Hancocks Portsmouth sweetshop reopens after "supermarket" revamp - stocking brands like Cadbury and Nestle

Hancocks cash and carry, located in Claybank Road, Copnor has gone through a major six-figure renovation, which is hoped to "improve the customer experience for new and existing clients." The reconstruction is part of the company’s ongoing improvement initiative, planned to be rolled out across all of the 14 UK depots.

 The store has undergone a complete renovation, including improvements to the floors, roof, heating, offices, IT systems, and indoor decor. The wholesaler has also implemented changes such as clear signage, welcome boards, branded aisles and specialist areas to provide easier in-store navigation. The store is now laid out in a familiar supermarket format, with directional signs on top of all aisles. The new specialist areas called out in the store include bestsellers, multi-buy options, new products, vegan sweets and kids novelty.

Larger brands such as Cadbury, Nestle and Mars will also have dedicated sections within aisles. Current deals can be found from the QR code on the welcome board or in the sweet deals area near till points, alongside a large clearance section. Shoppers are encouraged to approach the staff members who have recently undergone additional training to provide the best advice and service possible. Customers can also find some try-before-you-buy lines and ‘look what’s in the box’ products so they know exactly what they’re purchasing.

Retailers are also provided merchandising advice and inspiration - the aisles of well-stocked sweets in bright packaging give customers an idea of how they could display products in their stores.

There will be Sweetest Day events held at the Hancocks depots on March 7 which gives retailers a good opportunity to check out the new Portsmouth store while taking advantage of in-store exclusive,  one-day-only deals.

Jonathan Summerley, Chief Operating Officer at Hancocks said: “We’re inviting retailers from Portsmouth, Southampton and other surrounding areas to visit our newly renovated  Hancocks store. The Portsmouth depot has undergone a major transformation with a six-figure investment made to enhance its appearance and improve customer journey. The changes such as clear signage, new aisle ends, specialist and branded aisles, deals sections and welcome boards were implemented to make it easier for shoppers to find what they’re looking for.

“Our goal is to offer retail customers easy in-store navigation from the moment they enter until they reach the checkout. All store staff have also undergone more training to make sure they are offering the best advice for customers. The Portsmouth depot is the third Hancocks store to undergo a refurb and eventually we’re hoping to roll out the improvement plan in all our 14 stores across the UK.”

Hancocks is the UK’s leading confectionery wholesaler with 14 nationwide cash and carry stores and an online channel www.hancocks.co.uk.