Advertorial. 
Our new Brand Spotlight series is here to highlight the most exciting brands and products in the consumer product sector right now...
Innovation is the name of the game in the drinks world &ndash; which is why we&rsquo;ve seen an explosion in low-and-no alcohol spirits.
For many brands looking to attract new crowds of dedicated customers and forward-thinking talent, looking beyond the norm is increasingly essential.
That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s so exciting to see brands like <a href="https://tarquinsgin.com/">Tarquin&rsquo;s</a> &ndash; AKA the UK&rsquo;s bestselling super-premium gin brand &ndash; take an iconic product in a new direction.
<img src="https://advocate-group.sites.sourceflow.co.uk/assets/tarquins-gin" alt=""><img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/ur2f2llpfs4czmi06616gywwaefb" alt="Tarquin Leadbetter, founder of Tarquin's Gin, smiling in his gin distillery. " width="5760" height="3840">
<h2>The Alcohol-Free Gin of Choice for Gin Lovers</h2>
Did you know that, in the UK, nearly one in every three pub visits are <a href="https://kaminsight.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2044/2023/07/LowNo-2023-REPORT-FINAL.pdf">now alcohol-free</a>?
While consumers are still keen to have a good time, they are also increasingly conscious about what they're consuming from a health and wellness perspective.
Clearly, times are changing. That&rsquo;s why high-ABV drinks no longer dominate quite like they used to.
Enter Tarquin&rsquo;s, with a product that&rsquo;s sure to prove irresistible to even the most traditional of gin lovers. Did somebody say Dry January?
<h2>Tarquin&rsquo;s New Alcohol-Free Gin</h2>
Meticulously developed by founder and self-taught Master Distiller Tarquin Leadbetter, the brand&rsquo;s new <a href="https://tarquinsgin.com/products/tarquins-cornish-dry-non-alcoholic-spirit">Cornish Dry Non-Alcoholic Spirit</a> captures the same classic juniper, citrus and floral notes as his award-winning Cornish Dry Gin.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/36smeqex96ty8tvdsuljhoxu0sm2" alt="" width="2844" height="4267">
The new product has been distilled with real dry gin and locally-sourced Cornish coastal botanicals, for a versatile finish that&rsquo;s designed to replace traditional dry gin in any serve.
According to Tarquin himself, &ldquo;this is the only way to mirror the elegance and complexity of our classic Cornish Dry Gin!&rdquo;
Speaking on the new product launch, Tarquin went on to say: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s always exciting to enter a new category, especially one growing as quickly as low &amp; no spirits.
&ldquo;When it comes to innovation, we always obsess over taste! That&rsquo;s why it took three years and hundreds of taste tests to finally perfect the recipe for our Cornish Dry Non-Alcoholic Spirit.&rdquo;
As well as being a delicious alternative to <a href="https://www.kantar.com/uki/inspiration/consumer/the-data-behind-britains-love-of-gin/">the UK&rsquo;s favourite spirit</a>, the new product also stays true to contemporary wellness trends.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s plant-based and free from added sugars, artificial colourings, and flavourings. At less than 0.5% ABV, it has approximately the same alcohol content as a ripe banana and contains just 27 calories per serve.&rdquo; &nbsp;
In other words, Tarquin&rsquo;s Cornish Dry Non-Alcoholic Spirit is the perfect answer to shifting consumer demands.
<h2>Tarquin&rsquo;s Difference in the Market</h2>
Established in 2012, Tarquin&rsquo;s is Cornwall&rsquo;s original, independent, family-run distillery.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/e5sya0o2yqgfld6k4csahv90rxpu" alt="" width="5492" height="3661">
A brand that&rsquo;s proud to couple traditional techniques with progressively modern approaches, Tarquin&rsquo;s is all about doing things a little differently. Think new product launches that move with the market and tantalising line-ups of <a href="https://tarquinsgin.com/collections/thirsty-thursday">limited-edition seasonal gin releases</a>.
If you don&rsquo;t already, this is definitely a <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/southwestern-distillery/">brand to follow</a> &ndash; whether you&rsquo;re looking for the perfect pour or a new role with a forward-thinking organisation.
Check out <a href="https://tarquinsgin.com/products/tarquins-cornish-dry-non-alcoholic-spirit">Tarquin&rsquo;s Cornish Dry Non-Alcoholic Spirit</a> (as well as their <a href="https://tarquinsgin.com/collections/all">alcoholic gin range</a>) on the <a href="https://tarquinsgin.com/">Tarquin&rsquo;s website</a> today!

How Tarquin's Non-Alcoholic Gin Packs Flavour and Health Benefits  

Everything you need to know to make your recruitment more inclusive, from the big benefits to our inclusive recruitment checklist...
Inclusive recruitment is no longer just a buzzword &ndash; it's an essential.&nbsp;
However, there are concerning gaps. <a href="https://www.cipd.org/globalassets/media/knowledge/knowledge-hub/reports/resourcing-and-talent-planning-report-2022-1_tcm18-111500.pdf">According to CIPD</a>, while 67% of UK organisations say they follow objective assessment criteria when hiring, only 28% train their interviewers on legal inclusivity obligations.&nbsp;
If you're looking to adopt best practices and sustainable strategies for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&amp;I) in recruitment, this guide is here to help.&nbsp;
<details class="mce-accordion" open="open">
<summary>Guide Contents:</summary>
<ul>
<li>What Is Inclusive Recruitment?&nbsp;</li>
<li>Benefits of Inclusive Recruitment&nbsp;</li>
<li>Your 5-Step Inclusive Recruitment Checklist&nbsp;</li>
<li>Solutions to 3 Inclusive Recruitment Challenges&nbsp;</li>
<li>Making Your Recruitment More Inclusive&nbsp;</li>
<li>Get Expert Inclusive Hiring Guidance&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
</details>
If you&rsquo;re a HR Director or hiring manager looking to attract top talent and improve your employer brand in a sustainable way, read on.
<h2>What Is Inclusive Recruitment?</h2>
Inclusive recruitment is a hiring process that actively removes bias and fosters fairness at every stage &ndash; from sourcing and engaging candidates to interviewing, assessing, and onboarding. When done right, inclusive hiring goes beyond compliance checkboxes and genuinely improves the diversity of your workforce.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/jhkb9ckodk7tg97wwdbndnc3l6h2" alt="" width="8256" height="5504">
Inclusive recruitment is a key part of boosting DE&amp;I in the workplace:
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Diversity: Fostering&nbsp;a workplace culture that respects and appreciates individual uniqueness.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Equity: Addressing systemic barriers that disproportionately affect certain groups, to create a level playing field.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Inclusion: Creating an environment where all employees feel welcomed, respected, and valued.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Despite <a href="https://www.cipd.org/globalassets/media/knowledge/knowledge-hub/reports/resourcing-and-talent-planning-report-2022-1_tcm18-111500.pdf">61% of UK employers</a> having a formal DE&amp;I policy, only 32% of organisations feel they are 'very or extremely active in recruiting more diverse candidates'. Meanwhile, 30% are not active at all. So, there's an untapped opportunity here for competitive advantage.&nbsp;
<h2>Benefits of Inclusive Recruitment&nbsp;</h2>
Diverse working environments boost <a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2024/12/20/mental-health-at-work-employee-retention/">employee satisfaction</a> and improve business outcomes in key areas:&nbsp;
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Innovation: Inclusive companies are <a href="https://joshbersin.com/2015/12/why-diversity-and-inclusion-will-be-a-top-priority-for-2016/">1.7 times more likely</a> to be innovation leaders.&nbsp;</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Business Decisions: Inclusive teams make better business decisions <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/eriklarson/2017/09/21/new-research-diversity-inclusion-better-decision-making-at-work/">twice as fast</a> as non-inclusive teams.&nbsp;</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">New Markets: Diverse companies are <a href="https://hbr.org/2013/12/how-diversity-can-drive-innovation">70% more likely</a> to capture new markets.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
In the fast-paced, ever-competitive FMCG and consumer product markets, diverse teams are a critical asset.&nbsp;
<h2>Your 5-Step Inclusive Recruitment Checklist</h2>
Follow this five-step inclusive recruitment checklist to avoid missing anything essential:
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/wnl553s3rx17ym4xebupzwohbf2b" alt="" width="3892" height="2595">
<ol style="margin-top: 0cm;" start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Assess Your Job Descriptions: Screen your job descriptions and ads to ensure they're free of jargon and gendered language, and aren't unnecessarily prohibitive.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Diversify Candidate Sourcing: Use a wider variety of sources, including LinkedIn and specialist job boards, and proactively look for talent from underrepresented backgrounds.&nbsp;</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Assess Candidates Inclusively: Ensure multiple people are involved in the decision-making process to remove bias, offer reasonable adjustments, and provide flexibility when needed.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Remove Bias From Candidate Selection: Introduce <a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/07/28/what-is-unbiased-recruitment/">unbiased recruitment</a> techniques to your selection processes, including anonymous shortlisting and competency questioning, so you can compare candidates in a like-for-like way without bias.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Elevate Your Employer Brand: An inclusive employer brand will attract more diverse candidates to your business. Follow our six-step process for <a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/08/15/6-tips-diversity-employer-branding/">creating an inclusive employer brand</a>.</li>
</ol>
These steps will help you ensure that inclusivity is prioritised at every stage of the recruitment process.&nbsp;
To ensure your efforts stay on track, be sure to define key inclusivity metrics, monitor them, and adjust your strategies as needed.&nbsp;
<h2>Solutions to 3 Inclusive Recruitment Challenges</h2>
There are some common roadblocks organisations might hit when it comes to implementing or improving DE&amp;I in recruitment.
Here's what they are, and the practical steps we can help you take to overcome them...
<h3 class="MsoNormal">1. Overcoming Unconscious Bias</h3>
We all have <a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/07/28/what-is-unbiased-recruitment/">unconscious biases</a>, including affinity bias, halo effect, and confirmation bias, which will inevitably affect our objective decision-making.&nbsp;
Here's how Advocate Group can help:&nbsp;
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Our fully anonymous shortlists and LiveList functionality allow you to compare top candidates based solely on experience, potential, and ability.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">We conduct comprehensive behavioural and psychometric analyses to assess cultural alignment without bias.&nbsp;</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Our internal diversity ambassadors can deliver workshops to your teams to enhance their understanding of unconscious bias in recruitment. check out our session at <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/autumn-budget-insights-big-roles-unmissable-jlaze/">J&auml;germeister HQ</a>, delivered by our very own DE&amp;I advocate <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/aiden-wynn-a34923170/">Aiden Wynn</a>.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/r3okzw5wlayi8lx4z7gt5pgdhaw9" alt="" width="3376" height="3130">
<h3 class="MsoNormal">2. Improving Talent Pool Awareness</h3>
Remember: you can't hire what isn't there. So,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s important to have an in-depth understanding of the talent available to you. 
That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;ve made substantial investments into big data solutions that map entire markets based on tailored criteria. These can include demographics, experience, and location. 
This allows us to uncover niche talent &ndash; particularly valuable if you&rsquo;re seeking underrepresented skillsets in fast evolving sectors! Think plant-based foods or eco-friendly packaging. 
Armed with these insights you can make informed decisions that lead to a truly diverse pipeline and give you an edge over competitors. 
<h3 class="MsoNormal">3. Boosting Employer Brand</h3>
A strong employer brand that showcases inclusivity will naturally attract top talent. It also gives you the opportunity to highlight your commitment to inclusivity if your organisation isn&rsquo;t yet as diverse as you would like it to be. 
However, communicating your employer brand naturally and effectively can be a challenge. 
That&rsquo;s where we come in. With our internal marketing team, we&rsquo;ll work with you to create:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li class="MsoNormal">Video content that highlights real stories of your organisation&rsquo;s inclusivity in action. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Dual-branded campaigns, including video content, brand spotlights and social media posts that share your DE&amp;I journey. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">A newsletter feature in <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/advocate-insights-7081582803317870592/">Advocate Insights</a>, which reaches 20K+ engaged consumer product professionals every month.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="MsoNormal">Making Your Recruitment More Inclusive</h2>
Ultimately, whatever your sector or size, inclusion begins with practical steps and reliable data.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/yx9mwnoknfy8gvl3c2yzmfabdfrm" alt="" width="7684" height="5783">
Here at Advocate Group, we combine market-leading technology &ndash; including LiveList functionality and market mapping &ndash; with expert human insight and forward-thinking outreach strategies to deliver:
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Anonymous, diversity-focused shortlists. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">In-depth demographic insights. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Employer brand support and promotion. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Access to underrepresented, tough-to-find talent. </li>
</ul>
Ready to level up your inclusive recruitment strategy? 
We&rsquo;re here to help at every stage &ndash; from executive search to entry-level hires across FMCG, consumer products, and beyond.
<h2>Get Expert Inclusive Hiring Guidance</h2>
By following this inclusive recruitment checklist and leveraging the right expertise, you'll be well on your way to becoming a DE&amp;I leader &ndash; one that top talent wants to work for and stay with.&nbsp;
<details class="mce-accordion" open="open">
<summary>Key Takeaways:&nbsp;</summary>
<ul>
<li>Inclusive recruitment is vital for long-term success and brand resilience, particularly in fast-paced, innovation-driven sectors like food, drinks, and FMCG.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Sustainable DE&amp;I efforts hinge on transparent communication, objective assessments, and real-time data on talent pools</li>
<li>Advocate Group offers customised, data-driven solutions that ensure you're not just ticking boxes but building an inclusive workforce at all levels.</li>
</ul>
</details>
Do you have questions about your DE&amp;I recruitment strategy? Let&rsquo;s talk! 
We&rsquo;d love to help you build a recruitment process that is inclusive, equitable, and sustainable in the long term. 
<a href="https://advocate-group.sites.sourceflow.co.uk/contact-us/">Get in touch</a> today or <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/2674518/">follow us on LinkedIn</a> for more expert insights on inclusive recruitment.&nbsp;

Inclusive Recruitment Checklist for 2025: A Practical Guide for HR and Hiring Managers 

6 Employee Wellbeing Tips that Will Boost Retention 

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Looking for a new role in a buzzing region? Here&rsquo;s why moving to Manchester could be right for you, whether you&rsquo;re relocating for your career or just need a change&hellip;
Manchester is a vibrant city that&rsquo;s bursting with opportunities, innovation, creativity, and a world-class food and drinks scene. If you&rsquo;re a consumer product (or any other kind of) professional, this guide is here to help you decide if it&rsquo;s right for you.
Spoiler alert: it probably is.
<h2>What&rsquo;s so great about Manchester anyway?</h2>
We&rsquo;re a business with offices and amazing clients based in the heart of the city. So, we know for a fact that it&rsquo;s true what people say &ndash; we definitely do things differently in Manchester.
Famous for everything from the Industrial Revolution to The Smiths and two of the world&rsquo;s top football teams, there&rsquo;s a lot that makes Manchester special. It&rsquo;s even been recently named as one of the 13&nbsp;<a href="https://www.timeout.com/travel/worlds-best-cities-for-nightlife">best cities for night life</a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;world&nbsp;&ndash; the only city in the UK to have earned this accolade.
But it&rsquo;s the everyday magic of the city that makes it perfect for ambitious consumer product professionals like you.
Just make sure you bring a brolly and we&rsquo;re sure you&rsquo;ll be sound.
<h2>6 reasons to move to Manchester for work</h2>
Here are six of the many reasons to consider Cottonopolis for your next career move, from world-leading liveability to unforgettable nights out&hellip;
<h3>1. One of the world&rsquo;s best cities</h3>
</div>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/mdjn87z9bl4rtjlgziyxnitajglt" alt="Moving to Manchester" width="350" height="467">
We&rsquo;re not the only ones that think Manchester is well good.
In fact, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.manchesterworld.uk/news/manchester-ranks-among-worlds-best-100-cities-4386653">prestigious report</a>&nbsp;recently named Manchester one of the best cities to live in &ndash; not just in the UK, but the&nbsp;world!
The cities were ranked based on liveability, loveability, and prosperity, all of which the 0161 has in spades. And, as a result, Manchester managed to beat out the likes of Mexico City, New Orleans, and Valencia.
Not bad going, if you ask us.
<h3>2. Unbeatable bars and restaurants</h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/3183jvvhp7c8lv0wzkuoq1nhplfe" alt="Bars and restaurants in Manchester " width="400" height="300">
If you, like us, are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/industries/fmcg/">obsessed with food and drinks</a>, then Manchester is the place to be.
It has a thriving bar and restaurant scene, both in the city centre and out into the regions of Greater Manchester.
Drop into the Northern Quarter on your lunch for an&nbsp;<a href="https://liquorandburn.com/">outrageously good burrito</a>, or take your pick from several unbelievable food vendors in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.visitmanchester.com/listing/mackie-mayor/35719101/">Mackie Mayor food market</a>.
Then, in the evening, why not check out one of the city&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.designmynight.com/manchester/bars/secret-bars-manchester">hidden bars</a>&nbsp;for drinks?
With so much choice, it can be difficult to decide where to start. Thankfully,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.manchestersfinest.com/">Manchester&rsquo;s Finest</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://themanc.com/">The Manc</a> have you covered.
<h3>3. Great public transport</h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/gt7j5tycdrir5pz7iybmttljpb7h" alt="Manchester&rsquo;s public transport" width="400" height="218">
Whether you love to explore or just need to know you can get to the office, you can count on Manchester&rsquo;s impressive public transport links.
Hop on a&nbsp;<a href="https://tfgm.com/the-bee-network">Bee Network bus</a>&nbsp;to the city centre, take the tram (AKA&nbsp;<a href="https://tfgm.com/ways-to-travel/tram">the Metrolink</a>) to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mediacityuk.co.uk/">Media City</a>, or get a train direct from Piccadilly or Victoria train station to Liverpool, Leeds, York, Blackpool, or the beautiful Lake District.
Wherever it is you want to go, Manchester&rsquo;s sure to have a way for you to get there.
<h3>4. Innovation hub</h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/et5mt7vo3hyywo32nfgwaivpqucf" alt="Manchester&rsquo;s Innovation hub" width="400" height="267">
There&rsquo;s no denying Manchester&rsquo;s role as an innovator, throughout its history and into the current day.
Just take a look at some of the projects it currently has in the pipelines. These projects are all set to boost local businesses, investment, and the economy:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.innovationgreatermanchester.com/">Innovation Greater Manchester</a>:&nbsp;&lsquo;A local-national innovation partnership which could lead to &pound;3.8 billion of economic benefit and over 100,000 jobs&rsquo;.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/supporting-greater-manchester-s-businesses-to-innovate-and-grow/">Innovation Ecosystem Navigation Service</a>:&nbsp;&lsquo;The service will connect businesses to commercialisation-focused resources&hellip; to take their innovations forward&rsquo;.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/2122204-manchester-joins-with-cambridge-on-plans-for-pioneering-innovation-cluster">Innovation Cluster partnership</a>:&nbsp;&lsquo;A progressive new partnership between the innovation clusters in Manchester and Cambridge aims to boost investment in both cities&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
Clearly, it&rsquo;s a great time to come and work in the north&rsquo;s hub of business innovation.
<h3>5. Sustainability</h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/ivbhliy3uc16d5tazdscswmikw9d" alt="Sustainability in Manchester" width="400" height="266">
Manchester is also leading the way in sustainability.
The city has a top-tier sustainability plan, and is on track to hit its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500002/council_policies_and_strategies/3833/zero_carbon_manchester">carbon-zero target</a>&nbsp;by 2038. That&rsquo;s 12 years ahead of the government target for the UK as a whole!
This admirable commitment to the climate is something that can be seen throughout the city.
Eden, for example, is the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.new-bailey.com/eden/">most sustainable office building in Manchester</a>. With a living wall, a rainwater harvesting system, recycled flooring, and many more eco-friendly features, it&rsquo;s a powerful representation of how Manchester walks the walk when it comes to the environment.
<h3>6. Thriving nightlife</h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/ew6e8ghboniv0mb8w4rd24yofgz7" alt="Nightlife in Manchester" width="400" height="266">
We couldn&rsquo;t do a blog about Manchester without mentioning the legendary nightlife scene.
If you&rsquo;ve been for a proper Manny night out, you&rsquo;ll understand why.
There are plenty of gig venues for live music fans, including the newly-regenerated&nbsp;<a href="https://newcenturymcr.com/">New Century Hall</a>&nbsp;and the all-new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cooplive.com/">Co-Op Live arena</a>.
And then there are the countless clubs that are home to some of Madchester&rsquo;s biggest and best nights. From&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thewarehouseproject.com/">The Warehouse Project</a>&nbsp;(AKA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/warehouse-project-named-worlds-favourite-26734852">the world&rsquo;s favourite club</a>) to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.visitmanchester.com/things-to-see-and-do/explore/neighbourhoods/the-village/">Gay Village</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/satanshollow/?hl=en">Satan&rsquo;s Hollow</a>&nbsp;to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.soupmanchester.com/">Soup Kitchen</a>, there really is something for everyone on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.skiddle.com/cities/Manchester/nightlife.html">Manchester club scene</a>.
It&rsquo;s no surprise, then, that Manchester has been named the eighth best city in the world for nightlife! Listed alongside cities including Budapest, Rio de Janeiro, and Berlin, it&rsquo;s the only UK city to have made it onto&nbsp;<a href="https://www.timeout.com/travel/worlds-best-cities-for-nightlife">Time Out&rsquo;s definitive list</a>.
<h2>Finding a Manchester job in consumer goods</h2>
Are you a consumer product professional and interested in relocating to Manchester?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/contact-us/manchester-office/">Let&rsquo;s talk</a>!
We regularly recruit for incredible Manchester-based roles, both with established brand names and some of the most exciting startups in the market.
Drop us a message or give us a call to find out more about our live Manchester consumer product roles:
Call:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Is Moving to Manchester for Work a Good Idea?

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Looking to onboard strategic leaders, directors, or executives within the consumer product space? Partner with the consumer product and FMCG executive search experts for accelerated results.
Gain access to incredible senior-level talent that can add value to your organisation at the highest level.
Find out all about the benefits of executive search, and why our proven process is trusted by brands like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monsterenergy.com/en-gb/">Monster Energy</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ferrero.com/int/en/">Ferrero</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lecreuset.co.uk/en_GB/">Le Creuset</a>:
<ul>
<li>Why partner with an executive search firm?</li>
<li>The benefits of executive search</li>
<li>Added-value executive search</li>
<li>The FMCG executive search specialists</li>
</ul>
<h2>Why partner with an executive search firm?</h2>
Executive search is a specialised approach to recruitment. For best results, companies looking for senior-level talent will typically partner with a specialist executive search firm. These firms will have the talent network, technology, time, and resources to find the best fit for that organisation.
Want to know why?
<h2>The benefits of executive search</h2>
The benefits of executive search are wide-ranging:
<h3>1. Precise hiring</h3>
Also known as executive search and headhunting firms, these companies work proactively to find the best fit for your roles.
Rather than waiting for the right talent to come along, an executive search specialist will actively seek out and engage senior-level talent with the potential to add long-term value to your business.
Typically, they&rsquo;ll utilise their extensive networks of top industry talent to do this. Otherwise, they&rsquo;ll have a tech stack that allows them to seek out potential candidates that aren&rsquo;t visible to traditional recruitment agencies.
To further guarantee hiring accuracy, seek to work with an executive search firm that specialises in your market sector.
<h4>Precise hiring with The Advocate Group</h4>
We&rsquo;re proud to say that we&rsquo;re market leaders in consumer product and FMCG executive search.
As a direct result of our process-driven approach, expansive UK and international networks of top consumer talent, and best-in-class recruitment technology, our shortlist delivery is almost 100% accurate, every single time.
<h3>2. Save time</h3>
The proactivity involved in executive search massively reduces average time-to-hire. So, not only will you get the right fit for your leadership roles, but you&rsquo;ll also get them to offer stage far more quickly.
Plus, when you work with a recruitment partner, they&rsquo;ll take the time-consuming processes off your hands. That means stronger shortlists, delivered direct to you, without the hassle of hunting.
<h4>Save time with The Advocate Group</h4>
Efficiency is essential, which is why our process is time-mapped from the outset and designed to deliver the right people as quickly as possible.
Our average time-to-hire is just 28 days from brief to offer, and we arrange fixed communication touchpoints at the outset. That way, you&rsquo;ll always be up to speed on our process.
<h3>3. High retention</h3>
The stronger the candidates, the higher the chance of long-term retention.
A dedicated executive search partner will work closely with you and tailor their services to ensure your roles are matched with the right people.
In other words, they will deliver candidates that fit your criteria from a culture, skillset, and experience perspective. As a result, they&rsquo;re far more likely to be right for your business in the long-term.
It&rsquo;s no surprise, then, that executive search is proven to improve retention rates.
<h4>Raise retention with The Advocate Group</h4>
96% of the people we place stay with that organisation for at least 12 months.
In other words, we help you get your executive recruitment right first time. We do this by operating as your brand advocates, and focusing on finding candidates who can help your organisation hit its targets and realise its aspirations.
<h3>4. Cut costs</h3>
Reduce the short-, medium-, and long-term costs associated with hiring when you partner with an executive search agency.
By making higher-quality hires more quickly, your senior-level vacancies won&rsquo;t stay vacant for as long. And the sooner someone steps into the role, the sooner they&rsquo;ll start driving sales and revenue.
Plus, you&rsquo;ll save massively on the internal resources you&rsquo;d have had to use to conduct the search internally.
It&rsquo;s also important to note that making a bad hire can be incredibly costly &ndash; particularly at this level. Thankfully, executive search is a far more accurate way to hire at the highest level. So, it can help you avoid the potential six-figure hit to your finances associated with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/heres-how-save-100k-per-hire-chris-dickenson/">making a bad hire</a>.
<h4>Cut costs with The Advocate Group</h4>
We can help you cut the costs of hiring. With a focus on accuracy, efficiency, and long-term value, our expert executive search teams keep recruitment costs to a minimum.
<h3>5. Recruitment insights</h3>
Your executive search consultant will do exactly that &ndash; they will provide a consultative service that steers you in the right direction.
With direct access to live market data, they can provide you with insights that will give you an edge over your competitors. From salary benchmarking to employer branding support, the very best executive search partner will elevate your talent search.
<h4>Gain insights with The Advocate Group</h4>
As the consumer product recruitment experts, we&rsquo;re proud to offer more.
Here&rsquo;s more about our added-value approach&hellip;
<h2>Added-value executive search</h2>
Our insights and added-value services help organisations stand out to the market&rsquo;s top talent. These include:
<ul>
<li>In-depth candidate insights:&nbsp;We offer a far more interactive assessment experience through Advocate 360, our digital shortlisting platform. With more information on the candidate than you&rsquo;ve ever seen before, the outcome is an increase in engagement and more successful recruitment outcomes.</li>
<li>DE&amp;I recruitment expertise:&nbsp;Our recruitment consultants are highly trained in diversity and inclusion, and can help you eradicate bias from the recruitment process while ensuring you always get the right people for your roles.</li>
<li>Salary benchmarking:&nbsp;We can benchmark your salary against competitors&rsquo;, to help you assess where your offering sits and whether it&rsquo;s geared towards top talent attraction. You can also request free access to our&nbsp;<a href="https://mailchi.mp/1f5c4a0d4b68/ebooksignup">2024 consumer product salary survey</a>.</li>
<li>EVP promotion:&nbsp;Through our Advocate Elevate offering, we can provide you with tailored EVP and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2024/06/21/employee-value-proposition-evp-guide/">employer branding support</a>, to help set you apart from the competition. This is proven to offer a significant advantage in a talent-short market.</li>
</ul>
Everything we offer is designed to accelerate our client partner&rsquo;s talent search and elevate them as an employer of choice.
But don&rsquo;t just take our word for it:
<ul>
<li>&ldquo;The Advocate Group provide a focused one-to-one approach, ensuring that both employer and candidate are the optimum match and best cultural fit for each other. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to any potential businesses seeking new talent.&rdquo;&nbsp;(Director, Monster Energy)</li>
<li>&ldquo;I found working with The Advocate Group a great experience. They are strong communicators and always ensured fast follow-ups with clear understanding of next steps and timings.&rdquo;&nbsp;(Commercial Director, Hasbro)</li>
<li>&ldquo;My Advocate talent partner was very professional throughout the whole process with an excellent understanding of the needs and requirements of both sides, leading to an excellent fit. I would not hesitate to recommend The Advocate Group.&rdquo;&nbsp;(Managing Director, Naturya)</li>
</ul>
<h2>The FMCG executive search specialists</h2>
Operating across the UK, Ireland, EMEA and beyond, we cover executive-level roles across the following divisions:
<ul>
<li>Commercial</li>
<li>Marketing</li>
<li>eCommerce</li>
<li>Logistics</li>
<li>Category</li>
<li>NPD</li>
<li>Finance</li>
<li>Operations</li>
</ul>
So, if you&rsquo;re looking for incredible executives with specialised food, drink, consumer product or FMCG experience,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/contact-us/">reach out today</a>!
Our specialist executive search and headhunting teams can support you in your search for top-level executives that will take your organisation, brand, products, and revenue to the next level.
</div>

The Consumer Product and FMCG Executive Search Experts

Employee Value Proposition: The Employers’ Guide to EVP

Our&nbsp;<a href="https://2ly.link/1w1v3">2024 consumer product salary survey</a>&nbsp;is free to access and will help you attract top consumer product talent&hellip;
Securing top consumer talent can be a challenge in the current market.
So, it&rsquo;s important that you understand where your current salaries fall. Are they in line with pre-existing internal salaries, general market average, or actually geared towards&nbsp;top talent attraction?
Our latest&nbsp;<a href="https://2ly.link/1w1v3">Guide to Salary Benchmarking</a>&nbsp;will help you make your opportunities as attractive as possible to top talent in your market.
<h2>Key consumer product salary survey insights</h2>
As with our previous salary surveys, our 2024 salary survey data is based on our extensive, industry-specific database and consistent networking specifically within the consumer product space.
The salary benchmarking tools we use also give us access to specialist talent insights.
Did you know:
<ul>
<li>42% of career changes in the consumer product space are motivated by pay?</li>
<li>85% of employers increased their rates of pay in 2023?</li>
<li>The average salary increase across consumer products was up to 10% in 2023?</li>
</ul>
For additional insights,&nbsp;<a href="https://2ly.link/1w1v3">request our free salary survey</a>&nbsp;today.
<h2>Inside your consumer product salary survey</h2>
Our definitive salary benchmarking guide will allow you to see where your opportunities sit relative to other employers in the consumer product market. <img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/96r27j50qqivlm75qy8e8k7xjgfc" alt="Salary benchmarking" width="400" height="254">
It covers roles across:
<ul>
<li>Sales.</li>
<li>Marketing.</li>
<li>Digital/eCommerce.</li>
<li>Supply Chain.</li>
</ul>
It&rsquo;s important to note that, not only do you need to effectively benchmark salary; expert insights may also be needed to advise you on the additional monetary and non-monetary benefits of your roles. This is especially important if your roles are not currently geared towards top talent attraction.
For answers or advice from the consumer product recruitment experts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/contact-us/">talk to us to arrange a consultation</a>.
<h2>Access your 2024 salary survey</h2>
Get your role positioning just right &ndash; access your&nbsp;<a href="https://2ly.link/1w1v3">free consumer product salary survey UK</a>&nbsp;today! You&rsquo;ll also be able to request additional guides that can add value to your recruitment process, including:
<ul>
<li>The Battle for Consumer Product Talent.</li>
<li>Your Guide to Diversity, Equity &amp; Inclusion.</li>
<li>Why Partner with the National Account Recruitment Experts.</li>
</ul>
For further information on salary trends or additional salary market analysis, get in touch to arrange a meeting with a specialist Advocate Talent Partner:
Call:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Your 2024 Salary Survey, from the Consumer Product Recruitment Experts

Our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/services/search-selection/">Search &amp; Selection</a>&nbsp;services are trusted by some of the biggest brands and most exciting startups in the consumer product sector&hellip;
<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/testimonials/">High success rates</a>&nbsp;when recruiting can be transformative for organisations of all sizes. As the consumer product Search &amp; Selection specialists, that&rsquo;s something we&rsquo;ve seen for ourselves time and time again.
Find out more about the proven hiring process that&rsquo;s trusted by global names like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monsterenergy.com/en-gb/">Monster Energy</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.danone.com/">Danone</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.henkel.co.uk/">Henkel</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ferrero.com/int/en/">Ferrero</a>&nbsp;&ndash; just some of the brands we&rsquo;re proud to partner with!
<ul>
<li>What is Search &amp; Selection?</li>
<li>The benefits of Search &amp; Selection.</li>
<li>Proven recruitment partnerships.</li>
</ul>
<h2>What is Search &amp; Selection?</h2>
Search &amp; Selection is a precise and proactive approach to recruitment, in which an organisation makes direct approaches to relevant candidates within a defined talent pool. In other words, the best talent for the role is actively sourced, leading to better engagement and significantly increased retention.
That&rsquo;s why Search &amp; Selection is our method of choice here at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/">The Advocate Group</a>. However, it&rsquo;s not the only way we secure success.
Here&rsquo;s what makes our methodology unique:
<ol>
<li>Brand Advocacy Approach:&nbsp;We don&rsquo;t just source top talent &ndash; we become ambassadors for our client partners. By operating as an extension of you, we&rsquo;re able to source talent that aligns with your brand, your culture, your people and your vision.</li>
<li>EVP Promotion:&nbsp;Our&nbsp;<a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/company/the-advocate-group---search-&amp;-selection">innovative marketing strategies</a>&nbsp;ensure significant visibility of your employer brand through eye-catching campaigns and enhanced brand/role collateral.</li>
<li>Streamlined Processes:&nbsp;We&rsquo;ve simplified recruitment to make it more efficient and ensure stakeholder alignment is consistent throughout the hiring process.</li>
<li>Digital Shortlisting:&nbsp;We&rsquo;ve invested heavily in a variety digital shortlisting to make the hiring process more intuitive, more diverse, and more effective.</li>
<li>Talent Insights:&nbsp;Using big data sourcing tools, we can add value to your recruitment process through services that give you in-depth insights into your market and available talent pools.</li>
</ol>
<h2>The benefits of Search &amp; Selection</h2>
By leading with Search &amp; Selection, organisations can benefit from:
<ul>
<li>Access to 100% of the Talent Market:&nbsp;By seeking out the market&rsquo;s best talent, recruiters and hiring managers are able to access passive and hidden talent, as well as those actively looking for a role. It&rsquo;s all about finding the very best person for each role &ndash; not just the best candidate that happens to apply.</li>
<li>Boosted Retention:&nbsp;Finding people who align with both the role requirements and company culture means they&rsquo;re more likely to stick around. That&rsquo;s why 96% of the candidates we place stay with that organisation for at least 12 months.</li>
<li>Right-First-Time Candidate Shortlists:&nbsp;When every candidate in a shortlist has been chosen specifically based on key role and culture fit criteria, your shortlists are far more likely to be right first time.</li>
<li>Speedy Results:&nbsp;A targeted Search &amp; Selection approach cuts time to hire &ndash; especially when coupled with our time-mapped process and consistent communication touchpoints with client partners. And, the more efficient the process, the lower you can keep your short- and long-term recruitment costs.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Proven recruitment partnerships</h2>
At The Advocate Group, we believe (and know from experience) that Search &amp; Selection is the most accurate, effective approach to talent acquisition. But, the extent of its success depends on how it&rsquo;s implemented.
What makes our approach so successful is our combination of ethos, process and strategy. It&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re trusted by so many amazing longstanding partners, and are consistently announcing new partnerships with consumer brands of all sizes.
Some of our most recent partnerships include big names like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7130891425608540160">Maldon Salt</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7133787551269572608">J&auml;germeister</a>, as well as innovative challengers like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7128353651873452032">All About Food</a>.
It&rsquo;s thanks to our rigorous, intuitive, and holistic methodology that we&rsquo;re able to deliver for brands across the consumer product sector, time and time again.
Want to experience the benefits of Search &amp; Selection for yourself? Get in touch to find out what we can do for you:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

FMCG Search & Selection: Recruitment Trusted by Monster, Danone & Ferrero

&ldquo;Soon be Christmas&hellip;&rdquo;
I know, I know, it&rsquo;s a little early to be hearing sleighbells jingling. But you can never be too prepared, right?
Plus, with so many amazing food and drink advent calendar already on the market, you can&rsquo;t blame us for getting excited!
We won&rsquo;t pretend it&rsquo;s going to be easy to narrow down your choices, but this expert guide to the best&nbsp;sweet treats&nbsp;and&nbsp;drinks&nbsp;advent calendars, compiled by our consumer product market experts, should spark some inspiration.
<h2>The best food and drink advent calendars for 2023</h2>
Struggling to decide on your next food or drink advent calendar? These&nbsp;booze,&nbsp;coffee&nbsp;and&nbsp;food options are some of the standouts on the market right now&hellip;
<h3>1. <a href="https://www.sevenbro7hers.com/">Seven Bro7hers</a> Craft Beer Advent Calendar</h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/q0uzdytd71b1itc6w8l8st456t6k" alt="Seven Bro7hers Craft Beer" width="350" height="350">
Fancy bringing in the cheer with a Seven Bro7hers beer? Well, how about 24?!
The craft beer extraordinaires are bringing back last year&rsquo;s sell-out advent calendar, complete with a variety of 24 beers. It includes a mouthwatering mix of 440ml and 330ml cans, with classic Seven Bro7hers brews like Juicy IPA, Helles Lager, and their Honeycomb Pale &ndash; plus some surprises. What will you get?!
Ideal either for self-gifting or the beer-lover in your life, there&rsquo;s a reason this crowd-pleasing advent calendar has been featured in the likes of GQ magazine.
<a href="https://www.sevenbro7hers.com/products/craft-beer-advent-calendar">&pound;69.95, available for pre-order</a>
<h3>2. <a href="https://funkincocktails.co.uk/">Funkin Cocktails</a> Nitro Cocktail Advent Calendar</h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/vb1kmzfomb9lak4gqszfe9r96bxd" alt="Funkin Cocktails" width="350" height="350">
What&rsquo;s Christmas without a cocktail or two?
This year, you can indulge in your favourite bar-quality tipples at home with the Ultimate Nitro Cocktail advent calendar from Funkin!
The RTD cocktail specialists have brought together their best-loved bevs in festive form, with classics like Strawberry Daiquiri, Espresso Martini and Pina Colada helping you countdown the days (and nights) to Christmas.
<a href="https://funkincocktails.co.uk/products/advent-product">&pound;49.99, available for preorder</a>
<h3>3. <a href="https://beaniesflavourco.co.uk/product/coffee-advent-calendar-1447873">Beanies</a> Flavour Coffee Advent Calendar</h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/7sp9kqhtrd7ubr15k2squewl89ag" alt="Beanies Flavour Coffee" width="350" height="350">
If you prefer to get your buzz from a cup of morning joe, then try mixing things up with Beanies&rsquo; coffee calendar with a twist.
There are two stick sachets behind 22 of the doors, featuring flavours like Amaretto Almond, Mint Chocolate, Maple Fudge and Double Chocolate, plus two 50g mystery jars. Will you end up with Cookie Dough, Gingerbread, or some other delicious flavour?
Whatever you get in your calendar, you can rest assured each product will be sugar free, nut free, low in calories and vegan friendly! A delicious way to start each December day.
<a href="https://beaniesflavourco.co.uk/product/coffee-advent-calendar-1447873">&pound;20.00, available now</a>
<h3>4. <a href="https://www.grenade.com/products/advent-calendar">Grenade</a> Protein Bar Advent Calendar</h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/4jkmqshktr4jdpwmi4uc26s8fsx6" alt="Grenade Protein Bar" width="340" height="425">
Do you even gift, bro? Ideal for gym buffs and fitness fanatics, this Grenade advent calendar is packed full of protein-rich, low-sugar treats in a variety of irresistible flavours.
Open each door to reveal one of Grenade&rsquo;s triple-layered, chocolate-coated protein bars. Featuring flavours like White Chocolate Salted Peanut, Cookie Dough and Birthday Cake, this advent calendar is sure to keep you motivated through your winter workouts.
<a href="https://www.grenade.com/products/advent-calendar">&pound;55.00, coming soon</a>
<h3>5. <a href="https://www.ferrero.co.uk/">Ferrero</a> Collection Advent Calendar</h3>
If you&rsquo;re of the opinion that you can&rsquo;t do better than a classic, then this Ferrero Collection calendar might just be the one for you.
Bursting with an assortment of 25 delicious, individually wrapped confections, this calendar is a true chocolate-lover&rsquo;s delight.
Open it out to reveal the hidden doors, and enjoy a surprise mix of your favourite Ferrero pralines, including indulgent Ferrero Rondnoirs, Confetteria Raffaellos and, of course, the unrivalled Ferrero Rocher.
<a href="https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/ferrero-collection-advent-calendar/879914-811756-811756?">&pound;16.00, available now</a>
<h2>Our favourite consumer brands</h2>
It&rsquo;s no secret that we&rsquo;re consumer product obsessed&hellip; That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re so proud to say that we work with many of these brilliant brands, and admire the rest!
Are you a consumer product professional looking to accelerate your career with a big blue chip or exciting challenger brand?
With partners including the likes of Ferrero, Beanies, and Seven Bro7hers, The Advocate Group can help match you with your dream role.
Get in touch to find out what we can do to supercharge your career path:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
Image Credit: Seven Bro7hers, Funkin Cocktails, Beanies, Grenade, Advent Calendar UK.

An Expert Guide to 2023’s Best Food and Drink Advent Calendars

<h1 class="page-title kl-blog-post-title entry-title" itemprop="headline">Boost brand positioning with 2023&rsquo;s top 5 consumer trends</h1>
<div class="itemBody kl-blog-post-body kl-blog-cols-1" itemprop="text">
The biggest and most influential consumer trends have been revealed &ndash; here&rsquo;s how your brand can take full advantage.
If you want to stay one step ahead of changing consumer trends, the findings from the recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.givaudan.com/taste-wellbeing/co-creation-innovation/tools-programmes/flavourvision">FlavourVision&reg;</a>&nbsp;report are a must-read.
Want to bring big benefits to your business? Here&rsquo;s everything you need to know:
<ul>
<li>The top 5 consumer trends for 2023.</li>
<li>Why consumer trends matter.</li>
<li>Capitalise on consumer trends.</li>
</ul>
So, without further ado, let&rsquo;s look at the main takeaways from FlavourVision&reg;, by the flavours and fragrances specialists at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.givaudan.com/">Givaudan</a>&nbsp;and consumer insights agency&nbsp;<a href="https://www.canvas8.com/">Canvas8</a>.
<h2>The top 5 consumer trends for 2023</h2>
Understand the macro trends that hold the most sway over consumer behaviour in 2023 below &ndash; plus, how to use them to boost brand positioning!
&ldquo;For industry leaders and innovators, aligning product development with long-lasting consumer trends and behaviours is critical to their future success.&rdquo;&nbsp;(Nick Morris, CEO of Canvas8)
<h3>1. Green for me</h3>
<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/sustainability/">Sustainability</a>&nbsp;has evolved into a particularly nuanced and demanding aspect of consumer preferences.
Today, it&rsquo;s not enough for brands to simply showcase eco-friendly initiatives. Consumers are increasingly gravitating towards sustainability efforts that feel &lsquo;personal&rsquo; and &lsquo;relevant&rsquo; to their individual values.
In other words, brands need to take their sustainability plans to the next level. Addressing specific consumer concerns and communicating initiatives effectively will be essential if you want your brand to stand out to values-driven, eco-conscious consumers.
There&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/08/24/fmcg-sustainability-reality-benefits/">$806 million of untapped market potential</a>&nbsp;up for grabs if you do!
<h3>2. Restorative care</h3>
The consumer trend towards &lsquo;intuitive&rsquo; and &lsquo;restorative&rsquo; approaches to health and wellness signifies a fundamental shift in the way people prioritise their wellbeing.
Now, consumers are interested in more holistic, long-term solutions to their mental and physical wellness needs. And it&rsquo;s not just about alleviating symptoms, but tackling root causes and nurturing overall vitality.
To resonate with this fast-growing and high-value group, think natural ingredients, sustainable practices, and a commitment to consumers&rsquo; wellness journeys.
<h3>3. Stable connections</h3>
In a particularly unpredictable climate, consumers are increasingly valuing &lsquo;stability and continuity&rsquo; in their lives and spending choices.
The result is a renewed focus on supporting local businesses, as well as individual wellbeing.
Brands can appeal to this trend by emphasising their local roots, providing personalised solutions, and building trust through consistency and reliability. Community engagement will also be important for brands that want to foster lasting connections with their consumers.
<h3>4. Sensorial renaissance</h3>
Consumers are seeking out more memorable experiences over mere transactions. Innovation, storytelling, and unique interactions are key elements in satisfying this consumer need for deeper, more meaningful engagements.
This trend could pose a challenge to some brands, depending on their product offerings. But, get it right, and the emotional connections and lasting impressions will be well worth the effort.
<h3>5. Augmented assistance</h3>
The shift towards digital has been drastic in recent years. The organisations that keep up have the potential to futureproof themselves by building loyalty and a reputation for reliability.
This is a trend that reflects the wider desire for smart, data-driven solutions that anticipate and address individual needs and preferences. People are looking to make their busy lives more efficient, and they expect consumer brands to help make that happen.
Solutions include AI-driven tools that offer tailored recommendations, streamline tasks, and enhance overall convenience.
<h2>Why consumer trends matter</h2>
Consumer trends are more than just a nice-to-know. They&rsquo;re an opportunity to better cater to your current and potential markets.
Here are just some of the ways in which you can use consumer trends to boost brand positioning:
<ul>
<li>Align your product offerings&nbsp;with what customers want and need to stay relevant in the market.</li>
<li>When you&rsquo;re&nbsp;quick to adapt&nbsp;based on emerging trends, you&rsquo;re more likely to outperform competitors and capture market share.</li>
<li>Keep up with the times while solidifying brand identity to&nbsp;foster positive perception&nbsp;and trust.</li>
<li>Find opportunities for innovation and&nbsp;new product development.</li>
<li>Tailor your messaging and campaigns to align with top trends for a&nbsp;more effective marketing strategy.</li>
<li>Foster&nbsp;loyalty and advocacy&nbsp;by engaging with consumers on issues that matter to them.</li>
<li>Understanding&nbsp;global consumer trends&nbsp;is crucial for brands looking to expand internationally.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Capitalise on consumer trends</h2>
To incorporate key consumer trends into your business plan, you&rsquo;ll need people with the experience and know-how to make it happen.
Experience the benefits in your business!
Work with a recruitment partner that understands the demands of the market&nbsp;and&nbsp;the unique needs of your organisation.
We work to understand your brand, your culture, your people, and your vision, before tapping into our ever-growing pools of top consumer product talent. So, whatever you need to take your business to the next level, we can find it for you.
Want to find out more?
<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/services/brief-us-on-a-role/">Brief us on a role</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/contact-us/">get in touch</a>&nbsp;to book a call:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
</div>

Boost Brand Positioning with 2023’s Top 5 Consumer Trends

RTD coffee sales have been an unexpected driving force behind the ready-to-drink boom.
With drinks-on-the-go still a leading trend in 2023, let&rsquo;s take a look at the role RTD coffee sales play in the category&rsquo;s upward trajectory:
<ul>
<li>A nation of coffee lovers.</li>
<li>The value of RTD coffee in 2023.</li>
<li>Why are RTD coffee sales on the rise?</li>
<li>The future for RTD coffee.</li>
</ul>
Are you surprised by how big RTD coffees have become?
<h2>A nation of coffee lovers</h2>
Britain has long been synonymous with tea-drinking. So, you might be surprised to hear that coffee has taken over as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/the-grocer-vision/whats-in-store-for-ready-to-drink-coffee-in-2024/683447.article">the nation&rsquo;s favourite hot drink</a>!
In fact, we drink 98 million cups of the stuff in the UK every single day &ndash; but it&rsquo;s not just traditional brews that we&rsquo;re hooked on.
More and more, British coffee fans are switching out freshly-made mugfuls in favour of more convenient ready-to-drink options. This is particularly true of the upcoming generation of young adults and professionals, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.beveragedaily.com/Article/2023/01/25/What-s-next-in-RTD-coffee">research from Mintel</a>&nbsp;published earlier this year.
<h2>The value of RTD coffee in 2023</h2>
But why is all of this important? Well, because it&rsquo;s a key area of growth within FMCG, which means exciting opportunities for the sector.
To put things into perspective, recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nielsen.com/">stats from Nielsen</a>&nbsp;reveal just how big these opportunities could be. You see, RTD coffee sales haven&rsquo;t gone up by just a little. In the past three years alone, the category&rsquo;s sales value has more than doubled, catapulting it to &pound;289 million! That&rsquo;s faster than the total rate of growth for the soft drinks category as a whole.
For brands, retailers, and talent working within&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/drinks/">FMCG Drinks</a>, there&rsquo;s plenty of scope here to expand offerings and boost sales.
<h2>Why are RTD coffee sales on the rise?</h2>
There are several reasons behind the RTD coffee boom, but among the most prominent is the uptick in NPD.
In other words, it&rsquo;s because there are so many more products on shelves these days, and in a variety of strengths, blends and flavours. So, there really is something for every kind of coffee drinker. That might be why RTD coffees are so successful at inspiring unplanned spend, with 60% of RTD coffee purchases being unplanned.
Other factors that undoubtedly come into play include convenience and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/cost-of-living/">cost-effectiveness</a>&nbsp;&ndash; which are also factors behind the boost in sales for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/08/02/rtd-cocktails-boom/">RTD cocktails</a>.
<h2>The future for RTD coffee</h2>
The caffeine-fuelled rise of RTD coffee shows no signs of stopping. It&rsquo;s possible that the category could double in value again within the next few years, if it keeps its current trajectory on track.
Clearly, there&rsquo;s a lot of money to be made here. However, brands will need to work at reaching new potential customers if they want to come out on top. As it stands, only a quarter of Brits regularly drink RTD coffee.
So what does this mean?
It means investing more in the areas of your organisation that can drive growth, including:
<ul>
<li>New product development (NPD).</li>
<li>Branding.</li>
<li>Shopper marketing.</li>
<li>Merchandising.</li>
<li>National account management.</li>
</ul>
And, the good news is &ndash; we can help!
Gain insider access to the market&rsquo;s leading professionals across these areas and beyond &ndash; work with The Advocate Group for your next hiring project.
Whether they&rsquo;re actively looking, hidden, or passively open to new opportunities, we&rsquo;ll find and make direct approaches to the right people for your organisation.
Want to know how? Get in touch with the consumer product recruitment experts:
Call Us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

RTD Coffee Sales Have Grown by How Much?!

UK inflation has fallen to its lowest level in a long while &ndash; and we have food prices to thank.
After a solid year and a half of high prices, August brought some reprieve. But, while it might have been a long time coming, it wasn&rsquo;t exactly expected.
Here&rsquo;s what you need to know:
<ul>
<li>UK inflation: the facts and figures.</li>
<li>Why is inflation falling?</li>
<li>What does the future of inflation look like?</li>
<li>Protecting your brand from economic uncertainty.</li>
</ul>
<h2>UK inflation: the facts and figures</h2>
<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/inflation/">Inflation</a>&nbsp;fell in the year to August, from 6.8% in July to 6.7%. Admittedly not a drastic drop, but still a much-needed sign of the turning tide.
For one thing, this is the third month in a row that inflation has fallen, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/bulletins/consumerpriceinflation/august2023">Consumer Price Index</a>. It&rsquo;s also the lowest inflation has been since early 2022, suggesting something like a return to normal after extended economic turmoil for many.
There is, of course, still a long way to go &ndash; especially when you consider that the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/">Bank of England&rsquo;s</a>&nbsp;target for inflation is 2%.
Still, there are already signs that this having a calming effect on the economy as a whole. Within 24 hours, it was announced that the Bank would be holding interest rates steady at 5.2%. This effectively ends a run of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57764601">14 consecutive interest rate hikes</a>, implemented in an attempt to calm inflation.
<h2>Why is inflation falling?</h2>
Investors had actually predicted an increase in inflation, due to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66852329">rising fuel costs</a>. It was, then, the slowdown in rising food and drinks prices that helped to drive down inflation as a whole.
Food and drinks are the biggest contributors to inflation in the UK by a significant margin,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/bulletins/consumerpriceinflation/april2023">according to the Office for National Statistics</a>. And, in this instance, it was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/07/06/supermarket-price-cuts-inflation/">milk</a>, cheese, and vegetable prices that slowed the most.
Additional factors, including falling air fares and accommodation costs, also contributed to the recent fall in inflation.
<h2>What does the future of inflation look like?</h2>
While positive, we&rsquo;re not out of the woods yet. After all, food and drinks prices in August were still 13.6% higher than 12 months previous.
However, there are definitely signs that &lsquo;the plan to deal with inflation is working&rsquo;.
According to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt:
&lsquo;[Inflation] is still too high, which is why it is all the more important to stick to our plan to halve it so we can ease the pressure on families and businesses.&rsquo;
If this plan can be made a reality, it would be great news both for businesses and consumers who have been stretched by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/cost-of-living/">cost of living crisis</a>.
<h2>Protecting your brand from economic uncertainty</h2>
Whether protecting your brand from rapidly rising costs or making the most of easing financial pressures, it&rsquo;s people who will ensure your organisation&rsquo;s short and long-term success.
Invest in your teams to make them as strong, skilled and reactive as possible.
At&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/">The Advocate Group</a>, we&rsquo;re trusted by some of the biggest names and most exciting SMEs in the consumer product sector. So, why not get in touch to see what we can do for you?
<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/contact-us/">Book a scoping call</a>&nbsp;with the consumer product recruitment experts:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Falling Food Prices Are Good News for Inflation

New research shines a light on how far&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/fmcg/">FMCG</a>&nbsp;still has to go towards&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/sustainability/">true sustainability</a>&nbsp;&ndash; and how costly a failure to act could be&hellip;
As important as sustainability is, both to brands and their consumers, taking action inevitably takes time. Here&rsquo;s what the research says about current&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/climate-change/">climate change</a>&nbsp;initiatives in the sector, and why things need to change:
<ul>
<li>FMCG sustainability: the reality right now.</li>
<li>How sustainability benefits FMCG brands.</li>
<li>Strengthening your sustainability strategy.</li>
</ul>
<h2>FMCG sustainability: the reality right now</h2>
Financial think tank&nbsp;<a href="https://planet-tracker.org/">Planet Tracker</a>&nbsp;recently revealed some shocking statistics. According to their findings, some of the world&rsquo;s biggest FMCG organisations are predicted to fall far short of key carbon reduction targets.
The reason? Because the focus is too often solely on tackling Scope 1 emissions &ndash; or &lsquo;emissions from sources that an organisation owns or controls directly&rsquo; &ndash; rather than Scope 3 emissions.
<a href="https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/what-are-scope-1-2-3-carbon-emissions">The National Grid</a>&nbsp;describes Scope 3 emissions as those that a company is &lsquo;indirectly responsible for up and down its value chain&rsquo;. Or, in other words, its entire supply chain.
Clearly, there&rsquo;s a problem here. Especially when you consider that supply chains are responsible for around 60% of all global carbon emissions,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accenture.com/gb-en/insights/supply-chain-operations/supply-chains-key-unlocking-net-zero-emissions">according to Accenture</a>.
As a result, emissions for the investigated companies are expected to skyrocket to seven times higher than the science-backed recommendations by 2030. This, in turn, puts billions of dollars in operating profits at serious risk.
<h2>How sustainability benefits FMCG brands</h2>
Some major course correction is needed to avoid a worst-case outcome for the planet and its businesses.
Crucially, though, it&rsquo;s not just about preventing the bad; it&rsquo;s also about embracing the changing world and the opportunities it offers. And, when it comes to FMCG organisations, there are plenty of opportunities to be embraced. This is largely down to recent market shifts.
Since 2020, consumers across the world have become increasingly eco-conscious. In fact, as of last year, environmentally friendly shoppers accounted for almost two-third (65%) of all consumers.
As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gfk.com/blog/how-fmcg-brands-can-capitalize-on-soaring-eco-consumer-spending-power">market analysts GfK</a>&nbsp;report, there is untapped FMCG market potential to the tune of $806 billion within that consumer base.
If that wasn&rsquo;t enough, growing numbers of shoppers are beginning to boycott brands that don&rsquo;t commit to sustainability, or that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/03/15/greenwashing-consumers-boycotting-brands/">greenwash their sustainability claims</a>.
<h2>Strengthening your sustainability strategy</h2>
Is sustainability a concern or priority in your organisation?
Progress is only possible when you have the right people to drive it. That&rsquo;s why, as consumer product recruitment experts, we&rsquo;ve seen a rise in FMCG organisations seeking industry experts with specialist sustainability experience.
Strengthen your commitment to sustainability with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/">The Advocate Group</a>&hellip;
Our Talent Partners have direct and immediate access to deep talent pools of professionals with the specialist skills you need. Allow us to source talent that aligns with your organisation&rsquo;s values, culture, and long-term goals.
<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/services/brief-us-on-a-role/">Brief us on a role</a>&nbsp;or get in touch today:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

The Expensive Truth About FMCG Sustainability

Becoming an inclusive workplace is top priority for organisations across the consumer product sector &ndash; not least because it&rsquo;s a great way to engage, attract, and retain top talent!
It&rsquo;s no secret that more UK workers than ever before are prioritising opportunities that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/benjaminlaker/2023/04/19/company-values-essential-for-attracting-and-retaining-talent-says-linkedin/?sh=45cdc967231e">align with their values</a>. That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s important to consider diversity and employer branding in tandem&hellip;
<ul>
<li>Why is employer branding important?</li>
<li>How does workplace diversity influence employer brand?</li>
<li>How does diversity add value to an organisation?</li>
<li>How do you create an inclusive employer brand?</li>
<li>Committing to diversity and employer brand.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Why is employer branding important?</h2>
Employer brand shapes how your organisation is perceived by both current and potential employees. So, while a strong employer brand fosters employee engagement, attracts top talent, and reduces turnover, a weak or negative employee brand can do the exact opposite.
Ultimately, employee brand acts as a magnet for the type of talent you want to attract. And, by drawing in and retaining individuals who align with the company&rsquo;s values and culture, employer brand can contribute to a more productive and successful workforce.
In a world where&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/diversity/">diversity, equity and inclusion</a>&nbsp;are more important than ever, it&rsquo;s little wonder that diversity has become central to many successful employer brands.
<h2>How does workplace diversity influence employer branding?</h2>
By bringing together varied perspectives, experiences and talents, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/02/16/fmcg-diversity-and-inclusion/">diverse workplace</a>&nbsp;enhances employee morale and engagement. Genuinely happy employees and strong company performance automatically make your organisation more attractive to the market&rsquo;s top professionals.
But there&rsquo;s more to it than that! People really do want to know that their workplace is authentically committed to fairness and equal opportunity.
That&rsquo;s why a strong commitment to diversity is so effective at shaping employer brand. Not only does it lead to positive business outcomes, but it also signals a forward-thinking and open-minded company. And that can go a long way in helping you stand out in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2022/05/13/why-is-it-so-difficult-to-secure-talent-in-the-fmcg-industry-at-the-moment/">today&rsquo;s competitive landscape</a>.
<h2>How does diversity add value to an organisation?</h2>
If you still need some convincing, one look at the research should do it.
According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/">McKinsey &amp; Company</a>:
<ul>
<li>70% of modern professionals will actively seek out opportunities with companies committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.</li>
<li>32% of people on the job market would not apply to an organisation that lacked diversity.</li>
<li>The more diverse a company is, the more productive it is likely to be &ndash; meaning they&rsquo;re more likely to attract the high-achievers.</li>
</ul>
<h2>How do you create an inclusive employer branding?</h2>
Of course, bringing together diversity and employer branding will require strategy and support.
The strategy side of things will largely be about enhancing your organisation&rsquo;s commitment to inclusivity and fairness. When it comes to getting the support you need to effectively communicate this as part of your employer brand, our specialist experience can come in very handy&hellip;
We have a proven track record of not only sourcing top talent, but improving employer brand, candidate journey, and talent acquisition strategies.
Here are six of the recommendations we regularly make to our client partners.
<h3>6 tips for creating an inclusive employer brand</h3>
Creating an inclusive employer brand is an ongoing process that requires dedication and continuous effort.
By integrating these six points, you&rsquo;ll be well on your way to establishing an employer brand that resonates with diverse audiences:
<ol>
<li>Define Your Values:&nbsp;Start by identifying the core values that underpin your organisation, and highlighting these values in your communications. This is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to creating an inclusive workplace.</li>
<li>Inclusive Policies:&nbsp;Write or enhance your policies to emphasise equal treatment, fair opportunities, and a commitment to anti-discrimination, and be sure to communicate them effectively.</li>
<li>Training and Education:&nbsp;Provide ongoing training on topics like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/07/28/what-is-unbiased-recruitment/">unconscious bias</a>, cultural competence, and inclusive language.</li>
<li>Open Dialogue:&nbsp;Encourage open conversations about diversity, equity and inclusion, by creating spaces internally where employees can safely share their experiences, ideas, and concerns.</li>
<li>External Communications:&nbsp;Add value to conversations around diversity in your industry through your external comms, including social media, marketing materials, and careers page.</li>
<li>Diverse Recruitment:&nbsp;Implement unbiased recruitment practices that allow you to assess candidates based solely on experience, skillsets and potential, rather than background or identity.</li>
</ol>
<h2>Committing to diversity and employer branding</h2>
Are you a consumer product organisation aiming to improve diversity and boost employer brand? We can help.
Book in a demo of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/services/advocate-360/">Advocate 360</a>, our innovative digital shortlisting platform, which guarantees inclusivity in the hiring process and an improved candidate experience. Or,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/contact-us/">get in touch</a>&nbsp;with our directors to find out more about how our truly inclusive hiring practices can add value to your organisation&rsquo;s next recruitment project:
Chris Dickenson:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:chris.dickenson@advocate-group.co.uk">chris.dickenson@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
Lee McNally:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lee.mcnally@advocate-group.co.uk">lee.mcnally@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Your How-To Guide to Diversity and Employer Branding

Cocktails-made-easy is one of the biggest drinks trends of 2023 &ndash; so let&rsquo;s take a look at the brands driving the RTD cocktails boom.
Opportunities to enjoy an al fresco cocktail or two have been thin on the ground so far this year. But, despite the summer weather not being quite what we&rsquo;d all hoped, our favourite pre-mixed drinks have been flying off the shelves.
It&rsquo;s no secret that drinks industry news is one of our favourite topics. So, we thought we&rsquo;d look a little closer at the factors and products driving The Great Ready-to-Drink Boom of 2023:
<ul>
<li>The rise of RTD cocktails.</li>
<li>Why are RTD cocktails booming?</li>
<li>The top 5 RTD cocktails to try in 2023.</li>
<li>What does the future hold for RTD cocktails?</li>
<li>Drinks industry obsessives.</li>
</ul>
<h2>The rise of RTD cocktails</h2>
Whether or not you&rsquo;ve had chance to taste test the huge selection now available in supermarkets, you&rsquo;ll probably have noticed that options for RTD cocktails have accelerated rapidly in recent years.
Having been a small player in the drinks market for several years before, RTD cocktails really began to boom during the pandemic. But far from being just a sip in the glass, the category has continued on its trajectory ever since.
Just one look at the numbers will tell you that RTD cocktails have officially arrived &ndash; and that they&rsquo;re not going anywhere.
According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mintel.com/food-and-drink-market-news/coke-and-pepsi-go-hard/">data from Mintel</a>, volume sales of RTD spirits-based cocktails increased 226% between 2016 and 2021. And the category hasn&rsquo;t slowed down since.
<h2>Why are RTD cocktails booming?</h2>
Okay, so we know the facts. But why exactly are they so popular? Plenty of factors play a part.
Ready-to-drink cocktails &ndash; AKA pre-mixed spirits and mixers in single-serve cans &ndash; are an easy, affordable option for a post-work or weekend tipple. They&rsquo;re a great way to bring the taste and experience of an expertly-crafted cocktail to your home, and make it easy to add something a little special to gatherings and events.
With the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/cost-of-living/">cost-of-living crisis</a>&nbsp;continuing to make it more difficult for people to spend as much time (and money) in bars, restaurants and pubs, RTD cocktails are an ideal alternative.
The fact that there are so many fantastic products available across the market is just the garnish on the glass.
<h2>The top 5 RTD cocktails to try in 2023</h2>
It&rsquo;s not easy narrowing down the wide range of delicious RTDs. But, after a few calm(ish) conversations in the office, our consumer geeks finally came out with their consensus&hellip;
<h3><a href="https://www.batchandbottlecocktails.com/monkey-shoulder-lazy-old-fashioned">Monkey Shoulder Lazy Old Fashioned, by Batch &amp; Bottle</a></h3>
While most of the RTDs you see on shelves are gin or vodka-based, ranges are expanding to appeal to more tastes. The Lazy Old Fashioned, crafted by Batch &amp; Bottle and made with rich, smooth&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monkeyshoulder.com/">Monkey Shoulder whisky</a>, is just one example.
Ideal served over ice with a zesty orange twist, this sophisticated RTD is the perfect after dinner drink.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/q7fav4efcg4vvxg0xeohh57n3nwy" alt="Monkey Shoulder" width="350" height="263">
Lazy Old Fashioned (William Grant &amp; Sons)
&nbsp;
<h3><a href="https://sipsmith.com/product/ready-to-drink-gin-tonic-light-cans/">Gin &amp; Light Tonic, by Sipsmith</a></h3>
A simple option, made a little lighter. This classic Gin &amp; Tonic RTD by Sipsmith uses light tonic water, cutting calories by 30% without compromising on the crisp, clean taste G&amp;T fans love so much.
Delicious sipped straight out of the can or tipped over lashings of ice and served with your favourite botanicals.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/gqf3jtrha24jajeuxx28n8tim50g" alt="Gin &amp; Light Tonic, by Sipsmith" width="350" height="219">
Gin &amp; Light Tonic (Sipsmith)
&nbsp;
<h3><a href="https://www.beviamodrinks.com/">Italian Spritz, by Beviamo</a></h3>
Take yourself to Italy with the beautifully refreshing taste of Beviamo&rsquo;s Italian Spritz. Mixed to a traditional recipe with their own bitter liqueur, Italian wine and soda water, it&rsquo;s perfect for days where you need that summer holiday feeling.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/ewqyo4nqw1vqc25yyr8ij2p0r50w" alt="Italian Spritz, by Beviamo" width="340" height="330">
Italian Spritz (Global Brands)
&nbsp;
<h3><a href="https://allshookupcocktails.co.uk/">Peach &amp; Lychee White Wine Spritz, by All Shook Up</a></h3>
Maybe you&rsquo;d prefer something a little sweeter? In that case, you&rsquo;ll love All Shook Up&rsquo;s Peach &amp; Lychee pre-mixed spritz. This one&rsquo;s a wine-based cocktail, which is another portion of the RTD cocktail category that&rsquo;s on its way up
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/dpg6ldxo8q51ae40xvdp9mfu0hv7" alt="Peach &amp; Lychee White Wine Spritz, by All Shook Up" width="350" height="350">
Peach &amp; Lychee White Wine Spritz (Global Brands)
&nbsp;
<h3><a href="https://hoochlemonbrew.com/our-products/">Alcoholic Lemon Brew, by Hooch</a></h3>
For a splash of nostalgia, you can&rsquo;t beat a classic can of Lemon Brew Hooch. The OG Hooch flavour is one of the longest-standing RTDs in the game, and we promise that its sweet and sharp finish will be just as refreshing as you remember.
Have it on its own or as part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://dev.hoochlemonbrew.com/keep-it-cocktails/">signature Hooch cocktail</a>. Or, if you fancy something new, why not check out the new Blue Hooch Tropicade?
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/h8ng70ojokxasg2gbxuj92k4spk2" alt="Alcoholic Lemon Brew, by Hooch" width="350" height="350">
Lemon Brew (Global Bands)
<h2>What does the future hold for RTD cocktails?</h2>
As utterly delicious as this lineup is, it really is just a drop in the drinks can. It&rsquo;s also far from the end of the story.
In fact, all signs suggest that the coming years will be big ones for the RTD cocktail category.
For one thing, there&rsquo;s so much scope for growth! According to&nbsp;<a href="https://simpsonsbeverages.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/RTD-Cocktail-Trends-Report-Simpsons-Beverages.pdf">a report by Simpsons Beverages</a>, the core market right now is 18-34 year olds, making older age groups an underserved market. There are also major opportunities for low-and-no alcohol RTDs, now that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/low-and-no-alcohol/">alcohol-free options</a>&nbsp;are more in-demand than ever.
With new products cropping up all the time and different brands vying for a seat at the bar, it&rsquo;s little wonder that major growth is forecast for the foreseeable future.
In 2023 alone,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.technavio.com/report/ready-to-drink-cocktails-market-industry-analysis">predictions published by Technavio</a>&nbsp;suggest that the category could achieve 11.43% year-on-year growth. And, looking ahead, the findings project that the market will hit 748.7 million by 2027.
<h2>Drinks industry obsessives</h2>
In case you didn&rsquo;t already know, we&rsquo;re big drinks industry fans.
So, whether it&rsquo;s a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/05/25/soft-drinks-sales-surge/">surge in soft drinks sales</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/04/19/6-soft-drink-brands-rebranding-2023/">big rebrands</a>, we always have an eye on the biggest trends shaking up the sector.
Of course, it helps that the likes of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.williamgrant.com/">William Grant &amp; Sons</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://sipsmith.com/">Sipsmith</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://globalbrands.co.uk/">Global Brands</a>&nbsp;are our client partners. These giants of the industry are responsible for some of the best-loved drinks products in UK fridges &ndash; including our favourite RTD cocktails.
Work with a talent partner with a passion for your industry&hellip;
We are the consumer product recruitment specialists. Get in touch today to&nbsp;<a href="https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1ppcq">brief us on a role</a>, or find out more about how we supercharge our client partners&rsquo; recruitment processes:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
Image credit: Batch &amp; Bottle, Sipsmith, Good Time In, All Shook Up Cocktails, Hooch Lemon Brew, iStock.&nbsp;

Which RTD Cocktails Are Driving the Ready-to-Drink Boom?

This year&rsquo;s biggest winner at The Grocer Gold Awards bagged an impressive four accolades&hellip;
In a sector as fiercely competitive as grocery and FMCG, The Grocer Gold Awards are a prestigious marker of quality, innovation, and success within the market.
Now that the 2023 awards have been and gone, let&rsquo;s take a deep dive into the big winners:
<ul>
<li>The Grocer Gold&rsquo;s most successful grocery brand.</li>
<li>Other Grocer Gold-winning brands.</li>
<li>Award-winning career paths.</li>
</ul>
<h2>The Grocer Gold&rsquo;s most successful grocery brand</h2>
At The Grocer Gold Awards ceremony which, this year, was held in the iconic Royal Albert Hall, one brand was celebrated across more categories than others.
After a tough 12 months of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/07/06/supermarket-price-cuts-inflation/">price inflation</a>&nbsp;and steep competition for consumer loyalty&hellip; It was none other than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.asda.com/">Big Four mainstay Asda</a> that took home the most gold!
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/7dm5d5i8txdif82go9zuyrsghn8l" alt="The Grocer Gold Awards" width="350" height="233">
The awards in general aim to recognise outstanding achievement in the areas of service, initiative, and overall commitment to the FMCG industry. Asda, clearly, embodied all three, and earned itself four top honours as a result:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/events/grocer-gold-awards-2023-own-label-range-of-the-year/680753.article">Own Label Range of the Year</a>, for the budget-friendly Asda Just Essentials range.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/events/grocer-gold-awards-2023-consumer-initiative-of-the-year/680862.article">Consumer Initiative of the Year</a>, for the Kids Eat for &pound;1 Caf&eacute; Meals.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/events/grocer-gold-awards-2023-online-supermarket-of-the-year/680819.article">Online Supermarket of the Year</a>, for its continued commitment to growth.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/events/grocer-gold-awards-2023-grocer-33-price-award/680870.article">The Grocer 33 Price Award</a>, which Asda has now won 26 years in a row!</li>
</ul>
<h2>Other award-winning brands</h2>
Beyond Asda&rsquo;s accolades, there were another 30 awards handed out.
It was a great night for the sector as a whole, with 28 recipients receiving well-deserved recognition. This included big prizes for more of Britain&rsquo;s biggest supermarket brands.
<a href="https://www.tesco.com/">Tesco</a>, the supermarket with the biggest market share, bagged three awards, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/events/grocer-gold-awards-2023-sustainability-initiative-of-the-year/680814.article">Sustainability Initiative of the Year</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/events/grocer-gold-awards-2023-e-commerce-initiative-of-the-year/680818.article">eCommerce Initiative of the Year</a>. Meanwhile, Sainsbury&rsquo;s picked up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/events/grocer-gold-awards-2023-grocer-33-availability-award/680837.article">The Grocer 33 Availability Award</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/events/grocer-gold-awards-2023-store-manager-of-the-year/680864.article">Store Manager of the Year</a>&nbsp;went to Laura Smith of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/events/grocer-gold-awards-2023-e-commerce-initiative-of-the-year/680818.article">Sainsbury&rsquo;s</a>&nbsp;Upton. This year&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/events/grocer-gold-awards-2023-grocer-33-service-award/680838.article">Grocer 33 Service Award</a>&nbsp;went to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.waitrose.com/">Waitrose</a>&nbsp;for the third year running. The prize for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/events/grocer-gold-awards-2023-employer-of-the-year/680869.article">Employer of the Year</a>&nbsp;went to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aldi.co.uk/">Aldi</a>, AKA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/02/16/uk-favourite-supermarket-revealed/">the UK&rsquo;s favourite supermarket</a>.
But it was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marksandspencer.com/">Marks &amp; Spencer</a>&nbsp;that was crowned&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/events/grocer-gold-awards-2023-the-grocer-of-the-year/680743.article">Grocer of the Year</a>&nbsp;&ndash; and for the first time in the brand&rsquo;s history!
&ldquo;Against the backdrop of soaring price inflation, this premium grocery retailer is achieving miracles&hellip;&rdquo;
Let&rsquo;s give it up for the rest of&nbsp;<a href="https://thegrocergoldawards.co.uk/live/en/page/winners-2023">the 2023 winners</a>:
<ul>
<li>Soft Drinks Brand of the Year:</li>
<li>Drinks Brand of the Year:&nbsp;Lucky Saint.</li>
<li>Food Brand of the Year:&nbsp;Hellmann&rsquo;s.</li>
<li>SME Brand of the Year:&nbsp;Applied Nutrition.</li>
<li>Household Goods Brand of the Year:</li>
<li>Health &amp; Beauty Brand of the Year:&nbsp;Wild Cosmetics.</li>
<li>Specialist Online Retailer of the Year:&nbsp;Abel &amp; Cole.</li>
<li>Entrepreneur of the Year:&nbsp;Charlie Bigham &ndash; Bigham&rsquo;s.</li>
<li>Exporter of the Year:&nbsp;Little Moons.</li>
<li>Start-Up of the Year:&nbsp;Bold Bean Co.</li>
<li>Recycling Initiative of the Year:&nbsp;Ocado Retail and Polytag.</li>
<li>Supply Chain Initiative of the Year:&nbsp;Automated Packing Line &ndash; Kepak Consumer Foods.</li>
<li>Technology Initiative of the Year:&nbsp;Nectar360 &amp; Unilever.</li>
<li>Independent Retail Chain of the Year:&nbsp;Tout&rsquo;s.</li>
<li>Symbol/Franchise Retailer of the Year:&nbsp;Premier &ndash; Booker.</li>
<li>National Wholesaler of the Year:</li>
<li>Specialist Wholesaler of the Year:&nbsp;Cotswold Fayre.</li>
<li>Regional Wholesaler of the Year:&nbsp;Henderson Wholesale.</li>
<li>Supplier of the Year:&nbsp;Britvic Soft Drinks.</li>
<li>Own-Label Supplier of the Year:&nbsp;Albert Bartlett.</li>
<li>Waste Not Want Not Award:&nbsp;Westfalia Fruit UK.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Award-winning career paths</h2>
Are you passionate about the grocery sector and shopping around for a new opportunity?
We connect top industry talent with some of the biggest and most exciting consumer product brands in the industry. Find out more &ndash; check out our latest role listings over on&nbsp;<a href="https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1qyZ5">the GrocerJobs website</a>!
Or&nbsp;<a href="https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1ppcV">get in touch today</a>&nbsp;to talk to one of our consumer product recruitment experts:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
Photo credit: The Grocer

Which Brand Bagged More Wins at The Grocer Gold Awards?

<div class="itemBody kl-blog-post-body kl-blog-cols-1" itemprop="text">
Are inflationary pressures easing?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/supermarket/">Supermarket</a>&nbsp;price cuts to one particular product suggest a light at the end of the tunnel.
Here&rsquo;s what you need to know:
<ul>
<li>What is the current rate of UK inflation?</li>
<li>Supermarket price cuts: cause for hope?</li>
<li>How to stay up-to-date with industry trends.</li>
</ul>
<h2>What is the current rate of UK inflation?</h2>
Despite dips here and improvements there, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/cost-of-living/">cost of living</a>&nbsp;is still high across the UK.
At its last measure in May, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12196322">UK inflation rate</a>&nbsp;was expected to fall to 8.4%. However, it held firm at 8.7%, putting price inflation way above the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/">Bank of England&rsquo;s</a>&nbsp;target rate of 2%.
But that&rsquo;s far from the end of it, because there are plenty of products in supermarkets right now that are climbing much faster. A key product category driving this rise: dairy.
According to recent research from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/articles/exploringhowtheaveragepriceofindividualitemshaschangedinthelastyear/2023-05-03">Office for National Statistics</a>&nbsp;(ONS), dairy products have seen stomach-churning price hikes in recent months. The price of butter, for example, climbed by 14.1% in the space of a single year, while skimmed and semi-skimmed milk increased by 28.5% and cheese shot up by (brace yourselves) 33.4%.
<h3>Why are dairy prices so high?</h3>
Of course, it&rsquo;s impossible to ignore the general factors affecting inflation, like post-pandemic economic recovery and the UK&rsquo;s reliance on natural gas, which skyrocketed following Russia&rsquo;s invasion of Ukraine.
But, when it comes to dairy, other problems are at play, including labour market shortages.
The good news is that it&rsquo;s not all cause for concern. Supermarkets across the board have started slashing the price of milk, to help overstretched customers afford the essentials. And, to ease the burden on dairy farmers, they&rsquo;re also ensuring that the price cuts don&rsquo;t impact producers.
<h2>Supermarket price cuts: cause for hope?</h2>
Tesco tipped the first domino, and from there, Aldi, Lidl, Ocado, and the remaining Big Four grocers Asda, Sainsbury&rsquo;s and Morrisons followed soon after.
Now, milk prices sit comfortably between &pound;1.55 and &pound;1.65 for a four-pinter across most UK supermarkets.
<a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/">According to the Evening Standard</a>, here&rsquo;s how much you can expect to pay for four pints of own-brand milk:
<ul>
<li>Aldi:&nbsp;&pound;1.55</li>
<li>Morrisons:&nbsp;&pound;1.55</li>
<li>Sainsbury&rsquo;s:&nbsp;&pound;1.55</li>
<li>Tesco:&nbsp;&pound;1.55</li>
<li>Asda:&nbsp;&pound;1.65</li>
<li>Iceland:&nbsp;&pound;1.65</li>
<li>Lidl:&nbsp;&pound;1.65</li>
<li>Waitrose:&nbsp;&pound;1.70</li>
</ul>
If it&rsquo;s a single pint you&rsquo;re after, you can expect to pay between 90p and 95p, while two pints will set you back somewhere between &pound;1.25 and &pound;1.30.
Other essential products, including pasta, rice, and fruit juice, have also fallen in price in some supermarkets.
Hopefully, this is a sign of what&rsquo;s to come. It&rsquo;s certainly a clear sign that supermarkets are doing what they can to take the pressure off their customers. As Laith Khalaf of investment platform AJ Bell said, the price drop provides &ldquo;some light at the end of the inflationary tunnel&rdquo;.
<h2>How to stay up-to-date with industry trends</h2>
It&rsquo;s no secret that we love the consumer product industry and everything that goes on in it. That&rsquo;s why we started&nbsp;Consumer Insights, a newsletter by The Advocate Group&hellip;
Delving into the biggest stories, spotlighting industry events, and set to feature our latest job roles in future editions,&nbsp;Consumer Insights&nbsp;is your one-stop shop (excuse the pun) for all things&nbsp; grocery, FMCG, and consumer product recruitment.
Interested?
<a href="https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1qW35">Subscribe on LinkedIn</a>!
</div>

Price Cuts to This One Product Suggest Good Things for Inflation

With unbiased recruitment becoming more of a talking point in the modern job market, we break down what it is, why it matters, and how to make your hiring practices more inclusive.
<ul>
<li>What is unbiased recruitment?</li>
<li>What are unconscious biases?</li>
<li>Why does unbiased recruitment matter?</li>
<li>The benefits of unbiased recruitment.</li>
<li>Making your hiring process more inclusive.</li>
</ul>
<h2>What is unbiased recruitment?</h2>
In unbiased recruitment, you or your recruiter will assess, compare, and select candidates based solely on their suitability for the role. It&rsquo;s a more objective approach to shortlisting and hiring, which removes the potential for discrimination based on protected characteristics.
This isn&rsquo;t to suggest that recruiters and hiring managers are actively being discriminatory. But, unfortunately, no one is completely free of bias.
So, whether it&rsquo;s intentional or not, factors including a candidate&rsquo;s identity, age, race, or disability can affect their chances. This typically happens because of unconscious bias.
<h3>What is unconscious bias?</h3>
Unconscious bias refers to the automatic judgements people make about others based on, for example, their appearance, identity, or personal experiences. This involuntary pattern of thinking can affect decision-making and perceptions, leading to unintentional discrimination and unequal treatment.
There are five main types of unconscious bias we all need to be aware of:
<ul>
<li>Affinity Bias:&nbsp;Favouring people we&rsquo;re similar to.</li>
<li>Halo Effect:&nbsp;Letting one great attribute positively influence what you think about a person as a whole.</li>
<li>Horns Effect:&nbsp;Letting a negative attribute influence your perception of a person.</li>
<li>Attribution Bias:&nbsp;Believing someone&rsquo;s achievements to be because of luck, and their failings because of their personality.</li>
<li>Confirmation Bias:&nbsp;Letting your judgements of a person be influenced by preconceived opinions.</li>
</ul>
More often than not, these ways of thinking affect people from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7760482/">marginalised social groups</a>. Still, it&rsquo;s important to recognise that anyone can be the object of unconscious bias. It all depends on the pre-existing stereotypes and personal perceptions a decision-maker might hold.
<h2>Why does unbiased recruitment matter?</h2>
By focusing on candidates&rsquo; qualifications and potential rather than their personal characteristics, unbiased recruitment ensures the best possible outcomes for organisations and professionals alike. So, not only is it an essential component of inclusivity, it&rsquo;s also a beneficial business move!
That&rsquo;s why, according to the Deloitte 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends/2023/future-of-workforce-management.html">Global Human Capital Trends survey</a>, 80% of organisations globally report&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/diversity/">diversity, equity and inclusion</a>&nbsp;as top focus areas.
<h2>The benefits of unbiased recruitment</h2>
Within your organisation, unbiased recruitment can offer several significant benefits.
According to research by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/">McKinsey &amp; Company</a>:
<ul>
<li>70% of people on the job market right now want to work for a company that&rsquo;s committed to DE&amp;I.</li>
<li>32% of jobseekers would not apply for a position at a company that lacked workforce diversity.</li>
<li>Diverse companies are 48% more productive than their competitors.</li>
<li>Better gender diversity can boost a business&rsquo;s profitability by 25%.</li>
</ul>
So, not only does unbiased recruitment contribute to the overall inclusivity of your organisation, but also to its productivity, profitability, and ability to attract the market&rsquo;s top talent.
<h2>Making your hiring process more inclusive</h2>
Of course, it&rsquo;s one thing understanding the benefits of unbiased recruitment, and another thing entirely to implement it.
Inevitably, implementing unbiased recruitment will be a process for any organisation. But, one sure way to get there quicker is to work with an organisation that specialises in unbiased recruitment. That&rsquo;s where we come in.
Our hiring process has been designed with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/02/16/fmcg-diversity-and-inclusion/">diversity, equity, and inclusion</a>&nbsp;at its core.
Driven by our exclusive digital shortlisting platform,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/services/advocate-360/">Advocate 360</a>, we can offer our client partners more information on the candidate than they&rsquo;ve ever seen before, all while giving candidates the power to present themselves how they wish to be represented:
<ul>
<li>Fully anonymous shortlists, so you can compare top candidates based solely on experience, potential and ability.</li>
<li>Answers to pre-agreed competency questions.</li>
<li>Cultural compatibility analysis.</li>
<li>Interesting key facts, provided by the candidates.</li>
</ul>
How could your business benefit from access to a tool like this?
Get in touch today to&nbsp;<a href="https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1ppcV">book a demo</a>! Let&rsquo;s discuss how Advocate 360 can cut bias from your recruitment process and make your organisation more inclusive.
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

What Is Unbiased Recruitment and Why Does It Matter?

The warmer weather has brought with it a summer supermarket sales surge &ndash; what does that mean for an FMCG brand like yours?
In a year categorised by low consumer confidence, the news of a sales spike in UK supermarkets is music to the ears of many.
But what are the products driving the uptick in seasonal sales? And what can organisations do to make the most of positive consumer sentiment, now and in the future?
Here&rsquo;s all you need to know, from the consumer product recruitment experts:
<ul>
<li>Summer supermarket sales.</li>
<li>The products driving the summer supermarket sales surge.</li>
<li>Capitalising on seasonal sales surges.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Summer supermarket sales</h2>
At the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/big-four/">Big Four supermarkets</a>&nbsp;and beyond, shoppers have been making their excitement about the warm weather known.
Over the past four weeks, throughout June 2023, there have been 30% more visits to supermarkets than in the month before, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://nielseniq.com/global/en/">new data from NIQ</a>&nbsp;(formerly NielsenIQ).
And it&rsquo;s not just that consumer confidence has improved from month to month; compared to the same time last year, supermarket store visits are up by 34 million!
It&rsquo;s clearly not a coincidence that sales started picking up in the days leading up to the summer solstice. Just one look at the products accelerating the sales drive will show you that&hellip;
<h2>The products driving the summer supermarket sales surge</h2>
Leading the charge were ice cream sales, which enjoyed a 47% boost. Hardly surprising, given the ongoing UK heatwave and the wide variety of delicious and innovative options available.
Similarly popular with consumers at the moment are energy drinks, which have had a sales lift of 31% in the past four weeks alone.
This sudden surge is particularly impressive when you think about the fact that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/05/25/soft-drinks-sales-surge/">energy drink sales</a>&nbsp;had already been on the rise since last year, but steadily &ndash; with our longstanding partner&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monsterenergy.com/en-gb/">Monster Energy</a>&nbsp;far outstripping its nearest competitors!
Other summer-specific categories experiencing a sales boom included sun care products and over-the-counter hay fever treatments.
<h2>Capitalising on seasonal sales surges</h2>
There&rsquo;s no denying that certain product categories are more likely to enjoy favouritism when the summer months come around.
But, whether it&rsquo;s seasonally relevant or not, it&rsquo;s important to keep your product or range competitive on supermarket shelves &ndash; despite shifting consumer attitudes.
The way to do that? Reactive teams of skilled talent, who understand your market inside out.
Some of the most exciting global names, heritage and challenger brands in the consumer product market trust us to source and deliver leading&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/job-search/">Sales and National Account Management talent</a>.
Get in touch today &ndash; we&rsquo;ll help you build strong teams that will keep your brand competitive all year round:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Sharp Rise in Supermarket Sales Driven by Two Key Categories

On the lookout for top National Account Management talent with specialised consumer product experience? Work with the NAM recruitment specialists&hellip;
The consumer product sector is known to be a highly competitive talent market. But we have the skills, tools, and connections to fill key hires quickly, without ever sacrificing quality.
We&rsquo;ve done it time and time again, which is why we&rsquo;re trusted to source and deliver excellent National Account Managers for brands like Monster, Danone, Hasbro, Henkel, Campari, McCain, and We Are Real + Proper!
Want to know more? You&rsquo;ve come to the right place:
<ul>
<li>3 reasons to partner with The Advocate Group for top NAM talent</li>
<li>We Are Real + Proper: a case study</li>
<li>The NAM recruitment specialists</li>
</ul>
<h2>3 reasons to partner with The Advocate Group for top FMCG NAM talent</h2>
If you&rsquo;re looking for a recruitment partner that can ensure the success of your next hiring project, here&rsquo;s why our team here at The Advocate Group is the right choice.
<h3>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Unmatched industry knowledge</h3>
After&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/our-story/">more than 10 years</a>&nbsp;of recruiting exclusively in the consumer product sector, we know the space inside out. That means we never have to start any search from scratch.
The only people we talk to, day in and day out, are consumer product professionals. As a result, we have a vast pool of relevant connections across the country and beyond. This includes exceptional National Account Management professionals that are not active on the market, but who are passively open to great opportunities.
And, because we understand this market so well, we also have an in-depth understanding of both the skills and aptitude needed for success in National Account Management.
<h3>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Brand advocate representation</h3>
We&rsquo;re your brand advocates.
Our people are our main resource. All highly trained, extremely collaborative, and well networked, our talent team work closely with you to understand your unique needs from the start.
We also have the resources, knowledge, and understanding required to position you effectively in your market.
Take the FMCG and wider consumer product market. It&rsquo;s known for being highly competitive, but the reality is that the talent is out there! You just have to know how to position your organisation to maximise attraction. In other words, strategic positioning is critical to attracting the right professionals. That&rsquo;s where we come in.
Our resources include an extensive CRM containing nothing but top consumer product talent, market-leading talent mapping technology and, of course,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/services/advocate-360/">Advocate 360</a>.
<h4>What is Advocate 360?</h4>
Advocate 360 is our in-house digital shortlisting platform. What this gives you is more information on the candidate than you&rsquo;ve ever seen before, all while giving them the power to present themselves how they wish to be positioned and represented.
You&rsquo;ll have the option of seeing:
<ul>
<li>Supporting video introductions.</li>
<li>Answers to pre-agreed competency questions.</li>
<li>Cultural compatibility analysis.</li>
<li>Interesting key facts.</li>
</ul>
<h4>What else do we offer?</h4>
In addition, in support of our detailed search and selection process, we have an outstanding team of digital creatives, comprising of copywriters, graphic designers, and videographers.
Working closely in collaboration with you and our consultants, they can bring your campaigns to life through attention-grabbing advertising campaigns and social media marketing &ndash; check out what they can do over on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-advocate-group---search-&amp;-selection/mycompany/?viewAsMember=true">The Advocate Group LinkedIn</a>.
<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/contact-us/">Reach out today</a>&nbsp;to find out more about what we can offer.
<h3>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Success rate</h3>
We are very MI-focused, and big believers in efficiency improvement at every stage. We record a number of key stats, but here are some our Talent Partners are particularly proud of:
<ul>
<li>3:1 interview-to-placement ratio:&nbsp;For every three candidates we have out on interview, one is getting the job.</li>
<li>96% employee retention:&nbsp;Our retention rate is market leading &ndash; 96% of the people we place are still with that organisation 12 months later.</li>
<li>92% right-first-time candidate shortlists:&nbsp;Of the placements we make in roles that we work exclusively (which is the vast majority), 92% are hired from our first shortlist.</li>
<li>28-day average time to hire:&nbsp;From briefing to the point of offer, our turnaround time on average is just 28 days.</li>
</ul>
Don&rsquo;t just take our word for it, though. For a more in-depth insight, check out our specific NAM recruitment case study below&hellip;
<h2>We Are Real + Proper: a case study</h2>
We partnered with&nbsp;<a href="https://proper.co.uk/">We Are Real + Proper</a>&nbsp;(WARP, previously Propercorn) to provide National Account Management talent at a key point in their rapid growth.
Having no previous working relationship, our brand advocates took care to get to know the&nbsp;brand,&nbsp;culture,&nbsp;people, and&nbsp;vision.
The outcome:
<ul>
<li>One candidate shortlisted for each role.</li>
<li>Both candidates invited for interview.</li>
<li>Both candidates were successful and presented with an offer of employment.</li>
<li>1:1 interview-to-placement ratio.</li>
</ul>
Find out more, including ideal candidate specifications, the challenge, our exact process, and testimonials from the hiring manager at We Are Real + Proper over on our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/case-studies/propercorn/">case study brochure</a>.
<h2>The NAM recruitment specialists</h2>
Ensure the success of your NAM recruitment project &ndash; work with the consumer product hiring experts.
Being consumer product-centric means that our candidate and client partners can draw on our wide networks, proven processes, and highly trained talent specialists.
Let&rsquo;s arrange a 30-minute Teams call to discuss your current requirements &ndash; get in touch today!
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
Not hiring but looking to improve&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/02/16/fmcg-diversity-and-inclusion/">diversity within your recruitment process</a>? We can support you there as well, and we&rsquo;re happy to arrange a non-committal consultation!

3 Reasons to Partner with the Consumer Product NAM Recruitment Experts

Do you want to improve neurodiversity inclusion in your recruitment process?
Inclusion seems to be the talk of the FMCG industry at the moment, and for good reason!
But, although plenty of organisations have the best of intentions, especially when it comes to things like neurodiversity, we&rsquo;ve noticed that a lot of employers are unsure where to start. Our advice: start with the recruitment process.
If you&rsquo;re trying to figure out how to improve neurodiversity inclusion in your hiring process, then this guide by the inclusive hiring experts (that&rsquo;s us!) is the perfect place to start:
<ul>
<li>The benefits of neurodiversity in business</li>
<li>The neurodiversity employment gap</li>
<li>6 ways to improve neurodiversity inclusion in your hiring process</li>
<li>Inclusivity in FMCG</li>
</ul>
<h2>The benefits of neurodiversity inclusion</h2>
As well as helping to make your organisation more open and accepting, neurodiversity inclusion both in the workplace and the hiring process can bring big benefits.
Inclusive hiring practices promote equal opportunities and access to talent. The result is a more diverse and dynamic workforce that taps into the unique strengths and perspectives of each individual. This might include:
<ul>
<li>Enhanced problem-solving:&nbsp;Neurodiverse individuals can bring unique perspectives to workplaces, which can help with problem-solving, productivity, and innovation.</li>
<li>Diverse skillsets:&nbsp;Neurodivergent individuals often have specialised skillsets that will add value to your organisation. These may include data analysis, pattern recognition, or close attention to detail.</li>
<li>Improved company culture:&nbsp;Creating an inclusive company culture that values neurodiversity boosts overall employee morale and satisfaction, which can, in turn, lead to higher retention rates, increased loyalty, and a more positive working environment.</li>
</ul>
In other words, by embracing diversity from the very beginning, you give your organisation the opportunity to benefit from diverse skillsets, different problem-solving approaches, and out-of-the-box thinking.
Ultimately, this has the potential to drive productivity, enhance employee morale, and boost overall organisational success.
<h2>The neurodiversity employment gap</h2>
Despite these many advantages, the reality is that companies across the consumer product sector and beyond do not adequately support neurodiversity. And, in many cases, neurodiverse people face obstacles to employment that non-neurodiverse (or &lsquo;neurotypical&rsquo;) people would not.
Studies have shown that&nbsp;<a href="https://mydisabilityjobs.com/statistics/neurodiversity-in-the-workplace/">unemployment amongst neurodiverse adults</a>&nbsp;is at least as high as 30-40%. This is eight times the rate for neurotypical people.
So, what can we do about it?
<h2>6 ways to improve neurodiversity inclusion in your hiring process</h2>
Neurodiversity inclusion in recruitment is all about creating a process that is more inclusive, accessible, and supportive of neurodivergent candidates. Here&rsquo;s how:
<h3>1. Educate yourself and your hiring team</h3>
The fact of the matter is that you can&rsquo;t be truly inclusive without education. So, it&rsquo;s important to invest time into gaining knowledge and understanding of neurodiversity.
This might include learning about the specific neurodivergent conditions you may encounter in the hiring process, for example:
<ul>
<li>Autism spectrum disorder (ASD).</li>
<li>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).</li>
<li>Dyslexia.</li>
<li>Dyspraxia.</li>
<li>Tourette syndrome.</li>
<li>Specific learning disabilities (SLD).</li>
<li>Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).</li>
</ul>
Neurological differences like these can bring unique strengths, perspectives, and other advantages to your organisation.
But, for that to be the case, your hiring team will need to be educated on the strengths, challenges, and potential accommodations for neurodiverse individuals. This will help foster a more inclusive, informed approach to hiring.
<h3>2. Review job descriptions</h3>
Language is a powerful thing. And, unfortunately, it has the power to make talented individuals feel excluded from your roles.
So, when you write job descriptions, ask yourself how inclusive they are. Have you used truly inclusive language throughout? Or is there a chance the language you&rsquo;ve used could discourage someone from applying?
When it comes to neurodiversity inclusion, job descriptions should focus on things like essential skills and qualifications, rather than unnecessary criteria that might be exclusionary. But don&rsquo;t worry if this is something you&rsquo;re unsure about &ndash; we offer inclusive job ad writing as part of our service!
<h3>3. Diversify your recruitment channels</h3>
Often, organisations struggle to source diverse talent. But there are ways to expand your recruitment efforts to reach neurodiverse talent pools.
This could include engaging with organisations, job boards, or disability employment networks that specialise in supporting neurodiverse individuals. Or, it could involve engaging with 100% of the market from the get-go, which is what we do.
When we map relevant talent pools, we ensure no suitable candidate goes undiscovered. And, if the resulting shortlists are lacking in diversity, we work with you to widen the brief as much as possible.
<h3>4. Remove unconscious bias</h3>
It&rsquo;s rarely intentional but, unfortunately, bias in the recruitment process is pretty common. This has to do with the fact that we all have ingrained biases that we&rsquo;re probably not even aware of. These&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/02/16/fmcg-diversity-and-inclusion/">unconscious biases</a>&nbsp;can lead to unintended outcomes if left unchecked.
That&rsquo;s where anonymous shortlisting comes in! An effective method for eliminating unconscious bias from the recruitment process, a fully anonymous shortlist highlights only key qualifications and skills.
This gives you the opportunity to assess candidates based solely on their competencies, passions and potential. Plus, it gives candidates more control over how they&rsquo;re represented, helping to make the overall recruitment process more inclusive.
For more information or advice on anonymous shortlisting,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/contact-us/">get in touch</a>. It&rsquo;s something we do regularly for some of the biggest consumer product businesses in the game, including brands like Hasbro and McCain.
<h3>5. Offer clear feedback</h3>
Communication throughout the recruitment process is key. So, make sure that all communication with candidates is clear, concise, and accessible.
Then, after interviews or tasks, aim to offer constructive feedback to all candidates, focusing on their strengths and areas for improvement. This will help them understand how they can enhance their skills for future opportunities.
<h3>6. Create an inclusive workplace culture</h3>
Clearly, neurodiversity inclusion in the hiring process is critical. However, it won&rsquo;t mean much for neurodiverse talent if the workplace culture they enter into&nbsp;isn&rsquo;t&nbsp;inclusive. That&rsquo;s why diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are so important.
But what does a commitment to DE&amp;I mean?
Well, it can mean different things to different organisations, but things like education and communication are central to all successful initiatives.
When you commit yourself to neurodiversity inclusion (and inclusion more generally), it&rsquo;s something you can highlight in your employer branding, policies, and practices. This will help you attract neurodiverse talent and create an environment where they feel valued and supported.
<h2>Neurodiversity in FMCG</h2>
If you want to make your organisation a more welcoming place for neurodiverse talent, we can help.
Not only do we understand the importance and benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion for organisations like yours &ndash; we also know what it takes to implement truly inclusive hiring processes.
Make your organisation more inclusive from the very first touchpoint &ndash; work with the inclusive hiring specialists.
Find out how we can add value to your company&rsquo;s DE&amp;I initiatives. Reach out to our directors:
<ul>
<li>Chris Dickenson:&nbsp;chris.dickenson@advocate-group.co.uk</li>
<li>Lee McNally:&nbsp;lee.mcnally@advocate-group.co.uk</li>
</ul>
Or get in touch today to partner with us for your next recruitment project:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Your 6-Step Guide to Neurodiversity Inclusion When Hiring

Sustainability is now a necessity rather than a choice &ndash; particularly in the consumer product sector.
Consumer product brands of all sizes are striving to hit key environmental targets and meet changing consumer expectations.
One key trend we&rsquo;ve seen as a result is a shift towards more sustainable packaging. And, so far in 2023, there have been some exciting developments! Many are still in their early stages, but have the potential to change the game in the long-term.
So, what do you need to know?
<ul>
<li>Do consumers really care about sustainability?</li>
<li>2023&rsquo;s biggest sustainable packaging innovations.</li>
<li>Helping your organisation to innovate.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Do consumers really care about sustainability?</h2>
It&rsquo;s undeniable: consumers in the UK and beyond care more about sustainability than ever before.
According to NielsenIQ&rsquo;s recent analysis on&nbsp;<a href="https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/analysis/2022/the-changing-climate-of-sustainability-has-reached-a-critical-moment/">attitudes towards climate change</a>:
<ul>
<li>69% of UK consumers say that sustainability has become more important to them over the last two years.</li>
<li>55% say that they actively try to make more sustainable choices.</li>
<li>77% say they would stop buying products from a company that had been found guilty of &lsquo;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/03/15/greenwashing-consumers-boycotting-brands/">greenwashing</a>&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
But, while consumers do want to make more sustainable choices, there are obstacles in their way. For starters, 41% of respondents to the NielsenIQ study reported finding sustainable products too expensive. With the ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/cost-of-living/">cost-of-living crisis</a>, it&rsquo;s no surprise consumers are struggling to pay the premium.
Then, for those that can stretch their budget, 35% say that availability of sustainable products is too limited.
And that&rsquo;s why innovation is essential!
<h2>2023&rsquo;s biggest sustainable packaging innovations</h2>
There have been a few big sustainable packaging breakthroughs so far this year. Here are four of the most newsworthy, from the coolest to the most controversial.
<h3>1. <a href="https://www.absolut.com/en/news/absolut-paper/">Absolut&rsquo;s paper bottle</a></h3>
Have you ever had your vodka from a paper bottle before? Well, now you can!
Spirits brand Absolut have just announced their paper bottle prototype. Made entirely of recycled content, the single-mould bottles contain 57% recycled paper and 43% recyclable plastic.
They&rsquo;re being sold in Tesco as part of a three-month pilot, making it the first ever paper-based bottles to be sold commercially by a global spirits brand. So, who knows? If all goes well, paper bottles could become the norm for all our favourite drinks.
If you want to try them for yourself, they will be available in 22 Tesco stores across Greater Manchester over the summer.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/vk19bypzcdind6nnzqlpc5xzpf0m" alt="Absolut&rsquo;s paper bottle" width="350" height="263">
&lsquo;Our aim is to produce bottles from sustainably-sourced wood fiber. Think strong-and-sturdy paper, turning fresh pine into iconic containers.&rsquo;
<h3>2. <a href="https://www.pepsico.co.uk/news/stories/walkers-to-trial-new-bagless-multipacks-for-snack-a-jacks">Snack A Jacks&rsquo; bagless multipacks</a></h3>
Another trial that looks promising is PepsiCo&rsquo;s bagless multipacks for its Snack A Jack brand, also due to be trialled in Tesco stores across the UK.
It sounds more severe than it is: the only bag they&rsquo;re actually getting rid of is the big bag that holds the five individual packs. Instead, a sticky, tape-like strip will keep them all together, helping the company to cut out a massive 86% of plastic per pack.
And, if that wasn&rsquo;t enough, both components (the plastic packaging and the strip) will qualify as recyclable under the UK On-Pack Recycling Label Scheme (OPRL).
Hopefully, the trial will act as proof of the fact that excess packaging on multipacks isn&rsquo;t all that necessary.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/1bbid0x3a6mb8pegbzb3yp4r2uqr" alt="Snack A Jacks&rsquo; bagless multipacks" width="350" height="263">
&lsquo;It&rsquo;s our third major sustainable packaging trial with Tesco in recent months, after we trialled&nbsp;a new cardboard design on Walkers multipacks&nbsp;to replace its outer plastic packaging.&rsquo;
<h3>3. <a href="https://www.pepsico.com/our-impact/esg-topics-a-z/packaging">PepsiCo&rsquo;s compostable packaging pledge</a></h3>
These initiatives are just one part of the PepsiCo company&rsquo;s pledge to eliminate unsustainable packaging. Their commitment to testing and learning more about the potentiality of compostable packaging is another exciting development.
PepsiCo&rsquo;s mission is to make 100% of their packaging recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable by 2025. But compostable packaging is still a relative unknown at the moment, which is why investment and initiatives like this one are so key.
Especially because compostable packaging is the solution favoured by the majority of eco-conscious consumers. In fact, in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7071481630871171072">survey of our own followers</a>, the majority (56%) of respondents favoured compostable packaging over paper and bio-based alternatives.
<h3>4. <a href="https://www.about.sainsburys.co.uk/news/latest-news/2023/22-02-2023-sainsburys-first-uk-retailer-to-vacuum-pack-all-beef-mince">Sainsbury&rsquo;s vacuum-packed mince</a></h3>
And now, for a more controversial entry: vacuum-packed meat packaging. It&rsquo;s proved to be a divisive move, even though it means using at least 55% less plastic per unit.
Sainsbury&rsquo;s was the first UK supermarket to switch out the traditional tray packaging of their entire beef mince range, replacing it with a vacuum-packed alternative. But consumer response has been strong &ndash; and not in a good way!
People have been saying that the newly packaged product looks &lsquo;very medical&rsquo; and &lsquo;too compressed&rsquo;. But, while it certainly isn&rsquo;t the prettiest solution, the benefits definitely outweigh the critiques.
Given that the initiative is set to save 450 tonnes of plastic a year, it&rsquo;s no surprise that other retailers have followed suit. Grocers including Co-Op, Nisa, and discounter Lidl have also begun vacuum-packing their mince range.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/fuvo0cmjx5t49hfjfd9deeynjcva" alt="Sainsbury&rsquo;s vacuum-packed mince" width="350" height="265">
&lsquo;We strive to be bold in the changes we are making, which is why we&rsquo;re pleased to be the first UK retailer to vacuum pack all our beef mince range without impacting the quantity or great quality of product that our customers expect.&rsquo;
<h2>Helping your organisation to innovate</h2>
Innovation is essential at a time like this. However, it&rsquo;s simply not possible without the people to drive it.
Interested in supercharging your sustainable initiatives to supercharge your sustainability initiatives?
As talent partner to some of the most exciting global names, innovators, and challenger brands in the consumer product industry, we have a proven track record of not only sourcing top talent, but improving employer brand, candidate journey, and talent acquisition strategies.
Take on talent with the skillsets, experience, and passion to innovate and accelerate your green strategy.
Get in touch today!
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
Image credit: iStock, Absolut, Packaging Europe, Sainsbury&rsquo;s.

4 Planet-Friendly Sustainable Packaging Breakthroughs

Is your go-to soft drink one of the top sellers?
Soft drinks sales have skyrocketed recently. But what&rsquo;s the best performer in this constantly climbing category?
If (like our consumer product advocates) you&rsquo;re a loud and proud soft drink enthusiast, here&rsquo;s all the inside info you need to know:
<ul>
<li>The soft drinks sales surge</li>
<li>Which soft drinks sold best?</li>
<li>Why are soft drink sales on the rise?</li>
<li>The future of soft drinks sales</li>
</ul>
<h2>The soft drinks sales surge</h2>
Last year, the number of Brits buying up cans, cartons, and bottles of their favourite soft drinks soared year-on-year.
The fastest-growing category within food and drink, soft drinks sales surged by 14.1% according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.paperturn-view.com/?pid=MzI326716">Britvic&rsquo;s latest Soft Drinks Review</a>.
This amounted to a tantalising &pound;347.4 million in additional revenue for brands and traders, and an extra 67.9 million litres worth of shifted stock.
That being the case, it&rsquo;s hardly a surprise that the most popular soft drinks brands sold at a faster rate than beer, wine, spirits, confectionery, crisps, snacks, and nuts&nbsp;combined.
And there&rsquo;s more good news because, looking ahead, all signs point to continued growth! With &pound;400 million growth potential estimated for the category, the soft drinks segment&rsquo;s time in the spotlight looks unlikely to end any time soon.
<h2>Which soft drinks sold best?</h2>
So, exactly what sort of soft drink has been the surge&rsquo;s biggest driver?
Well, it may or may not come as a shock to Britain&rsquo;s busy consumers that&nbsp;energy drinks&nbsp;were the sector&rsquo;s very best performers of 2022. In fact, this product category was responsible for an incredible 28% (or &pound;96.9 million) of the soft drinks segment&rsquo;s overall growth!
It&rsquo;s unsurprising, then, that the list of the UK&rsquo;s most in-demand soft drinks is topped by not one, but two leading energy drinks brands.
And, sitting comfortably in the number one spot is Monster Energy, which grew by &pound;101.5 million in 2022, putting it head and shoulders above the nearest brand.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/xxsn6rm0iu3hg6vecx6pdla9wkw6" alt="Monster Energy" width="350" height="233">
Based on&nbsp;<a href="https://nielseniq.com/global/en/">research from NielsenIQ</a>, this is exactly how much Britain&rsquo;s biggest soft drinks brands grew in 2022:
<ol>
<li><a href="https://www.monsterenergy.com/">Monster</a>&nbsp;+30.6%</li>
<li><a href="https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/">Red Bull</a>&nbsp;+20%</li>
<li><a href="https://www.coca-cola.co.uk/">Coca-Cola</a>&nbsp;+4.6%</li>
<li><a href="https://www.lucozade.com/">Lucozade</a>&nbsp;+16.7%</li>
<li><a href="https://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/">Innocent</a>&nbsp;+12%</li>
<li><a href="https://www.fanta.com/">Fanta</a>&nbsp;+12.4%</li>
<li><a href="https://www.pepsi.co.uk/">Pepsi</a>&nbsp;+3.7%</li>
<li><a href="https://tropicana.co.uk/">Tropicana</a>&nbsp;-2.3%</li>
<li><a href="https://robinsonssquash.co.uk/">Robinsons</a>&nbsp;-2.9%</li>
<li><a href="https://www.schweppes.eu/">Schweppes</a>&nbsp;-13.3%</li>
</ol>
<h2>Why are soft drinks sales on the rise?</h2>
There are a good few reasons behind the rise in soft drinks sales.
For one thing, they&rsquo;re convenient and affordable. And, with options to suit almost any taste, soft drinks can provide whole swathes of consumers with a pick-me-up to be enjoyed throughout the day and on the go.
Plus, the wide range of new, lighter product options means that there&rsquo;s plenty for the country&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/01/16/january-wellness-how-are-uk-supermarkets-reacting-to-changing-consumer-habits/">increasingly health-conscious population</a>&nbsp;to choose from.
And then there&rsquo;s the fact that so many&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/04/19/6-soft-drink-brands-rebranding-2023/">major soft drinks have been rebranded</a>&nbsp;recently, including Fanta, Pepsi, and Robinsons squash, keeping them fresh and enticing in the minds of the consumers.
<h2>The future of soft drinks sales</h2>
The success of the soft drinks sector is unlikely to fizzle out.
Now, then, is the time to make the most of the upcoming category growth.
Did you know that we are the exclusive talent partner to Monster Energy, the UK&rsquo;s favourite soft drinks brand?
We know what it takes to position organisations in this exciting sector as employers of choice. So, if you&rsquo;re on the lookout for top talent to support brand growth, why not give us a call?
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Revealing the unexpected stars of the soft drinks surge

Our round-up of better-for-you snacks that don&rsquo;t compromise on taste.
We&rsquo;re sure snacking never used to cause this much stress.
But, in our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/01/16/january-wellness-how-are-uk-supermarkets-reacting-to-changing-consumer-habits/">increasingly health-conscious world</a>, it can be hard to find snacks that strike the perfect balance between tasting great and not being all that bad for you.
The good news is that, with the HFSS legislation that&rsquo;s now in place, the healthier options are easier to spot in supermarkets. And, not only that, but more and more brands are focused on creating and reformulating their snacks to make them HFSS-compliant.
Still need a hand picking the best? You&rsquo;re in luck!
We&rsquo;ve asked around the office and rounded up the five products our consumer geeks love best, so you&rsquo;ll know what to go for on your next lunch break.
<h2>What is UK HFSS legislation?</h2>
Before we dive into our favourite HFSS-compliant snacks, let&rsquo;s take a moment to define just what that means.
According to current legislation, HFSS food and drink products are those that are high in fat, salt or sugar. And,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/restricting-promotions-of-products-high-in-fat-sugar-or-salt-by-location-and-by-volume-price/restricting-promotions-of-products-high-in-fat-sugar-or-salt-by-location-and-by-volume-price-implementation-guidance">as of 2022</a>, supermarkets and all other UK shops are prohibited from placing HFSS foods in key locations in-store, including store entrances and aisle ends.
The idea is that this will make us less likely to opt for unhealthy options. But what should we go for instead?
<h2>The 5 best HFSS-compliant snacks</h2>
Okay, that&rsquo;s enough preamble; let&rsquo;s get to the good bit.
Without further ado, here are five of the tastiest snacks that are on the market right now and completely compliant with HFSS legislation.
<h3>1.&nbsp; <a href="https://proper.co.uk/">Propercorn Sweet &amp; Salty</a></h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/uswxpd7y0w05i9e0gd2kejue9lhc" alt="Propercorn Sweet &amp; Salty" width="350" height="350">
When it comes to lighter snacking, popcorn is a go-to for good reason. Naturally lower in calories and high in fibre, not to mention gluten free and vegan, popcorn is also highly satiating, which means it won&rsquo;t leave you feeling hungry.
But no one wants plain, flavourless popcorn. Enter Propercorn&rsquo;s delicious product range! With a selection of classics alongside some more adventurous flavours like sweet cinnamon and caramelised biscuit, it can be hard to pick a favourite.
If you&rsquo;re not sure which to try first, we&rsquo;d suggest giving the sweet and salty Propercorn a go. It&rsquo;s ideal for sweet tooths and more savoury snackers alike!
<h3>2.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.graze.com/uk/veggie-protein-power/">graze Salt &amp; Pepper Protein Nut Crunch</a></h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/xrp0r9o2rmvulbjggr3psfx28487" alt="graze Salt &amp; Pepper Protein Nut Crunch" width="350" height="350">
Looking for a snack with more of a punch? Then might we suggest graze&rsquo;s protein-rich range. Their Sea Salt &amp; Pepper Protein Nut Crunch packs in particular are completely moreish.
Comprised of edamame beans, cashews, coated peas and broad beans, all flavoured to perfection, you can buy this product in 100g pouches which are perfect for dipping into throughout the week.
You might have already gathered that graze is a brand committed to &lsquo;<a href="https://www.graze.com/docs/graze_impact_report_2021_highlights_mobile.pdf">rewriting the snacking rulebook</a>&rsquo;. That&rsquo;s why they pride themselves (quite rightly) on offering a wide range of products that contain zero artificial colours or flavourings.
Browse their products in supermarkets, or order subscription snack boxes straight to your door.
<h3>3. &nbsp;<a href="https://www.lightandfree.com/category/products/greek-style-dessert/">Light &amp; Free So Sticky Toffee</a></h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/lvdn2r0zbmgllo3psbn09e8h28mc" alt="Light &amp; Free So Sticky Toffee" width="350" height="300">
Are you the sort of person who fancies something sweet after a meal? Then we&rsquo;d recommend Light &amp; Free&rsquo;s sticky toffee-flavoured Greek-style yoghurt.
It ticks all the right boxes: no fat, no added sugar, no artificial flavours, no preservatives, but still full of flavour. And it&rsquo;s versatile too! It&rsquo;s great with granola for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or a lighter dessert after dinner.
There are other flavours available, if sticky toffee isn&rsquo;t your thing. Whether you opt for classic strawberry, cherry Bakewell, or protein-rich banana and peanut butter, you can rest assured you&rsquo;ll enjoy a full flavour, without the typical fat content.
<h3>4. &nbsp;<a href="https://www.eatreal.co.uk/">Eat Real Sour Cream &amp; Chive Hummus Chips</a></h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/esmuohi0n6pgawiqlfotki86ntm8" alt="Eat Real Sour Cream" width="350" height="350">
There&rsquo;s something for the crisp-lovers too. A healthier alternative to classic potato crisps, Eat Real has created satisfyingly crunchy chips from the humble chickpea. The result? A crisp alternative that&rsquo;s significantly lower in fat and calories,&nbsp;and&nbsp;naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Their Hummus Chips come in Tomato &amp; Basil, Chilli &amp; Lemon, and Sea Salt flavours. However, we happen to think that the Sour Cream &amp; Chive chips are some of the tastiest in the bunch.
Give them a try and, if you like what you taste, Eat Real also offers a range of Quinoa Chips and Lentil Chips.
<h3>5.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.worldofsweets.co.uk/new-hfss-compliant-vimto-zero-fruit-drops/">Vimto Zero Fruit Drops</a></h3>
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/1z4duhxs1x4k27j248mm52kjatod" alt="Vimto Zero Fruit Drops" width="350" height="350">
Finding sweets that comply with HFSS legislation can be particularly tricky. Thankfully, Vimto has the solution.
Last year, in partnership with World of Sweets, the iconic drinks brand developed HFSS-compliant Vimto Zero Fruit Drops. And there&rsquo;s no need to worry &ndash; despite there being zero added sugar, the drops are still 100% Vimto flavoured. Not to mention a natural source of vitamin C and made using real fruit juice&hellip;
<h2>Meeting market challenges</h2>
With so many fantastic products on supermarket shelves right now, it&rsquo;s little wonder that demand for consumer product talent with specialised NPD, marketing, and national account experience has shot up.
Are you trying to tap into the health-conscious grocery market?
Get in touch today &ndash; we&rsquo;ll help you build the teams you need to stand out in this competitive space:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
(Image credit: iStock, Tesco, Ocado, Light &amp; Free, Hancocks)

The 5 Best HFSS-Compliant Snacks in 2023

Scammers are unlawfully claiming to be Advocate recruiters and sending&nbsp;fake job ads over WhatsApp&nbsp;and text. This is employment fraud.
<h2>Employment fraud definition</h2>
Employment fraud refers to any dishonest or deceptive activity related to the recruitment, hiring, or employment process that is intended to deceive or defraud job seekers, employees, or employers for financial gain or other illicit purposes.
Unfortunately, these scams are becoming increasingly common, so it&rsquo;s important to be vigilant.
<h2>How to spot a recruitment scam</h2>
At The Advocate Group, we never send unsolicited WhatsApp or text messages to people we don&rsquo;t know.
WE WILL NEVER ASK FOR MONEY OR CRYPTO!
If someone you don&rsquo;t recognise claims to represent The Advocate Group, please&nbsp;<a href="https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/recruitment-scams">report the scam to Action Fraud</a>.
Here are some other signs the message you&rsquo;ve received is a scam:
<ul>
<li>You weren&rsquo;t expecting the message.</li>
<li>You don&rsquo;t recognise the sender&rsquo;s name, number, or email address &ndash; crosscheck their contact information with our website and LinkedIn.</li>
<li>The email they give you is from a generic address, e.g., Gmail or Hotmail &ndash; our email addresses take the format of firstname.lastname@advocate-group.co.uk.</li>
<li>The job description is vague or poorly written.</li>
<li>The job description offers an unrealistic salary or benefits.</li>
<li>You are offered a job urgently, and without an interview.</li>
<li>You&rsquo;re asked to make an upfront payment or send personal details.</li>
<li>You are asked to follow a suspicious link.</li>
<li>You are asked to complete tasks or answer questions</li>
</ul>
Be cautious of offers that seem unrealistic, too generous, or come out of nowhere &ndash; they may be designed to lure job seekers into a scam.
Trust your instincts: if something doesn&rsquo;t seem right about the message,&nbsp;stop replying.
<h2>What to do if you&rsquo;re contacted by a scammer using The Advocate Group&rsquo;s name</h2>
If you suspect a scammer is using The Advocate Group&rsquo;s information to obtain personal information or payment, please follow the below steps:
<ul>
<li>Screenshot their details and the conversation and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/recruitment-scams">report the scam to Action Fraud</a>.</li>
<li>If you have sent money or shared financial information, contact your bank immediately.</li>
<li>Report scam texts by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/scams/7726-reporting-scam-texts-and-calls">forwarding them to 7726</a>&nbsp;&ndash; a free service for reporting suspicious calls or texts.</li>
<li><a href="https://faq.whatsapp.com/1142481766359885/?cms_platform=android">Report scam WhatsApps</a>&nbsp;within the chat in the app.</li>
<li>Report scam emails by forwarding them to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:report@phishing.gov.uk">report@phishing.gov.uk</a>.</li>
</ul>
Remember:&nbsp;The Advocate Group do not make first contact with jobseekers or request applications, sensitive information, or payments over text or instant messaging services.
<h2>Sources</h2>
Action Fraud &ndash; Recruitment Scams:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/recruitment-scams">https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/recruitment-scams</a>
Ofcom &ndash; How to report scam texts and mobile calls:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/scams/7726-reporting-scam-texts-and-calls">https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/scams/7726-reporting-scam-texts-and-calls</a>
WhatsApp &ndash; How to block and report contacts:&nbsp;<a href="https://faq.whatsapp.com/1142481766359885/?cms_platform=android">https://faq.whatsapp.com/1142481766359885/?cms_platform=android</a>

How to Spot Recruitment Scams

With value at the very top of the typical consumer&rsquo;s priority list, retailers have been competing for the title of the UK&rsquo;s best supermarket loyalty scheme.
But which has come out on top?
I think it&rsquo;s fair to say that we know a thing or two about supermarkets. And we&rsquo;ve been watching closely as the latest battle between grocers plays out.
After Aldi officially overtook Morrisons in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2022/10/20/aldi-morrisons-battle-for-the-big-four/">battle for the Big Four</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/04/13/uks-cheapest-supermarket-basket-size/">discount supermarkets</a>&nbsp;became increasingly popular across shopper demographics, growing numbers of big-name grocers began looking to their added value offerings to compete for shopper retention and spend.
The go-to strategy? Loyalty schemes.
So, with that in mind, let&rsquo;s check out nine of the UK&rsquo;s biggest loyalty schemes and see which ones offer more:
<ul>
<li>Our guide to the 9 best supermarket loyalty schemes.</li>
<li>Why are loyalty schemes important?</li>
<li>Setting yourself up for supermarket success.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Our guide to the 9 best supermarket loyalty schemes</h2>
Consumers want more from their food shop. With&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/apr/25/uk-shoppers-own-label-food-price-inflation-price-rises-kantar">supermarket inflation at 17.3%</a>, it&rsquo;s not hard to see why. That&rsquo;s why supermarkets have been strengthening their loyalty schemes &ndash; or introducing them if they didn&rsquo;t have one already.
So, without further ado, here are nine of the UK&rsquo;s biggest and best-known loyalty schemes, ranked.
<h3>9. Morrisons More</h3>
It&rsquo;s early days for&nbsp;<a href="https://groceries.morrisons.com/webshop/startWebshop.do">Morrisons&rsquo;</a> latest loyalty development.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/mictqn2hfaf0za3kzfabpkpz12tf" alt="Morrisons More" width="350" height="233">
A reintroduction of their earlier&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themoneyedit.com/consumer-advice/morrisons-more-loyalty-scheme">Morrisons More loyalty scheme</a>, it was initially taken off the table to make way for their more recent My Morrisons offering.
My Morrisons offered members access to personalised discounts and deals. But, following significant market shifts, it&rsquo;s cle
ar that modern consumers want straight up discounts on their favourite products and brands.
Which is exactly what Morrisons More offers, and on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/03/30/top-10-supermarket-brands-uk/">top UK grocery brands</a>&nbsp;like Cadbury and Nestl&eacute;!
Given that Morrisons More is currently being rolled out to only 20 stores in the North East, it&rsquo;s low down the rankings. But, with a full release expected in summer 2023, this loyalty scheme is certainly one to watch.
Will returning to an older iteration of its loyalty scheme prove successful for Morrisons? We&rsquo;ll find out.
<h3>8. Marks &amp; Spencer Sparks</h3>
The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marksandspencer.com/joinsparks">Marks &amp; Spencer Sparks card</a> is a tiered offering, and one which M&amp;S recently had to revamp to provide much-needed clarity.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/w7uwjcgqb748bpgi0ifgs4bjl62v" alt="Marks &amp; Spencer Sparks" width="350" height="233">
The scheme offers shoppers a range of benefits, including personalised discounts, treats, and charity donations on their behalf. Plus, every week, one member who swipes their Sparks card will win their shopping for free.
There&rsquo;s also a new premium level in the works, called Sparks Plus. This level offers shoppers additional benefits like unlimited deliveries and a monthly &pound;10 voucher. But, unlike the standard offering, members will have to pay an annual fee to unlock this tier.
<h3>7. myWaitrose</h3>
This is another loyalty scheme that doesn&rsquo;t focus exclusively on instant savings. Instead, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/my-waitrose/become-a-member">myWaitrose</a>, members get access to weekly vouchers, which offer personalised discounts based on shopping habits.
And there are some quick wins that all members can enjoy. Namely, these include 20% off selected counters in-store and free hot drinks with purchase.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/oecdo4vzl5g2j9rycg3l7g02tbq1" alt="myWaitrose" width="350" height="257">
<h3>6. Lidl Plus</h3>
Lidl has big plans. As well as forging ahead with its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2022/12/08/the-battle-for-the-big-four-will-lidl-overtake-morrisons-discount-supermarkets/">ambitious UK expansion</a>, the discounter is continuing to strengthen its market positioning through initiatives like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lidl.co.uk/lidl-plus/lidl-plus-coupons">Lidl Plus</a>.
The Lidl Plus rewards app is all about making big savings even bigger. Each week, shoppers get sent personalised vouchers on own brand products, plus access to exclusive competitions and prizes.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/4wgd3vw7m44ak3e7ghzfm2zyrhpc" alt="Lidl Plus" width="350" height="242">
So, it&rsquo;s not a scheme that offers immediate savings. Still, it&rsquo;s an impressive value-add for a retailer that already offers shoppers significant value.
<h3>5. Co-op Member Prices</h3>
One of the latest to throw a hat in the loyalty ring, Co-op recently launched its new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coop.co.uk/products/deals/member-prices">Member Prices</a>&nbsp;initiative.
As part of a push to support customers through the cost-of-living crisis, the scheme gives members access to price cuts across product lines. And, according to the retailer&rsquo;s own calculations, these exclusive promotions will save the typical shopper up to &pound;300 a year.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/ha0bne0av46am2uk9q4ufbr3y1w6" alt="Co-op Member Prices" width="350" height="234">
The catch? A one-off &pound;1 fee when you sign up. This makes it the only supermarket on the list to charge a joining fee for its loyalty scheme.
<h3>4. Iceland Bonus Card</h3>
The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iceland.co.uk/bonus-card">Iceland Bonus Card</a> works a little differently to its competitors. While it does offer lower prices, competitions, and free home delivery for Bonus Card members, it&rsquo;s also the only loyalty scheme here that helps shoppers budget too.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/2lwwmlozkxrmoyu9iffvz5wfbu0r" alt="Iceland Bonus Card" width="350" height="263">
And, not only are there several ways to top up your Bonus Card savings account, but members also get &pound;1 back for every &pound;20 they deposit! In that sense, it&rsquo;s not all about better value for money. It&rsquo;s also about offering Iceland customers peace of mind, whether they&rsquo;re in-store or not.
<h3>3. Sainsbury&rsquo;s Nectar Prices</h3>
In a bid to compete with the country&rsquo;s most successful loyalty schemes, Sainsbury&rsquo;s has switched up its Nectar Card offering.
Previously, Nectar Card holders and app downloaders could earn points to spend with partner brands, like Caffe Nero or Argos. Now, with the introduction of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nectar.com/c/nectar-prices">Nectar Prices</a>, members can also enjoy lower prices across a range of products.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/g8vboltshv2ncozcvi5zjr75fmqm" alt="Sainsbury&rsquo;s Nectar Prices" width="350" height="233">
Discounts have so far included more than 50% off Nescafe Gold and big savings on essentials like baked beans.
However, the scheme is still in its infancy and discounts are only available on around 450 lines at the moment. So, while Sainsbury&rsquo;s seems to have the right approach, the success of its revamped loyalty scheme will depend on how well it can compete in the coming months.
<h3>2. Asda Rewards</h3>
Another relative newcomer to the game,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.asda.com/rewards">Asda Rewards</a> has managed to make an impact on shoppers already. With its &lsquo;Pounds, Not Points&rsquo; approach to loyalty, Asda Rewards is a scheme that offers shoppers something slightly different.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/igd7oglebc10h10gj980fgz44qfp" alt="Asda Rewards" width="350" height="197">
When members shop, they earn money back on so-called &lsquo;Star Products&rsquo; in an in-app Cashpot. Any money accumulated in this Cashpot can then be redeemed against their shopping. Other ways to earn include completing &lsquo;missions&rsquo;, which offer rewards of between &pound;1 and &pound;5 for buying from certain categories.
So far, the initiative has proved to be a big success.
But it&rsquo;s not just that the offering helps customers save on their shopping; Asda is also clearly listening to consumers. The reintroduction of the &pound;5 &lsquo;<a href="https://corporate.asda.com/newsroom/2023/04/13/asda-reintroduces-5-first-scan-bonus-after-customers-earn-millions">First Scan Bonus</a>&rsquo; (which contributed more than &pound;2 million to shoppers&rsquo; Cashpots back in February) is proof of that.
<h3>1. Tesco Clubcard</h3>
Despite Tesco dropping the value of its loyalty points, the&nbsp;<a href="https://secure.tesco.com/clubcard">Tesco Clubcard</a> remains an undisputed champion.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/anj8qh63h95c6k78lh8znnb5hwpn" alt="Tesco Clubcard" width="350" height="234">
If it&rsquo;s savings that shoppers want (and they do), the simple fact is that the more discounts supermarkets offer, the better. And, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.assosia.com/">retail researcher Assosia</a>, Tesco offers exclusive member discounts on 5,979 product lines.
But that&rsquo;s not all the scheme offers. As well as Clubcard Prices, members can build up&nbsp;<a href="https://secure.tesco.com/clubcard/spend-vouchers">Clubcard rewards</a>&nbsp;points to claim at the likes of Pizza Express, Fitbit, and even Alton Towers.
Admittedly, shoppers can&rsquo;t accumulate rewards points as quickly as they once could. This is a shift some consumers aren&rsquo;t all that happy with.
But still, there&rsquo;s no denying that Tesco&rsquo;s more established offering ticks a lot of the right boxes. That&rsquo;s why an impressive 79% of all their UK shoppers are currently signed up to their loyalty scheme.
<h2>Why are loyalty schemes important?</h2>
In this time of strained budgets and tightened purse strings, a loyalty scheme can go a long way.
Consumers are less concerned with convenience and shopper experience than they used to be. For many, it&rsquo;s all about getting as much for their money as they can. Which is why so many supermarkets have introduced or improved their loyalty offerings.
Here are some of the advantages loyalty schemes can offer supermarkets who are competing for consumer attention and sales:
<ul>
<li>Customer retention.</li>
<li>Increasing customer engagement.</li>
<li>Customer data collection.</li>
<li>Encouraging customer spend.</li>
<li>Enhancing brand loyalty.</li>
</ul>
But, true as this may be, it&rsquo;s worth noting here that the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/02/16/uk-favourite-supermarket-revealed/">UK&rsquo;s favourite supermarket</a>, Aldi, has got no loyalty scheme to speak of.
With its rapidly increasing market share, Aldi is testament to the fact that brands don&rsquo;t necessarily need to offer more to enjoy popularity. If the offering is already strong enough to attract consumers during difficult times, then there might not be any need for a value add.
<h2>Setting yourself up for supermarket success</h2>
The battle for supermarket supremacy is far from over.
And, with competition comes shifts in the market. The uptick in supermarket loyalty schemes is just one example.
In reaction to these trends, we&rsquo;ve seen an uplift in requests for Sales and National Account Managers with specialist experience in areas in like discount and grocery.
Are you looking to expand your teams?
Get in touch to speak to one of our specialist consultants!
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Ranked: the UK’s Best Supermarket Loyalty Scheme

Most brands can&rsquo;t rely on the same look and feel forever &ndash; which is why there&rsquo;s been such a boom in soft drink brands reimagining their image.
Consumer tastes and visual trends are constantly shifting. That&rsquo;s why even the most loved brands have to have a makeover every once in a while. Fail to keep pace, and you can very easily lose your fizz.
With that in mind, let&rsquo;s take a look at the biggest and most successful brand shakeups in the Drinks industry so far this year&hellip;
<h2>The 6 best soft drink rebrands in 2023</h2>
This year has been one of financial struggle for many consumers.
As a result, lots of them have ditched brand loyalty to focus instead on more cost-effective shopping. You only need to look at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/02/16/uk-favourite-supermarket-revealed/">the rise of discount grocers</a>&nbsp;in the UK to see how shopper sentiment has shifted.
So, for brands that don&rsquo;t want to drop their prices, it&rsquo;s become essential to emphasise brand value. That&rsquo;s where rebranding comes in for some of the UK&rsquo;s biggest drinks brands.
<h3>1. Fanta</h3>
The most recent rebrand came from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fanta.com/">Fanta</a>. While a global, much-loved player in the soft drinks game, until this year Fanta did not have a consistent brand image. Pretty shocking considering the brand has been on shelves for more than 60 years!
Now, though, with a new design created by The Coca-Cola Company and creative agency Jones Knowles Ritchie, the brand has a truly global, unified look that aims to appeal to all age groups.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/eyoig9xceuhqsuou8d9fosr6rotc" alt="Fanta rebrand" width="350" height="185">
Try the irresistible new taste&hellip;
Modern, angular, and bold, the new logo is meant to reflect the &lsquo;attitude&rsquo; of the product. And, according to Coca-Cola&rsquo;s global vice-president of design Rapha Abreu, that attitude is all about spontaneous fun and play.
<h3>2. Pepsi</h3>
<a href="https://www.pepsi.co.uk/">Pepsi&rsquo;s</a>&nbsp;rebrand has perhaps been the most high-profile. This shouldn&rsquo;t come as much of a surprise, since Pepsi was revealed to be one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/03/30/top-10-supermarket-brands-uk/">UK&rsquo;s most popular grocery brands</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.
Rather than looking ahead, PepsiCo&rsquo;s chief design officer Mauro Porcini wanted to hark back. Released to mark the brand&rsquo;s 125th anniversary, the new look reintroduces some of the design features of Pepsi&rsquo;s 1990s branding.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/dsom3qic0bs3h7fjqsjwc6cscsg0" alt="Pepsi rebrand" width="350" height="197">
A retro take on Pepsi&rsquo;s new look.&nbsp;
The new logo has the flatter globe of older iterations, and darker, bolder text that sits in the centre. So, as well as reminding consumers of the brand&rsquo;s rich history, the updated look is also said to better reflect its &ldquo;bold and energetic&rdquo; identity.
<h3>3.&nbsp; 7UP</h3>
PepsiCo hasn&rsquo;t stopped there. As part of its push towards brand renewal, the company has also revealed an all-new look for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.7up.com/">7UP</a>.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/tfrj944o0olclib0rg33r475wu68" alt="7UP redesign" width="350" height="197">
An uplifting new design.
The redesign is about uplifting consumers, with modern, eye-catching branding in the signature 7UP colours. It&rsquo;s the product&rsquo;s first rebrand in seven years, and combines 3D-effect elements and &lsquo;new energy&rsquo; with a nod to the brand&rsquo;s long heritage.
<h3>4. Robinsons</h3>
Moving out of the fizzy drinks market for a moment, let&rsquo;s have a look at the recent&nbsp;<a href="https://robinsonssquash.co.uk/">Robinsons squash</a> rebrand.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/xv0ib724qrwmzf9xyc9jj2z622hu" alt="Robinsons rebrand" width="350" height="204">
Robinsons&rsquo; new brand focuses on real fruit.
Britvic, the brand&rsquo;s parent company, revealed a new look for this product line back in March. Announced as part of a major marketing push, the new brand identity is modern and vibrant, with a design that draws attention to the real fruit within the product recipes.
<h3>5. Lilt</h3>
This one isn&rsquo;t so much a rebrand as a complete overhaul. After 50 years, the Lilt brand has been scrapped &ndash; for good. Now, the &lsquo;totally tropical&rsquo; soft drink has been reincarnated as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coca-cola.co.uk/our-business/media-centre/lilt-becomes-fanta-pineapple-grapefruit">Fanta Pineapple &amp; Grapefruit</a>.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/ea8riu50k6vtnujlrannb9v4cks5" alt="Lilt rebrand" width="350" height="197">
Lilt&rsquo;s all-new replacement: Fanta Pineapple &amp; Grapefruit.
The idea was to make Lilt &lsquo;fit in&rsquo; with the Fanta family, following declining brand health. But, for many consumers, Lilt was a uniquely nostalgic brand. So, it&rsquo;s going to be interesting to see how this transformation impacts sales. Will it revitalise or diminish the drink&rsquo;s impact on shop shelves?
<h3>6.&nbsp; Tango</h3>
One brand &ndash; Tango &ndash; has taken a different tack entirely. Aiming to breathe fresh life into the product line,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.britvic.com/our-brands/">parent company Britvic</a> has reinvested in Tango&rsquo;s infamous advertising. The logo and packaging will, however, stay the same.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/giSIL6iYr3Y" width="500" height="280" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Do you still &lsquo;know when you&rsquo;ve been Tango&rsquo;d&rsquo;?
Tango&rsquo;s ads used to be among Britain&rsquo;s most memorable. Does the line &lsquo;you know when you&rsquo;ve been Tango&rsquo;d&rsquo; ring any bells? But, since the 1990s, the brand&rsquo;s advertising has never quite managed to hit the same level of ubiquity.
Now, a new, higher-budget approach, infused with the well-remembered, silly style of earlier ads, has hit our screens. We&rsquo;re wondering how this will affect brand performance &ndash; especially compared to the brands that have received a more thorough rebrand.
So, which is your favourite of all the rebrands?
<h2>The secret to successful rebranding</h2>
Rebrands are complex things driven by myriad trends, shifts, and other market factors.
Perhaps, like many in this list, you want to reinvigorate your brand&rsquo;s image. Or maybe you want to attract the attention of the ever-increasing number of health-conscious consumers. Whatever the reason, though, it&rsquo;s important to have a team on board that understands your market inside and out.
More and brands are aiming to improve consumer loyalty while attracting newly emerging markets.
In reaction to these trends, we&rsquo;ve noticed a rise in demand for Drinks talent with specialist marketing experience.
Access leading talent in your sector today &ndash; get in touch to brief us on a role:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
(Image credit: Marketing Week, Dezeen, BBC News, iStock)

New Look, Same Taste: 6 Soft Drink Brands Shaking Things Up

Consumers are on the lookout for the best supermarket bargains.
But, as it turns out, the UK&rsquo;s cheapest supermarket depends on how big your basket is.
There&rsquo;s been a big shakeup within the grocery sector this past year. From Aldi overtaking Morrisons in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2022/10/20/aldi-morrisons-battle-for-the-big-four/">battle for the &lsquo;Big Four&rsquo;</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2022/11/11/climate-change-fmcg-what-are-supermarkets-doing-about-unambitious-sustainability-efforts/">supermarket sustainability initiatives</a>, it&rsquo;s been a disruptive 12 months for a historically pretty steady sector.
One of the main drivers of change? The ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/tag/cost-of-living/">cost-of-living crisis</a>.
So, what do you need to know about Britain&rsquo;s search for the UK&rsquo;s cheapest supermarket?
<ul>
<li>Supermarket switch: how consumer sentiment is driving change.</li>
<li>The UK&rsquo;s cheapest supermarket for smaller shops.</li>
<li>The UK&rsquo;s cheapest supermarket for trolley shops.</li>
<li>Becoming a leader in the discount grocery game.</li>
</ul>
<h2>How consumer sentiment is driving change</h2>
It&rsquo;s no secret that shoppers have been feeling the strain from rising inflation, driven largely by food and drink prices.
According to Kantar,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/9efcc6b4-688b-4004-bb87-440e0438da79">supermarket prices increased</a>&nbsp;at an annual rate of 17.5% in March 2023. This is the highest rate since record began, and adds an average &pound;837 to annual household bills.
As a result, finding the cheapest place to shop for essentials has become top priority for a growing number of consumers. That&rsquo;s why so many Brits have switched up where they do their grocery shop.
Discounters Aldi and Lidl have felt the benefit of this shift in consumer sentiment.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2023/03/28/aldi-market-share-inflation/">Aldi&rsquo;s market share</a>&nbsp;recently rose to 9.9%, driven by an uptick in sales. Meanwhile, Lidl, as the UK&rsquo;s fastest-growing supermarket, saw its market share increase to 7.4%.
However, while discounters are the obvious choice for consumers looking to cut back, they may not be the best available option. In fact, recent research suggests that the most cost-effective option for shoppers depends on the size of the shop they do.
In other words, size really does matter when you&rsquo;re doing your big shop.
<h2>The UK&rsquo;s cheapest supermarket for smaller shops</h2>
<a href="https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/supermarkets/article/supermarket-price-comparison-aPpYp9j1MFin">Consumer watchdog Which?</a>&nbsp;has found that, for smaller baskets, Aldi is the most cost-effective option for cash-strapped shoppers.
At Britain&rsquo;s reigning cheapest supermarket, a basket of 41 grocery items cost an average of &pound;72.54 across March 2023. Lidl comes in at a close second, costing consumers &pound;72.29, or just 25p more. Both were found to be significantly cheaper than their successors.
Last in the rankings was Waitrose, falling behind Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury&rsquo;s, and several other UK supermarkets:
<ol>
<li>Aldi:&nbsp;&pound;72.54</li>
<li>Lidl:&nbsp;&pound;72.79</li>
<li>Sainsbury&rsquo;s:&nbsp;&pound;80.27</li>
<li>Tesco:&nbsp;&pound;81.58</li>
<li>Asda:&nbsp;&pound;81.88</li>
<li>Morrisons:&nbsp;&pound;83.63</li>
<li>Ocado:&nbsp;&pound;88.03</li>
<li>Waitrose:&nbsp;&pound;92.55</li>
</ol>
<h2>The UK&rsquo;s cheapest supermarket for trolley shops</h2>
When it comes to doing a bigger &lsquo;big shop,&rsquo; the rankings shift dramatically.
For a trolley of 137 groceries, Asda shoots from fifth place to first. Costing &pound;343.91 on average, Asda&rsquo;s trolley shop is almost &pound;10 cheaper than Sainsbury&rsquo;s in second place, and more than &pound;40 cheaper than Waitrose in last place.
<h2>Becoming a leader in the discount grocery game</h2>
As the grocery landscape continues to change, it&rsquo;s important for the brands that operate within this space to evolve and meet shifting demands.
As a result, we have seen a rise in requests for NAM talent with specialist discount experience.
Make sure the talent you hire has the right skillset and experience to help you keep pace in this fast-paced market and stand above your competitors.
Get access to our free NAM resources, including salary guide, interview questions and job specification.
Get in touch today:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Size Matters: UK’s Cheapest Supermarket Depends on Basket Size

Europe&rsquo;s plant-based food and drink sales have been on the rise for several years now.
But what plant-based product has seen the highest value growth? And what does that mean for the future of the category?
Have you found yourself wondering about the products driving the constant increase in plant-based food sales?
Then you&rsquo;re in good hands! This is everything you need to know:
<ul>
<li>The plant-based boom: how the plant-based market has grown in Europe.</li>
<li>Europe&rsquo;s fastest-growing plant-based food product revealed.</li>
<li>NPD and the future of plant-based food sales.</li>
<li>Making the most of plant-based value growth</li>
</ul>
<h2>The plant-based boom</h2>
It&rsquo;s no secret that demand for animal-free food and drink has skyrocketed recently.
It might have taken a few years for the market to finally go mainstream. But as data collected by NielsenIQ and&nbsp;<a href="https://gfieurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2020-2022-Europe-retail-market-insights.pdf">analysed by the Good Food Institute</a>&nbsp;shows, it&rsquo;s certainly well-established now.
In their report, the GFI analysed sales of plant-based products in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Spain, and seven other European countries. In doing so, they found that the category&rsquo;s market value had skyrocketed by 22% between 2020 and 2022.
In that time, the market hit the new heights of a &euro;5.7 billion market valuation.
<h2>Europe&rsquo;s fastest-growing plant-based food product revealed</h2>
The usual suspects topped the list of the highest-value products in the plant-based food and drink category.
These are, namely, plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. Given their prevalence on the market, even with non-vegans and meat-eaters, this is hardly a surprise.
But, when it comes to the&nbsp;fastest-growing&nbsp;product category, the answer might shock you&hellip;
Growing at almost double the rate of its nearest rival, it was&nbsp;plant-based seafood products&nbsp;that achieved the highest unit sales growth.
According to the GFI report:
&ldquo;At &euro;43 million in sales in 2022, plant-based seafood is still a small category but growing rapidly, with more than 326% growth since 2020.&rdquo;
Some of the best-developed and most exciting products within this category include:
<ul>
<li>Plant-based tuna, which is typically made with ingredients like soy protein, pea protein, and konjac powder.</li>
<li>Plant-based shrimp, typically made with similar ingredients and potato starch.</li>
<li>Plant-based crab cakes, which are often made with jackfruit, tofu, and chickpeas.</li>
<li>Plant-based fish fillets, made with ingredients like soy protein, wheat protein, and algae oil.</li>
</ul>
Plant-based cheese was next in line, but far behind. At 153% unit sales growth in the same timescale, this better-established product category continues to be in high demand and on the up.
<h2>The future of plant-based food sales</h2>
With the category experiencing such extraordinary growth, it stands to reason that NPD will follow close behind.
Since the category first began its growth spurt in the 2010s, incredible innovation has been the name of the game.
From plant-based egg alternatives to exciting new ice cream flavours, vegan ready meals to artisanal animal-free cheeses, the market is on an extremely exciting trajectory.
<h2>Making the most of plant-based value growth</h2>
With all this in mind, food and drinks brands ranging from global names to smaller challenger brands are asking themselves:
What can we do to capitalise on this fast-growing, ever-evolving market?
The answer is simple: take on top talent that understands the unique demands of the sector!
We bring market-leading talent and innovative food and drinks businesses together.
For access to passionate professionals with specialist plant-based experience, work with The Advocate Group on your next hiring project:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

What Is Europe’s Fastest-Growing Plant-Based Food Product?

In a year full of setbacks and financial strains, certain superbrands have still achieved sales success.
Is your favourite in the list of the top 10 UK brands?
Let&rsquo;s break down&hellip;
<ul>
<li>What are Britain&rsquo;s top 10 grocery brands?</li>
<li>The trends driving brand value.</li>
<li>Opportunities for 2023 business growth.</li>
</ul>
If you&rsquo;re looking for more than just a list of Britain&rsquo;s best-loved brands, you&rsquo;ve come to the right place.
<h2>What are Britain&rsquo;s top grocery brands?</h2>
Drumroll, please.
According to&nbsp;<a href="https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/retail-cpg-fmcg/grocery/">research carried out by NielsenIQ</a>, the brands that added the most value in the year to December 31st&nbsp;2022 are:
<ol>
<li><a href="https://www.cadbury.co.uk/">Cadbury</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.coca-cola.co.uk/">Coca-Cola</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.walkers.co.uk/">Walkers</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nestle.com/">Nestl&eacute;</a></li>
<li><a href="https://pepsi.co.uk/">Pepsi Cola</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.warburtons.co.uk/">Warburtons</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.heinz.co.uk/">Heinz</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.purina.co.uk/">Purina</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.redbull.com/">Red Bull</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.birdseye.co.uk/">Birds Eye</a></li>
</ol>
Are you surprised? Here&rsquo;s how these brands made the top 10&hellip;
Cadbury, the highest value&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/02/16/uk-favourite-supermarket-revealed/">British supermarket</a>&nbsp;brand, achieved sales of &pound;1,855.1 million in 2022. This amounted to a gain of +0.2% for the confectionery giant. Meanwhile, Birds Eye managed to hit top 10-worthy sales of &pound;560.8 million, while still netting a loss of -1.5%.
Of the brands that experienced a growth spurt while also hitting high sales, Purina was the most successful.
With growth of 16.6% in 2022, Purina is one of four pet food brands to make it to the top 100. Its nearest successor, Whiskas, sits much further down the list with sales of &pound;187 million.
<h2>The trends driving value in the top 10 UK brands</h2>
There are some key trends that have helped drive the top 10 UK brands towards success: innovation, healthy eating, affordability, and well-positioned premium offerings.
<h3>Innovation</h3>
Between Cadbury adding 78 exciting new products to its portfolio, new flavours in Coca-Cola&rsquo;s classic line-up, and Birds Eye relaunching their forward-thinking plant-based range, innovation played a big part in the success of many of Britain&rsquo;s favourite brands in 2022.
Like the other trends listed here, it looks like innovation in the food and drink sector is here to stay. So far in 2023, consumers have continued to gravitate more towards eco-friendly products,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/01/16/january-wellness-how-are-uk-supermarkets-reacting-to-changing-consumer-habits/">healthier options</a>, and trending tastes.
<h3>Healthy eating</h3>
Healthy eating is all the rage right now. Pepsi and Walkers in particular have managed to take advantage of this significant market shift.
Pepsi, which has grown in value by +8.3%, focused its efforts on pushing existing, sugar-free Pepsi Max lines.
Taking a slightly different tack, Walkers launched a new range of low-salt crisps that complies with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/restricting-promotions-of-products-high-in-fat-sugar-or-salt-by-location-and-by-volume-price/restricting-promotions-of-products-high-in-fat-sugar-or-salt-by-location-and-by-volume-price-implementation-guidance">new HFSS legislation</a>. The line was released in March 2022 and has proven highly successful. By the end of the year, it had made the much-loved snack brand &pound;22.2 million.
<h3>Affordability</h3>
Throughout the cost-of-living crisis, brands have been caught between rising outgoings and keeping costs down for consumers.
This wasn&rsquo;t as much of a problem for brands like Birds Eye. Well known for their frozen food lines, they already had a product offering that was both affordable and healthy.
However, not all brands had the benefit of trading in the freezer section. That&rsquo;s why brands like Warburtons turned to so-called &lsquo;shrinkflation&rsquo; and similar tactics. Shrinkflation (or charging the same amount for a smaller product) has become a common method for brands to make their products affordable to produce and to purchase.
<h3>Premium</h3>
While some brands looked at cutting costs for consumers, others went in the opposite direction.
Purina, which experienced the highest value growth of the top 10 UK brands, pushed its products at a premium price. On average, the price of Purina packets increased by 12% in 2022. The increases were implemented across the brand&rsquo;s popular entry-level products as well as its new gourmet offering.
This could be seen as a risky strategy. That is, unless your market positioning is on point and your value add is crystal clear.
<h2>Opportunities for 2023 business growth</h2>
Clearly, successful strategies differ between businesses.
With that in mind&hellip;
How can you implement a strategy that will keep consumers coming back to your product?
The answer lies with the people within your business.
Without a strong team of knowledgeable, passionate people, successful strategy delivery simply won&rsquo;t be achievable. In other words, you&rsquo;ll need to invest in your talent if you want to see sales that rival the top 10 UK brands.
We can help. Get in touch today for a talent consultation with the consumer product recruitment experts:
Call us: 0333 772 7200
Email: <a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

The Top 10 UK Grocery Brands: Did Your Favourite Make the Cut?

Craft brews are no longer top choice for Britain&rsquo;s discerning beer drinkers.&nbsp;
But the alternative product turning people&rsquo;s heads may surprise you&hellip;&nbsp;&nbsp;
What is Britain&rsquo;s fastest-growing beer variety?&nbsp;&nbsp;
For the past few years, Britain&rsquo;s beer market has been dominated by crafty cans on the one hand, and well-known,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/03/10/britain-best-premium-beers/">premium beers</a>&nbsp;on the other. While these go-to alcoholic beer varieties are still popular, there&rsquo;s a new drink of choice in town.
In a sure sign that sobriety is here to stay, the fastest-growing beer variety in Britain is&hellip;&nbsp;&nbsp;
No-and-low alcohol beer.&nbsp;&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s something we&rsquo;re seeing across the board, in different supermarkets and all alcoholic drinks categories. This includes spirits, wine, and ready-to-drink cocktails.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In Tesco, for example, the low-and-no alcohol trend has sent demand for booze-free beers skyrocketing by a staggering 40%. Among the brands enjoying the uplift in sales are dedicated low-and-no alcohol brewers and heritage brands with new product offerings.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2 aria-level="2">Why is the low-and-no alcohol trend so big right now?&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
This is far from a flash in the pan. The low-and-no alcohol trend has been accelerating for some time now, driven largely by younger consumers.&nbsp;
This increasingly health-conscious market segment, typically aged between 18 and 24, is choosing to prioritise wellbeing over pints in the pub. Or, if they do fancy a tipple, many are opting for low or no-alcohol alternatives of their favourite drinks.&nbsp;&nbsp;
But it&rsquo;s not just Generation Z driving the change. Within all age groups, a growing focus on fitness, nutrition, and mental health is disrupting the drinks status quo.
As a result, many Brits are starting to introduce low-and-no alcohol products into some drinking sessions, even if they aren&rsquo;t switching completely.&nbsp;
<h2 aria-level="2">Does the low-and-no alcohol sector have a future?&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
Unless something drastic changes, the low-and-no alcohol boom won&rsquo;t be going anywhere anytime soon.&nbsp;&nbsp;
One key indicator is the fact that the trend has not only sustained beyond Dry January, but continued to grow since.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Another relates to the steady rise we&rsquo;re seeing in British adults deciding to cut down on drink. According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://kam-media.co.uk/low_and_no_2022/">2022 study by KAM</a>, 55% of UK adults are trying to reduce their alcohol consumption. And, judging by recent market shifts, that number will only keep increasing.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2 aria-level="2">Make the most of category growth&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
Now is the time to capitalise on the sector&rsquo;s rapid acceleration.&nbsp;&nbsp;
To do that, you will need to maximise the knowledge, expertise, and innovation within your organisation. The good news is that these are all qualities we can screen for in your talent search!&nbsp;&nbsp;
Are you looking to make the most of the low-and-no alcohol trend?&nbsp;&nbsp;
Ask us how we can help you source top drinks and marketing talent that can add value to your business:&nbsp;&nbsp;
Call us: 0333 772 7200&nbsp;
Email: <a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

The UK’s Fastest-Growing Beer Isn’t What You’d Think

<h1 class="page-title kl-blog-post-title entry-title" itemprop="headline">Why are consumers boycotting big brands?</h1>
<div class="itemBody kl-blog-post-body kl-blog-cols-1" itemprop="text">
More and more consumers are boycotting their favourite brands in favour of their values.
But what is the major moral dilemma causing shoppers to take their custom elsewhere?
You might have heard of &lsquo;greenwashing,&rsquo; but do you know how big of an impact it&rsquo;s having on household brands?
Don&rsquo;t worry; this article will cover all the bases:
<ul>
<li>What is greenwashing?</li>
<li>Is it a big problem?</li>
<li>The impact of greenwashing on household brands</li>
<li>How to avoid greenwashing accusations</li>
</ul>
<h2>What is greenwashing?</h2>
Greenwashing is the phenomenon of brands misleading the public about their commitments to climate change. This often takes the form of overpromising and underdelivering on climate commitments, whether intentionally or otherwise.
And why? To appeal to the ever-growing number of consumers that are concerned about the environment &ndash; especially millennials and the younger generations.
Did you know: 75% of millennials are eco-conscious enough to change their buying habits.
<h2>Is it a big problem?</h2>
Climate change is a topic that businesses of all sizes are expected to tackle. As such, many have introduced climate policies and commitments, some of which are more ambitious than others.
Admirable as that may be, it has backfired big time for the businesses that were ill-equipped or unprepared to keep to their agreements. It&rsquo;s also diluted confidence in household brands&rsquo; green policies more generally.
According to research by&nbsp;<a href="https://sensuinsight.com/50-shades-of-greenwashing-research-report-how-to-create-effective-esg-communications/">Sensu Insight</a>, a majority of UK consumers don&rsquo;t take corporate environmental policies at face value.
Of those, 14% outright disbelieve businesses&rsquo; eco claims and a massive 71% assume that most claims are unverified. A further 34% also say that they have seen brands making eco claims without providing any evidence. Unsurprisingly, this has damaged consumer trust.
Amongst the sectors least likely to be believed by the public are fashion brands and car manufacturers.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/02/16/uk-favourite-supermarket-revealed/">Retailers, grocers, and supermarkets</a>&nbsp;suffer much less from a lack of customer confidence, but are by no means immune to scepticism.
<h2>The impact of greenwashing on household brands</h2>
As a result of widespread distrust, consumers are making an effort to be more mindful of where they shop.
Almost 10% of British shoppers apparently boycott brands that have come under fire from greenwashing accusations. While not all eco-conscious consumers go as far, just under a quarter report actively spending less money with greenwashing brands.
The impact of greenwashing has the potential to be wide-reaching, and some companies have taken a hit to their reputations.
Sales, consumer loyalty, and talent attraction may suffer as a result.
<h2>How to avoid greenwashing accusations</h2>
People are the best buffer you have against greenwashing accusations.
In other words: by hiring skilled talent with specialist sustainability experience, you&rsquo;re much more likely to make good on your commitments. With this sort of effective peoplepower, you&rsquo;ll be better prepared to set realistic climate goals, keep them on-track, and prevent consumers boycotting your brand.
Ideally, you&rsquo;ll aim to do this sooner rather than later, since greenwashing claims make you less attractive to top talent. In fact, 17% of people said they would be dissuaded from working for brands accused of greenwashing. Clearly, it&rsquo;s not just consumers who are becoming more values driven.
Do you want to strengthen your company&rsquo;s commitments to the climate and avoid greenwashing claims?
Get in touch today!
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
</div>

Why Are Consumers Boycotting Big Brands?

What are the go-to tipples for British beer-drinkers at the moment?
With the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and uptick in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/03/23/low-and-no-alcohol-trend-beer/">low-and-no alcohol sales</a>, the fact that premium beers are on the rise might come as a surprise&hellip;
<h2>Britain&rsquo;s favourite beer</h2>
It&rsquo;s no secret that Brits love beer. But which brands do we prefer?
Well, as it turns out, the country&rsquo;s current circumstances haven&rsquo;t stopped us from buying our favourites.
In other words, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/feb/28/british-shoppers-grocery-prices-kantar">record food inflation</a>&nbsp;of over 17% and other financial strains caused by the cost-of-living crisis, many of us still prefer premium. So, it&rsquo;s not the cheaper, lower-alcohol stuff we&rsquo;ve been seeking out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2023/02/16/uk-favourite-supermarket-revealed/">in supermarkets</a>&nbsp;and bars when we&rsquo;ve been after an alcoholic tipple.
In fact, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1193557/leading-beer-brands-retail-sales-revenue-uk/">leading beer in Britain</a>&nbsp;by sales revenue last year was&hellip;
Stella Artois
In 2022, this premium pilsner generated &pound;246 million. Meanwhile, runner-up Budweiser generated &pound;164.7 million over the course of 12 months.
<h2>Why are premium beers on the rise?</h2>
It&rsquo;s not just that loyal consumers are continuing to buy premium, which often costs that bit extra. Many British beer-drinkers are also trading up.
And, according to recent research by Budweiser, this trend is likely to continue in 2023. If the study is to be believed, 70% of beer consumption in Britain will be in the premium and super-premium category.
But why?
Well, there are a couple of key reasons.
One is that more people are happy to pay the premium for a brand they trust that delivers on taste.
We&rsquo;re seeing something similar elsewhere in the grocery market, with consumers treating themselves to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2023/02/21/dessert-sweet-trends-2023/">more expensive desserts</a>&nbsp;to enjoy at home.
This brings us to our next reason: that more people are eating and drinking at home. And there&rsquo;s little doubt as to why. At a time of financial strain, it&rsquo;s a sure way to make special meals and social occasions more affordable.
<h2>What is premium beer?</h2>
Whether a beer is &lsquo;premium&rsquo; or not is determined by its ABV (alcohol by volume). So, lagers with 4.5% ABV or above are classed as premium, and so are ales with 4.2% ABV or above.
Britain&rsquo;s favourite Stella Artois just about falls within this category, at 4.6% ABV.
This and other beers may also be considered &lsquo;premium&rsquo; in another way. For example, premium beer-drinkers in Britain seem to also look for products with high quality brewing processes, recognisable branding, and full, popular tastes.
<h2>Work with your favourite premium beers brands</h2>
At The Advocate Group, we work with leading beer brands that tick all the boxes within their impressive product ranges.
We&rsquo;re proud to have an ongoing relationship with Asahi, which is home to premium beers brands including Peroni, Grolsch, and of course Asahi, as well as premium ales like Fuller&rsquo;s and Dark Star.
Our specialist Talent Partners are experts in the Food, Drink, and FMCG sectors, with a proven track record of placing top talent with industry-leading brands.
Are you a premium beer brand like Asahi? Or do you like the idea of working with a big name in your favourite product category?
Get in touch today for more information on what The Advocate Group can do for you!
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Which Premium Beers Does Britain Love Best?

Businesses and consumers alike have been hit by the latest supermarket supply chain shortages.
Are you concerned about the impact on your organisation? If so, here&rsquo;s what you need to know:
<ul>
<li>The real reasons why there&rsquo;s a fruit and vegetable shortage.</li>
<li>The supermarkets most affected by supermarket supply chain shortages, and why.</li>
<li>How long supermarket supply chain issues are likely to last.</li>
<li>How businesses like yours can manage supply chain shortages moving forwards.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Why is there a fruit and vegetable shortage?</h2>
Consumers across the country have had their food shops limited. But why?
Well, as a result of ongoing supply chain issues, the UK&rsquo;s leading supermarkets have started restricting sales of certain fruits and vegetables.
The products that have been hit the hardest are tomatoes and peppers. As a result, certain supermarkets are having to cap consumers at two or three of each product per shop. Similarly, products including lettuce, cucumber, broccoli, and cauliflowers have been noticeably thin on the ground across retailers.
The reason? Bad weather in source countries impacting crops and disrupting supply chains.
Through the winter, the UK imports up to 95% of these fresh products, mostly from Spain and Morocco. With Spanish crops affected by cold weather and Morocco being hit by floods, there simply isn&rsquo;t enough supply to deal with demand.
Meanwhile, domestic growers are having to cut back on energy costs and reduce their out-of-season operations. That means that less greenhouse-grown produce is making its way from British producers to supermarket shelves.
<h2>What supermarkets are affected by supermarket supply chain shortages?</h2>
Asda was the first major UK supermarket to announce a temporary rationing policy for certain fruits and vegetables.
Shortly after,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2022/10/20/aldi-morrisons-battle-for-the-big-four/">Tesco, the UK&rsquo;s largest supermarket chain</a>, Aldi, the cheapest, and Morrisons all followed suit.
In all but Morrisons, sales of affected products have been limited to three per shop. Meanwhile, Morrisons have capped customers to just two cucumbers, lettuces, peppers, and packs of tomatoes per shop.
Interestingly,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/2674518/admin/">a poll of our own connections</a>&nbsp;has revealed that Tesco shoppers struggled more than any others to find the fruit and veg they needed. 24% of shoppers also struggled in Sainsbury&rsquo;s, which is the only Big Four supermarket not to have implemented a cap.
Other popular UK grocery retailers, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2022/12/08/the-battle-for-the-big-four-will-lidl-overtake-morrisons-discount-supermarkets/">discount grocer Lidl</a>, Waitrose, and M&amp;S, have yet to do so as well. But, with demand outstripping supply, they may well need to do so before the supply chain issues are resolved.
<h2>How long are supermarket supply chain issues like to last?</h2>
With fruit and vegetables being some of the cheapest, healthiest options available to struggling consumers, the issue is causing widespread frustration. But it&rsquo;s not just shoppers who are dealing with the impact.
Between the cost-of-living crisis and unmeetable demand, supermarkets and supply chain and logistics professionals are feeling the strain too.
The good news is that the British growing season will start up again in a few weeks&rsquo; time. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), this means that shortages are unlikely to drag on for too much longer.
Of course, though, this will depend on how well supermarkets and supply chains recover in the coming weeks and months.
<h2>How to manage supply chain shortages</h2>
It&rsquo;s important for suppliers and retailers alike to be as prepared as possible for supply chain disruptions. In other words, it&rsquo;s all about being proactive.
The cost-of-living crisis is affecting businesses across the board (as well as their consumers) and issues like Brexit,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64749277">the ongoing war in Ukraine</a>, and Covid backlogs continue to pose additional problems to British supply chains. So, it&rsquo;s essential that you protect your organisation as best you can from any oncoming hard knocks.
The best way to do that? Taking on adaptable, experienced talent with specialist supply chain expertise.
While you can&rsquo;t prevent challenges, you can ensure your business is equipped to handle them effectively and mitigate any disruptions. Without the right professionals in the right places, it&rsquo;s much harder to do so.
Are you on the lookout for supply chain talent with specialist grocery experience?
We&rsquo;ll work in partnership with you to identify and attract problem-solving professionals that will strengthen your organisation. We&rsquo;re experts in your industry, so we&rsquo;re always on the cutting edge of what&rsquo;s going on.
Get in touch today for specialist Supply Chain talent:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Businesses: What Are You Doing About Supermarket Supply Chain Shortages?

<h1 class="page-title kl-blog-post-title entry-title" itemprop="headline">FMCG diversity and inclusion: do DE&amp;I policies make a difference?</h1>
<div class="itemBody kl-blog-post-body kl-blog-cols-1" itemprop="text">
Research shows that DEI policies are lacking in FMCG organisations.
Diversity and inclusion has come on significantly since the 1990s, but global and UK consumer goods companies still have a long way to go.
For FMCG organisations that want to encourage a diverse and inclusive environment in the workplace (and reap the associated benefits), there are tangible steps management can take:
<ol>
<li>Conduct regular internal reviews.</li>
<li>Develop diversity training.</li>
<li>Introduce anonymous recruitment screening.</li>
<li>Upskill your existing workforce.</li>
</ol>
If you want to find out what these policies mean in practice and how effective they can be when implemented correctly, you&rsquo;ve come to the right place.
Just remember: progress is a process, and it doesn&rsquo;t happen overnight. Taking these steps and sticking to them will keep you on track as you push for a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
<h2>How diverse are FMCG companies today?</h2>
In an industry that caters to all, more FMCG companies are beginning to recognise the importance of diversity. However, not all leaders have the tools or knowledge to implement diversity and inclusion policies that make a meaningful impact.
The reality is&hellip;
<ul>
<li>In Stonewall&rsquo;s latest ranking of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stonewall.org.uk/top-100-employers/full-list">UK&rsquo;s most LGBTQ+ employers</a>, only three consumer product companies ranked among the top 100.</li>
<li>Just 11.4% of FMCG board members are from ethnic minority groups.</li>
<li>Female representation at board level in the food and drink industry is just 30%.</li>
<li>People with disabilities are entirely unrepresented at Board Committee level in the FMCG industry.</li>
</ul>
But there&rsquo;s a lot for UK consumer goods companies to gain from addressing this lack of diversity.
For one thing, truly inclusive teams are more innovative, make better decisions twice as fast, and are almost twice as likely to capture new markets. For more information, just ask us for our free Diversity &amp; Inclusion eBook.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/miozb1dan2f9qmbsak9fh8a1temg" alt="Implementing effective diversity, inclusion, and equality policies" width="350" height="233">
<h6>Inclusive teams are more innovative.</h6>
And, in a world where representation has the power to sway consumer behaviour and attract the most qualified talent, it&rsquo;s becoming increasingly important for brand relevance.
<h2>Implementing effective diversity, inclusion, and equality policies</h2>
If your current DEI policies aren&rsquo;t having the desired impact, the following three should help you make progress.
<h3>1. Conduct regular internal reviews</h3>
To start with, find out how your current diversity and inclusion policies are working. This can be as easy to action as putting together a survey and distributing it to employees regularly.
But you need to make sure you&rsquo;re clear on what you want to get out of your review&hellip;
You might want to know how people feel about your current DEI initiatives and ask for recommendations to improve. Perhaps you want feedback on particular policies, for example your social mobility policy. Or, maybe it&rsquo;s important for you to find out whether the individuals in your teams do feel safe and included.
Make sure you carry out your reviews on a regular basis so you can map your results over time. This will help you figure out what action to take in the short term, measure what&rsquo;s working, and keep consistent.
<h3>2. Develop diversity training</h3>
Education is essential to effective diversity and inclusion. So, make internal training a priority in your workplace. Even if you already have a policy in place and would consider your environment diverse, you can never learn too much. It really is the best way to put a stop to any issues and prevent prejudice from becoming a problem.
Your regular review should help you determine what training will be of most benefit in your workplace.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/5jiuyjz7yl96swdx809sy8xm7j4v" alt="Develop diversity training" width="350" height="234">
<h6>Education is essential to effective diversity and inclusion.</h6>
However, there&rsquo;s one topic that we would recommend for any company: unconscious bias.
<h4>Unconscious bias in FMCG businesses</h4>
If you want to challenge and eliminate bias in the workplace, addressing the problem of unconscious bias is a must.
Unconscious bias can influence hiring decisions, employee attitudes to new team members, and consumer comms. And, as the name suggests, it&rsquo;s something that many people are unaware of.
There are five types of unconscious bias all employees should know about:
<ul>
<li>Affinity Bias:&nbsp;Favouring someone who is similar to you, or who you connect with.</li>
<li>Halo Effect:&nbsp;Focusing on one single attribute of a person that you personally appreciate, rather than the whole picture.</li>
<li>Horns Effect:&nbsp;Being influenced by a negative trait and allowing that to influence your perception of someone.</li>
<li>Attribution Bias:&nbsp;Assessing others&rsquo; achievements as a result of luck, and their failures as a result of their skillset, experience, or personality.</li>
<li>Confirmation Bias:&nbsp;When you look for confirmation of preconceived opinions.</li>
</ul>
By tackling the topic of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2022/06/14/pride-month-how-to-implement-diversity-inclusion-in-the-workplace/">unconscious bias in the workplace</a>, you can effectively extinguish discriminatory attitudes of all types.
<h3>3. Introduce inclusive recruitment screening</h3>
As in other industries, in FMCG, diversity and inclusion initiatives are best introduced early. So, to create a truly diverse and inclusive organisation, you need to start with the initial recruitment process.
With an inclusive screening process, you get access to larger talent pools, and both conscious and unconscious bias is removed. That way, you get the right people for the job, no matter their background or identity. In other words, candidates are judged solely on their experience and suitability for the role.
And, there are several ways to achieve this.
As the talent partner of choice for leading UK consumer goods companies, we can offer our client partners fully anonymous shortlists. By removing the names, genders, ethnicities, and social and economic backgrounds of shortlisted candidates &ndash; we make it possible for hiring managers to compare and contrast based solely on experience and competency.
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/r1n9eu2mqdsbfmtfn5yk4z2r6wy2" alt="Inclusive recruitment screening" width="350" height="233">
<h6>Get the right people for the job, no matter their background or identity.</h6>
Our diversity trained consultants are also experienced at uncovering talent that is less represented or visible on the market.
Plus, our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/services/market-mapping/">market maps</a>&nbsp;ensure that our talent searches aren&rsquo;t led using the natural algorithms of traditional search tools, which will always highlight the majority demographic way before highlighting the minority.
In short, we have several tools that allow us to effectively eliminate bias and prejudice. The result? A hiring process that promises fairness, from the very start and for all colleagues.
<h3>4. Upskill your existing workforce</h3>
Occasionally, when we&rsquo;ve mapped the market for a client partner, we&rsquo;ve discovered that diversity currently doesn&rsquo;t exist for a particular skill in that area.
In that case, it&rsquo;s not possible to make the recruitment process truly inclusive. But that doesn&rsquo;t mean you&rsquo;re out of options.
Take a look at your existing teams and see if there&rsquo;s anyone from an underrepresented group who you could upskill internally. As well as offering them the opportunity to advance their career, you&rsquo;ll also add long-term value to your own business.
Plus, you&rsquo;ll be taking an active role in redressing the balance for that niche. Diversity and inclusion is as much about opportunity as it is about action.
<h2>Progress in FMCG: diversity and inclusion in practice</h2>
There are plenty of ways for UK consumer goods companies to make their workplaces more inclusive. All easily actionable and highly effective, we have seen these policies make a significant impact on companies of all sizes.
Want to know more?
Find out how an external recruitment provider can add value to your company&rsquo;s DEI initiatives. Reach out to our directors for more information:
<ul>
<li>Chris Dickenson:&nbsp;chris.dickenson@advocate-group.co.uk</li>
<li>Lee McNally:&nbsp;lee.mcnally@advocate-group.co.uk</li>
</ul>
Or get in touch today to partner with us for your next recruitment project:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
</div>

Why DE&I Policies Make a Difference in FMCG

What do British consumers value most in their weekly shop?
Recent&nbsp;<a href="https://yougov.co.uk/ratings/consumer/popularity/supermarket-chains/all">polling from YouGov</a>&nbsp;has revealed the UK favourite supermarket &ndash; and offered valuable insights into changing consumer habits.
<h2>What is the UK favourite supermarket?</h2>
The British public has spoken&hellip;
Now, it&rsquo;s official. The most popular supermarket chain in the UK is (drumroll please): Aldi!
Since Aldi has been all over the news in recent months, this probably won&rsquo;t come as a surprise to many.
However, what is a little surprising is that 100% of respondents had heard of the German grocer. In comparison, only 99% had heard of Tesco, despite it having the largest market share of all UK supermarkets.
Of those polled, 81% said they liked Aldi, while only 4% disliked the brand and 14% were neutral.
Aldi also ranks in the top 10 of the&nbsp;<a href="https://yougov.co.uk/ratings/consumer/popularity/brands/all">UK&rsquo;s most popular brands</a>, making it the only grocer in Britain to do so. In a list dominated by beloved chocolate brands like Cadbury, Maltesers, and Kit Kat, it&rsquo;s an impressive achievement.
<h2>Who shops at Aldi?</h2>
There&rsquo;s no one type of person that shops at Aldi.
According to YouGov&rsquo;s data, Aldi is slightly more popular with older generations, women, and Labour voters, but not by much.
It looks likely that the grocer&rsquo;s popularity amongst British consumers will only continue to grow. Just last year, Aldi overtook Morrisons as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2022/10/20/aldi-morrisons-battle-for-the-big-four/">the UK&rsquo;s four largest supermarket</a>, causing a major shake-up to the established &ldquo;Big Four&rdquo; for the first time in a long time.
Now, it&rsquo;s predicted that Aldi and fellow discounter Lidl could even&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2022/08/30/aldi-lidl-overtake-tesco-2027/">overtake Tesco</a>&nbsp;by 2027.
<h2>Why is Aldi the UK favourite supermarket?</h2>
Given the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, it&rsquo;s no surprise that Aldi is enjoying increased popularity.
Inflation has been in double figures for five months straight at the time of writing. As a result, household budgets are being stretched to their limit, and people are keen to get more for their money.
To keep competitive, supermarkets in the Big Four, including Asda, Sainsbury&rsquo;s, and Tesco, have introduced price locks, strengthened loyalty offerings, and pushed their &ldquo;Aldi Price Match&rdquo; schemes.
Still, it looks like discount grocers will continue to enjoy being the top pick for growing numbers of consumers.
<h2>The changing grocery landscape</h2>
The top 10 most popular UK supermarket chains are:
<ol>
<li>Aldi</li>
<li>Lidl</li>
<li>Tesco</li>
<li>Sainsbury&rsquo;s</li>
<li>Morrisons</li>
<li>Iceland</li>
<li>M&amp;S Food</li>
<li>Asda</li>
<li>Tesco Express</li>
<li>The Co-Operative Food</li>
</ol>
What these rankings represent is a shift in consumer habits.
In reaction to these trends, we have seen an increase in requests for NAM talent with specialist discount experience.
Looking for National Account Management talent in the increasingly competitive grocery sector?
You would benefit from access to our free downloadable NAM resources, including salary guide, interview questions and job specification&hellip;
Get in touch today to get access!
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Do You Shop in the UK's Favourite Supermarket? 

Have you heard about the new plastic bottle deposit return scheme coming to the UK?
If not, don&rsquo;t worry &ndash; this is everything you need to know&hellip;
<ul>
<li>What is the plastic bottle deposit return scheme UK?</li>
<li>What are the plastic bottle deposit return scheme regulations?</li>
<li>When will the deposit return scheme start in England?</li>
<li>Drinks industry sustainability: preparing for the future in FMCG</li>
</ul>
<h2>What is the plastic bottle deposit return scheme UK?</h2>
After initially being promised five years ago, a deposit return scheme is due to be introduced in England.
Modelled on similar initiatives that have proved popular in Europe, the scheme will incentivise supermarket shoppers to return empty plastic bottles to designated return points and receive a small cash despot in return.
It has plenty of potential; in Germany, return rates are as high as 98%. This has helped to increase recycling rates and reduce littering, and it&rsquo;s hoped that the UK will enjoy similar results.
However, following delays and the sudden exclusion of glass from the scheme, environmental campaigners have branded the approach &ldquo;a huge missed opportunity&rdquo;.
Still, it&rsquo;s sure to mark an important step on the UK&rsquo;s journey towards a more sustainable future, for retailers and consumers alike.
<h2>What are the plastic bottle deposit return scheme regulations?</h2>
When the deposit return scheme is introduced, anyone who buys a bottled drink will be charged a small deposit. To recover this deposit, consumers must return their drinks container to a designated collection point. The plastic will then go on to be recycled.
It is not yet clear whether all retailers that sell bottled drinks will have to have a return point. Regardless, it&rsquo;s a good chance for supermarkets, hospitality retailers, and online retailers to prepare themselves for the change and get involved.
It also hasn&rsquo;t been confirmed exactly what materials will be included in the scheme for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, though, a 20p deposit will be applied to drinks in the following containers:
<ul>
<li>PET bottles.</li>
<li>Steel cans.</li>
<li>Aluminium cans.</li>
<li>Glass drinks bottles.</li>
</ul>
All drinks containers made from these materials with a 50ml to 3 litre capacity are to be included.
<h2>When will the deposit return scheme start in England?</h2>
A start date for England&rsquo;s deposit return scheme is still due to be finalised. However, the scheme&rsquo;s introduction has been confirmed for 2024. Some anticipate that the scheme won&rsquo;t come into full effect until later in the year.
Meanwhile, the&nbsp;<a href="https://depositreturnscheme.zerowastescotland.org.uk/">deposit return scheme in Scotland</a>&nbsp;is due to get underway in August of this year.
<h2>Drinks industry sustainability: preparing for the future in FMCG</h2>
All drinks brands and both on-trade and off-trade retailers should be prepared for coming sustainability initiatives.
If the UK is to meet its Net Zero target by 2050, all industries have their part to play.
Make sure your business is ready to take the steps it needs to, get ahead of the curve.
Find talent that has the right experience and skillset to drive your business towards a more profitable, greener future.
We are experts at sourcing and engaging talent that not only aligns with your goals but enhances them!
Are you in the market for FMCG talent that understands sustainability in your sector?
<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/contact-us/">Get in touch today</a>!
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Explainer: The UK’s Plastic Bottle Deposit Return Scheme

Big Four grocer Sainsbury&rsquo;s has successfully completed a hydrogen-powered HGV trial.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Read all about the outcome of the trial, how it contributes to Sainsbury&rsquo;s long-term sustainability goals, and what it means for consumer products businesses like yours.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Sainsbury&rsquo;s has kickstarted 2023 by reaching a significant sustainability milestone.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="https://aspion.co.uk/electras-successful-hydrogen-powered-hgv-trial-for-sainsburys-comes-to-an-end/">Working with electric vehicles (EV) company Electra</a>, the British grocery giant has completed a three-month hydrogen delivery truck trial.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2 aria-level="2">The Electric Vehicle Trial for Sainsburys&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
The trial saw Sainsbury&rsquo;s use Electra&rsquo;s 19-tonne, zero-emissions refrigerated truck to transport produce to stores across the country over a three-month period.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Electra eCargo Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle carried out a typical daily return journey of 208 miles, with great success. Each day,&nbsp;an estimated 314kg of CO2 was saved&nbsp;as a result of using Electra&rsquo;s EV in place of a diesel truck. This marks a huge step towards truly eco-friendly haulage!&nbsp;&nbsp;
While Sainsbury&rsquo;s has no immediate plans to roll out these environmentally friendly HGVs yet, the results are not to be understated.&nbsp;&nbsp;
According to Sainsbury&rsquo;s head of engineering and compliance, Gary King:&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;Achieving zero carbon emissions for a regular haulage route is a significant initial step and will inform future decision making.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;
With that in mind, it&rsquo;s possible that zero-carbon supermarket delivery fleets might not be far off.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2 aria-level="2">Sustainable supermarkets: Sainsbury&rsquo;s Net Zero target&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
Sainsbury&rsquo;s is among the most ambitious supermarkets when it comes to sustainability. In fact, it has the earliest Net Zero target of any of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2022/10/20/aldi-morrisons-battle-for-the-big-four/">UK Big Four supermarkets</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;
After pledging to be Net Zero by 2040, the grocer has since updated its pledge. Now, Sainsbury&rsquo;s is committed to becoming&nbsp;<a href="https://www.about.sainsburys.co.uk/news/latest-news/2021/26-10-2021-sainsburys-cuts-five-years-from-target-to-become-net-zero-by-2035-in-its-own-operations">Net Zero in its own operations</a>&nbsp;by 2035. This aligns with the UN&rsquo;s own target to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Other UK retailers have made similar commitments to reach Net Zero by 2040.&nbsp;&nbsp;
As part of an initiative by British Retail Consortium, British supermarkets such as Sainsbury&rsquo;s, Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons and Asda have committed to working together to hit the industry&rsquo;s 2040 target.&nbsp;&nbsp;
They join the ranks of other retailers, including fashion, food, and personal care brands, as well as their suppliers and other stakeholders.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2 aria-level="2">Sustainable supermarkets, sustainable products&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
A key element of the BRC&rsquo;s Net Zero strategy? The decarbonisation of product sourcing and supply chains. According to their&nbsp;<a href="https://brc.org.uk/climate-roadmap/section-7-pathway-4-sourcing-sustainably/71-emissions-overview/">emissions overview</a>:&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;The extraction, primary production and processing of raw materials used in consumer goods frequently contributes the majority of supply chain greenhouse emissions.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;
As such, it&rsquo;s not just up to supermarkets like Sainsbury&rsquo;s to make sustainability happen.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The products on British supermarket shelves will have to be more innovative, more responsibly sourced, and come through&nbsp;<a href="https://aspion.co.uk/supply-chain-waste-is-costing-companies-billions/">less wasteful supply chains</a>&nbsp;if ambitious targets are to be hit.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2 aria-level="3">Aligning with supermarket sustainability pledges&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
If you want your business to be a brand of choice for sustainably minded retailers, you&rsquo;ll need the right people on your teams.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Experienced, forward-thinking people are essential in all areas of a consumer products business.&nbsp;&nbsp;
From marketing to national account management and all the way through to supply chain, you&rsquo;ll need people who know how to push your business closer to carbon neutrality.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Work with a talent partner that understands the growing demands on your industry and how to position you as an employer of choice!&nbsp;
As consumer product recruitment experts, our specialty is engaging and attracting consumer goods talent with specialist sustainability knowledge. Stay ahead of the curve &ndash; <a href="/contact-us">get in touch today</a>:&nbsp;
Call us: 0333 772 7200&nbsp;
Email: <a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Sainsbury’s Steps Towards Net Zero with Hydrogen-Powered HGV Trial

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More consumers than ever are making healthier choices this January.
So what are brands doing to match current consumer demand and anticipate long-term changes?
Are you doing Dry January? What about Veganuary? Well, if you are, you&rsquo;re joining millions of others.
As you&rsquo;re probably aware, the new year always brings health and wellbeing to the forefront of the consumer goods market. This year, popular wellness challenges like Veganuary and Dry January have seen record numbers of sign-ups.
Up from a then-record breaking 8 million signups in 2022, almost 9 million people have pledged to take part in Dry January 2023. This includes almost 60% of respondents to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-advocate-group---search-&amp;-selection/">a poll of our own followers</a>.
Meanwhile, a person was signing up to take part in Veganuary every 2.4 seconds as we headed into January.
Taken all together, this represents a significant portion of Britain&rsquo;s adult population and shows the impact that health-focused products and movements can have
<h2>How supermarkets are handling the January health kick</h2>
The onset of January sees supermarkets having to make space for larger displays of plant-based foods and low-and-no alcohol drinks options.
Many of these products will continue to enjoy popularity long after the end of the month, as these movements usually trigger the consumer&rsquo;s interest in veganism, low-alcoholic beverages, and much more
More and more brands are using January as an opportunity to release new product lines. And, this year, the Veganuary offering in particular is impressive.
<h3>ALDI&rsquo;s Veganuary Range</h3>
Aldi, which has been named the cheapest UK supermarket for the seventh month running, is just one of the UK&rsquo;s Big Four supermarkets offering more for their plant-based customers. This year, it&rsquo;s launched its biggest Plant Menu range to date. Products start from as little as 99p and include meat-free hoisin duck and pork-free sausages.
<h3>Tesco&rsquo;s Plant-based range</h3>
And, in a move that&rsquo;s sure to keep its majority market share happy, Tesco has also extended its plant-based range. The Tesco Plant Chef range now includes five new frozen offerings, including fish-free goujons and no-chicken breasts.
<h3>Veganuary in UK supermarkets</h3>
Others, including Asda, M&amp;S, and Morrison&rsquo;s, have introduced their own plant-based lines in time for Veganuary too.
Many are also selling new ranges from big-name FMCG brands, including Cathedral City and Heinz.
Given that&nbsp;<a href="https://veganuary.com/veganuary-2022-six-month-survey/">80% of Veganuary participants</a>&nbsp;go on to eat significantly less meat after completing the challenge, the introduction of more and more vegan options is smart from both a long- and short-term perspective.
<h3>Dry January&rsquo;s low-and-no alcohol options</h3>
Recent years have seen a rise in demand for low-and-no alcohol options. Last Dry January, for example, sales were up almost 30% YOY. It&rsquo;s fair to assume that the same will be seen this year.
And it&rsquo;s not just during Dry January that fewer people have been drinking the hard stuff.
Since 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2022/11/28/low-and-no-alcohol-booms-in-time-for-christmas/">low-and-no alcohol sales</a>&nbsp;have skyrocketed by 48%.
Resultantly, new options keep appearing in supermarkets, as well as in pubs, restaurants, and fridges at home.
People&rsquo;s reasons for substituting an evening glass of wine or end-of-the-week beer will vary. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://uk.synergytaste.com/insights/low-and-no-alcohol/">health and wellbeing</a>&nbsp;is consistently one of the most common factors.
<h2>Will healthier habits stick in 2023?</h2>
Healthier habits are here to stay.
To keep up with the uptick in demand for plant-based and low-and-no alcohol products, FMCG brands must continue to innovate.
Want to keep your product offering competitive, or make your brand more appealing to new audiences? You&rsquo;ll need top talent with relevant experience.
As consumer product recruitment experts, we keep up with the sector trends and innovation &ndash; always positioning your business as an employer of choice!
<a href="/contact-us">Contact us today</a><a href="/contact-us">&nbsp;</a>for access to talent that can strengthen your brand&rsquo;s positioning&hellip; &nbsp;
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
</div>
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How Are UK Supermarkets Reacting to January Wellness Trends?

<div class="itemBody kl-blog-post-body kl-blog-cols-1" itemprop="text">
18.4% of UK households experienced food insecurity in November 2022.
What are supermarkets doing to help their shoppers through the cost-of-living crisis? And is it possible to keep products competitive in the current climate?
People in the UK are increasingly being pushed into food poverty.
As prices across the board continue to climb, consumers have been looking for ways to cut costs. But food inflation is higher than it&rsquo;s ever been. Resultantly, it&rsquo;s getting harder and harder for people to avoid paying through the nose for the products in their weekly shop.
<h2>Food poverty: the reality</h2>
Between April and September 2022, the Trussell Trust saw a 40% rise in people having to access their services.
In September alone, according to research by The Food Foundation, nearly one in four households with children experienced food insecurity. So too did 9.7 million adults.
With record numbers of people having to turn to food banks through the cost-of-living crisis, it&rsquo;s sadly not all that surprising that the food poverty rate in the UK is one of the highest in Europe. And, unfortunately, it&rsquo;s expected to get worse before it gets better.
While there are several factors to blame for the current situation, the cost-of-living crisis has exacerbated existing issues.
Thankfully, against the backdrop of rapidly rising food prices, supermarkets are stepping in to help their struggling shoppers&hellip;
<h2>How supermarkets are supporting struggling consumers</h2>
One supermarket that made a big stir with its approach was Tesco. Towards the end of November, the grocery retailer opened their very first Give Back Express pop-up shop for a weekend.
A sort of &ldquo;reverse supermarket&rdquo;, visitors were encouraged to buy and then donate products, such as tinned food and tea.
Held in partnership with FareShare and the Trussell Trust, the initiative also included stations where people could listen to food bank users speak about their experiences. So, not only did the initiative help to raise food donations, but it also raised awareness of the ongoing food poverty crisis many in the UK face.
Tesco continue to work in partnership with food banks &ndash; as do&nbsp;<a href="https://fareshare.org.uk/giving-food/who-we-work-with/">other supermarkets</a>&nbsp;including Asda, Sainsbury&rsquo;s, and Co-Op.
Other initiatives include expanded own-label lines, which has led to sell-outs in stores due to increased demand. Price locks have also been put to good use. Asda, for example, has frozen the prices of more than 400 lines for the rest of the year.
Meanwhile, Iceland has introduced their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fairforyou.co.uk/food-club-card">Food Club Card</a>. Customers can apply to add up to &pound;75 to their cards, and then repay the card over several weeks. Giving shoppers the option to &ldquo;spread the cost of the holidays,&rdquo; it&rsquo;s sure to help many Brits have a Christmas that&rsquo;s closer to what they&rsquo;re used to.
<h2>Keeping competitive through the cost-of-living crisis</h2>
At a time when consumer spend is dictated by value for money, keeping your products competitive becomes more difficult.
But, it&rsquo;s also more important than ever, as the cost-of-living crisis squeezes profit margins. As such, a strong understanding of changing consumer behaviours and the ability to maintain product sales is essential for FMCG brands right now.
We&rsquo;ve noticed a rise in requests for Marketing, Insight, National Account Management and Supply Chain talent with specialised grocery/FMCG experience.
<a href="/contact-us/">Contact us today</a>&nbsp;for talent that can strengthen your brand&rsquo;s positioning&hellip; &nbsp;
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
</div>

What Are Supermarkets Doing to Fight Food Poverty?

<h2>Lidl&rsquo;s profits have soared through the cost-of-living crisis.</h2>
Will they overtake Morrisons as the UK&rsquo;s fifth biggest supermarket? And is there potential for Lidl to break into the Big Four?
For years, the line-up of the UK&rsquo;s four biggest supermarkets remained roughly the same. But, as unprecedented price rises ushered in the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, consumers increasingly began looking to discounters.
It&rsquo;s not long since&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2022/10/20/aldi-morrisons-battle-for-the-big-four/">Aldi overtook Morrisons</a>&nbsp;as Britain&rsquo;s fourth biggest supermarket. After almost 20 years of Morrisons, Sainsbury&rsquo;s, Tesco, and Asda enjoying a virtually uninterrupted spell in the four top spots, this was a seismic shift.
Now,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2022/11/17/lidl-profits-customers/">Lidl is gaining ground as well</a>, and quickly. The trend here is clear &ndash; customers are willing to let long-lasting loyalties slide in favour of lower prices.
<h2>It&rsquo;s lift-off for Lidl</h2>
2022 has been a great year so far for Lidl.
Full year profits for the discount grocer have skyrocketed by more than 300% and sales are up 13% on 2020. But, crucially, these gains are not without context.
It&rsquo;s no coincidence that Lidl&rsquo;s growth has come as other retailers have struggled. You see, in the face of inflation and suppressed consumer demand, Lidl has been able to capture bargain-hunting consumers that more expensive grocers have lost.
In November alone, an additional 770,000 UK shoppers made their way into Lidl&rsquo;s stores. And it looks as though many of these shoppers made the switch to Lidl from one of the original Big Four.
As a direct result, in the same period, Lidl have taken &pound;58 million worth of spending from Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury&rsquo;s, and Morrisons. At a time when consumers at all pay grades are looking to cut costs, this is hardly surprising.
<h2>Will Lidl overtake Aldi?</h2>
Lidl&rsquo;s CEO, Ryan McDonnell, has stated that, &ldquo;as a discount retailer, we are in the best possible position to support people through these challenging times.&rdquo;
He also firmly believes that Lidl has the momentum it needs to eventually overtake Morrisons. But, looking ahead, a larger question looms: could Lidl encroach on Aldi and enter the Big Four?
The short answer: probably not.
The longer answer? Probably not, but it doesn&rsquo;t need to.
<h3>Discounter domination</h3>
As it stands, Aldi is the UK&rsquo;s cheapest supermarket and has been almost consistently since January 2020.
At &pound;75.79, the retailer&rsquo;s average basket price was &pound;1.89 cheaper than Lidl&rsquo;s. Aldi also has a greater market share, at 8.6% versus Lidl&rsquo;s 6.4%, and a greater profit margin. In other words, Aldi&rsquo;s position ahead of Lidl is, for the time being, well cemented.
However, in many ways, this is less noteworthy than what Aldi, Lidl, and other discount retailers like them have achieved together: a complete shake-up of the status quo.
As mentioned earlier, the long-standing Big Four is no more. After many years of being established as the industry&rsquo;s untouchables, these major retailers suddenly face a significant challenge to their positions at the top.
These days, as Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury&rsquo;s, and Morrisons struggle to retain shoppers, Aldi and Lidl&rsquo;s combined market share has shot up to 16.4%.
At the same time, other low-priced shopping destinations such as Poundland and Home Bargains are enticing more shoppers, too. In a country that&rsquo;s full of consumers looking to cut costs, it&rsquo;s likely these brands will continue going from strength to strength.
<h2>Shifting supermarket landscapes</h2>
Staying abreast of changes to the shifting supermarket landscape is key to what we do.
As a result, our consultants have seen an uplift in requests for Sales and National Account Management roles with specialised grocery and discount experience.
In the market for specialist grocery and discount talent?
<a href="/contact-us/">Get in touch today</a>&nbsp;and brief us on a role:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

The Battle for the Big Four: Will Lidl Overtake Morrisons?

Demand for low-and-no alcohol substitutes is on the rise in the UK.
What&rsquo;s behind this change in consumer sentiment? And what does this mean for Christmas trade? &nbsp;
After moving along slowly for years as a niche segment of the market, low-and-no alcohol drinks have experienced a major boom. Since 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://uk.synergytaste.com/insights/low-and-no-alcohol/">low-and-no alcohol sales have skyrocketed by 48%</a>. And, unlike a recently opened bottle of prosecco, the trend shows no signs of fizzling out.
From the rise in teetotalism to a growing push towards moderation, there are several factors behind this major move in the market. With the run-up to Christmas in full swing, this is an exciting time for brands with products in the game.
<h2>Changing attitudes to alcohol consumption</h2>
The switch to low-and-no alcohol options is being driven primarily by one group: young adults.
Gone are the days when coming of age at 18 meant an almost certain increase in a person&rsquo;s alcohol consumption. Today, significant numbers are choosing to drink less than previous generations did.
Much of this can be put down to the emphasis younger people across the UK place on health. Nowadays, more people (particularly the young) see wellness as a top priority. For this growing group, wellness encompasses fitness, nutrition, and mental health; alcohol can have a detrimental effect on all three.
So, as a result, one in three young adults (aged between 18 and 24) have cut down on alcohol consumption.
However, it would be simplistic to suggest that the shift is entirely down to the very youngest adults. Let&rsquo;s take wine as an example.
According to recent research, just over a quarter (26%) of all wine drinkers in the UK are aged between 18 and 39. While this may not sound that low, the COO of Wine Intelligence, Richard Halstead, has highlighted that it&rsquo;s &ldquo;a lot lower than it used to be.&rdquo; So, the change has been noted in age groups up to middle age as well.
Now, half of the UK&rsquo;s wine drinkers are over 55 years old. But, in a society that is increasingly interested in both physical and mental health, it&rsquo;s very possible that this age group will start looking to lower-alcohol substitutes too.
<h2>The low-and-no alcohol trend</h2>
Given current market trends, it&rsquo;s hardly surprising that the low-and-no alcohol segment is booming.
Since last year, sales have almost doubled. In the context of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, this is a real testament to the strength of the market. You see, while the products in question are either low in alcohol or completely free of it, they are often priced similarly to their alcoholic counterparts.
This just shows that people don&rsquo;t want a standard soft drink when they&rsquo;re out with friends, unwinding at the end of a long week, or celebrating. And that they&rsquo;re willing to pay extra for a better, more sophisticated experience.
One reason could be that people want a drinks option that&rsquo;s just that bit more special for occasions. Or, like vegans and vegetarians who turn to plant-based substitutes of their favourite meat dishes, consumers want to be reminded of the feeling they would get when drinking alcohol.
And, for many, it&rsquo;s not solely about health. Some turn to low-and-no alcohol options to avoid hangovers, while others do so to drive home from social events. In some cases, a person will switch to no-and-low midway through a night to cut down on overall alcohol consumption. Meanwhile, some choose to drink low-and-no spirits, beers, or wines exclusively.
<h2>&lsquo;Tis the season to be sober?</h2>
With people turning to low-and-no products for a variety of different reasons, it&rsquo;s an exciting time for brands with a finger in the pie. From SMEs with specialty offerings to established organisations that have released alternatives to existing product lines, there&rsquo;s plenty of potential for profit.
This is especially true as we head into the festive period. Notorious as a time for making merry, this year it looks like the Christmas spirit will, for many, be alcohol free.
From gifting to celebrating at home, consumers will have plenty of reason to shop for low-and-no alcohol products through December.
But the trend certainly won&rsquo;t be stopping there. For one thing, Dry January is on the horizon. And after that? Chances are that more people will begin buying low-and-no products on a regular basis. This is, in other words, a great time to be entering or already in the market.
<h2>Make the most of the low-and-no alcohol trend</h2>
We are proud to partner with some exceptional FMCG brands that deliver great-tasting low-and-no alcohol options.
Our consultants are dedicated to understanding the markets in which they specialise and the updates that create opportunities. So, they know how to position your employer brand to new talent.
We&rsquo;ve found that this in-depth industry insight, coupled with best-in-class digital search solutions, is invaluable when it comes to sourcing talent. If you&rsquo;re looking to take on employees who have specialist knowledge and the ability to add value, we know how to find them.
Looking to grow your teams to meet the growing demand for low-and-no alcohol options?
<a href="/contact-us">Get in touch today</a>&nbsp;to brief us on a role!
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Low-and-No Alcohol Booms in Time for Christmas

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The ongoing UK egg shortage is causing price increases for customers of up to 50%&hellip;
What are the true causes? And how long is the fallout likely to last?
Europe&rsquo;s most recent bout of avian flu was described by the&nbsp;<a href="https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/bird-flu-2022-dealing-with-the-uks-largest-ever-outbreak/">European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control</a>&nbsp;as &ldquo;the largest observed in Europe so far&rdquo;, and broke out in October of 2021.
The situation is not yet under control in the UK. As of 9th&nbsp;November, there were still 100 cases of high pathogenic bird flu across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, largely within commercial farms.
Egg production and supermarket stock has, unsurprisingly, taken a big hit as a result. Now, talent at all stages of the product lifecycle are scrambling to mitigate the impact of egg shortages on their businesses and the consumers they serve.
<h2>Why is there a UK egg shortage?</h2>
Chances are, you&rsquo;ll have noticed fewer boxes of eggs on the supermarket shelves, or higher price tags attached to them.
But, while the avian flu epidemic has been ongoing for some months, this is the first time it&rsquo;s resulted in an egg shortage in shops. That&rsquo;s because, now, there are other problems at play.
As elsewhere in the British economy, inflation is cutting deep. Feed prices have skyrocketed, as have energy, labour, and packing costs. Combined with the strain placed on farmers by bird flu, the months of soaring prices have become untenable for many in the industry.
It doesn&rsquo;t help that, even though supermarkets have raised their egg prices by around 45p, only 5-10p on average is being passed back down the supply chain.
Now, as a direct result of this combination of factors, a third of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/3817c874-0880-45b6-b2b5-a7d289b09e53">the British Free Range Egg Producers Association&rsquo;s membership</a>&nbsp;has reportedly either reduced flock sizes, paused production, or pulled out of the industry. So, not only are there fewer hens to lay the eggs, but there are also fewer farmers to keep them in the first place.
<h2>The fallout from the UK egg shortage</h2>
Rising costs are perhaps the most widely felt consequence of the egg shortage for consumers.
The biggest price rise was in Asda, where a six-pack of large free-range eggs increased by an eye-watering 51.4% between January 2022 and the first week of November. Similar price rises have been recorded for equivalent products in Aldi and Morrison&rsquo;s.
It&rsquo;s not just the increase in costs that&rsquo;s causing consumers grief. To try and make supplies go further, some supermarkets chose to introduce rationing. Asda, for example, restricted customers to two boxes of eggs per transaction, and Tesco and Lidl to three.
However, the fact that Sainsbury&rsquo;s has started importing eggs from Italy has caused perhaps the most concern amongst shoppers. Largely, because the eggs in question are not free range. While the boxes are clearly labelled as such, this departure from Sainsbury&rsquo;s policy to stock only free-range eggs could suggest a loosening of standards in the longer-term.
<h2>Dealing with the egg shortage</h2>
From procurement and supply chain professionals to national account managers and everything in between, your business will need the best people in place to contend with unforeseen challenges.
We live and breathe the FMCG industry. That means our consultants are well-versed on what your business needs in these trying teams.
Work with a recruitment partner who understands the demands of your industry.
Hoping to hire the best talent for your teams?&nbsp;<a href="/contact-us">Get in touch today</a>!
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Rising Costs and EU Imports: The Fallout of the UK Egg Shortage

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UK manufacturing emissions have more than halved over the last 30 years, but the sector is a long way off net zero&hellip;
What are manufacturers in the consumer goods world doing to reduce their carbon footprint?
Manufacturing is a key driver of the UK economy. However, it is a sector that relies on processes that contribute heavily to the country&rsquo;s carbon output.
The good news is that, since 1990, the manufacturing industry&rsquo;s carbon emissions have dropped by 57%. Still, this is a long way off complete carbon neutrality.
But consumer habits are increasingly being swayed by what is and isn&rsquo;t eco-friendly. So, what are consumer products brands doing to make their manufacturing processes greener?
<h2>Sustainability in consumer goods manufacturing</h2>
Thankfully, global consumer products brands continue to innovate.
For example, in a first for its sector, spirits brand Absolut Vodka is introducing technology that&rsquo;s set to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/absolut-vodka-and-ardagh-group-co-invest-in-hydrogen-fired-glass-furnace-in-a-global-spirits-industry-first/">slash manufacturing emissions by 20%</a>.
The brand has agreed a deal with its long-time partner Ardagh Glass Packaging that will see Absolut begin using a green hydrogen-fired furnace in its glass production.
The manufacturer will introduce the technology in the latter half of 2023. Powered using renewably sourced electricity, the move will change how all of Absolut&rsquo;s glass bottles are produced across its international markets. As such, it represents a major step towards the brand&rsquo;s goal of going completely carbon neutral by 2030.
Hopefully, the success of this move will catalyse wider-scale change in consumer goods manufacturing.
This will be both necessary and highly beneficial.
<h2>The necessity: net zero manufacturing</h2>
The goal, ultimately, is for a completely carbon neutral Britain by 2050.
And there are several sizeable targets the UK manufacturing industry legally has to hit on its road to get there itself. These include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 68% by 2030 and 78% by 2035, in comparison to 1990 levels.
The progress made so far has been down to three main factors: energy efficiency improvements, fuel switching, and structural changes. To continue making progress, the industry will need assistance from other sectors.
Looking ahead, it will be important for key players in high-output industries to be proactive in their approach. There is simply no way for manufacturing to hit its goals without action from the brands they produce for.
That&rsquo;s where big consumer products brands come in.
In leading the way, they can show smaller outfits that it is possible to make meaningful strides towards decarbonising manufacturing while remaining profitable.
<h2>The benefit: net zero profit margin</h2>
The fact of the matter is that a strong decarbonisation strategy can add significant value to consumer goods businesses.
You see, strong sustainability initiatives are becoming increasingly important for winning customers. More than ever, shoppers are choosing what products to buy based on brands&rsquo; commitments to sustainability.
According to a recent survey, consumers of all ages are willing to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.firstinsight.com/white-papers-posts/the-sustainability-disconnect-between-consumers-and-retail-executives">pay at least 10% more for sustainable products</a>. This is particularly true of Generation X &ndash; 90% of whom will readily spend more money to minimise their environmental impact.
As such,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/fmcg/sustainability-could-bring-382-billion-to-fmcg-brands">a survey by Kantar</a>&nbsp;in 2020 found that so-called &ldquo;Eco-Active&rdquo; consumers were worth an immense $382 billion globally &ndash; and that number is likely to have risen since.
In other words,&nbsp;a carbon neutral manufacturing process could have a significantly positive impact on your business&rsquo;s profit margins.
<h2>Moving towards net zero</h2>
Sustainability is more important than it has ever been &ndash; and it will only get more important as time goes on.
To ensure future success, from both a marketability and an environmental perspective, consumer goods brands will need to assess their eco strategy at every stage of the product lifecycle. This includes the highly polluting manufacturing process.
Work with a talent partner that understands your needs.
Our consultants are experts at engaging and attracting consumer goods talent with specialist sustainability knowledge. Stay ahead of the curve &ndash;&nbsp;<a href="/contact-us">get in touch today</a>:
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How Are Consumer Goods Firms Making Manufacturing More Sustainable?

MPs and environmental organisations have spoken out against British supermarkets&rsquo; &ldquo;unambitious&rdquo; sustainability initiatives.
What are brands like Tesco, Sainsbury&rsquo;s, and Marks &amp; Spencer doing to improve their efforts?
A recent report by the Environment, Food &amp; Rural Affairs Committee (Efra), a cross-party parliamentary group, has called recent efforts by supermarkets to reduce plastic waste &lsquo;lacklustre&rsquo;.
But plastics pose a substantial threat to our climate, and there is significant public concern over plastics and the impact they have on the environment. Supermarkets have always been big contributors to plastic pollution. This makes them key to fighting the problem.
And it&rsquo;s not just Efra that&rsquo;s found supermarkets lacking when it comes to sustainability targets.
Following the Efra report, the WWF released their own highlighting that supermarket supply chain emissions have gone up &ndash; despite critical environmental pledges.
<h2>What did the Efra and WWF reports say?</h2>
Firstly,&nbsp;<a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmenvfru/22/report.html">Efra&rsquo;s report</a>, entitled &lsquo;<a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmenvfru/22/report.html">The price of plastic</a>,&rsquo; details the various commitments supermarkets have made to combat plastic pollution, as well as their progress so far.
Unfortunately, their findings show that progress has stalled. This is despite the supermarkets&rsquo; voluntary commitments to the UK Plastics Pact (UKPP) and the sustainability targets it sets out for 2025.
For example, a key goal of the UKPP is that 70% of signatories&rsquo; plastic packaging will be effectively recycled by 2025. Progress currently stands at 52%. This does initially look promising &ndash; until you realise that this number hasn&rsquo;t budged since 2020.
Meanwhile, according to the WWF, supermarkets that pledged last year to halve the environmental impact of food shopping have also faced setbacks.
While brands, including Tesco, Sainsbury&rsquo;s, Waitrose, Co-Op, and Marks &amp; Spencer, have made good progress in some areas, supply chain emissions have gone up instead of down.
<h2>What are supermarkets doing to improve?</h2>
Clearly, supermarkets have a lot to do to get back on track. So, it&rsquo;s heartening to hear that they have acted so swiftly.
Signatories to the WWF&rsquo;s pledge have agreed to work together in their pursuit of reducing environmental impact.
<a href="https://www.wwf.org.uk/press-release/wwf-basket-impact-report">In a joint statement</a>, the CEOs of these five major British supermarkets said&hellip;
&ldquo;WWF&rsquo;s findings leave no doubt of the scale of the task we collectively agreed to undertake when it comes to improving our food supply chains and enabling a sustainable shopping experience for our customers.
&ldquo;We restate our commitment to work with WWF, our customers, suppliers, and the UK Government to halve the environmental impact of UK shopping baskets by 2030. We believe that this goal is achievable and is vital for the future of nature, our planet, our businesses and, crucially, our customers.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Their plans include:
<ul>
<li>Supporting their suppliers to adopt science-based targets to reach net-zero climate emissions by 2050.</li>
<li>Working with the Water &amp; Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to support their suppliers to set these targets, take high-impact actions and report data.</li>
<li>Working with WRAP to develop and deliver an ambitious climate action programme for the grocery retail sector.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Hitting sustainability targets in FMCG</h2>
Supermarkets have a big part to play in reducing the environmental impact of food shopping &ndash; but so do the brands they stock.
Innovation is essential for food and drinks brands that want to make meaningful progress towards key sustainability targets. That&rsquo;s why you&rsquo;ll need the right people on board, to help steer your business in the right direction.
<a href="/contact-us">Get in touch today</a>&nbsp;to find out what we can do to find people with the knowledge, skillset, and values to drive your food and drinks business towards a greener future:
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

What Are Supermarkets Doing About ‘Unambitious’ Sustainability Efforts?

As interest rates and inflation rise, brands&rsquo; budgets are being tested.
For some companies, the first port of call is to cut marketing spend &ndash; here&rsquo;s why that&rsquo;s a bad idea&hellip;
The cost-of-living crisis is continuing to test consumers and businesses alike. As a result, according to research by Ello,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ellogroup.co.uk/driving-customer-connections-during-challenging-times">65% of surveyed marketers</a>&nbsp;in the UK have already been forced to make budget cuts. Looking ahead, a further 65% of marketers believe that more cuts are to come.
However,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kamcity.com/namnews/uk-and-ireland/manufacturers/coca-cola-hikes-marketing-spend-to-drive-growth/">Coca-Cola</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marketingweek.com/boots-christmas-ad-2022/">Boots</a>&nbsp;are amongst the brands standing decisively against the suggestion that marketing spend should be first to go in budget cuts. And there&rsquo;s a good reason why&hellip;
<h2>Why is marketing important in business?</h2>
Companies of all sizes are having to re-evaluate how they spend their money. While some have made the decision to trim their marketing budgets, some feel that&rsquo;s something of a short-sighted approach.
Marketing is the most robust bridge you have between your brand and its consumers. As such, it is the main point of contact you have with your target audience and the primary means by which you can convince them to buy what you&rsquo;re selling.
Far from being an unnecessary expense, this is more crucial now than ever.
With prices rising across the board, consumer loyalty is being tested.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ellogroup.co.uk/driving-customer-connections-during-challenging-times">Almost a third of UK consumers</a>&nbsp;are reportedly less loyal to their favourite brands now than they used to be. Nowadays, consumers are more concerned than ever with getting good value for money.
With an effective marketing campaign, you&rsquo;re far more likely to convince your target market to part with their hard-earned money. In the crowded consumer goods market and faced with shoppers who are being increasingly stretched financially, that&rsquo;s invaluable.
That does mean that it&rsquo;s more important than ever that marketing campaigns have the desired impact. In fact, a massive 72% of senior marketers have reported feeling added pressure to deliver return on campaign investment.
When they&rsquo;re done well, marketing campaigns can&hellip;
<ul>
<li>Strengthen&nbsp;positive association with your brand.</li>
<li>Educate&nbsp;consumers about the benefits of your product.</li>
<li>Keep&nbsp;your product front of mind.</li>
<li>Convince&nbsp;your audience that a more expensive product is worth the money.</li>
<li>Highlight&nbsp;deals, sales, and discounts that could entice first-time buyers, or encourage continued consumer loyalty.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Why are big brands upping marketing spend?</h2>
In summer, it was reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marketingdive.com/news/coca-cola-increase-marketing-spend-price-hikes/628230/">Coca-Cola had hiked their marketing spend for Q2</a>, despite ongoing economic uncertainty.
Rather than relying on short-term cost-saving initiatives, the brand has taken a long-term approach. The idea was to &ldquo;create value for brands and justify new price points with an increased investment in marketing.&rdquo;
The outcome?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marketingdive.com/news/coca-cola-increase-marketing-spend-price-hikes/628230/">Net revenue growth of 12%</a>.
According to Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey&hellip;
&ldquo;We expect the consumer environment to be more challenging, and we are preparing accordingly, stepping up our investments, sharpening our resource allocation capabilities and tapping into data to better reach our consumers.&rdquo;
<h2>Invest in your marketing department</h2>
While not every brand has a budget the size of Coca-Cola&rsquo;s, consumer marketing is not just about who spends the most.
Creative, strategic, thought-provoking consumer engagement can be relatively low on cost. You just need to have the right minds in your marketing team.
Sourcing talent with in-depth experience, a sharp skillset, and a passion for your brand is what we do best. Our recruitment solutions are proven to add long-term value to marketing teams like yours.
<a href="/contact-us">Get in touch today</a>&nbsp;to find out how:
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Why This Isn’t the Time to Cut Marketing Spend

In response to recent price hikes, over 40% of UK consumers have changed where they do their weekly shop&hellip;
What are supermarkets doing to keep customers happy?
As inflation soars and the cost-of-living crisis rages on, the price of groceries continues to rise. And, worryingly for many, it is budget products that are rising at the highest rate.
<h2>What food prices are rising?</h2>
Food price inflation is a major cause for concern for supermarket shoppers across the UK. As a result, more and more people are turning to everyday essentials on the lower end of the pricing scale.
However,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/cost-of-living-crisis/price-of-cheapest-groceries-soars-17-in-a-year/672829.article">budget groceries have become 17% more expensive</a>&nbsp;than they were a year ago. This is notably higher than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/285109/cpi-food-and-drink/">average food and drink inflation</a>, which peaked in summer at 14.5%.
Crucially, though, some budget food and drink products have increased in price at a much more drastic rate. According to research conducted by the Office of National Statistics (ONS),&nbsp;<a href="https://news.sky.com/story/lowest-cost-groceries-have-become-17-more-expensive-in-the-past-year-ons-data-finds-12729639">vegetable oil has increased in cost at the highest rate</a>, by an eye-watering 65%.
The prices of some other low-cost food items have also increased faster than the average rate of inflation, including:
<ul>
<li>Pasta: 60%</li>
<li>Tea: 46%</li>
<li>Bread: 38%</li>
</ul>
Understandably, this is causing consumers to change their habits as they pursue lower-priced products that will bring down their grocery bill.
<h2>Changing consumer habits</h2>
Recent research by McKinsey &amp; Company has found that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2022/10/26/consumers-grocery-brands/">94% of UK shoppers</a>&nbsp;have experienced an increase in grocery costs. So, they&rsquo;ve been shopping around for better deals.
Of the people who reported going elsewhere for their weekly food shop, 67% did so to get better value for money, while 52% switched to a supermarket that offered better prices and promotions.
Unsurprisingly, more consumers have been purchasing products with lower price tags &ndash; whether they&rsquo;ve stayed loyal to their supermarket of choice or started shopping elsewhere. As an example, 44% of shoppers have made the switch to cheaper snacks and 42% are buying budget-friendly bread.
<h2>What are brands doing to retain customers?</h2>
With the sector in such turmoil, grocery retailers are having to up their game to retain and attract customers.
So, what are these brands doing to keep struggling customers happy and, in turn, maintain a healthy top line?
<h3>Morrisons</h3>
Morrisons have announced an upgrade to their existing loyalty card scheme. Now, My Morrisons users will have more immediate access to deals. With new promotions and discounts that are only available to loyalty card holders, comparisons have been drawn with Tesco&rsquo;s (highly successful) Clubcard scheme.
Will this be enough for Morrisons to make up lost market share and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2022/10/20/aldi-morrisons-battle-for-the-big-four/">reclaim their spot in the Big Four</a>?
<h3>Asda</h3>
Several years behind competitors Tesco and Morrisons, Asda launched their own rewards scheme earlier this year. With the promise of delivering &ldquo;pounds, not points&rdquo; to shoppers, Asda Rewards is a scheme that can deliver greater value on their already budget offering.
<h3>Iceland</h3>
In the week beginning 31st&nbsp;October, Iceland are offering selected frozen ready meals at a penny a piece. Available to online customers as part of the brand&rsquo;s Save Hot Dinners campaign, the campaign will be running until Friday 4th&nbsp;November and aims to help families who are struggling to put hot meals on the table.
<h3>Aldi</h3>
As well as offering low-priced products to consumers, Aldi have recently announced a pay rise for workers &ndash; the third so far this year. The grocer&rsquo;s new minimum rate now sits at &pound;11 an hour, meaning that 26,000 of their existing colleagues can expect a pay rise of 50p an hour from January.
This puts it back above rival Lidl as the highest-paying supermarket in the country.
<h2>Making your products competitive</h2>
Concerned about keeping up with changing consumer behaviour and maintaining product sales?
We&rsquo;ve noticed a rise in requests for Marketing, Insight, National Account Management and Supply Chain talent with specialised grocery/FMCG experience.
Contact us today for talent that can strengthen your brand&rsquo;s positioning&hellip; &nbsp;
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Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

Cost of Living Crisis: Almost Half of UK Customers Switch Supermarket Brands

There are new limitations on displaying high in fat, salt, or sugar products in supermarkets.
This means more display space for other products&hellip;
Restrictions on advertising foods that are high in fat, salt or sugar, also known as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.advocate-group.co.uk/2021/09/14/a-new-prohibition-era-for-the-fmcg-industry-the-hfss-advertising-ban/">HFSS Advertising Ban</a>, has led to a change in how off-fixture displays are typically stocked in supermarkets.
Products like crisps, sweets and chocolate have been banned from being displayed at gondola ends, store entrances, and at checkouts. While they&rsquo;re still being displayed on in-fixture displays as well as off-fixtures elsewhere in stores, they&rsquo;re no longer allowed in key locations with best-in-store consumer visibility.
Now, space that was once used to showcase popular junk food products is increasingly being used for alcoholic drinks.
As a result, off-fixture displays featuring alcoholic drinks, for example popular aperitifs like Aperol and champagnes like Laurent-Perrier, have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2022/10/24/hfss-alcoholic-drink-space/">increased by 57%</a>.
This has created an exciting new opportunity for drinks brands and the retailers that stock their products&hellip;
<h2>A major shift</h2>
A popular choice with consumers, HFSS products have long been a go-to for prime off-fixture spots in supermarkets and convenience stores.
With the introduction of the new restrictions, which came into force on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2022/10/04/hfss-product-restrictions/">1st&nbsp;of October</a>, retailers were left to decide what products would be best to replace the high in fat, salt or sugar items on their displays.
In supermarkets across the country, alcoholic drinks were quickly adopted as a substitute. It&rsquo;s hardly surprising, given their enduring popularity in the UK market.
This turn to alcohol drinks has been described by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chep.com/uk/en/why-chep">CHEP UK&amp;I</a>&nbsp;store solutions category manager, Sean Field, as&nbsp;&ldquo;the most dramatic shift I have ever seen in four years of surveying store layouts in the UK&rsquo;s most renowned supermarkets&rdquo;.
It is certainly a positive move for relevant brands in the run-up to Christmas. As such, we&rsquo;ll be keeping an eye on the sales data in as we head towards the end of the year&hellip;
This could also be good news for brands in the low-and-no-alcohol spirit, beer, and wine market. Currently experiencing protracted growth, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2022/07/uk-low-and-no-value-to-hit-450m/">low-and-no market grew by 180% last year</a>&nbsp;&ndash; and it&rsquo;s only expected to continue.
<h2>What does this mean for your brand?</h2>
When given greater prominence, featured products can expect to enjoy an uplift in sales. Or, at the very least, better insulate themselves from customer&rsquo;s cost-cutting plans heading into winter.
According to a survey by Accenture, due to the ongoing cost of living crisis,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/two-thirds-britons-cut-festive-spending-this-year-accenture-survey-2022-10-26/">more than two-thirds of Brits</a>&nbsp;are set to cut back on spending through the festive season. Products with greater visibility are less likely to feel the brunt of this major market shift.
But new opportunities create competition. So, if you want to increase your chances of getting featured in prime off-fixture spots, then promotions and eye-catching off-trade marketing are going to be essential.
Struggling to identify top marketing talent or value adding National Account professionals? Work with a recruitment partner who understands what your industry needs and how to get it.
<a href="/contact-us">Get in touch today</a>&nbsp;to supercharge your talent attraction:&nbsp;
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

HFSS: The Rise of Alcoholic Drinks Displays in UK Supermarkets

<h1 class="page-title kl-blog-post-title entry-title" itemprop="headline">What is Britain&rsquo;s favourite chocolate bar?</h1>
<div class="itemBody kl-blog-post-body kl-blog-cols-1" itemprop="text">
What is the UK&rsquo;s best chocolate bar?
And what does it take to become the most popular brand in your market?
Officially putting the debate to bed, grocery delivery service&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2022/10/21/uk-favourite-chocolate-bar/">Britsuperstore has analysed the data</a>&nbsp;and found the chocolate bar the nation loves best.
Having evaluated over 4.5 million search results, Kinder Bueno has emerged as the bar most loved by Brits.
Over the past year, online searches for Kinder Bueno have increased by 6% to 500,000. This puts it head and shoulders above its nearest rivals, which include other giants of the confectionery counter like Snickers, Dairy Milk, and Mars Bars.
And, back in July, it was Ferrero Rocher that reigned supreme, with more than 900,000 searches&hellip;
<h2>Becoming Britain&rsquo;s favourite chocolate bar</h2>
Quality, heritage and, of course, taste are three of the key ingredients needed to create a competitive product that markets love.
An additional ingredient? Talent.
The people you have in your teams represent your product to key stakeholders and the masses. They ensure that it is marketed effectively, to the right audiences, and that supply is managed efficiently.
In other words, talent is essential if you want your fantastic product to become a&nbsp;popular&nbsp;product.
<h2>Talent partners</h2>
The Advocate Group are proud to partner exclusively with Ferrero &ndash; home of the UK&rsquo;s two best-loved chocolate products!
Our consultants understand the FMCG industry inside and out, so they know how to position your employer brand. In a talent-short market, we&rsquo;ve found that in-depth industry insight is an invaluable asset.
We work closely with our clients to immerse ourselves in their company culture and take a detailed role briefing. By gaining an absolute understanding of their business and its requirements, we can attract, engage, and provide the talent that they need&hellip;
Are you a brand as big as Ferrero or a small to medium-sized challenger brand?
<a href="/contact-us">Get in touch today</a>&nbsp;to find out what we can do for you!
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>
</div>

What Is Britain’s Favourite Chocolate Bar?

Discounters continue to disrupt the supermarket status quo&hellip;
What does that mean for an FMCG brand like yours?
<h2>Aldi vs Morrisons</h2>
You&rsquo;ve probably heard that there&rsquo;s been a major shake-up in the supermarket industry.
In September,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kantar.com/uki/inspiration/fmcg/2022-wp-big-four-line-up-changes-as-grocery-price-inflation-accelerates-again">data agency Kantar</a>&nbsp;found that Aldi had overtaken Morrisons as the fourth biggest supermarket in the UK for the first time.
After 18 years of Morrisons being in the &ldquo;Big Four,&rdquo; this shift highlights a major change in consumer attitudes.
At the same time, another discount grocery retailer experienced major growth: Lidl&rsquo;s sales rose by 20.9% while its market share reached 7.1%.
It&rsquo;s no surprise that discount retailers like Aldi and Lidl are gaining in popularity.
So far in 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63301383">food costs have risen 14.6%</a>&hellip;&nbsp;
Back in January,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/leader/as-aldi-takes-its-place-in-a-new-big-four-where-is-it-going-wrong-for-morrisons/671523.article">Morrisons chairman Sir Terry Leahy</a>&nbsp;said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;re probably past the peak of the disruptive effect of discounters. Supermarkets have learned how to compete with them.&rdquo;
That comment hasn&rsquo;t aged all that well&hellip;
Amidst the cost-of-living crisis, shoppers are looking for cheaper grocery alternatives &ndash; and home brand lines at low prices are the easiest way to do that.
<h2>How are supermarkets competing for market share?</h2>
In response to the shift in dynamics,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2022/09/26/morrisons-cut-prices-aldi/">Morrisons&rsquo; strategic response</a>&nbsp;is to invest more than &pound;100m to cut the costs of around 150 of its most popular products.
Other supermarkets, including Tesco and Sainsbury&rsquo;s, have introduced &ldquo;Aldi Price Match&rdquo; own brand products, to attract discount shoppers &ndash; and avoid losing existing loyal customers.
Meanwhile, Aldi has pledged to do &ldquo;<a href="https://www.newsncr.com/business/aldi-vows-to-do-whatever-it-takes-to-keep-uk-price-advantage/">whatever it takes</a>&rdquo; to keep prices low &ndash; despite a steep drop in profits. But, while the retailer&rsquo;s profits dipped by 86% between 2020 and 2021, it has also seen a huge uplift in shoppers.
In the 12 weeks to September 2022, 1.5 million extra shoppers visited their stores&hellip;
With 90% of Aldi&rsquo;s sales relying on own label products, that increase in customers offers FMCG brands an opportunity to innovate.
<h2>Keeping up with the times</h2>
In reaction to these new trends, we have seen a rise in requests for Sales and National Account Management talent with specialised convenience and discount experience.
Contact us today for specialist Sales and NAM talent&hellip; &nbsp;
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk">workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk</a>

The Battle for the Big Four

Would you describe your current available roles as &lsquo;hard to fill&rsquo;?
Are you having conversations around the &lsquo;talent shortage&rsquo; in FMCG?
Firstly you are not alone. Being at the forefront of the UK FMCG talent market, we are consistently engaging with Senior HR professionals and business leaders who are experiencing or highlighting the same challenges.
There is no &ldquo;low hanging fruit&rdquo; at the moment, nor queues at the door to work for your fantastic brand or business. This doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean there is a problem with your organisation, it can simply mean that there is too much noise around it from the plethora of other organisations seeking the same talent as you!
In the &lsquo;<a href="https://aspion.co.uk/retention-strategies-for-employers-great-resignation/">Great Resignation</a>&rsquo; period we have been experiencing, there have been large proportions of talent pools who have moved roles in the last 18 months. Across some areas and skill sets &ndash; such as Category Management, National Account Management and Demand Planning, there have been career changes with as much as 50% of the talent pools.
Even more so recently, securing talent is a recurring challenge for businesses in the FMCG space, and whilst we have said that it may not be your business or brand which is at fault, now may be a good time to review.&nbsp;
Ask yourself the following question &ndash;&nbsp;&lsquo;Why would a happily employed person want to come and join the business in the role you are looking to fill&rsquo;&nbsp;&ndash; Can you answer this easily and effectively, or is it a stop and think moment?
In our structured role briefing session, we ask this question consistently and it is not uncommon for the stakeholder to struggle with a clear response. More often than not, we can help here, simply by repeating back some of the standout elements of the business or role that we have discussed throughout the briefing. It&rsquo;s sometimes easier for us to do this, because we are doing it from a 3rd party perspective with a clear knowledge of what is appealing to potential candidates.
Either way, it&rsquo;s a good exercise to do internally with key stakeholders as the differing answers can uncover issues or absolutely highlight key selling points.
<h2>Points to consider (Particularly with roles that you are or have historically struggled with):</h2>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Salary&nbsp;&ndash; How competitive is it in comparison to the market? When was the last time you had this benchmarked against local or competitor organisations? Or Is it exactly at the level of competition which means no increase available to the talent you require?&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Experience Requirement&nbsp;&ndash; Are you being realistic in comparison to the size of the talent pool? (do you know the size of the available talent pool)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Flexible Working&nbsp;&ndash; Do you offer this? Could you be missing out on talent?</li>
<li aria-level="1">Benefits Package&nbsp;&ndash; Is this competitive and in line with others?</li>
<li aria-level="1">Recruitment Process &amp; Timescales&nbsp;&ndash; Is this working for you? Are you fast enough? Are there too many hoops to jump through?&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Candidate Attraction Strategy &ndash;&nbsp;What are the main selling points and where can people see them?</li>
<li aria-level="1">Recruitment Partner?&nbsp;Do you have one who truly understands the business and the requirements? What insight are you being provided with from them (and I don&rsquo;t mean &ndash; it&rsquo;s tough out there at the moment or it&rsquo;s slow &ndash; I mean tangibles! &ndash; that you can actually do something with). What awareness do you have of how your recruitment partner(s) position you in the market?</li>
</ul>
<h2>Salary in Consumer Goods</h2>
With any rise in demand, there is an impact in relation to cost &ndash; salaries are no different in this regard. Certain functions have seen more increases than others&hellip; key roles across Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Ecommerce, have all experienced fluctuation, particularly over the last 12 months.
More often than not, organisations are not a million miles out.. it&rsquo;s just another factor to contend with, when potential candidates have so much choice in front of them. That being said, if your structure doesn&rsquo;t allow for major changes, then real emphasis on the other &lsquo;sellables&rsquo; of the role, need to be made.
As mentioned above, sometimes organisations feel they&rsquo;ve got their salary spot on, as in&hellip; it&rsquo;s exactly in line with the market average. However, if the experience you are looking to hire is at the same level of the market average, then your talent pool is limited to people open to a sideways move. For some organisations, this is absolutely achievable&hellip; major brands, purpose-led, but ask yourself when recruiting, what is the incentive for that talent to be attracted to you?&nbsp;
<h2>Experience Requirement&nbsp;</h2>
What are the &lsquo;musts&rsquo; in terms of experience in the role you need? And what are the &lsquo;nice-to-haves&rsquo;?
Going through your job description, and setting it out into a table of essentials and desirables is a highly recommended exercise. When taking our detailed role briefings, one of our key aims outside of understanding what the ideal candidate is, is to widen the brief as much as possible. This gives more options for choice, and allows for larger shortlists.
The talent is there, it just sometimes needs a wider perspective, coupled with a proactive approach to engage with the passive or inactive talent pools.
<h2>Flexible Working</h2>
Whilst we are firm believers in office collaboration, we are finding that organisations offering a wider availability of flexibility are gaining access to a larger talent pool.
Off the back of the pandemic, flexible working is high on the agenda of employee expectations and wants. That being said, we have filled several roles for organisations requiring people in the office 3-5 days a week, with individuals who were not only happy but preferred that way of working. Although we would highlight that there are a smaller percentage of individuals in the current market seeking this.
<h2>Benefits Package&nbsp;</h2>
What does your employee benefits package look like? What are you offering? And when was the last time you had this benchmarked?
How focused is your business on showing the workforce that you actually care? Are there softer benefits included in the core?
<h2>Recruitment Process &amp; Timescales&nbsp;</h2>
What is your current recruitment process? How is that working for you?
A lot of organisations, including major blue chip organisations have worked closely with us to look at and review their recruitment process &ndash;&nbsp; timescales, requirements, stages&hellip; and have then tweaked or adjusted accordingly. Strong examples of this include the removal of testing, or first stage presentations. These tweaks have enabled passive talent to be engaged easier.&nbsp;
Our advice is to work closely with your partner to ensure you have an understanding of the talent pool and shortlist situation &ndash; it&rsquo;s not always a one-size fits all. Each candidate will have their own set of circumstances, and individual buttons that need pushing. Receiving guidance on the situations of each candidate, particularly when seeking to hire highly sought after profiles or in demand backgrounds, can be pivotal.&nbsp;
<h2><a href="/contact-us">Recruitment Partner</a></h2>
We&rsquo;re sure, or we hope, that we don&rsquo;t have to overstate the value of a recruitment partner&hellip; the key is finding partners that you can genuinely collaborate with &ndash; where each partner can provide tangible feedback to the other, and is taken in the way it was intended.&nbsp;
We speak from strong experience to say that a credible and invested recruitment partner will do everything in their power to ensure your roles are filled with high quality people.
We could use this as a shameless plug for us, highlighting the numerous case studies, testimonials, client relationships&hellip; but, if anyone wants to see that, it&rsquo;s all over our<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-advocate-group---search-&amp;-selection/mycompany/?viewAsMember=true">&nbsp;LinkedIn</a>!
Our view is that a recruitment partner should either be able to fill the roles within the agreed criteria, in the agreed timescales&hellip; or advise you as to why it can&rsquo;t be done &ndash; and work with you to rectify this. EG &ndash; Provide evidence or real-time insight, so that you have something tangible to work with.&nbsp;
Call us:&nbsp;0333 772 7200
Email:&nbsp;workwithus@advocate-group.co.uk

Why Is it So Difficult to Secure Talent in the FMCG Industry at the Moment?

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