Gaelle Walker

A flood of recent innovation seeks to offer greater choice to value-driven adult smokers. By Gaelle Walker As a category, tobacco is nothing if not adaptable. Its products, formats and features are in a constant state of flux as manufacturers clamour to meet regulatory requirements and the ever-evolving needs of adult smokers. However, recent months…

The UK tobacco market continues to shine, buoyed by its many heritage brands. By Gaelle Walker The strength and resilience of the UK’s £14bn tobacco market has been clearly demonstrated by the raft of milestone anniversaries that have taken place in recent weeks, with a number of the UK’s biggest brands marking their ongoing success…

Leaf-wrapped cigarillos continue to drive cigar sales. By Gaelle Walker While total cigar sales remain a little muted compared with 2022, within the category the cigarillo segment is continuing to party hard. Cigarillos have reported ongoing growth in both the grocery and convenience channels over the past three years but particularly over the last 12…

The UK biggest symbol group has opened its 4,000th store in Poole in Dorset, offering the latest insight into the direction Premier is taking. By Gaelle Walker Premier, the UK’s largest symbol group, has celebrated reaching its milestone 4,000th store with the unveiling of a ground-breaking new store packed to the rafters with technology and…

Vape sales continued to grow in October fuelled by the annual Stoptober campaign and budget concerns. By Gaelle Walker The UK’s dynamic vape market enjoyed a further boost last month as the annual Stoptober campaign sought to inspire smokers to kick the habit and bin their butts. Returning for the 11th year in a row,…

With on-the-go occasions once again on the rise, local retailers have a tasty opportunity to make more of food- and drinks-to-go. By Gaelle Walker Things, they say, ‘can only get better’ and with the food-to-go market having grown by 9% in value within independent convenience stores in the latest 12 weeks (vs the same period…

With their treat-worthy status and affordable price tags, cakes and biscuits sales continue to look sweet, despite the current squeeze on incomes. By Gaelle Walker The market for cakes, sweet baked goods and biscuits fared well in 2021 as home-bound shoppers found themselves with time to indulge in small treats more often. And with a…

The UK’s soft drinks industry is in for a good-looking summer of sales, driven by larger formats, sugar-free variants and exotic flavours. By Gaelle Walker With over two-thirds of local retailers currently benefiting from a growth in sales of impulse soft drinks (according to Britvic) there’s certainly never been a better time to hone in…

New formats and sugar-free variants continue to fuel the sports and energy market. by Gaelle Walker Currently worth £1.6bn and growing at 14.2% year on year, according to IRI Marketplace data, energy drinks are the biggest and most profitable drink-now segment in the UK. And with more than one in three soft drinks sold in…

Consumer demand for greater value for money within the £14bn tobacco category has never been so great. by Gaelle Walker From apples to energy, insurance to gym memberships, prices are rising across the board in 2022 – even the cost of sofas has taken a running jump due to supply chain challenges. This cost conundrum…