PMPs offer consumers guaranteed and consistent pricing that doesn’t fluctuate every time they shop, helping to manage shopping budgets. This breeds invaluable trust and drives repeat purchases.
As the cost of living continues to be a pressure point for shoppers, the desire for products deemed to be good value for money is ever-growing. PMP formats respond to this need by clearly displaying price to shoppers, offering reassurance of a fair, good value cost. This produces a positive price perception that in turn drives sales.
The recent cost-of-living challenges have deepened the need for reassurance among shoppers, and PMPs are helping to meet this demand. The price on the packet of a PMP product is a fair price, offering guaranteed and consistent pricing that doesn’t fluctuate every time consumers shop.
PMPs allow shoppers to feel in control of their spending, quickly highlighting the product’s value to a shopper when presented with a multitude of confectionery options. What’s more, consumers are more likely to come back to those brands that offer PMPs for repeat purchase, as they see the clear pricing as transparency and a trustworthy tactic.
Lauren George, External Communications Manager, Mars Wrigley, comments: “PMPs work well within the confectionery category, in which convenience is key. PMPs offer a quick price comparison and are often positioned in easy-to-grab locations or display unit. This pushes impulse purchases (which in turn promotes repeat purchases). And it’s not just familiar PMPs that are popular. When applied to new products, PMPs foster a positive price perception and a reduced sense of risk, encouraging consumers to reach for them.”
Mars Wrigley drove excitement in confectionery aisles across the nation with the highly anticipated return of its MALTESERS® White Chocolate, after more than a decade. The relaunch came in direct response to significant consumer demand and not only caters to the rising popularity of white chocolate (the sub-category saw a 12% uplift in 2024) but also taps into shoppers’ desire for nostalgic products.
Despite inflation and cost-of-living pressures, confectionery remains one of the highest-growth categories in grocery, especially when compared to wider snacking. Package snacking in the UK market is worth £21.3bn and growing at +5.0%. We have seen consistently high, and growing, performance in all three categories – chocolate +9.3% y-o-y, fruity confectionery +3.7% y-o-y, and gum +3.1% y-o-y, showing that confectionery continues to play a key part in consumers’ everyday lives.
David Hebson, Trade Marketing Director, FBC, comments: “Price Marked Packs (PMPs) are an important tool for retailers to demonstrate clear pricing to customers and build trust. They can even go as far as to bolster price perception, which in turn removes barriers to impulse purchases and boosts sales for the store owner.
“PMPs are also beneficial from a logistics perspective, with the potential to simplify in-store set-ups by reducing the need for on-shelf price labelling. This saves both time and space for convenience retailers, two things we know are at a premium for many.”
In Sweet Biscuits, PMP performance has been strong, growing at +6.9% (Circana) and outperforming non-PMP sales by 7.3% YOY (Circana). Anytime Treats (+11.5%) and Chocolate Biscuit Bars (+14.9%, Circana) are the main drivers of this growth, highlighting the opportunity for retailers to boost sales through PMPs in an increasingly cost-conscious market.
“Premium biscuits lend themselves to PMPs as they are often purchased on impulse, and clear price signals that highlight value help speed up the decision-making process,” adds Hobson. “In convenience channels, our Fox’s Chocolatey Rounds are a must-stock, having increased in sales by 94% since launching as a PMP earlier this year, with PMPs now accounting for 71.5% of sales (Circana).
The Rocky range is FBC’s top growth-driving PMP, with the original multipack up 69% YOY (Circana). In terms of value, Fox’s Crunch Creams remain FBC’s leading PMP in convenience channels, worth over £2m, and growing at 26.5% vs YA (Circana).
Maryland S’wich, which combines the crunchy, crumbly texture of a Maryland Chocolate Chip Cookie with a rich, creamy chocolate filling, was FBC’s biggest launch of last year, adding over £400k to convenience channel sales since launching in the summer, 63% of which were from PMPs (Circana).
Sweet Biscuits have remained stable in 2025, worth £3.1bn, growing YOY (NIQ), with FBC growing in value (up +5.2% YOY) and volume growth (+1.3% YOY, NIQ).
This has been driven by a shift towards premiumisation, as cash-strapped shoppers look for at-home indulgence as a way to reduce costly meals out. The Premium Biscuits category is worth £396.3M, growing +3.3% year-on-year (NIQ), and FBC accounts for £85.7M of this segment, growing +8.6% year-on-year (NIQ).
“There will always be a balance for retailers between stocking PMPs and non-PMPs as they strive to manage margins and keep their business healthy. For wholesalers, it’s important to offer retailers both choice and advice around how PMPs can be implemented into the store strategically,” says Hobson.
“Premium-tier biscuits in PMP formats lend themselves to driving up basket spend and impulse purchases as shoppers want to easily and visibly see the price. Whereas mid-tier biscuits in PMPs strike a balance between indulgence and affordability by offering a visible value-for-money proposition that makes ‘everyday treating’ more accessible for shoppers, especially in cost-conscious environments.
“Finally, merchandising biscuits near coffee, hot chocolate, or gifting areas can also unlock additional value and encourage retailers to cross-promote in their stores.”
Kate Stokes, Marketing Manager, pladis UK&I, comments: “For wholesalers, offering their retailer customers bestselling products and new launches in price-marked packs enables them to generate excitement and sell more of these products. Independent retailers know PMPs are good for business: they empower them to offer value to their retailers, engage them and increase basket spend.
“We launch many of our new products and limited editions in PMP formats, as part of our commitment to wholesalers who supply the convenience and impulse channel. When retailers see exciting new launches in this format in depot, on wholesalers’ apps or ecommerce websites, they’re more likely to buy them, and so are their shoppers.”
Demand for PMPs has grown strongly in the last few years across the categories, with the cost-of-living crisis, as they reassure shoppers they’re not being overcharged. Retailers know that shoppers are more likely to buy new and existing products in PMP formats as an additional purchase, and they will sell through faster than full price products.
Biscuits and snacks are two of the biggest categories for PMPs as shoppers look for affordable indulgence on their favourite everyday treats. Offering PMPs is a key tactic for brands coming into these and other impulse categories to grab shoppers’ attention and encourage trial and repeat purchase.
pladis is the proud custodian of some of the nation’s favourite snacks, from McVitie’s, Britain’s biggest biscuit brand, to bagged snacks staple Jacob’s Mini Cheddars, and the company supports them with PMPs which are available through wholesalers. pladis partners with wholesale customers on depot activations to highlight new launches, grab retailers’ attention, and grow sales across the product range, and PMPs play a central role.
McVitie’s supplies six of the top 10 bestselling sweet biscuits in convenience and offers PMPs across its portfolio, including McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives and McVitie’s Chocolate Hobnobs.
“PMPs are a core part of our convenience product launch strategy because we know they generate excitement in wholesale depots and grab shoppers’ eyes in store. In 2025 our PMP format launches in the channel included McVitie’s Gold Billions Wafer Chocolate & Hazelnut; Jacob’s Cheese & Red Onion Mini Cheddars, and Jacob’s Cream Cheese and Garlic & Herb Mini Cheddars. We have a stream of other exciting launches in PMP format planned for 2026, so stay tuned,” adds Stokes.
“Wholesalers should make PMPs part of their conversations with suppliers about working together to build categories: they play a key role in highlighting bestsellers to retail customers, offering new launches at good prices and emphasising new listings.
“It’s important to make PMPs work to everyone’s advantage, or valuable sales space could be wasted. In sweet biscuits, wholesalers and retailers alike should bear in mind that 80% of sales in convenience come from the top 6% of lines. To get the most out of PMPs overall, wholesalers need to vary the offer at different times of year, check their sales data and focus on the biggest sellers and bestselling brands like McVitie’s and Jacob’s as part of the plan for growth.”
“Bagged Snacks is a scaleable, priority category with strong consumer appeal and household penetration, appearing in 1 in 5 convenience shopping baskets, almost twice as many as confectionery (Lumina),” says Stuart Graham, Head of C&I and Value channel at KP Snacks.
“Price-marked packs (PMPs) are especially important in Crisps, Snacks and Nuts (CSN), representing a significant portion of purchases. With clear pricing and strong value perception appealing to cost conscious consumers, they help retailers better serve shoppers at a time in which cost-of-living pressures still dictate consumer spending.”
KP Snacks’ extensive PMP offering is designed to suit all tastes, occasions and budgets, driving shopper engagement and capturing impulse purchases.
“Our mission,” Graham adds, “is to deliver the right products at the right price points to meet consumer needs and support sales growth for our retail partners.”
PMPs have a 71% share of bagged snacks sales in independent stores and the top ten best-selling SKUs are all PMPs (NielsenIQ). Large format PMPs are growing at +1.8% year to date (NielsenIQ).
“Our PMP portfolio features some of the best-selling CSN SKUs and spans a wide range of price points, from 40p to £1.35,” Graham comments. “Holding a massive 37.6% share of the large PMP segment, we are continually updating and expanding our PMP range to help our valued retail partners capitalise on the growing opportunity in the segment.”
The KP Snacks portfolio includes 4 of the top 10 best-selling large PMP SKUs, Hula Hoops Big Hoops BBQ Beef, McCoy’s Flame Grilled Steak, Nik Naks Nice N Spicy and Big Hoops Salted.
Taste remains the number one category driver as shoppers look for big, bold flavours. The launch of McCoy’s Hot ‘n’ Spicy £1.35 PMP last year responded to growing demand for spicier snacks, with Spicy representing the largest and fastest-growing flavour partition in the PMP category. McCoy’s latest flavour play also saw a limited-edition NFL-inspired SKU added to its PMP lineup. As the Official Snack Partner for the NFL in the UK&I, the brand launched McCoy’s Blazin’ Buffalo Chicken Wings £1.35 PMP, bringing to life a classic American flavour.
Consumer demand for familiar flavours is on the rise, with 78% of consumers saying the flavours of crisps they enjoyed as a child are still their favourites today (Kantar/Mintel).
Value, nostalgia and relevance come together in brands like Space Raiders, one of the UK’s best-loved and best-value snack brands. Worth £21.1m (NielsenIQ), Space Raiders are available in 40p PMPs, the UK’s number one singles PMP (NielsenIQ), and come in a variety of popular flavours, including Pickled Onion, Spicy, Saucy BBQ and Beef. This year, the Discos range saw the return of a fan-favourite flavour, Discos Pickled Onion, which hadn’t been on shelves since 2005. Delivering a sharp, zingy flavour, Discos Pickled Onion expands KP Snacks’ number two Everyday Value (EDV) brand, providing consumers with a classic flavour in a new format.
KP Nuts, the market-leading nuts brand, growing ahead of the wider category (NielsenIQ), is another standout performer. Exempt from HFSS restrictions and backed by strong consumer demand, KP Nuts deliver on both natural health credentials, including high protein, and great taste. A multi-occasion favourite suitable for a variety of needs, KP Nuts PMPs are perfect for consumers looking for a natural protein boost post workout, or an evening savoury treat that’s great for sharing with friends and family. Available in Original Salted, Dry Roasted, Salt & Vinegar, Honey Roast and Aromatic Thai Chilli Coated flavours, KP Nuts PMPs provide retailers with a versatile product that serves a number of shopping missions.
“Now more than ever, consumers are looking for products that represent great value for money,” says Graham. “Retailers are telling us that their customers are actively seeking deals, and our PMP range is perfectly positioned to meet that demand. By stocking up on PMPs, retailers can drive both sales and footfall.”
Shaun Whelan, Convenience/Wholesale and OOH Controller at Jack Link’s, comments: “Price-marked packs (PMPs) offer clear pricing reassurance for shoppers, particularly in today’s value-conscious climate.
They also act as a built-in promotional mechanic, encouraging impulse purchase and boosting trust at fixture. With Peperami, PMPs help drive trial, demonstrate value, and support repeat sales across key occasions like lunchboxes, after-school snacks and food-to-go.”
PMPs are more relevant than ever as consumers look for trusted value. Peperami’s £1 price-marked Chicken Bites also tap into this demand, delivering a protein-rich, portion-controlled snack that’s affordable and satisfying, a perfect fit for the fast-growing chilled snacking segment.
Meat snacks are one of the most dynamic areas in chilled and price-marked formats and are helping fuel that growth. The category has doubled in value over five years and has the potential to double again with Peperami, the UK’s number one meat snack brand, at the forefront.
Peperami’s 5-packs are the number one bestselling product in the entire meat snack category. The brand’s iconic salami sticks, available in Original, Hot, Firestick and Chorizo, are also key performers. In chilled, Peperami Lunchbox Minis and £1 PMPs like the relaunched PMP Chicken Bites are top sellers thanks to their convenience, value, and strong brand recognition.
Peperami’s relaunched £1 price-marked Chicken Bites come in two bold flavours, Tikka and Roasted, each delivering just 95 kcal per 45g pack. They are perfect for calorie-conscious shoppers and great for lunchboxes or afternoon snacks. These innovations are already driving incremental growth.
Peperami continues to lead the meat snacking sector. The brand has grown over 80% in the past five years and is now worth £140 million in retail sales value (Nielsen MAT 2025). One in five UK households buys Peperami, a clear signal of both popularity and headroom for growth.
“Retailers and wholesalers should focus on visibility, simplicity and relevance,” adds Whelan. “In chillers, brand-blocking Peperami SKUs, placing them within meal deals or siting them on gondola ends can significantly increase impact. Shoppers want protein snacks they know and trust, so stocking the right range, including both core lines and NPD, is key.”
Peperami is supporting its latest launches with a multi-million-pound marketing campaign across TV, digital, social and in-store. The campaign, led by Peperami’s iconic mascot ‘The Animal’, brings bold energy to the chilled aisle and keeps the brand front of mind. With high visibility and wide reach, it is designed to drive footfall and reinforce our position as the boldest voice in meat snacking.
“There are three key actions to maximise sales,” says Whelan. “Maximise visibility – use clear POS and well-stocked displays to spotlight bestsellers like Peperami sticks and Chicken Bites.
“Back NPD – Highlight the new £1 PMPs Chicken Bites that meet evolving shopper needs.
“Prioritise core range – Ensure proven sellers like our 5-packs and £1.25 PMP single sticks are always available to meet demand across key demographics.
“By focusing on range, innovation and availability, wholesalers can unlock more value from this fast-growing category.”
“PMPs are a great way to draw shoppers to the fixture. PMP labels tend to stand out to grab shoppers attention. Key price points, like Peperami sticks 2 for £2 (driving rate of sale & cash margin), or new £1 PMP Chicken Bites, compel more shoppers to buy more,” advises Whelan.
“Ensure PMPs are highly visible in store, by brand blocking and merchandising at eye level to maximise sales.
“Peperami’s instantly recognisable packs stand-out and the impact is significantly increased by brand-blocking together as well as making it easier for shoppers to purchase.
“Always maintain good levels of stock to maximise visibility and sales. Ensure cases have ample product in them so they don’t look empty and to help avoid out of stocks which is the biggest cause of lost sales. “The unseen is unsold, therefore visibility in high traffic locations is key.
“Peperami engages new shoppers into the category through driving visibility at: placement in food-to-go meal deals adjacent to sandwiches, as the perfect snack for the lunch occasion; and secondary out of aisle next to carbonated and energy drinks that have a high cross shop.”
Alexander Wilson, Category & Commercial Strategy Director at HEINEKEN UK, comments: “Price-marked packs (PMPs) are an invaluable tool for helping to increase beer and cider sales in the independent and convenience channel, providing a point of difference from supermarkets. They give clearer perception of value-for-money which helps to bring trust between retailers and their local community by conveying the message that consumers are getting a fair price for the product.
“PMPs can help retailers drive loyalty among shoppers by helping them plan better on how much they want to spend. PMPs can also act as a PoS-like tool for retailers, as bold signage on-pack can draw customers in, generating potential for trade-up to more premium lines.”
In the convenience channel, beer and cider PMPs are worth approximately £376.1m (NielsenIQ), accounting for an impressive 48.7% of the value sales in the total category (NielsenIQ).
When looking at this in more detail, PMPs have a 48.4% share in beer and 50.3% in cider (NielsenIQ).
“The bestselling HEINEKEN UK PMPs are Cruzcampo (4x568ml), Fosters 4 x 568ml, Strongbow Original (4x440ml) and Inch’s Medium Apple (44x440ml),” adds Wilson. “Retailers should stock up on small- and mid-sized packs to ensure they are catering to all occasions. All pack formats in beer and cider experience a massive jump in sales during peak seasons, including summer occasions, such as sporting events and festivals, alongside Christmas and New Year, where premium nights in come into the spotlight.”
Kate Abbotson, Senior Trade Communications Manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), comments: “Value remains a lead motivation for shoppers in convenience (Lumina), followed by the demand for quality and brands (Lumina).
“We’ve helped protect consumer trust by maintaining clear, consistent recommended retail prices across our brands, and by offering price-marked pack (PMP) formats in convenience. This transparency and range of formats reassures shoppers and reinforces the strength and value of our portfolio.”
In September, CCEP launched a new price-marked pilot in convenience, across all 500ml Fanta bottles, designed to deliver great value for shoppers and help drive rate of sale across the range.
The company is taking a similar approach with energy drinks. Monster – the fastest-growing major energy brand in GB (Nielsen), offers PMPs across its range, including Monster Juiced Mango Loco, Monster Zero Sugar Lewis Hamilton, Monster Lando Norris Zero Sugar, Monster Juiced Bad Apple, Monster Ultra Strawberry Dreams and Monster Nitro Cosmic Peach.
The entire Relentless range is available in £1 price-marked packs – including the newest flavours like Fruit Punch and Guava – designed to offer visible value to shoppers while helping convenience retailers drive incremental sales. This offers visible value to shoppers while helping convenience retailers drive incremental sales, and it’s working, with Relentless now worth over £2.6m in value sales (Nielsen).
“Initiatives like these are regularly reviewed across our portfolio, allowing us to trial and refine pricing strategies that best support retailers, maintain affordability for shoppers, and demonstrate our commitment to long-term category growth,” adds Abbotson. “Although consumer confidence is improving, shoppers remain cautious with their spending – which means PMPs will continue to be popular with customers and essential for retailers.”
Kathryn Hague, Head of Marketing Hancocks/World of Sweets says: “Price-Marked Packs (PMPs) continue to play a crucial role in convenience retail, especially during times of economic pressure.
“PMPs give shoppers confidence by offering clear value and affordability, helping budget-conscious customers still enjoy treats.
“They also provide price reassurance — shoppers know the price is fair and consistent.
“They generate increased trust and loyalty, driving repeat visits. And they have stronger impulse appeal, especially in categories like confectionery and snacking.
“For retailers, PMPs help maintain basket spend, increase impulse sales and encourage trial across a wider range of products.”
PMPs continue to see strong demand as consumers look for transparent value from trusted brands. Confectionery remains one of the strongest performing PMP categories in convenience, driven by impulse shoppers and everyday treats.
PMPs perform strongest in impulse-led categories, including confectionery, crisps & snacks and soft drinks.
Within confectionery, PMP sharing bags and pocket-money treats remain key growth areas — where Bonds & Candy Realms are performing strongly.
Among Hancocks’ best-selling products are Bonds £1.25 PMP Sharing Bags, including favourites Fruit Pastilles, Jelly Beans, Giant Strawbs, Chocolate Peanuts, Midget Gems, Fruit Jellies and pear drops.
The 50p Kids PMP Sweet Bags are brightly coloured pocket-money treats like Pink Hearts, Sour Cherries, White Mice & Flying Saucers.
Candy Realms, which offer fantastic value and great quality products, have shown impressive value and volume growth since launch in 2023.
The range of 8 value bags targets a wide range of consumers
At £1 RRP for 160g, bags are packed in a case count of 12, with single facing SRP and vegan called out on front of pack.
Strong sellers include themed gummy and foam treats and playful seasonal formats.
Both brands are performing strongly across impulse and value-led confectionery.
Bonds remains a top performer in affordable sharing bags and kids’ pocket-money sweets.
Candy Realms continues to grow through innovation and playful designs that delight younger shoppers.
“Stock a broad PMP range across top impulse categories,” advises the spokesperson. “Merchandise PMPs with clear signage and strong value messaging. Use POS and secondary displays to highlight value. Position impulse PMP sweets near tills and high-traffic areas and maintain core favourites while rotating in exciting NPD to drive repeat interest.”
Hancocks’ marketing support for its products includes in-store POS and value communication, digital and social media activity to drive brand awareness and seasonal peaks, trade support via promotions, merchandising advice and launch programmes for NPD and strong seasonal plans for Halloween, Christmas and key confectionery moments.
“To unlock PMP growth, wholesalers should showcase value clearly with PMP bays and POS,” suggests the spokesperson. “Prioritise core confectionery lines and sharing formats.
“Highlight new launches and limited-time PMP deals. Build seasonal displays for peaks. Educate retailers about siting PMPs in-store — especially near tills. By championing value, range and visibility, wholesalers can help retailers capture impulse sales and repeat loyalty.”
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