Tesco is piling more pressure on confectionery giant Wrigley with yet another foray into the chewing gum arena.
The retailer is adding single packs of own-label sugar-free chewing gum tablets in what will be seen as a further challenge to Wrigley’s market-leading Extra brand.
Rolling out now in peppermint and spearmint, Tesco’s latest offering comes in 12 tablet packs at 26p each - 2p cheaper than its asking price for 10-tablet packs of Wrigley Extra.
The retailer has also given the latest addition to its gum line-up premium positioning on shelf at the heart of its burgeoning own label gum and mint portfolio.
The Grocer revealed at the end of last year (December 20, p54) how Britain’s most influential retailer was going up against Wrigley with its own range of breath freshening strips and boxes of sugar-free gum tablets. Tesco laid down another gauntlet this spring by becoming the first brand owner to put breath-freshening strips into multipacks (The Grocer, May 1, page 59).
A spokesman for Tesco said there was no agenda to squeeze Wrigley’s offerings off shelf.
However, he admitted space for other lines would inevitably be squeezed as the retailer developed its own range.
“It is no secret we have been developing our own range but we have not removed any other products from our overall offer.”
Wrigley said it did not comment on competitor activity.
The retailer is adding single packs of own-label sugar-free chewing gum tablets in what will be seen as a further challenge to Wrigley’s market-leading Extra brand.
Rolling out now in peppermint and spearmint, Tesco’s latest offering comes in 12 tablet packs at 26p each - 2p cheaper than its asking price for 10-tablet packs of Wrigley Extra.
The retailer has also given the latest addition to its gum line-up premium positioning on shelf at the heart of its burgeoning own label gum and mint portfolio.
The Grocer revealed at the end of last year (December 20, p54) how Britain’s most influential retailer was going up against Wrigley with its own range of breath freshening strips and boxes of sugar-free gum tablets. Tesco laid down another gauntlet this spring by becoming the first brand owner to put breath-freshening strips into multipacks (The Grocer, May 1, page 59).
A spokesman for Tesco said there was no agenda to squeeze Wrigley’s offerings off shelf.
However, he admitted space for other lines would inevitably be squeezed as the retailer developed its own range.
“It is no secret we have been developing our own range but we have not removed any other products from our overall offer.”
Wrigley said it did not comment on competitor activity.
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