Enter
How to Enter
The Grocer Gold Awards has a range of categories to recognise and reward the achievements of individuals, colleagues and companies of all shapes and size within the sector.
The awards are judged by industry experts, at the personal invitation of The Grocer. Great care is taken to avoid conflicts of interest, and The Grocer requires all judges to sign a non-disclosure form.
Below is a list of the categories that are available for self-entry, while also noting special awards based on independent research conducted by or on behalf of The Grocer. When you click on the category you want to enter you will find more details on criteria for each award.
To enter an award, you need to create and activate an account.
Once you’ve activated the account there will be a set of questions to answer for each category. This will make it easier for you to formulate your answer with the information that we require from you.
Self Entry Categories
Product & Range Awards
Whether it’s a relaunch/reformulation/brand extension, or simply via a new or better commercial or marketing approach, this award recognises outstanding performance by an alcoholic drinks brand in response to changing trade or consumer needs. Soft drinks include hot beverages.
This award is open to UK-based grocery suppliers who have, in the opinion of the judges, done the most to grow their business outside the UK, either through product or sales channel development or both.
Whether it’s a relaunch/reformulation/brand extension, or simply via a new or better commercial or marketing approach, this award recognises outstanding performance by a chilled, ambient or frozen food brand in response to changing trade or consumer needs.
Whether it’s a relaunch/reformulation/brand extension, or simply via a new or better commercial or marketing approach, this award recognises outstanding performance by a household goods brand in response to changing trade or consumer needs.
Whether it’s a new range, an enhancement to a range, or a complete relaunch/redesign, this award is for a single or multi-category own-brand proposition developed by a grocery retailer or wholesaler that has achieved outstanding performance in the period in response to changing trade or consumer needs and opportunities.
Whether it’s a relaunch/reformulation/brand extension, or simply via a new or better commercial or marketing approach, this award recognises outstanding performance by an established personal care brand in response to changing trade or consumer needs.
Whether it’s a relaunch/reformulation/brand extension, or simply via a new or better commercial or marketing approach, this award recognises outstanding performance by a petfood brand in response to changing trade or consumer needs.
Whether it's a relaunch/reformulation/brand extension, or simply via a new or better commercial or marketing approach, this award recognises outstanding performance by an established fmcg brand in response to changing trade or consumer needs. Entrants for the SME Brand of the Year must confirm that the parent company's UK sales do not exceed £50m.
Whether it’s a relaunch/reformulation/brand extension, or simply via a new or better commercial or marketing approach, this award recognises outstanding performance by a soft drinks brand in response to changing trade or consumer needs. Soft drinks include hot beverages.
This award is for a new venture that is already capturing the imagination of consumers and the trade, and successfully meeting a marketplace need or problem, through an innovative new product or approach. Entrants must be product-based and founded within the past 24 months.
Initiatives
Open to multiples, symbol groups, independent retailers, wholesalers, or suppliers working in partnership with the grocery trade. The entry must be business facing (eg. a new sales and marketing partnership, in-house training programme, recruitment drive, B2B loyalty/membership scheme, or supply chain development).
The judges will be looking for the retailer, supplier and/or manufacturer who has done the most to capture the imagination, earn the admiration, and win the loyalty and business of shoppers. Examples might involve a promotion, a loyalty card, a new store format.
This award is for the retailer, wholesaler or supplier that has brought the most tangible and meaningful improvements to the e-commerce operations in the past year. Entries can be submitted by the companies themselves or via third-party suppliers or consultants.
Whether you’re a major multiple, a multinational manufacturer, a wholesaler, distribution centre, independent store, SME supplier or otherwise, if you operate in FMCG and you have a captivating story around sustainability to tell – that features impressive results – enter this award.
This award is for an initiative that has brought the most tangible and meaningful improvements to the supply chain operations and offer of a retailer, manufacturer or wholesaler in the 12-month period covered by these awards. Entries can be submitted by the companies themselves or via third-party suppliers or consultants.
It could be a mobile app or a traditional software or hardware solution. It could be consumer facing or B2B. We want to reward the technology solutions delivered either in-house or with the help of third-party suppliers or consultants that has most meaningfully boosted the sales, profitability, effectiveness and/or reputation of a grocery/FMCG retailer, supplier or wholesaler.
This award was introduced in 2017 in support of the major food waste campaign launched by The Grocer. It’s open to retailers and manufacturers whose innovative and collaborative approaches and/or exhaustive investigation of their own supply chain has delivered the most compelling results.
Retailer, Supplier & Wholesaler Awards
Open to supermarkets and online-only operators who sell a comprehensive range of products across multiple grocery-related categories in at least five counties.
This award is for online or mail order-focused retailers who specialise in a particular or small number of grocery-related categories or services.
Open to suppliers with multiple brands and/or operations in multiple categories.
Open to suppliers with multiple products and/or operations in multiple categories.
Open to symbol group operators, franchise owners and fascia groups operating in the convenience/forecourt retail market.
This award is open to multiple retailers whose grocery sales must exceed 30% of total sales.
Open to cash & carry, delivered or foodservice wholesalers with operations across the UK.
Open to cash & carry, delivered or foodservice wholesalers who operate in a limited number of regions within the UK.
Open to cash & carry, delivered or foodservice wholesalers who operate in a single or specialist category or whose service is hyper local.
People Awards
Open to retailers, wholesalers and grocery manufacturers, this award is for the employer who, in the past year, has done the most to create a positive working environment, motivating, redirecting and training its people, and improving the company's reputation and performance in the process.
This award is for a leader in grocery/FMCG retail, wholesale or supply who has recognised an opportunity or met an unsatisfied demand and shown the necessary commitment, leadership and self-belief either to create a new and successful business, or to radically improve or turn around the performance of an existing one.
This award recognises an outstanding contribution by a factory manager in any type of UK-based grocery supply operation, including finished goods (branded and own-label), non-food and packing facilities.
Special Categories
This award is based on proprietary consumer research conducted by Nielsen.
Awards for price, service and availability are based on proprietary mystery shopper research conducted by The Grocer.
A store manager selected by each of the leading retailers from winners of The Grocer 33 Store of the Week competition are asked to present their case and answer questions on their case to a panel of distinguished judges.