ACS

15 July 2010

In 2012 British Food Fortnight will take place in the last week of July and the first week of August. Retailers are encouraged to start planning their promotions now, to put British food at the centre of these promotions and to capitalise on the huge commercial opportunity that the Olympics provide. This year’s British Food Fortnight (18 Sept – 3 Oct 2010) is the perfect time to trial run patriotic promotions.

British Food Fortnight will run at the same time as the 2012 Olympics so start planning now and use this year's event which takes place from 18 September - 3 October 2010 to trial run your patriotic promotions and make sure that your shop is ahead of the game in getting a piece of the Olympic commercial cake.

“British Food Fortnight provides a fantastic opportunity to grow sales and profits with the support of a nationally recognised event.” Libra Europe, consultants to the food supply chain industry

Why should members of the Association of Convenience Stores take part? Retail promotions during previous British Food Fortnights have proved that the event has a serious impact on sales:

• Retailers taking part increase sales by up to 34% per store as a direct result of the event – an increase that has been sustained three years running.
• 25% increase in footfall in participating outlets during the event.
• Sales of British food increase by up to £2,000 per store during the Fortnight.
• The rules governing the use of the Olympics for marketing gain are the most stringent ever in order to protect the official sponsors. This presents a huge challenge for retailers planning patriotic promotions. Taking part in British Food Fortnight will enable your shop to share the income stream that the wave of Olympic patriotism will bring.

How can you take part? Retailers are invited to run British food promotions during the event, to offer tastings and promotions to highlight new products, to encourage producers to come into stores to meet customers and to decorate stores with bunting and British Food Fortnight point of sale material.

All the resources retailers need to take part are on the event’s website www.lovebritishfood.co.uk, a one-stop-shop of advice not just for the Fortnight but on everything retailers need to make British food a commercial success in their stores: advice on sourcing, supplier contacts, sales promotion case studies, advice on promoting your business in the media including regional media contacts and press release templates and what’s in season when charts. All editions of the event’s publications for retailers are downloadable from the site: ‘Hot Tips for Maximising Sales’; ‘Retail & Catering Case Studies’; and ‘British Food - The Basics’. Plus: ‘Love British Food - it’s British Food Fortnight!’ point of sale material: downloadable shelf barkers and stickers; and ideas for working with schools, inspiring examples of retailers already doing so and recipe cards for children.

A guide to taking part in this year’s event is available with an A3 ‘Love British Food!’ poster to display in your shop. To order your copy email info@lovebritishfood.co.uk, Tel: 020 7840 9292 or download from http://lovebritishfood.co.uk/images/stories/pdf/2010_how_retailers_and_caterers_can_take_part.pdf