There are more than 800 crisps lines available to the convenience channel, but the average independent retailer makes 80% of their sales from the top 45 selling savoury snacks. So, it’s important you stock the right core range.

Nick McGrath, senior sales director at PepsiCo, says the company is working on ensuring cash & carries throughout the country are stocking the right range to help retailers get the right products on their shelves. “If retailers are stocking bestselling lines, they’re making more money,” he says. Retail Express joined PepsiCo to find out how the supplier is helping retailers drive more sales.

1. Reducing your cash outlay

PepsiCo has recently launched a new 32-case format to help retailers improve cash flow. As well as delivering lower costs and faster-sell through, the smaller format ensures fresher stock. The 32-case format is available across the Walkers, Doritos, Quavers, Wotsits, French Fries and Squares portfolio, covering standard ranges and price-marked packs.

The launch of 32-case has brought new customers into the category, enabling them to stock up on secondary flavours without wastage. The standard 48-case has been retained across the top three Walkers flavours.

2. Guiding you to the right range

Using data sourced from Nielsen, PepsiCo has also placed ‘bestseller’ flashes on its cases to highlight which products are the top sellers in convenience. Retailers can spot these flashes while shopping in their local depot and work out the lines they should definitely have on their shelves.

Martin Race, group trading director at Bestway, says: “Bestselling flags are on cases and also on fins in the aisle and in all of our category advice. “It’s working really well. Customer feedback’s been great and sales have gone up.”

Sales can increase a 30% by stocking the right core range. Three retailers share their merchandising tips to grow snack sales.

“Walkers gave me free stock and a new unit for my single bags after I won a competition in Retail Express.
“The unit has eight shelves, so I can stock a wider range of packs. The new unit looks great and the PoS helps make it stand out even further.”

Rakesh Patel
Bobby’s Convenience Store, Lingfield, Surrey

“Merchandising, along with a new range of PMPs has had a profound impact and increased single serve sales by 22%. Our customers love top brands at great prices.”

Roshan Ramzan
Best One,Methil, Scotland

“Our crisp sales have gone up a whopping 45% since our refit with PepsiCo.”

Jatinder Sahota
Max’s Londis, Isle of Sheppey, Kent

3. Boosting sales through price-marking

5. Top tips

• Stock the right core range: Stocking the right core range can account for the majority of crisp and snacks sales, and the uplift can be as much as 30%. Don’t over-stock too many lines – the 45 bestselling savoury snacks lines account for 80% of sales. Retailers should dedicate 60% of their snacking fixtures to bestselling single serve crisps.
• Position well: Snacks such as crisps should be kept no more than six feet away from the till, as many snacks sales are made on impulse.
• Know what’s on trend: Occasions like ‘big night in’ are growing sales opportunities with 6% year-on-year growth in the sharing sector. Eighty-six per cent of households buy sharing packs at least once a month and PepsiCo’s sharing portfolio is growing 17.6% year on year.
• Know your customers: Shoppers continue to look for value, and PMPs are proving successful, but it’s also important to stock the national bestsellers and tailor your offering to shoppers. For example, make sure you stock multipacks for customers doing top-up shops.
• Use support: Visit PepsiCo’s online rewards and category management website countsformore.co.uk to help maximise snacking sales and earn rewards.