10.14 CHECKOUT SCHEDULING Top Tip!
Good scheduling will
Good scheduling in store will make sure that your team members are used efficiently. Try help you have the right
to take into account factors including trading hours, services, delivery times, recruitment people in the right place
restrictions as well as the mix of fresh vs ambient sales. at the right time.
One of the most effective ways of scheduling the checkouts involves using hourly
information.
Setting a standard performance indicator (SP)
This is available on the transaction analysis report and shows the number of pounds
generated per cashier operating hour.
1. Set a target for the SP that is suitable to the store. This target can then be used to
calculate the number of staff that should be scheduled. A common rule is that £400
should be generated for each checkout open per hour. E.g. total hourly revenue
£1200. Target £400 per labour hour = 3 team members required
Top Tip!
Keep a list of named
cashiers at the kiosk.
2. Use 4 weeks average sales figure by the hour for each day. Transfer the sales data Top Tip!
per hour to the boxes at the bottom of the store scheduling document Call cashiers by name for
a quicker response.
3. Divide the average sales by the Targeted SP to identify the number of operators
required
Click here for the staff scheduling document
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10.15 REPLENISHMENT SCHEDULING Top Tip!
Scheduling will help you
Setting a store schedule have the right people in
the right place at the
When creating a replenishment schedule it is a good idea to set a target for the number of right time.
cases a staff member can replenish in one hour. This number can then be used to calculate
the required labour hours to receive and merchandise a delivery.
In large format stores a common rule is to schedule one hour for every 40 cases delivered.
1. These hours are then divided by the number of aisles or replenishment zones
to calculate the shifts required per delivery.
2. Cases Delivered / Target = required hours eg. 500 cases / 40 per hour = 12.5
hours
3. Required hours / Staff members = shift schedule eg. 12.5 hours / 3 Aisle
replenishment zones = 3 shifts at 4.1 hours per person
It is important that the staff schedule is planned for activities that need to be completed
over and above the replenishment of stock. Consider the following activities when
scheduling and the amount of time each task should take:
Due Diligence completion
Price changes
POS Checking
Code checking
Cleaning
Quality checks
Reductions
Gap Counting
Stock taking
Ordering
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10.16 CUSTOMER SERVICE
Customer Service is important to Budgens as it is one of the key ways in which we
differentiate ourselves from the competition.
Customers who receive good service tell 10-12 people on average.
Customers who receive poor service will tell upwards of 20 people.
There is an 82% chance customers will repurchase from a company where they were
satisfied.
There is a 91% chance that poor service will put off a customer from ever going back
to a company.
To support you and your teams in the delivery of excellent customer service, we offer the
I-Care training and support package which is available on line to all stores. This details
handling all of the most difficult complaints and shows how to turn a complaint into an
opportunity.
Full details can be found in the Customer Service toolkit which can be downloaded here.
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11 LEGISLATION
This section of the guide shows legislation which applies to a retail food store with links to
current guidance and advice.
As an independent retailer you are wholly responsible for compliance with statute and
legislation, including health and safety law. While we may from time to time provide
guidance and suggestions this is not a substitute for your own professional advice.
11.1 FOOD SAFETY
You are responsible for ensuring your store complies with all legal requirements regarding
the sale of food. The following Food Standards Agency (FSA) guide covers all areas of food
safety including:
Working with food.
Cross contamination including pest control.
Cleaning including hand washing and personal hygiene.
Chilling including chilled and frozen storage and display.
Management including opening and closing checks, temperature checks, stock control
and allergens.
Cooking and preparation including bake-off, ready to eat and raw meat.
You must keep written records to demonstrate your compliance.
The link below includes a diary to record your checks, training records and cleaning schedules.
https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/sfbb-retailers-pack.pdf
You can also use a copy of the Due Diligence book available to order on the consumables
stock and order book here.
11.2 FOOD LABELLING REGULATIONS
All products sold must comply with food labelling regulations. These regulate the
information which must be supplied to the consumer when purchasing a product. Full
guidelines can be downloaded from the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/food-labelling-and-packaging/food-labelling-what-you-must-show
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11.3 FOOD INFORMATION REGULATIONS
Food labelling legislation states that the allergens of all products sold in store must be
displayed to the shopper. This includes loose products and those prepared in store.
You must ensure you have the correct allergen information next to each product. Booker
Retail Partners ensures that all pre-packed products comply with this legislation.
For loose products supplied by Booker Retail Partners you should refer either to the
allergen matrix in the bakery stock and order book or the counter ticket supplied to
support the sale of any delicatessen products.
You must ensure that locally sourced products are compliant with legislation.
Guidance can be found at this link:
https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/fir-guidance2014.pdf
11.4 DISPOSAL OF ANIMAL BY-PRODUCTS
There is specific legislation in place regarding the disposal of animal by-products. This
includes fresh meat, fish and eggs.
Please see the government guidance on the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-food-businesses-must-dispose-of-food-and-former-
foodstuffs
11.5 MEAT TRACEABILITY
When selling locally sourced products, stores are responsible for ensuring that the quality
of a product meets legal standards. All fresh beef must be labelled with the correct
traceability and country of origin.
Please see the government guidance on the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beef-and-veal-labelling-guidance
11.6 PRODUCE CLASSIFICATION AND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
The quality of some fruit and vegetables is governed by classification legislation. DEFRA
enforces this legislation.
Full details can be found on the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/comply-with-marketing-standards-for-fresh-fruit-and-
vegetables
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11.7 TRADING STANDARDS
Advice on Trading Standards law is provided free of charge by the government at the link
below:
http://www.tradingstandards.uk/advice/guidanceforbusinessontradingstandardslaw.cfm
11.8 UNDERAGE SALES
Understanding how to manage underage sales is probably the main compliance challenge a
convenience store retailer faces. This ACS guide explains what you are legally obligated to
do, and how you put in place the policies and procedures that will help you to manage this
difficult area successfully.
http://www.acs.org.uk/advice/age-restrictions/
11.9 TOBACCO DISPLAY BAN
The law on the display of all products containing tobacco and the display of tobacco prices
in England and Wales is now in force affecting all shops. It is illegal to sell tobacco products
in shops and businesses in England and Wales, except to people over the age of 18 years in
the limited circumstances set out in the new law. This ACS guide gives you guidance in
complying with the tobacco ban.
http://www.acs.org.uk/advice/tobacco-display-ban/
11.10 SELLING FIREWORKS
The first step to selling fireworks is to have a thorough look at your store and identify what
the realistic, potential storage areas for fireworks in the sales area and other areas are. You
will need a dedicated lockable cabinet in the sales area and a designated lockable storage
room or other enclosed area elsewhere on site. This ACS guide gives you guidance on
selling fireworks.
http://www.acs.org.uk/advice/fireworks/
11.11 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
If you are selling unwrapped food that you need to weigh (such as confectionery, fruit or
vegetables) before the customer receives it, then you will need to comply with weights and
measures laws. This ACS Guide on Weights and Measures provides an overview of what is
required of you as a business owner in terms of weighing food accurately and ensuring that
the price indications, scales and weights that you use are legal.
http://www.acs.org.uk/advice/weights-measures/
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11.12 TRADING FAIRLY
There are various laws applicable to convenience stores, such as the way you display prices
and ownership information. Consumers have rights when buying goods from you, but it is
important to strike a fair balance between these rights and your own. This ACS guide
provides an overview of what is required of you as a business owner to ensure that you
remain in compliance with these laws.
http://www.acs.org.uk/advice/fair-trading/
11.13 PRODUCT SAFETY
If you are selling products like toys, electrical equipment, cosmetics and souvenirs then you
will need to comply with product safety laws. As retailers, the increase in counterfeit and
illegal products available in the UK makes purchasing products increasingly more
challenging. While retailers are not the manufacturers of goods they still have obligations.
This ACS guide provides an overview of what is required of you as a business owner to
ensure that the products that you supply are safe.
http://www.acs.org.uk/advice/product-safety/
11.14 TRADING HOURS
Convenience stores with a sales floor area of up to 280 square metres (3,014 square feet)
can choose their own Sunday opening hours. However, they must be aware that staff who
work on a Sunday may have special employment rights. There are no trading restrictions on
the opening hours of shops under 3014 sq ft. They may be open 24 hours a day, seven days
a week, Christmas Day and Easter Sunday.
Large shops with a floor area greater than 280 sq m can only open for a set number of
hours on a Sunday. Shops over 280 sq m can only open on a Sunday for a continuous period
of six hours between 10:00 and 18:00.
http://www.acs.org.uk/advice/trading-hours/
11.15 FIRE SAFETY
Fire safety law is regularly spoken about and often misunderstood. This ACS guide provides
an overview of what is required of you as a business owner in terms of managing fire safety
risks faced by your employees and customers.
http://www.acs.org.uk/advice/managing-fire-safety/
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11.16 CARRIER BAG LEGISLATION
A minimum charge of 5p for each single-use carrier bag given to consumers has been
brought into effect across England, Scotland and Wales with variations per region.
http://www.acs.org.uk/advice/carrier-bags/#England
http://www.acs.org.uk/advice/carrier-bags/#Wales
11.17 HEALTH AND SAFETY
Your obligations with regard to the health, safety and welfare of your staff and customers
are contained in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The most important thing to
know about Health and Safety at work law is that everyone is responsible for ensuring
the safety of others. So if anyone working in your business sees something that could cause
harm to them, a colleague or a customer it is their responsibility to report it and make sure
it is safe. This ACS guides you how to manage Health & Safety yourself.
http://www.acs.org.uk/advice/healthandsafety/
11.18 DISABLITY DISCRIMINATION ACT
Everyday activities like shopping can often present challenges for disabled customers. This
best practice guidance from ACS outlines some of the ways in which retailers can
accommodate the needs of disabled customers in store.
https://www.acs.org.uk/advice/welcoming-disabled-customers
11.19 MUSIC LICENSING
Retailers need a license from both the PPL and PRS to play music anywhere in store. If
others can hear it, be they employees or customers, then a license is required. Both
websites give details of who needs a license and why, and also online applications for the
respective licenses.
http://www.acs.org.uk/advice/music-licensing/
11.20 CODES OF PRACTICE
ACS publishes various codes of practice and guidance. These are regularly updated and can
be found on this page of their website:
http://www.acs.org.uk/advice/
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12 GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Allocation A pre-agreed delivery of stock.
Barker A piece marketing material used to advertise a special offer and displayed
Cage on the shelf in front of products.
Central Billing A metal wheeled container stock delivered full of stock to your store.
Consumables A range of products available for delivery direct to your store by a
Container Note supplier. These are invoiced by Booker.
Deletions Carrier Bags and in store packaging and stationery.
EPOS - Electronic point of Sale
Facing A list of items contained in each tote or cage. These are handed to you by
Floor Stack the Booker driver with the delivery.
HHT – Hand Held Terminal Products that are no longer available to order.
Headstart An IT system used to manage the ordering and selling of products.
The number of rows of a single product on a shelf. This is shown on the
Planograms planogram.
PLU – Price Lookup A floor-standing display of products.
A hand held barcode scanning device used to compile order or shelf edge
POS –point of sale labels which is then uploaded into your EPOS system.
RDC An opt-in promotional scheme which ensures key new lines are delivered
to stores as soon as they are launched.
RDM
A diagram showing the suggested layout of an in store fixture. A variety of
SLA- Service level Agreement planograms can be downloaded from the retailer website.
SEL A short code used at the checkout to sell products which are not
barcoded. Numbers are shown on PLU charts with images of the product.
Stock and Order Book
The advertising material used to advertise a promotion across the store.
This includes barkers, posters and banners.
Regional Distribution Centre – the depot from which Booker delivered
stock is distributed.
Regional Development Manager – your key field-based contact for
support and information.
Service Level Agreement – the agreed timescale in which we will deal with
and resolve any enquiry logged with our Customer Services team.
Shelf Edge Label – the pricing label used on-shelf to display a product
description and price.
Document distributed weekly which contains details of the fresh food
range available. This can also be used to monitor sales and waste.
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Transmission Time The time by which your order must be placed.
VMG Visual Merchandising Guide – a document which details the suggested
Tote Box layout of promotions and how to best use your point of sale.
Wastage A plastic box used to deliver tobacco and other high value lines from the
Booker RDC.
Products which are disposed of as they cannot be sold. This could be due
to an expired date code or damage.
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