What
our checkout survey found
What the supermarkets say
What manufacturers say
What
our checkout survey found
Since launching the campaign, over 100 surveys have been
carried out at more than 1,800 checkouts up and down the country.
Retailers have been
assessed on the number of checkouts displaying confectionery products,
crisps and soft drinks.
The surveys have
also noted the percentage of products on display which were stocked
within children's reach. Children were more likely to see the products,
touch them and pester their parent for them!
The league table
(below) is based firstly on the average number displays per till, based
on displays of different types of products, and then by the percentage
of snack free checkouts.
Top of the league
table is Waitrose with a miniscule average of 0.01 average displays
per till. Bottom of the league was ASDA, with an average number of displays
of 1.4 per till.
Retailers who had
no snack free checkouts were: Sainsburys local, Cost Cutter, Europa,
Fairford Leys Pharmacy, Fresh and Wild, and Morrisons.
Many parents complained
specifically about Marks and Spencers, which came in at number 12. 77%
of their tills displayed confectionery, 70% of which were within childrens
reach. The average number of displays on each till of 0.9. Many of the
products which Marks and Spencer display at checkouts have cartoon characters
on them, so are specifically aimed at children, causing lots of pestering
in the checkout queues.
If your local retailer
isn't listed, you might have time to carry out a checkout survey next
time you are shopping - it doesn't take long and it will help us to
keep up to date with the situation. For instance, ASDA have just announced
that they are going to trial run fruit at 4-5 out of 20 of their checkouts.
So far this hasn't shown up in our surveys, so we need to keep an eye
on them.
| Chuck
Snacks off the Checkout league table - January 2004 |
|
|
Confect-ionery
%
|
Crisps
and bagged snacks %
|
Soft
drinks %
|
Stocked
within children's reach
|
%
of snack free checkouts*
|
Average
number of displays per till
|
| 1 |
Waitrose
|
9
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
91
|
0.01
|
| 2 |
Tescos
|
13
|
1
|
1
|
96
|
85
|
0.2
|
| 3 |
Sainsburys
|
29
|
3
|
3
|
53
|
70
|
0.3
|
| 4 |
Lidl
|
40
|
0
|
0
|
50
|
60
|
0.4
|
| 5 |
Co-op
|
39
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
53
|
0.4
|
| 6 |
Tesco
Metro |
63
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
40
|
0.6
|
| 7
|
ALDI
|
40
|
20
|
0
|
0
|
60
|
0.7
|
| 8 |
Iceland
|
46
|
31
|
0
|
90
|
38
|
0.7
|
| 9 |
Mothercare
|
70
|
0
|
0
|
90
|
30
|
0.7
|
| 10 |
Boots
|
42
|
17
|
17
|
100
|
58
|
0.9
|
| 11 |
Kwiksave
|
80
|
10
|
0
|
70
|
20
|
0.9
|
| 12 |
Marks
and Spencers |
77
|
0
|
0
|
99
|
18
|
0.9
|
| 13 |
Safeway
|
88
|
6
|
14
|
85
|
9
|
1.0
|
| 14 |
Booths
|
94
|
0
|
6
|
100
|
6
|
1.0
|
| 15 |
Sainsburys
Local |
80
|
20
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
1.0
|
| 16 |
Cost
Cutter |
100
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
1.0
|
| 17 |
Europa |
100
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
1.0
|
| 18 |
Fairford
Leys Pharmacy |
100
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
1.0
|
| 19 |
Fresh
and Wild |
100
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1.0
|
| 20 |
Morrisons
|
100
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
1.0
|
| 21 |
Somerfield
|
88
|
50
|
13
|
50
|
13
|
1.3
|
| 22 |
Budgens
|
75
|
58
|
8
|
100
|
25
|
1.4
|
| 23 |
ASDA
|
80
|
19
|
30
|
94
|
12
|
1.4
|
| *
This includes checkouts which have products in bins by them and
snack displays at the ends of aisles which are aimed at those in
checkout queues. |
Have a look at some
of the retailers checkout policies below and compare them to what our
surveys have found so far. Are the retailers staying true to their checkout
policies?
What
the supermarkets say
Recognising
that family conflict is often caused by snacks displayed at the checkout,
some supermarkets keep their checkouts snack-free as a matter of policy.
However, many supermarkets
continue to display snacks at their checkouts, on aisle-ends near where
people queue, in dump-bins beside the tills, or even in specially designed
mini-fridges.
The Food Commission
wrote to the major supermarkets, requesting details of their policy
about stocking snacks at the checkout. Here are some of the responses
we received:
Aldi
'At Aldi each of our stores only has four checkouts.
Two of these tills are used for general merchandise such as camera film
and videos. The other two tills are used for different products throughout
the year some of which include snacks. Please note however it is unusual
for Aldi to display sweets and chcolates at the till points.'
ASDA
ASDA recently told the Health Select Committee on Obesity that "After
Christmas we plan to trial a number of sweet free checkouts per store
and will trial a healthy range of snacks at checkouts. We will also
carefully review the range of sweets we currently display"
Booths
Supermarkets
Booths Supermarkets stated that 'we are not one
of those supermarkets who specifically stock products low down, within
children's reach.' It also stated that, 'Where
possible, we would rather sell magazines than sweets. In our Ulverston
store, for example, every other checkout is sweet free.'
Budgens
Budgens told us that they operate 'small
supermarkets and convenience stores' and that they 'simply
do not have the space to give to stands whether used for sweets or other
impulse lines. We like to keep our checkout areas free of clutter and
ensure a clear passage for our customers'. But our survey (see
league table below) found
only one in four checkouts was snack-free.
Co-op
The Co-op told us that it 'prohibits the display
of child-targeted products which are high in fat, sugar or salt at our
traditional-style supermarket checkouts were children may exert 'pester
power' whilst waiting for parents to queue and pay for grocery.' However,
the final paragraph of their letter stated that they had 'recently
acquired a large number of stores and that operationally, conformance
with all our policies in these stores may take some time to achieve.'
Iceland
'...we recognise that some customers may wish
to avoid confectionery and to this end we provide sweet-free checkouts
to ensure we give choice where our stores offer these items.'
Marks
& Spencer
Marks & Spencer said that as part of its 'major
Customer Care Initiative all M&S stores have a minimum of 20% till
points with non-confectionery items … These till points are clearly
signposted to assist customer choice.' The retailer also stated
that because it is committed to the High Street. 'shelf
space is always at a premium' so 'confectionery
fits well in the slip units alongside the till points. This allows more
room elsewhere to show more bulky ranges such as produce and bread.'
Morrisons
Morrisons told us that it offers 'a range of products
from our checkouts, based on customer demand and convenience. We take
a responsible approach and where sweets and snacks are available it
will be a very small selection only, merchandised in specific area and
does not include soft drinks.'
Safeway
Safeway responded to say that, 'Our policy is
that generally we do not stock snacks and sweets at the checkout. The
main exception to this policy is that at certain times of the year (e.g.
Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day), one in four of our checkouts may stock
products, including snacks and sweets, that relate to that promotion.'
Safeway stressed that 'only one in four
of our checkouts would stock these products giving parents the opportunity
to choose one of the many other checkouts that stock other items such
as magazines, films or batteries.'
Somerfield
"We are working towards a policy where only
one in three checkouts will stock sweets or chocolate. We are aware
of the concerns of parents and are currently reviewing all our stores
and looking at our merchandising plans to try and bring this plan in
to practice over the next year."
"In comparison to the large out of town supermarkets our retail
premises are usually positioned in high street locations and are regarded
as convenience stores. As our customers tend to shop for just a few
items (a basket shop compared to a trolley shop) our offering tends
to include a substantial amount of convenience food as well as fresh
produce and meat."
Spar
Because most Spar shops are owned by independent operators 'Decisions
on which products stores stock and where they sell them from, are taken
by individual store owners. SPAR UK Ltd and it's member wholesalers,
are not in a position to dictate to independent retailer a policy on
the sale of snacks at the checkout.'
Waitrose
Waitrose has a commendable checkout policy: 'We
do not merchandise items which could be considered an impulse purchase
such as sweets and chocolates at our checkouts. As well as providing
an uncluttered environment for shoppers, we believe customers appreciate
the fact we do not distract their children at checkouts, which could
lead to so-called pester power.'
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What
manufacturers say
The food industry
often argues that food marketing is only carried out to encourage brand
switching rather than increasing category sales (and therefore the amount
eaten). A similar argument was used by tobacco manufacturers for years
to defend their freedom to advertise.
The quotes below
show that the way food is marketed and displayed in shops are acknowledged
by the industry as important ways to encourage us to buy more sugary
and fatty products by increasing total category sales.
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Cadbury
Cadbury has also stated, in a brochure advising retailers how to position
products to maximise sales, 'Key brands should
occupy key positions: the availability of heavily-advertised lines will
trigger extra sales.'
Ferrero
Ferrero, which manufacturers Kinder Bueno chocolate and Kinder Eggs,
reported that confectionery sales dipped in 2002 (probably due to a
surge in popularity of mobile phones among young people) and said that
it would respond with 'heavyweight marketing support,
including regular TV exposure, to all our confectionery brands to ensure
that they are constantly top of consumers' minds.' In addition,
it advised retailers to 'Stock best sellers; stock
heavily advertised products; and stock and create impactful displays.'
Haribo
Haribo is the best-selling confectioner that specialises in bagged sweets
for children. Haribo's director has commented that
'We believe strongly in the value of promotions in driving sales. We
operate in what essentially is an impulse-driven market, so obviously
the more ways we have of getting consumers to notice our products the
better.'
Kraft
Foods
Kraft Foods, makers of such delights as Dairylea Lunchables, says that
it '…believes that promotions are key to
driving confectionery sales as they entice consumers to try a product,
which is either new to them, or one which they may not have tasted recently,'
and that 'Retailers can benefit from secondary
siting to catch the shopper's attention. Gondola ends, dump-bins and
counter placements all drive incremental sales.'
Masterfoods
(Mars)
Masterfoods (Mars) warned retailers in 1995 that removal of sweets on
the checkout would lead to a 30% fall in confectionery sales. In 2002,
the company stated that it had created promotions specifically designed
to increase the amount of money a customer spends in a shop, including
advising retailers that, 'By organising the layout
so that consumer favourites are sited in the 'hot sport' sales areas,
regardless of manufacturer, retailers could take their share of a potential
increase in £210m extra confectionery sales.'
Masterfoods' Trader
Relations Manager boasted that the confectionery market is worth a huge
£5.8bn a year, which equates to every adult eating confectionery
every working day of the week and amazingly, over the past ten years
it has grown 66%. Apparently just seeing and stopping at a confectionery
display will encourage 80% of shoppers to make a purchase.
Nestlé
Rowntree
Nestlé Rowntree recently stated that 'with
70% of confectionery bought on impulse retailers should aim to put temptation
directly within the shopper's reach.' This advert appeared in
2003 in the industry magazine, The Grocer. In a special marketing
feature, Nestlé's Sales Communications Manager explained that
the company's sales promotions, such as displaying chocolate bars right
next to popular magazines at the checkout, 'aim
to unlock an extra £1 million of profit for retailers, by tempting
25% of women to purchase confectionery with a copy of Take a Break.
This would mean and extra 15m chocolate bars sold across the year.'
Wrigley
Whilst many Wrigley's chewing gum products do not contain sugar, this
cartoon advertisement from a trade magazine illustrates how displays
can be used to maximise profit. Many of the sugary gums and bubble gums,
those most attractive to younger children, are placed low down in the
display, and the packets are arranged in boxes displayed to make it
easy to pick up the attractively packaged gum. The advertisement states
that 20% of confectionery profit can be generated by a Wrigley display
such as this.
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