Retail technology solutions company Jisp saw record levels of engagement and social media growth following the launch of its King’s Coronation prize giveaway.
To mark the Coronation, Jisp ran a competition over the three-day bank holiday weekend giving away 23 vouchers worth £65 to lucky winners.
In just three days Jisp saw its followers on Instagram rocket by more than 100 per cent with impressions of its competition post hitting almost 70,000. The competition also achieved great reach, hitting over 35,000 accounts.
With the competition now concluded, Jisp has drawn the 23 lucky winners, with the voucher intended to help shoppers treat themselves despite the current cost of living crisis.
Jisp’s Instagram platform was inundated with messages from excited winners after the draw was completed with comments such as “Thank you so much. That’s made my day” and “Oh wow, thank you so, so much! I can put this towards a picnic bench I've been wanting for the garden, absolutely thrilled!”
The giveaway was an additional benefit, complimenting the huge savings already available to shoppers through Jisp’s Scan & Save app.
The app provides independent retailers with a unique loyalty and rewards platform to help them compete against the large supermarkets’ loyalty card programmes, while rewarding shoppers with augmented discounts and reward vouchers to be redeemed in their local stores.
“We wanted to do something to mark the coronation of King Charles III, and recognising the tough times our shoppers are operating in, also wanted to give something back to them,” said Jisp’s managing director, Ilann Hepworth.
“We couldn’t be happier with the results. Not only have we been able to reward 23 lucky winners with a £65 voucher to help them celebrate, we also massively exceeded all expectations on our social media campaign performance, extending Jisp’s reach and the potential for helping far more people cope with the cost-of-living crisis through the Scan & save app.”
C&C Group has announced the appointment of Roger White as its new chief executive. He will take charge at the premium branded drinks group on 20 January 2025.
White led the multi-beverage business AG Barr as chief executive from 2002 until May 2024. Prior to this, he held several senior management positions at Rank Hovis McDougall Group (RHM) from 1987 to 2002.
“An acknowledged high calibre leader, he will bring an exceptional combination of extensive branded drinks sector expertise, understanding of our markets and a proven track record of delivery,” Ralph Findlay, chair and chief executive of C&C Group, commented.
Findlay will return to the position of non-executive chair following a short period of transition after White joins the business, which is behind brands including Bulmers, Tennent’s and Magners.
“We look forward to working with Roger. His knowledge and insight will be of great relevance and invaluable to C&C as we continue the recent positive momentum underway within the business and progress our plans to deliver enhanced shareholder value,” he added.
White commented: “It is an exciting time to be joining the business. C&C has a unique business model, great brands and a committed team, with the potential to create significant long-term value. I look forward to working with the board and the wider team to lead C&C through the next phase of its development.”
White is currently non-executive director of Warburtons Ltd, and chair of Beatson Cancer Charity. He was previously senior independent director of Troy Income and Growth Trust plc (2014-2024), and non-executive director of William Jackson Food Group (2019-2024).
Boyle’s SPAR Ballycastle is celebrating 60 years of their community store after investing £100,000 into the business this year.
The recent expansion heavily focused on increasing the store’s fresh food range with their food-to-go and Deli offering both doubling in size, as well as the installation of additional refrigeration, which has allowed the store to increase their range of locally sourced and made in-store fresh products.
The store opened in 1964, trading as Mace until 2004 when they began trading with Henderson Group, under the SPAR brand. Upon opening, the store was owned by Brian Boyle and had just four employees and now employs 35 from the local area. The store remains a family-focused business to this day, as it is now owned and operated by Ronan and Aidan Boyle, who have managed the business since 1999.
Over the years, the Boyle family have made significant investments into the store, totaling over £1 million. Boyles SPAR Ballycastle’s current site was newly built in 2009 when the family made the move from their original site. They then completed a full refit of the store in 2019 totaling £300,000, followed by their latest refurbishment earlier this year.
The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) remains in place after the refurbishment. It’s installed outside the store and available for the community 24/7, providing essential access to potentially lifesaving equipment even when the store is not open to the residential area.
To further celebrate this incredible milestone, store staff embarked on an in-store charity cycle on 7 December, aiming to reach 60 miles for Marie Curie NI. 60p from the sale of every Barista Bar coffee also went towards the charity from 2–8 December as part of the celebration week.
Shoppers were also in with a chance to win a £60 store voucher every day of the week, while also picking up a number of 60p special deals the store were offering to mark the occasion.
“Our local community is central to everything we do and that is why we have made such significant investments over the years to expand our services and product offering for our shoppers,” Ronan Boyle commented. “Our team decided that we wanted our 60th year to be about our community and celebrating with them. We have enjoyed being able to thank our shoppers with competitions and special offers.”
The team has always been community focused, supporting a number of local sports teams including Ballycastle GAA, Carey GAA, Naomh Padraig GAA, Ballycastle Runners AC, Ballycastle Cycling Club and Ballycastle United Football Club, as well as local charities such as Marie Curie. The team at the store has raised £300,000 for these local sports teams, charities and community groups through numerous instore fundraisers and community events over the years.
Aidan Boyle added: “We are passionate about supporting local charities, community groups and sports teams. A number of our team members have strong connections with local sports teams and it is so important to us that we show our commitment to them. Being a hub in the community, we have supported many young people from the local area with employment during their education and it is always a pleasure to help them grow and develop their careers through our store.
“We wish to extend a huge thank you to our team for their loyalty, with a special thank you to Michael McLernon who has worked at the store for 41 years. We would also like to thank our shoppers for their support over the past 60 years and we look forward to many more successful years of the store.”
Paddy Doody, sales and marketing director at Henderson Group which owns the SPAR brand in Northern Ireland, commented: “We wish to congratulate Ronan, Aidan and the whole team at Boyle’s SPAR Ballycastle on their incredible milestone of 60 years. They are such an integral part of their local community, having a positive impact and giving back to local charities and community groups, all while providing value on the doorsteps of their shoppers, and this is what SPAR is all about. We wish them every success for years to come.”
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EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA retail teams across Northern Ireland have raised £70,000 from their annual Community Coffee Mornings for charity partner Cancer Fund for Children in September
EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA stores across Northern Ireland have raised £70,000 from their annual Community Coffee Mornings back in September.
This brings Henderson Group’s total donations to their charity partner Cancer Fund for Children to £1.87 million since the partnership began 13 years ago.
The event, supported by Barista Bar Coffee and Kingsmill, kicked off September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, with 90 stores getting involved across the weekend of 6–8 September and holding a coffee morning in aid of Cancer Fund for Children.
While Cancer Fund for Children fundraise all year round, a special focus is placed on Childhood Cancer Awareness Month which is when the charity focuses on raising awareness of the impact of childhood cancer on young people and families.
Shoppers were invited to visit any EUROSPAR or ViVOXTRA store throughout the weekend, including flagship stores, EUROSPAR Linn Road, JD Hunter & Co. Markethill, Smyth’s EUROSPAR Ballymoney, ViVOXTRA Banbridge, EUROSPAR Dromara, Swift’s EUROSPAR Lisnaskea and EUROSPAR Ranfurly in Dungannon.
“Every month approximately 12 children and young people (aged 0-24) are diagnosed with cancer in Northern Ireland,” Phil Alexander, chief executive at Cancer Fund for Children, said.
“We understand the devastating impact a childhood cancer diagnosis has on families and it is our mission to make sure all young people across the island of Ireland have access to the right support when it is needed most. Thanks to donations like this one from Henderson Group, we can help ensure children and young people, as well as their families, don’t have to face cancer alone.”
In addition to providing tea, coffee and sweet treats for shoppers in exchange for a donation, a number of stores went the extra mile to encourage donations for the vital charity.
Team members at ViVOXTRA Castledawson took part in an exercise bike challenge in-store and Marshall and Skye from Paw Patrol paid a special visit to the store to meet shoppers.
The EUROSPAR Dromara and JD Hunter & Co. teams took part in in-store spinathons while Smyth’s EUROSPAR Ballymoney welcomed volunteers from Cancer Fund for Children to join staff in bucket collections throughout the weekend.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Henderson Group for their invaluable support. The EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA Community Coffee mornings go from strength to strength every year and they are one of the highlights in our charity’s fundraising calendar,” Alexander said.
“The coffee mornings bring local communities together to kick off Childhood Cancer Awareness Month each year, whilst raising vital funds to help hundreds of families, ensuring they feel supported, connected and better able to cope with the emotional impact of cancer.”
Bronagh Luke from SPAR NI added: “Thanks to our incredible retailers and shoppers, our annual coffee mornings, which began in 2017, are our biggest fundraising events each year.
“It is an honour to kick off Childhood Cancer Awareness Month each year with this event. It was incredible to see teams from 90 EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA supermarkets in Northern Ireland dedicate time and energy into the Community Coffee Morning this year, to raise an amazing amount of money for a very deserving charity and the many families they support.
“Well done to all teams who took part and thank you to all our shoppers for showing their support.”
The police-led National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) is urging retailers to make full use of the crime prevention and training resource available for free via their website to help support shop workers during the busy festive season.
With the most recent crime survey from the BRC showing incidents of abuse and violence towards shopworkers have risen to 1,300 a day, the lead up to Christmas can be extremely challenging for those working in retail.
The NBCC has designed a series of training videos for those working in the retail sector to help them deal with difficult situations and customers and to provide practical steps they can take to stay safe and de-escalate a potential flash point.
The videos cover four key areas: personal safety and de-escalation, saying no - refusing service, deterring and interacting with thieves, and handling disruptive behaviour. Each video is no more than four minutes long and provides tactics and strategies which any retail worker can use.
“We know what a difficult time the run up to Christmas can be for those working in retail. Long queues and crowded shops can lead to tempers fraying and provide more opportunities for shop thefts. The NBCC has developed easy-to-use support for retailers and their staff to help keep staff safe and reduce the potential for shop thefts. We hope that the easy to digest training videos can give shop workers a bit more confidence and support during a very busy time,” Supt Patrick Holdaway, NBCC lead, said.
Retailers can also access a comprehensive employer framework aimed at preventing violence and abuse within retails retail settings.
The ‘Framework for Employers’ brings together existing good practice within the sector and presents it as a comprehensive, simple step by step process that can be implemented by retailers to demonstrate how they will support their employers to prevent violence and abuse in retail settings.
It includes a post-incident support process which highlights the practical steps employers should be taking to support retail workers after an incident of violence and abuse occurs, for example, their responsibility to ensure incidents are reported, risks are analysed and appropriate support systems are put in place.
If a crime is committed then it is essential to report it to police and capture any digital evidence such as CCTV. The NBCC have worked with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and police forces to develop a standard witness statement which retailers can use when submitting CCTV evidence to the police using a Digital Evidence Management Systems (DEMS). Retailers can access it here.
When reporting a crime to the police it is important that key information is conveyed calmly and accurately to the operator so that they can assess the information and decide on the appropriate response. The information provided to the operator is important in assessing the threat, harm and risk enabling the police to decide on how best to respond. The NBCC has developed a comprehensive guide for retailers and shopworkers on what you need to tell police when reporting a crime and when to dial 999.
“Undoubtedly crimes will take place, and when they do, we want retailers to report the crime and know how to get the digital evidence to the police in the fastest way possible and how to support and care for employees who may have been impacted emotionally or physically by abuse or violence towards them,” Holdaway added.
The NBCC has a dedicated section on the website for Shopworker Safety.
UK food businesses are expected to face significant financial challenges in 2025, grappling with multiple cost pressures. The cost of food items is predicted to rise by up to 4.9 per cent next year, according to the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD).
IGD’s latest Viewpoint Special Report, “Hungry For Growth”, highlights food inflation as one of the most significant challenges for UK households. However, it also places the increase in food prices within a wider context of overall industry pressures.
IGD’s forecast for food inflation in 2025 is based on a full overview of all the cost pressures on food businesses for the next 12 months. While energy and commodity prices will remain stable albeit a little higher in 2025, there will be significantly increased employment and regulatory costs for food businesses in the coming year which will mean food inflation could hit anywhere between 2.4 per cent - 4.9 per cent.
In July 2024, IGD forecast that retail food inflation in 2025 would average 2.1 per cent. This forecast has been revised upward principally on the basis of measures announced in the budget.
In forming these new forecasts, IGD assumed that major policy changes raising business costs will arrive in three phases over the next year:
April: rising costs to employment staff due to increases in National Insurance and National Living Wage
July: rising costs of food imports due to implementation of the Windsor Agreement framework with the EU
Oct: first payments are due to fall on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), increasing costs on packaging
IGD estimates that the food sector will only be able to absorb between 20 per cent - 40 per cent of these costs, meaning the remainder will be passed onto the consumer.
Food inflation is likely to continue to exceed inflation in other items, not just in 2025 but also 2026.
“We do not see food prices going down in the foreseeable future," said IGD Chief Economist James Walton. "The rising cost of living, combined with increased employment and regulatory costs, will keep inflation elevated. Consumers will undoubtedly look for ways to save money, but the impact of these cost pressures will be felt across the economy.
"For the food sector, the increased financial burdens are becoming harder to absorb, particularly for smaller players in the sector. The cumulative impact of multiple changes landing within a short period of time will drive significant cost into all food businesses across the UK.”