Convenience stores are cutting back on Christmas-themed snacks and confectionery this year, in a bid to temper spending and guarantee sell-through before the new year.
Independent retailers, including Jonathan James and Aman Uppal, said they wanted to avoid discounting an abundance of leftover stock come January, keeping a smaller range that prioritised the most popular items such as Nestlé’s Quality Street tubs or Cadbury’s Chocolate Christmas Puds.
“All we did last year was ending up reducing products,” said James, who owns 44 stores with Costcutter, Select Convenience and GT News. “So we took the decision this year to cut back and sell what we can at good margins.”
One Stop franchisee Uppal added: “I’ve been precise and selective on my Christmas ranges this year, with the aim of pulling away from niche products that have a less guaranteed impulse purchase.
“It’s about being realistic and smarter with your money, taking into account inflation, rising utility bills, and the upcoming budget.”
Fellow independent retailer Nishi Patel, who owns two Londis stores in Kent and south east London, has spent £5,000 less on Christmas stock this year.
“Because of how the year was panning out with the wetter summer, we’ve massively reduced our Christmas ranging,” he said. “We’d rather be short and top up from a cash & carry if we need to.”
Premier retailer Serge Notay, based in Batley, West Yorkshire, said he found festive confectionery such as Maltesers Christmas Mix and Kit Kat Santas had “always taken forever to sell” in previous years.
“Manufacturers need to think about Christmas differently than what they have been doing and consider the small indie retailer,” he said. “Products have got smaller and lost their nostalgic feel. I’m going to concentrate on everyday lines this Christmas instead.”
Steve Bassett, who owns five stores in Southampton and Weymouth, said he focused on more generic snacks and confectionery products that can be used across various seasons and holidays.
“It’s the same for Valentine’s,” he said. “We tend to steer away from specific Valentine’s products and stick to more generic chocolates and gifts that can be sold on Mother’s Day and Easter.
“If you have £100 left over, you’ll need to sell £500 plus for no profit as it’s covering the £100 of dead stock. The old sayings spring to mind: Sales are vanity, profit is sanity.”
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