While every retailer should be aware of the importance of offering their customers the products required for a healthy balanced diet, January is a month when traditionally, more consumers than usual try to improve their diet.
As if any proof was needed of the drive towards healthier products at the turn of the year, when the excesses of Christmas are nothing more than guilty memories, then consider that it is this time of the year when the SGF Healthy Living Programme is at its most active.
As co-ordinator of the Programme Ross Kerr has spearheaded the winter event for the last three years and he is keen to point out to retailers that healthy doesn’t just mean fruit and vegetables, but a whole host of other products, including porridge, unsweetened fruit juice, water, stew packs, soup packs, semi-skimmed or 1% milk, chicken, healthier style yogurts, suitable breads, low sugar beans, pasta and rice. So, no shortage then.
If you require more information on this then the full range products which can be promoted as “healthy” can be found in the Scottish Government’s “Guidance for Promoting Produce” document by visiting the following website: www.scottishshop.org.uk sgfhl. In addition to this, there are a number of companies in the business of selling healthier products who will be shouting about it this month. Stocking up on these products helps offer customers something healthy, but tasty – and should keep your sales ringing in through the quieter winter months.
New Year push from Vimto brands
According to Emma Hunt, Vimto Soft Drinks Marketing Manager, there is an increase in demand for soft drinks that support healthier lifestyles at the New Year. “We’ve seen evidence of this through sales of No Added Sugar variants of our own brands as well as the growth of our Weight Watchers Soft Drinks range.” She points out that 48% of Vimto shoppers will only buy No Added Sugar, which shows the opportunity for retailers to profit from these products. “We are also responding to the government’s health agenda by developing marketing campaigns and extending our No Added Sugar ranges to provide healthier choices to shoppers,” adds Hunt. Both the Weight Watchers Soft Drinks range and 500ml No Added Sugar Vimto range will be part of nationwide promotions in Cash & Carries and the Impulse channel from February. Weight Watchers will be kicking off the new year by featuring in nationwide Weight Watchers marketing campaigns, while Vimto will be expanding its No Added Sugar range with a new 250ml Still PET single bottle, and 6-pack and a 59p PMP single pack.
Staying full with Baxters
Within the Baxters soup portfolio, there are two particularly healthy ranges to stock: Stay Full and Healthy. The health benefits of these ranges are clearly communicated on the packaging, such as the fact that each can contains at least two of the consumer’s five-a-day. The Stay Full range contains five variants, each delivering at least two portions of the five-a-day while containing fewer than 300 calories. The seven variants in Baxters’ Healthy range contain at least two portions of the consumer’s five-a-day, less than 1% fat, a maximum of 59 calories. Baxters Healthy Soups have also been specially designed to provide fibre, protein and carbohydrates.
The lighter side of cheese
With estimates that a quarter of adults are following a diet and many limiting cheese intake as a result, there is an opportunity for the snacking category to adapt to consumers’ evolving health demands. More than two-fifths of consumers agree that they would like to see a wider choice of healthier cheeses available. Mini Babybel, The Laughing Cow and Leerdammer cheese brands from Bel UK are all number-one in their respective segments, and are all available in lighter variants. Stephen Gregory, Head of Category Management at Bel UK, says: “Almost nine out of 10 consumers agree that cheese is a good source of calcium – cheese has outpaced other sources of calcium such as milk in terms of average usage over the 10-year period to 2010, and Mini Babybel is a great fit for this.”
Giving customers a sweetener
One area where consumers can easily improve their diets is by replacing sugar with sweeteners. Splenda from Johnson & Johnson was introduced to the UK market in 2002 as a lower calorie alternative to sugar formulated from Sucralose. Splenda is the leading brand amongst products which are formulated from Sucralose with a 15% share of the total sugar alternative sector. Splenda Mini Tablets 100s are a particularly relevant pack for convenience shoppers. The dispenser offers a handy and convenient format which consumers can keep in their pocket or handbag to keep close by whenever the need for sugar arises throughout their day. Equally Splenda 60g granular format is a must stock within a retailers grocery fixture. This format is relevant due to the versatility it has across a range of dishes from cakes and deserts, main meals and for adding to breakfasts and hot drinks.
