Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Multiples: Festive foresight

Published: 16 December, 2024

Ahead of the hoped-for Christmas frenzy, James Bayley asks the Co-op’s Joe Turner what lies in store.

Webinar sign up: Social Responsibility at the Cellar Door

Published: 16 October, 2024

The Harpers team invites you to sign up for a latest free webinar, Social Responsibility at the Cellar Door, to take place a week today.

Multiples: Co-op’s balancing act pays off

Published: 10 October, 2024

James Bayley finds the Co-op’s new wine range delivers across the board with traditional favourites and new finds.

Design & Packaging: All change on alt

Published: 16 August, 2024

With eco-concerns and economic pressures pointing the way to alternative packaging, we look at which formats are making the most headway. Jo Gilbert reports.

Co-op unveils UK’s first fairtrade own-brand rum

Published: 12 August, 2024

Co-op is marking 30 years of supporting Fairtrade with the launch of a limited-edition own-brand rum. The new product, a first for the UK, is available in stores from today (12 August).

Women in drinks create first-of-its-kind network

Published: 03 July, 2024

Female leaders from across the drinks trade have come together to launch a new business network aimed at driving inclusivity for women.

Multiples: Summer standouts

Published: 13 June, 2024

Own-label and discovery ranges are in the spotlight as supermarkets refresh their wines for the season. By James Bayley.

Co-op launches online tastings for customers

Published: 04 April, 2024

The Co-op has launched online wine tastings for its members, offering customers exclusive access to the producers behind its own-label ranges.

Co-op overhauls wine offer with new in-store layout and lines

Published: 23 October, 2023

Co-op, the UK’s leading convenience chain, has made major changes to its wine aisle layouts in over 2,000 stores, following research and feedback from its members. It has also introduced five new wines, under the retailer’s Irresistible premium range.

Co-op lets customers do the talking

Published: 14 June, 2023

James Bayley reports back from the Co-op’s latest tasting and hears what’s up the multiple retailer’s sleeve for the future of its wine range.

Asda: Adding variety

Published: 23 May, 2023

Asda has appeared quiet on the drinks front of late, but big change has been brewing, as Angela Mount reports.

Sustainability Report: The Co-op interview

Published: 18 April, 2023

For decades the Co-op has led the way in ethical trading and renewable energy in the grocery sector. In 2023, how is this reflected in its BWS offering? James Bayley reports.

Multiples: Keeping wine accessible

Published: 27 January, 2023

Co-op and Asda BWS buyers tell James Bayley how they are attempting to ensure their consumers can continue to enjoy value-for-money wines in the bleak economic landscape.

Multiples: Consumers swapping to convenience stores

Published: 12 September, 2022

The pandemic years have shown a marked alteration in the fundamental patterns of shopping. During the first lockdown, there was a noticeable shift to more local shopping, as consumers strove to minimise contact with others. Today it would appear this trend has embedded itself in the very mindset of the average shopper, with convenience stores now accounting for 28.9% of UK grocery shopping.

Retail market starting to return to pre-Covid norms

Published: 04 July, 2022

According to Kantar, sales are falling at all the major multiples, but it’s not all doom and gloom. During the 12 weeks to 12 June, supermarket sales, including alcohol, groceries and softs, fell 1.9% year on year. Supermarket alcohol sales are also declining, down 12% year on year in the same period.

Rosé set to steal summer show

Published: 17 May, 2022

It is a wine category often overlooked by keen officiants as being too delicate and perfume-y, lacking the panache and complexity of its rivals. However, multiples prefer profit margins over pretentiousness and have helped make rosé the fastest-growing wine category for over a decade.

Trade finds no easy solution in glass sustainability debate

Published: 21 April, 2022

For the near future, at least, the glass wine bottle is here to stay, albeit with a re-evaluation of how it is used, with consumer perception being a major hurdle to change.

Multiples: New world, same aisle

Published: 20 April, 2022

Supermarket wine ranges are continuing to evolve in 2022, as James Bayley discovers.

Harpers Sustainability Webinar: The Future of Glass

Published: 13 April, 2022

With sustainability firmly back at the top of the agenda for trade and consumers alike, Harpers is partnering with North South Wines to host a panel debate on the future of the glass bottle.