Marks & Spencer has been named the UK supermarket consumers rate highest for limited-edition food and drink products, putting the retailer comfortably ahead of Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
20% of UK consumers said Marks and Spencer creates the best limited-edition products, according to new research from product intelligence business Vypr. Tesco came second with 15%, followed by Sainsbury’s at 11%. Aldi was the next highest at 7%, while Asda and Morrisons scored 6% and 5% respectively.
The research also suggests there is considerable headroom for retailers looking to grow the appeal of limited editions. Just a quarter of consumers said they do not buy limited-edition products at all leaving three-quarters showing interest.
For those who do engage with the category, the product itself is far more important than promotional hype.
Flavour is the biggest factor that would encourage consumers to buy a seasonal limited edition from a supermarket, cited by 41%. A reduced price was the second most important driver, for 33%.
By contrast, only 2% said celebrity or influencer endorsement would encourage them to buy a limited edition item, while 4% pointed to seeing a product on social media.
The research shows limited editions also have meaningful potential to influence which supermarket people choose to shop at. Nearly a third of consumers (31%) said a limited-edition food or drink product would encourage them to visit a different supermarket, comprising 4% who said “yes, very much” and 27% who said “yes, maybe”.
Ben Davies, founder of Vypr, said: “This creates a potentially valuable opportunity for retailers as competition for shoppers intensifies: the right limited edition could provide a reason for consumers to make an additional or alternative store visit.
“For Marks and Spencer, the findings reinforce the retailer’s strong position in a category where consumers appear to reward distinctive product development. For the wider grocery sector, meanwhile, the message is that limited editions can provide a point of differentiation, but flavour and value are likely to be more powerful purchase triggers than marketing noise alone.”
