With 45% of consumers set to have more night in this year, convenience stores are well placed to take advantage of the Big Night In mission, but doing so involves innovative merchandising and a bit of imagination.
It may have begun as a way to combat the recession by saving money on socialising, but as the economy begins to recover it would seem Big Night In is here to stay. What’s more, it’s growing: according to him! Convenience Research 2013, 45% of us are having more quiet nights in vs. 6% who are having less. The very concept of “The Big Night In” links perfectly with mission management, with Big Night In being one of the most identifiable missions.
Him! research says that 77% of consumers would find it useful to have commonly purchased products merchandised together, so having that Big Night In fixture is likely to be a big hit: 70% of shoppers believe it will make shopping easier, 31% say it will make them visit more and 47% think they will buy more. And nights in are so common now, that consumers are stocking up. Using the spirits category as a marker only 7% is purchased for consumption now, according to him!, with more than 35% being bought for use at home or at a friend’s house and a further 23% being used to stock -up cupboards. Vicky Mundy, Category Development Manager RTM & Convenience, Diageo GB, says: “Deciding which drinks to buy for each occasion also varies according to the type of night in and the shopper demographic.
It is important for retailers to stock a range of spirits to suit all occasions, such as vodka for ‘party time’, blended whisky for ‘relax and unwind’ and beer and vodka for ‘causal get-togethers’. Premix drinks should also be stocked as they enable consumers to easily serve perfectly mixed spirit and mixer drinks at home.” Mundy points out that spirits account for almost a quarter of alcohol purchased in the off-trade and the sector has the highest share of consumption in all ‘party time’ occasions at 33%. If your shoppers are planning more of a party night, then 60% of them are likely to choose vodka over wine and beer. However, the ‘Big Night In’ is not just about these ‘high tempo’ occasions, with 46% of spirit trips being spirits bought for ‘relax and unwind’ occasions and 35% for ‘casual get-togethers’.
From Diageo, as well as ensuring to stock up on its mainstream Gordon’s, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan’s, and Baileys brands a number of recent launches remain in high demand. These include Smirnoff Gold, a premium vodka with natural cinnamon flavouring, and garnished with edible 23 carat gold leaf. Cîroc vodka is also being pushed by Diageo and so will be higher in the minds of consumers. Nick Temperley, Head of Reserve Brands at Diageo GB, comments: “Since its launch, Cîroc has been hugely successful in the US and UK on trade market, and is now also the fastest growing luxury vodka brand in the UK convenience sector. Cîroc appeals to consumers who are looking to trade-up to a premium vodka and enjoy a quality drinking experience in the comfort of their own home.”
That mission shopping message is one that Maxxium UK agrees is changing the way we shop. Emma Heath, Marketing Controller at Sourz, comments: “Local retailers will no doubt have noticed Scots beginning to shop by ‘mission’ rather than by specific categories. Inspired by the recent phenomenon of the Big Night In, a popular trend amongst young adults and students generally as a either a prelude or alternative to a night out, a common ‘mission’ for shoppers is to purchase all the ingredients necessary for an enjoyable night in with friends.” While Scottish retailers can’t merchandise alcohol with other categories, they can ensure their off-trade fixture looks great and lends itself to the Big Night In mission: “It is important that retailers stock all the essentials for the perfect night in with friends.
This should include stocking a wide variety of “party drinks” including beer, cider, RTD products, ingredients for cocktails and pitchers, as well as brands such as Sourz.” Sourz remains committed to innovation and providing consumers with an exciting range of drinks, says Heath, and that means flavours that taste great as a shot, with a mixer as a simple cocktail, “shot tail” or in pitchers to be shared with friends.
This spring, Sourz is also championing said “shot-tail”, which is like a cocktail, but in shot form. Heath reveals that a Sourz favourite is the Cheesecake “shot- tail” – two parts Sourz and one part Bols Yoghurt Liqueur floated on top. “Off-trade operators need to stay on top of new trends, and take advantage of them, so in this instance encouraging impulse buyers to purchase both Sourz and Bols Yoghurt by ensuring they have stand out on the shelf together,” says Heath In the beer fridge, while the concentration should remain on high-volume standard lagers, retailers should allow space for world beers as they command a 46% premium price vs the premium lager average with consumers willing to pay more for drinks with perceived authenticity and provenance, and these beers tend to carry higher margins and bigger profits for retailers too.
Big names such as Miller Brands’ Peroni Nastro Azzurro let the customer know that premium beers are available. Retailers should block ranges of world beers together in one area of the fixture to highlight that they offer something different to the mainstream brands. Sam Rhodes, Director of Customer Marketing at Miller Brands, says, “World Beers provide an opportunity for consumers to trade up and retailers to increase margins.
The sector is evolving rapidly and during the last year we have seen interest and talk about craft beer, which is good for the category as it shows people are more open to discovering quality beer and adds value to the overall category. Retailers still need to capitalise on World Beer and stock higher awareness brands – such as Peroni Nastro Azzurro to drive sales”.
FaveReds set to boost sales
Over at Wrigley and the company is hoping its new Starburst variant will boost Big Night In sales. The launch of Starburst FaveReds will be supported in-store, outdoor, online and on TV, forming part of the brand’s new multi-million pound communication platform designed to show consumers just how ‘Unexplainably Juicy’ Starburst is. Rolling out now, Starburst FaveReds brings together consumers’ ‘faveourite’ red flavours in one pack -Strawberry, Raspberry, Cherry and Red Apple, and is set to appeal to new shoppers as well as the existing consumers who, between them, enjoy over 1.5million Starburst chews every week in the UK. Available in a 45g stick and 192g pouch, the new launch is an incremental addition to the Starburst range which is currently worth £2m, growing 2.2% year-on-year.
