“Self-service is no longer the future; self-service is the now,” said Frank Kilpatrick, founder and CEO of Bludot Technologies.
“Queue reduction, spend maximisation and footfall inflation is only the beginning. Self-service checkouts provide a seamless service, displaying product details including nutritional and allergen information that could otherwise be missed, and enables fast, secure payment,” he added.
Bludot Technologies, a technology business based in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland, is a team of technologists who develop solutions specifically for retail.
Its most recent development is a digital self-serve, food-to-go kiosk solution which is set to change the future of convenience and forecourt retailing. Recently launched in SPAR Mallusk, which is owned and operated by Henderson Retail, this exciting and modern retail technology development is playing a huge role within the store.
A first for the Henderson Group was the integration project between Bludot Technologies and leading EPOS software provider Henderson Technology, where two self-serve kiosks for the food-to-go counters have been installed in the store. Customers can come into the store, order, and pay for their food using the self-serve kiosks, or go to the collection point instore to grab 'n' go.
Frank Kilpatrick Founder and CEO of Bludot Technologies
“The team at Henderson’s have always been keen to deliver the latest retail technology ideas in stores in order to meet all customer demands which today includes the way food is served, ordered and paid for,” says Frank.
“We developed our new self-service kiosks so busy stores can deal with any increase in footfall, maximise spend, reduce queues, and enhance the customer experience. The foodservice sector has quickly recognised the benefits of self-service kiosks, and we believe the convenience and forecourt sectors are perfectly placed to adopt self-service kiosk (SSK) technology.”
There are many benefits to self-service kiosks. They reduce labour costs and can maximise the efficiency of hot food and deli staff. In today’s labour market especially, self-serve kiosks compensate for staff shortages.
“Kiosks improve speed of service for customers, and the accuracy of orders. We’ve seen an increase in hot food and deli footfall in SPAR Mallusk, sales also increase due to the up-selling option; and it is a very attractive option for millennial shoppers,” says Frank. “It is a great addition if stores are looking to increase basket spend. It is exceptional that a new technology will offer both cost reductions and increased revenues. The return-on-investment is extremely positive.”
The kiosk will display product details including nutritional and allergen information. It also meets expectations on cashless payment and convenience as well as securely take fast mobile and card payments.
David Hamilton CTO with Frank Kilpatrick
Founded in 2017, Bludot Technologies has developed several different retail technologies. The first was a cost-effective food ordering mobile app for its family group of convenience stores in Northern Ireland. “We were operating one of the busiest hot food and sandwich bars in Northern Ireland. We noticed customers were beginning to leave the store due to the long queues forming and increasing drive-bys due to the carpark always being full. We resolved the issue by developing our own food-to-go mobile app, called Beat the Queue, where individuals and businesses could pre-order, prepay and have their orders ready for collection or delivered to their premises.”
Beat the Queue was an instant success. Over the next five years, the food-ordering app has progressed to a full-scale mobile payment, e-commerce and digital marketing platform called Halo Retail. It offers an end-to-end solution to the convenience and fuel forecourt sectors.
Frank added: “Creating solutions for everyday problems that deliver real benefits to both the consumer and the food business is now my driving force. I have relished bringing my personal experience and insight to Bludot’s products.
“Today we provide a suite of digital solutions specifically designed for a more streamlined retail future and perfectly suited to the convenience and forecourt sectors.”
The Halo Retail self-service kiosk has had an incredibly positive start at SPAR Mallusk with one in ten food-to-go orders going through the kiosks.
The Bludot DEV Team, led by CTO David Hamilton, worked closely with several Henderson Group departments, to deliver a solution that provided the many features and custom requirements, asked for by Henderson Retail. The result is a kiosk solution with numerous advanced features designed for convenience retail.
“Our food-to-go shoppers are often pressed for time and really appreciate the ease of ordering and speed of service kiosk ordering provides, along with the additional detail available such as allergen info and customization options," said Julia Galbraith, Food To Go Brand Development Manager for Henderson Wholesale. "Kiosks also give visibility of the full range of products available, allowing our shoppers in SPAR Mallusk to combine orders for different elements of hot food, coffee and milkshakes, with orders then ready to collect in just a few minutes. We’re in the early stages of our collaboration with Bludot and on a continuous journey to develop, learn and increase operational efficiencies and shopper benefits.”
Bludot’s range of products include Halo Retail, a mobile payment, e-commerce and digital marketing platform for convenience retail, including fuel forecourt with food-to-go, and Allergen Intelligence, a cloud-based food information, costing and label printing solution, that meets the requirements for Natasha’s Law, integrating with new digital channels such as mobile apps and self-serve kiosks, as well as traditional print-labelling requirements. These are designed to work singularly or combined for customer convenience, enhanced customer loyalty and greater streamlining at retailers, food service outlets and forecourts. In essence, “your digital transformation solution in one scalable platform,” concludes Frank.
Available to convenience and forecourt operators around the UK, the Halo Retail Self-Service Kiosk is already fully integrated with Allergen Intelligence, Nielsen Brandbank, OPAYO (SagePay), Stripe, EDGEPoS and Azpiral Loyalty.
SPAR UK has announced the appointment of Michael Fletcher as its new managing director.
Fletcher spent 22 years at Tesco plc, where he held numerous senior commercial roles in the UK, Ireland and Asia. He joined Co-op Retail in 2013 where he held the position of chief commercial officer before moving on to become CEO of Nisa Wholesale, a role he held until 2022.
Since leaving Nisa, Fletcher has taken on several non-executive director and board advisory roles. He is also the founder and chief executive of Sleet Brush Limited, where he focuses on designing and implementing innovative solutions to complex retail and wholesale challenges.
“Michael has outstanding credentials in commercial, retail and FMCG sectors, with experience across various trading environments,” Nick Bunker, non-executive chair, SPAR Food Distributors Ltd, said.
“His professional capabilities and high standards consistently drive excellent business performance and operational resilience. We are delighted with his appointment and look forward his lasting and positive contribution to the SPAR business.”
Fletcher added: “SPAR is a globally recognised and respected brand, and I am thrilled to join the team. I look forward to supporting the ongoing strengthening and development of the SPAR proposition in the UK.”
October saw shop prices fall marginally further into deflation for the third consecutive month with food inflation eased, particularly for meat, fish and tea along with chocolate and sweets as retailers treated customers to spooky season deals, shows industry data released today (29).
According to British Retail Consortium (BRC), shop price deflation was at 0.8 per cent in October, down from deflation of 0.6 per cent in the previous month. This is below the 3-month average rate of -0.6 per cent. Shop price annual growth was at its lowest rate since August 2021.
Food inflation slowed to 1.9 per cent in October, down from 2.3% in September. This is above the 3-month average rate of 2.1 per cent . The annual rate continues to ease in this category and inflation remained at its lowest rate since November 2021.
Fresh Food inflation decelerated in October, to 1.0 per cent , down from 1.5 per cent in September. This is below the 3-month average rate of 1.2 per cent . Inflation was its lowest since October 2021.
Ambient Food inflation decelerated to 3.1 per cent in October, down from 3.3 per cent in September. This is below the 3-month average rate of 3.3 per cent and remained at its lowest since March 2022.
Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive of the BRC, said, “October saw shop prices fall marginally further into deflation for the third consecutive month. Food inflation eased, particularly for meat, fish and tea as well as chocolate and sweets as retailers treated customers to spooky season deals. In non-food, discounting meant prices fell for electricals such as mobile phones, and DIY as retailers capitalised on the recent pick-up in the housing market.
“With fashion sales finally turning a corner this Autumn, prices edged up slightly for the first time since January as retailers started to unwind the heavy discounting seen over the past year.”
“Households will welcome the continued easing of price inflation, but this downward trajectory is vulnerable to ongoing geopolitical tensions, the impact of climate change on food supplies, and costs from planned and trailed Government regulation. Retail is already paying more than its fair share of taxes compared to other industries.
“The Chancellor using tomorrow’s Budget to introduce a Retail Rates Corrector, a 20 per cent downwards adjustment, to the business rates bills of all retail properties will allow retailers to continue to offer the best possible prices to customers while also opening shops, protecting jobs and unlocking investment.”
Mike Watkins, Head of Retailer and Business Insight, NielsenIQ, said, “Inflation in the food supply chain continues to ease and this helped slow the upward pressure of shop price inflation in October, however other cost pressures remain.
“Consumers remain uncertain about when and where to spend and with Christmas promotions now kicking in, competition for discretionary spend will intensify in both food and non-food retailing.”
PayPoint has announced a new partnership with Leeds Credit Union (‘LCU’), a financial cooperative with 37,000 members, enabling them access to its CashOut service, effective immediately.
The partnership will mean that LCU customers can access their cash and savings across any of PayPoint’s UK network of 29,000 retailer partners. This represents an unprecedented growth in accessibility and the first partnership of its kind for LCU. Historically customers have needed to visit one of LCU’s four branches to withdraw money.
Leeds Credit Union provides straightforward, affordable financial services. As a mutual there are no shareholders, so it is owned by its members and always has the interests of the members at the heart of everything it does. The credit union prides itself on providing members with the most appropriate services based on their circumstances.
“Our partnership with Leeds Credit Union will enable its customers to access their funds more easily than ever before," said Jo Toolan, Managing Director of Payments at PayPoint. "We’re committed to pursuing these kinds of partnerships, which enable credit unions to offer a more competitive and technologically advanced service, while simultaneously making the lives of customers that little bit easier through enhanced access.”
Greg Potter, Head of Marketing & Member Experience at Leeds Credit Union, said: “Increasingly, we’re looking at ways that we can apply technological solutions and partnerships to add value to the experience of our members using Leeds Credit Union. This partnership is demonstrative of our determination to grow in their best interests and will make access to funds something that can be done at any of a number of PayPoint locations in the UK.”
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A Philip Morris logo is pictured on a factory in Serrieres near Neuchatel, Switzerland December 8, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
Marlboro-maker Philip Morris said Tuesday it planned to close down its two production sites in Germany, citing falling demand for cigarettes among Europeans.
"In recent years, demand for cigarettes in Europe has fallen significantly," the company said in a statement, adding that it saw the same trend for roll-your-own tobacco.
"This trend is expected to continue in the coming years," the company said.
Many smokers have been shifting to e-cigarettes, or vapes, and heated-tobacco devices.
Philip Morris employs 372 workers at its factories in Berlin and Dresden. Both sites are scheduled for closure next year.
The tobacco giant said it would begin discussions with labour representatives to find "fair and socially responsible solutions" for staff.
Nisa retailer Prem Uthayakumaran has made significant donations totalling £3,500 to two local community organisations through Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally (MADL) charity.
The funds will provide essential support to groups within the communities that his stores serve, helping them continue their invaluable work.
The first of these generous donations was a £1,000 contribution from Broxbourne Service Station in Hertfordshire, directed to the Lea Valley Karate Academy. The funds will enable the academy to purchase much-needed equipment, ensuring that young people and adults in the local area have access to high-quality resources as they develop their skills in martial arts.
Additionally, a £2,500 donation was made by Eastfield and Cross Road Service Stations to the Mansfield Town Ability Counts Football Club. The club, which provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in football, will use the funds to support their programs, enhancing the experience for current players and making it possible for even more participants to join.
In July 2024, Prem donated £1,000 to Voice of the Vale – a group of young performers at Nottingham Trent University. This followed further self-donations from Prem to Broxbourne Organisation for Disabled and to Mansfield Under 12s Football Club in 2023.
Prem Uthayakumaran said: “Supporting the communities around my stores has always been important to me, and through Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally charity, we’re able to make a real, tangible difference. The Lea Valley Karate Academy and Mansfield Town Ability Counts Football Club both play vital roles in their respective communities, and I’m thrilled to be able to contribute to their success.”
Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally charity enables retailers to donate to local good causes through the sale of Co-op own brand products in their stores. A percentage of sales from these products goes into a MADL fund, which retailers can then use to make donations to charities, schools, sports clubs, and other community groups.Kate Carroll, Head of Charity at Nisa, said, “We are delighted to see retailers like Prem using their MADL funds to support such worthwhile local causes. Both the Lea Valley Karate Academy and Mansfield Town Ability Counts Football Club provide vital services to their communities, and donations like these enable them to continue their important work. At Nisa, we are incredibly proud of our retailers’ commitment to making a difference locally.”
Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally charity has been helping retailers like Prem Uthayakumaran give back to their communities for over 15 years, and with each donation, they help foster stronger, more Connected local areas.