Spar wholesaler AF Blakemore has pledged to invest £3m to bring independent retailers savings worth an average of £7,000 per store.

Spar retailers supplied by Blakemore and Capper, which merged in March, will have the option to sign up to its terms package, the Retail Partners Programme, and benefit from reduced prices on more than 100 key lines, zero distribution charges, and a £1,500 additional marketing investment per store.

Improvements to the terms package, which was launched last year, will equate to a saving of £7,000 for every non-terms store, and an additional £2,500 for those retailers already signed up to the scheme.

Blakemore trading director Mike Boardman, who announced the deal at the wholesaler’s 2011 conference at the Hilton Metropole at Birmingham’s NEC last month, said: "It’s a great scheme and all retailers have to do is embrace our retail disciplines, planograms and promotions and show us loyalty."

Also at the event, Spar managing director Jerry Marwood said too many retailers were still missing out on opportunities to sell fresh produce, which only accounts for 3% of total sales in Spar stores, despite growing demand. Other announcements included a 25% reduction in Guild fees for all Blakemore and Capper retailers.