Retailers are losing millions in potential sales of frozen foods and homewares because they cannot keep them in stock, according to the first ECR UK survey of availability at the leading supermarkets.
The survey, which was initiated by ECR UK and managed by IGD, measured the on-shelf availability of 200 lines across 12 categories in 350 stores run by Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury, Safeway, Somerfield and the Co-operative Group.
Despite the resources dedicated to tackling out of stocks over the last year, average availability of frozen food was just 92.6%, while homewares - the worst performer - managed just 87%.
The health and beauty
category fared marginally better at 91.6%, while meat and fish availability was just 92.9%.
By contrast, bakery and produce categories each scored 98.4%, ahead of cigarettes at 97.7%, ambient grocery at 96.2% and dairy at 95.7%.
The results correlate with figures collated as part of The Grocer 33 survey, which reported an availability range of 88% to 97% across grocery categories in the three months to the end of March (The Grocer, April 3, p39).
Again, frozen foods and household/health & beauty items were among the worst performers, while dairy and chilled were among the best.
The IGD report also showed that performance between retailers varied widely. The scores were listed anonymously, but the best performing retailer achieved 98.3% availability and the worst 91.7%.
The results demonstrated that there was still an enormous amount of work to do to tackle out of stocks, said Procter & Gamble UK & Ireland logistics director and ECR UK co-chair Chris Poole. “The fact that only three out of 200 lines [own label baked beans, loose tomatoes and onions] had 100% availability highlights the scale of the challenge.
“The problem is there is no one reason why the products are not getting on to shelf. There is a range of reasons, from poor forecasting to problems in the last 50 yards.
“At least having common data means that we can compare like-with-like.”
An ECR UK working group was putting together a new study offering practical advice on tackling out of stocks to be published by the end of the year, said Poole.
A prize for the most innovative approach to improving availability would also be awarded at the IGD Food Industry Awards on October 19.
Elaine Watson
The survey, which was initiated by ECR UK and managed by IGD, measured the on-shelf availability of 200 lines across 12 categories in 350 stores run by Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury, Safeway, Somerfield and the Co-operative Group.
Despite the resources dedicated to tackling out of stocks over the last year, average availability of frozen food was just 92.6%, while homewares - the worst performer - managed just 87%.
The health and beauty
category fared marginally better at 91.6%, while meat and fish availability was just 92.9%.
By contrast, bakery and produce categories each scored 98.4%, ahead of cigarettes at 97.7%, ambient grocery at 96.2% and dairy at 95.7%.
The results correlate with figures collated as part of The Grocer 33 survey, which reported an availability range of 88% to 97% across grocery categories in the three months to the end of March (The Grocer, April 3, p39).
Again, frozen foods and household/health & beauty items were among the worst performers, while dairy and chilled were among the best.
The IGD report also showed that performance between retailers varied widely. The scores were listed anonymously, but the best performing retailer achieved 98.3% availability and the worst 91.7%.
The results demonstrated that there was still an enormous amount of work to do to tackle out of stocks, said Procter & Gamble UK & Ireland logistics director and ECR UK co-chair Chris Poole. “The fact that only three out of 200 lines [own label baked beans, loose tomatoes and onions] had 100% availability highlights the scale of the challenge.
“The problem is there is no one reason why the products are not getting on to shelf. There is a range of reasons, from poor forecasting to problems in the last 50 yards.
“At least having common data means that we can compare like-with-like.”
An ECR UK working group was putting together a new study offering practical advice on tackling out of stocks to be published by the end of the year, said Poole.
A prize for the most innovative approach to improving availability would also be awarded at the IGD Food Industry Awards on October 19.
Elaine Watson
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