As certain types of spreads continue to come under fire from the media, traditional butter and spreads have taken advantage, meaning that local retailers must ensure their chilled cabinets cater for a range of BSM products to suit all needs.
by Kevin Scott
One of the main reasons for butter returning to popularity is that the UK’s fascination with calorie counting has been replaced with a philosophy of ‘everything in moderation’, combined with an increased interest in contents and provenance. “Consumers have come to expect great tasting BSM products so block butters and spreadables have become increasingly popular due to their natural characteristics,” says Stuart Ibberson, Business Unit Director at Arla Foods. Cooking from home is another major trends that has helped boost sales, encouraged in no small part by TV programmes like The Great British Bake Off and Masterchef. Ibberson says: “BSM is an essential ingredient for these moments and as more consumers are interested in trying out ‘from-scratch’ recipes in the kitchen. Retailers should make sure they stock a strong range of BSM products to support this trend.
Lurpak and Anchor are two of the biggest brands in the category and are available in a variety of sizes in both spreadable and block formats, suitable for cooking and baking, making them perfect helping retailers capitalise on this trend.” Historically BSM has been a heavily branded category with brands representing the lion’s share of sales, especially within Spreadables where brands account for over 97% of sales. “While value is a key focus for shoppers, they are also seeking confidence and reassurance in the products they buy by opting for brands with a strong heritage that has been built up over generations,” says Ibberson. “As two of the biggest brands in the category with extensive heritage and experience in producing great tasting BSM products, Lurpak and Anchor are key in the chiller.”
Arla also recommends retailers follow a mission shopping approach to their BSM category, looking at the roles the category plays in the ‘top up’ and ‘emergency / distress purchasing’ missions. “Chilled, fresh and bakery are the top categories purchased by these shoppers so a strong BSM range is needed to encourage shoppers to use convenience stores for this mission,” says Ibberson. For all of these shopper missions, promotions are key to encouraging impulse purchases, so link deals on key categories such as milk and bread present a huge opportunity to drive incremental sales. Often shoppers on top-up or meal time missions will end up visiting the entire store, so there are many opportunities to drive impulse purchases by ensuring the right range is stocked. Dairy Crest has also launched a number of products within the last year designed to help consumers manage their lifestyles in a healthier way, including the Clover Additions range and Clover Lighter than Light. Louise Pike, Head of Marketing BSM, Dairy Crest says: “At the same time, we have seen the trend for purist health soften over the past year with a movement towards naturalness and taste that is evident in the resurgence of the butter segment. Dairy Crest’s Clover (made with naturally low fat buttermilk, skimmed from the churn) and Country Life brands are each well placed to capitalise on this trend towards ‘natural dairy goodness’.”
At Unilever £10m is being invested in supporting the launch of its new blended spread with butter – Gold from Flora, while new Bertolli with Butter is also benefitting from a TV advertising campaign. Patty Essick, Brand Building Director for Spreads at Unilever UK, comments: “Flora is a family brand that sits on tables across the country every meal time. We’re supporting Gold from Flora with a substantial investment in 2014 to communicate the brand’s light-hearted and family-orientated personality, while asserting the relevance of new Gold from Flora across a broad range of meal occasions.” Gold from Flora and Bertolli with Butter are available in 400g (rrp £2.49) and 225g (rrp £1.49) tubs.
