18 ASIAN TRADER 13 OCTOBER 2017 http://www.asiantrader.biz
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BIG NIGHT INcatching up on a favourite show,
watching a box set, or relaxing
after a tough week at work.
The shop is planned, and as
the shopper is looking primarily
for quality and taste, they tend
to be less price-sensitive. Potato
crisps work well here as the
consumer is looking for
something to graze on. They
may be open to trying new
flavours and larger format bags.Ice cream
The UK ice cream market is a
billion pound category with
value up 7% year on year (IRI)
representing a huge opportu-
nity to capitalise on Big Night In
sales as the trend for sharing has
become ever more prevalent
and people look for treats to
enjoy during their nights in at
home with friends and family.
Research carried out by Mars
Ice Cream has revealed that the
trend for entertaining at home
continues to thrive, with two
thirds (65%) of UK consumers
saying they now entertain at
home as much, or more than
they did ten years ago.
A huge 71% of consumers
plan to entertain friends and
family at home during the next
six months. Those most likely to
entertain at home are those
aged 18-34, with one in three
(34%) planning to entertain
once a week.
The Big Night In occasion
continues to prove popular with
consumers, with more than half
(59%) saying they would preferto host at home or be invited to a
friend or family member’s
house, rather than going out.
An overwhelming majority,
two thirds, of those surveyed
(66%), prefer the relaxed
atmosphere of socialising at
home, with not having to dress
up (33%), and enjoying cooking
for friends (25%) also key
influencing factors.
With 81% of respondents
saying they would offer ice
cream as a dessert to their
guests, a further 46% stated
they always keep ice cream at
home for impromptu entertain-
ing - second only to crisps and
dips.
With so much choice on offer
in the freezer aisle, there is a
clear winner when it comes to
ice cream for entertaining.
Three quarters (75%) of hosts
opt for ice cream sharing tubs,
with a further third (39%)preferring to serve ice cream on
a stick to their guests.
When it comes to selecting
ice cream for entertaining, two
thirds of shoppers (62%) look for
great taste, followed by great
quality (54%), pack size (26%),
convenience (25%) and
recognised brands (21%).
Phil Shaw, Sales Head of Mars
Chocolate Drinks and Treats
says: “It’s great to see that ice
cream continues to dominate as
a top choice for Big Nights In.
“We’ve seen a huge growth in
the category for sharing options,
and this demonstrates the
products ability to span all ages
as a favourite for the whole
family. In a category worth a
billion, tubs are continuing to
grow in popularity at +3.7%
(worth £446m).”
Ice cream tubs are now worth
£455m1 (+4%) representing
43% of all ice cream sales, while
wrapped handheld ice creams
are the largest segment, worth
£593m (+9% year on year)
according to IRI.
Phil Shaw added: “It’s clear
that tubs, and share-at-home
products are continuing to drive
growth within the ice cream
category.
“With eye-catching packag-
ing and familiar brand appeal,
we are sure that the tubs will
bring consumers to the frozen
aisle and will soon become a
favourite, of consumers and
retailers alike - emulating the
success of our bars.
“With so many ‘limited
edition’ variants flashed in and
out of the freezer, it’s important
for retailers to understand the
potential impact of ‘freezercloggers’ on long-term sales.
Selling a small range and
focusing on the bestselling
brands within each major
category segment will help
retailers to keep freezers
looking clean and tidy.
It’s also important to ensure
that customers know that you
stock their favourite ice creams- and to position the freezer
cabinet near the front of the
store so these are not over-
looked.”
Health
With health the hot topic of
2016, there was huge consumer
interest in low and no sugar soft
drinks which saw sales rise to
account for 11% and 18% of the
entire convenience channel’s
soft drinks sales respectively
according to Nielsen.
Nielsen figures show that
many retailers successfully
tapped into this opportunity in
2016 with brands such as Pepsi
MAX, which grew by +16.2% toNick Widdowson, Partners for
Growth Merchandising and Creative
Controller, offers his topline advice
Keep categories well stocked
Keep key categories well-stocked and always have the
best-sellers available
Flag up offers on social media Build excitement with ‘big night in’ themed in-store
displays Experiment with a few extra flavours and multi-buy
promotions
Don’t neglect hot snacks in the evenings Use clear instore signage to prompt combinations.