Independent supermarket chain Harry Tuffins is to press home its local sourcing credentials as it looks to challenge the multiples.
The Powys-based retailer, which is ranked 31 in The Grocer's Top 50 independent retailers, is planning to use the opening of its latest store in Ludlow this week to introduce shelf-edge labels highlighting the number of miles each of the store's locally sourced lines have travelled from the supplier.
The 3,000sq ft development is Harry Tuffins' sixth store and will be its first to incorporate a joint fascia with buying group Nisa-Today's. It will stock more than 200 locally sourced products including organic potatoes, milk and honey.
"We want to be better placed to get one over on the multiples," said MD Paul Delves. "Over the last six months increasing numbers of our customers are telling us they prefer to shop for locally produced food.
"We are very supportive of Nisa's central distribution network but I feel, as independent grocers, we need to balance the national distribution ideals with our own individual selling points and the changing attitude of our customers.
"We want to tell our customers about the eggs that have only travelled ten miles down the road," he added.
Delves agreed with The Grocer that local sourcing was likely to be one of the key issues facing the industry over the coming year
(6 January, p30, 'Living la vida local').
The retailer plans to use promotional material in all six of its stores, said Delves. "We already have the products in our stores, so it is just a matter of flagging them up to customers and showing how little some of the goods have travelled. I am confident that when shoppers see this it will give us a real advantage over the multiples."
The Ludlow store, which is a forecourt site, will also feature new multimedia-enabled fuel pumps, which will relay constantly
updated information on the Nisa-Today's promotions available in-store.
The Powys-based retailer, which is ranked 31 in The Grocer's Top 50 independent retailers, is planning to use the opening of its latest store in Ludlow this week to introduce shelf-edge labels highlighting the number of miles each of the store's locally sourced lines have travelled from the supplier.
The 3,000sq ft development is Harry Tuffins' sixth store and will be its first to incorporate a joint fascia with buying group Nisa-Today's. It will stock more than 200 locally sourced products including organic potatoes, milk and honey.
"We want to be better placed to get one over on the multiples," said MD Paul Delves. "Over the last six months increasing numbers of our customers are telling us they prefer to shop for locally produced food.
"We are very supportive of Nisa's central distribution network but I feel, as independent grocers, we need to balance the national distribution ideals with our own individual selling points and the changing attitude of our customers.
"We want to tell our customers about the eggs that have only travelled ten miles down the road," he added.
Delves agreed with The Grocer that local sourcing was likely to be one of the key issues facing the industry over the coming year
(6 January, p30, 'Living la vida local').
The retailer plans to use promotional material in all six of its stores, said Delves. "We already have the products in our stores, so it is just a matter of flagging them up to customers and showing how little some of the goods have travelled. I am confident that when shoppers see this it will give us a real advantage over the multiples."
The Ludlow store, which is a forecourt site, will also feature new multimedia-enabled fuel pumps, which will relay constantly
updated information on the Nisa-Today's promotions available in-store.
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