CHRISTMAS is an extremely important time for spirit sales, especially whisky with a third of total whisky volume being sold during the festive period, said Johna Penman, marketing controller at Maxxium UK.
More than 30% of shoppers buy spirits just once a year, often to stock up their drinks cupboards for the season or to purchase gifts.
“It is therefore important that retailers stock a good range of premium spirits, including whisky, and also provide gifting solutions in order to attract shoppers,” she said.
“Attracting customers to purchase whisky as a gift can be as simple as offering gift bags in store, offering gift-cartoned stock or creating a ‘whisky gifting centre’ showcasing a range of premium and favoured expressions for customers. Visibility is extremely important in store so retailers should focus on strong displays with a range of leading brands recognisable to customers.”
According to 2015 Mintel research 69% of dark spirit/liqueur buyers are willing to spend £20 or over on a standard sized bottle of premium dark spirits or liqueurs as a gift.
At the same time fractional sizes play an important role in appealing to occasional and gift purchasers, Penman stressed. Fractionals also prove popular with customers attending Christmas parties.
The Famous Grouse will concentrate on PMP fractionals in the convenience channel with 35cl bottles available in four-packs designed, says Maxxium, to help retailers manage their expenditure on stock.
This year, The Famous Grouse will air two new television adverts in the build up to Christmas. Maxxium UK says this selling season will see the largest ever investment in Christmas from the brand, worth £1.8m.
As well as two new television adverts, which will debut a new-look grouse in a natural Highland habitat, the brand will use high street and in-store marketing activity ensuring, the firm says, that its campaign is seen by over 40m adult consumers between October and December.
