Spar UK is set to relaunch its own-label food and drink range with a £5 million investment in communications for the year ahead.

Head of marketing support Adam Margolin gave an overview of the retailer’s new marketing plan when he detailed the chain’s Summer of Sport campaign, set to kick off this week. This will be followed by an emphasis on evening meals.

The push will feature promotions on fruit and vegetables, but these will not be on a national scale because the range varies significantly from store to store.

Margolin said: “Promotions have been massively important because of the recession and we have found that they have driven sales for us. Spar’s own brand is a massive opportunity for the business and the perception of it is changing.

“Spar is made up of local businesses so we can do things for customers that other retailers can’t.”

The promotional activities will feature advertising on the radio and on music streamer Spotify for 12 weeks, in press and magazines, on digital media and through door-to-door leaflets.

Spar’s research shows that 72 per cent of its own retailers claim that the own-brand range has improved in the last year, while a quarter believe it has stayed the same.

Brand director Susan Darbyshire said: “We want to continue the good work of last year, when we launched some lunchtime lines having reviewed quality, pack formats and prices.”

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