Recognising that some independents struggle to get the best out of their petcare fixtures, both Masterfoods and Nestlé Purina have launched initiatives to tackle the problem - the former with Easy 4 You and the latter with Impact.
Masterfoods' research shows that, although 85% of dog owners treat their pets to the top three bestselling lines in the UK, they are only stocked in 20% of convenience stores.
Easy 4 You aims to allow retailers to choose the bestselling product from each segment of the market from one spot in cash and carries. "By stocking the right range, retailers will benefit from lucrative petcare shoppers and retain customer loyalty," says trade relations manager Susie Kedwards.
Nestlé Purina's Impact sales team is working on driving distribution on ten key petcare lines in c-stores and has been working with one individual store - Mid Calder Convenience Store in West Lothian - for a complete overhaul of the petfood range and layout.
The success, say both store owner Archie Arshad and Tom Schyma, business manager for the convenience channel, has been astonishing. "It used to be cans as far as the eye could see," says Schyma. "Arshad hadn't been introduced to Bakers Treats or pouches for cats. It was a total category review and not just about us - it included Masterfoods products and Iams. The fixture was a mess before; now it's easy to shop."n
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