cater for different tastes. 4 IRI 52 w/e 13 May 23, Flavoured Milk Value Sales Kind Regards, Mark Langohr Category Controller