All The Grocer articles in 16 December 2006 – Page 2
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Comment and Opinion
Put these shares in your stockings
As the festive season approaches, the newspapers seem to be full of doom and gloom regarding consumer confidence. I've even heard it may be the worst retail Christmas for 25 years. These worries are completely overdone, especially where...
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News
Star Product
Cow's milk is not the usual drink of choice for those consumers suffering from lactose intolerance, but thanks to innovation from Arla Foods in the form of Lactofree, now it can be. The product, hailed as the UK's first lactose-free dairy drink...
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News
Star Product
Kraft Foods took the format for its Dairylea Dunkers brand of cheese spread and biscuits and transferred it to the yoghurt category to boost the brand's appeal among a younger age group. Dairylea Dunkers fromage frais comes in strawberry and...
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News
Price Survey
To say 2006 has been a turbulent year for pricing at the top six supermarkets would be putting it mildly. Rising energy prices, feed costs, poor harvests, and lower yields of certain fresh fruit and vegetables have caused the rate of food price...
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News
Reader Survey Parking restrictions
Independent retailers feel they are unfairly penalised when it comes to parking restrictions on loading and unloading goods. Three quarters of independent retailers quizzed this month admit they are unsure about what the rules are for loading...
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News
The smoothest of operators
The booming popularity of smoothies has helped soft drinks achieve impressive value growth in the past year. The total market made the most of its much-lauded health credentials and clocked up sales of more than £5.7bn - a very perky 8.5% jump...
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News
Star Product: the posh pot noodle
Risotto's popularity has soared in recent years but many consumers are still reluctant to have a go at making it themselves, which is why New Covent Garden Food's ready-made product has all the hallmarks of becoming a hit. The risotto, which...
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News
Oats: the newest superfood
The cereals market has enjoyed steady growth in the last year, rising 4.1% to £1.24bn. This was helped considerably by the nation's ever-increasing appetite for better-for-you offerings. The hot cereals sector continues to be the key...
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News
Smoking out the new trends
Tobacco is holding its own. Despite ever-more stringent legislation, the category has barely dropped in value since this time last year. The fall of just 0.1%, represents a slowdown in its long-term decline after last year's slightly steeper...
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News
'Tesco was very naughty. So it needed a smack'
Who's afraid of the big bad Tesco? Not Will Chase, owner of snack foods company Tyrrells Potato Chips. He became the little pig who took on Tesco's wolf when he threatened the retailer with legal action for stocking his crisps without...
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News
Marmite Squeezy
Sometimes a product comes along that makes you wonder 'why on earth didn't they think of this before?' Marmite Squeezy is definitely in that category. I love Marmite but I've lost count of the number of times I've had to make an attack on the...
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News
Letter of the week
Sir; I refer to your article about the apparent opposition of 'people' to granting supermarket chains planning permission for out of town developments ('The People's Planopoly', The Grocer, 2 December 2006). It appears the main opponents are...
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News
Still life in those Italian jobs
In the past year, the rice and noodles sectors have definitely benefited from the nation's increasing appetite for ethnic cuisines. However, the growing trend has not been such a boom for pasta, which has struggled to maintain sales in the face...
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Profiles and QandAs
Interview
A catalogue of tragic events left Sue Starling in despair but intervention from the grocery industry benevolent fund Caravan has given her hope. Caravan provides help and support to more than 1,300 former grocery workers and their families who...
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News
A winter's tale, hot and steamy
Soup competition has been heating up, with big brand names muscling in on rivals' territory to grab a bigger helping. The total soup market clocked up sales of £461.6m in the last year, a rise of 2%, boosted by healthy growth from the top...
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News
New white takes a higher slice
Bread has well and truly overcome the threat posed by the low-carb diet trend of previous years and has shown strong growth. It's up 9.7% to £1.48bn, an increase of some £130m. As consumers increasingly question their food's provenance,...
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News
Retailers must help us push premium, not just low price
Beer and cider aren't just for Christmas. Or for major events like the World Cup. Every year we hear about the importance of getting off-trade right for customers at these times. But the sector has developed to a point where we must develop more...
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News
Health lines that really milk it
Sales of dairy drinks have finally started to slow down after years of soaring growth. In the past year, the total category rose 6.5% to £328.2m, with growth driven predominantly by NPD in the kids' probiotic sector and strong...