Diageo pushes supermarket sales
Diageo pushes supermarket sales
Interesting article from The Wall Street Journal about Diageo's plans to ramp up its in-store marketing in the recession. With consumers spending less on going out and more on entertaining at home, Diageo aims to increase supermarket sales.
In the UK, Molson Coors Brewing has said it expects beer sales by supermarkets and other stores to overtake pub and club sales this year for the first time.
Diageo, whose brands include Johnnie Walker and Guinness, is developing in-store refrigerated displays so stores can sell their beer chilled. The idea is to create a partially-enclosed zone within the supermarket refrigerator aisle, using a design Diageo calls "the pod." According to the WSJ, no retailer has yet bought the pod, but Diageo says it is working with Spar to install a smaller version this spring.
Diageo also plans to install computer screens in liquor stores to help people plan cocktails for parties: customers type in the cocktails they want to serve and the number of guests they are expecting, and the computer prints out or e-mails a list of ingredients and quantities, including ice. The company says the machines are already in 500 stores in 38 US states.
According to the article, Diageo, as well as rivals Brown-Forman and Fortune Brands' Beam Global Spirits & Wine, also plans to release several new premixed cocktails in the U.S. this year.
Wednesday, 08 April 2009 11:28