Tag Archives: supermarkets

In retail today we take many things for granted and forget someone had to invent them. Machine-readable barcodes – the basis of stock control and EPOS – were the brainchild of Alan Haberman in the 1970’s but 40 years before then the late Sylvan Goldman, owner of ‘Humpty Dumpty’ grocery stores in Oklahoma invented the ‘greatest ever development in the history of merchandising’ – the shopping trolley.

Until the 1930’s grocery stores had always been ‘serve-over’

The USA has always been a consumer-driven society eager to embrace new ideas. Until the 1930’s grocery stores had always been ‘serve-over’ and the issuing of self-serve baskets to reduce staff costs was relatively new. Goldman had a lightbulb moment when he realised self-serve sales could be doubled with ‘Trolley-carriers’ to overcome the weight of a basket.

Shopping trolleys were a flop when introduced in 1937.

In a later TV interview Goldman recorded how Shoppers resisted the idea. Women said: ‘I’ve pushed enough baby carriages. I don’t want to push any more’ whilst Men said ‘Are you saying I’m a wimp? Do you think I can’t carry a pesky little basket?’ – or something like that. Shopping trolleys were a flop when he introduced them in 1937.

The design evolved from two loose baskets in a folding, wheeled frame

But he had the strength of his convictions. He spent a small fortune on newspaper and radio advertising to make them fashionable and hired attractive young girls to walk around pushing his new invention. Staff were trained to spot people struggling with baskets and to place them in his wheeled carrier frame – which also carried a second basket so they could carry on shopping. The design evolved from two loose baskets in a folding, wheeled frame into todays single large-capacity fixed basket in a stackable frame. And trolleys in the USA are BIG – about half as big again as those in the UK.

Goldman also experimented with less-successful techniques

Goldman also experimented with less-successful techniques.He tried to emulate Henry Ford and attached baskets to a track along which customers shuffled collecting produce as they went. But that was a stinker. When anyone stopped to read a product label everyone else stopped. Oh well, back to the drawing board….

Goldman tried to understand Shopper psychology, kept experimenting and wasn’t frightened of change

The point is that Goldman tried to understand Shopper psychology, kept experimenting and wasn’t frightened of change. He persisted and soon overcame Shoppers’ reluctance and patent his idea before dying as a very wealthy man indeed. The Yanks are good at innovation.

Todays big retailers are still looking for a lightbulb moment but I’m sorry to say few Markets match them

Todays big retailers are still looking for a lightbulb moment but I’m sorry to say few Markets match them. Take product lighting for instance. A whole industry has evolved around product lighting – different wavelengths and different focusses for different products: meat, fish, vegetables, fabrics and jewellery. And it works – well-designed lighting increases sales by about 25%. A Draper no longer needs to take a Customer outside to show them his sample – specialist lighting brings daylight into the stall. Nowadays product-specific lighting is cheaper than ever. The exposed fluorescent tubes of many Markets should be history.

Unintended ‘impulse purchases’ are driven by lighting and presentation

Research has confirmed a well-lit and laid-out shop convinces Shoppers to buy 50% more than they intended when they walked in. Unintended ‘impulse purchases’ are driven by lighting and presentation and Supermarkets ensure the most alluring sensations – flowers and produce – stand at the front in a ‘decompression’ zone to relax Shoppers as they arrive. The basics – dairy produce and bakery – are positioned at the back to draw shoppers past the shelves and many US stores employ friendly ‘greeters’ to open the door and say Hello. It may sound a bit naff to us Brits but one of the most successful Stallholders I know does the same. He simply stands out in front of his stall in a nice fresh uniform and says Hello to Dan and Doris. They love him.

ASB on private premises is a civil not a criminal offence

A friend recently introduced me to a Superstore manager relaxing in our local after a hard day at the checkout. He complained about the early-morning task of evicting rough sleepers from shopping trolley shelters in his carpark. In bad weather they are a cosy alternative to a draughty doorway with the added bonus of skip diving for food in his waste bins. I was sympathetic. Market Hall entrances seem to attract similar ASB (anti-social behaviour) despite deterrents such as ‘Mosquito’ ultrasonic transmitters (audible only to under-25’s) and ceiling-mounted sprinkler bars which discharge after closing hours. I’m told both are reasonably effective and a lot cheaper than a security guard. But as a Landlord don’t expect any help from PC 49. ASB on private premises is a civil not a criminal offence and when Landlords do take action they can expect complaints about infringing peoples human rights. Hmmmm…..

Shopping trolleys are more germ-laden than well-used public conveniences

My Superstore manager’s problem is staff morale – confrontations and clearing cardboard and other errrr…remains left behind in smelly corners. To cap it all his Company Health & Safety Manager now quoted research confirming shopping trolleys are more germ-laden than well-used public conveniences. Research commissioned by the ‘bag-for-life’ company Reusethisbag and a separate study by the University Hospital of Marburg, Germany (no less) suggests trolleys host several hundred times more E Coli and Salmonella than a well-used WC. Think about that the next time you see a child chewing on the trolley handle. Cash machines and self-service fridge doors have the same problem. And you don’t want to know about the grab handles in a London Underground carriage.

There are Companies which rock up with a highly-visible ‘trolleywash’ unit, sterilise the trolleys and sanitise the shelters at the same time

But of course someone in the USA quickly spotted the business opportunity. There are Companies which rock up with a highly-visible ‘trolleywash’ unit, sterilise the trolleys and sanitise the shelters at the same time. Customers love ‘em. It’s one less thing they’d never thought about and now it’s one less thing to worry about. My Supermarket friend suggested this to HQ but was told the cost would come out of his bonus. Instead he slips a few bob to his Carpark Carwash blokes and they do it for him instead. Good thinking.

Epsom Ladies day, 1^stJune was extra scary this year. The usual scrummage of hats and high heels at the bars turned nasty when the Visa credit card system crashed. A lot of ladies were less than impressed and bar staff had to be rescued by security.

It came as an unwelcome wake-up call for many retailers

The problem was Europewide according to Visa which blamed a hardware failure rather than a Russian cyber-attack. The problem was not the Ladies or the Merchant accounts but a Visa computer which fell over and could not send back authorisations. Visa had it sorted by Saturday lunchtime but it came as an unwelcome wake-up call for many retailers. The vast majority of high-value sales are electronic, either in-store or online but few seemed to have an in-store backup plan, apart from cash. Forlorn staff standing outside a store waving ‘Cash only’ placards does not inspire Consumer loyalty. Long delays built up at the Severn Bridge toll and the London Congestion Charge system ground to a halt. It all came as a unpleasant surprise and warning of just how vulnerable Consumers are in a cashless society. My enterprising garage owner rose to the challenge. He dug around in his storeroom and emerged with a big smile and a ‘Click Clack’card voucher machine.

Markets are – somewhat reluctantly – embracing EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer)

Markets are – somewhat reluctantly – embracing EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) i.e. credit and debit cards but they have a long way to go to match mainstream retailers. Visa failure meant queues quickly built up at ATM’s, some of which also failed so if you already take plastic or plan to do so (recommended) this may be the time to consider a backup plan for your hardwired terminal. I was surprised so few High Street retailers could offer an alternative. I-Zettle, Square, Google Pay, Paypal or Apple Pay are all options instead of cash. They could be worth investigating – there are plenty of options at increasingly-competitive rates. Some also incorporate the £30 contactless service.

Where have all the Bank branches gone?

A second problem faced retailers on Monday morning – how to pay the cash into their bank account. Where have all the Bank branches gone? The British Bankers Association says log-ins for online banking have grown to about 9.6 million per day whilst ‘over the counter’ transactions have fallen by 6% in the last year. More than 600 bank branches closed in the UK last year with many small towns in rural areas losing all their banks. Commuter towns have also been affected. Customers are more likely to use branch banking near their place of work whilst at work.

High Street Bank branches have shrunk from about 11,000 to 8,000 over the last 10 years and more closures are expected. Newcomer Metrobank has bucked the trend by opening 40 branches with a further 60 expected by 2020 but they are in conurbations.

Loss of Bank branches is particular problem for rural communities

Loss of Bank branches is particular problem for rural communities as many host a large proportion of home businesses. Basic banking is still available at 11,500 Post Office branches but they’re also downsizing as Postal services move online. To assist, the much-troubled Royal Bank of Scotland has introduced a ‘Bank on Wheels’ for rural areas with some success and ATM manufacturers are developing unattended ‘lobby service’ Mini-banks.

Markets need to widen their services

The Charity Age UK has pointed out how older customers reluctant or unable to go online are suffering. The Federation of Small Businesses is also campaigning on behalf of small businesses and In response HMG has promised additional prior consultation by the end of this year but the writing is on the wall. Small wonder then that Supermarkets have been offering EFT, checkout ‘cashback’, ATM’s and Sub Post Office concessions for years. How many Markets do the same? Markets need to widen their services..

TSB lost some 12,500 customers as a result of an IT systems crash in April

Visa was not the only one with online problems. At least it was not suffering the ‘online assault’ described by TSB Chief Exec. Paul Pester to the Parliamentary Treasury Select Committee. He confirmed TSB had lost some 12,500 customers as a result of an IT systems crash in April. During that month it attempted to transfer 1.3 BILLION customer records from TSB’s previous parent company, Lloyds to it’s new Spanish owners Sabadell. But TSB was ‘overwhelmed’ by fraud attacks during this ‘system migration’ which generated 10,600 fraud alerts, 2,200 attempts at cyberfraud and up to 1,300 TSB customers suffering actual financial loss. Mr Pester and TSB Chairman Richard Meddings could not apologise enough to the 94,000 customers who had lodged complaints. MP’s on the Committee could be seen shifting uneasily in their seats and thanking their lucky stars they didn’t have to clear up the mess.

Sainsbury’s announced it is trialling a new ‘relaxed checkout lane’ in its store at Prestwick for people who suffer from dementia

Meanwhile Sainsburys continue to grab headlines following their proposed Asda merger news. The Supermarket announced it is trialling a new ‘relaxed checkout lane’ in its store at Prestwick for people who suffer from dementia. It’s being run in conjunction with charity ‘Alzheimer’s Scotland’ and bosses hope it can be rolled out across the country. Staff have received extra training to help sufferers and the checkout lane has been de-cluttered, but now with images which represent coins and their value.

Very commendable I’m sure but actually old news. Market stalls have been offering enhanced service to disabled Shoppers for years.

In Lewis Carroll‘s ‘Through the Looking-Glass’ Alice takes part in a race with the Red Queen only to discover that despite running constantly she remains in the same place. The Red Queen is not sympathetic: ‘A slow sort of country!’ says the Queen. ‘Here you see it takes all the running you can do to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast!”

Do you run to stay in one place or do you sprint to expand your business?

And that is the dilemma facing all Market businesses. Do you run to stay in one place or do you sprint to expand your business? You certainly can’t afford to be complacent and stand still or you’ll be going backwards. That same challenge is faced on a grander scale by the ‘Big four’ Supermarkets. Between them they sell some 70% of UK groceries – Tesco has 28% of market share, Sainsburys has 16%, Asda 15% and Morrison 10%. If you factor in the ‘LADS’ (Limited Assortment Discounters i.e. Aldi 7% and Lidl 5% ) then less than 20% of the UK groceries market is up for grabs and where do you run TO? They have to keep running to stay in one place and keep their shareholders happy. ‘Where next?’they constantly ask themselves

If you are a truly international player like Walmart then you can play on an even bigger, global scale

Well, you can keep one step ahead by buying-up your competitors (Morrisons and Safeway) or buying better distribution (Sainsburys and Asda) or simply building more stores (Tesco in Eastern Europe). If you are a truly international player like Walmart then you can play on an even bigger, global scale. That seems to be one reason for the massive £12 billion Sainsbury/Asda merger announced at the end of April.

UK retail is arguably over-provided with supermarkets

Walmart bought Asda back in 1999 as a way to expand into the UK. But Asda has stubbornly lingered in third place because UK retail is arguably over-provided with supermarkets. The shift online has left many towns and shopping centres with ‘bricks ‘n mortar’ stores chasing Shoppers who have shifted online. This led to the downfall of Woolworths and BHS and has left House of Fraser and Debenhams struggling. As early as 2006 Walmart discovered their American retail formula did not work in Germany and sold-off 85 stores and took a billion-dollar hit.It clung on to its investment in Asda for another 10 years whilst privately conceding it was going nowhere so when Mike Coupe, the CEO of Sainsburys suggested a merger they must have jumped at it.

The merger of Asda and Sainsburys will with one leap knock Tesco into second place

The merger of Asda and Sainsburys will with one leap knock Tesco into second place. It will also enable Walmart to pocket £3 billion in cash whilst still retaining 42% of shares in the new business. That £3 billion can then beshovelled into the unconsolidated and rapidly-growing economies of India and China that ARE crying out for supermarkets. That’s globalisation for you.

And there’s another big reason behind the merger: Amazon.

Go online and search for Amazon Fresh Grocery. Amazon is only now establishing itself in the UK groceries market but in the USA it has bitten big chunks out of Walmart. Amazon works on wafer-thin margins and is building seriously big distribution centres around the UK for next day deliveries – bicycles, baked beans or bread. Take your pick. It challenges the Big Four because it is all online without the bricks ‘n mortar overheads. There are rumours it could simply buy its way into the UK groceries market by purchasing Ocado.

You could almost feel sorry for the Big four

This has prompted wry comments from retailers such as Sebastian James, Chief Exec. of Dixons PC World and Carphone Warehouse. He has been widely praised for his mergers and relocation out of town to fight-off Amazon’s online dominance of the electrical goods market. He knows better than most what motivates Amazon and made the pointed comment that:“Why is Amazon getting into the food market? Does it really think it can make money by selling food online? Definitely not. It’s all about getting customers addicted to Amazon Prime and the rest of the Amazon online offer. Amazon doesn’t want to make money out of food and that could make it a big threat for supermarkets.” You could almost feel sorry for the Big four. Their sales are likely to be hit in the same way they have made traditional Market Halls suffer over the last 10 years.

There are a lot of very worried Supermarket suppliers

According to a Sainsburys’ statement both Asda and Sainsbury will continue to trade as separate brands with Argos concessions being put into Asda stores. Not surprisingly, Sainsburys’ shares leapt 20% at the announcement whilst Tesco and Morrisons fell by 3%. Sainsburys announced the new, combined network of 2,800 stores will enjoy operating cost savings of £500m p.a. so employee trades unions are understandably nervous – the merger affects 330,000 jobs. And there are a lot of very worried Supermarket suppliers. The Federation of Small Businesses is pressing for assurances the £500m savings won’t simply be achieved by pressurising suppliers into lower prices ‘a la Tesco’.

The CMA will be looking at whether replacing the Big four with the Big three will be good or bad for Shoppers and Suppliers

The merger is expected to be completed in about 18 months after first obtaining approval from HMG regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority. The CMA will be looking at whether replacing the Big four with the Big three will be good or bad for Shoppers and Suppliers. Sainsburys/Asda are likely to suggest the rise of the ‘LADS’ plus online competition like Amazon still guarantees variety of choice and low prices for shoppers. The CMA will also have to assess whether the 2,800 stores need to be reduced in number. It can impose takeover conditions to ensure Shoppers get a choice of retail outlets in their area. The ‘proximity test’ could bar the merger from operating two or more stores within a mile or a five-minute drive of each other. Some estimates suggest at least 80 Asda stores are located within a mile of a Sainsbury outlet so may have to be closed. This would be bad news for institutional Landlords as well as employees.

‘We’re in the money…’

Mike Coupe has good reason to look pleased. The merger could be a brilliant move, knocking Tesco sideways at a single stroke (and increasing the value of his share options by about £600k). Unfortunately Mike then dropped a clanger. Whilst waiting to be interviewed by ITV someone switched on the microphone and he was broadcast happily singing to himself ‘We’re in the money…’ – the hit song from the musical ‘42^ndStreet’.

If you are an ambitious business promoting itself on the internet then you need to know about the General Data Protection Regulation which comes into effect on 25^thMay. The Customer database you are building is subject to the regs., especially if you ‘process’ the information e.g. categorise Customers so you can target them with special offers.

If you are ‘harvesting’ Customer details to promote or sell direct then you need to gear-up to comply

Online promotion and sales are THE growth areas in retailing, way ahead of ‘bricks and mortar’ sales. If you are ‘harvesting’ Customer details to promote or sell direct then you need to gear-up to comply. The new law replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 which introduced safeguards to protect personal privacy but this new legislation enhances the rights of ‘data subjects’. They now have the right to access data held on them and demand it’s deletion or correction or block its processing. The ‘Big Four’ Supermarkets have been gearing up for years because of the staggering amount of Shopper data they hold and the hefty fines for non-compliance.

Data collection, processing and sales is very VERY big business indeed.

Supermarkets and small businesses are affected, but the main target for the legislation is data collection Companies. Data collection, processing and sales is very VERY big business indeed. It drives everything from your credit rating to which special offer leaflet drops through your letterbox. It is no coincidence that adverts which reflect your interests pop-up when you log onto Google. Parliament has demanded Mark Zuckerburg of Facebook reveal what he knows about us and who he is selling it to so has sent a couple of minions to dodge the questions.

The Tesco Clubcard introduced in 1995 was arguably the cleverest idea ever devised by a retailer

Supermarket Loyalty Cards predated harvesting by a couple of decades. It is amazing what a seemingly innocuous flow of till receipts reveals about your buying preferences, your income, family members and where you live. This info is absolute gold dust to a retailer who can’t decide whether to open a new store in Mudford-on Sea and what to stock. The Tesco Clubcard introduced in 1995 was arguably the cleverest idea ever devised by a retailer. Within 12 months Clubcard holders were spending 28% more at Tesco and 16% less in Sainsburys, paving the way for the equally clever Nectar card now held by 50% of UK households. The tacit agreement of Shoppers to reveal personal details paved the way for data harvesting as (allegedly) used by Cambridge Analytica to target swing voters in the US Presidential election.

Ensuring responsible use of personal data is the purpose of the GDPR

Ensuring responsible use of personal data is the purpose of the GDPR. It includes the requirement that data subjects consent to processing via a ‘Privacy Notice’. If you operate a database I suggest you go online and search for GDPR obligations.

If you make a few bob on the side by shifting unsold stock on Ebay or Facebook remember that Big Brother is watching.

HM Treasury has not been slow in seeing the possibilities of data harvesting. If you make a few bob on the side by shifting unsold stock on Ebay or Facebook remember that Big Brother is watching. Particularly so if you close down your stall and start trading online from a sunny beach.You may remember Manchester trader John Woolfenden who was jailed in 2014 after pleading guilty to £300K of tax evasion and money laundering. He ran an online business from his home selling DVDs. Despite sales of £1.4m over six-years he somehow overlooked the need to register for Vat or declare profits on his self-assessment. One thing which really ticks-off HMRC is failing to pay Vat so they went for him and he went down for two years.

HMRC now pays up to £38k p.a. for ‘software analysts’ to compare your Facebook holiday pics with your tax return and Ebay transactions

That case was a bit of a wake-up call for HMRC. Since then they have geared-up to match the retailers. The September 2017 Finance Bill gave HMRC legal powers to force E-Commerce sites such as PayPal, Ebay and Booking.com to reveal customer transaction details. HMRC now pays up to £38k p.a. for ‘software analysts’ to compare your Facebook holiday pics with your tax return and Ebay transactions. If you and your missus lounge around on a Caribbean beach and send pics to your kids whilst selling online and declaring only £20k income p.a. you will not look kosher. HMRC can demand your transaction records from Ebay, Booking.com and Paypal and you won’t even know about it.

E-commerce leaves a lovely digital paper trail which is the price you pay for expanding your business

E-commerce leaves a lovely digital paper trail which is the price you pay for expanding your business. You can remain all-cash of course but remember that your accountant, bank and even your solicitor don’t guarantee client confidentiality any more.The 2017 Money Laundering etc Regulations require them to report any dodgy dealings. All in all it may seem a bit depressing but don’t despair. The data analysts don’t care about your unwanted Christmas presents sold on Ebay but whether your transactions exceed some mysterious threshold they have set. Remember that when you are boasting about your hols on Instagram.

About ten years ago the BBC ran an excellent drama series about fictional east end villain Harry Starks. He specialised in defrauding suppliers by using a ‘Long Firm’ – a fraudulent variation on the ‘Baby shark’ system perfected by Leo Albrecht, founder of Aldi. Harry established a legitimate business, built up his credit then placed a large order with his suppliers before disappearing with the goods. Along the way the way he developed a nasty habit of using a red hot poker on his business rivals. It was great TV thanks to actor, Mark Strong.

It took the announcement of a £240 million ‘accounting discrepancy’ in Tesco’s accounts to open up this can of worms

Over the years a fair few contractors to Tesco have also been left feeling like Harry’s suppliers – are we going to get paid and when? They could see they were being turned-over but hardly any spoke out for fear of losing a supply contract to the UK’s biggest retailer. It took the announcement of a £240 million ‘accounting discrepancy’ in Tesco’s accounts to open up this can of worms twelve months or so ago. The government-appointed Groceries Code Adjudicator, Christine Tacon, has since published a damning sixty-page report cataloguing their treatment. It can be downloaded from www.gov.uk/government/publications/gca-investigation-into-tesco-plc

This rather basic breach of accounting standards was somehow overlooked by long-standing auditors PriceWaterhouseCoopers

The accounting scandal kicked-off when a whistleblower in Tesco finance revealed how their profits included so-called ‘commercial income’ from suppliers before it was received. This rather basic breach of accounting standards was somehow overlooked by long-standing auditors PriceWaterhouseCoopers and coincided with a crash in the share price and unexpected departure of Chief Executive Philip Clarke and Financial Director Laurie McIlwee. The Serious Fraud Office then opened an inquiry into what looked like share price manipulation and Christine started to ask what commercial income actually meant. Her report gives a startling insight into the terms imposed upon suppliers in return for putting their stock on Tesco shelves. They include:

CODBA: The ’Cost of Doing Business Allowance’ i.e. a contribution to building new or refitting stores
The ‘listing fee’ payable for establishing a new supplier account
• An ‘eye level fee’ for positioning products on the prime ‘eye level/buy level’ shelf
Discounts in return for paying the suppliers invoice on time
A ‘new store opening’ contribution towards new Tesco outlets.

Of course everyone in retailing has known for years

Of course everyone in retailing has known for years this goes on so the report came as no surprise. Unfortunately though the steely-eyed Christine can’t do anything but name and shame the company and put the frighteners on others – a bit like Harry Starks. Without the poker though. The breaches of the GCA code of practice took place before it was given the power to fine anyone. However the Serious Fraud Office investigation is another matter. Executives in public companies who do that sort of thing are very naughty and can go to prison. Remember Gerald Ronson and Ernest Saunders who did porridge for boosting the Guinness share price to support a takeover bid for Distillers?

Tesco is now being pursued with so-called ‘class actions’

If the SFO does successfully prosecute executives that is not the end of the matter. Tesco is now being pursued with so-called ‘class actions’ from institutional investors who bought shares when their value was soaring and have seen their investment halved in value, post-scandal.

‘There is mounting public evidence that Tesco’s management were aware that the financial statements were untrue or misleading.’

Litigation finance group, Bentham Europe, seem to think they had the wool pulled over their eyes and are looking for blood – preferably that of Clarke and McIlwee as between the pair of them they allegedly trousered £2 million in bonuses after being suspended. Benthams specialise in large scale actions to recover shareholder losses and point out: ‘Investors have recourse under the Financial Services and Markets Act…following its misreporting of commercial income in 2014. There is mounting public evidence that Tesco’s management were aware that the financial statements were untrue or misleading.’ Auditors, PWC are also doubtless looking over their corporate shoulder and having interesting discussions with their professional indemnity insurers. Lots of lawyers are going to make lots of money out of this one.

The GCA does now have some teeth

The GCA does now have some teeth, but too late. I’d recommend Christine talks to a few quantity surveyors – the Gods of the building industry – to beef up the GCA code of practice. Building contracts usually oblige employers to pay the main contractor on fourteen days so a sharp QS sometimes slips in a ‘proof of payment’ clause to ensure subcontractors are not left dangling for ninety. A topic close to the heart of all small businesses.

Harry Starks was last seen sailing off into the sunset to begin a new life in Morocco, poker in hand. I wonder if he’d like a job at the GCA?

Christmas trading results confirmed the inexorable move to online plus another problem for struggling retailers – the gulf between ‘bricks ‘n mortar’ retailers who sell online and the ONLY online retailers like AO. Marc Bolland, boss of M&S did the decent thing and threw himself onto his sword when sales crashed 5.8% and the ‘Big Four’ supermarkets all warned of falling like-for-like sales despite improved online performance.

The big winners seem to be the ONLY Online retailers like AO who don’t have any Bricks ‘n Mortar presence

But card issuers like Visa and MasterCard confirmed turnover was UP by 2% – so the difference must have gone somewhere if not into the Big Four’s websites. The two usual suspects are German – Aldi and Lidl – but their sales turnover is still far too small to represent the difference. The big winners seem to be the ONLY Online retailers like AO who don’t have any bricks ‘n mortar presence. They reported a staggering 31% increase in sales – better even than Aldi could achieved. Admittedly much of this was in white goods rather than groceries but it still hurt the big boys efforts to diversify from groceries and household into durables. Changed shopping habits have now impacted on supermarkets just like they on markets when they introduced self-service.

The markets industry still remains predominantly cash-only and ignores the websites and plastic which fuelled the switch.

But if you’re a small retailer don’t take too much pleasure from watching ‘the biter bit’ until you’ve done your own reality check. The markets industry still remains predominantly cash-only and ignores the websites and plastic which fuelled the switch.

With over 80% of groceries and household goods sold by four companies the move online (and to those Germans) has left the big four with some very expensive property liabilities. They’ve been shelving projects and offloading poor performers sites as fast as possible but are left with the dilemma of who will buy them. The obvious purchasers are suffering as much as they are and anyway a vendor will inevitably slap a restrictive covenant on the title to prevent a competitor using it for retail. The clever money is now in redeveloping supermarket sites for housing – very much in line with government policy. The UK is OVER-provided with supermarkets but UNDER-provided with houses. Say Goodbye! to Asda and Hello! to Acacia Avenue.

Big retailers are seeking other ways to diversify and maintain profits whilst reducing their property costs

Small wonder then that big retailers are seeking other ways to diversify and maintain profits whilst reducing their property costs. Tesco tried with their new ‘Fresh ‘n Easy’ chain in the USA (which was a disaster) and still try to fill underused UK space with Harris & Hoole coffeeshops. Not that it’s had much effect – the H&H promos show suntanned South California beach babes with perfect teeth, not Tracey from the Mudford-on-Sea checkout.

Buying Argos and slotting their stores into Sainsbury units could save a lot of operational costs for both

One would-be diversifier is Mike Coupe, the dynamic new CEO of Sainsbury. He’s has been sniffing around the Home Retail Group, owners of Argos (and until recently Homebase DIY) to fill underused space in his stores. His rationale is that Argos has excellent home deliveries, a complementary offer and ‘mature’ property portfolio which would be cheap to offload. Buying Argos and slotting their stores into Sainsbury units could save a lot of operational costs for both and provide Argos ‘Click and Collect’ in Sainsbury convenience stores. Well that’s the theory anyway, but the secret is out. Home Retail shareholders are playing hard to get and have just sold off Homebase DIY to the Aussie retail group Wesfarmers to boost the share price. Mike will have to pay a lot more than he wants and seems to have cold feet. Watch this space.

After ‘Black Friday’ we had ‘Cyber-Saturday’ and now ‘Blue Monday’

And finally: the latest stupid-sounding name which no-one really understands. After ‘Black Friday’ we had ‘Cyber-Saturday’ and now ‘Blue Monday’ – the third Monday in January. This is – allegedly – the most depressing day of the year. Travel agents use it push February Citybreaks for WizzAir which sound like a steal with four romantic nights for two in Riga for £200 – flights, half-board and transfers included. Why Latvia in February? It’s perishing cold but their markets are housed in former Zeppelin airship hangars. It all seems slightly more funky than Mudford.

Unfortunately the name lives on but can be ignored by everyone in the Markets industry

‘Blue Monday’ was invented by the TV channel Sky Travel back in 2005 to drum up interest in their holiday offers but didn’t work too well. It’s owners, BSkyB closed them down after 5 years due to ‘intense internet competition’ which sounds familiar. Unfortunately the name lives on but can be ignored by everyone in the markets industry.

We already know about the kipper season – which, of course is NOT a stupid name.

Hope you had a good Christmas. Try not to think about the kipper season.

Preliminary sales results from the big boys have been poor at best. The ‘Big Four’ supermarkets have been fighting off the Germans – Aldi and Lidl – so margins remained wafer-thin. The high street fashion retailers were hammered by unseasonably warm weather and Black Friday never really took off. Biggies like H&M and Next started their sales early (which is a bit worrying given the low rate of inflation and rising disposable incomes). Drastic discounting did not draw in the crowds as expected so when the full Christmas sales results are announced it will be interesting to see the proportion which transferred to online or simply disappeared to online competition. Amazon and Google announced amazing turnover figures for Black Friday with durables, white goods and presents only a click away. Shoppers were still seen browsing High Street shops up to Christmas Eve but more for price-comparison with online and/or to sniff out last-minute bargains. Conversion to sales seems to have been poor with many shoppers preferring to sit in front of their PC with a pile of mince pies.

Lower High Street footfall means lower Market turnover

You might have hoped this would not affect your market but I’m sorry to say that doesn’t appear to be the case. Stallholders do not have the sky-high rents and rates of a ‘bricks ‘n mortar’ high street retailer so are still able to offer real bargains BUT they remain overwhelmingly reliant on footfall. Lower high street footfall means lower market turnover which seems to have affected seasonal Christmas markets as much as weekday general markets. Meat, poultry and fruit & veg. seems to have stood up reasonably well but European traders who came to the UK in search of a strong currency and better sales turnover went home disappointed. Sales turnover on Christmas markets seems to have fallen by at least a quarter.

Those with a decent online presence have definitely held their ground

So who were the real winners? Those with a decent online presence have definitely held their ground. Those selling craft and luxury goods only have done well. My friend trained as saddlemaker in Walsall but threw in that towel to make wallets, belts, dog collars and handbags and only sells online. His sales through Etsy, Ebay, Facebook and website are better then ever. He’s not cheap but works on the theory that no girl can ever be too thin or own too many handbags or pairs of shoes. He took a big gamble and doubled his stock from July but had a cracking good Christmas since. His secrets are low overheads, adding value by product skills and selling online 24/7.

Thank heavens the markets industry is so innovative and resilient

So where does this leave the markets industry? The impact of online retailing and home delivery by DHL is as profound as the introduction of self-service supermarkets was to the corner shop. Thank heavens the markets industry is so innovative and resilient. Sadly, the Chancelllor’s Autumn statement didn’t contain any real goodies for small businesses to reinvest in and develop themselves. But it did confirm your market authority’s worst fears – a further 29% in spending cuts over the next 5 years. The easy cuts have been made already so you can anticipate services like care for the elderly taking priority. Loss-making ‘discretionary’ services like markets are in line for disposal in line with the ‘Big Society’ agenda promoted by David Cameron.

It would be interesting to know how many stallholders have half-embraced online retailing

It would be interesting to know how many Stallholders have HALF-embraced online retailing, but not the right half. Be honest with yourself and admit whether you’ve gone online because you’re too busy selling and don’t have time to sit in the carpark queue at Bluewater (6 hours) or Silverburn (3 hours). Maybe next year you should plan ahead and go online then treat yourself with a post-Christmas weekend holiday in Eastern Europe. Many of their Christmas markets stay open until the Orthodox Christmas on 6th January.

A Christmas when you don’t have to work – whoopee!

The Chancellor’s July budget from the all-new, all-Conservative government was disappointing for small businesses. George Osborne described it as ‘a budget for working people’ but not many were impressed. There were no new incentives for entrepreneurs or start-ups and the only rabbit he produced out of his hat was the ‘National living wage’ set at £7.20/hour from April 2016. But this was for over-25’s only with under-25’s still stuck with the lower ‘National minimum wage’. This was retained for under-25’s to ensure they can ‘secure work and gain experience’ i.e. not be priced out of the labour market. Despite this the independent Office for Budget Responsibility predicted job losses, particularly in the agricultural sector so in response George cut Corporation tax from 20% to 19% (from 2017) and increased the National Insurance ‘employment allowance’ which waives contributions from small businesses to the tune of £3,000 per annum.

Small businesses are deeply unimpressed

Research confirms small businesses are deeply unimpressed. Those in the retail sector consider this no substitute for the more, errrr…informal wage arrangements often seen in the Markets industry. They would far have preferred an increase to the Vat threshold – a very real disincentive to making the leap into Vat-registration.

The budget also contained proposals to review the old Chestnut of Sunday trading legislation

The budget also contained proposals to review the old Chestnut of Sunday trading legislation. Osborne suggested decision-making might be devolved to local Councils to support ‘bricks and mortar’ retailing versus it’s online competition. The arguments for and against are well-rehearsed – increased costs over 7-days without increased takings etc – but unfortunately his glamorous blonde colleague and Minister for Small Business, Anna Soubry MP (Con. Broxtowe, Notts.) forgot her job title before going public with the proposals. She should have consulted with a few more small business representatives before suggesting critics such as ‘Keep Sunday Special’ are “…harking back to a world that probably didn’t exist. Sunday was the most miserable day of the week”. She should, for instance have talked to the Federation of Retail Newsagents or Association of Convenience Stores. They rejected Osborne’s proposals, suggesting less than one in ten customers wanted changes. Other critics included ‘The Sun’ newspaper which – after ditching Page three’s ‘News in Briefs’ – let columnist Rod Liddle loose to sum it up nicely as ‘a wonderful excuse for me to buy yet more crap’.

Nor were the proposals well-received by two of the ‘Big four’ supermarkets. Tesco and Sainsbury own lots of Convenience store outlets which can stay open already, so don’t fancy opening expensive Supermarkets as well. Asda and Morrison though don’t have the same High Street presence so were enthusiastic. This proposal is now out for consultation so if you’d like to share your views about trading 7-days per week I’m sure Anna would like to hear from you. She can be emailed at: [email protected]

What the report really highlights is a total lack of regulation in this important area

At about the same time the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) confirmed it had found evidence supermarkets are misleading customers with price promotions – but the pricing guidelines mean the problem is more of a cockup than a conspiracy. This came after a 3-month enquiry triggered by a ‘Super complaint’ lodged by the Consumer Association magazine ’Which?’ The CMA confirmed although there was evidence of misleading pricing on the 40% of grocery sales on promotion at any one time, the problem is not widespread. Supermarkets generally take compliance with pricing seriously and the problems identified by ‘Which?’ are caused more by lack of clarity in the pricing guidelines. The CMA made some weak recommendations about price comparison data and ‘Was/Now’ promotions, where by law the period on offer of an ‘Is now’ price cannot exceed the period of the higher ‘Was then’ price. The industry-funded and entirely voluntary Retail Ombudsman suggested pricing guidelines need updating because “The problem is the current rules are merely guidelines, which present retailers with a lot of wriggle room. What the report really highlights is a total lack of regulation in this important area”. This sounds rather like the problems of food labelling and the impossibility of legislating for every possibility.

Meanwhile in the dysfunctional world of Euroland ..

Meanwhile in the dysfunctional world of Euroland the Germans played a game of blink – and lost. The unblinking Greek Prime Minister Aleksis Tsipras called the EMU’s bluff and after three (or was it four?) sets of ‘final negotiations’ agreed to some watered-down austerity measures in return for a bail-out of the Greek Euro. The Bundesbank smiled at the breakthrough through gritted teeth as the UK blocked it’s £1 billion contribution to the Euro Stabilisation Fund and City of London bankers stuck two fingers up at their rivals in Frankfurt. The Euro dropped to 72p from 97p in 2008 and although sterling is not yet back to it’s pre-financial crisis exchange rate, it is going the right way. Which is nice.

The German Chancellor reportedly arrived in Athens for the last round of emergency talks to be greeted by an officious Greek immigration officer armed with a clipboard and a list of questions: “Name?” he asked:“Angela Merkel” she replied. “Nationality?” he asked. “German” she replied. “Occupation?” he asked. “Nein – not yet” she snapped. ”First ve haf to talk……”

In April this year the shiny new CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) emerged from a union of the former Office of Fair Trading and the Competition Commission. People are watching it closely: Initial shock revelations include someone has been price-fixing galvanised steel water tanks and online review websites are not trustworthy. Well there’s a surprise. Whether or not the CMA gets around to reviewing something worthwhile such as supermarket tactics to bankrupt independent retailing remains to be seen.

Review websites often ‘lose’ poor feedback in return for sponsorship

According to the CMA some 25 million shoppers use review websites such as Amazon and TripAdvisor to ‘inform’ their purchases but many of the reviews are rigged. Review websites often ‘lose’ poor feedback in return for sponsorship, whilst manufacturers offer rewards for favourable reviews and post criticism of competitors. None of this comes as a surprise to anyone over 8 years old but encourages genuine shoppers to post outrageous comments about some products. I recommend Amazon’s eye-wateringly funny review of ‘Veet for Men Hair Removal Gel Cream’ at www.amazon.co.uk/Veet-Men-Hair-Removal-Cream/dp/B000KKNQBK

Someone who does believe in frankness and honesty is the (Canadian) Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney

Someone who does believe in frankness and honesty is the (Canadian) Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney. Last month he gave a highly critical after-dinner speech to city bankers to coincide with publication of the ‘Fair and Effective Markets’ review by HM Treasury. His speech left the audience squirming uncomfortably on their well-padded behinds as they remembered how the (now disbanded) Financial Services Authority failed to reign them in prior to the financial crisis. Carney was not averse to a bit of self-criticism either, describing how the Bank of England allowed the crisis to develop. ‘The Bank’s contribution fell short…and neither identified the scale of risks in the system nor spotted gaps in the regulatory architecture’ he said. Arcane governance had blurred accountability and more would now be done to strengthen control. He added: ‘and that includes 10 years in Wormwood Scrubs for any of you guys with your hand in the till’ - or something like that. Former Governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King, former FSA boss Hector Sants and former Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown chose not to comment.

The Treasury review proposes extending criminal sanctions from investment bankers to foreign exchange traders

Chancellor George Osborne also spoke at the dinner. He publicly supported Carney with: ‘The public rightly asks: Why is it after so many scandals so few individuals face punishment in the courts? Individuals who fraudulently manipulate markets and commit financial crime should be treated like the criminals they are.’ The Treasury review proposes extending criminal sanctions from investment bankers to foreign exchange traders plus harsher penalties, something shareholders in RBS and Lloyds would doubtless like applied to reckless executives. City of London Lord Mayor, Alan Yarrow said upholding professional standards should be the norm. ‘It’s like a supermarket with no security cameras – if someone takes something without paying, it’s still theft. There is no escape. People should uphold professional standards irrespective of whether the regulators are there or not.’ Well, actions speak louder than words Alan. We’re waiting.

Pickles made few friends amongst local councils whilst spearheading local government spending cuts

Meanwhile, having won a clear majority in the general election the Prime Minister reshuffled his cabinet without needing to consult his coalition partners. Eric Pickles, plain-speaking head of the Department of Communities and Local Government was promoted to the House of Lords with a Knighthood and an ‘anti-corruption role’ which sounds a bit South American. To replace him David Cameron promoted Greg Clark (47) to become Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Described as a ‘soggy left’ Conservative from Middlesborough, the former Financial Secretary to the Treasury has a hard act to follow. Pickles made few friends amongst local councils whilst spearheading local government spending cuts and the 2011 Localism Act which gave community groups the right to take over council-provided services. His enthusiasm for the ‘Big Society’ agenda bolstered a reputation as a vocal critic of local government, particularly after the child sexual exploitation scandal in Rotherham and local governments’ ineffectual response to the 2014 floods. Greg Clark faces an equally tough time at the DCLG as he now has to implement a second round of even deeper cuts to reduce the governments spending deficit.

Canadian lobsters are now in the front line thanks to Smartphone technology

And finally: Another Canadian product has also been in the news – Lobsters. In the struggle to attract consumer spending Canadian lobsters are now in the front line thanks to Smartphone technology. Shoppers in Newfoundland can now use smartphones to scan live lobsters in fishmongers tanks to discover where their seafood is from and who caught it and when.

Tracing food back to source is not a new idea but using QR code tags to provide customers with this level of detail is

The traceable lobster program is part of thisfish.info, an initiative of Ecotrust Canada, an environmental charity. Each lobster caught by a participating member is tagged with a unique QR code which customers scan for information about the catch – when and where it was caught and by what method, plus a biography of the fisherman. Tracing food back to source is not a new idea but using QR code tags to provide customers with this level of detail is. Some Newfoundland restaurants have been serving QR-coded seafood for a couple of years and boosting sales by linking into wider consumer trends. A spokesperson said: ‘Customers love a glimpse into the lifestyle of the person who provided their supper that night. Where they live, how old they are and how long they’ve been fishing. Consumers are focusing more on where their food comes from, if it is sustainable and healthy and whether the people who catch it are paid fairly’.

No lobsters were available for comment.