SPAR has become the first UK retailer to unveil its own-label vegan wine range.
The rollout has begun this month, just in time for Veganuary, and will stretch across Spar’s 1,700 licensed stores across the country, which comprise both independents and its regional wholesalers’ company-owned sites.
The news comes after the symbol group pledged in 2019 to become the first grocer to offer a plant-based range for the growing number of customer’s exploring veganism for health or environmental benefits.
According to reports, there are more than 70 wines in the vegan Spar range, including a Languedoc red on promotion at £6.49, a South African reserve Chenin Blanc on promotion at £5.49 and a prosecco Valdobbiadene, on promotion at £8.99.
Adam Georgiou, Spar’s brand manager for own-label alcohol in the UK, said, “More than half a million people took part in Veganuary 2021 and 85 per cent of those surveyed said they planned to at least halve their intake of animal products after January, but it’s not just vegans driving the demand.
“People are increasingly looking for vegan products, regardless of their eating habits or lifestyles.
“As a result, we decided that the time had come to create more inclusive ranges that tap into what our shoppers are looking for.”
“We are really proud to be delivering on our promise to become the first grocer offering an own-label wine range that is suitable for vegans,” Georgiou said.
“Our vast range boasts many multi-award-winning bottles, which offer shoppers great quality and fantastic value.
“The new range is exciting for vegans and non-vegans alike and we are looking forward to developing more products to cater for all dietary requirements.”
The launch comes just over two years when M&S announced plans to make an entirely vegan-friendly own-label wine range by the end of 2022.
SPAR shoppers can win big this New Year with four £10,000 grand prizes up for grabs through the latest customer campaign Frozen Fortune.
Launching on 2 January, SPAR shoppers across England, Scotland and Wales can Tap, Spin and Win from a pool of over 400,000 instant rewards on big brand products.
Free to play, Frozen Fortune offers a daily Ice Breaker game where players tap the ice until it cracks, revealing if they are a winner.
After playing the Ice Breaker game three times, players unlock the Fortune Maker game, where they can spin a wheel to win a guaranteed reward.
Winning customers will receive a text with a link to a digital voucher, which they can redeem at any of the 1,300 participating SPAR stores across Britain.
In addition, one £200 holiday voucher will be given away every day during the 49-day promotion.
All SPAR customers need to do to participate is visit frozenfortune.co.uk, submit their details and start playing. The campaign runs until 19 February 2025.
All four SPAR RDCs in Great Britain – CJ Lang & Son Ltd (Scotland), A. F. Blakemore & Son Ltd (South East, Midlands, and Wales), Appleby Westward (South West England), and James Hall & Co. Ltd (North of England) – are collaborating on the campaign. Each will award one £10,000 grand prize winner.
James Hall & Co. Ltd will manage the campaign nationwide, building on the success of previous popular customer promotions such as Win With Every Goal and £10K To Getaway.
On behalf of SPAR, Philippa Harrington, marketing manager at James Hall & Co. Ltd, said: “SPAR is excited to launch our latest customer campaign Frozen Fortune and reward four lucky shoppers across Great Britain with £10,000 of ice-cold cash each to start 2025 in style.
“In recent years, gamification has proven to be an excellent way to engage our SPAR customer base. The combination of the game’s concept, interface and usability, along with incredible instant rewards, has generated enthusiasm among SPAR shoppers.
“Frozen Fortune builds on this success, offering a promotion we believe SPAR shoppers will love. It provides a little something extra at the beginning of the new year especially when budgets are tighter, and people are seeking an uplifting experience.
“As with previous gamification promotions, we have had fantastic support from our valued suppliers. We are extremely grateful for their backing of SPAR Frozen Fortune and for once again understanding the vision and value of the campaign.”
Like previous campaigns, the technology behind the SPAR Frozen Fortune game was developed in partnership with Abraxas Marketing.
Chinese vape firm Vozol has announced the launch of two new open-system products in the UK and European markets in December.
Ace Max is specially crafted for those who seek top-tier quality and a premium vaping experience. Made from high-quality zinc alloy, similar to the materials used in Louis Vuitton accessories, it seamlessly combines durability with luxury.
Featuring the world's first and largest touchscreen, at 1.47 inches, consumers can enjoy effortless operation without the hassle of physical buttons or complicated menus.
The product offers three interactive thematic modes to choose from.
The Classic Space Launch theme is designed for adventurers; the Racing Speed Mode is tailored for thrill-seekers; and the Barbie Pink Heart Launch theme, adorned with playful heart motifs and eye-catching effects, is perfect for those who appreciate aesthetics.
Ace Go is the ideal choice for savvy vapers seeking high quality without overspending.
Constructed from lightweight aluminium alloy—widely used in aeroplane wings—this product is designed for easy portability, making it perfect for travel and sports. Its unique triangular screen allows users to stand out in a sea of conventional rectangular displays.
Leading confectionery wholesaler Hancocks has revealed their 2025 Valentine’s Day confectionery collection.
Retailers are being told of the must-stock sweets in order to make the most of the romantic season.
The range includes Valentine’s gifting options, novelty lines and impulse products perfect for driving Valentine’s Day confectionery sales.
Hancocks said themed pick n mix sweets are expected to be popular ahead of the holiday, with the wholesaler stocking an excellent variety of heart-shaped treats that retailers can add to their in-store displays.
The Valentine’s pick n mix selection includes a range of delicious sweets, including Kingsway Gummy Hearts, Barratt Jelly Love Hearts, Vidal Triple Hearts and Kingsway Mallow Hearts.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Hancocks have added to their Bonds Pun Box range. New to the gifting range include the I Love You Berry Much and You’re One In a Melon pun boxes.
The Bonds Candy Cups are one of the most popular lines from the brand and their dessert-inspired pick-n-mix cups are perfect for gifting.
The Berry Mess Mix Candy Cup 360g RRP £3.50 includes a delicious assortment of fruit flavour jelly sweets, candy-topped white chocolate candies and marshmallows.
Also available from the range of Candy Cups are the Sweet Vibes Freakshake Cups in three tasty flavours - Banana, Strawberry and Choc-a-Lot, RRP £3.50.
Each cup is packed to the brim with delicious sweets in a convenient, hygienic and recyclable cup format that is easy to merchandise in store, making them perfect for gifting seasons.
Premium gifting is also a must-stock in the lead up to Valentine’s Day. Anthon Berg offers a range of premium gifting options, giving a range of choice to shoppers.
The iconic Chocolate Liqueurs are bottle-shaped dark chocolates filled with famous spirit brands from across the globe. Recently, Anthon Berg have worked with expert mixologists to develop delicious cocktail recipes including Cosmopolitan, Mojito, Espresso Martini, Vodka Mule, Pina Colada and Lemon Drop.
The newest addition to the Anthon Berg range is the Anthon Berg Baileys Treats box. They’re delicious milk chocolates filled with cream liqueur flavoured marzipan.They come with 7 individually wrapped chocolates in a 175g beautifully designed dual-branded gift box.
A top seller year on year from the Hancocks range are the Chocolate Flavour Candy Roses, a novelty favourite which can be merchandised for Valentine’s and Galentine’s events.
“We’re happy to offer retailers a chance to provide their customers with a wide selection of delicious Valentine’s Day treats,” Kathryn Hague, Head of Marketing at Hancocks, said.
“Valentine’s Day offers an excellent opportunity to drive confectionery sales. Shoppers love looking for themed treats when it comes to new seasons, and now Valentine’s Day is celebrated by more people as people also enjoy ‘Galentine’s Day’ events with friends.
“Confectionery is still seen as an affordable gifting option, so we’re expecting to see a lot of people treating their loved ones with delicious sweets and chocolates during this year's romantic holiday.
“Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion to drive sales and encourage gifting by stocking plenty of seasonal gifting lines.
“To maximise sales, we advise retailers to create eye-catching Valentine’s displays and position them at the end of the aisles for optimal visibility.”
To offer better value to shoppers and to help retailers encourage basket spend, Rockstar Energy is launching a new price-marked pack (PMP) proposition across its range. Available from the new year, Rockstar’s “£2 for £2” PMP aims to provide greater value for shoppers, particularly appealing to frequent energy drink buyers.
Stimulant energy drinks are growing by 5.8 per cent year on year and are adding the most value (£50.3m) to convenience. PMPs play a key role in communicating value to consumers, with 51 per cent of shoppers feeling reassured that they are not being overcharged when purchasing PMPs. Rockstar Energy is well-positioned to support the convenience channel. The new multibuy PMP aims to boost sales and drive basket spend by offering energy drink customers greater value across popular Rockstar flavours.
“Our new multi-buy ‘2 for £2’ PMP comes at an ideal time to help retailers capitalise on the strong sales performance of energy drinks,” said Ben Parker, Commercial Director for Britvic. “With stimulant energy now the number one soft drink segment in convenience it is more important than ever for us to support the channel by offering products that meet the high demand for energy drinks and provide value. With flavours and no sugar driving the category forward, growing +8.3 per cent and +3.9 per cent respectively, the new PMP makes Rockstar Energy the go-to choice for every energy fan.”
The new PMP will roll out across the entire range, including Tropical Guava, Blueberry Pomegranate, Mango, and several Zero Sugar options, including Blueberry, Watermelon & Kiwi, and Strawberry & Lime. Rockstar Energy’s new multi-buy PMP will roll out across convenience and wholesale in the new year in conjunction with the existing £1.29 PMP offer.
KP Nuts has partnered with darts sensation Luke Littler, marking a bold move to unite the fans’ favourite snack with this festive season’s most electrifying sportsman.
The collaboration brings together two icons – Luke, a trailblazer in the world of darts, and KP Nuts, the perfect snack for any sporting or social occasion. With Luke “The Nuke” Littler continuing to grow as a global phenomenon, the partnership is part of KP Nuts’ strategy to drive awareness and unlock opportunities within the on-trade and convenience and impulse sectors during the festive season and beyond.
As part of the partnership, Luke Littler will sport the KP Nuts logo proudly on his sleeve throughout his journey at Ally Pally with the PDC World Championships beginning on December 15 and Luke Littler’s first match taking place on December 21. Fans will also have the chance to win exclusive signed merchandise from Luke and other surprises, with further announcements planned for the New Year.
The PDC World Darts Championships is a Christmas staple, bringing the world’s best players together for electrifying competition and capturing the attention of millions of fans. By teaming up with Luke Littler, one of the favourites to win the PDC World Championships, KP Nuts is tapping into the excitement and camaraderie of the darts world, aligning with the passion that fans bring when supporting Luke Littler.
“It’s an honour to team up with KP Nuts as I head into this year’s PDC World Darts Championships,” said Littler. “Darts is all about bringing people together and creating great moments, and KP Nuts is the perfect brand to help make that happen. I’m looking forward to giving it my all on the big stage and sharing some incredible surprises with fans along the way.”
Kevin McNair, Marketing Director at KP Snacks, added: “We’re absolutely delighted to partner with Luke Littler as he prepares to take the PDC World Darts Championships by storm. Luke is an incredible talent with an exciting future ahead, and his passion and determination perfectly align with KP Nuts’ energy and spirit. This partnership marks a significant moment for KP Nuts as we look to bring even more excitement to our fans and the on-trade sector during one of the busiest times of the year. And trust us, there’s even more to come in 2025!”