Retail clubs, set up by wholesalers who often also run their own symbol or fascia groups, have been around for quite a long time. Sugro was one of the first with its Sweet Break club, begun as long as 30 years ago (it now has over 2000 members); Parfetts launched Go Local in 2012.
Retail clubs were always a good idea for many reasons, not least because they benefited both the supplier and the retailer.
To begin with, they obviously helped the wholesaler move more product, and generated extra regular orders in addition to those from their symbol group members.
Importantly, clubs trained the shy shopkeeper in dealing with the wholesaler on a subcontractual level, readying them for the big leap to symbol status, and many symbols and fascia groups contain former club members who came in from the cold, so to speak.
Retail clubs also helped independents to weather commercial storms. Tesco Metro opened its first site in 1992 and Tesco Express started a couple of years later, while Sainsbury Local opened its original branch – in Hammersmith – in 1998, and these were a direct threat to standalone stores because of their massive local footprint and their relatively low prices. When the multiples began their neighbourhood invasion, retail clubs were able to give independents a little bit of ammunition to fight back with.
Store owners who preferred to use cash and carries as they wished rather than sign up to a symbol contract found that Retail Clubs carried fewer conditions that formal agreements (although they didn’t get some of the benefits, like financial help with shop refits and so on), but still gave them great and regular promotions, POS materials, margin and EPoS, among many other perks, while belonging to a looser confederation.
Retail clubs forever?
Over time the benefits of retail clubs have become more sophisticated than just cut-price outers and shop posters. They now offer support, advice and even fascias – still without having to sign up to symbol status, and no joining fees or monthly fees. Indies can have access to promo skus with no, or minimum, compulsory spend, and – again – the promotions, which are regular and sophisticated to tie in with calendar events and other consumer spending highlights, can make a big difference to a retailer’s bottom line, not least by increasing impulse footfall and then getting customers to buy more once they are in-store, adding to average basket spend.
Nothing goes in a straight line, and the onward march of symbol and fascia is still slowed down by store owners whose outlook is resolutely independent. Some folks just do not want to belong to any club that would have them as a member (perhaps this is an essential or characteristic part of the independent mentality!) and maybe for this reason retail clubs are thriving as an adjunct to symbols and fascias. If you can resign from the club at any time (like Netflix) then it still feels like freedom rather than marriage.
Among the many now available, Unitas runs an umbrella retail club that is available for adoption by its wholesaler members for their customers, and their “Everyday Value” literature and promotional materials are widely used, offers category guides and the facility for store owners to print their own POS using club templates. It also features a profit-on-return calculator.
“We know it’s a tough environment out there and you’re under pressure to deliver cheap deals to rival the supermarkets and the discounters,” says the buying group. “This is why the Unitas Wholesale Retail Club provides retailers with a great range of bestselling products at competitive prices to keep your customers coming back for more.
“Our promotions run every three weeks and are packed full of leading grocery, impulse, licensed and non-food brands, all offering great margins. We’ll provide you with attention-grabbing point of sale materials, including window posters and personalised leaflets for your customers, designed to drive footfall and grow your sales.”
Local retail clubs such as those run by Dee Bee Wholesale (Hull and Grimsby), Khanjra (Blackburn) and United Wholesale Grocers Limited’s (whose Shop Local retail club is available to stores of any turnover or size, and offering a free fascia) are examples of Unitas members partaking of the parent organisation facilities.
Parfetts runs its Go Local retail club and says that with two formats to choose from, it provides a promotional solution for every format of independent convenience store. It also promises promotions of hard hitting, key lines to drive footfall and sales to your store: “Go Local Plus promotions are ideal for retailers who wish to compete in today’s demanding convenience market, but are restricted by store size,” says Parfetts.
“Go Local is an entry-level retail promotion, highlighting core range, everyday products at competitive prices. Go Local is available to all convenience retailers, providing promotional prices to entice customers and drive footfall. With over 900 Stores, across the North and Midlands, Go Local delivers great prices to the consumer, whilst giving local Independent Retailers the opportunity to compete (and often beat) supermarket prices!”
Each promotion is at least four weeks long and is extended at key times of the year and Parfetts reports that sales have grown every year since the club began in 2001, and now exceed £20 million per year.
Go Local is supported by a dedicated team of Retail Development Advisors, who can advise on all aspects of convenience retailing, from merchandising and category management to licencing and planning.
Booker has a stable of symbol groups in Londis, Premier, Budgens and Family Shopper. But it also has a retail club, Shop Locally (motto: “Great value, local service”), which promises not just deals that change every four weeks but also Every Day Low Prices (EDLPs) locked down for three promotion periods, as well as a range of materials such as shelf-edge and stack cards, promo-pricing at POS and window posters.
So if you don’t feel like committing to a long-term symbol(ic) relationship, and haven’t given them a try yet, retail clubs might just give you an extra edge that could turn into greater profits without any upfront costs.
Sugro Retail Club
Sugro Retail Club is a scheme that allows the independent retailer to compete effectively in a highly challenging marketplace with deep-cut promotional pricing on the biggest and best brands in the industry! They already have over 2,000 retailers, enjoying real benefits by participating!
No fees or marketing costs
Point of Sale kits
No contract term the retailer can pull out at anytime
Merchandising
Retailers will partake of 17 promotions per year and will receive a brochure containing promotions on the biggest brands at the very best promotional prices. This brochure can also be used by Retailers to place Retail Club orders.
Each promotion the retailer receives the following POS kit:
A4 Window Poster for each featured product
Shelf Talker for each featured product.
All delivered to their door by their Sugro Wholesaler
The Bestway way
Bestway’s retail club, Xtra Local, launched back in 2005, offers customers member deals running over a monthly promotional period and promotions across key branded products covering licensed and general grocery, soft drinks and confectionery. Promotional activity is backed by many key suppliers including Mondelez, Nestlé, Walkers, Heinz, Carlsberg, Molson Coors, Heineken plus many top suppliers within the industry. It offers posters, flyers and shelf-talkers among many other aids and materials
Asian Trader talked to Kenton Burchell, Trading Director at Bestway Wholesale, to find out how it operates independent of and alongside its best-one symbol group offering
Please describe your offer and how your retail club operates
Retailers are required to commit to the following:
Minimum £1,000 spend on non-tobacco products, wholesale
POS available and can be used to advertise the strong ‘Wow’ and ‘Must Feature’ lines
Promotions each month - these are fantastic shopper offers
Place a pre-sell for every promotion which will include stock of ‘Wow Deal’ and ‘Must Feature’ products
What are the essential elements of a good retail club?
The ability for independents that prefer to shop at a cash and carry the opportunity to run effective promotions, and not be tied into a fascia, allowing them to retain their independence. Retail clubs run by wholesalers offer the best of both worlds for independents offering a wider range of support, advice, and even fascias.
Kenton Burchell
As part of a retail club, independents can reap the benefits of a symbol without the associated costs, allowing them to offer their shoppers strong promotions while benefiting from everything from exclusive discounts to point of sale material.
For many independents, the relatively low cost of joining a retail club compared with becoming a symbol is a big attraction. Many retailers are wary of being tied into symbol agreements, having to comply with minimum orders for their store and finding hidden joining or costly monthly fees.
In summary: promotions, rewards and rebates, free POS and communications tools, help and advice and digital tools are all big attractions for retail clubs.
What are the advantages of your club over competing schemes, or its unique characteristics?
Access to both 4 weekly promotions and cash and carry deals
Business support advisors/and help
No joining fees
Low minimum order value
Personalise consumer leaflets/free POS kits
What support and POS do you provide?
Personalised customer leaflets for promotional offers – 4 weekly
Store POS kits
B2B website
Retailer sales support and retailer support through depot teams
How do you structure and decide your offers and promotions?
Promotions follow the same structure as we offer Symbol group customers, based on a calendar of themes specially designed to drive footfall and optimise sales all year round.
How often do they run or with what frequency?
Every 4 weeks – all year
Do you provide special promotions (calendar-related, etc.)?
At Bestway we have special promotions for Mother’s Day, Summer Sports including Football, Tennis etc., Halloween, Bonfire Night, and Christmas etc.
The UK retail sector is bracing for a challenging but opportunity-filled 2025, according to Jacqui Baker, head of retail at RSM UK. While the industry grapples with rising costs and heightened crime, advancements in artificial intelligence and a revival of the high street offer potential pathways to growth, she said.
The latest Budget delivered a tough blow to the retail sector, exacerbating existing financial pressures. Retailers, who already shoulder a significant portion of business rates and rely heavily on a large workforce, face increased costs from rising employers’ National Insurance Contributions.
“Higher costs will also eat into available funds for future pay rises, benefits or pension contributions – hitting retailers’ cashflow in the short term and employees’ remuneration in the longer term,” Baker said.
“Retailers must get creative to manage their margins and attract footfall and spend, plus think outside the box to incentivise employees if they’re to hold onto talented staff.”
On the brighter side, falling inflation and lower interest rates could ease operational costs and restore consumer confidence, potentially driving retail spending upward.
High street resurgence
Consumers’ shopping habits are evolving, with a hybrid approach blending online and in-store purchases. According to RSM UK’s Consumer Outlook, 46 per cent of consumers prefer in-store shopping for weekly purchases, compared to 29 per cent for online, but the preference shifts to 47 per cent for online shopping for monthly buys and to 29 per cent for in-store. The most important in-store aspect for consumers was ease of finding products (59%), versus convenience (37%) for online.
“Tactile shopping experiences remain an integral part of the purchase journey for shoppers, so retailers need to prioritise convenience and the opportunity for discovery to bring consumers back to the high street,” Baker noted.
The government’s initiative to auction empty shops is expected to make brick-and-mortar stores more accessible to smaller, independent retailers, further boosting high street revival, she added.
A security guard stands in the doorway of a store in the Oxford Street retail area on December 13, 2024 in London, EnglandPhoto by Leon Neal/Getty Images
Meanwhile, retail crime, exacerbated by cost-of-living pressures, remains a significant concern, with shoplifting incidents reaching record highs. From organised social media-driven thefts to fraudulent delivery claims, the methods are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
“Crime has a knock-on effect on both margins and staff morale, so while the government is cracking down on retail crime, retailers also have a part to play by investing in data to prevent and detect theft,” Baker said.
“Data is extremely powerful in minimising losses and improving the overall operational efficiency of the business.”
AI as a game-changer
Artificial intelligence is emerging as a transformative force for the retail sector. From personalised product recommendations and inventory optimisation to immersive augmented reality experiences, AI is reshaping the shopping landscape.
“AI will undoubtedly become even more sophisticated over time, creating immersive and interactive experiences that bridge the gap between online and in-store. Emerging trends include hyper-personalisation throughout the entire shopping journey, autonomous stores and checkouts, and enhanced augmented reality experiences to “try” products before buying,” she said, adding that AI will be a “transformative investment” that determines the long-term viability of retail businesses.
The Amazon Fresh store in Ealing, LondonPhoto: Amazon
As financial pressures ease, sustainability is climbing up the consumer agenda. RSM’s Consumer Outlook found 46 per cent would pay more for products that are sustainably sourced, up from 28 per cent last year; while 44 per cent would pay more for products with environmentally friendly packaging, compared to 36 per cent last year.
“However, ESG concerns vary depending on age and income, holding greater importance among high earners and millennials. With financial pressures expected to continue easing next year, we anticipate a renewal of sustainability and environmentally conscious spending habits,” Baker noted.
“Retailers ought to tap into this by understanding the preferences of different demographics and most importantly, their target market.”
Southend-on-Sea City Council officials have secured food condemnation orders from Chelmsford Magistrates Court, resulting in the seizure and destruction of 1,100 unauthorised soft drinks.
The condemned drinks, including Mountain Dew, 7-UP, Mirinda, and G Fuel energy drinks, were found during routine inspections of food businesses across Southend by the council’s environmental health officers.
Council said these products contained either banned additives like Calcium Disodium EDTA or unauthorised novel ingredients such as Potassium Beta-hydroxybutyrate.
Calcium Disodium EDTA has been linked to potential reproductive and developmental effects and may contribute to colon cancer, according to some studies. Potassium Beta-hydroxybutyrate has not undergone safety assessments, making its inclusion in food products unlawful.
Independent analysis certified that the drinks failed to meet UK food safety standards. Magistrates ordered their destruction and ruled that the council's costs, expected to total close to £2,000, be recovered from the businesses involved.
“These products, clearly marketed towards children, contain banned or unauthorised ingredients. Southend-on-Sea City Council will always take action to protect the public, using enforcement powers to ensure unsafe products are removed from sale,” Cllr Kevin Robinson, cabinet member for regeneration, major projects, and regulatory services, said.
“As Christmas approaches, we hope this sends a strong message to businesses importing or selling such products: they risk significant costs and possible prosecution.”
The council urged residents to check labels when purchasing imported sweets and drinks, ensuring they include English-language details and a UK importer's address.
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A customer browses clothes inside Charity Super.Mkt at Brent Cross Shopping centre in north London on, December 17, 2024
Bursting with customers one afternoon the week before Christmas, a second-hand charity shop in London's Marylebone High Street looked even busier than the upscale retailers surrounding it.
One man grabbed two puzzle sets and a giant plush toy as a present for friends, another picked out a notebook for his wife.
“Since the end of September, we've seen a huge uplift in people coming to our shops and shopping pre-loved,” said Ollie Mead, who oversees the shop displays - currently glittering with Christmas decorations - for Oxfam charity stores around London.
At the chain of second-hand stores run by the British charity, shoppers can find used, or "pre-loved", toys, books, bric-a-brac and clothes for a fraction of the price of new items.
Popular for personal shopping, charity stores and online second-hand retailers are seeing an unlikely surge in interest for Christmas gifts, a time of year often criticised for promoting consumerism and generating waste.
A report last month by second-hand retail platform Vinted and consultants RetailEconomics found UK customers were set to spend £2 billion on second-hand Christmas gifts this year, around 10 per cent of the £20 billion Christmas gift market.
A woman browses some of the Christmas gift ideas in a store on December 13, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images
In an Oxfam survey last year, 33 per cent were going to buy second-hand gifts for Christmas, up from 25 percent in 2021.
“This shift is evident on Vinted,” Adam Jay, Vinted's marketplace CEO, told AFP.
“We've observed an increase in UK members searching for 'gift' between October and December compared to the same period last year.”
According to Mead, who has gifted second-hand items for the last three Christmas seasons, sustainability concerns and cost-of-living pressures are “huge factors”.
Skimming the racks at the central London store, doctor Ed Burdett found a keychain and notebook for his wife.
“We're saving up at the moment, and she likes to give things another life. So it'll be the perfect thing for her,” Burdett, 50, told AFP.
“It's nice to spend less, and to know that it goes to a good place rather than to a high street shop.”
'Quirky, weird
Wayne Hemingway, designer and co-founder of Charity Super.Mkt, a brand which aims to put charity shops in empty shopping centres and high street spaces, has himself given second-hand Christmas gifts for “many, many years”.
“When I first started doing it, it was classed as quirky and weird,” he said, adding it was now going more “mainstream”.
Similarly, when he first started selling second-hand clothes over 40 years ago, “at Christmas your sales always nosedive(d) because everybody wanted new”.
Now, however, “we are seeing an increase at Christmas sales just like a new shop would”, Hemingway told AFP.
“Last weekend sales were crazy, the shop was mobbed,” he said, adding all his stores had seen a 20-percent higher than expected rise in sales in the weeks before Christmas.
“Things are changing for the better... It's gone from second-hand not being what you do at Christmas, to part of what you do.”
Young people are driving the trend by making more conscious fashion choices, and with a commitment to a “circular economy” and to “the idea of giving back (in) a society that is being more generous and fair,” he said.
At the store till, 56-year-old Jennifer Odibo was unconvinced.
Buying herself a striking orange jacket, she said she “loves vintage”.
But for most people, she confessed she would not get a used gift. “Christmas is special, it needs to be something they would cherish, something new,” said Odibo.
“For Christmas, I'll go and buy something nice, either at Selfridges or Fenwick,” she added, listing two iconic British department stores.
Hemingway conceded some shoppers “feel that people expect something new” at Christmas.
“We're on a journey. The world is on a journey, but it's got a long way to go,” he added.
According to Tetyana Solovey, a sociology researcher at the University of Manchester, “for some people, it could be a bit weird to celebrate it (Christmas) with reusing.”
“But it could be a shift in consciousness if we might be able to celebrate the new year by giving a second life to something,” Solovey told AFP.
“That could be a very sustainable approach to Christmas, which I think is quite wonderful.”
Lancashire Mind’s 11th Mental Elf fun run was its biggest and best yet – a sell-out event with more than 400 people running and walking in aid of the mental charity, plus dozens more volunteering to make the day a huge success.
The winter sun shone on Worden Park in Leyland as families gathered for either a 5K course, a 2K run, or a Challenge Yours’Elf distance which saw many people running 10K with the usual running gear replaced with jazzy elf leggings, tinsel and Christmas hats.
And now the pennies have been counted, Lancashire Mind has announced that the event raised a fantastic £17,000.
This amount of money allows Lancashire Mind to deliver, for example, its 10-week Bounce Forward resilience programme in eight schools, reaching more than 240 children with skills and strategies that they can carry with them throughout their lives, making them more likely to ‘bounce forward’ through tough times.
The event was headline sponsored by SPAR for a third year through its association with James Hall & Co. Ltd, SPAR UK’s primary retailer, wholesaler, and distributor for the North of England.
“On behalf of the entire team at Lancashire Mind, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the 400+ incredible participants who joined us for Mental Elf 2024!” said Organiser Nicola Tomkins, Community and Events Fundraiser at Lancashire Mind.
“Your support, energy and commitment to raising awareness for mental health makes all the difference. Together, we've taken another important step towards breaking the stigma around mental health and promoting wellbeing for all in our community. We couldn't have done it without you!”
Worden Hall became the hub of the event where people could enjoy music from the Worldwise Samba Drummers and BBC stars Jasmine and Gabriella T, plus lots of family friendly activities and a chance to meet Father Christmas. Pets also got in on the act in the best dressed dog competition.
Lancashire Mind CEO David Dunwell said: “It was heart-warming day, full of community spirit and festive cheer, but with a serious aim to raise funds for mental health.
“We are so grateful to everyone who bought a ticket and fundraised or donated to help us smash our target. The money raised goes directly to supporting Lancashire Mind’s life-changing mental health services. These funds help provide wellbeing coaching, support groups, and educational programmes to individuals and families in need of mental health support in our community.”
The concept of Mental Elf was created by Lancashire Mind and news of the event has spread right across the country in recent years, with around 40 other local Mind charities hosting a similar event in 2024.
Lancashire schools were also encouraged to host their own Mental Elf-themed event this year, whether that was a run, bake sale or dress up day, and raised more than £1,000 in total.
Philippa Harrington, Marketing Manager at James Hall & Co. Ltd, said: “There was a lovely festive feel in the air at Mental Elf and we were delighted to see even more individuals, families, and canine companions taking part in its new home of Worden Park.
“We are also very pleased to see the uptake that Mental Elf has had in schools, and congratulations go to the Lancashire Mind team for taking it to new participants and for raising a fantastic amount of money for an important cause.”
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A woman walks past a window display promoting an ongoing sale, on December 13, 2024 in London, England.
UK retail sales rose less than expected in the runup to Christmas, according to official data Friday that deals a fresh blow to government hopes of growing the economy.
Separate figures revealed a temporary reprieve for prime minister Keir Starmer, however, as public borrowing fell sharply in November.
The updates follow news this week of higher inflation in Britain - an outcome that caused the Bank of England on Thursday to leave interest rates unchanged.
Retail sales by volume grew 0.2 per cent in November after a drop of 0.7 per cent in October, the Office for National Statistics said Friday.
That was less than analysts' consensus for a 0.5-percent gain.
"It is critical delayed spending materialises this Christmas to mitigate the poor start to retail's all-important festive season," noted Nicholas Found, senior consultant at Retail Economics.
"However, cautiousness lingers, slowing momentum in the economy. Households continue to adjust to higher prices (and) elevated interest rates."
He added that consumers were focused on buying "carefully timed promotions and essentials, while deferring bigger purchases".
The ONS reported that supermarkets benefited from higher food sales.
"Clothing stores sales dipped sharply once again, as retailers reported tough trading conditions," said Hannah Finselbach, senior statistician at the ONS.
Retail sales rose 0.2% in November 2024, following a fall of 0.7% in October 2024.
Growth in supermarkets and other non-food stores was partly offset by a fall in clothing retailers.
The Labour government's net borrowing meanwhile dropped to £11.2 billion last month, the lowest November figure in three years on higher tax receipts and lower debt-interest, the ONS added.
The figure had been £18.2 billion in October.
"Borrowing remains subject to upside risks... due to sticky interest rates, driven by markets repricing for fewer cuts in 2025," forecast Elliott Jordan-Doak, senior UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.
Jacqui Baker, head of retail at RSM UK and chair of ICAEW’s Retail Group, commented that the later than usual Black Friday weekend meant November’s retail sales figures saw only a slight uptick as cost-conscious consumers held off to bag a bargain.
“Despite many retailers launching Black Friday offers early, November trade got off to a slow start which dragged on for most of the month. This was driven by clothing which fell to its lowest level since January 2022. The only saving grace was half-term and Halloween spending helped to slightly offset disappointing sales throughout November,” Baker said.
“As consumer confidence continues to build and shoppers return to the high street, this should translate into more retail spending next year. However, there are big challenges coming down the track for the sector, so retailers will be banking on a consumer-led recovery to come to fruition so they can combat a surge in costs.”
Thomas Pugh, economist at RSM UK, added: “The tick up in retail sales volumes in November suggests that the stagnation which has gripped the UK economy since the summer continued into the final months of the year.
“While the recent strong pay growth numbers may make the Bank of England uncomfortable, it means that real incomes are growing at just under 3 per cent, which suggests consumer spending should gradually rise next year. However, consumers remain extremely cautious. The very sharp drop in clothing sales in particular could suggest that consumers are cutting back on non-essential purchases.
“We still expect a rise in consumer spending next year, due to strong wage growth and a gradual decline in the saving rate, to help drive an acceleration in GDP growth. But the risks are clearly building that cautious consumers choose to save rather than spend increases in income, raising the risk of weaker growth continuing through the first half of next year.”