Long reads – Page 341
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Analysis & Features
The Grocer Suppliers of the Year 2011: And the winners are...
With consumer spending power declining while cost prices rise, it takes a very special performance to win the approval of the leading grocery retail buyers. Nic Paton salutes the 39 winning suppliers in our 2011 survey
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Analysis & Features
Local shops for local people
The Big Society may be David Cameron’s big idea but in the grocery sector communities have been pulling together for years for the benefit of the greater good, as Judy Sharp discovers
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Analysis & Features
Acid Test: Seabrook Goodbye Salt, Hello Flavour Tommy Ketchup
Seabrook positioned the range as the first on the market that was full of flavour despite reduced salt content
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Analysis & Features
Promo Dynamic: Cracking Easter egg offers hit shelves earlier than ever
Brands are doing their best to make the shopping seasons longer, while bogof is making its mark – especially at Tesco. Vince Bamford reports
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Analysis & Features
Party is over, but what’s the damage to Tesco from Double the Difference?
As consumers fume amid a press furore, was Double the Difference just embarrassing for Tesco or does it reveal deeper problems?
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Analysis & Features
Could DIY cigarettes prove a £2bn market in the making?
Is Imperial Tobacco fighting the illicit trade in tobacco with Make Your Own cigarettes, as it claims, or has it spotted a nice little earner, asks Vince Bamford
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Analysis & Features
Asda is the most successful at keeping inflation in check
The latest Grocer Price Index figures show Asda keeping its prices at the same level as a year ago. Not so at the other big multiples.
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Analysis & Features
Acid Test: Thirst Pockets Multi Cloth
The new “super-strong kitchen towel” aims to wow consumers and shake up the sector
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Interviews
The value engineer: Heineken UK's Stefan Orlowski
After beer and cider was again refused a lifeline in last week’s Budget, Britain’s biggest brewer is making its own plans to inject life into the sector. And they involve a ladder. Nick Hughes speaks to Heineken UK MD Stefan Orlowski
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Analysis & Features
The royal bandwagon: what Wills and Kate's wedding means for grocery
Last year’s World Cup didn’t quite live up to the promise as far as merchandising went – for obvious reasons. But with the Royal Wedding nearly upon us, brands and retailers have another chance to strike gold. So who’s poised to cash in? Rob Brown reports
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Analysis & Features
In the world of off-licences, is Bargain Booze a bargain?
Wine Cellar and Threshers went bust. Oddbins is on the brink of a CVA. So who would want to buy Bargain Booze and why? Elinor Zuke reports
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Analysis & Features
Acid Test: Playboy Energy Drink
The new energy drink is positioned as “a great-tasting product that is energy and more”
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Analysis & Features
What effect will Japanese crisis have on tuna prices?
Uncertainty reigns in tuna, as Japan cuts back on bluefin imports. But the humanitarian crisis might also trigger more demand, reports Julia Glotz
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Analysis & Features
What the Big Society means for grocery
David Cameron’s vision for a ‘Big Society’ has met with scepticism and confusion, not least from retailers and manufacturers who, for years, have been engaged in community and corporate social responsibility-based initiatives. But it’s the Localism Bill that provides most food for thought. Nick Hughes reports
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Analysis & Features
Big deal? The pledges that might make Brits healthier
More than 170 signatories have committed to voluntary pledges under the Responsibility Deal, but what practical results can be expected, asks Hannah Stodell
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Analysis & Features
Farmers take global gamble with plans for powder plant
Is Farmers for Action’s plan to abandon supermarket milk and play the global commodities markets a smart move, ask Richard Ford and Julia Glotz
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Analysis & Features
Acid Test: Kit Kat Four Finger 70% Dark
The higher cocoa content and sleeker look will help the brand tap into the popularity of dark chocolate
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Analysis & Features
Commodities: Detergent ingredients soar, threatening retail prices
Detergent brands have been relying on consumer loyalty and large ad spends, says Mintec’s Robert Miles. But cost increases are threatening their dominance
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Analysis & Features
The death of the paperboy
The paper round has been a source of pocket money for generations of youngsters, reports Beth Phillips. But with newsagents’ profits being squeezed, are we about to witness the death of the paperboy?
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Analysis & Features
Hugh won his fish fight. But how will discards ban work?
Brussels responded with uncharacteristic speed to the chef’s campaign to ban fish discards, but how will the new system work, asks Richard Ford