Alcohol has overtaken grocery in the promotional activity chart. Last weekend, the category accounted for 21% of total promotions, seven percentage points more than grocery, which was bumped into second place with 14%.

Confectionery raised its game ahead of Hallowe'en and moved up into third place with 12%, ahead of health, beauty and baby, in fourth place with 10%, and soft drinks, in fifth with 8%.

Of the top five alcohol brands on promotion, Wolf Blass led the way with 27% of activity. The save mechanic was used on all offers.

Stella Artois was the leading beer/lager brand, taking 22% of space and second place in the alcohol category overall, utilising x-for-y and save.

Foster's and Hardys shared third place, each with an 18% share of offers, while Kronenbourg took fifth place with 16%.

The top five grocery chart was led by Heinz, which accounted for 37% of activity across all five retailers using x-or-y, buy-one-get-one-free and save. Fourteen percentage points behind in second place was Kellogg's with 23% of space. The brand featured in three retailers and the primary mechanic used was save.

Quaker moved into third place with 16% of promotional grocery offers. Again featured in three retailers, it used buy-one-get-one-free and save in equal measure.

Old El Paso and PG Tips took the remaining two places in the grocery chart, with 13% and 12% respectively.

In the confectionery category, Mars was in first place with 35% of space. It continued to promote mini bags and multipack ranges using x-for-y. Cadbury and Nestlé shared second place with 22% each, focusing on treatsize, tins and boxes in time for Hallowe'en. Both used a range of mechanics including save, x-for-y and buy-one-get-one-free.

Meanwhile, Kraft's Terry's took fourth place with 8%, just two percentage points ahead of the Swizzels Matlow range of candy tubs and lollies packs in fifth place with 6%.

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