Bestway has launched an ‘amnesty’ on rival brands to encourage retailers to stock its relaunched value range Best-In Essentials.

In what is thought to be a first for the grocery industry, retailers who bring a competitor product in to their nearest Bestway or Batleys will be given a whole case of a like-for-like product in the new range for free.

Six products are included - baked beans, milk chocolate, digestives, chopped tomatoes, lemonade and granulated sugar.

Best-In Essentials was previously called Best-In Economy and had been revamped with contemporary branding and packaging and new products that offered PoR of up to 30%, Bestway said. They have also been badged with a ‘Great British Value’ price mark. The 34-product range, on sale from 14 September, includes dogfood, tea bags, biscuits, toilet roll and washing up liquid.

“In these uncertain and turbulent economic times, the nation is always seeking exceptional and consistent quality at a fair price,” said Best-In own label manager Nick Brown.

“The new range, with the Great British Value price mark, delivers on all counts. This brand was conceived to help build loyalty for retailers so it’s almost expected that Bestway should deliver an initiative like this ‘Great British price fighter’ for all local retailers. Best-In Essentials is a people’s champion.”

The amnesty, he added, demonstrated Bestway’s “total belief” in the value and quality of the new range.

The relaunch is the latest in a string of investments by Bestway this year. The wholesaler announced last month that it would plough £10m into its petcare business Bestpets over the next three years to extend into more depots, grow web orders, hire more staff and increase the number of delivery vehicles.