Multiple Retailer - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Majestic raises £200,000 for Alzheimer’s Society

Published: 23 May, 2023

Majestic has raised £200,000 for its charity partner for 2022/23 – the Alzheimer’s Society.

Segura Viudas launches first-to-market premium Cava in Tesco

Published: 19 May, 2023

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava is to launch exclusively in Tesco stores across the UK from Monday 22 May. The listing in Tesco is the first in any global market for this new quality tier.

Asda range shake-up on show at London tasting

Published: 18 May, 2023

As part of a major range and merchandising review, Asda has relaunched and expanded its premium ‘Extra Special’ range, doubling the numbers in the last two years, while increasing sales by over £1.25m year-on-year.

Waitrose trials removing sleeves from wine bottle necks

Published: 25 April, 2023

Waitrose has become the first UK supermarket to test selling wine bottles without the familiar plastic and foil sleeves, in a move which forms part of supermarket’s aim to ‘reduce unnecessary packaging’.

Bargain Booze heads down south

Published: 18 April, 2023

As the largest off-licence chain in the UK, what does the future have in store for Bargain Booze and its
390 franchisees? James Bayley 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.

Pressure on energy and foodservice providers to tackle ‘greedflation’

Published: 14 April, 2023

Industry leaders are calling on Ofgem to force energy suppliers to renegotiate contracts signed with hospitality businesses at the height of the supply crisis, as price inflation continues to rise – and attract criticism – at the biggest FMCG firms, including Tesco.

Cramele Recas rolls out rPET Danube project to UK

Published: 13 March, 2023

Romanian winemaker Cramele Recas is launching first-of-its-kind wine bottles made entirely from recycled plastic recovered from the Danube, targeting Europe and the UK, following a successful trial in Germany.

Amazon makes own-label play

Published: 13 March, 2023

Amazon has already moved into the grocery sector but is now upping its game with a range of own-label wines, finds James Bayley.

Multiples: Delivering options

Published: 15 February, 2023

With reliance on delivery services continuing to rise, James Bayley looks at how Ocado is capitalising on the trend.

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.

Paper bottles break supermarket barrier with Sainsbury’s listing

Published: 05 January, 2023

When in Rome (WiR), one of the UK’s leading alt-format wine brands is set to launch its range of recycled paper wine bottles into Sainsbury’s during the first quarter 2023.

Rise of discounters not a threat to established brands

Published: 14 December, 2022

James Bayley finds that despite more consumers opting for own-brand grocery products, for some multiples sales of premium drinks brands have never been stronger.

Majestic freezes on-trade prices until April in bid to help hospitality sector

Published: 12 December, 2022

Majestic, the UK’s largest specialist wine retailer, will freeze its on-trade prices until April 2023 to help UK pubs, bars and restaurants, it has been announced today.

Multiple messages: How retailers are communicating sustainability initiatives

Published: 07 December, 2022

With sustainability such a broad concept, how do retailers communicate the message? Angela Mount asks those at the sharp end.

Drink brands still going strong despite rise of discounters

Published: 29 November, 2022

According to Kantar, food price inflation jumped to a record high of 14.7% in October, and these rising costs have coincided with a surge in sales for discount retailers like Aldi and Lidl.

M&S to rethink wine range

Published: 18 November, 2022

M&S is on a mission to offer “the most exciting wine range on the planet”. James Bayley catches up with head of BWS Andrew Shaw to find out more.

M&S announce ‘Wine Transformation’ set to launch September 2023

Published: 26 October, 2022

In a Harpers exclusive, Andrew Shaw, head of BWS at M&S revealed plans to create the “most exciting wine range on the planet.”

Sustainability in action

Published: 24 October, 2022

Retail can sometimes feel like the centre of the world in business. It joins customer to distributor and producer, as arbiter of supply and demand. This is particularly true in the wine trade, where its gatekeepers provide a vital entry point into an often obscure product category. However, in this new era of hyper sustainability sensitivity, retail has a less obvious – if equally important – role to play, with less power over sustainability related goals than some might think.

The only way is grape for Asda

Published: 13 October, 2022

In April 2021, Asda unveiled a major change to its wine aisles by becoming the first major UK supermarket to group all wine by grape variety instead of country.