FMCG NEWSLETTERS

I was fortunate enough to attend the National Retail Federation show in New York in January and what an experience it was. The scale of the US retail sector is simply jaw dropping and watching 26 000 delegates register for the event is a graphic representation of that.  read more

Whether launching a new FMCG brand or rejuvenating an existing one, in-store promotion is essential for grabbing a consumer’s interest, ahead of the clutter and many other brands in-store, all competing for the same attention.  read more

With online consumer spending on the rise in South Africa last year, brick and mortar retailers should jump on the bandwagon and capitalise on the Internet as a sales platform.  read more

Marketing to consumers is at the heart of any retail business and although retailers may follow a similar procedure to roll out their marketing campaigns, the brand perceptions they create are often very different.  read more

Fastmoving.co.za would like to wish you a relaxing end-of-year break, should you be taking leave during this time. We’re excited about what 2012 holds in the retail and the FMCG industries and look forward to bringing you the latest news and commentary. read more

Moving into 2012, retailers are going to have to begin implementing the ambitious expansion plans set out in recent months. The bulk of new store openings by South African retailers will be taking place outside of our borders.  read more

Fastmoving.co.za is about helping brands communicate with retailers and giving brand managers the tools they need to organise and store their electronic data.  read more

The arrival of the Internet and all things digital has raised many debates about the future of traditional print media. SA’s biggest retailers would face a predicament if print media falls away in favour of its digital counterparts, since they make use of broadsheet price promotions as their staple print advertising diet.  read more

Gaining a consumer’s loyalty is at the heart of most retail marketing campaigns as retailers battle it out to win over consumers and influence their buying habits. In South Africa, long-term programmes have typically been used to achieve this through loyalty cards and accumulative point systems.  read more

The recent bids received for a renewable energy plan from 53 independent electricity producers should be good news for big business, particularly agribusinesses, given the fact that high electricity tariffs have a crippling effect on operating costs and profit margins.  read more

Retailers play an essential role in the recycling chain. They are the last exit point for food packaging and should be the first point of entry for re-useable waste. read more

Agriculture is one of South Africa’s most important industries and accounts for a large percentage of our GDP. It’s already a large employer, has potential to create more jobs and is a major driver of investment. read more

Food price inflation is a fickle and difficult to track; it’s influenced by a complex web of interdependent factors that are subject to varying degrees of volatility, which rarely benefits consumers. read more

Africa has become a prime destination for retailers in their quest to break into new markets. Our growing consumer populations combined with slower growth in developed markets, among other factors, all contribute to making it a sought-after business destination read more

I was fortunate enough to visit Germany last month and spent a great deal of time speaking to retailers and visiting stores. I also had the opportunity to visit the Real – Future Store, which is an enlightening step into the store of the (not too distant) future. read more

All retailers are faced with the difficult task of driving sales in specific periods for certain categories, regardless of what they’re selling. One way to do this that works particularly well is to implement short term loyalty programmers. Such programmes incentivise sales and get customers through a retailer’s doors.  read more

Regulations set by the Consumer Protection Act have businesses in the food industry scrambling to ensure that their product packaging meets all the necessary requirements before the deadline in March 2012. read more

With a number of upcoming events on our calendar, it’s an exciting time to be in FMCG and retail. Conferences, workshops and the like, play an important role in growing and shaping our industry.  read more

Convenience stores offer evident benefits for consumers, like 24 hour access and ready-to-eat foods, but these C-Store formats also offer the opportunity for retailers to put greater emphasis on particular categories. International trends offer some comparable insights on how this can be successfully achieved.  read more

The race for African retail dominance has begun. Nigeria, which is predicted to be the globe’s fastest growing economy between now and 2050, is a key destination. It is already clear which retailers are aggressively seeking their slice of the pie. read more

Price optimisation is a business strategy for retailers to seriously consider implementing as it helps them improve margins and streamline the supply chain. But, more importantly, it provides retailers with a tool to make intelligent pricing decisions. read more

Local food manufacturers will soon be challenged by two international FMCG players, namely Diplomat and Iffco. Iffco is a food manufacturer and distributor based in Dubai and has a presence in more than 85 countries. Diplomat is one of Israel’s largest FMCG distributors and has made its way into South Africa under an agreement with Proctor and Gamble (P&G). read more

Electronic Shelf Label technology has, for some time, been a concept that could clearly deliver significant benefits and cost reductions to retailers but costs have made that investment case just a little too risky for most. read more

Falling short of gazing into a crystal ball, one can only speculate what effects the recent global trends will have on consumer spending and retailers. On the whole conditions don’t look favourable, especially looking at durable and semi-durable items. Food retailers, on the other hand, remain more resilient through tough economic periods.  read more

While reports suggest that consumer confidence has declined in South African retail, the recent international interest in South African retail and logistics paints a completely different picture.  read more

As we become more conscious about sustaining our environment the product packaging consumers’ use today needs to be more environmentally sustainable than before.  read more

South African authorities have recently announced three areas of proposed regulation aimed at helping consumers make informed choices when buying certain goods. These are a proposed ban on alcohol advertising, placing warning labels on energy drinks, and proposed shock advertisements for smokers.  read more

This week Pick n Pay announced that it would be retrenching a shade over 3000 employees. I have no doubt that this would have been one of the most difficult decisions that management has ever made, Pick n Pay prides itself on its commitment to its people and its actions have proven time and time again that it goes the extra mile for the team. read more

The recent outbreak of a deadly strain of E. Coli in Germany prompted the local Food Safety Initiative (FSI) to compile food product recall guidelines. These guidelines allow a product recall to be initiated by the food processor/supplier, or a regulatory body such as the department of health, or by a consumer complaint. This is an important and necessary measure, and my only criticism is, why did it take the outbreak of a deadly disease to instigate these changes? More concerning however, is the outbreak itself.  read more

Many consumers, who have spent time overseas, particularly in Europe, may find themselves recognizing some familiar products on the shelves of local stores. That's because retailers have taken it upon themselves to import 'grey goods' to provide "wider choices with a range of lower-priced alternatives" and to build competition in "certain categories where large suppliers may dominate the market".  read more

Food security is a global threat and it goes hand in hand with water security. Fresh water is a vital element in the food production process and is used intensely throughout. Because of its perceived abundance it is often used with abandon, and now the cost is being seen.  read more

Sustainability is no longer a project undertaken by a small team within a company, it has become an integral part of doing good business. The results are measurable and executives are held to account, not just by shareholders or regulators but also by consumers. Sustainability is not just about minimizing the negative impact of a business but also about actively striving to make a positive impact on the environment and on the lives of those associated with the company.  read more

Now that the Walmart deal has been approved it is only a matter of time before the South African retail landscape changes significantly. The giant’s entry will have implications for all South African retailers, it’s not just the grocery specialists who will find themselves under fire. Arguably the retailer with the most to lose from Walmart’s entry would be Pick n Pay. It poses the question: Can Pick n Pay afford not to do a deal with Tesco? read more

We were fortunate enough to interview James House, CEO of 5one. 5one works with retailers and consumer goods businesses to deliver sales and margin improvements through developing and implementing a customer-centric business strategy and are the architects behind Pick n Pay’s Smart Shopper loyalty programme.  read more

This week saw a somewhat predictable slow in retail sales. With sales slowing to just 5.1% year-on-year in March, down from 5.5% in February, it marks the third consecutive month of the downward trend. Although growth is still positive, if no momentum is found soon it could have an adverse effect on the economic recovery. That considered, an average growth of about 5% per month has been forecast throughout the year. read more

Many business are subject to external influences that are not always purely economic. Food retailers are particularly exposed to these influences. read more

This week marks the launch of the new and improved Fastmoving.co.za. While everyone else was off enjoying the extended Easter break our team was working away, tweaking and tinkering to get the new portal ready for its public debut.  read more