Pladis’ annual biscuit report shows a £330m opportunity in the category over the next three years, as part of an anticipated £1.2bn rise in snacking over the same period.
The 2018 Annual Biscuit Review is the fourth of its kind and highlights key areas for retailers and wholesalers to cash in on the category’s new snacking hotspots, whilst at the same time protecting the £2.6bn core biscuits fixture, which on its own has added another £33m of retail sales in the last year alone.
“It’s easy to forget the huge contribution that biscuits make to the sales of retailers and foodservice operators of all sizes,” explains Stuart Graham, customer marketing director at Pladis UK & Ireland, “which is why our latest review is probably the most important we have launched to date.
“This year’s review will serve as an invaluable resource for retailers, wholesalers and foodservice operators looking to make the most of this ever-evolving category’s hottest new opportunities, as well as containing key advice about how to protect core sales by stocking the right range.”
Meanwhile, Pladis’ biggest brand McVitie’s, is partnering with mental health charity Mind to launch a new campaign aimed at promoting positive mental health by encouraging people across the UK to get talking.
The ‘Let’s Talk’ partnership kicks off in May, with the unveiling of new consumer research from YouGov, commissioned by McVitie’s and Mind, that will reveal the nation’s talking habits and the importance of having meaningful conversations. As part of the partnership, McVitie’s will also support Mind with the opening of eight new Time to Change Hubs and training hundreds of new Mind champions in the UK.
Supported by in-store partnerships with leading retailers and 7,000 convenience and impulse outlets, the campaign will include offering shoppers the chance to gift almost five million complimentary packs of biscuits to loved-ones – with the goal of giving people an excuse to get together and get talking over a cup of tea and a biscuit. Attention-grabbing in-store POS will also be displayed to promote the message and remind shoppers why it’s good to talk.
A variety of events and activities are planned throughout May and the coming months, including on-ground activations around National Biscuit Day (29 May), prior to in-store launches.
Nick Bunker, Managing Director at Pladis UK&I, owner of McVitie’s, said: “Our partnership with Mind is the biggest initiative in our business right now and we want it to have as big of an impact as possible. So it’s fantastic to have the support of some of the UK’s biggest retailers to promote the simple, yet impactful message around the importance of talking for our mental wellbeing – and what better way to do that than over a biscuit and cuppa.”
