Multiple categories

Multiple categories are open to grocery retailers with more than 10 stores unless otherwise stated.

Best Use of Technology – Multiple

This award recognises operators who can demonstrate best-in-class use of technology within their business, whether that be online grocery retailing, digital marketing and social media, or in-store technologies such as shelf-edge labelling, self-checkout, media screens and payment apps.

KEY CRITERIA 

  • Successful introduction of new systems that have worked for the benefit of the business
  • Innovation in the application of technology that has helped the retailer stand out from the competition
  • A strong return on investment, clear targets and demonstrable result

Chilled Retailer of the Year – Multiple

This award recognises excellence in the retailing of chilled produce in-store, creating an offer that helps the business stand out from the crowd.

KEY CRITERIA 

  • A chilled range that is tailored to the needs of customers
  • Good use of promotions and best-in-class merchandising solutions
  • Innovations and improvements to the category over the past 12 months
  • Operational excellence within the chilled category, including availability, hygiene and food safety
  • Best practice in waste management

Community Retailer of the Year - Multiple

The Multiple Community Retailer of the Year accolade recognises and rewards retailers for investing in their communities, looking at how a business works within the community for mutual benefit.

KEY CRITERIA

  • Support for charities and good causes
  • Staff education and involvement
  • Innovative ideas for community engagement
  • Strong communication of initiatives

Convenience Retailer of the Year

This category is open to all multiple convenience chains operating on a national basis. This will include groups such as: the Co-op, M&S Simply Food, One Stop, Sainsbury’s Local, Tesco Express, and Waitrose convenience stores. Outlets must be company-owned.

KEY CRITERIA

  • Outstanding financial performance over the past 12 months
  • Innovation and development of both product offer and retail environment
  • Strong marketing, advertising and promotional programmes
  • Understanding and meeting the needs of shoppers

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Award - Multiple

The Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Award recognises the work or project a retailer has undertaken over the past year to promote equality, inclusion, diversity and fairness in their business.

The award covers all aspects of diversity, including, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race and religion. Judges will look for evidence of structures in place to promote diversity. This award will be judged based on the time period of April 2022 to March 2023.

Please read the general criteria before completing your entry. 

Drinks Retailer of the Year – Multiple

This award recognises excellence in the area of beers, wines and spirits retailing. The winner will be a group that can demonstrate strong progress across the off-licence category.

KEY CRITERIA

  • Strong sales growth in alcoholic drinks
  • A clear strategic plan for developing the category
  • A stand-out offer in the off-licence category
  • Innovative and creative measures to grow sales
  • Well-trained and knowledgeable staff

Food-to-Go Retailer of the Year – Multiple Convenience

This award recognises retailers who can demonstrate excellence in the field of food-to-go (including hot and cold drinks) within a convenience store setting. It is open to multiple chains with more than 10 managed convenience stores and entries should be for the whole chain.

KEY CRITERIA

  • A food-to-go offer that meets customer needs and makes the retailer stand out
  • A clear strategy for developing the food-to-go offer
  • Innovation in new product development, marketing and promotions
  • Category development and operational excellence

Forecourt Retailer of the Year – Multiple

This award is for a whole network of more than 10 forecourts, not individual sites. Outstanding individual sites operated by a multiple, or run by a contract/commission manager on their behalf, should be entered into the company-owned category.

Please read the general criteria before completing your entry

Fresh Flower Supermarket of the Year

Judges will be looking to reward the multiple grocery retailer that has achieved the greatest development and success in the cut flowers category over the past 12 months.

KEY CRITERIA

  • Range development, innovation and sales growth
  • Maximising seasonal opportunities
  • Great marketing, merchandising and promotions

Fresh Produce Retailer of the Year – Multiple

The winner of this category will demonstrate success, innovation and creativity in the fresh produce category over the past 12 months.

This category is open to any multiple retailers with more than 10 stores, for whom grocery products account for more than 50% of sales.

KEY CRITERIA

  • A clear strategy for developing sales and offer in fresh produce
  • Strong relationships with growers and suppliers to achieve company objectives
  • Range innovation, in-store theatre and cross-merchandising
  • Differentiation from the competition

Most Sustainable Retailer Initiative of the Year – Multiple

This award recognises a specific initiative by a grocery retailer aimed at improving the sustainability of its operations and/or enabling its customers to shop in a more environmentally friendly way.

KEY CRITERIA

  • The judges will be looking for original initiatives in areas such as: packaging and waste reduction, improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon footprint, responsible sourcing, stocking healthier choices, investing in and developing your workforce.
  • All entries should clearly demonstrate how retailers are pushing beyond legislative requirements

Store Manager of the Year – Multiple

This award is open to managers of stores belonging to both major grocery multiples and company-owned convenience store chains. Managers may nominate themselves, or store owners may submit an entry on behalf of their store manager.

KEY CRITERIA 

  • How managers have handled their teams to help make the business a success
  • A management approach that helps differentiate the store from its competitors
  • Innovations introduced over the past 12 months and how these have helped the business
  • Communication skills and staff motivation

Supermarket of the Year

This award celebrates the UK’s top multiple supermarket retailer based on its business performance, customer initiatives, format development, marketing and range innovations over the latest 12-month period.

KEY CRITERIA 

  • Financial performance
  • Store/chain development
  • Range and product development
  • Marketing, advertising and promotion
  • Customer service innovation
  • Environmental efforts

Tobacco Retailer of the Year - Multiple

This award recognises excellence in the retailing of traditional tobacco products in-store – including cigarettes and cigars but not tobacco alternative products such as vaping or heated tobacco – creating an offer that helps the business stand out from the crowd.

KEY CRITERIA

  • A range of products that is tailored to the needs of customers
  • Innovations and improvements to the category over the past 12 months
  • Operational excellence within the tobacco retailing category, including availability and legal requirements

Tobacco Alternatives Retailer of the Year - Multiple

This award recognises excellence in the retailing of tobacco alternative products – including vaping and heated tobacco products but not traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes or cigars – creating an offer that helps the business stand out from the crowd.

This category is open to retailers for whom grocery products make up at least 50% of sales. It is not open to stand-alone vape shops.

KEY CRITERIA

  • A range of products that is tailored to the needs of customers
  • Best-in-class merchandising solutions
  • Innovations and improvements to the category over the past 12 months
  • Operational excellence within the tobacco alternatives category, including availability and legal requirements