While the last six months have seen major convenience initiatives from retailers as diverse as Tesco, M&S, BP, The Co-operative Group, Budgens and TM Retail, there is a real vacuum in supplier activity. While we know the UK convenience market is worth £70bn, most suppliers seem too obsessed with Tesco and Asda to notice this.
The stark reality of having two or three customers accounting for 90% of total sales has dawned on a few suppliers, but it has passed most by; they seem content with thinking of c-stores as little supermarkets why won't they sell 24-pack toilet rolls Asda does...!
Suppliers need to get their head around a proper strategy that provides convenience retailers with a real point of difference to supermarkets this will require a quality team, investment, and, above all, true innovation aimed at convenience shoppers.
Maybe the lights will only come on when Tesco starts to ask suppliers for their recommendations for Express however, for many, that may just be too late.
The stark reality of having two or three customers accounting for 90% of total sales has dawned on a few suppliers, but it has passed most by; they seem content with thinking of c-stores as little supermarkets why won't they sell 24-pack toilet rolls Asda does...!
Suppliers need to get their head around a proper strategy that provides convenience retailers with a real point of difference to supermarkets this will require a quality team, investment, and, above all, true innovation aimed at convenience shoppers.
Maybe the lights will only come on when Tesco starts to ask suppliers for their recommendations for Express however, for many, that may just be too late.
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