The holiday season is here so this month’s report is on sun protection products.
The average multiple has 68 skus on a typical fixture, with 20% of the category on promotion. In managing availability, 9% of normal lines were low on stock and 21% of promotional products.
While these headline figures are consistent with other categories we’ve studied, the retailers vary widely.
Somerfield, with 20 skus in the category, had the smallest range of the multiples audited - less than one-third the retailer average. Low stock levels were recorded for 16% of products on promotion, compared with 8% for non-promoted skus.
Asda had 91 skus in the category with 25% promoted. Despite the wide range and high number of products on promotion, a huge 43% of promotional products needed replenishment. It’s clear Asda’s low price positioning is attractive to suntan lotion shoppers stocking up before their holidays.
Safeway had the fewest number of products on promotion, at 8%, which is well below the retailer average of 20%. Of the products on promotion, 20% were nearly out of stock. Non-promotional lines showed good availability, with only 10% low on stock.
In Sainsbury 30% of the category was on promotion and one in four of these were at risk of being out of stock. This compares to 9% of normal lines. No doubt demand is high as Sainsbury’s stores are heavily shopped before the school holidays.
Tesco seems to have really got behind the sun protection category. It has the biggest range of products - almost double that of the average retailer - and 16% of skus on promotion.
Tesco’s availability was near the top of the pile too, with only 5% of normal lines and 12% of promotional lines low.
Morrisons doesn’t have the range of its main competitors, with an average of 34 skus in store. We found 12% on promotional offer.
However, availability was high with only 3% of normal lines and 12% of promotional low on stock.

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