Hovis has overhauled its everyday bread offering with a new recipe and refreshed pack designs for Soft White bread, as the brand attempts to claw back sales.
The bagged loaf has been given refreshed packaging meant to highlight its improved softness, as part of a revamp that will be supported by a sampling, digital and shopper media campaign based on the product’s Union Flag pack design.
The move comes after Hovis suffered a 17.8% slump in sales to £59.8m [IRI 52 w/e 27 February 2016] in a beleaguered category that has had £138.3m sliced off it in the past year alone [Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 31 January 2016].
“White bread currently makes up 54% of the pre-packed bread category, and shoppers are willing to pay more for quality white bread,” said marketing director Sharon Barraclough, stressing the importance of “softness from the first slice to the last”.
Hovis will next month use public celebrations of the Queen’s 90th birthday to host a street party sampling event, visiting 16 locations across the UK to drive awareness of the revamped white loaf.
Barraclough added: “As part of a long tradition for royal and national events, celebratory street parties are becoming more popular with neighbourhoods across the UK, and we will be making Hovis Soft White unmissable in the lead-up to the nation’s upcoming celebrations.”
Hovis has also given a new, softer recipe and updated packaging to its Best of Both bagged loaf - with the aim of maximising its appeal to children.
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