buyer's diary

Monday

Quality Street, chicken breasts and Lanson Champagne Sainsbury's best selling lines by value during the month of November.

Our top 10 best sellers for November included seven booze lines, led by Carling, Strongbow cans, Bell's whisky and Foster's lager. In grocery, the best selling line was granulated sugar, ahead of Coca-Cola two litre and Red Bull 250ml. Quite a difference but neither list truly reflects the nations' real eating and drinking habits.

Diageo's massive investment in FYS security cap system, previously provided by the FWD Spirits Blueprint, helps independents to grow sales by bringing spirits out from behind the counter. However, pre-Christmas offers on Bell's, Smirnoff, Gordon's and Bailey's in multiple outlets at £12 a litre hit the category. Even our on-trade customers were rushing off to Sainsbury's. We were thinking of joining them and picking up a few cases of Champers along the way. This was probably the worst possible timing for what we thought a well considered launch of Smirnoff in a 50cl bottle (RRP £8.99). No chance.

Tuesday

Poor price marking and on-shelf signage in independent stores is bad for business.

I, like most people, want to know what I am going to pay for something before I reach the checkout, so we like the current Heinz initiative. 'Price marked packs drive consumer confidence' it says. Quite right, too. Will other major brand owners take note but ensure there is sufficient margin to share?

Nestlé appears chuffed that KitKat has been certified Fairtrade in the UK. It says its £65m investment in its global Cocoa Plan programme addresses the key economic, social and environmental issues facing cocoa farming communities over the next 10 years. The Fairtrade movement has made a lot of progress, particularly with Cadbury and Nestlé on board, and we hear leading tea brands are the next target. Alas, our sector has yet to show what it can do to support this worthy cause.

Many commercial organisations are embracing the concept of Fairtrade, yet no one seems able to make a 'fair trade' connection between multiples and independents here in the UK. There is little, if any, 'fair trade' in our marketplace. We are reluctant to mention 'level playing fields' too often, but when a supplier claims to be supporting small producers to ensure their survival, are they blind to the plight of the independent sector because of the vastly inferior trading terms they are given.

Wednesday

The level of multiple discounting on leading brands is frightening.

A series of buy two purchases in my big shop today has saved me money 24.8% on Twinings Earl Grey tea bags, 37.7% on Andrex toilet rolls and 34.5% on Whiskas cat food to name but a few. Who funds these amazing offers?

Müller's massive investment has earned it leadership in the chilled yogurt and pot dessert market.

It will be good to see a little more of its £30m marketing spend coming in our direction in the New Year.

The image of chewing gum has not been enhanced by the touchline antics of nervous or raging football managers but the downturn in fortune of both Wrigley's extra and Cadbury's Trident has been noted in spite of considerable activity from both parties during the past year.

It was inevitable Wrigley's would respond to the competition with new variants but, as is the case in so many confectionery categories, it has become overcrowded and we must cut back now.

Thursday

It was all hands to the plough (or should I say spade) this morning after heavy overnight snow.

Clearing goods-in and the car park for deliveries and customers and getting the day's deliveries out were our main priorities. These freezing conditions, expected to last for several days, have the potential to both help and harm our Christmas trade. Business at the local shops booms at times like this but re-supplying them is the problem. My local convenience store says there has been a lot of panic buying and because his main weekly has been delayed due to road conditions. By mid morning he was out of milk, bread and fresh vegetables. His news wholesaler hadn't delivered either. While our stock position on 'essential' groceries is good, we are mindful that a three- or four-day freeze will inevitably place a lot of strain on our business and we don't want to ration customers.

Friday

Does Lidl's recent discounting of the independent sectors' biggest selling wine brands suggest a shift in its marketing policy or is my cynical wine buyer right in suggesting it is the brand owners' way of ensuring brand leadership?

Is its post-Christmas champagne offer of £9.99 a bottle a sign of aggression or have they simply over-ordered?

No surprise to see P&G's Pringles brand losing sales in the recent Nielsen Top Products Survey. The level of promotional activity available to us this year has been thin and we could barely match multiple Christmas deals. However, its new Xtreme flavours might get the brand back into growth with incremental sales. News of the McCoy's Bacon Sizzler handy pack has my mouth watering already.

The appointments diary is filling up quickly. A New Year resolution to talk less and listen more must go on hold. This is a busy time for the buying team as we look to maximise overrider income on closing schemes and negotiate new trading arrangements for the coming year. Easter, thank goodness, is already wrapped up, but the summer World Cup soccer opportunity requires a lot more work.