With sweet biscuits growing faster in convenience stores than any other type of retailer, there’s a great opportunity to capitalise on the category. Here, FBC UK explains the key trends and how its brands can boost biscuits’ basket spend.
Worth £2.9bn of retail sales, biscuits are one of the most crucial areas for independent convenience retailers to get right – and the opportunity only keeps growing [NIQ + Kantar]. In the past 12 weeks, sweet biscuits in convenience saw even more people buying into the category [Kantar].
In fact, sales of biscuits are growing faster in convenience stores than in any other type of retailer, up 22.8% [NIQ]. Convenience stores are integral to the sweet biscuits category and are responsible for £1 in every £4 spent [NIQ].
So, retailers that offer biscuits from tried and trusted brands, to suit a range of occasions and taste buds, can reap the rewards.
Here, we look at the trends and growth areas that can help you win in this category:
1. Tap into ‘newstalgia’ and everyday favourites
Consumer confidence and spending is once again beginning to stabilise, and shoppers are buying brands that offer a mix of something new with something familiar and comforting. With this, the ’newstalgia’ trend – combining elements of the past with the present – is here to stay. Jammie Dodgers is perfectly placed to deliver on this trend. Now the largest sub-brand within the kids’ segment [NIQ], Jammie Dodgers continues to tap into this longing for originality and familiarity, whilst delivering a bold new look with its latest redesign.
The vibrant packs are accompanied by a refreshed jam filling recipe, making the biscuits even fruitier, and are currently being promoted by a campaign spanning TV, video-on-demand, shopper marketing and social media.
2. Link biscuits with food to go and meal deals
The number of food-to-go visits to convenience stores has increased in the past year, indicating the growing opportunity for retailers who can offer a broad, compelling lunch meal deal [Lumina]. Meal deal promotions are the fastest-growing promotional mechanic [Lumina], and single-serve biscuits play a key role here, encouraging shoppers to try something new with their sandwich and drink combo.
FBC UK is already maximising this opportunity with Jammie Dodgers Giant edition, which can be stocked alongside meal-deal items and other food and drink to-go offerings, such as coffee machines.
3. Offer value with price-marked packs
Price-marked packs (PMP) account for three in four sweet biscuits sold in independent retailers, indicating how critical the format is [NIQ]. Last year, FBC UK launched its first-ever PMP (£1.29) for its Maryland Choc Chip Minis range into the wholesale and impulse channel. With Mini biscuits under-trading in impulse stores compared to the total market, FBC UK estimates that retailers could generate £7.8m in sales if these stores had the same proportion. In fact, Maryland Minis are already in 25% growth in convenience, indicating the appeal of this portionable format [NIQ].
Earlier this year, Maryland also launched a new price marked pack (PMP) White Choc Chip Cookie to its portfolio, following its refreshed look and feel last year. With this, the brand has grown value and volume sales by 19% and 10% respectively [NIQ].
4. Cash in on premium treats
Although shoppers continue to look for value, there is a space and opportunity to encourage trade-up during big nights in or treat occasions. In fact, more shoppers are buying premium-priced sweet biscuits, with the ‘Big Cookies’ segment sales up by 23% to £74m, driven by Fox’s Cookies, which are up by 67% to £31m [NIQ].
The premium bracket also includes the ‘Special Treats’ segment, which is home to indulgent products such as Fox’s Chocolatey, Fox’s Fabulous Chocolatey Rounds and Fox’s Fabulous Viennese Finger. The segment is worth £186m and is up 20% year on year [NIQ].
5. Back new products that work
New products are key for generating excitement in store and adding novelty to fixtures, but it’s also important to back brands that genuinely grow the category.
Maryland White Choc Chip Cookies is one example of a recent flavour launch that is contributing to overall growth, with the launch driving additional sales of £131k for the brand since it appeared on shelves in May 2024 [NIQ]. Last year, Jammie Dodgers had a similar success when it launched an Apple & Blackcurrant flavour. Since then, it has reached a value of £588k, attracting 277,000 incremental shoppers to the brand [NIQ + Kantar].
6. Follow proven merchandising principles
Stocking the right products is one thing, but merchandising them in a way that makes your store easy and engaging to shop is as important. Ideally, the main biscuits bay should be located near complementary categories like hot drinks and savoury snacks. Retailers should then merchandise group biscuits by the way shoppers buy and use them.
For example, mini biscuits should be located near other lunchbox items, so that consumers can easily purchase their lunchbox essentials. You can also group together biscuit tin staples such as Maryland Cookies and Fox’s Favourites Crunch Creams. For premium treats, group Fox’s Fabulous Cookies and Fox’s Fabulous Chocolatey Rounds.
To find out more about Fox’s Burton’s complete biscuits range, go to www.fbc-uk.com
