The return-to-routine - and to school - is upon us. For many, that means getting back into the groove of organising packed lunches.Â
With over four million children in England taking a packed lunch* to school every day, parents are going to be heading to shops looking for cost-effective, nutritious and simple options.
This is set to be one of the biggest sales opportunities in September and an opportunity to grow loyalty, so make sure your store is ready. Here are our four key considerations:
1. Â Â Range of core lunchbox essentials
Lunchbox staples continue to be sandwiches and wraps, often with a protein-based filling.Â
Making sure your shelves have a great range of bread - from white, best of both and brown - as well as wraps, bagels and baguettes.
Having premium options such as sourdough will encourage trading up, as well as showcase your strong range.
Don’t forget the importance of fillings either. From ham, chicken to cheese and other spreads, it’s key to have a wide range of nutritious options.
As the weeks roll on, a positive experience in store will be important when it comes to increasing repeat visits.Â
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2. Â Â Health-led snacks
To help fill out lunchboxes, snacks are key.Â
In recent years, parents have become more aware than ever of nutritional balance, as well as reacting to HFSS regulations.Â
Shoppers will be looking for the likes of yoghurts, fruit pots, rice cakes, lentil chips and fruit bars, to help add variation to the lunch box with products that still feel like a treat.
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3. Â Â More multipacksÂ
With parents often preparing a full week of lunches in one go, multipacks and multipack offers build higher basket spend and give shoppers a sense of value.
From multipack crisps and fruit boxes to drinks and other snacks, buying in bulk will be a priority for shoppers looking for value and will help increase repeat missions.
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4. Â Â Merchandising
Time is precious for parents, and that includes in store. One of the quickest wins to make the experience as easy as possible for your shoppers - and in turn maximise sales - is through POS and signage in-store.
It could be a clear, occasion-led bay with relevant POS in-store to bring ‘return-to-routine’ products in one place, or multipack bins at aisle ends with eye-catching value messaging.Â
Additionally, it’s also important to consider how to use secondary sitting space – putting snacks or multipacks by drinks or food-to-go can help increase basket spend.Â
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Return-to-routine isn’t just a September opportunity; it's a chance to showcase your store, selection and value, to help win repeat missions and build trust with shoppers. Taking the time to prepare now will help ensure you capture as much of the return-to-routine sales as possible.
*Source: https://www.conveniencestore.co.uk/seven-things-you-need-to-know-about-lunchbox-and-back-to-school/720805.articleÂ