The market for mints and gum is a consistent profit earner for retailers, with evidence showing that those who have secondary sitings around the store will see benefits on their bottom line – and with a wealth of NPD continuing to increase engagement with the category, retailers must remain informed on the changes.
Top gum tips from Wrigley
- Availability is key – gum is more impulsive than any other confectionery line so remember to re-stock each morning and prior to peak traffic times
- Stock the best-sellers
- Champion new products to capitalise on early demand
- Multiple gum sitings – e.g. next to a second till point, confectionery aisle or dental section to drive additional purchases and ultimately maximise sales
- Offer a wide choice of pack formats and flavours – to meet different consumer demands e.g. stock bottles, stick and pellets, as well as a variety of flavours
- Rotate stock regularly – so that older stock is sold through first
- Get creative – use signage and POS to highlight cross-category promotions e.g. stickers on sandwiches to remind shoppers to ‘Eat, Drink, Chew’.
Making a mint
In the mints category, there is a range of core products across the Trebor brand that retailers should keep in stock. These are Trebor Extra Strong Peppermint, Trebor Softmints Peppermint and Trebor Softmints Spearmint, which are the number one, three and four selling mints respectively. Around 70% of spend comes from shoppers who only buy one mint variant, and less than 10% of Trebor shoppers purchase both flavours, showing there is extremely low crossover, so stocking all three varieties is recommended to help maximise sales.
Citrus burst for Extra
As part of its £18m gum marketing spend for 2014, Wrigley is extending the range of its No.1 gum brand with the launch of Extra Ice Citrus. Tapping in to the growing consumer trends towards oral care and fruit flavoured gum, the launch will be supported via a mix of outdoor, in store, digital and TV activity. The launch will be supported across UK cash and carries with 3 for 2 multi packs containing an outer of Extra White and Extra White Bubblemint, plus a free outer of Extra Ice Citrus to drive trial.
Mo gets its right
“The rule is simple,” says SLR Award-winning retailer Mo Razzaq. “If you make gum visible your customers will buy it. It’s an impulse purchase often associated with other items else shoppers are buying, such as a newspaper or a quick bite to eat, so it’s important that it’s prominently displayed where cash is exchanged. Mo has counter displays at both of his stores and invests a lot of time and effort into the category. “I ensure I’m always stocked up with bestsellers, offer a range of flavours and pack formats and support NPD with effective point of sale. Do the same and you’ll be sure to grow your profits,” he says.
