SPAR (UK) news

The convenience channel is going from strength to strength. Our latest forecasts show that the channel will continue to outperform the wider UK grocery market, and will be worth £46.2bn by 2018, up nearly £11bn from 2013. So, how can retailers and suppliers best meet the needs of convenience store shoppers, as they look to improve the shopping experience and drive sales? I’ve accompanied ...

Over 300 delegates attended the Symbol Conference this year to hear briefings from Nisa, SPAR UK, Premier and Costcutter. We've summarised some of the key take outs from the day here. On the look out for value IGD's latest ShopperVista research demonstrates the challenges facing British customers, highlighting 76% of those shoppers interviewed are still concerned about the cost of livin...

SPAR UK has teamed up with Retail Marketing International (RMI) to launch the 'SPAR Media Centre' which is designed to offer a more effective way for suppliers to communicate their promotions across the store. Raise awareness The media centre is a way for all SPAR suppliers to be able to raise awareness of their brands in a 'cost effective, powerful and integrated' way. Based at SPAR U...

SPAR has become the latest UK symbol group to step up its focus on the forecourt sector, with the launch of a fully branded site format, providing SPAR branding across both fuel and store offers. The biggest symbol in the forecourt sector With almost 700 affiliated stores located on forecourts SPAR has a bigger presence in this sector than any other UK symbol group, though retailers opera...

SPAR UK has introduced a variety of new 'exclusive' label wines to boost its private label presence in the category. ‘To fill gap between SPAR label and branded wine ... The company said that it was adding these exclusive ranges to fill the gap between its established  private label and branded wines. Initially the offer will comprise two labels for Spanish wines (Modesta and Solà) and two f...

SPAR has launched a £1 value campaign this month, forming part of a wider move to focus more heavily on its in-store events throughout the year. Comprehensive campaign With price of particular importance to shoppers in the period immediately after Christmas, SPAR is launching a value campaign to highlight a range of products across its stores priced at £1. The launch will be supported by...

Leading independent forecourt operator Euro Garages has announced a £50million deal to acquire 45 service stations from Esso. Convenience stores branded as SPAR All the petrol stations included in the deal are located in the North West, North East, Yorkshire and North Wales, bringing the total number of sites owned and operated by Euro Garages to 120. The sites will continue to have fuel s...

SPAR UK has introduced Amazon collection lockers in nine of its stores with further lockers planned for the future. Driving sales through loyalty and increased footfall The decision to put Amazon lockers in its stores makes SPAR one of the first symbol groups to capitalise on consumers' changing shopping habits.  The move follows the announcement last August by Amazon to launch a nationw...

Blakemore Trade Partners, the Blakemore division responsible for supporting independent SPAR stores across Wales, the midlands and the south-east, is the latest operation in the SPAR UK network to launch phased promotions across its member stores.  Starting from 17 January, Blakemore will introduce a new phased cycle of promotions that will see a succession of new promotions implemented in each we...