Focus On Alcoholic Drinks: 2 November

By Harry Holmes holmesharry99@gmail.com

Publishing: 2 November 2024

Advertising deadline: 18 October 2024

Submissions deadline: 11 October 2024

Print, digital and sponsorship opportunities

Brands and retailers are upping their booze merchandising game. Convenience retailers are making their stores destinations for shoppers on the hunt for cold beer with the roll-out of beer caves (cavernous walk-in chillers said to offer considerable energy savings) as more and more suppliers take over aisle ends with eye-catching displays to make them one-stop shops for specific occasions and serves. Many players are also working with retailers to develop branded bays in the main booze fixtures. How is all this affecting sales? To what extent are efforts like these driving footfall for retailers and building equity for brands? To what extent are brands and retailers capitalising on the exodus of HFSS items from high-footfall spots in store? And what’s next in terms of booze merchandising?

Changing channels: This feature will explore how different retail channels and specific retailers are performing in terms of boozes sales and the factors driving their differing performances. Sainsbury’s is the fastest growing big four retailer; why? And what is the discounters’ growth down to?

Types of booze: Our exploration of merchandising trends in booze will be set against wider analysis of the main drinking trends – from the rise in RTDs and sparkling wine and decline in spirits and fortified wines to the growing numbers cutting down on their booze intake. What influence are these trends having on in-store merchandising; for example, are RTDs taking up more chiller space?

Beer caves: We want to speak to retailers and retail groups that have implemented the beer cave format so that we can explore its benefits and pitfalls. How expensive is it? Do they really drive footfall? Are the savings as great as people say? Are they just for beer?

Innovations: We will profile four new products or ranges, ideally ones that have not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each.