Independent convenience is the most misunderstood channel in UK FMCG. There, we said it.
Not because people don’t care. Not because it’s small. But because for years, nobody has really been able to see it properly. What’s actually happening store by store has been hidden behind assumptions, averages, and a lot of educated guesswork.
Which is the long way of saying in the world of independent convenience, we don’t know what we don’t know.
Two guesses as to where we’re going with this... 😉
In 2026, Retail Spotlight is merging with In Touch Group.
It's a perfect marriage of Retail Spotlight's deep, store-level visibility across the independent estate with In Touch Group's long-standing expertise working directly with retailers and brands on the ground.
This is exciting news for brands that want to play in the independent convenience space. At long last, we can offer brands the visibility that's been so sorely lacking in independent convenience to know what's working and why.
Independent convenience is a fascinating, fast-moving and incredibly dynamic channel.
It’s where challenger brands get their first real momentum. Where new formats prove themselves quickly. Where small and mid-sized brands find opportunities that simply don’t exist in big retail.
The problem has never been a lack of opportunity. The problem has been knowing where to look, and why something is working in one place and not another.
This is where Retail Spotlight shines.
Independent convenience is moving fast. Brands don’t have time to wait six months to work out whether a launch is landing, whether distribution is holding, or whether an activation is doing anything more than looking good on a slide.
At the end of the day, brands playing in the independent store space all want the same thing and it’s pretty straightforward:
With visibility across 13,000+ independent convenience stores, plus 1,000+ vape and pharmacy stores, Retail Spotlight gives brands that clarity.
This next chapter is deliberately focused on challenger and mid-tier brands – the ones who can’t afford to move slowly and don’t want to.
Some brands will work directly with Retail Spotlight. Others will come through trusted partners. Many will mix and match depending on what they’re trying to solve. That flexibility is intentional. Independent convenience isn’t a one-size-fits-all channel, and working with it shouldn’t feel like one either.
The goal is simple: help brands understand what’s working, where it’s working, and why — while there’s still time to act.
