Don't demonise plastic

Don’t demonise plastic

Sir, We need to be careful not to demonise all plastic packaging and respond with kneejerk reactions that shift the environmental and recycling problem to a less reusable or recyclable material. There is no doubt unrecyclable single-use plastics are a bad thing and every one of us has a responsibility to actively seek alternatives. But we all need to recognise some of the benefits plastics give us.

The current alternatives to Rigid Plastic Packaging bring their own challenges. Will switching to a perceived better material create other environmental problems?

Justin Kempson, sales & innovation director, Charpak

How FatFace delivered

Sir, FatFace did well this Christmas. It decided to snub all price promotions until Boxing Day and cashed in as a result. Meanwhile, retailers like Debenhams saw seasonal profits slump despite some pretty heavy discounting.

Lots of shoppers have become cynical about price reductions like Black Friday. Many think the same or better deals are available at other times of the year - and they’re often not wrong. While other retailers fell into unleashing a discount frenzy, FatFace proved that honest and clear pricing, with promotions suiting the business and customers, is the best bet.

Chris Baldwin, director of consumer promotions and loyalty, Sodexo Engage

Loyalty gets personal

Sir, In 2018 loyalty will become a key driver for retailers fighting to remain competitive in an omnichannel landscape. As a result, personalisation, and the data that underpins it, will remain critical for retailers. Here it’s more about the quality of the information and how it’s used that will influence success, which means collecting data in store and in real time. This will enable messages delivered at the point of sale with additional information about products.

Other loyalty trends to keep in mind include the balance of hyper-personalisation and automation, or using a self-service aspect to improve the customer journey; artificial intelligence; and beacon technology.

David Buckingham, CEO, Ecrebo

Health polarisation

Sir, Through selling some of its namesake confectionery brands to Ferrero, Nestlé has begun retreating from sugary snacks to focus on premium chocolate and better-for-you alternatives. The logical next stage is for Nestlé to acquire or develop in-house healthier lines. With this deal following on from Hershey’s recent purchase of Amplify for $1.6bn in December 2017, this is a growing polarisation, where food groups either move to healthier products or, like Ferrero, consolidate traditional confectionery.

Jonathan Buxton, partner and head of consumer and retail, Cavendish Corporate Finance