Yellow Pack
Encyclopedia
Yellow Pack was a brand of generic groceries, first launched in March 1980 by Fine Fare
, a British regional supermarket chain ultimately owned by the Weston family
, whose extensive interests include the UK's Associated British Foods, Loblaws Companies in North America, and a range of upmarket retailers such as Selfridges
, Brown Thomas
and Fortnum & Mason
.
Distinctively packaged in yellow with aggressive black print, under a brand name ("YelLOW PRICE Packs") invented in January 1980 by the Collett Dickenson Pearce
advertising agency, Yellow Packs, unlike previous generic grocery launches in North America and Europe, were positioned, next to a modestly successful own-label range, as the cheapest version of the product concerned available in Britain.
In most cases, this involved product or packaging re-engineering, or uncovering of new sources. The range's colour scheme design was derived from the No Frills brand of generics launched a year or two earlier by Fine Fare's Canadian sister grocery chain, Toronto-based Loblaws.
The Yellow Pack brand was reasonably successful, accounting for 30% of the chain's grocery sales by the time Fine Fare was acquired by the Dee Corporation – then mostly trading as Gateway, now Somerfield – in mid 1986. It was then discontinued in Great Britain
.
In the meantime, after initial internal hostility to someone else's idea, the range was adopted by Fine fare's Irish sister company, Quinnsworth, where it featured heavily in advertising presented by Quinnsworth's advertising manager, Maurice Pratt. Whereas in Fine Fare's Scottish and Teeside heartland, Yellow Packs had merely been a successful product launch, they acquired a semi-iconic status in Ireland, and were extended throughout Quinnsworth's affiliate chains within the Power supermarket group (such as Stewarts
and Crazy Prices
in Northern Ireland and Crazy Prices
in the Republic).
The term "Yellow Pack" became a generic term for cheap products or low-paid jobs in Ireland.
Among the brand's most notable Irish products was an extremely cheap Dutch
lager
, which was popular among underage drinkers.
As a promotional offer, Quinnsworth
started offering reduced-price flights to its customers. These were soon given the nickname Yellow Pack Flights.
In the mid 1990s, Power Supermarkets began to phase out the Yellow Pack brand, replacing them with two new brands. Budget products were branded "Five Star" (later "K.V.I" (Keenest Value in Ireland)), and a more upmarket "Premium Choice" brand created for higher quality goods. After the acquisition of the Irish business by Tesco
, the brand was completely replaced by Tesco own-brands, including the similar in concept Tesco Value, using white rather than yellow packaging).
Tesco Value had been developed (as "Value Lines") in 1981, as Tesco's answer in Britain to Yellow Packs. Derived from the company's Victor Value chain, Tesco's Value range has, since the early 1980's played a consistent, though minor, role in Tesco's repertoire of private brands.
Fine Fare
Fine Fare was the name of a chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom. It was famous for its Yellow Pack budget own-label range.-History:The company started as a single supermarket in Brighton in 1956. It was one of a series of convenience store chains established in the 1950s, the others being...
, a British regional supermarket chain ultimately owned by the Weston family
Weston family
The Weston family of Canada and the United Kingdom are prominent businesspeople with global interests in food and clothing businesses. The family operations began with the founding of a bakery in Toronto, Ontario by George Weston....
, whose extensive interests include the UK's Associated British Foods, Loblaws Companies in North America, and a range of upmarket retailers such as Selfridges
Selfridges
Selfridges, AKA Selfridges & Co, is a chain of high end department stores in the United Kingdom. It was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge. The flagship store in London's Oxford Street is the second largest shop in the UK and was opened on 15 March 1909.More recently, three other stores have been...
, Brown Thomas
Brown Thomas
Brown Thomas & Company Limited is a chain of four Irish department stores, located in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick. Owned by Wittington Investments, Brown Thomas is an upmarket chain, akin to Canada's Holt Renfrew chain and Britain's Selfridges stores, which are also controlled by the Weston...
and Fortnum & Mason
Fortnum & Mason
Fortnum & Mason, often shortened to just "Fortnum's" is a department store, situated in central London, with two other branches in Japan. Its headquarters is located at 181 Piccadilly, where it was established in 1707 by William Fortnum and Hugh Mason...
.
Distinctively packaged in yellow with aggressive black print, under a brand name ("YelLOW PRICE Packs") invented in January 1980 by the Collett Dickenson Pearce
Collett Dickenson Pearce
Collett Dickenson Pearce & Partners emerged from the "Swinging London" cultural shifts of the 1960s as Britain's most glamorous and influential advertising agency, generally regarded as one of the finest advertising agencies in the world during the 1970s...
advertising agency, Yellow Packs, unlike previous generic grocery launches in North America and Europe, were positioned, next to a modestly successful own-label range, as the cheapest version of the product concerned available in Britain.
In most cases, this involved product or packaging re-engineering, or uncovering of new sources. The range's colour scheme design was derived from the No Frills brand of generics launched a year or two earlier by Fine Fare's Canadian sister grocery chain, Toronto-based Loblaws.
The Yellow Pack brand was reasonably successful, accounting for 30% of the chain's grocery sales by the time Fine Fare was acquired by the Dee Corporation – then mostly trading as Gateway, now Somerfield – in mid 1986. It was then discontinued in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
In the meantime, after initial internal hostility to someone else's idea, the range was adopted by Fine fare's Irish sister company, Quinnsworth, where it featured heavily in advertising presented by Quinnsworth's advertising manager, Maurice Pratt. Whereas in Fine Fare's Scottish and Teeside heartland, Yellow Packs had merely been a successful product launch, they acquired a semi-iconic status in Ireland, and were extended throughout Quinnsworth's affiliate chains within the Power supermarket group (such as Stewarts
Stewarts
Stewarts Supermarket Limited was a supermarket chain in Northern Ireland. The chain was purchased by Tesco in 1997. -Stewarts/Crazy Prices:...
and Crazy Prices
Crazy Prices
Crazy Prices was a supermarket chain operating in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland formerly owned by Associated British Foods...
in Northern Ireland and Crazy Prices
Crazy Prices
Crazy Prices was a supermarket chain operating in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland formerly owned by Associated British Foods...
in the Republic).
The term "Yellow Pack" became a generic term for cheap products or low-paid jobs in Ireland.
Among the brand's most notable Irish products was an extremely cheap Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
lager
Lager
Lager is a type of beer made from malted barley that is brewed and stored at low temperatures. There are many types of lager; pale lager is the most widely-consumed and commercially available style of beer in the world; Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Märzen are all styles of lager...
, which was popular among underage drinkers.
As a promotional offer, Quinnsworth
Tesco Ireland
Tesco Ireland is the Irish arm of supermarket group Tesco. It was formed in Tesco plc's 1997 takeover of the Irish retailing operations of Associated British Foods, namely Powers' Supermarkets Limited and its subsidiaries, trading as Quinnsworth and Crazy Prices.Tesco operates supermarkets under...
started offering reduced-price flights to its customers. These were soon given the nickname Yellow Pack Flights.
In the mid 1990s, Power Supermarkets began to phase out the Yellow Pack brand, replacing them with two new brands. Budget products were branded "Five Star" (later "K.V.I" (Keenest Value in Ireland)), and a more upmarket "Premium Choice" brand created for higher quality goods. After the acquisition of the Irish business by Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, the brand was completely replaced by Tesco own-brands, including the similar in concept Tesco Value, using white rather than yellow packaging).
Tesco Value had been developed (as "Value Lines") in 1981, as Tesco's answer in Britain to Yellow Packs. Derived from the company's Victor Value chain, Tesco's Value range has, since the early 1980's played a consistent, though minor, role in Tesco's repertoire of private brands.