Highlighting the profound challenges facing journalists and citizens alike in discerning truth from falsehood, Alan Rusbridger, former editor of the Guardian, urged journalists to ‘work harder’ to define their craft.
“There's a massive crisis of trust in all kinds of institutions and people are really struggling to know who to believe and what to believe. And, if we're not the answer to that, we're in trouble,” he told the PPA Festival, organised by the industry body Professional Publishers Association (PPA) on 23 April at The Brewery in London.
Speaking at a session on the future of media, Rusbridger, who now edits the Prospect magazine, underscored the importance of media literacy education from a young age, advocating for early instruction on identifying credible sources of information.
“You always come back to media literacy, about the importance of teaching people in school, from about the age of six, to work out the signs that is going to tell you if things are true or not true - what's obviously an essential tool of being a citizen,” he said.
“And I think, as journalists, we have to work harder on trying to define what our craft is. Explain that because this is such a weak word, which encompasses many different things. We maybe assume that our readers are too sophisticated in knowing the differences between those different types of craft.”
Quality over quality
The session, moderated by Nina Wright, chair of Harmsworth Media, which publishes the i newspaper and New Scientist magazine, also heard Joshi Herrmann, founder and editor Mill Media, a pioneering brand committed to revitalising local journalism, sharing insights into his innovative approach to storytelling and audience engagement.
Herrmann, a former contributor to mainstream newspapers like the Times and the Evening Standard, expressed his motivation for founding The Mill as a local digital newspaper in Manchester. He articulated a vision for creating a publication that prioritised the kind of high-quality journalism he was passionate about, while eschewing political partisanship and the race for clicks.
Speaking to a room full of media professionals, he pinpointed a critical issue plaguing the industry: the pressure on journalists to churn out numerous stories at the expense of quality, a trend he believes has contributed to declining trust in the media.
At The Mill, they have taken a different approach. “You have to radically reduce the number of stories,” Herrmann explained. “And you have to say to readers, ‘we're going to send you much less, but we really do our best to make the quality as high as possible’. So it's a radical reduction in the volume, and increase in quality.”
(L-R) Joshi Herrmann, Nina Wright and Alan Rusbridger
Despite skepticism surrounding the viability of such an approach, Herrmann noted that readers have responded positively to The Mill's commitment to quality over quantity.
“I think people actually like that sort of stuff. What they're actually doing is they're saying ‘I'm willing to pay a subscription per month for much less stuff as long as that stuff was highly differentiated’. That's a huge change in publishing. And that's a real opportunity for the industry,” he said.
Launched in 2020 in Manchester, they have now publications in four cities – including The Tribune in Sheffield, The Post in Liverpool and The Dispatch in Birmingham – with more than 100,000 readers, including over 7,000 paying subscribers, in their mailing list.
Herrmann also addressed the evolving role of local newspapers in the digital age. He observed that the traditional newspaper ‘bundle’ – encompassing everything from sports coverage to classified ads – has eroded over time, with many functions now fulfilled by alternative sources of information. In this landscape, Herrmann argued, the value of professional journalism lies in its ability to provide in-depth, thoroughly researched reporting that goes beyond the superficial.
“In this era where everything has splintered into millions of different units, you have to work out which bit of the bundle is still valuable. And I think a bit of the bundle that is still valuable is a professional journalist spending a week or weeks, speaking to like ten different people for the story, reading the reports, getting the documents, and presenting a really well written piece,” he said.
Looking ahead, Herrmann stressed the importance of raising standards within the industry, particularly as media companies vie for the attention of younger audiences accustomed to the quality offerings of streaming platforms like Netflix.
“If we want to engage younger people, we're going to need to be better. Standards need to be higher, not lower. We're going to need to understand that we're competing with Netflix. In fact, I think there's a very good chance for a small number of quality media companies to do that,” he said, contrasting this approach with what he described as ‘machine-level’ media companies focused solely on generating clicks.
Optimism and challenges
In her opening remarks, Sajeeda Merali, PPA chief executive, emphasised the evolving landscape of publishing, highlighting both opportunities and obstacles faced by the industry.
“It's a complex landscape but one of opportunity and optimism. Digital has allowed publishers to reach wider audiences creating more engaging content, and monetise their brands in new ways to become more interactive, immersive and personalised,” she said.
“Yet, as this digitalization continues to reshape the way information is accessed and consumed, it is not without its challenges. Monetizing content sustainably, navigating search engine algorithms, cookie consent, protecting IP, regulating AI, and maximising the opportunity of first party data is demanding that publishers continuously recalibrate their strategies to retain and grow audience engagement,” she added.
Sajeeda Merali
PPA represents specialist media businesses in the UK, with members ranging from large multinational companies to smaller independent publishers. Reflecting on the industry body’s work last year, Merali highlighted the advocacy efforts for fair digital regulation.
“The PPA public affairs team has been at the heart of the discussion on digital regulation campaigning for a truly competitive digital economy for publishers,” she said, as she welcomed the ‘landmark’ Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill, which she said would pave the way for the ‘decentralisation of profits’ from the dominant platforms.
“Platforms and their large language models use the valuable work of publishers to attract and retain audiences. And as we approach the election, we will continue to urge the government to regulate AI so that copyright infringement of this new technology can be addressed and that the sector is adequately compensated,” she said.
She also dwelled upon the initiatives to promote sustainability within the publishing sector and develop networks to address industry challenges. She encouraged industry stakeholders to engage with these initiatives and emphasised the importance of collective action in addressing pressing issues such as climate emergency and talent diversity.
A session at the PPA Festival 2024
Various sessions at the PPA Festival saw over 100 speakers addressing all areas of B2B and B2C publishing. Speakers included Andrea Thompson, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire UK, Carola York, managing director of FT Specialist Europe, Seema Hope, global head of consumer research at the Economist, and Katie Vanneck-Smith, chief executive of Hearst UK, among others.
The closing session, a panel discussion on the Post Office scandal and the power of storytelling, heard from Bryan Glick, editor-in-chief of Computer Weekly, which broke the first story about the scandal in 2009. Jo Hamilton, former sub-postmistress, Natasha Bondy, creative director at Little Gem Media and Tom Loxley, editorial director at Radio Times, also spoke at the session.
Scottish business conglomerate Glenshire Group has hired Daniel Arrandale as its new Property Director.
Starting in the newly created role last week, Arrandale brings a wealth of industry experience to the business, including his most recent position as Acquisitions Manager for Asda and his previous position as Development Manager at EG Group.
“I am thrilled to be joining Glenshire Group in a period of tremendous growth, with many exciting opportunities on the horizon,” said Arrandale. “I’m looking forward to working with the existing development team to maximise the opportunities within our current estate, whilst also growing the business further with the acquisition of new sites.”
As part of Arrandale’s remit, he will oversee acquisitions, development, and growth for Greens Retail, Pizza Hut, and wider Glenshire Group property development and investment interests.
The bulk of Arrandale’s career has been as Retail Director at commercial agents Christie & Co, focussing on the convenience, forecourt and franchise markets. Arrandale served at Christie & Co. for 23 years.
Harris Aslam, Managing Director at Glenshire Group added: “We are very excited to welcome Dan into the Glenshire family. Having worked with Dan many times over the years on several transactions, I can confidently say his breadth of knowledge and experience in this sector will give us a huge advantage as we continue to expand our portfolio.”
Currently operating 27 convenience stores and 20 Pizza Hut franchises in Scotland, Glenshire Group has committed to significantly furthering new location openings in Scotland as well as bolstering their property portfolio.
Brewer Carlsberg is shifting some of its marketing focus to cheaper brands, it said on Thursday (31), as consumers in major markets bought cheaper beer and in reduced quantities.
The maker of Kronenbourg 1664, Tuborg and Somersby said beer sales volumes fell by 1.3 per cent in the third quarter, noting declines in China, France and the United Kingdom. Premium sales fell 0.5 per cent in the quarter."In Western Europe, there's no doubt that the average consumer is holding back," CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen told Reuters.
"In Asia, China stands out as a market where the consumer is very weak. Most other Asian markets are actually okay," he said, adding the company had not yet seen Chinese stimulus measures having any impact on consumer behaviour.For years, brewers have relied on a strategy of developing and promoting their more expensive premium brands to offset an overall decline in drinking.
Aarup-Andersen said he remained confident in the long-term growth potential of premium beer and that the category will comprise a significantly larger portion of Carlsberg's business in a decade.For now, however, the company is adjusting its marketing.
"In markets where we are seeing a significant pressure on premium, we are reallocating some of our focus into making sure that we are promoting properly around the right mainstream brands," he said.
The world's third-largest brewer behind Anheuser-Busch Inbev and Heineken said third-quarter sales rose 1 per cent to 20.5 billion Danish crowns ($2.98 billion), compared with 20.7 billion expected on average by analysts in a poll gathered by the company.
Despite the shift in consumer behaviour, Carlsberg said it still expects full-year organic operating profit growth to be between 4 per cent and 6 per cent. The company lifted its full-year guidance in August.
Also on Thursday (31), the world's largest beer maker Anheuser-Busch InBev reported third-quarter profits, revenues and volumes behind forecasts. AB InBev's third-quarter statement highlighted stronger growth for its more expensive beers, like Corona, which grew 10.2% outside of its home market, Mexico, during the period.
Consumers now want a greater commitment from retailers in cutting food waste, refilling stations, sustainable packaging, and partnering with social purpose organisations, states a recent research, which also highlights that a good majority (69 per cent) of younger consumers are more likely to shop with what they see as socially responsible retailers though price sensitivity still plays a crucial role.
According to the findings, published in Vypr’s Consumer Horizon Report, reducing food waste is the most important factor for the majority of UK consumers (29 per cent), especially for Gen Z women aged 18-24 (38 per cent). More than a third (37 per cent) of men aged 18-24 said they needed food storage advice. A similar number of women aged 18-24 (33 per cent) want meal kits with the exact amount of ingredients included for them to cut down on food waste.
Refill stations for personal care, cleaning products, dry goods, and beverages are also in high demand. Consumers, particularly Gen Z women, are keen to use these stations, provided they offer a cost-saving of 6-10 per cent compared to packaged goods. The study indicates that older shoppers are less likely to use refill stations unless prices are reduced by 15 per cent or more, which Vypr said shows the importance of price in driving consumers to adopt sustainable shopping habits.
The third priority for brands and retailers is to adopt sustainable packaging. Awareness of eco-friendly packaging is high, especially among younger generations. Two-thirds of UK consumers say they expect to pay more for sustainably packaged products, and that figure rises to 86 per cent among Gen Z and Millennials. However, Vypr’s research suggests that while shoppers express willingness to pay more, price sensitivity still plays a crucial role.
Ben Davis, founder of Vypr, said: “There’s often a disconnect between consumer intentions and actions. Brands need to understand that simply offering sustainable options may not be enough if price points don’t match consumer expectations.
“For Gen Z and Millennials, sustainable products need to be competitively priced or risk losing long-term loyalty. We tested this by presenting products with and without the label ‘100 per cent Recycled Packaging’ and found price remained the key purchase decision-making factor for most consumers.”
Another factor in building loyalty among younger consumers is to showcase social responsibility. The research reveals that 60% of shoppers are more likely to shop at retailers that partner with food rescue organisations or promote a charitable cause. Among Gen Z and Millennials, this figure jumps to 69%, showing a strong preference for brands that demonstrate a social purpose.
The report also reveals that 85% of shoppers are willing to pay a deposit for reusable products, though it is younger consumers, particularly those aged 18-24 who express the strongest support for such initiatives.
The Consumer Horizon report which provides insights shaping retail, product innovation, and consumer behaviour going into 2025, can be seen here.
Sugro UK, the number one buying and marketing buying group*, in partnership with b2b.store, is thrilled to announce a further expansion of its existing E-Loyalty scheme programme, which has proven to be very popular with its members and retailers, by introducing E-Loyalty Extra Compliance and Execution scheme as well as E-Coupons.
The E-Loyalty Extra is aimed to boost compliance and execution at retail store level to drive new product launches, core range compliance, some exciting fixture trials with its supply partners and more! It will be available to all member owned and member affiliated retail stores within the group.
The E-Loyalty Extra loyalty scheme will be accessible by retailers via WhatsApp platform and will allow retailers to capture evidence of compliance by simply clicking “take photo” button.
With the addition of another digital enhancement introduced to the group recently – Coupon - based loyalty mechanic, members are now empowered to incentivise and reward customers, driving stronger consumer connections and fostering brand loyalty at a granular level. Retailers can now simply redeem a coupon at the point of check out. Another key digital development within the group is WhatsApp E-Presell which enables Sugro UK’s retail partners to provide advance product volume commitments for new product launches. This functionality is particularly powerful as it ensures that suppliers have accurate forecasts before product launches, enabling better stock availability from day one of product being available on the market.
The ease and speed of using WhatsApp for these commitments simplifies the presell process, ensures accuracy and strengthens relationships across the supply chain.
While other industry players may soon consider introducing similar digital tools, Sugro UK are proud to be at the forefront of enhancing retail-focused digital solutions. This early adoption not only ensures that Sugro UK members remain competitive but also guarantees them access to the best digital tools available in the market. These efforts are part of Sugro UK's ongoing commitment to delivering value to its members and empowering them with innovative solutions for growth and success in an increasingly digital retail environment.
Sugro Head of Commercial and Marketing, Yulia Petitt said: “I am delighted that Sugro UK members are now able to provide photographic evidence of retail compliance and in-store execution to our supplier partners, using a wide range of display and compliance criteria such as planograms, secondary displays, trials, and new product developments (NPDs).These digital features allow members to share real-time proof of execution, enhancing accountability and building supplier confidence. The launch of E-Presell functionality opens a huge digital advantage for the group which will benefit all – members, retailers and suppliers in gaining accurate forecast and ensuring product visibility in store from day one of product being on the market and with the ease of using WhatsApp, the entire pre-sell process becomes a much quicker and easier process to manage for all parties.
"The Group has had 18 consecutive years of growth and, once again, on track to deliver in 2024, with the year-to-date performance of +15% year on year and growth across all categories.” Rob Mannion, CEO of b2b.store, added: “The rate of innovation in the wholesale sector is increasing and these launches are further great examples of that. We’re particularly excited about the developments and different uses of WhatsApp in the industry, with more coming in the pipeline for 2025 – it’s a tool no wholesaler or buying group can afford to ignore because of the level of influence it’s having in the sector and there’s no sign of that direction of travel changing any time soon.”
Sugro UK is proudly owned by its 90 plus independent wholesale members, with a combined turnover of over £2.5 billion.
Expanding its footprint in the World Foods category, Paulig has acquired Panesar Foods, a prominent UK-based producer of sauces and condiments.
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Tipton, Panesar Foods is a family-owned business with three production facilities, employing 308 staff and achieving a turnover of £59 million in the 2023 fiscal year.
This collaboration is expected to accelerate product launches and drive growth in diverse offerings, including sauces, salsas, marinades, dips, and condiments.
"We have collaborated with Panesar Foods for 17 years, and we are very pleased to welcome the company to Paulig," said Rolf Ladau, CEO of Paulig. "Today, our combined taste expertise and innovation skills unite around a shared ambition: to accelerate our international growth and expand our World Foods offerings."
Bill Panesar, CEO of Panesar Foods, expressed confidence in the partnership, stating, “As Panesar Foods becomes part of Paulig, I am confident that our ambitions for international growth will be realised, and the business will continue to thrive. We share a strong commitment to innovation and delivering high-quality, flavourful products, and I look forward to bringing even more delicious products to the market, together."
Jas Panesar, MD of Panesar Foods, echoed, “This partnership will allow us to reach new markets and deliver our authentic World Food flavors to a broader audience. We look forward to combining our passion for quality food with Paulig’s commitment to sustainability and innovation.”
All 308 Panesar employees will transition to Paulig’s team. Financial details of the transaction remain undisclosed.