In-Store articles from June 2007

In-Store archives from June 2007

New Boots kiosks have Advantage over the old.(Boots Company PLC)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Boots the Chemist is rolling out rebranded Advantage Card Extra Offers kiosks to 500 stores around the UK, updating the original units installed eight years ago. The retailer's loyalty card allows customers to collect points from their...

Alcohol packaging laws to change.
June 11, 2007... The packaging of all alcoholic drinks sold in the UK should include information on alcohol units and recommended safe drinking levels by the end of 2008, after a Government agreement with the drinks industry. The scheme is designed to...

MissMatched launches in UK.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... US childrens' sock retailer Little MissMatched has been launched into the UK, with a store at Bluewater in Kent. Several more stores and an online presence are now planned. The brand was first launched in the US by three friends who came up...

Spice is right for ABF.
June 11, 2007... Associated British Foods has agreed to acquire Patak's Foods for an undisclosed sum, as part of a deal to drive global expansion of the Patak's brand while increasing ABF's portfolio of world food brands. The Patak family will retain control...

Good to text, says Borders.
June 11, 2007... Book retailer Borders has announced encouraging results from its first mobile marketing campaign, accounting for 15 per cent of the net sales generated by email marketing since its launch. Over 480,000 customers who receive a Borders...

Eve offers temptation to airport customers.
June 11, 2007... London Luton airport has launched a new character, "Eve", to promote stores in its retail lounge and to provide passenger information. Eve is being used to promote brands and products on offer, and will also inform travellers how, for...

Cool beer idea from Coors.
June 11, 2007... Coors Brewers is mounting an in-store push to promote new packaging that allows consumers to see when their beer is at its optimum temperature. Thermochromic labelling allows sections of beer cans to change colour when they reach a...

New packaging for Hot & Spicy range.
June 11, 2007... Kolal Snack Foods has introduced new packaging for its Hot & Spicy range of crisps. Available in Garlic & Lemon, Garlic & Onion and Black Pepper flavours, the crisps have been given a revised look by Martin Dawe Brand Design. Indian design...

Red Bull hopes to get Thai wine in fashion.
June 11, 2007... A new flavour of a low-calorie Thai wine spritzer, sold in the UK by Red Bull, is being promoted in fashion stores across the country. The unorthodox approach has been taken in a bid to reach the brand's core target market of young women....

It's great outdoors, Budgens tells parents.
June 11, 2007... Supermarket group Budgens is launching a point of sale push that applauds parents as "Super Summer Heroes" for providing families with healthy outdoor fun and food from the chain. From May until the end of August, stores will feature a...

Anchor makes most of free-range USP.(Website overview)
June 11, 2007... Anchor butter is launching a #10m campaign to promote its free-range credentials. From May, the brand, owned by Arla foods, will run a series of press, television and poster adverts promoting its new positioning as the only free-range...

Masterfoods sees the error of its whey.
June 11, 2007... Mars UK has backed down over the decision to use animal products in its chocolate bars, after a high-profile consumer backlash. It issued an apology after large numbers of vegetarians complained about the move to replace the ingredient...

Berghaus plans to storm UK.(H. Berghaus B.V.)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Outdoor clothing and equipment brand Berghaus is gearing up to open its first dedicated store in the UK. Retail design specialist Caulder Moore is developing the branch concept for the push into retailing. The store will be unveiled in...

IN BRIEF: Drinks brands in Wii promotion.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Coca-Cola and Nintendo are working together to promote the Wii video games console. An on-pack promotion, giving customers the chance to win prizes, will run on 182 million packs of Fanta, Sprite and Dr Pepper brands until July. The campaign...

IN BRIEF: Organic beauty products boom.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Around 200 organic or natural beauty products have been launched in the UK so far this year, according to research group Mintel. This represents a 170 per cent increase on the entire number launched in 2006. Copyright: Centaur...

IN BRIEF: Asda drops CD singles.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Asda is ditching sales of CD singles, blaming the rise in popularity of digital downloads. The supermarket says the move follows a drop in CD single sales from 26.5m in 2004 to just 13.6m last year. The chain says it will concentrate on CD...

IN BRIEF: On-pack supplement for Complan.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Dietary supplement Complan will run an on-pack promotion throughout June. The campaign has been developed by Fresh Rewards, in partnership with Marketing Team Direct. Customers can claim vouchers and two-for- one deals if they purchase two or...

IN BRIEF: Waitrose throws book at suppliers.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Waitrose is issuing a Responsible Sourcing Workbook to its 700 suppliers. The manual will provide advice and information on issues such as responsible sourcing, the environment and worker welfare. "This manual will help our suppliers look...

IN BRIEF: Budgens backs British Food Fortnight.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Retailer Budgens has announced plans to support British Food Fortnight for a fourth year. Taking place from 22 September to 7 October, the celebration will focus on British food and drink. The retailer will highlight the event in-store with...

Shopping to de-stress may cause headaches.
June 11, 2007... Nearly a quarter of UK residents go shopping to alleviate stress, according to a new survey carried out in mid-May by YouGov, on behalf of The Retail Trust - the national charity for the retail industry. Some 2,500 people took part in the...

Britvic serves up Wimbledon tie-in.
June 11, 2007... Squash brand Robinsons is running a summer on-pack promotion to tie in with the Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon. The campaign will be supported by a suite of shelf-ready packaging, banners and display units, with artwork designed by...

New in-store display for Playboy Beauty.
June 11, 2007... Cosmetics brand Playboy Beauty is rolling out a new in-store display system across the Superdrug store portfolio, in a bid to increase its distribution from four UK stores to 500 by the end of the year. A multimedia screen is incorporated...

IN BRIEF: Sunsilk gets pop campaign.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... On-pack promotions will form part of a #4m push highlighting the link between Unilever's Sunsilk brand and pop group Girls Aloud. The campaign represents the first time the haircare brand has used celebrities in its advertising. ...

IN BRIEF: Consumer boom tops #1 trillion.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... The average UK consumer is spending heavily to indulge in jetsetting, meals in restaurants, champagne and designer handbags, according to new research from Mintel. Consumer expenditure in 2006 hit #1.09 trillion, up 9 per cent on 2005. Many...

IN BRIEF: New Era opens head quarters in Soho.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Global headwear brand New Era has opened its first London store, on Brewer Street in Soho. Called New Era LDN, the store will join dedicated US stores in New York City and Buffalo. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Road charge "ghost town" warning.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Town centre retailers could be left without customers if government proposals for road charging are introduced without investment in public transport first, the British Retail Consortium has warned. "Investment in public transport is the key...

IN BRIEF: McBride gets wedded to eco-packaging.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Cleaning and laundry products manufacturer McBride has become the first large own-label manufacturer to sign up to the Courtald Commitment from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). The company is working to ensure more...

IN BRIEF: Bollywood basmati bonus from Tilda.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Basmati rice brand Tilda has launched an on-pack Bollywood-themed promotion, designed to entice new customers and reward existing ones. A coupon inside the pack will enable customers to claim a free Bollywood DVD, music CD or download. ...

IN BRIEF: Weetabix hits on a new groove.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... The Weetabix food Company is to launch Alpen Groove cereal bars this summer. The premium-priced product will be available in three flavours, each with a groove down the centre containing praline, strawberry or lemon. Copyright: Centaur...

ANALYSIS: Chemical reaction.
June 11, 2007... After decades of reliance on artificial additives to keep food edible and presentable, the big names in food retail are giving consumers what they want. Jo Roberts explores the reasons for the new approach The collective health of the...

LETTER: Writing on the wall is handwritten.(Letter to the editor)
June 11, 2007... The BBC's revelations about UK retail staff flouting food sell-by dates to sell more stock, shows how easily handwritten labelling can be misused. Handwriting sell-by dates has a huge margin for error. The lack of control means that even...

LETTER: There's no limit to P-O-P.(Letter to the editor)
June 11, 2007... I read your article "Measure for Measure" (In-Store May 2007) with interest. It makes some excellent points about the importance of communication at all stages of P-O-P planning and implementation, and the MARI study is certainly welcome news...

Run the policy makers out of town.
June 11, 2007... After decades of encouraging dependency on cars with a planning regime that encourages out-of-town developments, Parliament wants to levy pay as you go charges on motorists. That could mean a big headache for retailers as well as consumers....

GLOBAL TALK: STRETCHING THE LIMITS.(pop-up units, Clarke Stephen)
June 11, 2007... Thanks to an international awareness by P-O-P group Clarke Stephen, an in-store merchandising idea first spotted in the US was soon popping up in UK stores - proof that that some ideas travel very well indeed The pop-up units used to...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Naunce and Portland land airport jobs.
June 11, 2007... The Naunce Group is developing a retail business for Hyderabad International Airport in India, which is due to open in 2008. Portland Design is working with the firm to design a duty free and retail outlet in the international terminal. ...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Eastern expansion for Auchan.
June 11, 2007... French retail group Auchan is planning further international expansion. Seven Atac stores are planned in Russia, in addition to the five already trading, while a second store is planned to open in Romania in the near future. Copyright:...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Japan sees supermarket sales drop.
June 11, 2007... Supermarket sales in Japan have fallen by 1 per cent compared to last year, according to the Japan Chain Stores Association. The group took into account nearly 9,000 stores in its figures. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Foster's adopts Carlsberg in Oz.
June 11, 2007... Carlsberg beers will be brewed and distributed in Australia, after a deal between Carlsberg Breweries and Foster's Group. The deal takes effect in July. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: PayPoint dips toe into foreign markets.
June 11, 2007... PayPoint has announced the acquisition of PayStore, a Romanian mobile pre-pay distributor, for E15.5m. PayStore distributes mobile airtime and electronic top-ups to 6,000 convenience stores. The acquisition marks the company's first...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: New Wehmeyer format revealed in Duren.
June 11, 2007... German fashion retailer Wehmeyer has reopened its branch in Duren to showcase a new store format developed by UK consultancy JHP. The 44-strong chain was acquired by private equity companies SB Capital Group and Miro Radici in 2005, with a...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Canadian sales up for Planet Organic.(Financial report)
June 11, 2007... Natural products group Planet Organic saw a 44 per cent increase in Canadian sales for the third quarter of its financial year, ending 31 March. The chain has eight stores in Canada. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Retail continues to grow in Taiwan.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Retail sales in Taiwan rose by 2.35 per cent in April to US$506m (#257m), compared to the same period in 2006, according to the country's Ministry of Economic Affairs. Supermarket turnover rose by nearly 6.5 per cent, while convenience stores...

DISPLAY OF THE MONTH: Latin lover.
June 11, 2007... Andrew Mellor of Animal falls headover-heels for the mellow fruitiness of Spanish urban outfitters Desigual Spanish clothing store Desigual has shimmied its way across the waters to open its first store in the UK. Its fruity theme is a...

CITY TALK: Rose by any other name.(Stuart Rose)(Column)
June 11, 2007... The sweet smell of success attends the every move of the incumbent chief executive of now-blooming M&S, says Lauren Mills, retail correspondent at the Mail on Sunday, and it seems there's more to come Marks & Spencer is coming up smelling...

IN BRIEF: 'Magic billion' beckons M&S.(Marks and Spencer PLC)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Marks & Spencer has posted a 28.5 per cent increase in its pre-tax profits for the year ending 31 March, to #965.2m. The performance takes the retailer close to the magic #1bn profit it last achieved 10 years ago. Sales increased by more...

IN BRIEF: Game Group wins Gamestation.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... The Game Group Plc has announced the acquisition of computer and video game specialist Gamestation for #74m. The Game Group, which owns retail chain Game, says the two brands will continue to trade separately, targeting different customers...

IN BRIEF: Sainsbury's continues profit growth.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Sainsbury's has seen total sales increase by 6.9 per cent to #18.52bn, according to its preliminary results for the 52 weeks to 24 March 2007. The performance gives an underlying profit before tax up 43.3 per cent to #380m. Freehold and long...

IN BRIEF: Vouchers sales are just the ticket.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... The VA, formerly known as the Voucher Association, has recorded first quarter sales for the promotional voucher industry of #300m, representing a 5.3 per cent increase compared to the first quarter of 2006. Copyright: Centaur...

IN BRIEF: Big brands sound at Unilever.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Unilever achieved an underlying sales growth of 5.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2007. The company says there was a broad-based sales growth across the various regions it operates in and throughout product categories. Copyright:...

IN BRIEF: Fairtrade proves worthy for Cafedirect.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Fairtrade hot drinks company Cafedirect has announced sales increases of 9 per cent, to #21.6m, for the year to 30 September 2006. Out-of- home sales increased by 41 per cent, with retail sales up by 2 per cent. The brand represents 35 per...

IN BRIEF: Mixed message from homewares market.(Home Retail Group)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Home Retail Group has announced preliminary results for the period to March 2007, showing like-for-like sales rising by 2.4 per cent at Argos while dropping by 1.4 per cent at Homebase, for reported sales of #5.6m. The results follow Home...

MATT PULLEN: Time to talk turkey.
June 11, 2007... After the toughest two years in its fifty-seven year history, Jo Roberts talks to Matt Pullen, marketing director at Bernard Matthews, on his plans to bring the brand back to life. The Bernard Matthews brand was born in 1950, and in recent...

CONSUMER SURVEY: Shelf satisfaction.
June 11, 2007... BOGOF still reigns supreme as the shopper's offer of choice in In- Store's third annual survey of consumer attitudes UK consumers are still firmly wedded to the idea that the ubiquitous BOGOF promotion is the one that best represents good...

TEN YEAR REVIEW 1997-2007: Ten years after.
June 11, 2007... From retail to e-tail, and cash-less shopping to corporate social responsibility Matthew Valentine charts ten years of change since the launch of In-Store Sometimes it does indeed seem that the more things change, the more they remain the...

TEN YEAR REVIEW 1997-2007: Revolution in your bread.(demand for organic foods surge)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Attitudes to food have seen a near seismic shift over the last decade. Fears over additives and processing, concerns over rising obesity levels, and the "Jamie Oliver effect" of TV chefs making good food fashionable, have all left their mark...

TEN YEAR REVIEW 1997-2007: Cheques out at the checkout.(Home Office to change the way cash payments are made)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... The Home Office met with banking and retail executives in 2000 to discuss the introduction of Chip & Pin authorisation for card payments, thus setting in train what may be the biggest change to the way we pay for products in the last decade....

IN-STORE SHOW: Plenty in store.
June 11, 2007... A celebration of the best in retail marketing, plus new design-led attractions, look set to take the In-Store Show to new heights, says Jo Roberts The In-Store Show may have reached its ninth birthday, but the event shows no signs of...

MARKET REPORT: Wind of change.
June 11, 2007... It's clear that "the Environment" is the issue that's going to dominate the future of retail. But, says Clare Dowdy, 'environment' is going to mean a host of very different things to retailers - and consumers In some respects, the future...

SPECIAL REPORT: Up close and personal.(radio frequency indentification tags)
June 11, 2007... Through screen technology and smart product tagging, tailored interaction is the digital future, says Matthew Valentine For a medium and an industry that has been driven by advances in technology, the digital sector should have no fear of...

DIGITAL RETAIL MEDIA: IBM booth makes a lot of sense.(Company overview)
June 11, 2007... A multi-sensory booth could provide a revolutionary way for retailers to stage promotions or product demonstrations, claims IT giant IBM. IBM Italia has developed such a booth, using a combination of stereoscopic 3-D video projection,...

DIGITAL RETAIL MEDIA: Digi faces terminal security issue.
June 11, 2007... Unauthorised people could be prevented from operating checkouts or other computer-based devices with new facial recognition software from Sensible Vision, using Digi International's USB cameras. The system effectively replaces passwords with...

DIGITAL RETAIL MEDIA: Digital view says silence is golden.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Digital View has expanded its selection of media players intended for use with digital signage systems, with the introduction of RemotePlayer RP-710. The new unit is designed to be robust and reliable when used in difficult conditions. ...

DIGITAL RETAIL MEDIA: Flash screens from Fairfield.(Fairfield Displays and Lighting)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Digital screens that run from flash cards or memory sticks have been unveiled by Fairfield Displays & Lighting. Running without the need for a computer, files are stored on flash cards with a capacity of up to 4MB. The units are designed to...

DIGITAL RETAIL MEDIA: Poor reflection is new paradigm.(Paradigm Audio Visual introduces Supernova Infinity)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Five Supernova screens are now available in the UK and Ireland. Paradigm Audio Visual has introduced new technology in which optical screens filter out unwanted reflections. The screen particularly suited to the retail environment is the...

DIGITAL RETAIL MEDIA: You can touch but you can't look.
June 11, 2007... Technology group 3M has launched its most rugged touch-screen unit, ToughTouch II, with the optional addition of a privacy film to prevent those with prying eyes from seeing financial data or transaction data not meant for them. The screen...

DIGITAL RETAIL MEDIA: Water sign bodes well for Scala.
June 11, 2007... Digital signage specialist Scala has been awarded a "Best in Class Creative Content - Public Spaces" award at the Digital Signage Expo in Chicago. The award was presented for Scala's signage, developed with certified partner Click...

PRODUCT NEWS: New-look locks meet all requirements.(Adams Rite introduces high security locks)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Security products company Adams Rite has launched a new series of high- security locks. The company says the HS range can withstand physical attack, yet meets health and safety requirements and the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act....

PRODUCT NEWS: NXP promises theft-proof optical media.
June 11, 2007... NXP Semiconductors and Kestrel Wireless have joined forces to develop a new system to discourage the theft of DVDs. By combining RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chips and RFA (Radio Frequency Activation) technology, the companies...

PRODUCT NEWS: WG launches first store-specific tags.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Electronic Article Surveillance specialist WG has launched what it claims to be most intelligent security tagging system available to UK retailers. Wave tags trigger an alarm if they are removed from a store, if a tag is tampered with or,...

PRODUCT NEWS: Bartuf adds to queues.(Bartuf Systems introduces queue-management system )(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... A new queue-management system has been launched by Bartuf Systems, in an effort to drive up impulse sales among waiting customers. The Q+ uses conventional end posts with vertical middle panels to create gates that can be positioned to...

PRODUCT NEWS: Barclaycard rolls out contactless card payments.
June 11, 2007... Barclaycard Business is preparing to launch the UK's first contactless card terminals, with trials due to take place in London retailers. Initial tests have been conducted in Barclays offices in London and Northampton. Contactless...

PRODUCT NEWS: CRP units stand test of time.(CRP Print & Packaging launches display units)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... CRP Print & Packaging has launched a new range of generic P-O-P units for companies seeking economical display options with a quick turnaround. A variety of standard designs and sizes are available, including pallet displays, shelf,...

PRODUCT NEWS: Let there be light, says Baro.(Baro Lighting launches Pendo range)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... A new lighting range has been developed specifically for the retail environment. Baro Lighting has launched its Pendo range, which is durable and designed to illuminate stores to promote sales. The range is available in a variety of shades,...

Eye on design.(charity shops)
June 11, 2007... Richard Ash, chief executive of Green room Retail goes for a rummage around some of central London's major brand charity shops The Salvation Army Being asked to review charity shops is like asking Trinny and Susannah to "run the...