Mints and gums are one of the most impulsively purchases items in convenience, but it’s not simply just a case of sticking them on the till point – like every category, it requires planning, precision and constant revsision.
by Kevin Scott
That little tillpoint unit housing gum products contributes £28.6m to Scottish FMCG sales, which is no small feat. What’s more, after a few years of stagnation, it is growing again – at 5% yoy. Adrian Toomey, Wrigley Senior Brand Manager, comments: “With gum being four times more impulsive than any other impulse category, it is a must stock for all independent retailers and should be positioned in the till point to achieve maximum sales benefit.”
Impressively, Wrigley’s Extra brand is worth over £20m and is growing at 11.1%. In short, it’s the single biggest brand by a long margin – and will likely be stocked in its many variants in your shop already. “It’s a hugely successful brand for Wrigley and one we’ll continue to invest in throughout 2012 and beyond to help drive category growth and boost retailer profits,” says Toomey.
Trends within the category beyond the overwhelming demand for mint-flavoured sugar-free gum include premium lines, such as Wrigley’s 5, and fruit flavours.
There is also an increasing demand for products with oral health benefits – this is why sugar-free gum is so vital to the category, but beyond that, products like Wrigley’s Extra Ice were developed with scientists to help remove stains and maintain teeth’s natural whiteness. It is a brand that is growing and White Fresh Mint was added earlier this year, while Wrigley continues to communicate the health benefits of gum with its Eat, Drink, Chew oral care message, which is carried on multi media platforms.
From gum to mints
Wrigley isn’t the only big name in mints and gum though. At Kraft, there is the Trebor powerhouse, that recently moved into the gum market. “There is a range of core products across the Trebor brand that we would recommend retailers stock. Within the gum category these are Trebor Peppermint and Trebor Spearmint,” says Susan Nash, Trade Communications Manager at Kraft Foods. “Key SKUs for Trebor mints include Extra Strong Peppermint, Extra Strong Spearmint, Softmint Peppermint, Softmint Spearmint and Softfruits,” she adds.
Kraft says that to make the most of mints and gum it is important for retailers to ensure that shoppers see these products in-store. Nash adds: “Over 80% of customers will only visit 20% of a store during their visit, but the one area that all purchasing customers will visit, is the till. This is why the area around the till is called the ‘hot zone’ – because it offers hot sales opportunities for retailers and a last chance to offer consumers confectionery before they leave the store.”
Another brand making a move in mints is Millar. Following a re-launch in September, the iconic Millar confectionery range is now available through wholesalers, cash and carrys and direct to customers throughout Scotland.
The company says that the re-launch in the independent sector has been even more successful than anticipated, with the multiple sector set to follow suit in the run up to Christmas. The Millar brand was purchased by Livingston-based confectionery and snack producer, Nisha Enterprises, last December. The company is set to launch a new Millar Premium Range this month, which includes Dark Chocolate Mint Creams, Milk Chocolate Caramels and a Chocolate Assortment with chocolate covered caramels, mint and fruit creams.
Nisha Enterprises’ Managing Director, Sunny Pahuja said: “We have had a fantastic reaction from the trade to our product and our new packaging. Everyone seems delighted to have this iconic Scottish brand back on the shelves, and we are working flat out to fulfil orders.”
Mints are one of those products that as well as coming in bag format, can be in handy packs for the pocket or handbag. Tic-tac from Ferrero is one such products and the company’s Customer Development Director, Levi Boorer, says: “Impulse purchases are crucial for mints; amongst the main reasons people buy them is for travel, to eat on the go and for mouth freshening. Pocket Confectionery is one of the most impulsive categories in the confectionery market, with seven out of 10 purchase acts being unplanned, which makes merchandising the right products at till points and on fixture the secret to unlocking sales in this area.”
Gum Facts!
- The gum display’s small footprint in store delivers high margin, fast turnover and strong sales.
- Over £9 out of every £10 spent on gum in store is spent on a Wrigley product.
- With a 92% share of the total gum market and value sales of £26.3m, the Wrigley portfolio is growing ahead of the category at 6.8% YOY.
- Sugar-free gum accounts for 97% of Wrigley gum sales.
Merchandising tips
Wrigley urges all retailers to ensure that gum takes prime position at the tillpoint and that they regularly check their display and keep it fully stocked.
- To maximise impulse sales, your display unit should be highly prominent in the cash zone area and positioned directly next to the primary tillpoint.
- The gum unit should always be in the shopper’s line of vision whilst cash is being exchanged… if it’s out of sight, or most importantly out of reach, your sales will be affected.
- Secondary sitings should always be employed, e.g. as part of the oral care fixture or next to a coffee machine.
- Mints should be sited in the shopper’s path to purchase to drive sales, e.g. close to the cash zone.
- Remember to use impactful displays to drive purchases and, where possible, place mints separate from chocolate to prevent flavour exchange.
- Ensure products are displayed on the correct fittings – mints should be stocked on single units to maximise sales.
Did you know?
In Britain more than 22 million of us regularly chew gum for the enjoyment and great benefits it brings, from breath freshening to a clean teeth feeling. On average, we Brits chew about 100 pieces of gum a year.
Did you know?
Chewing gum has become so popular that it’s difficult to say who is a typical chewer. People often think that it’s young people who chew, but actually more than half of gum revenue is from chewers aged over 30 and almost half of 10-50 year olds chew gum on a weekly basis.
