Inaugural Paperchase At Tesco card, stationery and gift collection debuts in 120 stores
Tesco has launched its inaugural collection of greeting cards, stationery, celebrations and gifting products featuring the Paperchase brand, which will go into 120 of its stores and online – just nine months after acquiring the name from the administrative receivers.
“Paperchase is a well-loved brand by so many, and we’re proud to bring it to selected Tesco stores across the UK,” said Sam Ody, Tesco’s lead buying manager of everyday cards.
“We’ve really thought about the heritage of the brand and made sure we have thought about how this translates through design to the way it looks on the fixture, creating a destination for customers.”
The new collection made its striking debut in Tesco’s flagship store in Cheshunt on Monday, 30 October and is due to be rolled out into a further 119 stores over the next week or so.
Making its presence felt and echoing the former stationery retailer’s vibe, a colourful illuminated Paperchase sign hangs over the product selection in the Cheshunt store, with the collection displayed on feature tables as well as floor-standing fixtures, with swirling stripy floor graphics further heightening the impact.
This first Paperchase At Tesco product launch spans four core ranges – Rainbow, Pastel Ombre, Artful Scribbles and Confetti – covering a wide range of stationery products, and a card selection that’s being promoted as: “There’s a greeting card for everyone in the Paperchase collection, whether shoppers are looking for something funny or meaningful.”
To coincide with the launch Tesco commissioned research on what a person’s stationery choice says about them, from the notebook they choose to the pens they write with and even the colours and patterns they prefer.
Findings from Opinium research across a nationally representative sample of 2,000 over-18s in the UK in October highlighted that the nation’s top three stationery staples are notebooks and writing pads (33%), ball point and soft touch pens (30%), and marker pens (19%).
Meanwhile, when it comes to choosing greeting cards, the data confirmed the UK is a nation of jokers, as the majority typically pick humorous cards for loved ones such as children (24%), siblings (38%), partners (33%) and friends (33%), while 30% say they buy humorous cards for colleagues.
The findings also show a north/south divide over sentimentality with Liverpudlians coming out as the true softies as 35% said they typically buy cards with a meaningful message or poem inside compared with only 21% of Londoners – and Tesco reckon the least soppy city is Bristol where just 11% opt for a design with sentiment.
Ally Rose, director for homeware at Tesco, said: “We know Paperchase lovers will be pleased to see their favourite stationery brand again, and we’re excited to be making these premium, design-led products available to Tesco customers, to spread a little more joy.
“With a variety of trends available in the range we’re making it easy for shoppers to express themselves and find something to suit their individual personality whilst doing their weekly shop – whether that’s someone who loves working with bright neon colours, a detailed organiser who prefers neutrals or something in-between. It’s brilliant to see all the beautiful colours and designs coming to life both in our stores and online.”
