Brands were more reticent than usual in their promotional activity this Easter – overall deal numbers were down 8% on 2014 – but with the seasonal festivities now over they seem to have rediscovered their appetite for promotions.
The latest data on featured space promotions from industry analysts Assosia reveals fmcg’s branded heavyweights have stepped up their deal activity over the past four weeks, with the number of their promotions up both compared with the previous month and on a year-on-year basis.
The total number of deals this month is nearly 7% higher than in the previous four-week period and up 7.3% on the corresponding period last year. Of the top 10 brands, seven ran more featured-space deals this month than last, and eight are promoting more than they did a year ago.
Standout increases include a 22.7% month-on-month rise from Cadbury as well as eye-catching increases in deals activity from Mr Kipling (up 75.6% year on year and up 21.2% month on month) McVitie’s (up 41% year on year) and Walkers (up 35.6% on last year).
Once Coca-Cola reduced its promotional activity both year on year and month on month; meanwhile, Mars ran fewer deals than a year ago but stepped up activity by 17% on last month, while Nestlé and Walkers both recorded month-on-month dips in deals but remained up on last year.
Despite the overall increase in deal activity from brands, however, the savings offered to shoppers was down slightly. With an average saving of 32.8% this month, savings were down 0.4% on last month and down 0.5% year on year.
The picture is skewed by significant variation from brand to brand, though. Birds Eye saw the sharpest drop in savings offered – down roughly 5% month on month and year on year – while Coca-Cola dramatically increased average saving. Most brands held steady overall, with small increases or decreases in the 0.1% to 1% range.