Nestlé Confectionery has launched its new Christmas range packed with a host of festive favourites as well as exciting new launches from its iconic brands.
Kitkat and Aero range
After proving a smash hit with consumers when it launched last Christmas, KITKAT Santa is back to lead Nestlé’s 2021 Christmas range complete with a brand-new product. The KITKAT Festive Friends Bag 220g (RRP £3.50) comes filled with individually wrapped, fun, festive shapes and is ideal for sharing with friends and family. There are 12 mini KITKAT Santas and a mix of 10 other shapes (including a Christmas tree, elf, gingerbread man, snowman and reindeer) in every bag. The new bag joins the 29g impulse bar (RRP £0.65), a 5 bar multipack (RRP £3.00) and a 55g bag of individually wrapped mini Santas (RRP £1.00).
KitKat Santa Large Pouch 220g FF
The launch of KITKAT Santa – a Santa-shaped chocolate bar filled with a rich chocolatey centre and crunchy wafer pieces – was a huge success with consumers and it became the No.1 product launch across the market at Christmas. Sales of the impulse bar were highly incremental, driving growth in the self-eat category and attracting over 450,000 new shoppers. Media support, including out-of-home advertising and social media, will ensure KITKAT Santa is once again at the front of shoppers’ minds in 2021.
2020 also saw an increase in consumer demand for seasonal bags and blocks. Indeed, in the Convenience channel sales of seasonal blocks grew an impressive 43 per cent. This Christmas, AERO aims to capitalise on this popularity with its brand-new AERO Festive Snowy White Block (RRP £1.00). The new block follows the successful launch of AERO Dreamy White Snowbubbles last year and features the same white and milk bubbly taste sensation, with a white centre enrobed in milk chocolate.
Aero 90g White Block FF
The AERO Dreamy White Snowbubbles 80g bag (RRP £1.00) also returns to the range for 2021, after becoming the No.1 new bag launch at Christmas last year MILKYBAR is also set to unveil its brand new MILKYBAR Festive Friends Sharing Bag (RRP £1.00) containing an array of white chocolate festive shapes with a creamy white filling and crispy pieces, individually wrapped to retain freshness and quality. Each bag contains seven pieces from an assortment of seasonal shapes such as a gingerbread man, bauble, Christmas tree, stocking, snowman and Santa.
This new launch offers shoppers a totally unique white chocolate product and makes an ideal treat for sharing, as an advent filler, baking decorations or stocking filler.
Retailers should be sure to stock the seasonal impulse treats early in the season as an eye-catching introduction to Christmas.
Giant Tubes and Selection Boxes
Giant Tubes are the ultimate traditional stocking filler, loved by shoppers for offering something fun, festive, and great value for money. Brand new for Christmas 2021 is the AFTER EIGHT Giant Tube (RRP £1.38) filled with bitesize pieces of dark chocolate filled with refreshing mint fondant. 60 per cent of shoppers say they want to see more adult confectionery gifts in the market under £55 and this new product is designed to provide just that, making a great token gift, stocking filler or secret Santa present.
Milkybar Festive Friends Front Facing
AFTER EIGHT joins a giant tubes range packed with family favourites and there is something for everyone including ROWNTREE’S, SMARTIES, MILKYBAR and ROLO. All giant tubes RRP £1.38. This year SMARTIES Giant Tubes will move to fully recyclable paper packaging.
Another festive tradition loved by families is the selection box. This year Nestlé is bringing together its wealth of iconic brands to launch the brand-new Christmas Selection box (RRP £3.00). Research has told us that consumers love a selection box which contains a variety of brands and types of confectionery. The new Christmas Selection includes some of Nestlé’s best-selling singles: KITKAT 4 Finger, KITKAT Chunky, AERO Peppermint, AERO Milk, YORKIE and ROWNTREE’s Fruit Pastilles, packaged in an eye-catching, festively designed box.
Quality Street
Twist wrap confectionery continued to be the biggest seasonal segment with 60% of all households buying into it, demonstrating the crucial role it plays for the category and consumers. Formats increasing in popularity in 2020 were tins +28 per cent and pouches +7 per cent.
QUALITY STREET was once again the No.1 brand at Christmas in 2020. It is an essential part of the season and much loved by the nation, as demonstrated by the incredible PR and media coverage last year which generated 2.6 billion opportunities for consumers to see the brand. This year the brand will benefit from a £2 million media spend and will continue its successful advertising campaign focusing on QUALITY STREET’s role in bringing together loved ones, enjoying special moments as they share their chocolates.
The advertising will appear on TV, video on demand and social media.
Quality Street Tub 2kg Front
This year QUALITY STREET will introduce a new mix of sweets across its range of formats to include more consumer favourites. The QUALITY STREET tin’s annual new design will make it even more premium and gift worthy than ever before, with beautifully designed jewel-like sparkling colours bringing a modern feel and ensuring impressive standout on-shelf. A new QUALITY STREET 2kg Tin (RRP £18.99) will be available nationally for the first time. Its fantastic size impression is certain to catch the eye in store and offers consumers the opportunity to buy a bigger gift or for gifting to share occasions. Plus, the QUALITY STREET Purple One and Strawberry Delight novelty gift boxes (RRP £6.00 each) will benefit from a makeover which sees them reduce their plastic packaging and move to fully recyclable cartons.
Convenience retailers should focus on the must stock QUALITY STREET 240g carton (RRP £2.99), QUALITY STREET 450g pouch bag (£4.99) and 650g tub (RRP £7.74) which is a format synonymous with Christmas.
AFTER EIGHT new flavour
AFTER EIGHT is the No.1 After Dinner Mint brand. Established in 1962, AFTER EIGHT is as relevant today as ever and the 300g pack remains the no.1 best-seller and a must-stock for retailers.
In 2020 flavours drove the growth in the After Dinner Mint category, adding £3 million in value sales. Last year’s AFTER EIGHT Gin & Tonic flavour generated £2 million of this value and was bought by over 1 million people, 50 per cent of whom were new to the After Dinner Mint category.
After Eight 200g Mojito FF
Capitalising on this trend, AFTER EIGHT plans to generate more buzz this year with its brand-new AFTER EIGHT Mojito & Mint flavour (RRP £2.00). Did you know that mojito was the most popular cocktail to make at home in 2020? Mojito is a natural flavour fit with mint, and this new flavour will continue to drive the category’s relevance a with younger audience.
Finally, this year’s annual new design for the AFTER EIGHT Christmas tin is an eccentrically British design.
The eye-catching 400g tin (RRP £6.00) is ideal for trading shoppers up. A PR and social media campaign across the festive season will also keep AFTER EIGHT front-of-mind with consumers.
Boxed Chocolates
Sharing boxed chocolates had a great Christmas in 2020, with sales growing 7.2 per cent.
Despite being launched in a turbulent year, QUALITY STREET Intrigue performed well with excellent in-store execution driving sales success. This Christmas, an Orange Truffles flavour (beautifully blended orange truffles wrapped in milk chocolate and sprinkled with dried orange segments) will be available nationally and joins Salted Caramel Truffles (a silky-smooth chocolate centre with a milk chocolate coating, each one is dipped in crunchy salted caramel chunks). Both RRP £5.00.
The orange flavour is extremely popular in the UK, with sales of products growing 24 per cent in 2020. QUALITY STREET Intrigue will also benefit from a substantial £2+ million media and shopper spend targeting key gifting occasions across 2021 including Christmas.
Intrigue Orange Truffles
Also brand new for 2021 is AERO Bliss Peppermint – velvety, whipped peppermint bubbles wrapped in delicious milk chocolate. The new launch is expected to be a smash hit with consumers as total mint sales are growing, up 5.7 per cent and as the No.1 chocolate mint brand which better brand to launch a new mint chocolate offering than AERO!
After launching as an exclusive in one retailer last year, it became the No.1 new boxed chocolates product, with a strong repeat purchase rate and loyal shopper, whilst also recruiting incremental shoppers to the range.
AERO Bliss bridges the gap between luxury and mainstream sharing boxed chocolates and proved extremely popular in 2020 with sales growing 48 per cent.
Aero Peppermint
AERO Bliss Peppermint joins the AERO Bliss Mixed Selection, which includes milk chocolate, salted caramel and praline flavours (RRP £5.00). The brand will be supported by its biggest media spend to date across the path-to-purchase, including out-of-home advertising, social media, PR and in-store media, encouraging shoppers to ‘Gift a little Bliss’.
Whilst AERO Bliss and QUALITY STREET Intrigue are all year-round brands, retailers should maximise sales by siting in off-shelf displays or on their Christmas fixture.
QUALITY STREET MATCHMAKERS has had amazing growth over the past 5 years, up 5.8 per cent in value. Cool Mint and Zingy Orange remain the core flavours for convenience retailers to stock. Both RRP £2.24. This year the brand will benefit from a contemporary design refresh and will now use 20 per cent less packaging. Fun to crunch and nice to nibble, these crunchy flavoured sticks are the perfect match for sharing occasions.
QS Novelties
Finally, something special in formal gifting. DAIRY BOX has been an iconic, heritage gifting brand since 1936. This year a brand-new design will bring to life the quality and indulgence of the sweets it is known for, making the brand more gift worthy than ever. The sweet range has also been revamped to include Salted Toffee for the first time, juicier and tangier flavours in the Orange Surprise and new Strawberry Kiss, and new shapes for the Chocolate Velvet and Cookies & Crème sweets. What’s more, the box and tray are now fully recyclable. The DAIRY BOX Winter Collection (RRP £8.00) 388g box will also return to the range with a refreshed design. Launched in 2020, it became No.1 new product launch in formal gifting, bringing younger shoppers into the category.
BLACK MAGIC, an iconic heritage brand since 1933, has also been revamped this year with a strong new look which impressed in shopper research. It retains its iconic colours of black and red whilst bringing to life the premium values of the brand so that even more consumers can be encouraged to discover the secrets of the BLACK MAGIC box.
Following the initial response condemning the Budget as 'the most damaging for independent retailers in recent memory' from the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira), members have shared their stark reactions to the triple burden of doubled business rates, increased National Insurance, and higher minimum wage costs.
Multiple retailers have calculated specific impacts on their businesses, with costs ranging from £90,000 to £150,000 per year.
"This budget was horrendous for us as a company. Estimated costs to be around £110,000 - £120,000 per year," said Andrew Massey of Masseys DIY in Swadlincote, Derbyshire.
The immediate impact on employment is already evident. Peter Massey of R Massey & Son Ltd, employing 38 staff, said: "We decided last night that we will not replace the next two members of staff that leave. We are also considering what to do with our coffee shop that employs quite a few youngsters."
Kevin Arthur of Pewsey RadioVision in Wiltshire highlighted the broader staffing implications: "The minimum wage rising to £25.5k per year (40hr week) is scandalous. Having to pay this type of salary for your most basic of employees will mean less employees, resentment amongst 'more valuable' staff who believe they are 'worth' far more than a basic employee, and less ability to pay staff bonuses. I am now looking to reduce staff hours, reduce staff numbers, and Christmas bonuses will be curtailed and any other 'perks' reduced."
A store owner in the South West, whose business has traded for over a century, revealed: "Prior to the budget we were looking at taking on a new store and creating 12 new jobs. The colossal impact that Labour has imposed on our business means that not only will this new store not happen, but we will be reviewing our sites and having to make redundancies in order to survive."
William Coe, of Coes in Ipswich, highlighted the challenge facing customer-focused businesses: "We all want the same thing – Growth – however for growth businesses need to make a profit to enable them to invest. With the cost rises put upon them yesterday this gets harder and harder especially for the retail and leisure sectors where the ability to make savings through technology is limited."
John Jones, Managing Partner of Philip Morris Direct in Hereford, warned: "We've been saying for months that the issue for small business is the cumulative effect of so many extra costs. These add up to a level of costs that just aren't sustainable, and I fear there will be a blood bath of small business on the high street."
The impact threatens the very existence of some long-established businesses.
A West Midlands clothing retailer with over 100 years of trading history confirmed they are "closing the doors in the near future," adding that "the cumulative effect of the rate hike, NI increase and the Minimum Living Wage increases mean that already emptying towns will become wastelands."
For smaller independents, the situation is particularly acute. Tracey Clark of Albert's Hardware in Somerset revealed: "I work in excess of 70 hrs a week with little to no personal financial gain. I can't see myself surviving the next six months."
The disparity between high street retailers and online competition was highlighted by several members, with concerns raised about UK-based businesses bearing the cost burden while international competitors selling cheap imported clothing operate with minimal tax liability.
A Greater Manchester fashion retailer emphasised the disconnect between policy makers and small business reality: "They are completely detached from reality. They need someone advising that has lived and breathed a small business. There should at least have been a threshold where businesses below a certain turnover aren't hit by these things."
The impact extends beyond retail to related sectors.
A West Midlands builders' merchant warned of broader economic consequences. The owner said: "The Government has put the boot in to small business. We are paying for everything. Farmers are in real trouble now and the economy will suffer. They went round telling businesses rates were unfair and would sort it out, then just put them up. They lied to us all and now jobs will go and inflation will rise."
Many retailers expressed frustration at what they see as broken promises. A Birmingham-based jewellery store owner said: "High Streets are the cash cow for Governments and when most have disappeared, they will scratch their heads and wonder why."
The combined impact of these measures threatens not just individual businesses but entire local economies. With many retailers already reporting worse trading conditions - Bira's recent survey showed 46% reported worse trading in early 2024 compared to 2023 - these additional costs could prove the final straw for many independent businesses.
Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira said: "For some, the Budget has forced immediate operational decisions. Several retailers mentioned reviewing staffing levels, reconsidering expansion plans, and in some cases, accelerating closure plans. The impact on future generations is particularly concerning, with multiple family businesses questioning their long-term viability."
A Midlands hardware store owner summed up the common challenge: "This will make trading near impossible with wage increases and the business rates, and no one wants to pay any more for goods."
Brocks at Rockwell Green, a Premier-branded convenience store near Wellington, Somerset is on the market as owners Simon and Rachel Brock are now looking to retire - after running the store for nearly 25 years.
Selling a wide range of products and everyday essentials, the store is “well-established and popular” among both the local communities.
“It has been a pleasure running the store for the last 23 years and serving the local community. It has been a tough decision to sell but we felt now was the best time to retire,” Simon said.
Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has been instructed to market the property, which also features a variety of storage spaces, offices and independently accessed three-bedroom accommodation.
Matthew McFarlane, business agent at Christie & Co who is managing the sale, commented: “This is a fabulous store and property, offering a large sales area, great storeroom and residential accommodation. The sales figures are very strong which represents an excellent opportunity for corporate buyers or established multi operators.”
Wrexham Lager Beer Co Ltd, the oldest lager brewery still existing in Britain that has been brewing in Wales since 1882, has announced Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds as new co-owners of the company alongside the Roberts family.
The acquisition was made by Red Dragon Ventures, a joint venture formed by The R.R. McReynolds Company, majority owner of Wrexham AFC, and the Allyn family of Skaneateles, New York. Red Dragon Ventures was created to drive growth in the Wrexham community and Wrexham AFC.
This transaction represents another landmark deal for the Welsh town and will considerably scale up Wrexham Lager’s infrastructure and international production, distribution, and marketing efforts.
“As co-chairmen of Wrexham AFC we have learned a lot,” said Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds. “The connection between club and community, the intricacies of the offsides rule and the occasional need for beer – especially after finance meetings. Wrexham Lager has a 140-year-old recipe and a storied history and we’re excited to help write its next chapter.”
The Roberts family, who have owned and operated the business since 2011, will maintain an active role within the business, continuing to oversee quality control across all markets, local brewery operations, and community engagement projects.
Recently appointed chief executive James Wright will continue to lead the business after already overseeing rapid UK growth, as well as international expansion into Australia, Japan, and Scandinavia. Distribution in the US and Canada is set to go live in the coming months.
“This is a brand with great heritage – the oldest lager brewery in Great Britain, once enjoyed across the world,” Wright said. “So, to have Rob and Ryan onboard as we embark on international expansion is huge for us. They have been doing wonders for the town of Wrexham and strongly share our passion for once again seeing Wrexham Lager enjoyed in all the far-flung corners of the globe.”
Wrexham Lager Beer Co currently produces the 4% ABV Wrexham Lager, 5% ABV Wrexham Lager Export, and recently introduced 4.6% ABV Pilsener. The 4% Wrexham Lager is produced using an original recipe from 140 years ago that was once available in the world-famous Harrods luxury department store in London, as well as chosen as the only lager to be served on the White Star Line’s Titanic.
Ten global beverage companies have joined forces under a new industry-wide consortium, called REfresh Alliance, which is designed to help accelerate renewable energy adoption across the industry’s supply chain.
The new initiative invites additional companies from across the beverage industry to pool and scale their resources to remove barriers to renewable energy adoption in the supply chain, provide education on best market practices and support the industry’s transition to Net Zero.
Companies currently part of the REfresh Alliance include: Bacardi, Carlsberg Group, Constellation Brands, Diageo, Heineken, Molson Coors Beverage Company, Pernod Ricard, The Coca-Cola Company and Whyte & Mackay.
The programme is managed by leading energy solution provider, Enel X. Through its Advisory Services division, Enel X connects the participants with renewable energy providers and supports renewable energy transactions, aiming to accelerate renewable energy adoption.
The programe also features a dedicated educational platform to help program participants prepare for renewable energy adoption.
Scope 3 emissions, which are not directly produced by a company but from its supply chain, often account for approximately 90 per cent of a beverage company’s carbon footprint. As suppliers continue to face a number of barriers to decarbonisation, REfresh has already engaged with more than 300 suppliers to discuss their involvement in the programme as it aims to support their adoption of renewable energy solutions.
“We have long recognised the need for industry collaboration to deliver the most impact and to accelerate the transition across our supply chains,” Ralf Peters, chief procurement officer of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), and chairman, Coca-Cola Cross Enterprise Procurement Group (CEPG), said.
“I know from my experience across the Coca-Cola system that supporting our supply partners is a key part of our sustainability action – and that encouraging them to transition to renewables is one of the most impactful things we can do to help decarbonise their businesses, and to do the same in ours.”
Hervé Le Faou, chief procurement officer of Heineken, said: “Scope 3 emissions are one of the biggest challenges that the industry faces in delivering on our Net Zero ambitions. We must work together to identify areas of our supply chains where we can pool our resources to accelerate this transition for our suppliers. We look forward to working with other beverage companies to achieve this and accelerate the decarbonization of our industry.”
Jane Liang, chief procurement officer of Diageo, said: “The climate crisis is the most pressing issue of our time and the transition to Net Zero is becoming increasingly important. However, there is only so much we can do as individual businesses. The REfresh Alliance will drive collective action within the industry to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy. We are calling on all companies and suppliers within the industry to join us and support the industry in its transition to Net Zero.”
REfresh intends to initially launch in the mature renewable energy markets of Europe and North America, where it will be able to use existing networks to accelerate impact in support of the industry’s decarbonization efforts. As it continues to grow, the consortium will look to expand to other markets and welcome businesses from across the beverage industry to join it in supporting suppliers in their decarbonization journeys.
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Single-use disposable vapes are displayed for sale on October 27, 2024 in London, England
Vape industry bodies have raised concerns over chancellor Rachel Reeves’ budget announcement introducing a flat-rate excise duty on vaping products, saying it could hurt public health and increase financial pressures on consumers.
The new excise tax, set to begin on October 1, 2026, will add £2.20 per 10ml of vaping liquid, with additional VAT. This rate replaces the previous government’s proposed tiered tax structure, which many in the industry had criticised.
The Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA) welcomed the shift from a tiered structure but voiced strong concerns about the overall impact on vapers, particularly those on lower incomes.
“The government has already proposed regulation that will ban single use products, which despite helping many adult smokers access vaping, have via irresponsible retailers been disproportionately accessible to children,” said IBVTA chair Marcus Saxton.
“It would seem a little questionable then to increase the cost of vaping, especially given there are still around six million adult smokers for who you’re trying to give every opportunity to make the transition to less harmful products.”
Saxton warned that higher costs could hinder the progress made by public services utilising vapes within their smoking cessation services, adding, “The IBVTA do not believe that any excise tax should be applied to products supplied via these services.”
The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) voiced even sharper criticism, highlighting the potential for the new excise tax to become an economic burden on adult vapers.
John Dunne, UKVIA’s director general, noted that the additional £2.64 per 10ml of e-liquid (inclusive of VAT) could result in a 267 per cent price hike for some e-liquids, a change that he described as “a kick in the teeth for former adult smokers who have switched to vaping to quit their habits.”
Dunne cautioned that the new excise rate would be “the highest in Europe,” and warned that it could deter adult smokers from considering vapes as a smoking cessation tool.
“Some 3 million adults are former smokers thanks to vaping, which is strongly evidenced as the most effective way to quit conventional cigarettes, saving the NHS millions of pounds in treating patients with smoking related conditions. This announcement today deters adult smokers from considering vapes as a method to give up their habits, and hits the lowest paid,” said Dunne.
He criticised the government’s approach, calling it a “revenue grab from former smokers” and noted the inconsistency with reduced VAT rates applied to other nicotine replacement therapies.
“It would also make more sense for vapes to be taxed at a lower VAT rate, which is the case for other nicotine replacement therapies, which have proven to be considerably less successful than vapes in helping smokers quit,” he said.
The budget also announced a consultation on new compliance measures, including vaping duty stamps and supply chain controls to combat illicit production of nicotine products. This consultation, open until December 11, 2024, aims to limit illegal manufacturing while ensuring the new duty’s effective enforcement.