Convenience stores are perfectly placed to capitalise on seasonal opportunities in the soft drinks category. CCEP shares its category management advice to drive sales.
Big night in season is well and truly upon us, with Halloween, Christmas and New Year’s Eve on the horizon. With people still managing spend, we’re expecting the trend of socialising at home to continue in the coming months – bringing opportunities for retailers to drive sales.
Soft drinks will be key to making the most of this opportunity – the category is worth £3.35bn to convenience retailers and growing [Nielsen]. And with one in five [Kantar] UK consumers no longer drinking alcohol and 74% reducing their intake [KAM], soft drinks are becoming even more important during social occasions.
Getting the right range can deliver significant sales. For at home social occasions this should be weighted towards sharing packs of core favourites like colas, flavoured carbonates and lemonades, alongside adult soft drinks for those wanting to enjoy something more premium.
It’s also important to leverage brands that are synonymous with seasonal occasions. For example, Fanta has a strong association with Halloween, making up 25% of flavoured carbonate sales [Nielsen] over the spooky season. This year, Fanta has introduced the Beetlejuice-themed Fanta Zero Afterlife variant and a new marketing campaign, “Summon What You Wanta,” to capitalise on rising demand.
And Schweppes and Coca-Cola™ are key to Christmas celebrations thanks to iconic campaigns that consumers look forward to every year which include festive graphics on packs.
Top tips to drive sales
Stock sharing packs – Stock up on sharing packs, including large PET bottles and can multipacks of best-sellers like Coca-ColaTM, Fanta and Schweppes, to cater for get-togethers.
Ensure you’re delivering value - With more than eight in 10 [OnePulse] convenience consumers surveyed looking for price-marked-packs in convenience stores, they are a great way to drive sales and offer a point of difference to larger stores. They’re particularly important in soft drinks, with PMPs accounting for two thirds [Nielsen] of soft drink sales in independent and symbol stores.
Make room for secondary space – Sharing packs of soft drinks that don’t need to be chilled can be used to make the most of the back-of-store areas, aisle ends and space around the till, and help stores stay well-stocked during major calendar events.
Prioritise visibility – Shoppers look for major brands as a ‘signpost’ to the product they want, so ensure brands like Coca-ColaTM, Fanta, Monster and Schweppes are merchandised in high visibility locations.
Employ cross-category merchandising – Research shows that merchandising food and drink together can double shopper engagement and boost sales by up to 32%[Connecta]. Stocking soft drinks alongside seasonal snack bundles like popcorn for Halloween, or mixers with spirits and garnishes, are simple ways for shoppers to grab everything they need in one go, and retailers to boost sales.
Visit/register on My.CCEP.com for more guidance.
Retailer testimonial
Chloe Taylor-Green, owner of Spar Stafford, says:
“Soft drinks are an important part of our big night in displays over the winter months which include sharing formats of big brands that are always popular for nights at home.
“Products supported by marketing campaigns are great for creating excitement in store. For example, we activate Halloween displays which include many categories but also seasonal favourite Fanta which this year partnered with the new Beetlejuice Beetlejuice movie. And Coca-Cola is the brand that comes to mind when you think of Christmas, bringing an instant festive feel to stores. Being creative in store and on social media with those calendar moments can be a great way to drive footfall into store and sales.
“We try and keep an eye on My.CCEP.com for info about the latest product and campaign launches, as well as POS and digital assets we can use to bring seasonal occasions to life in stores and get shoppers excited!”
Key products to stock
- Coca-ColaTM – No.1 soft drinks brand in GB [Nielsen], led by Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, the fastest-growing major cola brand [Nielsen].
- Fanta – No.1 flavoured carbonates brand in retail [Nielsen].
- Schweppes – The biggest mixer by volume in GB [Nielsen].
Where to go
You can access category advice, details of the latest launches, POS materials and much more by visiting My.CCEP.com – where you can also add products to your next wholesale order, and enter seasonal retailer promotions for the chance to win great prizes!
