Heineken’s award-winning Star Retailer scheme has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2012. Now, on the scheme’s fifth anniversary, Heineken has revealed the next evolution of the Star Retailer scheme to offer retailers more insight and support than ever before, to help them generate even more sales.
Since its launch, the scheme has delivered £60m extra sales to the category in the convenience channel. Its range, category and store space advice has enabled 96% of retailers to improve their range and 83% to experience a sales increase as a result, as well as giving out £1.8m worth of rewards to retailers who have followed the principles.
Five years on, the scheme has been revamped to ensure its enduring relevance in helping retailers continue to make the most of their beer and cider sales.
Shopper missions
As shopper behaviour changes, the channel and the category also continue to change. The scheme now provides more in-depth insights which highlight the growing focus on shopper occasions and missions and how to provide range and product based on these needs. Heineken’s research shows 77% of shoppers buy beer and cider with a specific occasion in mind so Star Retailer has relevant solutions to help retailers encourage consumers to spend more, from exciting POS ideas to maximise the top-up shop, cross-merchandising advice for alcohol specific missions, and perfect beer and cider pairing suggestions for a meal for tonight occasion, whatever cuisine their shoppers fancy.
Premiumisation
The scheme also has an increased focus on the trend towards premiumisation. With every £1 spent on alcohol in the UK, 65p is spent on lager. As premium is the biggest segment within lager it’s imperative that retailers have a good selection in their chiller. Star Retailer’s core product recommendations have been up-weighted to premium lines such as Amstel and Kronenbourg 1664 to help retailers make the most of this trend and increase basket spend.
New look website
As part of these upgrades to the scheme in 2017, Heineken has also refreshed the Star Retailer website (pictured) to house the advice in one place and make it even simpler to navigate. With easy-to-understand information, convenience retailers can access the latest findings on shopper needs and learn how to maximise space and improve store functionality, including regionalised planograms giving guidance on stacking shelves in the most convenient and relevant way for consumers in different areas of the country.
A handy planner will inspire customers to plan the products they need for events including big sporting occasions like the six nations rugby or the Super Bowl, cultural events like Chinese New Year and Australia Day, and foodie moments like National Pizza Day or British pie week, to ensure they’re stocked up and don’t miss out on valuable sales.
Toby Lancaster, Category and Shopper Marketing Director at Heineken, said: “Over five years, Star Retailer has delivered consistency in an ever-changing channel to the benefit of retailers, wholesalers and shoppers alike and it is a significant achievement that Heineken has helped retailers across the UK contribute an additional £60 million to the beer and cider category. The feedback from our customers has been really positive and we are sure they will be delighted with the new and improved advice and website. As the strapline says, the continued evolution of Star Retailer will result in ‘more sales, more support, more Star Retailers’. We hope to help retailers to stay one step ahead of changing customer purchasing habits and make sure they get the most from the beer and cider category.”
Fast facts from HIM
- 96% of Star Retailers believe their beer and cider range has improved since becoming a Star Retailer
- 83% of Star Retailers have seen sales increases across the store as a whole since joining the scheme
- 93% of Star Retailers believe that giving the right share of space to cider, beer and ale/stout helps to grow sales
For more information and advice on how to increase their own beer & cider sales using Heineken’s Star Retailer Principles, retailers can visit the new-look website, www.starretailer.co.uk or follow @StarRetailer on Twitter.
