Oral care has never been more important to customers and more and more of them routinely buy gum and other related sugarfree lines to keep their mouth and teeth in top condition, offering retailers a great profit opportunity.
Research published in the British Dental Journal in February 2016 revealed significant potential cost savings on dental treatments if people chewed sugarfree gum after eating and drinking. It found that if all 12-year-olds across the UK chewed sugarfree gum three times a day the NHS could save up to £8.2m every year.
With this in mind, it is important that retailers understand the importance of oral care in general, and gum in particular. More and more shoppers are keen to protect their smile and there are few easier and better ways of doing it than by chewing gum, making the category a must-stock at the till point.
Some 80% of women [UltraDEX Survey 2015] are more concerned about tooth loss and oral health than weight gain, while 16-34 year olds are more likely to be concerned with oral health when compared to other age groups [Oral Care Mintel Report 2015].
It’s no surprise then that over 97% of Wrigley’s gum sales are from sugarfree products [Nielsen Scantrack, Jun 17], while Extra sugar free gum is accredited by the Oral Health Foundation.
30%+ – typical profit margin on gum
90% – shoppers who interact with gum buy it
62% – gum purchases which are unplanned [Advantage Group Shopper IQ 2011]
608 – Individual packs that fit in a standard gum unit
50% – shoppers who chew gum weekly [Wrigley online consumer tracking 2013]
But it’s vital to remember that gum isn’t just good for consumers’ teeth; it’s good for retailers’ sales too. The total gum category is currently worth over £261m and Wrigley’s gum portfolio alone is worth over £246m [Nielsen Scantrack, Jun 17]. In other words, Wrigley is the gum category. So what Julio Guijarro, Marketing Director at Wrigley UK, says is worth listening to.
“Growth is being driven by sugarfree gum and we expect this to continue,” says Julio. “Worth over £204m, Extra sugarfree gum is the driving force behind the gum category, which is growing in volume sales and our core Extra flavours, Peppermint and Spearmint, are the top performing variants and are worth over £130m [Nielsen Scantrack, Jun 17].”
As the undisputed leader in the category, Wrigley continues to innovate to bring new and creative ways for consumers to manage their oral care programmes.
The company recently unlocked new consumption occasions and category growth with the return of its in-car gum holder, free of charge with selected purchased gum and mint bottles. Wrigley developed the holder after identifying in-car consumption as a clear growth opportunity. It is being supported by digital and OOH activity, including TV and online videos, bus stop promotions and satnav advertising, in addition to POS material.
Wrigley has also extended its Extra sugarfree gum bottle range with the launch of Extra Cool Breeze 60 pellet bottles.
To help drive impulse sales, the Extra bottle range is available to retailers in £2 price-marked packs to tap into the growing demand for keeping teeth clean and breath fresh after snacking on the go. For retailers, the PMP bottles will help to improve rate of sale, as purchase intent in the gum category has been shown to significantly decline when priced above £2.
Wrigley’s five simple steps to help successfully manage gum sales:
- 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 – such as Extra Peppermint, Extra Spearmint, Extra White and Airwaves.
- Champion new products – e.g. Extra Cool Breeze Bottle and Hubba Bubba Cola and Fancy Fruit Bubble Tapes.
- 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.
