Europe Intelligence Wire articles from March 2008

Europe Intelligence Wire archives from March 2008

Radio link will help pubs crack down on yobs.
March 24, 2008... (From The Portsmouth Evening News) Byline: Rob Dabrowski Pubs are getting new walkie-talkie radio systems which will link them directly with police and CCTV operators. A total of 43 pubs in the town a" all those involved in the...

Alcohol disorder zones delayed again.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) The government has vowed alcohol disorder zones will go ahead despite being told to redraft proposals for a second time. In an embarrassing setback, a committee of MPs and peers ordered the Home Office to...

Thresher unveils plans for major revamp of business.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Christine Boggis Thresher Group is moving away from the three-for-two promotion that has been the backbone of its sales strategy for the past four years. It has already been dropped in The Local,...

Darling's duds of the day.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Alistair Darling seems to be suffering from a form of political Tourettes - the delusion that by saying a word enough times your audience will believe it's true, like inflicting the audio equivalent of repetitive...

Feedback.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Thresher wants to silence us but is a 'shambles' I had to laugh when a letter from a disgruntled Thresher manager was paraded at our annual conference as an example of how not to conduct oneself. In return for not...

Alcohol tax twists retailers' arms.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) The UK now has the highest level of wine duty in the European Union and the fourth-highest rate of spirits duty. Dire predictions of a chunky duty hike on alcohol have rumbled around the trade for months - and...

Vision for change - and money to do it.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) The Thresher Group's new strategy aims to give each of its fascias a clearer focus to reverse declining profits. And new owner Vision Capital, which took over the business in June, is prepared to pay out to make...

Make lemons your sherbet.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Q I'm selling more limoncello than I used to but know next to nothing about it. I always thought it was slightly naff - is it cooler than I realised? A Limoncello sales remain minuscule but there does appear to...

Is this the end for AGBP3.99 wine?
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Some political commentators have joked about the Mogadon-like qualities of Alistair Darling's first Budget speech, but for the wine industry it was anything but a snooze. Even those of us who have argued that wine...

End of an era as visitor centre closes.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Coors is closing its visitor centre - formerly the Bass Museum - to cut costs amid tough market conditions. The closure affects the brewery tap, gift shop and all meeting rooms but does not include the White...

Mahon takes on Wine Cellar helm.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) The n ew managing director for Wine Cellar, Steve Mahon, is preparing to meet staff and suppliers at the company's first conference for several years. Mahon recently joined the Runcorn-based chain after...

S&N taps into lager widgets.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Laura Clark Scottish & Newcastle has introduced a lager widget for cans of Foster's and Kronenbourg 1664 in an attempt to get value back into the beer category. The new Foster's can has been...

France needs a UK body.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) France needs a single generic body Arepresenting it in the UK if it is to reassertAitself as the number one supplier of wine to the UK market, industry figures have said. Speakers at the France Under One Roof...

Tesco urges Oz to go more Italian.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Laura Clark Producers in Australia should harness the potential of Italian grape varieties to help protect Australia's market share in the UK, said Tesco's product development manager, Pierpaolo...

Chilean winery relaunches in UK.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Australian subsidiary De Bortoli Wines UK has signed a joint distribution agreement with ViAa Undurraga, one of Chile's oldest wineries. De Bortoli will act as a route to market for the Undurraga portfolio. The...

Harvey's targets aficionados with upmarket sherries.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Beam Global UK is launching a range of top-end sherries in 50cl bottles to appeal to discerning fans of the wine. Harveys Very Old Rare Sherry will include Fine Old Amontillado, Pale Cortado, Rich Old Oloroso...

US seeks green certification.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Christine Boggis Californian winemakers want an all-encompassing sustainability certification to help market their environmental efforts to the trade and consumers. Paul Dolan, the former...

Navarra ups quality control.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Navarra's wine body is looking to raise the quality of its Denominacion de Origen wines by introducing an extra level of regulation. From the 2008 vintage, wines will undergo two tastings by a panel of 40...

Tasting table.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Robert Mondavi 2006 Private Selection FumA Blanc Supplier: Constellation Europe AGBP7 to AGBP10 Partial barrel fermentation gives this rather restrained Sauvignon Blanc a lovely, integrated creamy oak that...

Brush up on your terroir.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Mendoza The chances are that if you know one Argentine region, it will be Mendoza: hardly surprising, given that the area contains 156,000ha of vines, making it larger than Bordeaux. Seventy per cent of all...

Rhine and dandy.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) It's become a truism to say that although German Riesling is beloved by the UK wine trade, it is desperately unpopular with the British consumer. On a recent visit to Germany, most producers, when asked about...

Doing the right things.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) The UK wine market is growing at 6% by value, while the three best-selling South African brands are between them enjoying much faster average growth at 15%. Kumala reigns supreme at the top of the South...

Wine Train to cut carbon emissions.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) In a bid to cut carbon emissions and take thousands of lorries off Britain's congested roads, the "Wine Train" has arrived in the UK. Logistics company JF Hillebrand has invested AGBP1 million in the new rail...

Sherry vineyards to be grubbed up.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Sherry's governing body has announced moves to boost quality and fight overproduction that will see a third of Jerez's vineyards grubbed up over the next three years. Fedejerez will limit the DO's annual...

VOX SHOP.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) "I've put nothing up yet. I'm a strong believer in only putting it up once it comes through to me . I think I'll put wine prices up by half of what the Budget said and absorb the rest myself. I can cushion that...

Blueprint: display bubbly.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Independent retailers are being urged to put Champagne and other high-value wines on open display, instead of inaccessible shelves, in a bid to drive sales. That will be one of the recommendations in the new...

Duty calls after Budget hikes.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: The OLN News Team Consumers ex pecting to be hammered by the biggest drinks duty hike for decades had a pleasant surprise when they visited supermarkets and off-licences this week to find prices had...

Final game, set, match for InBev.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Rosie Davenport InBev is considering a range of new sponsorship deals after announcing that this summer 's Queen's Club tennis tournament would be the last to carry the Artois name. Stella Artois...

Beer in brief.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) l Westons Cideris reducing the strength of its Stowford Press Low Alcohol cider from 1% abv to just 0.5%. Like the rest of the Stowford Press range, it is matured in old vats before being blended. l Cobra Beer...

Bowtime set to do SB some favours.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Strongbow is teaming up with talkSPORT radio in a deal that will give Scottish & Newcastle's flagship cider regular spots on the station. The brand has agreed a six -month sponsorship of its drive-time show,...

Bud ramps up UK activity with campaign on provenance.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) A major ad campaign for Budweiser is designed to highlight the US lager's "authenticity and provenance". Ads with the strapline True Dedication will run on TV, in cinemas, outdoors and in the press from April, in...

All set for a thrilling season climax ...
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) We're now nearing the last couple of months of the season and this Sunday looks set to be crucial to decide the title. Current champions Manchester United take on Liverpool, while Chelsea host Arsenal, who will...

Top 50 managers for February.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) 1 Jack Hibberd Matchstick Men 72 2 Lee Widdowfield Fursty Ferrets 2 62 3 Geoffrey Holmes Good Buys 58 4 Andrew Sadd Peatlings Plodders 56 5 Peter Gillen Designated Drinkers 56 6 Adrian Gillen Ade's Army 55 7 Alex...

Manager of the Month.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) The prize for February manager of the month goes to Lee Widdowfield of Thresher's The Local store in Bristol. Lee has based his selection on a strong defence that can help out with a few crucial goals. Being an...

How big a headache for the industry is the rise in production costs - and do you think these will translate into higher retail prices?
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Paul Burton, joint managing director, InterContinental Brands " The drinks industry has not seen anything like it for 25 years. Manufacturers are reluctant to absorb the costs and retailers to accept the costs and...

Can smaller craft ciders survive and thrive in a market dominated by bigAbrands?
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Martin Thatcher, Thatchers "This is a great time for smaller brands. The image of cider is being continually enhanced as growers progress planting schemes throughout the country and the provenance and traditions...

Big questions for cider insiders.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Is there evidence that the cider boom of recent years can be sustained in 2008? Simon Russell, spokesman, National Association of Cider Makers "In 2007 the cider category was once again the fastest growing of any...

Courts come down on side of retailer in test purchase case.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Laura Clark A Dorset retailer who sold beer to a 16-year-old test purchaser has escaped conviction because magistrates ruled the teenager looked over 18. Graham Northeast, owner of Bonafide Wines...

Constellation takes Nichols on board.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Former Oddbins head buyer Emma Nichols has joined Constellation Europe as director of premium wine. Vice president Simon Thorpe MW said: "This is a new role and underlines Constellation's commitment to growing...

Healthy soft drinks boost off-trade sales.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Strong demand for healthy soft drinks ha s driven take-home sales up by 2.8% to over AGBP6 billion, according to Britvic's latest report. The growth has offset a 2% drop in volume sales, caused by a washout...

In Brief.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Makeover for Three Barrels First Drinks Brands is looking to drive sales of Three Barrels French brandy with new packaging and a marketing campaign. Existing drinkers will be targeted through a series of in-store...

Push to make Grant's no 3.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Laura Clark William Grant & Sons is spending AGBP3.8Amillion in the UK to back the launch of Grant's new-look bottle. The push is aimed at "propelling Grant's to podium position" as the...

AlizA birthday bash tours UK cities.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Cognac-based spirit AlizA is teaming up with MTV to celebrate its 21st birthday. AlizA Remixed sees the brand joining some of the biggest DJ names on the international music scene with a tour of five city...

In brief.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) l Diageo has finalised the details of its AGBP1.4 million marketing campaign to celebrate next year's 400th anniversary of the granting of Bushmills' original licence to distil. The push will include anniversary...

Jameson breaks with tradition.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Pernod Ricard UK is spending AGBP1.5Amillion on a n ad campaign for Jameson Irish Whiskey. Designed to appeal to 25 to 34-year-old men, the push will include print ads in consumer magazines and the nationals....

Corky's latches on to cafA society.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Global Brands has added a cappuccino variant to its Corky's range. Corky's Cappuccino is the tenth flavour to be released under the vodka shot brand and will be available to the off-trade from this Easter. ...

New Doritos ad will be out of this world.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Laura Clark An ad for Doritos is to become the first commercial broadcast into space. In a AGBP2.3 million on-pack campaign, Walkers is inviting consumers to create a 30-second TV ad on the theme of "how...

Water sells itself on green credentials.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) A new bottled water brand from England is targeting consumers looking to cut their carbon footprint. Iceni Water is bottled at source in Duxford, Cambridgeshire, at an AGBP11Amillion plant. The water, which is...

In brief.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) l McVitie's Penguin is offering consumers the chance to adopt a penguin as part of its partnership with environmental charity the World Wildlife Fund. The company hopes to raise AGBP250,000 over 12 weeks by...

Quintessentially English flavours.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) General Mills UK has extended HAagen-Dazs with a limited edition variety. In a bid to boost luxury ice cream sales during the summer, Raspberries & Meringue will be available for six months from now. The...

Twiglets branch out into new packs.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) United Biscuits UK has repackaged its Twiglets range to help consumers understand the brand's nutritional credentials. The new-look 25g packs will feature tick boxes saying: less than 100 calories, 79 per cent...

Energising boost.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) GlaxoSmithKline is spending AGBP8 million on advertising its Lucozade Sport range. The push is designed to show how the brand "enhances sporting performance" and will kick-off with TV ads on Sky Sport and all...

Metrosexual makeover.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Never believe what you read on the internet. Erik Laan, owner of the Vineking in Reigate, Surrey, is not Danish. He's half Dutch, half Finnish, brought up in Redhill, and has a thoroughbred Home Counties accent....

Dates for your diary.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) March 26 Loire & Rh Ane Valleys Tasting, Royal Society of Arts, John Adam Street, London (philippa.sydney@wanadoo.fr) March 26 Bordeaux: to blend or not to blend that is the question , WSET School, London...

Top Tip.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) "My customers love hearing about their purchase histories. They'll frequently pop in and ask what they bought last Easter, or in a particular month as a birthday present for a wine-loving friend. I try to keep a...

NEW oLN CROSSWORD Number 22.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) ACROSS 3 Deal with by applying remedies (5); 6 Side-view portrait (7); 7 Pudding (6); 8 Roadside inn (5); 9 A lift (8); 12 Work together into a dough (5); 14 Drag the feet while walking (5); 15 Opiate (8); 18...

COMPETITION.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Cockspur is a blended golden rum from the CaribbeanAisland of Barbados, where it has been produced since 1884. It is an expert blend of superior rum, aged in oak barrels to smooth and mellow the spirit. This...

Friendly neighbourhood vineyard.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Waitrose earned itself a polite round of applause from the wine trade when it announced recently that it would be planting its own vineyards. But was it really a first for the UK retail trade? Not exactly....

TALKING HEADS.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) When did you first develop a passion for wine? As a child I sensed it was something special. When I was 14 we were on holiday in Baden, southern Germany, and had a tasting at the Winzergenossenschaft in...

In Brief.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Jeroboams shake-up The Jeroboams Group has made a series of promotions in all four of its divisions. James Wormall, who has managed the Chancery Lane and Elizabeth Street branches, becomes head of private sales...

Constellation's green solution to foil al fresco wine hazards.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Emma Eversham Echo Falls now comes in a foil-sealed plastic glass for people who want to enjoy wine "when out and about". The 18.7cl shatterproof glass is made from PET, which Constellation says...

Rugby unites France and UK.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) South of Fr ance co-operative Mont Tauch has launched its Rugby Challenge 2008. The tag rugby event, now in its second year, is being held over the weekend of June 14 and 15 in Tuchan, France. Players are drawn...

Plastic bag tax slated as unnecessary.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Retailers have criticised government plans for a levy on plastic bags, claiming legislation is unnecessary because work is already under way to limit their use. In last week's Budget , Chancellor Alastair...

Shoplifting laws in the dock.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Graham Holter Thieves who steal from small independent shops should be penalised more harshly than people who shoplift from bigger stores, the Sentencing Guidelines Council has recommended. The...

Merchant and producer in 150-year celebration.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Mentzendorff celebrated the 150th anniversary of its association with Champagne Bollinger with a dinner for 200 guests at Tate Britain, opposite its offices on London's South Bank. A pre-dinner tasting...

Bank makes a gift of pre-paid card.
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Barclaycard is launching a service for UK retailers looking to offer pre-paid gift cards to customers. The scheme will enable off-licences to offer own-branded gift, savings club and refund cards to customers...

Is it the end of the road for Winerite?
March 21, 2008... (From Off Licence News) The end appears to be in sight for one of the best-known names in drinks wholesaling. Winerite, the delivered wholesaler set up by Gerry Atkinson in 1973, became part of the Palmer & Harvey group in 1999. But the...

Hard times for Hardys.
March 13, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Hardys has been knocked off the top spot in the light wine league table for the first time since Constellation bought it in 2003. VR, Stamp of Australia, Nottage Hill, Banrock Station and several others were bought...

A new mini cigar experience.
March 13, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: Rosie Davenport Henri Wintermans is hoping to create a new category of cigars with the launch of a smaller version of its miniature CafA CrAme brand. CafA CrAme Express will join the range next month and is...

NestlA goes green over Easter eggs.
March 13, 2008... (From Off Licence News) NestlA Confectionery has stripped the plastic packaging from 80% of its Easter eggs in a green initiative designed to save 700 tonnes of rubbish. Plastic egg holders will be replaced with environmentally friendly...

Lucozade's daily cash competition.
March 13, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Lucozade is giving consumers the chance to win AGBP1,000 every day for three months. Running until June, the text-to-win promotion will appear on 38cl, 50cl and 1 -litre bottles. The on-pack giveaway will be supported...

Store refit up for grabs with B&H.
March 13, 2008... (From Off Licence News) JTI is giving retailers the chance to win a AGBP40,000 store refit to celebrate the launch of its redesigned Benson & Hedges Gold and Silver ranges. Three shop makeovers are up for grabs, along with security...

In brief.
March 13, 2008... (From Off Licence News) l The ACS has welcomed New Zealand Prime Minister John Key's decision not to go ahead with a tobacco display ban and is calling on the UK government to follow suit. Lack of evidence that a tobacco display ban actually...

Juice drinks Drenched with new flavours.
March 13, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Britvic is spending AGBP5.5 million on advertising a new fruit-flavoured version of its Drench spring water brand. Juicy Drench includes 8% fruit juice and comes in Orange & Passion Fruit, Cranberry & Raspberry...

It's you a fit and fabulous!
March 12, 2008... (From The Portsmouth Evening News) A healthy living advice day is designed to encourage and help people improve their lifestyles. The event will be held in the town's shopping precinct and there will be representatives of fitness clubs,...

Sales drop 10 per cent but independents 'optimistic'.
March 7, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Byline: OLN news team Independent wine merchants remain optimistic about their prospects for the coming year despite an alarming 10 per cent decline in sales, OLN can reveal. According to exclusive...

Government threatens 'wo strikes and out' law.
March 7, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Retailers who twice sell alcohol to children could face losing their licence under new laws proposed by the government. The tougher approach was announced by secretary of state for culture Andy Burnham as the...

Feedback.
March 7, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Don' blame the off-trade - blame the boozy bars I have read and reread the reports of government attempts to tar the off-trade with the brush of responsibility for binge drinking. Worst of all was a recent...

Less enforcement, more balance.
March 7, 2008... (From Off Licence News) There are parts of the government's review of the Licensing Act that are balanced and sensible. In particular, Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport Andy Burnham has recognised that extended opening hours...

Three years on, what's changed?
March 7, 2008... (From Off Licence News) As the DCMS published its review of the Licensing Act 2003, the media and politicians whipped up another storm of controversy about exactly what the law has achieved. There is no question that the old,...

Go wild in the country.
March 7, 2008... (From Off Licence News) At the recent SITT events, the OLN forum highlighted the importance of customer tastings to promot e business. In fact, tastings are the single best way of increasing footfall and will usually provide an increase...

MARKET MONITOR A graphic guide to the off-trade.
March 7, 2008... (From Off Licence News) In 2007, Verdict estimate d that the Big Four - Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons - accounted for 65.4 per cent of the AGBP118.2 billion grocery market, up from 63.6 per cent in 2006, and grew their sales...

Shop thieves are wising up to penalties.
March 7, 2008... (From Off Licence News) With all the current fuss concerning under-age purchases and antisocial behaviour, shoplifting is fast becoming aAforgotten crime. Noises coming from government that store theft should no longer be dealt with by...

Minimising the risk to staff.
March 7, 2008... (From Off Licence News) Q I'm due to open an off-licence on the edge of a city centre next month, in an area that has had past problems with robbery. What procedures can I put in place to protect staff? A The Union of Shop, Distributive...