Retail markets have been abuzz with activity as British Muslims were on a shopping spree in preparation of Eid al-Fitr, which is being celebrated today (April 21) in the UK, to mark the culmination of the fasting month of Ramadan that began on March 23.
The 30-odd days festival season arrived at a time when the whole retail community has been struggling hard to stay profitable with plummeting sales, while the cost of goods, energy, transport and staff rising phenomenally in the recent months.
The Islamic calendar’s two Eid festivals – Eid al-Fitr (celebrated at Ramadan’s close) and Eid al-Adha (later in the calendar) – usually come with a bonanza for retailers. Eid al-Fitr, also known as smaller Eid, is a three-day-long festival, while Eid al-Adha or greater Eid spans four days of festivities. The first day of Eid also marks the first day of the Islamic month Shawwal.
Photo: iStock
“The shopping appetite has phenomenally increased among Muslim customers in the recent days,” feels an independent grocer in Blackburn. “The trend can be seen as a precursor to the enhanced retail activity in the days leading up to and immediately following Eid al-Fitr. However, it is vital for retailers [especially independents who are battling for survival] to understand how to better control their stockpiles during the festival as part of an agile strategy to win over customers.”
According to the latest 2021 census, Blackburn with Darwen has a Muslim population of 54,146, which is 35.0 per cent of the population. Other settlements with large number of Muslims include London, Birmingham, Bradford, Luton, Dewsbury, Slough, Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Manchester and High Wycombe.
Eid is sweeter
Britain is home to around four million Muslims, of whom around three million observe Ramadan fasting.
Eid al-Fitr, the festival of breaking the fast, is dubbed sweet Eid, while Eid al-Adha, the festival of the sacrifice, is known as salty Eid. As the name, sweet Eid, suggests, a variety of sweet dishes form part and parcel of the celebrations.
“The holy month is rooted in faith, culture and tradition, and is dedicated to self-reflection and prayer, after which Muslims celebrate Eid-al-Fitr with family, friends and of course, sumptuous food,” says Ali Akbar, an Indian-origin businessman and a native of Birmingham.
“Following a month of fasting, Muslims enjoy their first daylight meal along with family and friends on an expansive breakfast on Eid day. It is a custom for us to serve a variety of sweet dishes including Baklawa, besan ladoo, vermicelli, halwas, kheer, gulab jamun, barfi, gujiya, cookies, nougat and desserts during the meal.”
Volunteers prepare fruit and desserts for Muslim women to break their fast prior to sunset at East London Mosque on April 12, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Aisha Nazar/Getty Images)
Akbar, who lives with family in Digbeth, has already begun his festival shopping to avoid large crowds and the rush of last-minute shoppers. Along with sweets and confectioneries, Akbar buys a lot of food ingredients and flavours for cooking various Eid dishes at home.
Besides this, a wide variety of rice, wheat and flour; dried fruits, dates and nuts; fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and poultry; dairy products; vegetable and sunflower oils; jams and sauces; soft drinks and exotic juices will be of huge demand in the coming days, closer to Eid.
“During special occasions like Eid, people would want to serve the best for their family and friends,” adds Anna Beheshti, head of marketing at Tilda. “Hence, they give even greater importance while choosing the best quality products. Our emphasis has always been to offer a wide range of premium rice products that are well suited to preparing meals during these occasions. With consumers feeling excited about the festival, retailers must make use of this opportunity by ensuring the visibility and availability of a variety of products in their stores.”
Customers will be looking for quality products after fasting – looking to treat themselves, family and friends. Independents must learn to deploy various retail tactics and communication methods to convert the potentiality of festivals like Eid onto their own favour by highlighting quality and value for money messages of various products sold in their stores.
“Good quality and affordable pricing go hand in hand during festivities,” points out Akbar. “Eid is all about celebrating the special occasion with family and friends. This is the time when we pay visits to relatives and friends, offering them sweets and gifts. We always look for the best products to be given as gifts. Also, the dishes are to be served among friends. So, of course, quality comes on top of our mind as we look to buy any products during Eid.”
It has always been a custom for Muslims to buy new clothes, gifts and decorative items for Eid al-Fitr. So, independents must also carry an assortment of gifts and decorative items on their shelves for the discerning customers who come to buy other Eid ensembles.
“Independents must try something fresh and different to eventually attract customers,” informs Kenton Burchell, Trading Director at Bestway Wholesale. “Of course, traditional fare will always be important to stock but unique offerings that are not available in the multiples could be a strong footfall driver. For example, the much-loved Hamdard Rooh Afza is a very popular drink that most multiples don’t stock and is available from Bestway. Independents must understand and act according to the changing shopping patterns of customers.”
The UK’s Ramadan economy, which was worth at least £200 million in 2018, has exponentially grown over the last few years. The retail activity has also significantly increased in the post-pandemic phase. Independents must restrategise themselves to win a major share of this growing market.
Bon appétit
The food and garment sectors, which remain central to the celebrations, receive a growing number of customers across various venues and price points. Although online shopping has become a retail phenomenon, especially after the onset of Covid-19, there are still many customers who prefer to buy items at brick-and-mortar outlets.
“Preparations for Eid festival begin as early as the first week of Ramadan,” states Akbar. “Towards the end of Ramadan, the community tends to stock up on food staples [groceries and ingredients] to cook traditional meals to serve family and guests. Buying food staples usually occurs in the last week of Ramadan to ensure that items are fresh to use. And, my first shopping preference has always been our neighbourhood independent outlets as we know each other well.”
Although multiples are witnessing a remarkable increase in footfalls, traditional stores and independents are receiving a good number of customers, reflecting the diverse tastes and preferences of people from the same community.
“As consumers feel excited about the festival, independents must make the most of this opportunity to ensure the visibility and availability of various products that would cater to Eid customers,” says Beheshti. “Ramadan presents the perfect opportunity to engage with a different set of audience by pushing relevant products whilst supporting the celebration’s values of togetherness and inclusion, which is key for customers.”
Biryani made with Tilda rice
“The food categories should be merchandised based on factors like customer trends and preferences, local demographics and competition,” says Ashish Amin, Creative Group Head, Surya Foods. “Companies should also use visual merchandising to attract customers, such as by grouping related items together, using eye-catching displays and placing higher-margin items in more prominent locations.”
Another important factor to consider is leveraging store layout to create a better customer experience, such as having a dedicated fresh or frozen food area or displaying convenience items in an easy-to-navigate space. Additionally, strategic product placement can help increase sales – by, for example, putting breakfast items near the checkout or placing items that customers typically buy together nearby.
“With Ramadan accounting for 43 per cent of rice category sales in 2022 (+three per cent YoY), it is evident that rice is a core ingredient for these celebrations,” explains Beheshti of Tilda. “Among food staples, retailers must strive to stock a range of high-quality rice products for customers celebrating the festival. The right product mix, rack arrangement, price points, retail positioning, offers and discounts, advertisements, etc. drive sales. The independents must work towards making it all in tandem for success in business.”
Brands at play
Targeting customers during the holy month of Ramadan and Eid, food manufacturers like Bestway Wholesale, Dina Foods, Surya Foods, TRS Foods, Tilda, For Aisha and Barr Soft Drinks have come up with a wide range of products.
Festival offerings from Dina Foods include baked goods, savoury snacks and traditional confections. The company recently launched dates coated and filled with chocolates and variety packs of Baklawa to woo Eid customers.
“Retailers should be able to adapt their festival offerings to cater to Eid celebrations especially when the fast is over and people want to treat themselves,” says Souheil Haddad, managing director of Dina Foods. “Dina Foods Baklawa is a hot selling commodity that is being shared among family and friends during the Eid celebrations. Baklawa also comes in an excellent gifting box for our customers during the Eid festival.”
Surya Foods, which is one of the largest importers of authentic world foods to the UK market, has around 54 world food brand lines and over 2500 products in its kitty. This Eid, Surya Foods is offering a wide range of pulses and beans under its popular brand Laila, to cater to the growing demand for healthy plant-based products.
“Consumers are increasingly looking for healthier meal options during the festival month,” feels Ashish Amin, Creative Group Head, Surya Foods. “Recipes featuring ingredients with lower carbs, fewer calories and no added sugar are increasingly popular as people look to balance their diets and wellbeing. Laila Foods has a wide range of pulses and beans to cater to the growing demand for healthy plant-based products.”
Tilda offers a wide range of premium rice products which are well suited to preparing meals for celebrations. The brand saw an increase of 49 per cent in shopper penetration during Ramadan season in 2022 within big-bag formats, and highlights the demand for bulk-buying ahead of Eid.
“Products such as Tilda Grand Extra Long Basmati are particularly relevant for Eid celebrations,” says Beheshti. “It is vital for retailers to consider stocking a range of Tilda products, such as Tilda Pure Basmati, Tilda Grand Extra Long Basmati, Tilda Grand Sella Extra Long Basmati, and Tilda Golden Sella Basmati across a variety of pack sizes, as part of the festival menu.”
For the festival season, the UK’s third largest wholesaler Bestway has initiated a multi-phased promotion strategy running in the lead up to Ramadan, offering market-leading product ranges at unbeatable prices.
“We have expanded our product range and are offering Ramadan essentials through our own brand White Pearl,” adds Burchell, “although White Pearl was launched as a basmati rice brand, it has diversified its offerings by adding ghee, oil, flour, lentils, spices, and canned fruit and vegetables into its product portfolio.”
Barr Soft Drinks’ juice brand Rubicon offers consumers a range of regular and high-sugar juice drinks to cater to different occasions during the festival. The wide range of flavours and formats available in sparkling variants come with a broad appeal with shoppers catering to different tastes amongst family and friends.
“Traditional shoppers will vouch for brands that they know and trust,”avers Adrian Troy, marketing director. “Rubicon shoppers are loyal over celebratory periods. Our inhouse research revealed thataround 92 per cent of our customers are loyal and prefer buying our brand. In addition, new shoppers use events and celebrations as inspiration to try something new.So, Rubicon’s wide range of flavours and formats, available in still and sparkling variants, has a broad appeal with shoppers catering for a number of different tastes.”
For Aisha has been offering a wide range of pouch and tray meals, catering for children and babies up to the age of three. The company’s product range includes wonderful recipes inspired by cultures from around the globe including Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Green Bean and Lamb Curry, Chermoula Chicken, Cambodian Fish & Coconut Curry and Moroccan Chicken Tagine.
“This year retailers should be prepared for a particularly busy period, with the independent sector likely to see a particular uplift in sales,” adds Haddad of Dina Foods. “Independents can operate with speed and offer greater variety than the multiples, providing a welcome platform for innovative suppliers during the festival.”
Independents must keep in mind that Halal food items are an important norm during Muslim festival celebrations.
Eid in the Square
The UK’s Muslim communities organise events offering various family activities during Eid. In cities like London and Birmingham, such events attract thousands of people, enabling them to celebrate the festival together. Eid in the Square, in London’s Trafalgar Square, is held annually on the Saturday following Eid al-Fitr. It usually features live entertainment, stalls, exhibitions, and children's activities.
“We’ve a feast of global food stalls to tempt you with including Indian street food from Mr Bombay, silk road delights from Oshpaz Uzbek Street Food, Venezuelan fayre from Pabellon and Somali treats from Hooyo East,” according to the London government’s website. “The North Terrace will be awash with stalls including Desi Doll Company, Yunus Emre Institute London, Islamic Art Prints, London Muslim Health Network and many more.”
Now in its 18th year, the Mayor (Sadiq Khan] of London’s free, annual festival once again welcomes Londoners and visitors to the capital’s iconic Trafalgar Square to celebrate the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, on April 29.
“Celebrations in London are always a spectacle and this year is no different,” adds Akbar of Birmingham. Preparations are already undergoing for the Mayor of London’s annual festival in the capital’s iconic Trafalgar Square. This year’s theme focuses on family, education, and innovation with an exhilarating line-up of acts on the main stage. Similarly, other municipalities of Birmingham, Blackburn, Luton, Bradford and Dewsbury will also have grand Eid festivities.”
Birmingham is also said to be host to the largest Eid celebration in Europe – the ‘Celebrate Eid’ event – which usually expects 60,000 attendees each year with fairground rides, rodeo bull riding and various tasty food stands.
The East London Mosque will also be holding its own celebration to mark the end of Ramadan. InLeeds, celebrations are spread far and wide as families gather together. Some families travel from Birmingham and Bradford just to come to the Leeds Grand Mosque to celebrate Eid. Edinburgh is host to a variety of Eid celebrations, with parties hosted across the city in parks and mosques.
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.