CHOOSE A BEER LIKE NO
Summer sizzlers
Our pick of the hottest new products to set your shelves alight this summer and beyond!
Delivering success
The first ever Scoot Retailer Conference 2026 provided a hot drop of business boosting advice and inisght for stores.
9 NEW SCOOT AND ALLWYN PARTNERSHIP
Scoot shoppers can now add National Lottery scratchcards to their orders.
15 COMMUNITY NEWS
The latest round-up of inspiring stories from Londis stores.
17 GROCERYAID UPDATE
The Booker Dragon Boat Race makes waves!
20 PATH TO SUCCESS
Mehboob Khan is on a journey with his new Londis store - and he’s loving every step of it.
28 THE SKY’S THE LIMIT
There’s no end to Londis Solo Convenience’s community spirit.
39 LONDIS WINE FESTIVAL
Uncork wine’s full-bodied potential with the Londis Wine Festival – back for 2026.
47 NEW PRODUCT ROUNDUP
our pick of the hottest new products to hit the shelves.
48 MEET THE TEAM
Booker’s Wine Category Manager Loris Gruarin tells us about the grape opportunity that is wine!
54 SCOOT CONFERENCE
Scoot’s 2026 Retailer Conference delivers - with inspiring insights and top tips from leading retailers.
60 ADDED VALUE SERVICES
Take better control of your energy bills with Saffron Business Solutions.
62 BOOKER NETWORKS
A rousing update from the Disability at Booker Network, now in its second year.
67 ACS VIEWPOINT
ACS Chief Executive Ed Woodall talks toughening up on crime.
Booker Retail Partners
Tel: 0870 050 0158
Opening hours: 8am–5:30pm Monday to Friday
IT and Customer Services
Opening hours: For customer services: 6am–9pm (Monday to Friday)
For IT: 7am–9pm (Monday to Friday)
Email: For customer services: londis.claims@bookerretail.co.uk or enquiries@londis.co.uk
Helpdesk: 0800 298 0758
Londis News team: Email: yourretailmag@booker.co.uk
Welcome to our July-August issue of Londis News!
The heat is on!
Summer’s here and Londis has everything you need to help drive your footfall, sales and profits to hot new heights.
Temperatures are rising and this issue of Londis News provides an equally hot read – so grab yourself a glass of something cool, sit down, and soak up the sizzling showcase of insight, innovation and inspiration that’s simmering inside.
As summer rolls in, so too does the Londis Wine Festival, back for 2026 and packed with a plentiful press of new products, Group Exclusives and amazing value deals that are sure to help drive footfall, sales and profits for stores.
Londis retailers will also be able to get their hands on a suite of professionally designed Wine Festival POS to help them bring their displays to life.
This issue also features an insightful interview with Booker’s Wine Category Manager Loris Gruarin, who devotes his days to helping your wine sales bear fruit.
Our review of the recent Scoot Retailer Conference is another must-read as the home delivery opportunity continues to grow, opening up a whole new audience to Booker retailers.
Did you know that 80% of customers ordering via the Scoot app had never previously shopped in-store?
There’s also a rousing update from the Disability at Booker Colleague Network. Now in its second year, Disability at Booker continues to make great strides towards its aim of reaching as many colleagues as possible and embedding disability confidence across the business, with lots more to come.
And as ever, this issue of Londis News also features a sunny mix of inspirational retailer interviews and heartwarming examples of community care and charitable initiatives.
There’s also bags of news, views, new products and advice on helpful services – all designed to help you make more and save more this summer and beyond.
It’s going to be a scorcher!
Martyn Parkinson Director of Retail Sales
Stewart Fenn Director of Retail Customer Proposition & Forecourt Sales
YOUR LONDIS
New Scoot-Allwyn partnership delivers scratchcards to players’ doorsteps
A new partnership with Allwyn has brought National Lottery scratchcards to the Scoot platform.
Scoot retailers can now offer their shoppers the ability to add scratchcards to their online orders, as part of a new partnership between Scoot and National Lottery operator Allwyn.
The collaboration is “a significant step forward for Scoot” and Scoot retailers, giving customers even more convenience and helping independent stores to unlock additional sales opportunities through home delivery.
As part of the integration, Scoot shoppers across the UK will be able to order scratchcards alongside their everyday purchases for delivery in as little as 30 minutes.
Retailers will be supported with clear guidance on how to sign up and operate the service, including safe delivery processes for age-restricted products.
Participating stores will also be required to complete relevant training modules through the National Lottery Retailer Training Centre to ensure compliance with responsible play standards.
Booker’s Head of Home Delivery, Damian Sanderson, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Allwyn to bring National Lottery Scratchcards to the Scoot platform.
“This is a significant step forward for Scoot and for our retailers, giving customers even more convenience while helping independent stores unlock additional sales opportunities through rapid delivery.
“At Booker, we’re focused on helping retailers evolve alongside changing shopper habits, and this partnership reflects the growing demand for fast, flexible access to everyday essentials and services. We’re proud to be working with Allwyn on such an exciting launch and look forward to seeing the partnership grow.”
Allwyn’s Retail Revenue & Customer Director, Alison Acquaye-Acford, added: “Shopping habits are changing fast, and convenience is now a key consideration for our players. Our collaboration with Scoot is a real win for players who can now have their favourite scratchcard games delivered right to their door.
“Retailers are a cornerstone of The National Lottery, and by partnering with Scoot we are unlocking additional revenue streams for Scoot retailers. Ultimately, this helps us reach more people and continue raising millions every week for National Lottery-funded projects.”
DRS operator fees confirmed
Exchange For Change has confirmed the fees to be paid to return point operators under the Deposit Return Scheme.
Exchange For Change has confirmed the fees to be paid to return point operators under the DRS across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, ahead of its launch in October 2027.
The Return Handling Fee (RHF) will operate on a tiered basis across manual and automatic return points, covering a range of return volumes.
Following industry consultation, the fees have been set at 3p per container for manual return points.
For automatic return points using a reverse vending machine (RVM), the structure is split into two tiers: 5p per container for up to 225,000 in-scope items returned annually, and 1.3p per container for volumes above that threshold.
The confirmation of the handling fee follows Exchange For Change’s proposal of a £6,000 grant to help small, independent retailers cover the upfront
costs of installing an RVM. The funding would sit alongside the RHF and be paid in three annual instalments of £2,000.
However, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has raised concerns that some retailers may not be able to cover their costs if they host an RVM.
ACS modelling indicates that the fixed costs of providing an RVM are likely to exceed £10,000 annually. This means retailers would need to see returns of at least 4,000 containers a week, or 208,000 a year, to break even.
Exchange For Change recommends that businesses seeing more than 2,000 containers returned each week should opt for an RVM due to the complexities of manual handling at those volumes.
If the ACS cost estimates prove accurate, stores with return rates of between 2,000 and 4,000 containers a week would lose money each year as a result of participating in the scheme.
Flat 20p deposit value for DRS confirmed
Exchange For Change has confirmed that a flat 20p deposit will be applied to all in-scope containers when the scheme launches in October 2027.
The 20p deposit will be applied to all single-use drinks in PET plastic, steel and aluminium containers between 150ml and three litres at the point of purchase, and will be fully refundable to consumers when the containers are returned.
Exchange For Change
CEO Russell Davies said: “The deposit value is a pivotal part of how the Deposit Return Scheme will work in practice. That’s why we’ve engaged widely with industry, undertaken extensive market research and in-depth analysis on how schemes work in other countries. This work has identified that a flat 20p deposit is the most proportionate and sustainable amount for the UK.”
International e-commerce boom fuels parcel services demand
Out-of-home parcel collection points continue to grow in importance as international e-commerce builds.
With nearly half (45%) of UK consumers having purchased goods from international online retailers in the past 12 months, the role of out-of-home parcel collection points is growing in importance, Collect+ has claimed.
The parcel firm revealed that the popularity of international e-commerce has placed significant pressure on UK delivery networks and, while home delivery remains the preferred option for 81% of international shoppers, over one in 10 (11%) said they would prefer to collect from a local shop or parcel point. This figure rose to one in five (21%) among 25–34-year-olds.
Younger consumers are driving the surge in cross-border purchases, the research also revealed. More than half (53%) of 18–24-year-olds and 54% of 25–34-yearolds have bought from international retailers in the past year, compared to just 32% of those aged 65 and over.
The returns process was identified as a leading concern for those receiving international deliveries, with 34% citing it as a worry, second only to additional costs such as customs fees (43%).
Location and accessibility continue to shape consumer preferences, with 88% of all respondents saying it is important for parcel collection and drop-off points to be located close to their home or workplace.
Sam Holden, director of parcels and e-commerce at PayPoint, said: “The growth in international e-commerce is reshaping how UK delivery networks operate. It’s no longer just about getting parcels into the country, it’s about what happens once they arrive and, critically, how efficiently they can be returned.
“Pick-up and drop-off networks like Collect+ play a vital role in managing these volumes.”
Brits spend 370 million hours a month on parcel admin]
Brits are spending an estimated 370 million hours every month managing deliveries and returns, new research from Quadient has found.
The average consumer now spends 5.5 hours a month managing parcels, equivalent to 66 hours a year.
The biggest parcel time drain is waiting at home for a delivery, which accounts for 1.5 hours a month per person or 18 hours every year.
While parcels were once mainly associated with receiving goods bought online or an occasional present, they now play a much broader role in modern life.
On average, Brits now receive six parcels a month and send seven.
Of the parcels received, four come from general online shopping, one comes from regular subscriptions and one is work-related.
The findings also highlight how resale has become a mainstream part of the parcel economy.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Key issues of interest to you
Retail Family scores with first in-person event
Retail Family – the online safe space created for retailers by retailers has held its first inperson event at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium.
Founded two years ago by a group of retailers, including Londis retailers Natalie Lightfoot and Atul Sodha, Retail Family runs regular Monday evening zoom calls where retailers can chat, vent and share experiences – with the aim of “preserving their mental health.”
More than 620 guests have joined the calls since the group was established, racking up over 6246 minutes of support in that time.
Supported by Cadbury UK, guests at the first ever Retail Family event enjoyed an inspiring
Friendly following at Londis Broad Havern
update on the group’s performance and were able to play 4x15 minute quarters on the famous pitch.
Commenting on the day, Natalie said: “It was a huge success! We had real officials, a commentator, coach and Dennis Irwin spent the day sharing his advice! We got to walk out onto the pitch in ‘the theatre of dreams’ and so many of us had our dreams come true. No business just pure joy!”
Energy saving in action
Londis Goonhavern Village Stores in Cornwall has taken control of its energy use and protected itself from rising energy costs by investing in solar panels.
Londis Broad Havern in Wales has celebrated surpassing 1,000 followers on its Facebook page –a big achievement for a small seaside store.
A post on its Facebook page read: “Whether you pop in daily for a paper and a chat, dash in for beach essentials, or follow along here to keep up with village life, we really appreciate your support. We’ve always been about serving our community and it means the world that so many of you choose to support a local shop.
“Here’s to fresh bread, last-minute BBQ saves, holiday treats, friendly faces – and the next milestone.”
Working with a complex roof layout, a clever system was designed to combine ballasted solar arrays across the flat roof with additional panels on the pitched section.
The result is an impressive 91% selfconsumption rate, meaning that most of the energy generated is used directly by the store.
That means lower running costs, far less reliance on the grid and around eight tonnes of CO2 avoided every year.
The Booker Dragon Boat race makes waves
Booker’s annual fundraising event for industry charity GroceryAid proves a hit once again, as more than 40 teams raise hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The annual event has rapidly become an important part of GroceryAid’s calendar, with more than £370,000 raised in 2025, with every penny going to the charity to help it provide industry colleagues in need with financial, practical and emotional support.
The event saw participants return to the backdrop of Bisham Abbey to row down the River Thames to the beat of the drum. Throughout the day, there were sponsor activations, entertainment, a BBQ and the allimportant prize-giving.
The second spectacular Booker Dragon Boat Race took place last month as more than 40 teams took part and helped to raise £420,000 for industry charity GroceryAid.
This year, more than 40 teams took part and raised an amazing £450,000. More than 450 Booker colleagues and members of the senior commercial team competed to be crowned Dragon Boat champions.
“The Booker Dragon Boat Race is a fantastic event in support of our charity partners GroceryAid,” said Booker CEO Andrew Yaxley. “Once again, it was a fantastic day of friendly competition, entertainment and networking, whilst also raising vital funds for such an important cause.”
Checkout returns
GroceryAid’s Scotland Committee has confirmed that its flagship event, the Checkout Scotland music festival, will return for the fourth consecutive year in 2026.
Please visit groceryaid.org.uk to buy tickets to the event.
The event will take place in Glasgow on 27 August, with over 700 industry colleagues expected to attend. Last year saw Peter Andre and Callum Beattie among the stars on the main stage.
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RETAILER PROFILE
Steps to success
Road to success
Mehboob Khan is on a journey with his new Londis store – and he’s loving every step.
Independent retailing is often described as a journey – sometimes the terrain is smooth and sunny, sometimes rough and inclement. There can be crashing lows but also exhilarating highs along the way.
One retailer who is certainly on a journey is Mehboob Khan who, after 12 years of unaffiliated retailing, has joined the Londis family – and gained a caravan of support for the road ahead.
It was the summer of 2025 when Mehboob and his family, who own two other unaffiliated stores in London, purchased a run-down convenience store on Sheen’s bustling Upper Richmond Road.
Despite sales barely cresting £200 a day, Mehboob was sure he spied an opportunity – but only if he started to walk a very different path.
Primely located on a bustling stretch of the high street and nestled among a diverse medley of upmarket cafés, restaurants and shops, including a standalone Cook and a large Waitrose supermarket, Mehboob knew that the store had the potential to shine.
Just how brightly would be the challenge. And that’s where the idea of symbol group membership came in.
Following an inspiring meeting with Londis RDM Onkar Bancil, Mehboob then journeyed down the A3 to see the award-winning Londis Merton Park and recently redeveloped Londis Devonshire Road – visits which left him both impressed and encouraged.
And so, in December 2025, the latest leg of Mehboob’s journey – from unaffiliated shopkeeper to professional symbol group retailer – began.
The store was closed for just under a month while essential building work took place – including extending the shopfloor to 950sq ft by expanding into former storage space at the back.
“We didn’t need such a large storeroom because the store was lucky enough to have a huge underground cellar which the previous owner was hardly using,” Mehboob explains.
The stairs leading down to the cavernous space – almost as large as the store above – were reinforced during the works, before the interior was cleaned up and fitted out with shelving and backup chillers and freezers.
Eventually, Mehboob says, the space will also play host to kitchen equipment, enabling the store to launch a hot food-togo offer.
Works done, he then worked tirelessly with Onkar and the Londis format development team on the design – tweaking it until it was just right.
“The support that I’ve had from Onkar and the whole Londis team has been fantastic from the start – and it’s ongoing,” he says.
“It’s such a relief to know that I now have this network behind me and everyone is willing us to succeed,” he adds.
Outside, the brand new store’s smart illuminated fascia shines like a beacon to all those who pass – supported in its efforts by a lit Londis projection sign. The message to shoppers is clear: ‘We’re here and we’re ready to welcome you.’
Inside, the whole store has been designed and ranged in accordance with the tried and tested Londis space matrix, with a few tweaks here and there in line with hyperlocal needs.
“It just works,” Onkar adds. “Convenience has changed and the Londis space matrix has been designed to reflect that change and meet those new shopper needs perfectly.
“In the old days, convenience stores tended to centre around grocery, with a smattering of other categories, but that’s been completely turned on its head now.
“Our goal for Londis Upper Richmond Road was to create a store where shoppers could find everything they needed – and that’s where so many other convenience stores fall down.
STORE INFO
Store name: Londis Upper Richmond Road
Retailer: Mehboob Khan
Staff: 3
Size: 950sq ft
Opening hours: 7am–11pm
“If a customer comes in to buy ingredients to make a pasta dish – they’ll grab the dried pasta, the tomato sauce and the onions, but if they get to the chiller and there’s no mince, they’ll put the whole basket down and walk out.
“That won’t be a problem at this store though, it has everything they need. It’s strong across the board, from fresh to frozen, confectionery, snacking and – of course – BWS.”
Featuring a striking 200sq ft cool room for beers, wines, ciders, RTDs and more, the new store has already become a destination for BWS.
“When shoppers come in and see ‘The Cooler’ they can’t help but say ‘wow!’ It takes their breath away, it’s such a fantastic USP and definitely helps us stand out from the high street crowd,” Mehboob says.
The store also features a striking Treat Stop zone at the entrance, which currently stars Lavazza coffee.
“It’s still early days, we’re at the start of this journey and there’s still a lot to learn and a long way to go,” Mehboob adds.
It’s fair to say that the team has already travelled along a steep learning curve.
With 12 doors of energy-efficient refrigeration for chilled food to go, meal solutions, meat, dairy, soft drinks and more, Mehboob and the team have had to learn a vast array of new skills, requirements and processes – and they’ve benefited from lots of training, both face to face and online, to help them get to grips with it all.
“Access to training is definitely another big advantage of symbol group membership and as Londis retailers they can get it all, from training on temperature and date checks to COSHH manuals, health and safety and so much more,” Onkar adds.
The store also has a “proper promotional strategy” in place now – a key requirement in the current valueconscious climate.
“Some shops talk to you, and some shops are just rooms with stock on the shelves.
“Our aim was to help Mehboob create a shop that truly spoke to its customers and thanks to its new promotional strategy it certainly does that.”
In fact, from its vibrant window posters to its prominent Amazing Value bay and four-weekly promotional cycle, the store doesn’t just speak value – it practically screams it.
And, thanks to Londis’ professional suite of point-of-sale materials, those Amazing Value prices and Mega Deals stand out loud and proud.
Shelf barkers call attention to greatvalue Jack’s products, while clean and clearly printed white shelf-edge labels shout professionalism.
In line with Onkar’s advice, Mehboob and the team strive to ensure that every metre of shelf space now features at least one special offer.
“The yellow ‘Amazing Value’ labels relay that key value-for-money message to shoppers very clearly,” Mehboob says.
On certain categories, including spirits and beer, products are also supported by double-sized shelf-edge labels that help those great-value prices stand out even more.
“You can’t overstate the importance of having a strong value for money offer
these days, it’s absolutely essential,” Onkar says.
“Shoppers are looking for it at every turn. It’s why multipacks are flying at the moment. Whether we’re talking ice creams, crisps, beers or chocolate bars, it’s the multipacks, rather than the singles, that shoppers are putting in their baskets.”
Four months on from opening and shoppers are indeed filling their baskets at brand new Londis Upper Richmond Road.
“Sales are growing week on week and month on month, and every day we are seeing new faces who are then returning in the following days,” Mehboob says.
“The feedback we are getting is so encouraging. Shoppers love the look of the store, from the diamond LED light fixtures on the ceiling to the smart dark shelving and energy-efficient chillers with doors and of course The Cooler – every inch of it looks so inviting and professional.
“They also love the range and the prices.”
“With Londis Upper Richmond Road, Mehboob now has a store with a proper retail strategy and a clear direction of travel,” Onkar adds.
“Next up we’ll launch hot food to go and then Scoot home delivery – it’s all very exciting,” Mehboob says.
“I’ve been running stores for 12 years now, but this is the best part of the journey so far. I’m on the right path and I can’t wait to see where it takes me.”
Top tips!
Value for money is key – we highlight our proposition by ensuring that every metre of shelf space features at least one special offer.
2 3
Availability is critical –especially within fresh and chilled, which drives incremental sales.
Multipack formats are flying off the shelves thanks to their strong value for money credentials.
RETAILER PROFILE
The sky’s thelimit
There’s no end to the lengths that the team at Londis Solo Convenience go to meet the needs of their local community.
From 132-foot bungee jumps to local Pavement Festivals that stretch along the high street, there really is no end to the lengths, both physical and metaphorical, that Londis retailer Natalie Lightfoot goes to for the good of the local community.
It’s why Natalie and husband Martin were named among the most community-minded retailers in the whole of the UK at Allwyn’s inaugural Local Retail Champions awards.
In the last year alone, Natalie, Martin and their team at Londis Solo Convenience in Glasgow have walked, run, jumped, collected, collaborated and donated to a jaw-dropping number of initiatives, all designed to help make life better for local people – tackling real-life challenges, from healthy eating to period poverty, employment struggles, financial hardship, mental health and so much more.
Even local dogs and cats have benefitted from their community care, thanks to generous donations to various shelters.
And of course, being there for your community isn’t purely about fundraisers and raffles – it’s also about range and responsiveness, making the very most of that unique ability that independent retailers have to drill down into precisely what their local customers need and deliver it for them.
And those customer needs have certainly changed over the 19 years that Natalie has run the store at the heart of Glasgow’s bustling Baillieston suburb.
Heck, the shift in the last year alone has been nothing short of seismic.
“When we first opened there was a Blockbuster opposite, so a lot of our customers came in looking for sweet and savoury snacks to enjoy with their videos or DVDs,” Natalie explains.
“We were always known as a great ‘munchie’ store and even now, with the Blockbuster gone, we’ve not wavered too much from that – we’ve upped the ante though and work exceptionally hard to keep the offer as exciting as possible by focusing really
hard on range, on innovative new products, on great availability and by using social media really, really well.
“We’ve obviously expanded our reach with the launch of home delivery but even with that, we still over index with women aged 26 to 44 – that’s our key demographic both in-store and online.
“Convenience is key for our shoppers, they don’t come to us to buy a whole chicken, they come for quick, complete, quality meal solutions and for the tasty snacks, treats and newness.”
Interestingly, Natalie says that in recent months she’s also noted a rise in demand for more convenient GLP-1 foods – nutrient-dense, portioncontrolled, high-protein products that support satiety and muscle health.
“The trend towards GLP-1 products has just exploded,” she says, “and we’re seeing it across loads of categories, from snacking to soft drinks and within fresh and chilled. It all started with sugar-free but it’s gone so much further than that now – with so many shoppers now much more conscious about what they are putting into their bodies.”
It’s one of the key drivers of success of the store’s new range of locally made Healthy Buddha Chinese ready meals.
Made by a local supplier, the fresh, balanced, nutritious and ultra-convenient Chinese meals are available for an RSP of £6.99 or as part of a ‘2 for £13’ deal, which shoppers simply can’t get enough of.
“We get two deliveries a week with more than 30 meals in each and we sell out every time,” Natalie says. “We have one customer who comes in regularly to buy six at a time.
“Being locally made, the range also gives us yet another great point of difference from our competitors.”
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And Healthy Buddha meals are far from the only local delights to grace Natalie’s shelves.
In the spirit of supporting other local businesses and giving customers what they want, Londis Solo Convenience’s shelves are packed with unique local products, from The Luv Box Co stuffed cookies to handmade Scottish tablet from the Tablet Fairy and an array of spiced delights from Arthendas, including their ‘viral Tikka Marinade’, which flies off the shelves no sooner than it hits them.
“It’s made by a fantastic local family business, and I sell five cases of the marinade alone a week; it’s just wonderful stuff,” Natalie says. With an RSP of £4.25, it’s also wonderful for sales.
The shift towards home delivery, which exploded during the Covid-19 pandemic and now forms a key part of Natalie’s business, has also had a major influence on the store’s range.
“Home delivery has really opened our eyes to the opportunities to be had with multipacks and larger pack sizes that tick that value-for-money box for shoppers –and one of the great things about home delivery is that I don’t necessarily need to keep those large pack sizes on the shop floor – we can keep them out the back – and that’s key when your shop floor is only 650sq ft!
“Hardly anyone is going to walk in here looking for a massive bag of dog food to carry home with them. They will buy it online and have it delivered though.”
However, even a stockroom has its limits, so when Natalie and Martin were looking for new ways to gain space and expand
STORE INFO
Store name: Londis Solo
Convenience, Glasgow
Retailers: Natalie and Martin
Lightfoot
Size: 620sq ft
Services: National Lottery, home delivery, parcel collection, free ATM
Opening hours: 5am–9.30pm
their range as part of a mini refit last year, they looked not out – but up!
“The only way was up,” Natalie laughs.
“We invested in some new, more energy-efficient fridges which were the same height as my old fridges but featured a much lower deck because they didn’t have the mechanics underneath.
“The new lower fridges meant that I had more space on the wall above, so I expanded up into my suspended ceiling, adding two new levels of extra shelving.”
The new shelves are devoted to larger
Top tips!
Local products are a great way to create excitement and set yourself apart – as well as supporting other local businesses.
Embracing tech such as staff headsets and temperature monitoring is helping to drive real efficiencies. 1 2 3
Home delivery has opened our eyes to the opportunities to be had with multipacks and larger pack sizes that tick that valuefor-money box for shoppers.
pack sizes and multipacks, which are predominantly sold as part of online orders and not generally bought by customers in store.
“We’ve also put kitchen towel and other paper products up there, as again that’s something which tends to be sold online rather than in-store,” Natalie adds.
“Obviously, if an in-store customer wants it, we’ll get it down for them though!”
That move alone freed up three bays on the shop floor, allowing Natalie to expand her cleaning range, as she explains: “Cleaning is a strong category in our store and it’s also a big basket spend booster because you tend to find
*Source: Nielsen IQ; Squash, Flavoured Carbonates, RTD Still Juice Drinks, Flavoured Water, and Energy categories; 12-month period ending 21.03.2026 ; Total Coverage. **Source: Brand Footprint 2025, data provided by Worldpanel by Numerator, YouGov, & Intage. Contains naturally occurring fruit sugars. Vimto is a registered trade mark of Nichols plc.
that customers on a cleaning mission will need to buy multiple things, not just the sprays, but also the accessories such as sponges, brushes and cloths.
“I’ve also expanded my range of laundry products, again in line with the growing trend towards scents. Shoppers are very particular about scents, especially within laundry, these days, and I can now offer them a whole range of different scents to choose from, so we’re winning on that.”
The extra space has also enabled Natalie to expand her range of dog and cat foods – another growing category for the store.
Along with the energy-efficient chiller upgrades and new shelving, last year also saw Natalie introduce Kelsius wireless temperature monitors – with the new tech already helping the team to save precious man-hours by negating the need for time-consuming manual checks and record keeping.
Other recent investments, which have helped to make both the store and the community safer, include the installation of a new CCTV system to better monitor the shop floor and street outside, along with new digital staff headsets from Quail, which Natalie describes as a “godsend”.
“They are just so good,” she enthuses. “They help so much when it comes to replenishing stock, but they also allow us to discreetly alert each other to shoplifters or other criminality, which in turn helps us all to feel more secure.
Much of these “game changing” tech investments were funded with the help of the £20,000 prize pot awarded to Natalie and Martin after they were
crowned joint winners of Allwyn’s inaugural Local Retail Champions awards back in 2024.
The prize money has also helped to fund a soon-to-be-fitted defibrillator for the community.
Natalie and team member Alix have also recently completed training on how to use a defibrillator and perform lifesaving CPR as Natalie continues to push her community care to new heights.
She’s also currently in the throes of organising this summer’s Main Street Pavement Festival for the community, followed by a thrilling Halloween Walk in the autumn.
What Natalie does after that is anyone’s guess, but as she’s already proved with her ceiling, the sky really is the limit.
IT TANGS YOURSELF, BACK
*Source: Circana, Water Category, value and volume sales in the UK for 52 w/e 8th November 2025 Subject to availability
CATEGORY UPDATE
WINE AND DINE
The Londis Wine Festival is back and serving up a goblet of opportunities for retailers to dine out on.
Contributing billions of pounds to the tills of UK retailers each year, the wine category certainly serves up an opportunity that’s well worth tucking into – especially when you consider wine’s basket-boosting powers – think sumptuous reds paired with succulent steaks, and light whites with luscious leaves.
Wines with a price point of £8–£9 now boast a 41% share of sales –performing ahead of the category and highlighting the need for retailers to have a solid premium wine offer.
Just ask Londis retailer Mark Gilson of Londis Garswood Filling Station in Wigan, who describes wine as a key footfall driver and basket-spend builder.
“Wine’s a really important category in our store, in fact, we’ve become a real destination for it,” he says. “It’s also a big driver of associated purchases including fresh meats, ready meals and
chilled fruits and vegetables,” he adds.
Booker’s Wine Category Manager Loris Gruarin certainly agrees: “Wine is a key footfall driving category!” he enthuses. “Shoppers these days expect to be able to go to their local store to buy a bottle of wine, a meal for tonight, some milk, some bread etc. Wine is always on their radar now.
“That’s why it’s so key for retailers to keep their range relevant and on trend with exciting new products, the right prices and special offers. It’s an absolute must.”
And helping them to do just that is the Londis Wine Festival, returning for duty during the NP6 and NP7 periods.
The Londis Wine Festival will serve up seven weeks of fantastic promotions, great value prices and exciting new products, including several First To Market and Group Exclusives – all backed by high-impact point of sale (POS) materials, all designed to help stores uncork the wine category’s fullbodied potential.
The Wine Festival line-up has been finely tuned to help retailers create a compelling Good, Better, Best proposition by touching a wide range of price points and ensuring that there’s a bottle for everybody to enjoy.
Helping retailers to score with soccermad shoppers as the football season reaches its climax this summer are a range of ‘2 for £12’ and ‘2 for £13’ deals on bestselling brands including Seven Tenths Bin 201, Caparelli, Barefoot, Echo Falls, Blossom Hill, Quirky Bird and McGuigan Lot 92. Retailers in Scotland
will be able to offer single bottles for £6 and £6.50 respectively.
The need for retailers to also create a compelling premium-priced proposition has been carefully considered.
As the trend towards “drinking less but drinking better” continues to take root among UK shoppers, wines with a price point of between £8–£9 are growing in popularity and now boast a 41% share of sales – performing ahead of the category.
Londis retailers will be able to serve their shoppers a bevy of bottles in this price bracket including Kylie Rosé, Brancott Estate Flight Sauvignon Blanc, Porta 6 Lisboa Red, and new Jacob’s Creek Juicy and Smooth Red, Vibrant and Fruity White and Refreshing and Lively Rosé for £8.49 a bottle.
ROSÉ CONTINUES TO BLOOM
With rosé sales continuing to flourish, the Wine Festival also stars a number of exciting new rosé products and great value promotions on existing top-sellers.
Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), recently described rosé as a “ray of sunshine for wine producers and retailers,” with volumes up 3% and value up 5% on a year ago – generating £882m in sales according to its latest Market Report.
Key wine trends and how to bottle them
During the summer of 2025, sales of rosé were up 1% over the 12 weeks compared to the previous year and rose again by 1% over the 12 weeks up to 27 December, proving that the pink stuff is now a year-round pick for shoppers and no longer just a summer sip.
l Many wine shoppers are choosing to “drink less but drink better”, a fact that means wines with a price point of £8–£9 boast a 41% share of sales.
Make the most of this trend by offering a strong Good, Better, Best proposition including a good mix of premium wines. Londis’ new wine planograms will help you create a corking offer.
l Sweeter and flavoured wines are helping to bring new shoppers into the category from other BWS sectors such as cider.
Meet this demand with a good range of New World wines which tend to offer a sweeter taste and innovative new products such as Echo Falls Blue Raspberry, which hits a key flavour trend.
l Sales of lighter white wines, rosés and sparkling products rise in the summer months, fuelled by the warmer weather and increased outdoor occasions.
Londis retailers now have access to more than 20 new wines including Cloudwatcher Alvarinho, Les Dauphins White Côtes du Rhône and Canti Asti – perfect for toasting summer celebrations.
l Smaller formats such as cans are helping to innovate the category and appeal to shoppers searching for picnic or ‘on the go’ solutions.
Londis retailers have access to a great range of canned wines including exclusive Wairau Cove New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 187ml cans, and La Vieille Ferme Rosé 200ml cans.
SMALL AND MIGHTY
With single-serve products continuing to grow in popularity, the Londis Wine Festival includes great deals on a number of small format products, including new canned wines.
Wairau Cove Sauvignon Blanc 187ml
Most Wanted Sauvignon Blanc 187ml
Most Wanted Malbec 187ml
Most Wanted Sauvignon Rosé 187ml
La Vieille Ferme Rosé 200ml
Barefoot Merlot 187ml
Barefoot Pinot Grigio 187ml
Blossom Hill Rosé 187ml
£18.99 ‘Any 2 for £5.50’ 42.45%
£18.99 ‘Any 2 for £5.50’ 42.45%
£18.99 ‘Any 2 for £5.50’ 42.45%
£18.99 ‘Any 2 for £5.50’ 42.45%
£18.99 ‘Any 2 for £5.50’ 42.45%
£20.29 ‘Any 2 for £5.50’ 38.52%
£20.29 ‘Any 2 for £5.50’ 38.52%
I Heart Pinot Grigio 187ml £20.29 ‘Any 2 for £5.50’ 38.52%
I Heart Sauvignon Blanc 187ml £20.29 ‘Any 2 for £5.50’ 38.52%
NEW PRODUCTS!
The Londis Wine Festival provides a corking line-up of exciting new products including First To Market and Group Exclusives.
M315907 Fuego PMP
M315912 Intense Nacho PMP
M318544 Smokin BBQ PMP
M315909 Blue Heat PMP
In 2025, the equivalent of 129 million 75cl bottles of rosé were sold compared to 125 million bottles the previous year and around 122 million bottles in 2023.
The Wine Festival will star a number of new and First To Market rosé wines, such as Jacob’s Creek Refreshing and Lively Rosé, along with mega deals on bestselling products including Secretary Bird Rosé and Hardys VR Rosé for just £5.99 – plus great value prices on bottles of Jam Shed Rosé and Trivento Malbec Rosé Reserve for £7.49 and Cabana California Rosé for £7.99.
Shoppers will also be able to bag amazing value deals on a number of sparkling rosé products, sure to be a hit for summer celebrations, including Plaza Centro Prosecco Rosé for £8.49, Kylie Prosecco Rosé for £9.99 and Freixenet Italian Sparkling Rosé for £11.49.
Shoppers looking for smaller formats will also be able to snap up 20cl bottles of Canti Prosecco Rosé as part of an ‘Any 2 for £7’ deal (£3.50 a bottle in Scotland). The same deal will also apply to Canti Prosecco 20cl.
IN THE CAN
Canned wines are also continuing to grow in popularity – driven by their convenience, single-serve and value for money credentials. Responding directly to shopper demand, the Londis Wine Festival also includes great deals on a number of canned wines, including new products, such as Booker’s Group Exclusive Wairau Cove New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc cans, available on an ‘Any 2 for £5.50’ deal or £2.75 per can in Scotland.
The same deal also applies to cans of Most Wanted Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec and Rosé and the viral La Vieille Ferme AKA “chicken wine,” which is also now available in a new 200ml canned format.
FLAVOURS CONTINUE TO BEAR FRUIT
The Londis Wine Festival also features great deals on a number of new and bestselling fruity flavoured wine products, including the blue bombshell that is Echo Falls Blue Raspberry which has captured the attention of Londis retailers and their shoppers across the country since launch.
With its sweet raspberry flavour, low ABV of 9% and bold blue colour, the product taps into growing consumer demand for flavoured, lower-alcohol wines – whilst helping to introduce new drinkers into the wine category, away from cider and RTDs.
Echo Falls Blue Raspberry will be available as part of a £5.99 mega deal during the Londis Wine Festival, along with its sister flavours Echo Falls Summer Berries and Watermelon Kiwi.
CORKING POS
Helping to support and signpost all of the above is a suite of Wine Festival POS, designed to help retailers showcase the category.
The Londis Wine Festival POS includes header cards, barkers and more, all of which are sure to help you uncork the category’s full potential.
MEET THE BUYER
Say ‘hello’ to...
Name: Loris Gruarin
Title:
Category Manager –Retail
Category: Wine
WELCOME LORIS, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF TO GET STARTED?
With the Londis Wine Festival just around the corner, we catch up with Booker’s Wine Category Manager Loris Gruarin to pour over the many sparkling opportunities that the wine category will serve up over the coming months.
Hello! Well, I started working in trade wines for a London-based delivered wholesaler and was there for around 10 years before an opportunity presented itself to join Metro/ Makro as a Wine Buyer in 2008, which I did for a couple of years. I then moved on to a new role as a Spirits Buyer for a further four years, before going back to wine. So it’s basically been wine, wine, wine for a very long time!
WHAT A FANTASTIC CATEGORY TO WORK IN!
Absolutely, there’s certainly never a dull moment! As a category, wine is hugely innovative and that’s something I find especially exciting.
As a buyer, you’re always on the lookout for the next big thing – those innovative new products that will give us, and our customers, an edge and drive the whole category forward.
Just look at the impact that Echo Falls Blue Raspberry has had. That product is a fantastic example of how an innovative new idea really can drive interest and sales within a category.
Innovations can often be a bit like playing the slot machine – you’re never 100% sure what the impact will be, but every now and again
you pull the lever and you get three lemons and it’s like boom!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE NOW – WHAT ARE YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES?
It’s a very varied role, but in essence my key responsibilities are to create and implement a range of products and a promotional strategy that satisfies our customers’ needs.
That means maintaining an assortment in line with market trends and pricing, creating appealing promotions and managing the commerciality of the deals for our retailers.
Keeping up with innovation and being on top of new trends is also imperative because, as I’ve already said, the world of wine moves very fast.
WHY WINE? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE CATEGORY THAT FASCINATES YOU?
I’m just really passionate about it! I’m Italian – maybe that has something to do with it! But that said, I know plenty of people from non-wine-producing countries who are just as passionate about the category as me!
The interaction between wine and food is fascinating to me. Wine is a product of the land; there’s a synergy there and it’s wonderful to learn about the ways that different wines
from different regions pair with their unique regional cuisines.
With limitless styles from numerous wineproducing regions around the world, the wine category offers an almost limitless experience; there’s always something new to see and taste – and it’s incredibly exciting that I get to try and bring our customers along on that journey.
Wine is also a category that brings people together and I have a great appreciation for its conviviality factor.
I’m also fascinated by the way in which the old art of wine-making can be blended to embrace new technologies that improve flavour and quality – as well as the science of branding and marketing.
The fascination really is endless!
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR ROLE?
I love how dynamic it is. Every day brings a different challenge, and I love that about it.
From the economic climate to geopolitical challenges and, of course, the weather, so many different elements come into play – all of which can impact pricing, availability and how and what shoppers buy.
And then there are all the changes in consumer trends, from the move towards premiumisation to the growing demand for lower-ABV products, to name just a couple. It all adds to the excitement.
IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A TYPICAL DAY?
Not really! As I said earlier, every day brings with it its own unique set of challenges and opportunities, but there are some elements which remain quite firmly fixed.
About Loris
Italian-born Loris Gruarin has worked in wine for most of his adult life, driven by his thirst for innovation and a genuine love for the category.
Right now, he’s busy gearing up for the all-important festive season and pouring his passion into the successful execution of the upcoming Londis Wine Festival, set to run through NP6 and NP7.
The Wine Festival will herald seven weeks of fantastic promotions, new products and high-impact point-of-sale materials to help retailers uncork full-bodied wine sales this summer.
Each day, I’ll typically have a number of diary meetings to work through, along with planning for meetings scheduled for later in the week.
I also have daily supplier and supply chain meetings, as well as daily discussions with our sales team, to check sales performance and promotion effectiveness.
These meetings are critical, and we use the learnings and insights to help us keep driving the category forward.
HOW CLOSELY DO YOU WORK WITH SUPPLIERS?
Working with suppliers is a hugely important part of the role and I do so very closely. We are not just customers to them; it’s very much a partnership and we’re all in it together, always working on new ways to drive the category forward.
Suppliers are also a well of knowledge. They invest huge amounts of time and money understanding the market and those insights are invaluable to me, as is understanding how the promotional plans will benefit our customers.
AND WHAT ABOUT RETAILERS?
I’m very fortunate to have fostered and maintained meaningful relationships with a number of retailers from across the country during my time in the role – but one of the biggest highlights of my calendar year is attending the Booker Retail Trade Shows at Sandown and Doncaster.
The Booker Retail Trade Shows are a fantastic opportunity for me to meet our customers face to face, share ideas and learnings, and gain a better understanding of the challenges they face –appreciating the disparity of different regions and demographics.
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE WINE CATEGORY TO CONVENIENCE RETAILERS?
I can’t overstate its importance enough! Wine is a key footfall-driving category. Shoppers these days expect to be able to go to their local store to buy a bottle of wine, a meal for tonight, some milk, some bread, etc. Wine is always on their radar.
That’s why it’s so key for retailers to keep their range relevant and on trend, with exciting new products, the right prices and special offers. It’s an absolute must.
WHAT ARE THE KEY TRENDS DRIVING SALES AND NPD THIS YEAR?
Wines with a price point between £6 and £8 account for a third of value sales, according to Nielsen data for the 52 weeks to 27 December 2025.
However, wines priced between £8 and £9 now boast a 41% share of sales, performing ahead of the category and highlighting the need for retailers to have a solid premium wine offer.
Premiumisation also addresses the current trend towards “drinking less but drinking better”, driven by increasingly health-conscious shoppers.
Health-conscious shoppers are also driving the success of the ‘low to no’ ABV wine sector –although it’s worth noting that the trend towards low-alcohol products is not as strong in wine as it is in other categories, such as beer.
Dry rosé wines are also still performing well, benefiting ‘old world’ products.
New formats, such as cans, also present a growing opportunity and one we are monitoring closely, while fruity flavoured wines are engaging young adults and helping to bring new shoppers into the category.
This year we have refreshed our range, taking all of the above factors into account and adding exciting new products such as Cloudwatcher Alvarinho, Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Rés White, an Argentinian Malbec called The Wanderer and, in BRP only, Fat Rooster – a red made using Portugal’s Touriga Nacional grape.
We also have exclusive rosé wines like Oriel and Cabana, first-to-market wines such as I Heart White Zinfandel, as well as our own-label Lomas del Marqués Rioja Tempranillo and Andrew Peace Australian PG.
Small-format, great-value canned products are also driving excitement, including our exclusive Wairau Cove New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc cans and the increasingly popular La Vieille Ferme, or “chicken wine”, cans.
And, of course, I can’t fail to mention one of the most exciting new products to have launched in 2025 so far: Echo Falls Blue Raspberry, which has captured attention across the country.
WHAT’S DRIVING ALL THE HYPE?
There are a lot of factors at play. Firstly, the colour is so unique – that striking bright blue is visually very exciting.
Then there’s the flavour. Blue raspberry is a huge flavour trend across other BWS categories such as RTDs and spirits, as well as confectionery and soft drinks, so it follows that it would also be a hit within wine.
It also has a lower ABV of 9% and has been supported by a fantastic marketing campaign – all of which has provided retailers with an outstanding opportunity to create excitement and engage shoppers.
TELL ME ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT SEASONALITY HAS ON YOUR ROLE. DOES WARMER WEATHER HAVE AN IMPACT ON WINE SALES OR BUYING TRENDS?
Seasonality is really important within wine, with Christmas and New Year driving a substantial share of annual sales and creating a big opportunity to upsell into premium wine and gifting products.
The spring and summer months tend to drive demand for lighter-style wines, with warmer weather and the associated rise in outdoor dining and BBQ occasions prompting increased demand for rosé, sparkling and white wines. That said, rosé has now become a strong seller all year round.
WILL THIS SUMMER’S FOOTBALL SEASON HELP TO LIFT WINE SALES?
While the lion’s share of sales is likely to go to beer, there’s no doubt that the football season will also create an opportunity to drive wine sales –especially when the right offer is in place.
We’ve been working hard to support retailers with an excellent mega basket featuring five major ranges on a ‘2 for £12’ multibuy offer. It includes major wine brands, including a sparkling Asti – a
great option for celebrating success with friends and family.
WHAT ELSE CAN RETAILERS LOOK FORWARD TO THIS SUMMER?
July will mark the return of the Londis Wine Festival, which is very exciting.
The festival will run through NP6 and NP7, delivering seven weeks of promotions and new products, all backed by high-impact POS materials designed to help retailers bring the festival to life and create theatre in store.
We’ve recently introduced 24 new wines, making the Wine Festival a strong platform to showcase all that newness.
Helping to support this, the marketing team has developed a suite of POS materials including banners and bus stop signs, designed to help retailers capture shoppers’ attention and focus it on the wine category.
In retail, every second counts, and the longer we can encourage shoppers to stop, step back and browse, the better.
HAVE YOU GOT ANY FINAL TOP TIPS TO HELP RETAILERS MAKE THE MOST OF WINE THIS SUMMER AND BEYOND?
Planograms are your best friend. I strongly urge Londis retailers to check out our new wine planograms and stick as closely as possible to them.
They have been expertly designed to showcase new products and help retailers deliver a compelling good, better, best proposition.
I’d also encourage all retailers to get fully behind the Londis Wine Festival and make the best possible use of all the fantastic point of sale materials that have been specifically designed to help them signpost the category, create in-store theatre and drive sales.
Scoot delivering rapid growth
The first-ever conference for Scoot retailers was held recently, with over 100 retailers attending to hear the latest news and share their experiences of using the fastest-growing delivery platform in the UK.
It’s hard to believe that Booker’s unique and exclusive low-cost rapid delivery platform Scoot is only just over a year old – but it’s far less difficult to understand the massive success the platform has enjoyed in the past 12 months.
From a standing start, more than 440 customers now use Scoot, which is available only to Booker symbol group retailers. That level of growth is unprecedented in independent retailing, and Booker has no intention of taking its foot off the gas in the future.
To mark the first anniversary of the launch of Scoot, Booker recently organised the first-ever Scoot conference, welcoming over 100 retailers to a very special event hosted at Makro in Manchester.
FULLY INVESTED
During his welcome speech to the packed audience, Booker Retail Manager Colm Johnson made no bones about the fact that he has huge plans for Scoot: “Our low-cost Scoot platform is a core part of our offer and it will continue to be long into the future. We are fully invested in Scoot and we are fully committed to continuing to grow it in the coming months and years.
“We already have over 440 retailers using Scoot, a remarkable achievement in such a short space of time, and we intend to hit the 1,000 users mark in the near future.”
Boasting a fully flexible model, Scoot gives retailers the opportunity to make an estimated £34,000 additional profit per year based on weekly app sales of just £2,500 at 26% gross margin.
There are zero consumer charges and zero commission once retailers reach £5,000 of weekly sales on the app. This means retailers can save up to £16,000 a year with Scoot when compared to other rapid delivery platforms on weekly sales of around £5,000.
So it’s no surprise that so many Premier retailers are moving to Scoot or, indeed, launching a rapid delivery service in their stores for the first time.
HUGE OPPORTUNITY
The first speaker at the conference was Tom Fender, Development Director at data specialist TWC, who outlined the enormous opportunity that rapid delivery presents for Premier retailers.
“Rapid delivery is only going to keep growing,” he said. “It has become a consumer habit and I would advise all retailers to embrace it because customers now expect it. It will be essential in retaining existing customers and recruiting new ones.”
TWC data shows that a massive 38% of consumers they surveyed have used a rapid delivery service, a figure which equates to 19 million consumers. Almost a third of consumers (32%) use home delivery more than once a week, while a quarter (25%) say they use it at least once every week.
Even more tellingly, TWC research data predicts that by the end of 2026 only 14% of consumers won’t be using rapid delivery services. A significant 55% of shoppers say they will shop elsewhere if rapid delivery is not available.
Fender also highlighted how average basket spend in rapid delivery is around £30, which is more than three times
Why Scoot?
l Fully flexible model
l Make an estimated £34,000 additional profit per year (based on weekly app sales of £2,500 at 26% gross margin)
l ZERO commission once you reach £5,000 of weekly sales on the app
l ZERO consumer charges – giving you the ability to offer the service for free
l 0.7% average card transaction fee
l Save up to £16,000 per year with Scoot vs other rapid delivery platforms based on weekly sales of £4,999
l Want to get to the next band of Spend and Save? – Scoot can help you
l Dedicated onboarding and setup support, including POS package
larger than the average in-store basket spend of £9.
“It may surprise some retailers to discover that the number one purchased category in rapid delivery is food to go,” he explained. “Food to go accounts for 30% of all orders, with crisps and snacks next at 22%, and chilled dairy third at 21%.”
Looking specifically at the Scoot platform, Fender revealed that TWC research found that a huge 42% of Scoot consumers use only Scoot, four in five consumers rate Scoot at 9 or 10 out of 10, and 84% are ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ likely to order again through Scoot.
Damian Sanderson, Head of Home Delivery at Booker, hailed those final statistics as “remarkable and conclusive proof that Scoot retailers are doing an absolutely fantastic job”.
LAST MILE
Conference attendees also heard from Just Eat Go, Booker’s preferred last-mile delivery partner, who echoed the scale of the opportunity for Premier retailers. Just Eat is the UK’s number one delivery partner with a 48% market share and delivery capability in over 95% of UK postcodes.
A survey they conducted among 7,000 people found that the number of consumers using rapid delivery services is growing at 9% a year and that the market value of rapid delivery is around £12.9bn.
Just Eat Go also highlighted how independent local stores have a significant last-mile advantage in home delivery over supermarkets and discounters, given their proximity to
their customer base and the strong relationships local stores enjoy with their communities. Being a genuine part of your local community is your biggest asset.
CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT
Also speaking at the event was Richard Lamb, Booker Chief Technical Officer, who discussed the remarkable progress and evolution of the Scoot app over the last 12 months and also revealed the latest improvements and those in the pipeline for the near future.
Scoot is designed by retailers for retailers, and Lamb’s team is in constant contact with Scoot retailers to inform upgrades and improvements to the app on a permanent, rolling basis.
“Our job is to give Scoot retailers the tools and tooling to grow sales and profits,” he explained. “We are always working on the app and actively seeking feedback and suggestions from retailers on how we can make Scoot work even better for them. That process will never stop, and we will remain fully committed to giving our retailers the best possible rapid delivery platform.”
Lamb outlined countless major evolutions already carried out at the request of retailers, from reducing the consumer sign-up process from 16 clicks to just eight, and adding voucher codes to help recruit new customers, to introducing push notifications and adding email marketing capability.
Loyalty functionality will be tested in August, with DIY vouchering scheduled for trialling in September. He also announced that a major app update has now been completed and will be available on app stores this month.
Work is also ongoing in terms of EPoS integration with a long list of EPoS
providers to ensure that Scoot will fully integrate with most of the major EPoS systems in use in Premier stores.
RETAILER EXPERIENCE
A highlight of the day was a retailer panel where Scoot retailers shared thier experiences.
All four said Scoot had helped them take their businesses to the next level and urged others to embrace it asap.
Their top tips for making a success of Scoot? Go hard on social media, make sure you deliver on time, and ensure you have good availability, especially on products on promotion.
Colm Johnson closed the proceedings with a reiteration of Booker’s commitment to Scoot and to supporting retailers who take advantage of the exceptional opportunity it brings: “We’re in this for the long haul and we want to make Scoot the biggest and best rapid delivery platform in the UK for our retailers and their customers.”
TWC takeaways
l 38% of the UK population have used rapid delivery = 19 million shoppers
l 32% order more than once a week; 25% order once a week
l 68% expect convenience stores to offer rapid delivery
l Only 14% say they will not use rapid delivery
l Rapid delivery average basket spend is £30 vs in-store average of £9
l 71% say in-app promotions encouraged them to buy
l Food to go is the number one purchased category in rapid delivery
l 42% of Scoot users say they use only Scoot
l 51% of Scoot users say they now shop more often
l 4 in 5 Scoot users rate the experience 9 or 10 (out of 10)
l 84% are extremely / very likely to order again
Keep a lid on energy costs
Saffron Business Solutions combines independent market analysis, supplier access and deep sector experience to help Booker retailers better control their operating costs.
Savings to smile about
In July 2022, SBS launched the Booker Retail Energy Buying Club to help Booker retailers access more competitive pricing through collective purchasing power.
Since launch, the Buying Club has delivered savings of more than £1.4m. Members have achieved average annual savings of £3,500, with average total contract savings of £5,450.
With energy costs remaining one of the biggest hits to retailers’ profit pots, solutions that can help to keep a lid on costs and stop those bills bubbling over are certainly well worth tucking into.
Convenience retailers across the UK continue to face significant pressure from energy costs. While wholesale prices have eased from the record highs seen in recent years, the market remains volatile, with ongoing uncertainty driven by geopolitical tensions.
At the same time, retailers are managing rising labour costs, increased business rates and cautious customer spending. Margins remain under pressure, leaving little room to absorb higher operating expenses.
However, the good news is that energy is one of the few overheads where meaningful savings can still be achieved without changing day-to-day operations – helping to protect profitability and cash flow.
And thanks to Booker’s business enabling partner Saffron Business Solutions, help for retailers to do just that is but a click or call away.
SBS combines independent market analysis, supplier access and deep sector experience to help Booker retailers make informed energy purchasing decisions and better control operating costs.
With more than 15 years’ experience working directly with Booker retailers, SBS understands the pressures of operating on tight margins, managing long trading hours and balancing rising overheads.
SBS’ role extends beyond simply securing competitive prices; it helps customers make informed decisions around contract timing, purchasing strategy and supply options that best suit their business needs, ensuring they maintain control throughout.
In a sector sometimes associated with hidden fees and highpressure sales tactics, SBS is committed to clear, open and transparent communication, with no hidden charges or costs.
This customer-focused approach has resulted in a retention rate of consistently more than 90%, with many customers remaining with SBS for more than a decade.
I can’t say enough good things about the incredible team at Saffron Business Solutions! They truly worked miracles when my electric got switched to an outrageously high rate. Thanks to their hard work, they managed to secure a much more reasonable rate for me. I am beyond grateful for their expertise and commitment to helping customers. SBS has earned a customer for life.
Dean Massey, Londis P&I Stores
To achieve this, SBS:
l Provides honest, impartial market analysis
l Sources competitive pricing aligned to the customer’s preferred contract structure
l Monitors market conditions and supply trends to support informed decision-making
l Delivers dedicated customer service and ongoing lifetime support
And the savings speak for themselves. In July 2022, SBS launched the Booker Retail Energy Buying Club to help Booker retailers access more competitive pricing through collective purchasing power.
Since launch, the Booker Retail Energy Buying Club has delivered savings of more than £1.4m.
Members have achieved average annual savings of £3,500, with average total contract savings of £5,450. The highest individual customer saving has exceeded £32,000.
To find out more about how SBS could help you take better control of your energy costs, you simply need to provide a recent energy invoice and SBS will do the rest: carrying out a free, no-obligation comparison against current or renewal rates and helping you to quickly understand what savings may be available.
It doesn’t matter where you are in your contract cycle; SBS can still review your invoice and then make contact at the appropriate point in your renewal window.
Get in touch today to see how SBS could help you get a lid on those costs and better protect profitability and cash flow.
NETWORKS UPDATE Creating change
Disability at Booker: Breaking barriers and building belonging
The Disability at Booker Network’s inspiring work continues, as it strives to reach as many colleagues as possible and embed disability confidence across the business.
From cakes to quizzes and lunch labs to lorries, it’s been another year of fantastic progress for the Disability at Booker Network, which celebrated its first anniversary in December 2025.
And there has certainly been much to celebrate.
Led by its dedicated committee of passionate Leads, Executive Sponsors and Co-chairs, the last 12 months have seen the network make real strides towards its goal of amplifying the voices of disabled and neurodivergent colleagues, celebrating their contributions, and embedding disability confidence across the business – ensuring that everyone at Booker feels safe, seen and supported.
Held at the fabulous Winstanley House in Leicester, the network’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities event in December did exactly that.
Well over 100 colleagues from across the business attended the inspiring event, which also marked the network’s first birthday.
Featuring external speakers, quizzes, round table discussions, and a very, very large cake, the event brought colleagues from across the business together with the aim of celebrating progress, increasing understanding, and driving disability inclusion forward.
The day opened with a welcome from the Disability Network committee, recognising executive sponsorship and marking the
important milestone of achieving Disability Confident Leader (Level 3) status.
Level 3 status is the highest level of accreditation – reflecting Booker’s commitment to embedding best practice in inclusion, supporting disabled colleagues, and continuing to drive meaningful change.
A key focus of the event was celebrating the network’s impact over the past year, including the introduction of the Workplace Adjustment Policy, awareness sessions, colleague resources, and community initiatives such as mental health support and partnerships with external organisations.
A central highlight was the guest speaker session led by Rachel Morgan Trimmer, which explored neurodiversity and how colleagues could better understand and support different ways of thinking and working.
The session combined practical guidance with
interactive elements, encouraging colleagues to reflect on inclusive behaviours and challenge assumptions.
The event also placed strong emphasis on lived experience and storytelling, with colleague videos sharing personal perspectives.
The guest speaker was exceptional and gave a real insight into how neurodiverse minds work. I left with a much better understanding and practical ways to support colleagues.
The personal stories and colleague videos were incredibly powerful and made the day truly engaging. Everything – from the theme to the atmosphere – was thoughtfully executed. Overall, a fantastic event and a huge success.
Many of the powerful stories heard on the day were shared following a series of insightful neurodiversity listening groups, which had been held earlier in the year.
These stories helped to bring inclusion to life and reinforce the importance of creating a culture where people feel safe to be themselves.
Interactive table discussions, meanwhile, invited colleagues to explore barriers to inclusion and identify priority areas for improvement.
Participants were encouraged to consider knowledge gaps, workplace challenges, and the practical tools needed to build a more inclusive environment, actively shaping the future direction of the Disability Network.
The day also included opportunities for networking and learning through ‘lunch labs’, where colleagues could engage with internal and external support providers and deepen their understanding of available resources.
Engagement remained high throughout, with an inclusion quiz and interactive learning activities, alongside a practical British Sign Language (BSL) teach-in, giving colleagues simple techniques and confidence
to communicate more inclusively in the workplace.
The event concluded with a celebration of allyship and inclusion, recognising colleagues who have made a meaningful difference in supporting others and driving inclusive behaviours across the business.
Overall, the event successfully combined education, celebration and action, reinforcing Booker’s commitment to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive.
Another major highlight of the day was the launch of Disability at Booker’s very own branded lorry.
Proudly bearing the network’s logo, ‘Breaking Barriers, Building Belonging’, on its trunk, the new branded lorry is already hard at work on Britain’s roads, spreading the message far and wide.
And that’s certainly been far from all.
In direct response to colleague feedback, recent months have also seen the network shine a spotlight on mental health, with a key focus on reaching even more Band 1 and 2 colleagues from across the business.
As a result, May 2026 saw the Disability at Booker Network host eight individual mental health awareness sessions in support of Mental Health Awareness Week.
Open to colleagues from across the business, the sessions took place up and down the country, including Perth, Brighton, London and Exeter.
Each of the eight well-attended sessions focused on building understanding, reducing stigma, and encouraging open conversations about mental wellbeing in the workplace, in a bid to encourage positive behavioural change and equip colleagues with the mindset and tools needed to support mental wellbeing across the business.
The sessions also highlighted the business and human impact of mental health, reinforcing the message that wellbeing is not only critical for individuals – but also for organisational performance – emphasising the links between mental health, absence, retention and productivity, as well as underlining the importance of proactive support and early intervention.
They also demonstrated the clear value of creating a culture where colleagues feel safe speaking openly about their experiences, while highlighting the fact that many people will experience changes in their mental health during their working life and that support should be ongoing, visible and accessible.
The content was designed to highlight a range of different mental health experiences, helping colleagues to better recognise that mental health can fluctuate and does not always present in obvious ways – in turn encouraging a broader, more inclusive understanding of what support might look like in practice.
Practical guidance focused on how to support colleagues effectively, including the
importance of active listening, empathy, and creating psychologically safe environments where individuals feel valued and understood.
The sessions also reinforced that small actions, such as checking in, adapting communication, or signposting support, could have a really significant impact.
Each carefully crafted session was also designed to connect mental health to the wider inclusion agenda, reinforcing that true inclusion requires understanding and supporting both visible and non-visible conditions, ensuring that all colleagues, including those experiencing mental health challenges, are able to thrive at work.
And there’s certainly lots more to look forward to in the months to come, as Disability at Booker continues the push to reach as many colleagues across the business as possible – breaking down barriers and building belonging along the way.
A special new event that will unite all four of the fantastic Booker Colleague Networks is currently in planning for September – and, of course, Disability at Booker will also be marking ‘International Day of Persons with Disabilities’ in December – so watch this space!
The inclusivity of the event really stood out, bringing together a wide variety of people from across the business. It created a space where meaningful conversations could happen and perspectives could be shared openly.
Calling time on
retail crime
We know that for thousands of retailers across the country, crime sits firmly at the top of the agenda. It’s not just the direct financial impact of stock losses, which can run into thousands of pounds per month for the worst affected, but also the cost of defensive investment in areas like CCTV, product tagging and even security staff to try and mitigate the problem. And then the time it takes to report incidents that occur, and the ongoing mental strain on colleagues in store who have to deal with all of this.
Finding effective ways to break the cycle of reoffending and take prolific criminals off the streets has been one of our top priorities for a number of years, and I’m pleased to report that there is progress being made in two important areas.
Firstly, a range of measures are coming into force to support retailers as part of the Crime and Policing
Act, which received Royal Assent earlier this summer. Measures include scrapping the so-called £200 threshold for investigating shop theft offences, making attacking a retail worker a separate offence, and extending closure orders for businesses wilfully selling illicit goods (more on that specific issue later). These are meaningful policy changes that will make a positive difference, and we hope act as an effective deterrent to those considering stealing from our stores.
The second area that has become much more prominent in recent years is the battle against the illicit trade. You’ll be familiar with this problem just by walking down your local high street, observing the pop-up shops and mini marts that sell all sorts of products with questionable origins. It’s not just illicit vapes, tobacco and alcohol that these businesses are selling; it could be other electronics, toys, premium
The new Crime and Policing Act, along with a brand new £30m taskforce aimed at tackling organised crime on high streets, are major steps forward in the fightback against retail crime – but there’s still plenty more to be done.
food products and even goods stolen from other businesses. We’ve been calling on the Government to do more to stop these businesses, and while the aforementioned additional powers for Trading Standards are welcome, they’re no good if they’re not backed by additional resources and boots on the ground to actually enforce them locally.
This is why we’re pleased to say there has been major progress in this area through the announcement of a new £30m taskforce aimed at tackling organised crime on high streets. New police officers, more cash to fund trading standards activity, and a new High Street Organised Crime Unit will bring this up the list of police priorities. There is still much to be done to back responsible retailers and ensure they’re not losing out to illicit traders, but this is an important step forward and shows that the Government does take this issue seriously.
