Maria Vanifatova

Our latest Blog - launching NPD effectively.

3

In the face of legislative pressures and evolving consumer preferences, innovation has become essential in the UK FMCG sector. Kantar’s Worldpanel data found that in 2023, new product development (NPD) contributed to over 11% of sales and drove 43% of growth for leading brands. Despite a challenging market, sectors such as beverages and pet food are at the forefront of innovation, attracting high spenders and boosting consumer satisfaction and retailer performance. Jackson Woods dives into how top brands are navigating this landscape. Read the full article to learn more: https://lnkd.in/eWsx7Rhq #FMCG #Innovation #MarketGrowth #ConsumerGoods #StrategicPlanning

3

2 Comments

My article in Research Live about how research & insights should inform the new government's growth agenda. Successful economic growth needs to bring several things together - infrastructure, investment, industrial policy and planning reform are the current hot topics - but it won't work if all this spending is not directed correctly. To know where to invest, you need to know what consumers really value. And once you know what they want, you can also give them better products - resulting in a free extra boost to growth, over and above any investment-driven GDP increases. If the government wants us all to share the benefits of growth, a bit of consumer research would be a valuable thing to spend some time on.

8

3 Comments

We often hear consumers express a desire to buy from brands that reflect their values, but in practice find it too challenging. Whether it's the time required to research, higher prices, or simply convenience, shoppers tend to take the path of least resistance. However, with mainstream retailers like Ocado Retail launching great initiatives like BUY WOMEN BUILT, could we be on the verge of a shift towards more values-driven shopping? Is this the moment where aligning values and purchases becomes easier for the everyday consumer? Which values will make the biggest impact? Will we see ethics, sustainability, brand story, and product quality competing more fiercely for the top spot in consumers' minds, or ultimately does it all come back to salience and distinctiveness anyway? #brandvalues #consumerinsight #shopperbehaviour

4

3 Comments

#tesco accounting for over 60% of market sales growth, and #asda recording a market share ‘low’ are the key take-outs from Worldpanel by Kantar's UK market data for 12 weeks ending 7th July released this morning. 12-week sales grew by 2.0%, down from the last 12-week period figure of 2.4%. Grocery #inflation continues to fall (1.6% across the last 4 weeks), the lowest level recorded since September 2021. Whilst most retailers struggle to deliver year-on-year growth, up against strong comparables from this time last year (see last column on table below), Tesco and #sainsburys continue to demonstrate resilient performances, citing their three-pronged approach of everyday low prices, loyalty app offers, and Aldi Price Match as being the winning formula to fight the competition. Tesco’s sales gap to the discounters, across the 12-week period, has increased by £203M year-on-year. This is a significant shift from the same time last year, where Tesco’s sales gap to the discounters had reduced by £293M compared to July 2022. Tesco’s latest market share of 27.7% is 9.6% points greater than #aldi and #lidl's combined share, 0.5% points higher than this time in 2023. It is no surprise, therefore, that of the £679M total market sales growth YoY, Tesco have contributed 61% (£411M). Sainsbury’s have contributed £234M, but Asda have lost £239M. This loss of sales at Asda has resulted in an all-time market share low of 12.7%. Only three years’ ago their share was 14.0% and, back in 2016, it was 15.5%. Asda appear to be searching for answers to their current challenges but a lack of an active CEO, a raft of senior management changes (many of which have to serve ‘garden leave’ before they join), and availability worsening (according to The Grocer) make for a tough few months ahead for the number 3 supermarket. Within the discounters, Lidl continues to perform ahead of Aldi, yet again delivering the highest sales growth amongst the ‘bricks and mortar’ retailers. The gap in 12-weekly sales between Aldi and Lidl was £832M last July. In just one year it has closed by 25% to £642M. Interesting to see reports of Aldi Belgium (Aldi North) trialling loyalty points within their current App. There is no doubt that the Lidl Plus App has been a major factor in their recent strong performance. For the first time in many months, sales of #brand products increased at a faster level than #ownlabel (3.6% compared to 2.7%). This may be down to an increase in consumer confidence, as inflation falls, but will also be due to year-on-year comparables – this time last year own label growth was over 3% points higher than branded growth. Also, the current changeable weather will not have helped sales of the extensive own label summer ranges available in most of the retailers. Let’s hope this changes soon and we see more sunshine! #ukretail #competition #morrisons #waitrose #marksandspencer #iceland #coop #ocado #supermarkets International Private Label Consult (IPLC)

770

42 Comments

The final Ipsos UK voting intention poll of Election 2024 has dropped! It chiefly shows that despite Labour support slipping over the past week, the party maintains a large 18-point lead over the Conservatives. Voting intention is: 🔴Labour 37% 🔵Conservatives 19% 🟦Reform 15% 🟠Liberal Democrats 11% 🟢Greens 9% ⚫Other 10% The other main takeway from the polls is that nearly 3 in 10 voters say they might still change their mind. The Conservatives are holding on to less than half of their 2019 voters, with Reform UK the main beneficiaries. There is also evidence of higher than normal levels of tactical voting, with 17% of those picking a party saying they are doing so to keep another party out, as the party they support has little chance of winning in their constituency. Who will make the most capable PM? 36% think Keir Starmer would - but his ratings fell from 46% since last week, while 21% pick Rishi Sunak. Nearly 3 in 10, 28%, say neither. Charts, tables and more analysis on the Ipsos website https://lnkd.in/eY2SGrSc #GE2024 #Vote2024 #Politics #Polls

18

Our latest Grocer article - Category Strategy and some tips on how to do it well. The Grocer #categorystrategy

5

Join our webinar on 5th September at 4pm - find out how the FCA expects firms to monitor #ConsumerDuty outcomes, and how you can do it cost-effectively

3

Interest in econometrics jumps as marketers anticipate the demise of cookies >> An annual snapshot of attitudes towards prioritising and measuring marketing effectiveness, Marketing Week and Kantar’s ‘The Language of Effectiveness 2024’ reveals a distinct surge in interest towards econometrics at a time when marketers are anticipating signal loss from 3P cookies. https://lnkd.in/eave_ib3

1

Our webinar 2 weeks ago has led to some great conversations with financial services companies who are moving into the monitoring phase of Consumer Duty - a recording of it is uploaded now if you missed it and would like to watch. Find out why your customers don't know if they got a good outcome or not, and how you can deliver your monitoring despite that.

1

According to our latest British Grocery Market Share report, grocery inflation increased to 1.8% in August, up from 1.6% in July. After 17 months of decline, this slight rise marks a return to pre-cost of living crisis levels. Prices are now rising across 182 product categories, while costs in 89 others are falling. You can read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eisrzAmD

7

According to our latest British Grocery Market Share report, grocery inflation increased to 1.8% in August, up from 1.6% in July. After 17 months of decline, this slight rise marks a return to pre-cost of living crisis levels. Prices are now rising across 182 product categories, while costs in 89 others are falling. You can read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eEt6sxvt

4

Recent Kantar data suggests there is - after a long period of tight repertoires - signs of an increase in the willingness of some shoppers to try new things. Lunches are featuring more categories. Consumers are slowly starting to make healthier choices again. And indulging at home more (take-aways, QSR restaurant offers from Iceland) as eating out costs have rocketed. But with: 34% shoppers “comfortable” 43% “managing” 23% “struggling” And 27.9% of grocery spend bought on promo across all categories, you need to: Give shoppers a reason to trade up and feel like they’ve got a good deal. Like MOJU’s dosing bottle, on offer. Be indispensable to the centre of the occasion to warrant trade-up. Like Bold Bean Co do. Because: Premium own label is growing and trading people across from branded. #shopperinsights #Kantardata #fmcg

20

7 Comments

Today we are talking about recent trends on Foodservice market

4

Two things close to my heart; 🚀 our new Test Your Innovation platform 🍸 and cocktails 💗 The perfect mix! Find out my predictions for the hottest pre-mixed drinks this summer: https://lnkd.in/eakx5Fnc System1 #innovation #TestYourInnovation

42

1 Comment

#tesco hitting its highest market share since February 2022, and accounting for over half of total market sales growth, is the highlight from Worldpanel by Kantar's UK market data for 12 weeks ending 9th June released this morning. 12-wk sales grew by 2.4%, down from the last 12-wk period figure of 3.6%. A continued fall in grocery inflation (2.1% across the last 4 weeks), along with a slight decline in the average number of supermarket visits (16.3 times this month vs. 16.4 in June 2023) has resulted in sales over the last 4 weeks only growing by 1.0%. Tesco’s market share of 27.7% is their highest since Feb 2022. Their continued 3-pronged pricing strategy (Clubcard prices, Aldi Price Match, and Everyday Low Prices) is clearly a winning formula. Of the overall growth in total market value year-on-year (£800M), Tesco have contributed over a half (£416M). #lidl continue to out-perform #aldi, with impressive sales growth of 8.1%, resulting in their market share growing by 0.4%pts YoY. Alongside their increasingly popular loyalty app, Lidl Plus, and their market-leading in-store bakery offer, Lidl are also delivering great differentiation from Aldi (and the other supermarkets) with their very impressive Country Food Themes. One this month was their “Italiamo” Italian theme – over 50 products across chill, frozen, and ambient – brilliantly merchandised in-store, encouraging impulse purchases and resulting in increased basket spend. Aldi’s growth, at just 0.8%, is its lowest since January 2022. They are clearly suffering from all four of the big supermarkets’ price match schemes, so much so that their latest ad campaign takes a pop at such schemes. This may only encourage growth in the number of products included in the Aldi (& Lidl) Price Match campaigns, as recently seen at Tesco, who have added over 100 more products to their Aldi Price Match, all from their standard-tier #privatelabel, including, for the first time, price matching four products from their Plant Chef #vegan range. Sainsbury’s continue to deliver market share growth, up 0.3% pts YoY, whilst #asda continue to struggle, with sales down 4% YoY (-£184M across the 12-week period). #morrisons are faring slightly better (sales up 1.1%). Their business certainly has a spring in its step with new CEO, Rami Baitiéh, making an impressive address at the recent Morrisons/IGD conference, clearly intent on placing the Morrisons customer at the heart of every decision made in a bid to turn the business around. Finally, #iceland are one of the five retailers delivering a YoY share increase, with impressive sales growth of 4.4%. Their private label strategy includes great multi-buy offers on their standard tier range alongside an ever-increasing range of partnerships with other leading brands, resulting in some super #newproductinnovation and differentiation from the competition. #ukretail #supermarkets #ownbrand #waitrose #coop #ocado International Private Label Consult (IPLC)  

799

41 Comments

If you didn't catch the Big Sustainability Debate at our #MakeSustainabilityReal conference, take a look at the summary article below. As one of our clients said, "you brought to life the big questions that we live through every day in our companies." #Kantar #SustainableTransformation

26

1 Comment