Drinks Supermarket of the Year Awards

Awards dedicated to the supermarket sector

The IWSC's Drinks Supermarket of the Year Awards sets the gold standard of excellence in large-scale drinks retailing.

These new awards are designed to not only spotlight exemplary achievements but also to celebrate those supermarkets that stand as pivotal partners within the drinks industry, propelling both growth and innovation.

The Awards

The IWSC is the oldest drinks competition in the world. During our 55 years, the brand has built a respected global drinks community, that is at the heart of this ever-changing industry. We are excited to launch our inaugural awards dedicated to the supermarket sector.

This new recognition program will provide a holistic evaluation of supermarkets' alcoholic beverage offerings, inclusive of non-alcoholic alternatives, reflecting the diversity and evolving preferences of consumers.

Expert Judges

  • Cat Lomax has held prominent buying and senior trading roles across key premium wine retailers in the UK market, with an illustrious career spanning renowned establishments such as Laithwaites, Waitrose, Majestic, and most recently Marks & Spencer.
  • Anne Jones has worked in the wine and spirits industry since 2008, most recently she was the Category Manager for Wines, Beers and Spirits at Waitrose, before moving to the company’s Drinks Experience position.
  • David Kermode is a prolific contributor to leading publications such as The Buyer and Club Oenologique and a familiar face on television and BBC radio, where he shares his passion and knowledge, captivating listeners with his engaging discussions about wine and spirits.
  • Ivan Dixon began his career in independent wine retail before moving to Harvey Nichols to work as an Assistant Buyer, and then moving to the position of Head Spirits Buyer. During his time at Harvey Nichols, Ivan developed a highly successful own-label range under the HN guise.

Supermarket Categories

Supermarkets will be split into the following categories, with judges choosing a winner within each category, plus an overall winner that will be named the IWSC’s 2025 Outstanding Drinks Supermarket of the Year:

  • Classic Supermarkets                                          
  • Convenience Supermarkets
  • Discounters
  • Regional/Specialist Supermarkets
  • Online Supermarkets
  • Rapid Grocery Delivery Category

IWSC’s 6-Part Judging Framework

Each judge will be assigned a number of drinks supermarkets, employing the IWSC’s 6-Part Judging Framework:

  1. Range, quality and innovation
  2. Commercial performance and strategy
  3. In-store experience
  4. Online experience
  5. Trade and consumer engagement
  6. Extra, value-add services

Additionally, a Sustainable Supermarket award will be granted to a supermarket that has gone above and beyond in their quest to minimise their carbon footprint and improve their environmental credentials.

Results

The judging process has already started, and following many more months of meticulous judging, the results of the Drinks Supermarket of the Year Awards will be announced at the start of 2025, along with a comprehensive report on the IWSC website, ranking each supermarket within the 6 areas of our judging framework.

Stay tuned for more details on our full results announcement.