Check out the latest festive NPD and supplier insights to ensure you make the most of the run-up to Christmas.
It’s official – Scots can’t get enough of Christmas.
The early arrival of festive ranges in stores this year saw take-home grocery sales in Scotland increase by 2.3% over the 12 weeks to 29 September 2024, according to Kantar.
“Shoppers are treating themselves, with sales of mince pies up 13.5% compared to last year,” said Lesley-Ann Gray, Strategic Insight Director at Kantar. “They also appear to be planning ahead, as packs of seasonal and gifting biscuits increased by 7%.”
The Christmas 2024 opportunity for local Scottish stores is significant, states Swizzels. “Compared to 2023, we anticipate an increase driven by several factors,” says Trade Marketing Manager Clare Newton. “Firstly, consumer sentiment is improving as shoppers look to make this festive season special after the previous years’ challenges. Additionally, with the ongoing trend of stocking up on festive products early, we expect local retailers to benefit from increased footfall as families seek out unique offerings.”
We’ve rounded up some top festive tips and NPD to help you get set for snowballing sales.
In-cider knowledge
Cider sales really start taking off from the beginning of December. “The week before Christmas we see them reach the same dizzy heights as peak summer sales,” says Thatchers. “As people stock up and prepare to host family and friends, the 10-can packs do particularly well.
Thatchers Gold is the bestselling four- and 10-can pack in supermarkets and will deliver good value in store.”
The festive season heightens the demand for premium, heritage brands, says the firm. It recommends stocking Thatchers Katy, its bestselling premium bottled cider, which can be served in a champagne flute on special occasions, and Thatchers Vintage, which can be displayed alongside mulling spices for fans of mulled cider.
Stocking filler fun
In the run up to Christmas, impulse buys such as stocking fillers are extremely popular among customers, states Hancocks. “We encourage all retailers to offer a range of these products during the festive season to ensure they’re maximising sales during this time,” says Head of Marketing Kathryn Hague.
Bonds Reindeer Faces and Winter Wonderland Candy Cups are returning festive favourites. New for 2024 is the Bonds of London Snowflakes Candy Cup (RSP £2.50), which is filled with raspberry- and vanilla-flavoured sugar-coated jellies.
The popular Candy Realms brand has also introduced a Merry Mix Candy Cup filled with Christmas Tree Mallows, Candy Stars and Green and Red Sugared Candy Canes.
Chupa Chups spread festive cheer
Last Christmas, Chupa Chups grew ahead of the sweets category, achieving a significant 15.8% increase in value sales and an impressive 24.2% rise in unit sales, compared to the overall category performance [Circana Unify+, IRI All Outlets & KWP Discounters, Value and Unit Sales, 4we 23.12.23].
What’s more, Lumina research shows that 23% of consumers make confectionery purchases as gifts.
This season, the £17.4m Chupa Chups brand has revealed its first-of-its-kind advent calendar. Bursting with 24 daily surprises, from lollipops to bubblegum, this festive treat brings a playful twist to the traditional countdown and taps into gifting and sharing occasions, making it a valuable addition to retailers’ holiday lineups.
Christmas sharing with KP
From parties to festive movie nights, Crisps, Snacks and Nuts are a staple of Christmas get-togethers, creating a critical opportunity for retailers to bolster sales, asserts KP Snacks.
To tempt top-up shoppers, retailers should use festive displays and POS such as stackers and dump bins to drive basket spend and make impulsive treat categories stand out in store, advises the firm.
“Over the festive season, shoppers are willing to spend more on higher-quality CSN products to bring extra flavour and excitement to Christmas occasions,” says Matt Collins, Sales Director at KP Snacks. “Premium hand-cooked crisp brand Tyrrells is perfect for tempting shoppers to trade up.”
A touch of sparkle
With a rise in social occasions and parties in the home at this time of year, comes the increasing demand for a variety of soft drink options and mixers, according to Britvic. “No- and low-alcohol continues to grow in popularity and has become a top drinks trend [Lumina Intelligence UK Menu & Food Trends Report, December 2023],” says GB Retail Commercial Director Ben Parker.
For those looking for interesting alternatives to alcohol during winter celebrations, he suggests stocking up on J2O’s Ready-To-Drink Mocktails, available in Strawberry & Orange Blossom Mojito, White Peach & Mango Daiquiri, and Blackberry & Blueberry Martini flavours. In addition, the J2O range also includes the festive Glitterberry variant, a blend of grape, cherry and winter spices with edible red glitter.
Golden goodies from Storck
Chocolate continues to lead confectionery sales during the holiday season, with a growing value of £1.9bn, an increase of +12.4% YOY [IRI Unify All IRI Outlets & KWP Discounters 12we 30.12.23]. But sugar confectionery is actually growing even faster, albeit from a smaller base. “Sugar confectionery also plays a significant role, with sales exceeding £490m during last Christmas and growing faster than chocolate at +15.5% year-on-year [ibid],” observes Storck MD Andy Mutton.
The £36m Werther’s Original brand will be on TV screens in the lead-up to Christmas as the Werther’s Original Golden Mix Christmas gift box returns, featuring an assortment of Butter Candies, Toffees, Creamy Filling, and Chocolate Fudge.
Mars adds to the merriment
Mars Wrigley has a new seasonal self-eat to add to the festivities.
M&M’s Crispy Milk Chocolate Santa Treat has an RSP of 65p. The 29g milk chocolate Santa shape is filled with M&M’s Minis, crispy inclusions and creamy vanilla.
The launch is being supported by out-of-home advertising, point of sale material and social media activity.
Also new for 2024, is the Twix & Friends Medium Selection Box. The 140g pack (RSP £2.75) contains: Twix Milk Chocolate Caramel, Twix Salted Caramel fun-size bar, Twix White Chocolate fun-size bar, M&M’s Milk Chocolate fun-size bag, and Milky Way Magic Stars fun-size bag.
The launch is supported by a £8m+ media plan.
Flavour innovation
Experiential gifting is a rising trend, with consumers showing a preference for personalised items, highlights Swizzels. “Retailers can capitalise on this by providing unique offerings, such as customisable gift sets featuring Swizzels’ products,” suggests Trade Marketing Manager Clare Newton.
She anticipates strong demand for innovative flavour combinations that blend traditional favourites with unique twists, appealing to adventurous palates. Swizzels has launched its new ‘Naughty & Nice’ Squashies (120g, RSP £1.15) which features two premium, festive flavours: Strawberry Ice Cream and Apple Pie.
Each bag contains two fun elves – one on the ‘naughty’ list and one on the ‘nice’ list – bringing a playful and personalised touch to the festive season.
