In-Store articles from October 2006

In-Store archives from October 2006

EC commits to loosen tight packaging rules.(European Commission )(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Relaxation of European packaging rules may mean that consumers will be able to buy food items like pre-sliced bread in a wider variety of sizes. Current legislation means that businesses have to follow a complex set of rules to package...

Scenes from La Dolce Vita.(marketing strategy of Peroni Nastro Azzurro)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Scenes from classic Federico Fellini-directed movie La Dolce Vita ("The Sweet Life") have been recreated for limited edition packs of Peroni Nastro Azzurro, the best-selling Italian lager in the UK market. The packaging will reflect the...

McKenzie Clark provides graphic installations for L'Oreal in-store.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... L'Oreal has awarded a one-year contract to design agency McKenzie Clark, to be its main supplier of in-store graphics and light box images for luxury product brands including Lancome, Prestige and Collections, Biotherm, Shu Uemura and Kiehls....

Pods signal new direction for First Choice travel.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Travel agent First Choice has expanded into supermarkets across the country with a new portable unit. The trial 'pods' have gone into Sainsbury's and Asda. A total of six are planned to go into stores. The pods, which have been designed...

Dunhill launches new look.
October 9, 2006... Gentlemen's outfitter Dunhill has launched new look branding to update its image. Countering the traditional approach of highlighting products and dropping in the brand's logo, the redesign by Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest makes the...

Marmite spreads word with toast art campaign.
October 9, 2006... Savoury topping brand Marmite is encouraging parents to use the yeast spread to make art on toast over family breakfasts. The new squeezy version of the product has been given a temporary new name, Marmart, to highlight an in-store promotion...

Diversity is the latest fashion.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Consolidation and fragmented brand portfolios are driving current changes in the fashion retail sector, according to a new report from research group Verdict. Companies with diverse brands appealing to a range of different customers are...

Sainsbury's new range.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Sainsbury's has launched a range of Designed Not Just For Vegetarians ready meals, to appeal to those seeking a healthy diet as well as committed vegetarian customers. Packaging is designed by Parker Williams. "The packaging on each of the...

Ladbrokes advertising campaign.
October 9, 2006... Ladbrokes has launched an advertising campaign aimed at attracting younger people to greyhound racing. Actor and former football hard man Vinnie Jones is fronting the campaign and features on promotional material in-store. The campaign concept...

Pepsico on top of the PoS.(POS Direct )(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Pepsico staff can order and manage point of sale material online, following the launch of a new stock and order system by supplier POS Direct. Workshops were held to train Pepsico staff, who can track deliveries and create bespoke reports...

Early Learning Centre offers parents playtime.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... The Early Learning Centre (ELC) is running an in-store voucher campaign to reward busy mothers. The Mummy-Off book of coupons offers pampering deals such as beauty treatments, yoga classes, and two-for-one deals at selected restaurants to...

No tears for Kimberly-Clark as Kleenex makes it to fifty.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Tissue brand Kleenex, owned by Kimberly-Clark, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a series of promotions throughout September. Limited edition packaging highlighted offers such as 50 per cent off prices, or 50 per cent extra product for free....

Authorities 'failing' on retail crime.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Shopkeepers feel overwhelmingly that the government and police are failing to tackle retail crime, according to the British Retail Consortium's annual Retail Crime Survey. Some 95 per cent of retailers who responded say that police treat...

Britax new range of buggies.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Child equipment brand Britax has launched a new range of buggies and accessories, the Vitality Collection, using a graphic identity, packaging, P-O-P and catalogues designed by Fraser Design. In a bid to capture a larger share of the world...

IN BRIEF: Gamestation goes for the gimmicks.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Gamestation has held in-store events at its Birmingham flagship branch, to capitalise on the release of major computer game titles. Test Drive Unlimited was highlighted by parking a Ferrari outside the store, while a Page 3 model signed...

IN BRIEF: Heinz cans campaign.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Heinz has dropped its 'superbean' campaign for its famous baked beans in favour of a limited-edition can design emphasising the heritage of the product. Agency Jones Knowles Ritchie is behind the new look. The new packaging is the first major...

IN BRIEF: Spar and WI join to promote local shops.(Spar store)(Women's Institute)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... The Spar store in Bampton, Devon, and the Women's Institute are working together as part of Living Local, a research project organised by the New Economics Foundation. "At a time when local communities and their local shops are under threat...

IN BRIEF: Tea change.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... The London Tea Company has introduced new packaging and a revised brand identity, developed by Jones Knowles Ritchie. The new packs will be in store later this year. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Retailers may benefit in building boom.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... A building boom in UK town centres could lead to oversupply of retail space, according to a new report from Verdict Research. The document, UK Town Centre Retailing 2006, predicts that landlords will find themselves in a weaker position, as...

IN BRIEF: NCC gives Waitrose green bill of health.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... The National Consumer Council has asked leading supermarkets to do more to help shoppers make green choices. Waitrose came out top of the NCC 'Greening Supermarkets' environmental report, while Morrisons languished at the bottom of the pile...

NEWS ANALYSIS: Label manners.
October 9, 2006... As food manufacturers, retailers and the Food Standards Agency continue to pull in different directions on the issue of food labelling for health, is anyone winning the argument, asks Jo Roberts A divide within the food industry has been...

NEWS ANALYSIS: McCain Foods: A Case Study.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... While most manufacturers are opting to put either the GDA (Guideline Daily Amounts) or the traffic-light labelling in a prominent place on food packaging, McCain Foods has changed the design of its packaging to incorporate both schemes. ...

LETTER: Brief, all too brief.(Letter to the editor)
October 9, 2006... Whilst we are hearing reports that certain environments, particularly grocers, are implementing 'clear floor policies', we also hear that the P-O-P industry is becoming increasingly sophisticated, with a growing profile among clients...

LETTER: Consumers want to be engaged.(Letter to the editor)
October 9, 2006... I agree with Glynn Davis (In-Store, September) that determining the number of digital screens in use by UK retailers is difficult and that very few are part of a digital network. However, his assertion that screens outside of the retail sector...

LEADER: Ready meals - the new fast-food?
October 9, 2006... The current dispute in the food industry about how best to highlight the health impact of foods on their labelling (see News Analysis) may seem like a storm in a teacup, but it could have far-reaching consequences. UK consumers chomp...

SCREEN TALK: Facing the customer.(Interview)
October 9, 2006... With an eye on the 'perfect store', Susan Beetlestone, marketing general manager at United Co-operatives, explains why a new network of customer-directed till screens are worth a big investment. Our vision at United Co-operatives is to...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Lumsden masters Lingo in Saudi.
October 9, 2006... Lingo, a new chain of electrical retailers owned by SAB Holdings, has launched in Saudi Arabia, using store formats and an identity created by UK consultancy Lumsden Design Partnership. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: French consumers borrow to buy.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... French consumers indulged in a bout of heavy shopping in August, according to state statistics agency Insee. Spending on manufactured goods rose by 3.3 per cent from the previous month. Back to school initiatives and tax breaks for low paid...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Wal-Mart promises less rubbish.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... US supermarket giant Wal-Mart has announced a plan to cut the volume of packaging it uses by 5 per cent over five years, as part of a drive to improve its environmental credentials. The company predicts the move will save money as well as...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Gizeh cigarette papers roll up in the UK.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... German cigarette paper brand Gizeh has appointed The Ashley Bolser Agency to develop a fully integrated campaign to launch the product in the UK market. Stores including Asda will sell the product, which has a following from customers who have...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Asia expansion for booming Esprit.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Esprit is expanding in Asia. December will see stores opened in Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia and Ho Chinh Ming City in Vietnam, following the August launch of three shop-in-shop sites in Seoul, Korea. The fashion brand has a total of 207 stores...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Fitch designs new face of Russian mail.(Russian Post)(Fitch and Company Design Consultants PLC)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Russian Post, the national postal operator for the country, has opened the first branch office designed by UK design group Fitch. The design group was first appointed in 2004 to develop a single brand for Russian Post, which was formed by...

DISPLAY OF THE MONTH: Heavenly hi-fi.(views of David Kenton, managing director of Rigby and Peller)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... David Kenton gets his techno-fix at Bang & Olufsen in Mayfair, where less leaves him wanting more, more, more "I'm like a kid in a toy shop when I wander around this store" says David Kenton, managing director of lingerie business, Rigby...

CITY TALK: Perfect partners.(business strategy of John Lewis Partnership)
October 9, 2006... Despite tough times in retail, John Lewis has emerged from the department-store doldrums looking fitter than ever. Lauren Mills, retail correspondent at the Mail on Sunday, explains how it happened In February 2002 Sir Stuart Hampson, the...

CITY TALK: Woolies figures up and down.(Woolworths Group PLC)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... A tough market has seen mixed performances at Woolworths Group for the 26 weeks to 29 July, with like-for-like sales down by 8.3 per cent and a pre-tax loss of #64.9m. While Woolworths' stores have seen weak sales, the group's entertainment...

CITY TALK: Fashion chain Esprit in good spirits.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... High street fashion chain Esprit is proposing a record dividend payout, marking earnings per share of 75 per cent, for the year to 30 June. Net profit margin at the group has grown to 16 per cent, from turnover up 13.2 per cent to #1.6bn....

CITY TALK: Online sales up at JoJo Maman Bebe.
October 9, 2006... Multi-channel baby and nursery retailer JoJo Maman Bebe has announced growth of 30 per cent over the last year. The group says retail sales have risen by 128 per cent, with online and mail order sales up 13 per cent. Copyright: Centaur...

CITY TALK: Sparkling performance from Joules.
October 9, 2006... Fashion group Joules has announced an 83 per cent rise in turnover to #10.9m, compared to last year. Pre-tax profits for the company increased by 133 per cent. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

CITY TALK: Scottish prices lower than rest of Britain.(British Retail Consortium Shop Price Index)(Scottish Retail Consortium Shop Price Index)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Shop prices in August 2006 were 1.4 per cent higher than in August 2005, according to The British Retail Consortium Shop Price Index. In contrast, the Scottish Retail Consortium Shop Price Index saw no change from last month, with prices at...

CITY TALK: Mail order is Next's best thing.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Fashion retailer Next made losses of 7.9 per cent on the high street in the six months to July. However, this was countered with a large increase in Next Directory sales, up 45 per cent on last year. The retailer posted an overall profit of...

CITY TALK: Still no improvement from DIY sales.(Do It Yourself)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Kingfisher saw group sales rise by 6 per cent in the 26 weeks to 29 July, but retail profits in the first quarter fell by 20 per cent, remaining flat in the second quarter. "The continuing weakness of the UK home improvement market has again...

CITY TALK: Mel does well for Matalan.
October 9, 2006... Matalan has reported like-for-like sales increase of 1.3 per cent in July and August, compared to the same period last year. Better marketing, fronted by celebrity Melanie Sykes, was given as one of the reasons. Copyright: Centaur...

PROFILE - DUNCAN SUTTON: Top-rank outsider.(Planet Outdoor UK)
October 9, 2006... Duncan Sutton, Planet Outdoor UK managing director, is a pioneer with a passion for the outdoor life and a plan to bring the online environment in-store, says Matthew Valentine Online retailers have become a thorn in the side of many...

MARKET REPORT: Wings of desire?
October 9, 2006... In a UK first, supermarket Lidl and Air Berlin have combined to sell flights across the checkout. Just a gimmick? Or is something bigger about to take off? Hannah Booth investigates. Earlier this month, for one week only, consumers might...

SPECIAL REPORT: Survival of the fitters.(management of Interior Designing)
October 9, 2006... As in-store environments become more complex but budgets get tighter, shopfitting expertise is ever-more crucial to creating the right mood, says Maeve Hosea In a cost-conscious retail environment, the relationship between client,...

PRODUCT NEWS: A question of till power.(Called Remote Transfer)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Digital View has launched a management system for digital media network content that will link to the Epos system of any manufacturer. Called Remote Transfer, the new system claims to allow fast and flexible connections to till systems of...

PRODUCT NEWS: Brighter future for Mitsubishi.(Mitsubishi Electric's new projectors)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Mitsubishi Electric has upgraded its range of projectors, introducing a brighter version of its XL5900U, and replacing the XL5950U and XL5980U models with updated versions. The projectors include an anti-theft password function, providing...

PRODUCT NEWS: Big screen for Xmas.(Panasonic introduces high-definition screen)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... A plasma high-definition screen with a 103-inch diagonal surface will be available from Panasonic in time for Christmas, according to the technology company. The TH-103PF9 high definition panel will provide full HD pixel resolution of...

PRODUCT NEWS: New Geller quiet Epos has no fans.(Geller Business Machines)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Cash register company Geller Business Machines is launching a new electronic point of sale system, the model RP-2000, in October. A modular design allows retailers to build systems to suit their exact requirements. The fanless system...

PRODUCT NEWS: Counter measures make Volumatic a safer bet.(Omal CounterCache cash storage boxes)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Security specialist Volumatic has unveiled its latest Omal CounterCache range, for secure storage of paper money at the point of sale. The latest range encompasses a selection of products, ranging from the simple drop box CounterCache...

PRODUCT NEWS: Smart tables wait to take your order.(Electronic waiter system by Ewait, Norway)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Electronic waiter kiosks have been launched by Norwegian developer Ewait, using touch-screen technolgy from 3M Touch Systems. Designed for fast food restaurant chains, the Ewait Table units allow customers to order food and also to surf the...

EYE ON DESIGN: SAINSBURY'S.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... In this store the clean line layout and simple, effective POS worked to enhance the merchandise. The photographic quality of the POS images lacks spontaneity when compared to Tesco's but the virtually life size figures wearing the...

EYE ON DESIGN: TESCO.
October 9, 2006... Last year's Tesco clothes sales reportedly accounted for sales of almost #750 million and this store certainly had busy clothes shoppers - but in a rather restricted space. Customers navigated the narrow aisles without directional signage...

EYE ON DESIGN: ASDA.(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... Since 1990 the 'George' brand at Asda has been recognised for value- priced clothing. In this branch the merchandise was well ranged and presented, although directional signage would prove helpful in this high-racked, large section. POS is...