With 28% of annual off trade alcohol sales taking place over the festive period, Diageo has extended its My Store Matters advice to help retailers tap into this huge sales opportunity.
One of the key sales drivers identified by Diageo is the growing trend for premiumisation – a trend that has been increasingly popular within the wider wholesale channel.
Gin in particular has been the number one contributor to total spirits performance in the Impulse channel over the last year, and its popularity shows no signs of slowing down. However, Gin only accounts for 6% of Total Spirits in Impulse vs 15% in Grocery, so there is still significant headroom for growth in the Convenience channel, particularly during the 12 weeks of Christmas.
Wholesalers should then keep note of such trends surrounding the festive period to make sure stock doesn’t fall short, while ensuring that relevant information is available in depot to help guide retailers as to what to buy.
Claire Kendall, senior customer category manager for impulse and wholesale, said: “The timings of Christmas this year provides retailers with a great opportunity to maximise sales. Whilst 23 December is likely to be the busiest day in the supermarkets, Christmas Eve will be affected by early closing for a Sunday. This is likely to result in increased footfall in the convenience channel, with customers frequenting their local store to make last minute purchases – therefore it’s more important than ever that retailers ensure that they have perfected their range to help boost sales during this key time.”
