Category Strategies are too complicated This is the second in a series of four articles (and accompanying videos), highlighting issues and opportunities for Category Strategy. What’s the second big issue we see with Category Strategy? Too many Category Strategies are too complicated, and as a result some of their best thinking is lost. Does […]
Category Strategies are presumptuous In the last few years we have done a lot of Category Strategy work for FMCG companies. We have worked in fresh, chilled and ambient food, in several non-food categories, in the UK and internationally. In doing so, we have learnt a lot about key issues and opportunities for Category […]
Waitrose have for several years outgrown the market in UK grocery. Store openings have certainly helped but like for like sales have been ahead of the market more often than not. In a relatively tough economic environment, with significant deflation and the success of Discounters, Waitrose’s performance has been impressive. So how are they doing […]
The 3 key things: Aldi have flourished in the UK in recent years. Sales continue to grow, up 18% in the latest three months from Kantar. And whilst a busy store opening program has undoubtedly helped, Aldi (and Lidl) have strengthened their offer to shoppers and this has had a huge impact on the UK […]
In an era when price has been the dominant narrative in our industry, and growth hard to come by for many organisations, it is impressive that M&S Food – a quality player – has been increasing market share. Kantar measures its share at 5.4% in the year to February vs 4.9% the previous year. […]
As large parts of our industry (the big brands, the bigger Retailers) find themselves working very hard for any growth, it is instructive to look at the phenomenal success of coffee chains, and see if we can learn from them. The turnover of branded coffee chains in the UK has grown by over 500% in […]
Most in our industry would agree that, in theory, a good Category Strategy is of real value. By a Category Strategy, I mean a clear Point of View on how a Category can be grown in the UK, that identifies a few key Drivers, and priority actions for each. But with most companies now having […]
In my last 2 columns I talked about the importance of understanding shopper needs, behaviour and psychology at at the point of purchase. How, often quite small things – in product design, merchandising and communication – can have a big impact on what the shopper sees and does. First, I talked about the importance of […]
What is obvious to us is not obvious to the shopper. I talked last month about understanding the needs, behaviour and psychology of the shopper, at the point of purchase, and what this means for product design, merchandising and instore marketing. It is all about getting seen, getting understood and then getting bought. Today I’ll […]
FMCG companies have for a long time put effort into understanding consumer needs and occasions, and delivering products in response. It is only more recently that they have fully woken up to the needs, behaviour and psychology of the shopper, at the point of purchase, and what this means for product design, merchandising and instore […]