Andy Webb

Have you read our case study on Sainsbury’s digital transformation in employee relations? As one of the UK’s top retailers, Sainsbury’s has achieved impressive results. Using empower®, a digital guide that enhances managerial skills, Sainsbury’s has made it easier for line managers to handle low-risk conduct issues anytime. Self-service features have made managing employee relations simpler and faster, allowing HR to focus on complex cases and strategic tasks. This has reduced case durations, improved efficiency, and enhanced manager-employee relationships and overall employee experiences. Interested in how they did it? Read the full story here: https://hubs.la/Q02LGZvn0. #CaseStudy #SuccessStory #EmployeeRelations #HR #Transformation

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Having spent many hours walking the aisle of the UK retailers supporting our clients on their growth strategies, one of the highlights from this updated really caught my eye 12.5% growth in Finest, well above the 5% for food. Just last night delving deeper into the growth of finest, the support inshore within the main fixtures, off location and promotional activity are all clearly supporting the growth of the Tesco premium brand. Valuable insights which signposts growth opportunities into retail export markets for contract manufacturing opportunities helping retailers expand their premium categories which looks to be increasingly focused on great tasting affordable food to differentiate. Some great examples being #condiments, #seafood, #frozenmeals, #bakedgoods #slowcookedmeats #foodandrink #milk #premiumfoods #retail #groceryretail #ukretail #australianretail #contractmanufacturing #responsiblysourced #privatelabel #ownbrand MONIKA KEMP (Née Gajek) Food and Drink Exporters Association (FDEA) Prof. Consulting Group #export

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The most interesting thing about #kantar today is that Aldi are within 2% of Asda's market share. Unthinkable even a year ago, but represents a real concern for any retail leaders around the discounters carrying on regardless. Whether sales for #aldi are +2% / -2% or otherwise on Kantar. There will no let up from the discounters on their approach....... #Asda at -5.6% will surprise no one and as stated on here; Christmas will be the nadir but one can only presume brighter times are here with Allan Leighton. The challenge is that it will take time to get the tanker moving. #Morrisons were just +2% which given the woes of #asda is nowhere near strong enough. The stories of the BWS cabinets being opened tells its own story on sales growth, alongside the non-food specials being removed and more space opened out to festive food lines.......... Paints quite a worrying picture. The growth is barely there so clearly #Asda shoppers are decamping elsewhere. #Tesco lead the market growth with +5.2% sales and share up to 28.1%, #Sainsbury's remain strong at +4.7% and share just shy of 16%. #Lidl's growth continues to impress with +6.6% growth and share of 7.7%, only +0.3% on the year, however. It's clear from the wider market view that customers are holding off on purchases, the calendar flow for Christmas (IE still some way off and two more weekends) is playing in to this. Clothing data from #Kantar yesterday showed full price sales abruptly in to reverse too...... Clearly the #budget announcement on NI has spooked employers and by definition, employees who are suddenly worried over job security. Confidence is a fragile thing and the interest rate rises were some time ago, indeed, the rates have fallen since. But a number of customers will be having their ultra low rates come to an end, which immediately puts even more pressure on discretionary spending. Alongside this; #inflation has slowed but we are still recovering from the days of +10% inflation. I would wager most customers haven't felt inflation fall at all, if anything, the opposite is true. Indeed the #Christmas lunch is +6.5% this year. But inflation is slowing?!?! #kantar calls out Wines/Champagne and Spirits having biggest buy on deal. Buy 6, Save 25% on Wines has been almost everywhere in the market for weeks. The new 10p off a litre of fuel! All eyes on the big weeks to come; but consumer (and employer) confidence is notably fragile at the minute and the government must take full responsibility for this......... PS buried in the wider release is the news that #MarksandSpencer have benefitted from one in three households, at 32%, buying food, drink and other groceries from M&S during the 12 weeks to 1 December. Big periods for events and M&S wider appeal is starting to play through with the all important Christmas period where M&S typically pick up extra sales too. Sales +10.4% (!) #foodretail #christmas #trade #kantar

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Retailers must be prepared to continually optimise how they operate, with technology-enabled change to drive efficiencies and maintain margins. Learn how to shape your digital roadmap and deliver lasting value from your business optimisation initiatives - with examples from three high-profile UK retailers - by downloading our free Retail Optimisation Guide: https://lnkd.in/dGjwFrjy #LearningCulture #RetailOperations #DigitalTransformation #DigitalRoadmap

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What happened in retail this week? 👇 - Morrisons is being sued by a subsidiary of French giant Bouygues, over its £2.5bn deal to sell its petrol forecourts. - Morrisons has kicked off £1bn debt buyback plan following the £2.5bn sale of its petrol forecourts to Motor Fuel Group last month. - Lidl GB has achieved a new UK record market share hitting 8.1% in the 12-week period to May 12, 2024. - Marks and Spencer’s sales grew 9.4% to £13bn in the 52 weeks to March 30, 2024, as their ‘reshaping for growth’ strategy pays off. - Morrisons has cut the price of more than 400 food and household cleaning products and will lock prices for at least eight weeks. - Tesco has launched in-store salad creation bays which it said are inspired by social media healthy eating trends. - Co-op has unveiled new sustainability targets including halving carbon emissions across its supply chain and a 650 tonnes reduction in food waste by 2025. - John Lewis & Partners plans to hire more than 300 young people who have been through the care system by January 2025 as part of its Building Happier Futures programme. — — — — — — — I post the biggest stories from the UK’s biggest retailers each week. Connect with me to never miss a weekly update. #Retail #News #May 

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What happened in retail this week? 👇 - Asda workers have confirmed 10th-11th May as their latest strike dates. - B&M Retail sales have grown 10% to £5.5bn as budget-conscious consumers continue to hunt for savings. - Iceland Foods launched the first-ever supermarket customer panel to pen an election manifesto as the retailer follows through on its promise to give customers a voice during election year. - wilko is relaunching its free click-and-collect service which will be available from 217 stores UK-wide. - Morrisons introduced digital screens at food counters, providing brands the opportunity to promote products that complement the counter range. - Asda & Morrisons have resorted to selling stores to generate immediate cashflow due to significant debt loads. - Tesco teased its new design for the Clubcard logo after a High Court ruled its yellow circle in a blue square infringed Lidl GB’s trademark for its similar yellow circle branding. — — — — — — — I post the biggest stories from the UK’s biggest retailers each week. Connect with me to never miss a weekly update. #Retail #News #April 

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Strive to have the best data and it will make you look good. Best informed is almost always best full-stop. The data Uncrowd pumps out is that best in class and the pioneer retailers, and now investors and analysts subscribing to it are moving ahead of you and your peers. This empirical, objective, observed data we surface keep on calling it right, way ahead of everyone else. Reading this from Ryan, and I got to the F1 quote about and thought 'that is bang on the money, whoever wrote that is worth following'. Then realised, dear reader, it was me. #data #experienceanalytics #retail

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We are excited to welcome Nishi Patel, Owner of LONDIS SUPERMARKET LIMITED Bexley Park, to the Lumina Intelligence Convenience Strategy Forum. Known for his innovative approach to in-store experience and community engagement, Nishi will share the secrets behind his store's success in a dedicated Q&A session. Attendees will gain first-hand knowledge from one of the industry's top leaders, and you will receive the presentation slides after the event, so you can revisit the valuable insights shared. Secure your spot now: https://lnkd.in/ef3SzKZ3 #retail #convenience #marketinsights #marketresearch #retailoperators #consumerinsights

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Interesting summary

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What are you doin with thou career? That's the first thing Claude the Cat at Catman Jobs will ask when you apply for a new role. Because he is a straight talking, no nonsense Yorkshire lad who will not mess you about with waffle about your careers. As a category manager, you will have read the data and advised many commercial and marketing managers that a bird in the hand is better than a de-list. (get it)? Here at Paul Nyman Consultancy we take the same #Yorkshire approach of straight talking and getting to the point. We help you make fact based decisions about your career as this is your future. Like the good people of #Yorkshire there is no room for waffle when it comes to career advice at Catman Jobs Often the bird in your hand can be better than the offers from the bush. And if that is the right advice. It's also the best advice for you and your career Enjoy Yorkshire day whatever you get up to #fmcg #categorymanagement #category #analystics #Yorkshireday

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Asda sales and profits increase as it continues focus on growth

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📉 Hannah Boland reports: Asda has been hit by a fresh slump in sales just days after its chairman admitted he was “embarrassed” by the supermarket’s recent performance. Sales tumbled 6pc in the 12 weeks to August 4, according to new year-on-year figures from Kantar, making it the only major supermarket where trading is in decline. The latest drop in sales led to its market share sliding to 12.6pc, down from 14.8pc when the #business was bought by the Issa brothers in February 2021. By contrast, in the latest 12-week period rival Sainsbury's’s recorded its largest year-on-year market share increase since July 1997. Continue reading the full story below ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/ezHAFj6M

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Some things rewrite the rules, this is one of them. I can't think of any long term agreement between a Retailer & a Supplier / Grower that was over 6 years. Aldi UK & AC Goatham & Son have signed a twenty year agreement! That is the equivalent of four terms of government! Going back 20 years takes us to 2004, Facebook was launched, M&S rejected a takeover by Phillip Green, Twitter & Instagram were a few years off & the smart phone was still a dream! That is how much can change in 20 years, how much will change in the next 20? I have advocated for proper long term agreements between Retailers & their Suppliers / Growers for as long as I can remember but never did I expect to see one of this length. It is a fantastic achievement for Ross Goatham & his team as well as Aldi, as getting such a lengthy agreement is not easy! I know that when I was a Buyer getting an agreement over 2 years had to be signed off by Walmart!! I can only imagine the number of meetings that it will have taken to get this over the line. What it has done is rewrite the rules of true partnership. A five year agreement now looks short & a one year agreement looks plain daft! As a Supplier / Grower what would you do if you had a 20 year agreement? How easy would it be to get investment agreed with the Bank? It would mean that you could take long term, strategic decisions & aren't beholden to the whim of the latest Buyer in the Category! You could truly look at new technology that would improve yield, productivity & quality. You could plant a whole new orchard! As Alison Capper from Great British Apples & Pears said 'The nature of orcharding it is that growers are making a 20 year financial commitment when they plant an orchard'. Normally an agreement in top fruit might be for a season, not even a year! This agreement secures the most important thing that a Buyer needs, availability! At a time when levels of risk are at an all time high this demonstrates what can be achieved. I look forward to more long term agreements between UK Retailers & their British Suppliers / Growers, then I will believe all the posters that I see in their stores! #theretailmind #buyBritish #UKfarming #BAPL

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It’s amazing how footfall has been pretty stable over recent years and we must remember shopping in stores still accounts for 75% of our well earned cash. We are seeing Retailers like B&Q, Screwfix, Majestic Wine and Waitrose moving back to the High St recognising the benefits of being close to the customer and the power of Convenience. Similarly we have seen Retailers like Greggs, Card Factory and JD Sports adapting their offer to work on Retail Parks, taking advantage of lower rates and ease of parking for their customers. Indeed M&S have concluded that big is best reflected in their latest strategic review. With inflation now being under control down to 2.2%, and interest rates now on a downward trend, customers are feeling a little more confident to spend and are now able to get more for their money at long last. Interesting that we are seeing a shift to more experiential gifts rather than objects reflecting that precious memories and time spent together is becoming more appealing. I suspect this in part due to the pandemic and we are wanting to course correct at a time when seeing loved ones was very challenging indeed. If we review the anticipated footfall trends for Q4, High Streets are expected to finish the year marginally up on last year and Retail Parks should fair even better. Shopping Centres are likely to experience a slight decline versus last year despite a strong end to the year. I understand this is primarily due to the shift in Easter holidays which impacted April’s performance. So I think we should feel pretty optimistic about the year as a whole, given all the challenges we have had to face and who knows the 2025 outlook may be even better. I also wonder what we need to do to encourage more of us to shop online, or whether we have hit the ceiling at 25%?

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Morrisons Snaps Up 38 C-Stores In The Channel Islands Morrisons has expanded its convenience estate with the acquisition of 38 stores in the Channel Islands from SandpiperCI. All of the stores are currently supplied by Morrisons and 19 already operate under its Daily fascia. The transaction includes six fuel forecourts. The stores are located on the islands of Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney, generating sales of £124.5m over the last year. Morrisons has had a relationship with SandpiperCI since 2018, when the two companies signed a long-term franchise and wholesale supply agreement. Under the terms of the transaction, around 520 SandpiperCI store and operations staff will transfer to Morrisons. The business will be managed by Joseph Sutton, Morrisons Convenience, Online and Wholesale Director and his team, which includes Miles Foster, the Convenience Operations Director. “We have had a solid and successful supply and franchise partnership with SandpiperCI and we have a strong relationship with the business. I look forward to welcoming 520 more colleagues into the Morrisons family, together with 38 popular and well-located convenience stores,” said Rami Baitiéh, Chief Executive of Morrisons. “Our convenience business is now well set and growing rapidly. The addition of a further 38 stores will bring us another opportunity for growth and a strong position in the important Channel Islands’ convenience market.” Morrisons now has around 1,600 convenience stores, of which 600 are operated under franchise agreements. NamNews Implications: * Morrisons should benefit from six years close relationship with the 38 stores… * ..besides giving more intimate coverage of the Channel Islands convenience sector. * Also, despite debt issues… * …a strong ‘business as usual’ signal to rivals. #Morrisons #ChannelIslandsRetail

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How did One Stop Stores Ltd more than DOUBLE their sales and reduce their pick time significantly? The answer is Deliverect Retail 🔥 Read the full case study below to learn how ⬇️

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With the continued growth in the UK of the lunchtime #mealdeal this looks a smart move by the teams at Tesco and Sainsbury's as they look to created extra value for consumers in the #foodtogo sector. An interesting growth strategy for the #icecream category and one to watch to see how quickly others follow #ukretail #convenience #customerexperience #lunchtime #summermenu Prof. Consulting Group

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**Waitrose grows market share for first time in two years** Waitrose & Partners has grown its market share for the first time in two years as investments into its food range pay off. Kantar’s supermarket share and inflation update showed that spending at the upmarket grocer edged up 3.3%, helping to lift its market share by 0.1 percentage point to 4.5%. It is the first time Waitrose has experienced an increase in its market share since January 2022 and comes after the retailer has made several investments into strengthening its food offer, including relaunching its premium No1 range. Waitrose chair Sharon White insisted last month that the retailer was “back on track” and that the convenience sector was a top expansion priority for the upmarket grocer. Kantar head of retail and consumer insight Fraser McKevitt said: “We’re still waiting for the great British summer to break through the clouds, and we’re seeing the effects of that in our shopping baskets. “Over the past three months, sales of cold and flu treatments jumped by 35%, while sun cream dipped by 10% compared with last year, when we were enjoying the warmest June on record. Some shoppers aren’t letting the disappointing weather dull their glow, however, pushing up sales of artificial tan by 16%. “The retail landscape looks very different from 2010 when the last Labour government was in power – and so do our shopping trolleys,” he adds, explaining that we’re more likely to buy premium ground and bean coffee. Link to article in comments.

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