Come on, let's put on a brave face. I know we're not there, but Euro 2008 can still be to our advantage.

Hundreds of hours of television viewing means plenty of take home opportunities for local retailers. It's not like the Eurovision Song Contest is it? We can't come last, can we?

The launch of Bell's Original Whisky in September is a reminder to us all that even brand leaders need to change. It is a brave move on the part of Diageo but if the category needs to be re-energised, then it has to come from the top.

English Wine Week has come and gone without a stir. What a pity. Twenty two of them won awards in this year's International Wine Challenge. There are some very attractive English wines about but who is servicing the wholesale trade?

Word has it Mars has cancelled plans for the UK launch of its Fling 2-finger chocolate bar with a whipped nougat topping, because it couldn't produce enough stock. Given low cost production facilities across Europe which has already seen major British confectionery companies close UK manufacturing operations, this does seem a bit odd. Would anyone ever contemplate launching something that's going to be so successful they can't make enough? What a lovely position to be in.

Could its recent merger with Wrigley's have anything to do with it? A powerful force of innovation and growth we were told. Maybe next year.

== tuesday ==

It hasn't taken the Kraft decision makers long to expand distribution of its Oreo snack packs beyond the multiples, suggesting a very successful launch and one from which we can all now benefit.

Makes you wonder why it took 92 years for the product to reach our shores from the USA!

FWD Wine Blueprint users will have more than a passing interest in Sainsbury's fresh approach to wine merchandising which is based on taste rather than country of origin. Smooth and mellow, rich and complex or complex and elegant may sound good, but how will that help already confused consumers and on whose judgement will individual wines be categorised?

I fear consumers will be more confused than ever. Some of the wines we sell don't match any of these descriptions unless we create a 'cheap and cheerful' category, too!

The £1 price-marked Colgate toothpaste is a brilliant promotion. Recent price-marked packs in the health and beauty section have sold through well and we would like to have more, please.

Buxton Water's current TV advertising, its sponsorship of English cricket - and its participation in the current MSYS campaign (a 10p off voucher), ought to earn it maximum support from our sector.

Britvic's Drench spring water, now appearing in major multiples, gets £5.5m worth of TV exposure with help from Thunderbird's Brains who might yet 'rescue' the brand after a lacklustre performance in our sector.

Doesn't the amazing animation owe something to last year's brilliant Beck's '4 steps' advert.

== wednesday ==

Spiralling fuel costs are hitting margins of our delivered operation.

Our weekly transport costs have increased by hundreds of pounds and we sympathise with haulage operators who are facing phenomenal cost increases and we are anticipating price increases across a wide range of products.

The nice Tesco Vin Plus people in Coquelles have emailed me with some interesting wine offers - the cheapest at £1.64 a bottle with a 10% discount for ordering on line. I hear Calais calling.

We are sorry to see Unilever withdraw its Adez soya juice even though sales reached nearly £10m in its first year. We felt the product had great potential.

The Cadbury '100 years of plain good adventures with Bourneville' advertising cartoon has real impact. Jack Bourneville greets the spear-carrying smiling natives with samples of his dark chocolate only to discover what's for supper tonight in their large cooking pot. Exciting stuff.

== thursday ==

The introduction of Milky Way Milkshake, free from artificial flavours, colours and preservatives, should help lift the powdered milk shake market.

Producer Aimia Foods is confident this product will re-ignite interest in the powdered sector and help to drive category growth.

The Ye Olde Oak brand has performed well through the independent sector for many years and we are happy to give our support for its major sales campaign due to commence soon

Talking of good food in cans, Heinz has me smiling with its focus on 'comforting and indulgent puddings' based on the revival of traditional British puddings. How could anyone resist a serving of treacle sponge floating in a sea of classic creamy custard?

Twice the size for just a penny more! A 98p price-marked PG Tips 40 pack looked good value in a local independent until I saw an 80 pack of Typhoo at Lidl for just 99p.

And what about Carlsberg, now Britain's favourite take home lager? Our eight-can price-marked pack retails for £6.25 while Lidl's eight-can pack retails for £4.49 (around £1.20 a case below our current selling price including VAT).

Are we missing out on something?.

== friday ==

Trade press advertising plays a major part in Ferrero's big £4m campaign supporting the launch of Kinder Beuno White.

There is plenty of life in the category right now and we are playing our part in providing rack end displays in depot for the best confectionery deals of the moment, from Mars, Nestlé, Toblerone, Ferrero and Cadbury as we approach Fathers Day.

A recent IGD report highlighted independents failure to grasp the fresh and chilled foods opportunity, a fact also identified by Muller CEO Stuart Gilliland recently. We have to do a better job in educating our customers in what to stock, how to merchandise and improving 'direct to store' services. Shelf life is a real problem and wastage the major issue. Keeping a close watch on best by dates and the ability to shift short life stock is vital to retaining consumer confidence and profitability.

The cigarette gantry in my local Premier store looks very impressive but the owner expressed considerable concern to me should he be forced to remove the display from sight, presumably under the counter. Pilferage remains an issue for just about every independent retailer in the country and he fears store security will be jeopardised if checkout staff need to constantly go below counter to retrieve stock.

This months' quiz question: Where will you find Uncle Ben's Rice, Alpen, Muller, Flora, Banrock Station and Carte D'Or? In Hello magazine, of course. It's curious to see everyday brands advertising their wares in this leading glossy.

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