Treats still the driving force behind strong impulse sales
EVERYONE likes a treat from time to time and there’s something satisfying about an indulgent spur-of-the-moment purchase.
That’s the view of a number of confectionery firms which reckon the treat category provides retailers with the perfect opportunity to boost impulse sales in their stores.
Susan Nash, trade communications manager at Mondelez International, argues catering to sweet-toothed customers is key to generating impulse sales.
“The confectionery category is one of the biggest opportunities to drive sales in your store.
“Confectionery is not only worth a significant value in convenience, it is also the most impulsive category, meaning it can really help you drive your sales – in particular incremental sales,” she said.
David Costello, head of category and shopper management at Burton’s Biscuits Company, agreed, adding that biscuit shoppers are highly impulsive and on the look-out for treats they can share at home with family or friends.
“The ‘not going out’ part of an evening snack accounts for 88% of evening snack consumption,” he said.
Costello reckons that for the future, promotions will play a big part in driving biscuit sales in convenience, with PMPs and price cuts the oil that will grease the impulse engine.
“Over the next few years, we expect there will be much greater focus on added-value growth areas such as treats, to drive impulse purchases and basket spend, while manufacturers will also be looking to contemporary pack formats to create greater appeal for younger shoppers, particularly in relation to out of home with consumers looking for a treat to enjoy on the move,” he said.
The opportunity to increase impulse purchases through chocolate biscuits and other treats was also highlighted by Lesley Ann Gray, brand innovation director at Border Biscuits.
While acknowledging that biscuits sales have been fairly flat in recent years, she said Border Biscuits has noticed a rise in the number of consumers willing to splash out on premium treats.
“Consumers prefer to treat themselves with a good quality premium biscuit, rather than an everyday variety,” she said.
To meet this demand, Border Biscuits recently put its money where its mouth is, revamping the brand’s shelf-ready packaging.
