SLR July 2025 Edition

ACROSS 8PMP, 10, 12, 15 PACKS

ARRESTING PROGRESS

Retail Crime Taskforce arrests 30 in Edinburgh

50TH CELEBRATIONS

Bestway marks 50th birthday TIME FOR CHANGE

Chris Gallacher talks Time acquisition

RACETRACK ROARS

Sud family claims Scottish

Local Retailer of the Year title!

STOCK UP WITH FUMI.

NEWS

06 Legislation The Scottish Government announces HFSS regulations that will come into force next autumn.

07 Awards The Sud family’s Racetrack chain takes pole position at this year’s SLR Awards.

08 Crime Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce make 30 arrests in Edinburgh.

09 Safety New Food Standards Scotland guidance advises that slush drinks should not be given to under-sevens.

10 Tech United Wholesale (Scotland) starts installing digital gaming screens in its Day-Today stores.

11 Security Forecourt staff report less customer aggression after Certas Energy invests £48,000 in bodycams.

12 News Extra Vaping C-stores lost more than £5m of vape sales during the first week of the disposables ban, with Scotland hardest hit.

30 Product News Cadbury paints a Big Win-Win winner’s store purple while Rollover teams up with Superman.

32 Off-Trade News Tennent’s braves the summer with its new campaign and there’s a van up for grabs as CCEP promotes its RTD range with a retailer competition.

INSIDE BUSINESS

35 Checkout Scotland Peter Andre has been confirmed as joint headliner for the GroceryAid event, along with Scottish chart-topper Callum Beattie.

36 SLR Awards Retailer of the Year A wander round their Racetrack Wishaw store soon reveals why the Sud family took the top prize at the SLR Awards.

40 Crime Chief Inspector Jackie Knight tells SLR how Police Scotland is taking a multi-pronged approach to retail crime.

43 The Big Interview Chris Gallacher SLR catches up with the United Wholesale (Scotland) boss to hear about the group’s growth and development plans.

46 Advertising Feature Bestway marks 50 years of supporting independent retailers across Scotland and the UK.

48 Healthy Living Programme SLR attends a Healthy Living Programme Welby Breakfast and sees first hand how local retailers are making a difference in their communities.

50 Hotlines The latest new products and media campaigns.

62 Under The Counter The Auld Boy blows the stoor off his CV and applies for a new job.

FEATURES

52 Retail Tech From digital screens to parcel lockers, retailers are embracing new technology to give their stores the edge.

56 Back To School Which lunchbox additions can grow sales whilst providing consumers with a nutritional boost?

MSPs back Tobacco and Vapes Bill

MSPs have passed a Legislative Consent Motion (LCM) for the UK Government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The legislation will raise the age of sale of tobacco by one year every year so that anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, will never legally be sold tobacco. It will also see restrictions on vape advertising, as well as powers to restrict flavours, display and packaging. The Bill is currently at Committee stage in the House of Lords.

Survival concerns for Scottish retail SMEs

Four in five (86%) small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Scottish retail sector believe the viability of their business is at risk over the next 12 months, according to new research from law firm Aberdein Considine. The pressure from policy and taxation was problematic for many, with nearly a third (31%) of retail businesses surveyed listing Scottish Government policy changes as the biggest challenge to business growth. Supply chain disruptions were noted by almost a quarter (24%) of retail SMEs as one of the biggest financial challenges to their operations.

JET’s Wheel Spins returns

Wheel Spins is touring service stations for another year with a brand-new presenter: live sports broadcaster and content creator Laura Barraclough. JET customers will be guaranteed a prize for every spin, with even more chances to win money off their fuel.

Co-op runs post-cyber attack ‘thank you’ discount

Co-op launched a week-long thank you discount last month for its 6.5 million members in gratitude for their support during the firm’s recent cyber attack. Members received a 25% discount when they spent £40. The announcement came as Coop’s 2,300 food stores returned to usual trading.

Meal deals swerve Scottish HFSS regs

e Scottish Government has announced plans for regulations on products that are High in Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS) to be laid in parliament this autumn, but previously proposed restrictions on meal deals and temporary price reductions will not go ahead.

e regulations are expected to come into force in autumn 2026 and will align with policy in England and Wales.

e restrictions will a ect businesses with 50 or more employees, but symbol group retailers are not exempt.

e regulations will restrict the promotion of prepacked food and drink products within targeted HFSS food categories, such as confectionery, cakes, crisps, and sugary so drinks.

ey will restrict price promotions of HFSS products, such as multi-buy o ers (buy one get one free, two for a pound etc.) and free re lls of so drinks with added sugar.

However, meal deals and temporary price reductions (e.g. 20% o for a de ned length of time) are excluded from the proposals.

Stores measuring 2,000sq and above will also have to restrict displaying HFSS food and drink in prominent locations including: checkout areas, end of aisles, covered external areas and store entrances.

TRENDS

But free-standing displays will not be subject to restriction.

Deputy Head of the Scottish Retail Consortium, Ewan MacDonald-Russell, said: “ is announcement is a sensible compromise balancing the need for a public health intervention with the economic impact. “ ere remain enormous challenges from the impact of diet and obesity in Scotland. e best way to tackle those problems is by the government and industry working together to make Scotland a healthier and wealthier nation.”

Scots go loopy for Labubu dolls

Independents have been quick to latch on to the latest TikTok trend for Labubu dolls. Zahid Iqbal of Day-Today Drylaw has sold 11,000 of the mini monsters “They keep selling out,” he said. “People are buying one, two, three, sometimes 10 [at a time]! We’ve actually had people coming in and offering to pay us in advance for them.”

He has been maintaining momentum by running like and share competitions on the dolls, which cost him £6.50 and sell for £10. “We have a big Facebook following and anything that is trending, they’ll get it. I’ve just ordered another 5,000 and half of them have already been reserved.”

Faraz Iqbal of Linktown Local in Kirkcaldy has also seen success. “I’d seen them on social media and one of my customers asked if we could get them,” he said. “We bought a couple of boxes, and they sold out in an hour.”

He has since ordered another 10 boxes. “Some of the packs are sealed because customers want the surprise of not knowing the colour,” he noted.

A supervisor at South Parks Local Premier in Glenrothes added: “We got them in recently and we sold out within a couple of hours. They are extremely ugly, but I’ve seen them on TikTok, so it’s kids being kids and wanting them.”

Jolly Rancher Hard Candy unsafe and illegal to sell

Retailers have been advised by the Food Standards Agency to stop importing and selling a number of Jolly Rancher products, due to unsafe ingredients that are not compliant with UK laws.

Unsafe Jolly Rancher lines include Hard Candy, ‘Mis ts’ Gummies, Hard Candy Fruity 2 in 1 and Berry Gummies.

e sweets are thought to present a risk to health because they contain Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons (MOAH), as well as Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons (MOSH). Consumption of the a ected sweets is of toxicological concern, especially in younger age groups and where consumers eat a lot of the products or eat them regularly.

Racetrack in pole position at SLR Awards

Shamly Sud and family’s Racetrack chain roared to victory at the SLR Awards on 4 June, taking home the coveted Scottish Local Retailer of the Year title in addition to the four awards that its new store in Wishaw won.

SLR Publishing Director Antony Begley said the Sud family had “rewritten the rule book” for convenience retailing.

Hailing their approach as “big, bold and banging,” Begley said the family’s “unique vision is backed up by a huge commitment to investing in their stores and creating not so much convenience stores as mindblowing retail experiences. ere’s nobody else in the UK doing what they do.”

Racetrack Wishaw (Premier) triumphed in four of its

COMMUNITY

eight shortlisted categories: Confectionery, So Drinks, Vaping, and – in a rare tie for the SLR Awards – New Store.

e judges were unable to separate it from Premier Dunbar, which also won the O -Trade Retailer of the Year Award for former sommelier Shiva Kumar.

David’s Kitchen Glenrothes (Spar) also celebrated a brace of wins, for Food-To-Go and Fresh & Chilled. is marks the third year in a row Kyle Fernie’s store has taken the Food-To-Go title.

It was a similar story in the Sustainability Retailer of the Year category, with Moira Dean and her team celebrating Premier DUSA’s hat trick of consecutive wins.

e evening also saw the presentation of two special awards.

Spar retailers win Pride of Scotland award

Asiyah and Jawad Javed of Spar A&J Alloa Road Shop in Stenhousemuir have won a Pride of Scotland Special Recognition Award for their incredible community work.

e couple got the surprise of their lives back in May when Sanjeev Kholi, who played Navid the shopkeeper in Still Game, entered the store to announce that the retailers had won.

“We were thinking, ‘Why is he even here? How did this happen?’ We couldn’t believe it!” Asiyah told SLR.

e couple has donated more than £100,000-worth of food and medical assistance since the pandemic.

Asiyah regularly visits nursing homes to chat with the elderly and drop o treats. She also works with Falkirk Council, who get in touch if they know of people struggling to access food.

e Sadiq family, which recently celebrated 40 years in the industry, were the recipients of a Special Recognition Award for consistently keeping their stores at the leading edge of local retailing – no easy feat.

e Lifetime Achievement Award went to Adbul Majid, described by Begley as: “An absolute stalwart of the industry, a hugely successful retailer, a driving force at the SGF, and one of the most engaged retailers in Scotland.”

e SLR Awards was once again held in the Radisson blu hotel in Glasgow. It was hosted by Scottish wrestling legend and TV personality Grado, whose on-stage antics had the audience in stitches.

See our full awards coverage, which starts on p16.

AWARDS

Baba’s Kitchen gives SLR a cartoon makeover

SLR Team of the Year, Baba’s Kitchen in Bellshill, gave customers a giggle, whilst highlighting their recent award wins, when they used AI to turn SLR into a comic for a social media post.

The images show the store’s team members picking up accolades at our 2025 SLR Awards and SLR’s Above and Beyond Awards. With Amy Bennett nabbing an Up and Coming Star award for her customer engagement skills while Reece Beattie picked up a Business Booster award for his tech wizardry, it’s no surprise the store is a social media smash with over 5.7k Facebook followers.

Martin Swadling joins C-Store Collective

Convenience retail consultancy, C-Store Collective, has named Martin Swadling as its newest Associate. With more than three decades of experience in convenience store operations and supply chain management, Swadling joins C-Store Collective following a distinguished tenure at Booker, where at various times he ran the Premier and Londis symbol groups.

Scotland

gets extra £2.9bn in spending review

UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ 2025 Spending Review saw the Scottish Government allocated an average of £50.9bn per year. This includes an additional £2.9bn annually through the Barnett formula, highlighted the Scottish Grocers’ Federation. However, Finance Secretary Shona Robison MSP claimed the review had failed to deliver for Scotland, accusing the UK Government of “treating Scotland as an afterthought”.

Spar Scotland’s football cup attracts 3,000 girls

The 2025 Spar Future Stars Cup football tournament attracted record participation of 3,000 schoolgirls from across the country, with registrations up 30% to 282 teams, versus 2024’s 218. The competition concluded on 3 June at Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld, where Braidhurst High School was crowned national champion in both S1/S2 and S3/S4 competitions.

Nearly one in five vapers to return to smoking

Following the vape ban, 19% of vapers plan to go back to smoking, while 24% plan to switch to refillable vapes and 37% plan to quit vaping, according to new research by Confused.com. Of those planning to stop vaping, 18% claim they’ll use nicotine products to help them quit.

Local legends celebrated

Greenock shoplifter jailed

A 44-year-old Greenock man has been sentenced to eight months for shoplifting throughout Inverclyde. Thomas Steele was sentenced at Greenock Sheriff Court on 6 June.

Inspector Paul Thompson said: “Thomas [Steele] is a prolific shoplifter in the Inverclyde area, with his actions having a detrimental effect on local businesses. This result is welcomed and should give the local businesses the respite they deserve from his offending.

“We hope this result will reassure local businesses and their customers that we take this type of offending seriously.”

Edinburgh Day of Action sees three charged Retailers Against Crime, in partnership with Police Scotland, held a successful Day of Action in Edinburgh city centre on Tuesday 17 June. Working with local retailers, 14 police officers and more than 20 Loss Prevention personnel targeted and disrupted the activities of prolific retail crime offenders operating in the area.

Over 13 stop and searches were carried out, including seven related to stolen property. Three individuals were charged, while one was arrested with the offender released on an undertaking not to enter the city centre. Stolen goods valued at over £400 were recovered and there were three intelligence entries submitted to the Secure Intelligence Database.

Aberdeenshire police nail thieves

Fraserburgh CPT and Peterhead CIU have recovered over £4,000 worth of stolen goods and charged two males in connection with shoplifting.

Police Sergeant Jenni Taylor said: “Shoplifting is not a victimless crime – it harms our local businesses and communities. It will not be tolerated, and we are committed to tackling this type of offending.”

Retail Crime Taskforce officers make 30 arrests in Edinburgh

In the rst 10 weeks since Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce was launched, its three uniformed o cers working in Edinburgh have made 30 arrests, resulting in approximately 162 charges. Accumulatively, three of those arrests resulted in o enders being remanded in custody, and several others resulted in bail conditions whereby restrictions were imposed regarding relevant retail premises and then wider areas, including city centre exclusion. e approximate value of the s relating to those arrests was in excess of £21,000.

During the same period, the three o cers have assisted with 110 identi cations for ongoing investigations and therea er provided coordination and advice in respect of the progression of those separate investigations.

TECH

Intelligent platform connects crimes

One successful initiative supported by the Taskforce is the new Shopwatch information sharing scheme between city centre stores in Edinburgh.

A total of 52 stores on Princes Street, St James Quarter and the surrounding areas have been provided with radios so that they can communicate with other businesses whenever a crime or suspicious activity takes place.

Scotland’s travelling retail criminals tracked down by RAC

Retailers Against Crime’s (RAC’s) Sentry SIS tool has been used to connect multiple crimes across Scotland and identify travelling shopli ers.

e Sentry SIS system, which sees users share realtime information about the s with fellow retailers, RAC and the police, has linked 34 di erent crime reports across Scotland to one o ender.

Another man – involved in high-value toiletries the – has been identi ed as responsible for 18 di erent crime reports. A third male has been linked with seven crimes across the north-east of Scotland.

e information was revealed at an intelligence brie ng in Aberdeen.

Detective Inspector Andrew Machray of Police Scotland said: “We are dealing with more and more travelling criminals and organised crime groups and, by working alongside RAC and using SentrySIS, we have been able to liaise with retailers and identify patterns of crime which have led to the successful apprehension of several individuals involved in high-value crimes.

“ e intelligence from SentrySIS and the direct links with retailers is invaluable when it comes to detecting crime trends and patterns which can be recognised across various police divisions.”

In the six weeks from the beginning of May to mid-June, SentrySIS has identi ed 274 o enders UK-wide, with 187 detected in May and a further 87 in the rst two weeks of June.

e City of Edinburgh Council CCTV team were also provided with a radio to monitor transmissions and follow individuals believed to be involved in retail crime on the city centre’s CCTV network. Information has then been communicated to Edinburgh o cers, including those within the Taskforce, so they can more quickly respond to ongoing incidents.

Since April, when Shopwatch began, eight people have been reported to the Fiscal, having been arrested following information shared between stores, the CCTV team, and Edinburgh Division o cers.

Five of these individuals were charged in connection with shopli ing o ences, while another was charged for an assault.

CRIME Seven arrested for 186 shoplifting offences at Dundee garage

Five women and two men have been arrested for 186 alleged shoplifting offences at the BP garage in Kingsway, Dundee. Police received the theft reports between Friday 26 February and Wednesday 28 May 2025, and seven people, aged between 29 and 50 years old, were identified as having carried out the crimes.

All involved are now the subject of a report to the Procurator Fiscal.

Sergeant Stuart Paton, Lochee Community Policing Team, said: “We will continue to work closely with local retailers and would encourage those in the retail sector to come forward and report any criminal activity directed towards them.”

CRIME

No slush to undersevens, says FSS

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has updated its voluntary guidance, advising that slush ice drinks containing glycerol should not be sold to children aged under seven.

is is an update to industry guidance issued in August 2023, which stated that it should not be sold to children under ve.

FSS also continues to advise that free re ll promotions should not be o ered to under-10s to prevent them from being exposed to excessive amounts of glycerol.

e change is based on an updated risk assessment incorporating information from recent glycerol intoxication incidents and assessing the impact of one serving of slush (350ml) on children with a lower-than-average body weight for their age.

is most recent risk assessment takes a more precautionary approach than an initial one conducted in 2023, which was based on average body weight.

e guidance was presented at the latest FSS Board meeting on Wednesday 18 June. e Board was also asked to provide a view on longer-term options to help manage glycerol intake in young children supporting an enhanced voluntary approach.

Head of Science at FSS, Jacqui McElhiney, said: “ e updated risk assessment highlights that younger children, particularly those with lower body weight, are more vulnerable to the e ects of

Store named and shamed

glycerol. We’re advising that these drinks should not be consumed by children under seven to minimise the risk of harm.

“Parents, carers and businesses all play an important role in helping to ensure that slush ice drinks are consumed safely.”

Slush ice drinks can contain glycerol as a substitute for sugar to prevent them from freezing solid. Businesses are advised to only add glycerol at the minimum quantity technically necessary to achieve the slush e ect.

While symptoms of glycerol intoxication are usually mild, when consumed at high levels, glycerol can cause shock, very low blood sugar levels and unconsciousness in young children.

e updated advice applies to ready-to-drink slush ice drinks with glycerol in pouches and home kits containing glycerol slush concentrates. Information on the glycerol content, or a contact for the manufacturer for further information should be included on the label.

e Day-Today Express store on Hope Street in Glasgow has been named and shamed and ned tens of thousands of pounds by the UK Government for deliberately unpaid tax.

e store faces a penalty of £79,055.40, based on tax amounting to £131,759 for a period of default running from 1 January 2020 to 30 June 2023.

e store’s details were published on HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC’s) current list of “deliberate tax defaulters,” which was published on 18 June. According to HMRC, tax defaulters are people who have received penalties either for deliberate errors in their tax returns or deliberately failing to comply with their tax obligations.

Day-Today fined £79k+ over deliberately unpaid tax UK, 18+ only. 28/04/25 -17/08/25. T&Cs apply. See packs for details. www.cricket.everyonein.co.uk

Image generated byDeepAI.

SWA Achievers Awards 2026 launch

Entries are open for the Scottish Wholesale Association’s Achievers Awards 2026, with each people category now receiving additional monetary rewards. As well as £1,000 going to the overall winner of each people category, in 2026 there will also be £500 awarded to each runner-up and £250 for each highly commended winner.

Warm May heats up takehome sales

A sunny May saw take-home grocery sales in Scotland rise by 5.5% over the four weeks to 18 May 2025, according to the latest Kantar data. Lesley-Ann Gray, Strategic Insight Director at Kantar, said: “While much of the growth was driven by inflation, the volume of goods sold also rose, up 1.6% compared to the same period last year. Recordbreaking sunshine seems to have lifted shopper spirits, prompting more frequent visits and greater interest in seasonal products.”

Bestway marks 50 years

Independent wholesaler Bestway is marking its Golden Anniversary with a special celebratory event at the Royal Albert Hall in London next month. Hosted by Founder Sir Anwar Pervez OBE HPk and The Lord Choudrey, CBE SI Pk, Chairman of Bestway Group, the event will commemorate five decades of success.

Access postgrad funding

Convenience store workers and their families can make postgraduate bursary applications for 2025/26 with The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust. The scheme is open to postgraduate students whose parent, carer, or spouse is employed in convenience retail, as well as anyone already working in convenience who wants to fund their own study. Applications are open until 1 September and students can apply to receive up to £5,000.

Day-Today stores launch digital gaming screens

United Wholesale (Scotland) (UWS) has embarked on the digitalisation of its Day-Today stores, installing promotional and interactive Spin To Win screens.

Last month saw more than 15 stores tted out with at least four digital screens each. One of the screens is a gaming touchscreen o ering customers the chance to win products, which will change either weekly or based on promotional cycles.

Customers can Spin To Win a product every 24 hours and the wholesaler can control how many times a customer wins within a set time period. When a customer wins, the screen prints out a voucher for the retailer to scan alongside the prize product. UWS will then credit the retailer for the product they have given away.

e screens, which are installed at zero cost to the retailer, will be wholly controlled by UWS and will run the Day-Today group’s promotions, in addition to paid-for supplier partnerships. UWS can then o er suppliers the option of feedback on customers’ reactions to a particular advert. Retailers must be operating to a high standard and sign a veyear agreement in order to house the screens. UWS hopes to complete installations in 88 eligible stores over the next four months.

“We are leading the way in digital,” Symbol Director Mike Leonard told SLR. “Central control of in-store mechanics will help drive uniformity and compliance across the group and our stores.”

Day-Today retailer, Khalid Iqbal, is looking forward to going digital. “Nobody else has screens like this,” he says. “It’s something special for DayToday retailers.”

DRINKS TO GO

LOTTERY Allwyn thanks Scotland’s indies

Justin King praises Scottish National Lottery retailers

National Lottery operator, Allwyn, has thanked Scotland’s independent retailers for playing their part in raising billions for National Lottery Good Causes.

By selling lottery tickets over the past 30 years, retailers in Scotland have helped to raise over £4.1bn for Scottish causes, which has been distributed to more than 81,000 projects in the country since 1994. is includes £43m to the Kelpies and Helix in Falkirk, £15m to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and £19.1m in funding to the V&A Dundee Scotland, as well as funding to vital grassroots projects in every postcode district.

Former Sainsbury’s CEO and Allwyn Chair, Justin King, said: “Retail is at the heart of our plans to transform e National Lottery over the next 10 years and, with over 4,800 retailers selling e National Lottery in Scotland, we’re grateful for their ongoing support.

“Among all the other positive things they do for our local areas, I’d also like to thank them for the role they play in raising money for National Lottery Good Causes.”

Scotland football stars launch iced coffee at Pinkie Farm

Stars from Scotland Women’s National Football Team visited Pinkie Farm in Musselburgh, East Lothian, to kick off the launch of Barista Bar iced coffee.

Striker Martha Thomas, who has racked up 21 goals for her national team, and midfielder Emma Watson, were filmed showing off their ball skills in-store, as well as using the self-serve Barista Bar machine.

“Having been the first store in Scotland to introduce Barista Bar’s coffee machine, we’re delighted to now also be the first to launch their iced coffee!” said store owner Dan Brown. “Barista Bar is exclusive to CJ Lang & Son Limited in Scotland and gives us a great point of difference in our store – one of the many benefits of being a Spar Scotland retailer!”

Day-Today Anniesland was one of the first stores to have screens installed.

£48k bodycam spend diffuses aggression at Gulf forecourts

Almost three-quarters (73%) of sta working at Certas Energy-owned Gulf forecourts have claimed customers are less aggressive since the company spent nearly £48,000 on bodycams for its workers.

e rm, which has 24 forecourts in Scotland, introduced body cameras at 40 of its company-owned, manned Gulf forecourts, a er a sta survey highlighted concerns around antisocial behaviour on site.

Deborah Hubery, Retail Customer Service Assistant, at Certas Energy, feels safer at work thanks to body-

More than half (55%) of respondents strongly agreed that a daily portion of their time was spent dealing with abusive behaviour, with the same amount saying they encountered one or more instances of physical or verbal threats per week.

Since the introduction of the body cameras, employees unanimously agreed that they felt more reassured wearing the devices, agreeing that there was a de nite need for body-worn cameras for sta .

Mark Harrington, Certas Energy Area Manager for the North East, said: “We want our sta to feel safe and

COMMUNITY

be treated with respect. Abuse should not be part of their working day. We’ve found that simply the presence of the cameras – clipped to sta ’s polo shirts or jackets – has been a huge deterrent against antisocial behaviour and has gone a long way towards making sta feel safer.

“ e cameras have helped my teams feel they aren’t powerless against antisocial behaviour and that there are steps they can safely take to help tackle it.”

Certas Energy invested in almost 100 cameras and associated so ware to safeguard its sta following a successful three-month trial.

e body cameras record in 15-minute intervals and only when switched on by sta when an incident is occurring or about to occur.

Since the introduction of the body cameras across Certas’ company-owned estate there has been an immediate drop in safety incidents and a signi cant boost in sta comfort levels when on shi .

Scottish athletes compete nationally thanks to Saltcoats store manager

SLR Above and Beyond hero Claire Fleming, who manages company-owned Spar Saltcoats in North Ayrshire, has helped local residents achieve their sporting dreams this summer with Spar Scotland sponsorship to attend national competitions.

The caring convenience worker has also gained funding from CJ Lang to install a bleed kit at Saltcoats Beach.

Athlete Nicole Murphy attended the Hyrox World Championships in Chicago last month, while 16-yearold Connor Byrne is representing Scotland in street dancing at the UDO World Championships in Blackpool this August.

Nicole was hugely grateful to Spar Scotland for enabling her to take part in the global fitness race, which combines running and functional fitness workouts. In addition to arranging her sponsorship, Claire also gave Nicole a hamper filled with Spar goodies purchased with vouchers that were gifted to her personally, plus wax melts made by another member of the team. This was then raffled off by Nicole to raise funds for her flight. “Claire has been absolutely amazing throughout all this,” said a grateful Nicole.

Claire told SLR she was “living her best life” when she was helping others. “Being able to help someone achieve their goal is brilliant,” she stated. “Now on to my next challenge!”

Arul Palaniappan opens 30th store

e opening of Premier Forres on the Moray coast marked store number 30 for Arul Palaniappan. Shop tters, Vertex, transformed the former Citroën showroom into a spacious retail outlet, illuminated by batten and halo LEDs.

Forres arrived hot on the heels of Arul’s stunning New Elgin Service Station, which opened in April, boasting an equally impressive array of xtures and ttings.

e entrepreneurial retailer admitted to dragging his feet when it came to making the investment, knowing full well that it would be a costly a air, but he had no qualms about his development process. “If you’ve got a great recipe, just scale it up and make more curries,” he said.

Co-op to roll out Royal Mail lockers

Parcel lockers will begin rolling out to 100 Co-op stores this summer thanks to the retailer’s partnership with Royal Mail. The lockers will allow customers to drop off pre-labelled Royal Mail parcels and returns 24/7. Collection will also be available at the lockers soon.

Treasury Committee calls for mandatory cash acceptance

A Treasury Committee report has advised MPs to seriously consider legislating for mandatory cash acceptance in all shops and services, and urged the government to enhance its oversight of the UK’s ‘access to cash’ infrastructure. James Harris, Managing Director at Volumatic, said: “Cash ensures privacy and inclusion, and it costs a fraction of the amount to process, especially for smaller businesses.”

Victoria Lockie joins Morrisons

Morrisons has welcomed Victoria Lockie as Head of Wholesale – Strategic Projects and Acquisitions. Lockie previously held the position of Retail Director for wholesale buying group Unitas, and prior to that was Head of Retail & Making a Difference Locally Board Trustee at Nisa Retail.

Retailers accuse UK Gov of breaking promises

More than four in five retailers (82%) believe the UK Government has broken its promises to support small businesses, a JTI survey has revealed. Rising business rates, an increase in NI contributions, the proposed generational smoking ban and minimum wage increases have left 70% of retailers feeling “disillusioned” by the Labour Government since it came into power. In fact, 85% of retailers think it will be harder for their business to succeed in 2025 as a result of the new laws and policies proposed.

worn cameras.

Scottish Grocers’ Federation

Convenience Matters with the SGF

By its very nature, it’s difficult to measure the problem of illicit trade and the size of the UK black market.

What we do know is that organised crime gangs often benefit financially. Enriching those who steal the goods for resale, those who produce potentially harmful and dangerous unregulated goods, and those who use their wealth to expand their crime network, fuel retail crime, and undermine our communities.

We also know HMRC faces at least £2.8bn in lost revenue from tobacco sales alone, and we know from figures from before the disposables ban that 24% of vapes sold in the UK were illegal.

We know that illicit trade takes footfall away from legitimate businesses, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet, while also providing essential lifeline services for their communities.

We know that there is very limited enforcement, and while we welcome the work of Trading Standards and Police Scotland in clamping down, including the new retail crime task force, they simply don’t have the resources to truly get to grips with this issue.

So, we also know, as do the perpetrators, that there are often no consequences for their actions.

What we don’t know, is just how big the problem could become. Tighter controls on vapes, tobacco and alcohol will provide new markets for cheap, unregulated and illicit products – potentially risking the health of customers.

That is why the Scottish and UK governments must consider these matters before implementing further restrictions, and then appropriately fund our enforcement agencies to protect both the public and legitimate businesses.

Scotland hit hardest as disposable vape ban costs c-stores millions

Disturbing

figures from Talysis show the impact of the disposables ban.

BY SARAH BRITTON

Convenience stores lost more than £5m of sales within the vaping category during the rst week of the ban on disposable vapes, with Scotland witnessing the biggest slump.

at’s the stark conclusion of specialist convenience insight agency Talysis, based on the analysis of EPoS data from thousands of una liated and symbol c-stores across the UK.

e agency’s Convenience Data UK (CD:UK) gures, for the week ending 8 June 2025, also revealed that over £1m-worth of illegal vape sales were still taking place.

Before the ban, the vapes category (disposables, kits, pods, etc.) was worth approximately £23m per week in UK convenience stores. Last week, sales totalled just £17.8m, a drop of more than £5m.

e regional picture sheds even more light on the impact, with Scotland su ering most, losing 36% of sales in the total vaping category in the week since the ban, versus the average weekly sales prior to the ban. Northern Ireland (-31%) and North East England (-27%) were also hit hard, whilst all regions have seen a minimum of 20% of sales wiped out.

Despite a signi cant drop, disposable vapes still achieved noticeable sales during this rst week, which included no legal selling days. Accounting for sales of over £1m, this backs up the widely reported outing of the ban by some retailers. Surprisingly, the price of disposables also remained steady, stated Talysis. While some stores have reduced prices to quickly shi stock, it appears that, on average, there have been no major price cuts.

Saleem Sadiq (pictured) of Spar Renfrew in Glasgow experienced a drop in vape sales following the ban, but he wasn’t overly perturbed. He claimed that many customers had already made the switch to rechargeable vapes ahead of time, but noted that others were keen to stockpile disposables ahead of the ban. “In the last two weeks of May we sold a lot of vapes. People were panic buying,” he told SLR. “ ey are stocked up for the next month or so. But in two or three weeks the sales will be back up.”

In terms of retailers selling disposables illegally, Saleem claimed that the trading of illegal and

counterfeit vapes and cigarettes was already rife in the area ahead of the ban because the penalties for selling illicit products failed to act as a deterrent. “Shops are o en raided [by Trading Standards], they’ll go in and take the cigarettes o them and issue them a £200 ne,” he said. “ en the shop’s back open in 10 minutes’ time.”

Talysis observed that the alternatives to disposables had yet to make up the shortfall in sales. Before the single-use vape ban, CD:UK data showed that ‘big pu ’ and ‘small pu ’ sales were broadly similar. However, on the week ending 8 June, value sales of 10+2ml were +24%, whereas the small pu 2ml kits were +11%. Meanwhile, a er a slow start, sales of pods (which t the new reusable kits) continue to rise, with value sales up by 21% during the rst week of the disposables ban, although the number of kits sold is still easily outpacing pods. As consumers begin to reuse their new kits, it’s likely that this will change, the rm predicted.

Talysis boss Ed Roberts said it was a challenging time for retailers. “For the vast majority who are adhering to the ban, there’s no doubt that there’s at least some short-term pain to su er within the vaping category alone,” he said.

“Our data presents a tough picture of how the ban is impacting sales and how the alternative options are yet to compensate fully and replace disposable use. Whilst it’s early days, a £5 million loss in the rst week alone is a major hole to ll.”

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

We’ve been doing the SLR Awards for almost a quarter of a century now and it never fails to impress me how the sector continually finds ways to keep moving forward and keep evolving, particularly when it often feels like the world is collapsing around our ears.

Ever since Covid, I’ve had the distinct impression that the general standard of the stores on our shortlists is improving every year. Historically, that hasn’t always been the case. But in recent years the average standard of the shortlisted stores seems to me to have moved up a notch or two year-on-year.

I should probably be clear here on what I mean by average standard. I’m taking a strictly mathematical approach here, if not an entirely scientific one. If you give every store on the shortlist a score from one to 10 on general standards and then average those scores out, you’d get the average standard. You’d have some 10s in there, but you’d also have some sixes and sevens. This year, however, I’d say we didn’t fall below an eight and we had an embarrassment of riches when it came to the 10 out of 10s.

That might sound like me just blowing sunshine up your derrières, but it’s actually a really important trend. May I remind you that the whole point of the SLR Awards is to play a role in helping raise standards across the local retailing sector in Scotland. Yes, handing out the awards on the evening is important and rewarding, but the real point of the awards is to highlight and share best practice and creativity, help retailers inspire one another and, ultimately, drive improvements across our entire sector, for the benefit of all.

Now I’m not for one moment suggesting that the SLR Awards has been the driving factor in helping raise standards, but I like to think that the awards have played some sort of positive role in encouraging some retailers to aim higher, to take learnings from other retailers, and to have the vision and courage to keep moving their stores forward to the future.

As this year’s shortlist admirably demonstrated, there are so many fantastic stores out there and our sector is blessed with an abundance of brilliant retailers, so it makes sense to work together towards a common goal.

It’s a time of huge change for local retailing – no change there, then – but by working together wherever and however we can, we can continue to build a solid platform for whatever the next 10 or 20 years brings. Being a retailer is a tough gig, but it’s a lot less tough when we’re there for each other.

ANTONY BEGLEY, PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

EDITORIAL

Publishing Director & Editor

Antony Begley abegley@55north.com

Deputy Editor Sarah Britton sbritton@55north.com

Features Editor Gaelle Walker gwalker@55north.com

Web Editor

Findlay Stein fstein@55north.com

ADVERTISING

Sales & Marketing Director

Helen Lyons 07575 959 915 | hlyons@55north.com

Advertising Manager Garry Cole 07846 872 738 | gcole@55north.com

DESIGN

Design & Digital Manager Richard Chaudhry rchaudhry@55north.com

EVENTS & OPERATIONS

Events & Circulation Manager Cara Begley cbegley@55north.com

Scottish Local Retailer is distributed free to qualifying readers. For a registration card, call 0141 22 22 100. Other readers can obtain copies by annual subscription at £50 (UK), £62 (Europe airmail), £99 (Worldwide airmail).

55 North Ltd, Waterloo Chambers, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 6AY Tel: 0141 22 22 100 Fax: 0141 22 22 177 Website: www.55north.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/slrmag

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Scottish Local Retailer is produced monthly by 55 North Ltd.

©55NorthLtd.2024 ISSN1740-2409.

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From our very first communication with Zoe through to the final installation with Dallas, we cannot fault DoubleCOOL – the whole experience has been faultless. We were looking for an energy saving solution and to help our shop chillers hold their temperature – the doors we had fitted have far exceeded our expectations, and we can already feel the benefits both in our energy bills and in temperature control. We cannot thank the DoubleCOOL team enough, and highly recommend their services.

Megan Stacpoole Cheerbrook Farm Shop

STARS SHINE BRIGHT AT SLR AWARDS 2025!

Last month’s SLR Awards saw Racetrack claim the top award on a night that celebrated the very best of Scottish local retailing.

It was a night to remember for many of Scotland’s nest local retailing businesses with the cream of the industry gathering to celebrate the 24th annual Scottish Local Retailing Awards, with Scottish wrestling legend and TV personality Grado as a very lively host.

Shamly Sud and family’s Racetrack claimed the coveted Scottish Local Retailer of the Year title in addition to the four awards that their stunning store in Wishaw won on the night. e judges were simply blown away by a store that had “rewritten the rule book” for local retailing. (Full store pro le on p36.)

e store triumphed in four of its eight shortlisted categories: Confectionery, So Drinks, Vaping and New Store.

It was also a successful night for the ground-breaking David’s Kitchen business which claimed three awards, two for its Glenrothes store (Food To Go and Fresh & Chilled) and one for its Kirkcaldy outlet (Scottish Brands).

In a rare break with tradition, Premier Dunbar was named joint New Store of the Year, and also collected the O -Trade award for former sommelier Shiva Kumar.

Moira Dean and her team at Premier DUSA reclaimed their Sustainability Retailer of the Year award for the third year in a row. Among the other winners, Morrisons Daily picked up its rst-ever SLR Award with the beautiful Highland Fuels store in Balfron taking the re t of the Year prize, while Natalie and Martin Lightfoot of Londis Solo Convenience in Baillieston deservedly won this year’s Community Retailer award.

e evening also saw the presentation of two special awards, with the Sadiq family named as recipients of a Special Recognition Award a er celebrating 40 years at the leading edge of local retailing.

e Lifetime Achievement Award went to Adbul Majid, described by the judges as “an absolute stalwart of the industry, a hugely successful retailer, a driving force at the SGF, and one of the most engaged retailers in Scotland”.

BREAD & BAKERY RETAILER OF THE YEAR

FOOD-TO-GO RETAILER OF THE YEAR

DAVID’S KITCHEN GLENROTHES (SPAR)

FORECOURT CONVENIENCE RETAILER OF THE YEAR

BALFRON FILLING STATION (MORRISONS DAILY)

FRESH & CHILLED RETAILER OF THE YEAR DAVID’S KITCHEN GLENROTHES (SPAR)

NEWSTRADE RETAILER OF THE YEAR

RETAILER OF THE

NEW STORE OF THE YEAR (JOINT WINNER)

TEAM OF THE YEAR BABA’S KITCHEN (COSTCUTTER)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT ABDUL MAJID

SPECIAL

THE SADIQ FAMILY

SCOTTISH LOCAL RETAILER OF THE YEAR RACETRACK

Walker’s serves up Murray partnership

Andy Murray has been named as the first-ever brand ambassador for Walker’s Shortbread. The multi-year deal highlights the “understated charm of two of Scotland’s most famous exports”. Both Walker’s and Murray’s humble beginnings inspired the campaign message: ‘A wee bit of Scotland that’s come a long way’.

New look for Werther’s Werther’s Original has been given a major packaging overhaul, with a new look intended to enhance onshelf visibility, simplify range navigation, bring the brand up to date, and make it more relevant to a wider range of shoppers.

Heroic hotdogs

Rollover has teamed up with Warner Bros to celebrate the launch of the new Superman movie.

e collaboration gives consumers the chance to win the grand prize of a trip to Paris for two. Furthermore, 10 lucky winners will each bag a piece of exclusive Superman merch every week until the promotion closes on 21 July.

e campaign is supported by a comprehensive social media campaign driving details of the partnership and prizes available, as well as in-store POS and co-branded packaging.

To be in with the chance of winning, all consumers have to do is scan a QR code on the co-branded packaging across Rollover’s hotdog range and POS.

Tony Owen, General Manager at Rollover, said: “We have worked hard with our partners to create incredible POS and packaging, to achieve ultimate impact and help to boost footfall for our retailers.”

SOFT DRINKS Capri-Sun rolls out crafty new on-pack promo

Capri-Sun has launched a new Superpower limited edition, featuring an on-pack promotion giving shoppers the chance to win one of 5,000 giant craft kits from The Works. The new packs are backed by out-of-home advertising, social media activities and instore POS.

Tango unveils ‘outrageous’ cash prize promo

Cadbury paints store purple

Cadbury has celebrated a pair of past winners of its Big Win Win competition – Gurdip Jatana, owner of Mepal Post O ce & Stores and customer Sheila ompson –with a mural painted onto the side of Gurdip’s store.

Sheila won the competition in 2023 and nominated her local retailer, Gurdip, with each receiving a cash prize.

Tango has launched a new onpack promotion, running until 12 September, giving shoppers the chance to win cash prizes ranging from £1 to £10,000. There is a twist though. The highvalue prizes will be delivered in ‘outrageous ways,’ from cash frozen in ice, to thousands of pennies delivered by the skip load.

More

papers in JTI pouches

With 2025’s competition still open for entries until 6 July, the Big Win Win celebrates the special relationship between shoppers and their local stores, inviting customers to nominate their favourite shopkeeper to enter the competition.

Set against the backdrop of the East Cambridgeshire village of Mepal, and depicting Sheila and Gurdip, the mural conveys the store’s position at the heart of the local community and the important role it plays for residents.

JTI has increased the number of rolling papers included within its 50g pouches of rolling tobacco from 100 to 120. This means consumers can roll an entire pouch without buying extra papers – assuming each cigarette is just over 0.4g. The upgrade applies to all of JTI’s RYO brands.

CONFECTIONERY Big Win-Win winners celebrated

Staropramen launches new price-marked multipack Staropramen has launched its first-ever 4x440ml can pricemarked multipack (RSP £6) into the convenience channel. The cans are encased in a recyclable cardboard sleeve and scannable QR codes appear on both the cans and sleeve, directing consumers to Staropramen content. Plain 4x440ml multipacks, which launched last April, have already delivered more than £4.9m in value sales.

Diageo promotion has Ibiza holiday up for grabs

Diageo has launched an onpack promotion across some of its RTDs, giving shoppers the chance to win prizes including a trip to Ibiza for two, branded merch and taxi vouchers. The promo runs until the end of August across Gordon’s Gin & Tonic, Gordon’s Gin & Diet Tonic, Gordon’s Pink Gin & Tonic, Smirnoff Vodka & Cola and Smirnoff Raspberry Crush. It is supported by in-store POS.

Peacock cider adds new on-trend fruity flavour

Kingfisher Drinks has added a Passion Fruit & Guava flavour to its Peacock Cider range. The new 4% ABV flavour is available now with an RSP of £2.70 for a 500ml bottle. Kingfisher described it as “bright, tropical and fun,” and is “a flavour that feels like summer all yearround”. The passion fruit brings a tangy punch, while guava adds smooth, mellow sweetness for a juicy, exotic taste.

Erdinger Weissbier offers a Taste of Bavarian Summer Erdinger Weissbier has launched ‘Your Bavarian Taste of Summer,’ a new off-trade promotion that gives shoppers the chance to win one of 10 beer garden packages. The promotion is supported by social media and aligns with the brand’s current advert which is running on Amazon Prime, YouTube and video on demand across Sky, ITV and Channel 4 until 30 July.

RTDs Buy four cases to be in with a chance of bagging a van

Retailers can win an electric van from CCEP

Coca-Cola Europaci c Partners (CCEP) is giving convenience retailers the chance to win a customised Ford E-Transit electric van or one of 10 £500 depot vouchers in a new competition promoting the so drinks giant’s alcoholic ready-to-drink (RTD) portfolio.

To enter the prize draw, retailers need to buy any four or more cases of CCEP’s RTD range from their chosen wholesale depot in a single transaction then submit their details online.

CIDER New format for popular flavours

Absolut

‘born

to mix’

Absolut Vodka has launched ‘Born to Mix,’ a new campaign that highlights what the brand describes as “the powerful connection between dance and cocktails”.

Rekorderlig rolls out new big cans

RTDs Say aloha to Four Loko Hawaii

A new film sees dancers interpret a number of Absolut serves, from “the smooth sophistication of the Cosmopolitan to the fiery edge of a spicy Bloody Mary”.

RTD brand Four Loko has unveiled its latest new flavour, Hawaii, which is available now in 440ml cans with an RSP of £3.49.

Born to Mix runs until mid-July across social media, video on demand and online video.

Rekorderlig has launched new single 500ml cans of its Wild Berries and Peach-Raspberry avours. e 500ml cans and wider brand awareness will be boosted by a new £1.4m summer marketing campaign, ‘Find Your Fruktig’. is will run across out-of-home, social media and in-store media, complemented by a sampling programme.

Delivering a fresh and punchy tropical fusion of pineapple and raspberry combined with Four Loko’s signature 8.4% ABV vodkabased, caffeine-free recipe, the new variant extends the brand’s line-up to 10 flavours.

The pink, yellow and purple can complements Four Loko’s #TasteParadise summer campaign and has been designed to deliver high onshelf visibility.

VODKA

Tennent’s braves summer with new campaign

Tennent’s is helping Scots ‘brave the summer’ with a new six- gure marketing campaign that coincides with the brand’s 140th year.

To help keep spirits high now that the summer has sort of zzled out, Tennent’s has launched an on-pack giveaway that features thousands of prizes including exclusive moneycan’t-buy Tennent’s merch as well as a weekly cash prize of £1,885, in a special nod to the year the business was founded.

To enter, shoppers simply scan the on-pack QR code before 17 August for their chance to win. e promotion is supported with in-store POS and digital media; aisle and depot takeovers; online and outdoor advertising; as well as on-trade activities.

BEER Shoppers can win festival tickets

Elsewhere ‘Rain Cheques’ will be dropped in areas where rainfall has been high and persistent. Each cheque o ers a reason to stay cheerful this summer, including pints with pals, airport pints that will whisk you o to sunnier climates, and £1,885 in cash.

Madrí Excepcional launches first-ever on-pack promotion

Molson Coors is giving fans of Madrí Excepcional the chance to win VIP and general admission tickets to the All Points East festival.

Live until 31 July, the on-pack promotion runs across 4x440ml, 10x440ml and 15x440ml multipacks of Madrí Excepcional. e limited-edition pack design also features eye-catching festival-themed illustrations to help them stand out in stores.

To enter, consumers simply need to purchase a promotional pack, scan the on-pack QR code then submit their details for a chance to win.

e campaign’s launch coincides with the roll out of two new Tennent’s Light formats aimed at consumers looking to moderate their drinking.

e gluten-free 3.4% ABV lager is now available in 4x440ml and 10x440ml can multipacks.

BrewDog unveils pair of convenience-only beers

BrewDog has teamed up with the Co-op and Booker to launch two new fruity beers exclusively in the convenience channel.

Fruit Burst IPA (4.4% ABV) is a sessionable modern pale ale with tropical, passionfruit and berry notes that is available exclusively to the Co-op Group.

Additionally, launching exclusively to Booker, Orange Crush (4.3% ABV) is an IPA with hints of citrus and sherbet.

Both Fruit Burst (RSP £6/£5.50 on promo) and Orange Crush (RSP £7.49/£5.99 on promo) are available in 4 x 330ml can multipacks.

Peroni promo promises Secret Escapes

Peroni Nastro Azzurro has partnered with Secret Escapes and luggage brand Antler for a £4m on-pack giveaway. Five luxury trips and more than 600 travel accessories can be won. Consumers will also get £50 off Secret Escapes bookings. The campaign runs until 30 September and is supported by advertising, social media, PR and influencer activities.

Paragon Brands expands June gin range

Paragon Brands has launched new June Mango & Passionfruit Gin (37.5% ABV, 70cl, RSP £29.99). The fourth flavour in the June range, the new variant taps into the trend for tropical flavour combinations. The launch is supported by an integrated marketing campaign, including trade and consumer PR, social media campaign, and influencer outreach.

Love Drinks rolls out ‘revolutionary’ lager

New British drinks brand Roley’s plans “to turn the worldwide beer and drinks industry on its head” with the launch of its Super Natural Lager, a 4.4% ABV beer made to a secret process that removes sugars, lowers carbs and retains B3, B5, B6 and B9 vitamins. Targeted at people with healthy and active lifestyles, the beer is distributed by Love Drinks and has an RSP of £2.95 per 330ml can.

Eden Mill extends Scottish Open partnership

St Andrews-based Eden Mill has renewed its status as the ‘Official Gin’ of the Genesis Scottish Open for the 2025 and 2026 events, which takes place this year at the Renaissance Club just outside of North Berwick from 9 to 13 July. The independent distiller recently revealed a new look for one of its core products, Golf Gin, which is now produced using botanicals foraged from the home of golf, the hallowed Old Course at St Andrews.

BEER Giveaway celebrates brand’s 140th anniversary

BEER

PETER ANDRE CONFIRMED FOR CHECKOUT SCOTLAND 2025

Music, TV and stage star Peter Andre has been confirmed as joint headline act at Checkout Scotland 2025 along with Scottish chart-topper Callum Beattie.

The Scottish Committee of industry charity GroceryAid has con rmed Peter Andre as joint-headline act at this year’s Checkout Scotland music festival in aid of the charity. e music, TV and stage star is set to light up the stage along with fellow headliner Callum Beattie.

Andre is an accomplished global media star, prominently known for his successful music, television, and stage career. At the height of his music success in the 1990s, he was among the highest-selling artists in the UK with a string of number one hit singles and albums.

He has toured the world, won a host of awards and, with many TV shows and appearances under his belt – including stints on I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and Strictly Come Dancing – has also moved into the world of cinema, working on several di erent lm projects, accumulating a social media following of more than eight million people along the way.

He will be performing on the same stage as home-grown chart-topping singer-songwriter Callum Beattie who will be playing at Checkout a matter of weeks before performing at the 12,000 capacity OVO Hydro.

Well over half of the tickets to this year’s Checkout Scotland are already sold, so if you want to attend, get in touch now to book your tickets.

All ticket enquires should be directed to Checkout Scotland 2025 Chair Antony Begley (abegley@55north.com).

REINVENTING RETAIL

The Sud family in Glasgow have claimed the coveted Scottish Local Retailer of the Year 2025 title and it doesn’t take long wandering around their sensory overload store in Wishaw to see why.

BY ANTONY BEGLEY

Walk through the door at Racetrack Wishaw and you immediately know you’re in for something special. It’s not so much a convenience store as an assault on the senses, all ve of them at once. It’s a mind-blowing retail experience and, to be fair to the judges, the standard response as they walked through the door was simply ‘wow’. To put that in perspective, every judge on our extensive panel has spent a lifetime in retail, been there, done that and bought the T-shirt. To extract a ‘wow’ from that audience is no mean feat.

ere are many retailers in Scotland doing fantastic work and pushing the boundaries of what local retailing is and means, but it’s probably not unfair to say that nobody is pushing as hard as the Sud family that run the Racetrack business.

Shamly, Vikas, Guna and Rits Sud have spent the last decade or so taking local retailing in an entirely new direction. Wishaw was the 11th store in the group (there have been more since) and each new store pushes harder and further. Wishaw is undoubtedly the most spectacular yet, due in part to the fact that it’s a huge store – 4,500sq – so it allowed the family to bring all their brands together under the same roof for the rst time.

Guna breaks it down like this: “Racetrack is our standard convenience retailing brand, Hoagies is our food-to-go brand, Tubbies Dessert Lab is our dessert brand and SpeedQueen is our launderette brand.”

ese brands appear in other Racetrack stores, but they had never all appeared together on the same site. “We have these brands in our other stores but Wishaw gave us the opportunity to have all four in the same space for the rst

time,” explains Guna. “Wishaw is basically our standard store concept on steroids. It was really exciting.”

And ‘exciting’ is exactly the right word to describe what the store is all about. It’s experiential, it’s sensory overload, it’s where-doI-look-now. Frankly, it’s a bit mental.

at experiential approach to retail is built into the DNA of the entire store and it a ects everything from ranging and merchandising to layout and décor. Forget the rulebook. We won’t be needing that.

Take ranging, for example. Most stores build a range that meets the needs of most of their customers and tries to strike a balance between factors like rate of sale, pro t margins and NPD. Racetrack simply doesn’t follow that model. For a start, a lot of what you nd in Racetrack Wishaw you won’t nd anywhere else, full stop. Shelves and shelves of Japanese and US imports create an entirely new retail experience. It’s exotic, it’s weird, it’s alluring, it’s engaging. It’s TikTok or Instagram brought to life in convenience store form.

Secondly, the range is there to create an atmosphere, an experience, a vibe. It’s not there simply to sell stock. Clearly, it helps if the stu does sell but the primary goal of the range is to deliver experience. From personal experience and with my characteristic heavy dose of cynicism, I’ve stood and looked at walls of Japanese so drinks with not a word of English on the cans – not even avour descriptors –and banks of bizarre US snacks and crisps and wondered just who the hell buys that stu , especially at £7 a go – only to see a group of four or ve teenagers rock up and grab armfuls. Basket spend per head? Probably about £25. at ethos is carried right across the store. Why would you need 70+ avours of slush? Why would you need 50 digital screens? Why would you need 3,600 di erent vaping SKUs? Why would you need a Havana cigar humidor, a huge beer cave and an ozone-technology launderette? And the obvious answer is… you don’t. Unless, of course, you’re trying to do something entirely di erent. Comparing Racetrack Wishaw to the standard model of what a convenience store is just doesn’t make sense because they’re not trying to achieve the same thing.

Bear in mind, however, that this ight of fancy is the result of a lot of research, a lot of creativity, a lot of experience, a huge focus on detail and a whole lot of work. e Sud family know exactly what they’re trying to achieve, and they are commendably unfazed by the naysayers and the cynics.

An illustrative example is the o cial opening of Wishaw. e family signed the lease a full two years before it eventually opened. It was fully tted out by Christmas 2023 but when they rst

“Wishaw gave us the opportunity to have all four of our brands in the same space for the first time. It was really exciting.”

GUNA SUD, GROUP RETAIL MANAGER

walked into it a er the re t, something wasn’t quite right.

“ e minute we walked in, we just agreed that it wasn’t working the way we hoped,” recalls Guna. “We originally had the SpeedQueen launderette at the front door, which would have allowed us to operate it as a 24/7 service that shoppers could access even when the store was closed at night. But when we rst walked in, we just realised that it wasn’t setting the right tone to have shoppers walk through a launderette before they got into the store.”

So what did they do? “We ripped it up and started again,” laughs Guna. “It seems nuts now to think about it, but we were so committed to getting it just right that we felt we had no choice.” So the re t was re tted and, 18 months later, the store nally opened on Friday 10 May. “It has been a long journey but we did the right thing,” says Guna.

It’s also interesting to note that, while there is a single-minded commitment to doing it their own way, they are still prepared to be exible when required. Racetrack Wishaw sits in a retail park slap bang next to Aldi and Home Bargains. at would have been enough to put most people o in the rst place. Instead, Racetrack leaned more heavily on the Premier brand and Premier promotions in Wishaw than they usually do, they beefed up the core convenience range in a way they don’t in their other stores, and they went foot-to-the- oor on Home Bargains-style deals. Granted, it’s only a small section of the store that’s given over to frankly ridiculous priced deals, but it’s a big enough space to lure bargain-hunting shoppers in and once they’re through the door, they get exposed to the unique and memorable experience of Racetrack.

e logic is simple and it’s a well-trodden path: lure customers in with cheap, low margin deals, let them experience your world – and they’ll then come back and buy into the rest of your (very high margin) o er. And it’s no coincidence that a huge percentage of what’s available in Racetrack is high margin: slush, vapes, food to go, imported so drinks and confectionery, the list goes on.

“With the cost of doing business so high these days, we need that margin,” says Guna. “We achieve 45% blend margin by combining highmargin categories with lower-margin categories like the value range of products we o er to compete with our retail neighbours.

“A lot of the solutions we put in place, particularly the tech solutions, mean that shoppers can self-serve. at helps us push sta ng costs down but it also helps enhance the shopper experience, so it’s a win-win.”

Having said that, the store still has 26 sta working across 15 separate shi s, partly because

a lot of what the store does is labour intensive. Preparing food and desserts all day every day takes a lot of work and time but, as Guna puts it: “It’s what we do, it’s how we work, so we’re used to it.”

All told, Racetrack Wishaw is the embodiment of a vision, a desire to create a new experiencebased form of retail that you might describe as destination retail.

“We try to create destination stores that give shoppers as many unique reasons as possible to visit us,” concludes Guna.

Doing justice to Racetrack Wishaw in the pages of a magazine is simply impossible. You really have to see it for yourself, so if you haven’t already been for a look, it’s one to get in the diary.

Huge congratulations to Shamly, Vikas, Guna and Rits – very worthy winners of the Scottish Local Retailer of the Year Award 2025.

Q 26 staff working 15 different shifts

Q 3,600 vaping SKUs

Q 150 nicotine pouch SKUs

Q 70+ flavours of slush

Q 4 jumbo digital screens

Q 53 standard digital screens

Q 4 different brands

Q 45% blend margin

USE THE FORCE

Chief Inspector Jackie Knight tells us how Police Scotland is taking a multi-pronged approach to retail crime.

BY SARAH BRITTON

Despite the horri c levels of retail crime, a great many retailers feel overlooked by the police to the point where they have become despondent.

Almost every convenience retailer in Scotland (99.5%) su ers shopli ing on a daily basis, but 48% of Scottish retailers said they were either unlikely or very unlikely to report shopli ing incidents to the police, according to gures from the Scottish Grocers’ Federations’ latest Crime Report.

However, the Retail Crime Taskforce, launched by Police Scotland at the end of March as part of a £3m funding allocation from Scottish Government, is eager to turn the tide. SLR talks to the Taskforce’s Chief Inspector Jackie Knight about how work is underway to clamp down on retail crime, make the criminal justice system more e cient, and recultivate retailer relations.

PROBLEM: LACK OF FAITH IN THE POLICE ACTION: WORKING CLOSELY WITH RETAILERS

“In terms of the mechanisms of the Taskforce, our aims are to tackle retail crime through the utilisation of the four Ps: Prevent, Protect, Prepare and Pursue,” says Chief Inspector Jackie Knight. “Each of those strands will require us to work collaboratively with retailers and by doing so, we’re hoping that we will build the trust and con dence in our approach, therefore increasing the con dence for retailers to report crime.

“We’ve already had extensive positive engagement with Retailers Against Crime, the Scottish Grocers’ Federation and the Federation of Independent Retailers, the British Retail Consortium and the Retail Industry Leaders group. I think there is that understanding that it’s not an issue that police can solve in isolation. We’re con dent if we achieve the aims that the Taskforce set out, this will continue to enhance our relationship with the retailers and further build that trust.”

PROBLEM: REPORTING A CRIME TAKES TOO LONG ACTION: CREATING A DIRECT REPORTING TOOL

Knight concedes that reporting a crime can be a laborious task. “If we make reporting crime a cumbersome process then we’re creating the blocker and we understand why people won’t report crimes,” she says. “A key piece of work for us is a direct reporting mechanism, which will absolutely make the process more e cient and make it easier for retailers to report the crimes. ere’s been a proof of concept in Fife [using SentrySIS], which

has been ongoing for several months prior to the instigation of the task force. Now that we’re in place, a formal evaluation of that proof of concept is underway. And once we complete that, a designated project team will work with the ndings of the evaluation to develop options for a direct reporting mechanism on a national scale.”

She claims that the tool needs to work for retailers of all sizes. “We need something that the independent corner shop can use as well as John Lewis – we are committed to ensuring that direct reporting is available to all retailers.”

PROBLEM: SHOPLIFTERS ARE NOT BEING REPRIMANDED ACTION: MORE ARRESTS MADE

As reported on page 8, police across the nation have been upping the ante on retail crime with Taskforce o cers making 30 arrests in Edinburgh alone since April.

Going forward, retailers will be kept updated on the Taskforce’s progress. “We build trust and con dence by showing our commitment and showing

the work that we are undertaking, and I think that’s something we need to do better,” says Knight. “We are looking to introduce a regular bulletin to be shared across the retailer networks highlighting what work the Taskforce is up to.”

Police action on retail crime is also being agged up on social media with the hashtags #RetailCrimeTaskforce and #NotAVictimlessCrime. “ is isn’t just about acquisitive crime, it’s about the abuse and violence that’s subjected to retail workers and the work that we’re going to do to combat that as well,” adds Knight.

PROBLEM: ISSUES WITH HANDLING AND PROCESSING CCTV FOOTAGE

ACTION: DIGITAL EVIDENCE SHARING CAPABILITY (DESC)

DESC is a £33m Scottish Government initiative for sharing digital evidence from crime scene to courtroom, which is being rolled out across Scotland. “It provides improved service to retailers because they can upload and share CCTV footage directly with police, negating the need to download

and then wait for an o cer to attend and be there for that appointment,” says Knight. “I think the key bene t of DESC is that it permits CCTV footage to be quickly shared with the police and then on to the prosecutor and then on to the courts, allowing for the case to be resolved more quickly, potentially at rst appearance or shortly therea er. We just want to get the evidence quickly to the court, so early decisions can be made.”

PROBLEM: DELAYS IN JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS ACTION: FRONT-LOADING CASES INITIATIVE

Traditionally, the police report a perpetrator to the Procurator Fiscal Service and then further down the line they are asked to provide statements and CCTV.

But Police Scotland are rolling out a new Case Management Summary Process that aims to resolve cases earlier and secure better outcomes for victims. “Now, we’re providing the report along with the statements and the CCTV in the aim that on day one, when the individual is presented at court, the defence team can see, for example, there is clear CCTV of the

crime, so let’s just deal with this today, let’s not wait another two months.”

e initiative was rst rolled out on domestic abuse crimes, but it has now expanded within Tayside to include retail crime. “We will keep an eye on that and make sure that the good practice is being replicated speedily across the rest of the country,” says Knight.

PROBLEM: OFFENDER BEHAVIOUR

ACTION: EDUCATIONAL AND DIVERSION WORK

“We’re developing a better understanding of the drivers for retail crime and mitigating against them,” says Knight. “We’re developing diversionary programmes and looking to increase our educational output.”

e Taskforce is also trying to change the behaviours of repeat o enders. “In Edinburgh, police have secured funding from the Taskforce for an intervention project where ultimately they identify individuals who are high tari , recidivist o enders [convicted o enders who reo end] who perhaps have addiction vulnerabilities as well and they’re working alongside those individuals with key partner stakeholders to try and make sure they’re getting the appropriate support to deter them away from their o ending behaviours,” says Knight.

PROBLEM: ORGANISED CRIME AND REPEAT OFFENDERS

ACTION:

JOINED-UP THINKING

Police Scotland is working with retailers and Retailers Against Crime to identify organised crime groups who are committing crimes across the UK. “Using our increased intelligence and analytical capability that we’ve been provided through the Taskforce, we’ll be able to target them,” says Knight. “ e analytical and intelligence products on a national scale

allow us to look across divisional borders and local policing teams where we can see themes and trends that might not otherwise be picked up. And then we can pick up those and try to bring perpetrators to justice. at analytical intelligence piece will identify the most proli c local o enders. So we’ll be looking to then link in with local policing divisions as well to make sure that they’re the subject of coordinated investigations.”

e Taskforce is also heavily focused on sharing best practice. “ ere’s lots of really good work ongoing within the local policing teams across Scotland with various retailers and partnerships – a really key thing will be identifying best practices and making sure that’s shared widely across the country for other people to replicate.”

PROBLEM: LACK OF POLICE FUNDING ACTION: BIDS FOR FUNDING ALLOCATIONS

e Taskforce is allocating funding to local policing teams to conduct joint operations bids speci cally looking at retail crime. “We know that geographical areas’ demographics can change the requirements for the police in

response, so we’re allowing people in their own divisions to look at what they need to do and then bid in with a request for support funding from the task force to carry out speci c activities as long as it’s in line with that 4P strategy.”

For example, an ongoing shopli ing initiative in Glasgow division had a reduced capacity on a Monday, so they devised an operation where they’d have additional resources that day, increasing their capacity to pursue o ences.

PROBLEM: STORES NEED BETTER SECURITY ACTION: DEDICATED OFFICER DESIGNING OUT RETAIL CRIME

“We’ll be working closely with retailers as we design our architectural liaison products for use in retail outlets across the country as we try to design out crime,” says Knight.

“ e Prevent and Protect strand will see our retail speci c architectural liaison o cer engage with retailers to target hardened premises.”

Smaller retailers will also be supported with enhanced safety and security guidance and personal panic alarms. “We have the bigger stores that perhaps have the luxury of panic buttons and security guards, so there’s a real focus on those independent retailers to try and give them a little bit more support and con dence in terms of our response to them,” she says.

PROBLEM: THE TASKFORCE IS ONLY FUNDED FOR ONE YEAR ACTION: MAKE LASTING CHANGES

“As the funding is provided only for one year as it stands, we have to be realistic about our aims, but we are con dent of making good progress in the months ahead,” says Knight.

“We need to ensure that there is longevity in the systems, processes and partnerships that we create. So, if the funding’s removed and certain elements of the task force need to be removed, that the good work is embedded and it will continue.

“We need to work hard to show the impact that can be made with the additional [£3m] funding and hopefully that might deliver additional funding as we move forward.”

TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE

SLR catches up with United Wholesale (Scotland) Managing Director Chris Gallacher to hear about the group’s growth and development plans.

BY SARAH BRITTON

A CHILLED APPROACH

Another area that UWS has invested in is chilled. The firm had been delivering chilled using blue containers on its ambient vehicles but has now invested in four temperature-controlled vehicles, meaning all delivered retailers will receive an ambient, chilled and frozen delivery. “Nisa [now Coop Wholesale] pulled out of [our] chilled [supply] about four months ago just before I came here,” says Symbol Director Mike Leonard. “With cigarettes, vaping, and alcohol we’re streets ahead [of the competition], but the fresh was letting us down, so we’ve now got a credible chilled range in the depot and we’re slowly rolling it out to more stores.

“After we’ve focused on chilled, we’ll look at cake as an opportunity and local butchers.”

In Managing Director Chris Gallacher’s own words, “it’s been mental the last few weeks!”

It certainly has. e Scottish wholesaler has just acquired East London-based Time Wholesale Services in a bid to step closer to its goal of hitting £500m revenue by 2030, up from £300m in 2024.

“Part of that plan was always about acquisitions outside of Scotland and London was never really our rst idea of where we were going to go, it was more about, ‘How do we actually get into the middle part of England and then work our way further down south?’,” he says.

“But the opportunity came up [with Time Services] and we went down and met [founder] Sony [Bihal] and it’s a great business. We were very much aligned in our core values.”

Further down the line, the plan is to convert London retailers to UWS’ Day-Today symbol group. Gallacher believes that the move will result in multiple bene ts for the company’s Scottish contingent. “ ere’ll be a wider range of suppliers that will be taken on board and there will be new learnings that we will take from

di erent areas of the UK,” he states. “We’ll start to grow our fascia estate. Hopefully, new bene ts that come with that would be better promotions, bigger range, and we will be able to get more bene ts from our suppliers by doing that.”

Is he worried the company might be spreading itself too thin by venturing into London? “Although Scotland will always be our heartland, to get to £500m, we’ve absolutely got to acquire more depots in the rest of the UK. I think that was a bigger part of the plan and our other plans were to focus on our symbol group side of the business by giving retailers what they need to try and compete against the multiples and the discounters at the same time.

“We’ve got a very good, loyal independent retail base where we’ve got plans to actually help support them to make more money. In the current climate, it’s very important that we do that so it was a very ambitious ve-year plan from now to 2030. What I would say is we’re starting to really tick some [goals] o quite quickly in year one. Call it luck, call it perseverance, good planning, the right place, the right time – and all

these things have really helped us start o this new ve-year plan the way we wanted it to.”

Gallacher is still on a high having picked up a whopping four awards at the Scottish Wholesale Association Achievers’ Awards back in February. “For the rst time last year we won best delivered wholesaler in Scotland,” he beams. “ ese things don’t get done by luck. e customers are telling us that we’re doing a better job. e reason why we’re doing a better job is because we’ve spent a lot of time in the past few years trying to make sure that we’ve got a great leadership team in the business.”

LEADING THE LEADERS

Central to the group’s success is the guidance and support of consultant Nick Dillon of G8 Group. “We’ve just invested in our company, taking all our management team through our leadership course, and I’m part of that,” explains Gallacher. “Nick is with the team every week. He’s now an extension to our team and that allows us to have a leadership team in the business that can help us drive things forward and make good decisions.

“Now that we are in that position, we can really start to think about expansion and acquiring new businesses by using automation of accounts, systems using automation for a lot of the delivery systems that we’ve got in place.

“Automation has played a big part, but the key thing for me is that I’ve got an absolutely superduper leadership team to make the business better and that’s what’s allowed us to be able to go out and further expand without having any impact on our current Scottish business and our

THE FUTURE OF VAPES

Having established its own vape wholesale arm, United Vapes, UWS is supplying vapes through a dedicated website, as well working with Phoenix 2 Retail to supply Day-Today retailers with gantries.

UWS Managing Director, Chris Gallacher is unfazed by the single use vapes ban, which came into force at the beginning of June. “United is probably one of the biggest sellers of vape in the wholesale sector in Scotland, not so much just the online business that we’ve got, but also in store and delivered through United,” he says.

“Vape manufacturers will absolutely continue to innovate to make sure that, despite the loss of any disposable vapes in the UK, there will be a good legal product that will still allow vape customers to continue their journey on vaping. Once it settles, there’ll still be a lot of illegal product that will still come into the UK. It’s very difficult to stop that and that won’t change. But there’s a bigger need now for retailers and wholesalers alike to be able to educate consumers to make sure that they understand what this change means. I think that sales will continue to be pretty strong in the UK.”

retailers that rightly demand the best service possible.”

In fact, one of the foundations in the group’s ve-year plan is about people and culture, claims Gallacher. “It’s not just about sales and pro t, people and culture become a discussion point every time we sit down,” he says.

“I’ve seen a step change in the sector where smaller independent wholesalers are actually thinking more about the e ect that people can have on the business by looking at culture, looking at diversity and inclusion.

“When you see smaller wholesalers investing in consultancy and going through things like the leadership programme for the senior team and ensuring that people and culture are talked about in the plan for growth – it’s a massive step change.”

DIGITAL DIMENSION

Going digital is another major part of the puzzle for UWS. e wholesaler had already made massive strides with digital screens at its Queenslie depot, and rolling screens out to stores is the next phase of the plan.

e rm spent a year and a half running tests before beginning to roll out digital screens to 88 of its top-tier Day-Today stores last month.

“ is [store roll out] took lots of learnings from that [warehouse of the future] – actually listening to our retailers and our suppliers. is was just the next natural step to use the retail estate to actually communicate with consumers,” says Gallacher. “I always talk about the triangle where the consumer sits in the middle and in each corner you’ve got the supplier, the retailer and the wholesaler and the three of us need to work together so that we all win.”

He claims that by using digital screens to highlight di erent products and promotions, retailers can make sure that a product is reaching the consumer with the right content, activations, compliance, promotions and pricing.

“By using that digital concept to actually help push that product to the consumer, we can work as partners together, we’ll always win,” he states.

“ e multiples and the discounters have continued to take share from convenience. e next stage of digitising our convenience stores in Day-Today is all about trying to make sure that we protect their sales and pro ts.

“We’ve got to make sure that we’re giving our retailers the best possible chance of growing their sales and promotions will be a big part of that. And I think that using the digital content that we’re going to provide the retailers, there’s going to be a real opportunity for retailers to get behind it.”

BESTWAY: LONDON ROOTS TO A SCOTTISH STRONGHOLD

This year marks a golden milestone for independent wholesaler, Bestway, as it celebrates 50 years of supporting independent retailers across Scotland and the UK.

2025 marks a very special year for Bestway as the independent wholesaler celebrates its 50th anniversary –and the special role it has established at the heart of the Scottish local retailing sector during those five decades.

From humble beginnings in 1975 when Bestway founder Sir Anwar Pervez opened the very first depot in West London to an almost £3b turnover in 2025, Bestway now has an impressive symbol, franchise, and company store retail estate of around 4,000 stores.

SCOTTISH FOCUS

Following significant expansion across England through the 1980s and 1990s, Bestway turned its attention north to Scotland in 2010 with the acquisition of Bellevue Cash and Carry, bringing two depots - Edinburgh and Stirling - under its wing.

Bestway invested heavily in infrastructure expansion at the same time, opening Batleys depots in Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth, Stirling, and Edinburgh.

Later that year it expanded further by buying the Glasgow-based Martex Group from CJ Lang which added a further three depots and a foodservice operation, further broadening its Scottish footprint. These early acquisitions established a strong base in central and eastern Scotland, including the Edinburgh Bellevue depot at McDonald Place serving local retailers and caterers.

SYMBOL SUCCESS

Also in 2010, Bestway’s convenience store symbol group best-one was officially moved into Scotland in a big way when the company held its launch roadshow at Airth Castle in Falkirk and signed up its first Scottish best-one retailers in regions including Edinburgh and Fife.

In 2014, Bestway acquired Glasgow-based wholesaler Sher Brothers and merged it into its Batleys brand, streamlining operations and tapping deeper into the West of Scotland market. Bestway’s broader consolidation continued with national acquisitions: Conviviality Group in 2018, Costcutter in 2020, and Adams Foodservice in 2024.

Today there is a network of 70 depots across the UK including many in Scotland: Edinburgh, Glasgow Sher, Aberdeen, Dundee, Cambuslang.

GROWTH STRATEGY

From the first Scottish depots in 2010 to today’s fully integrated Bestway network, Bestway’s journey in Scotland reflects a targeted and aggressive growth strategy. Through depots, symbol retail brands and innovative hybrid formats, Bestway has woven itself into the backbone of Scotland’s independent retail and catering sectors.

Bestway’s long-term focus on consolidation, rebranding, and technological adaptation has cemented a position not just as a supplier, but as a growth partner for Scottish communities.

PARTNERSHIP MODEL

As Bestway marks 50 years of empowering independent retailers, it also celebrates the key supplier partnerships that have played an integral role in the company’s journey of growth and success.

Key supplier brands such as AG Barr and Tennent’s Lager – to name just a couple – have been valued partners throughout Bestway’s evolution into one of the UK’s leading wholesale and retail businesses. These longstanding relationships are more than commercial – they are built on shared ambition, trust, and a commitment to supporting the independent sector.

These relationships often deliver unique and exclusive benefits for Bestway independent retailing customers. Long-standing partner AG Barr, for example, is unveiling two brand-new limited-edition flavours of Irn-Bru Xtra: Nessie Nectar and Unicorn Tears.

Inspired by Scottish folklore, these playful ‘mystery’ variants are now available exclusively in Bestway depots giving Bestway customers the opportunity to tap into the unique power of the iconic Irn-Bru brand.

Furthermore, AG Barr is also launching an exciting indepot incentive for retailers later this month. With a prize pot of £10,000, the campaign offers generous rewards and adds an extra splash of excitement to the anniversary festivities.

Retailers are encouraged to visit their local Bestway depot to stock up and take part in the incentive program which will start on the 18 of July.

To find out more about joining our expanding symbol group go to: bestwayretail.co.uk

FRESH START

SLR attends a Healthy Living Programme Welby Breakfast and sees firsthand how local retailers are making a difference in their communities.

BY SARAH BRITTON

The SLR team arrives at Arkleston Primary School in Renfrew near Glasgow on a bright ursday morning, still riding high on the previous night’s fantastic celebrations at the SLR Awards.

Pupils here are being treated to a Welby Breakfast courtesy of Spar Renfrew and the Scottish Grocers’ Federation’s Healthy Living Programme (HLP).

Store Manager Angie Gibson has taken on the task of prepping tasting pots of pineapple, apple, pear, melon, blueberry and orange. She tells SLR she would have stayed up partying until the early hours at the SLR Awards the previous evening – especially as owner Saleem Sadiq was awarded a Special Recognition accolade – but she sel essly headed home earlier to be fresh for this morning’s event.

e room soon lls with chatter as the rst group of kids enters. ey have their sports day this a ernoon, so this extra nutritional boost is perfectly timed.

Energetic HLP director Kathryn Neil wastes no time introducing the kids to the store and HLP team members and explains why it is vital

to eat a healthy breakfast. She keeps her talk brief and engaging, before telling the children that they are about to be served some samples and emphasising that their happiness is key and so nobody has to eat anything they don’t want to.

She is ably assisted by HLP’s Yvonne Macdonald on the Weetabix and banana station, who is thoughtfully timing when she adds in the milk so that it doesn’t get soggy before the kids try it, and Gillian Edgar, who is running the brown toast and banana station like a pro.

Father and son, Saleem and Waseem, are ready to help dish up the tasters, with extra assistance from SLR’s Helen Lyons, Garry Cole and Sarah Britton.

In 15-minute slots, each year group is swi ly educated on the importance of healthy eating, before being served up their samples. Most kids can’t resist the scent of freshly cooked toast and plenty tuck in to their Weetabix and fruit pots. Even those who are less forthcoming take the opportunity to touch and smell the fruit.

When asked for their feedback, SLR is inundated with positive comments. Sevenyear-old Jack is pleased as punch to have bitten into his rst blueberry, while nine-year-old

maverick, Isla, is delighted with herself when she comes up with the idea of pouring her fruit pot onto her Weetabix to create a new combination. Lots of kids try pineapple and pear for the rst time, while nine-year-old Abbie tells SLR she normally eats wa es for breakfast, but that she will be asking her parents for Weetabix tomorrow.

P3 teacher, Miss Orr, is extremely thankful to everyone running the event: “It’s absolutely fabulous because it gives children an opportunity to have a healthy breakfast, which promotes healthy eating and, with sports day being held this a ernoon, they’ll have all the energy to run as best they can.

“It can have a long-term impact too because it exposes the children to a healthy experience, which will hopefully promote positive thoughts and feelings.”

Waseem explains that the shop has supported similar events at other local schools. “We did another breakfast last year,” he says. “It’s nice to get out and do something di erent.”

Generous Saleem, who also gi ed the school extra water bottles for sports day, is only too glad to give up his time to help. He says: “Whether we

gain new customers out of it, it would be di cult to say, but having said that, we are relatively busy and maybe it is because we are o en in your face taking part in di erent community projects.”

But his main reason for taking part is simply because he believes that supporting the community and promoting healthier habits is the right thing to do. “Doing events like this gives us a pro le that we’re part of the community,” he says. “We want to be out there along with our customers because it is important to support the local area. It’s the job of the parents, teachers and politicians to get kids away from sugary sweets and into healthier eating habits and we’re more than happy to support it.”

e feel-good factor is undeniable as the kids are sent o with stickers, goody bags and fuller bellies.

ere are over 2,362 retailers working with HLP, 67% of which are situated in areas of deprivation. Together they have served up 46,050 breakfasts and counting – an incredible example of how Scottish local retailers are true pillars of their communities.

Head over to healthylivingprogramme.co.uk if you want to nd out more.

Squashies Tropical/ Sour Shooting Stars

Swizzels

Squashies Tropical features parrot, pineapple and watermelon shapes in mango & passionfruit, pineapple, and watermelon flavours. Squashies Sour Shooting Stars offers the sour flavours of pink lemonade, starfruit & peach, and cola lime in shooting star shapes. Both are non-HFSS and come in hanging bags with an RSP of £1.15.

Squashies Tropical is also available in PMPs.

Own-label fresh pasta range Spar

The range includes Italian classics like three varieties of filled Tortelloni: Ricotta & Spinach; Smoked Ham & Cheese; and Cheese, Tomato & Basil – all complemented by Spar-branded pasta sauces. The launch is supported by prominent in-store POS to drive awareness and encourage trial. Shelf life for tortelloni is up to 18 days and 13 days for sauces.

Chupa Chups Apple Laces

Perfetti Van Melle

AG Barr unveils KA Remix RTDs

AG Barr, which already owns the Funkin Cocktails brand, is expanding its ready-to-drink portfolio with the launch of KA Remix.

As the name suggests, KA Remix takes the fruit flavours of Barr’s KA soft drinks and mixes them with a classic Caribbean white rum, to yield a 6% ABV RTD that comes in 330ml cans with an RSP of £2.79.

The four-strong range includes Black Grape, Fruit Punch, Pineapple and Karnival Twist flavours.

All are available now from wholesalers including Bestway and Booker.

KA Remix has been created to help retailers capitalise on the growing RTD category – which is now worth £645m, up 8% year on year, with

Maltesers White Chocolate Mars Wrigley

long drinks making up nearly half of this. Hitting shelves just in time for summer, the range targets those shoppers who are increasingly looking to spontaneously grab drinks.

The launch comes with rum the UK’s secondfastest-growing spirit in the off-trade, now worth over £1bn in sales every year, and served up in a third of cocktails in the on-trade.

Lucy Henderson, Marketing Director of AG Barr, commented: “Long drinks are a booming part of the RTD category, and we know mixing an iconic soft drink will help deliver profits for retailers – bringing new shoppers into the category, as well as delivering a hit of nostalgia for existing RTD drinkers.”

Chupa Chups has expanded its jellies range with the launch of new Apple Laces. The new product is available now to retailers in Scotland from Bestway in cases of 18x90g hanging bags, with an RSP of £1.25 per pack. It joins the Perfetti Van Melle brand’s existing jellies range of Sour Mixed Belts, Sour Apple Belts, Sour Strawberry Belts, Strawberry Laces, Sour Bites, and Tubes.

Maltesers White Chocolate is back after more than a decade absent from shelves. The move comes in direct response to significant consumer demand and caters to the rising popularity of white chocolate and shoppers’ desire for nostalgic products.

Maltesers

White Chocolate is available now in a variety of formats including 30g single packs, 54g treat bags and 74g pouches.

The latest Flipz limited edition is available in a 90g sharing pouch (RSP £2), alongside an 80g PMP (£1.49). The entire Flipz range will be supported by the Flipz Grab a Grand on-pack promotion, which returns for the third year in a row from 25 August for 12 weeks. Consumers have the chance to win £1,000 each week through a buyscan-enter mechanic.

The new limited-edition on-trend variant combines the sweetness of honey with chilli heat in a jelly covering a sponge cake base and coated in crackly dark chocolate. With an RSP of £1.50 (PMP £1.49), it is in Asda stores now, before a wider roll out. The Jaffa Cakes core range will be supported with a widereaching marketing campaign in the coming months.

Flipz Strawberry Cheesecake Pretzels pladis

McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Hot Honey pladis

Red Bull Sugarfree

Lilac Edition

Red Bull

The new product scored positively on flavour testing, with 75% of Energy Drink buyers saying they would be likely to purchase a grapefruit and blossom flavoured energy drink. It is available in 250ml plain (RSP £1.65) and £1.60 price-marked cans as well as 355ml cans (RSP £2.10), 473ml cans (RSP £2.60) and 250ml can four-packs (RSP £5.40).

Bar EDTN new flavours

Riot Labs

Riot Labs has unveiled five new limited-edition additions its Bar EDTN e-liquid range. The new flavours feature a hint of mint finish on top of the brand’s signature sweet flavours. They are: Black Grape Glacier, Pink Razz Citrus, Blueberry Acai Cooler, Apple Lime Chill and Strawberry Melon Cooler. All are available in four nicotine strengths including 0mg, 5mg, 10mg and 20mg, from a starting price of £3.99.

Rockstar Energy Blood Orange Zero Sugar

Carlsberg Britvic

McVitie’s Pink Raspberry & Cream Flavour Digestives pladis

The new biscuits comprise goldenbaked McVitie’s Digestives topped with a raspberry and cream flavour coating. They come with pink trending as a popular colour across food and drink, and nostalgic flavours enjoying a resurgence among consumers. After launching exclusively in Sainsbury’s in June, the biscuits (RSP £2.35 and PMP £2.25) are rolling out into wholesalers this month.

ProFusion Protein Cakes

Windmill Organics

The new organic protein cakes come in both lentil and chickpea variants and offer consumers a nutrient-dense snack, with an RSP of £2.49. Lentil Cakes provide 25% more protein and nearly four times more fibre per serving than traditional rice cakes, while Chickpea Cakes have nearly twice the protein and over two and a half times the fibre of rice cakes.

McVitie’s Hobnobs Oaty Cookies pladis

Melting point

Mondelez has launched a new marketing campaign, ‘It could only be… Cadbury Dairy Milk’, which is spearheaded by a 15-second film showing a real Cadbury Dairy Milk chunk melt in slow motion. In the UK, the global campaign runs across online video, YouTube, social media, out-of-home, radio and print, as well as sponsored podcast content.

All-Star breakfast

Weetabix has launched Weetabix All-Stars, a new marketing campaign fronted by sporting celebrities Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Leah Williamson and Ade Adepitan. With a spend of more than £1.5m, the campaign spans nine months and multiple channels. It includes the brand’s biggest-ever partnership with Mail Metro Media, PR events and social media.

Bagels back on box

Bagel brand New York Bakery has launched its biggest marketing campaign since 2020. The campaign runs until September across national TV, video on demand, social media and digital platforms, and is supported by consumer PR. To support the campaign, the brand has refreshed its packaging to emphasise its NYC identity.

Alan’s back

In a first for the brand, Rockstar’s latest limited-edition flavour rolls out in a 330ml £1 price-marked slim can. Blood Orange initially launches exclusively in c-stores and joins other flavours such as Strawberry & Lime, Blueberry, and Peach in the new 330ml line-up, backed by a summer marketing campaign. Sign up to the At Your Convenience platform to be the first to know about a free trial and to claim a POS kit.

McVitie’s Hobnobs Oaty Cookies

Milk Chocolate Flavour Chips and McVitie’s Hobnobs Oaty Cookies

Dark Chocolate Flavour Chips are made with 100% wholegrain oats and chocolate-flavour chips to deliver a wholesome, home-made look and feel and a chewy texture. Both variants have an RSP of £1.75 for a 155g pack and are available now in Morrisons, ahead of a wider roll out at the end of the summer.

Pernod Ricard has brought ‘Alan the Bartender’ out of retirement for a re-run of last year’s campaign promoting its Altos tequila brand. The six-figure campaign runs across social, digital, video on demand and out-ofhome advertising until the end of July. Lighthearted ads looks to drive brand awareness and association with key tequila serves.

Ochil oasis

Bottled water brand Highland Spring has launched ‘Nature Makes Us,’ a new out-ofhome campaign that brings “the tranquillity and beauty of the Ochil Hills” to UK cities. The campaign leans heavily on picturesque images of the Ochils, where Highland Spring is sourced, to offer urbanites a moment of calm as they go about their busy lives.

LEVEL UP

From digital screens to parcel lockers, retailers are embracing new technology to give their stores the edge.

BY SARAH BRITTON

We o en refer to technology as a way to increase operational e ciency, but Day-Today stores have begun using tech for marketing purposes with the introduction of in-store digital screens. United Wholesale (Scotland) (UWS) is installing a minimum of four screens free of charge into 88 of its best stores.

“We start out with a screen just inside the window or on a wall outside if there’s no window space,” explains Paul Hepburn, Project Manager for Day-Today and U-Save.

Another screen is dedicated to Spin To Win promotions, while a header screen on top of a promotional bay will run promotions and supplier partnerships. Screen number four is a tablet at the kiosk so that there is disruption while the customer is waiting to be served.

In order to have the screens installed, eligible Day-Today retailers will need to sign a new trading agreement with the group agreeing a minimum spend with UWS based on their weekly turnover. Gaming will be restricted so that customers can play Spin To Win once every 24 hours and all the screens are on a central network so customers can’t go from store to store picking up Spin To Win prizes.

UWS also o ers a selection of add-on technology options. “We can also provide electronic shelf edge labels to retailers at a cost, and we’ve also got video rails, which also act

as electronic shelf edge labels,” says Hepburn. Retailers can also consider standalone chilled dumpbins featuring digital wraps to add theatre to their beer caves.

e screens are not only set to boost footfall and customer engagement – they are also capable of providing invaluable feedback to UWS as to the success of each promotion.

“We’ll be able to check which products have been on promotion on Spin to Win and to see whether it’s driving sales,” explains Hepburn.

ere is minimal responsibility for retailers who install the screens. “We are controlling all the content and also when it switches on and o , so they aren’t playing all night to the annoyance of any neighbours or burning through the night when there’s no one interacting with them,” says Hepburn. “It saves running costs and also the asset life with screen burn time as well.”

e same content will be shown across all DayToday stores and running costs are minimal because they are LED screens.

If stores have a licensed end then they’ll get an extra screen header for this area too.

UWS has also teamed up with Phoenix 2 Retail to o er Day-Today retailers vape gantries with a screen. In order to have the gantry installed, retailers must agree to buy all their vapes through UWS, sell them at the group’s RSP and accept new lines as they are introduced.

“Retailers will get a small commission o any advertising revenue speci c to the vape gantry,”

GIRISH GIVES MHOUSE HIS SEAL OF APPROVAL

Glasgow-based Premier owner Girish Jeeva has just picked up his second #ThinkSmart Innovation accolade at the 2025 SLR Awards, and the tech-savvy retailer can’t stop raving about MHouse.

“We’ve worked closely with their team to add features that truly suit our store’s needs,” he says. “In today’s fast-paced retail world, MHouse has helped us evolve and streamline our operations like never before. Running the store has never been easier – all thanks to the dedicated team at MHouse, especially [Chief Executive Officer] Faisal Sattar, who has always been there to support and adapt the system to fit our business.”

Girish has three tills in the store – two of them managed behind the counter and a self-checkout introduced by MHouse especially for the store. He also has a back office till dedicated to home deliveries.

What’s more, he has installed electronic shelf edge labelling. “This has saved a lot of labour costs,” he says. Labels can be updated across the whole store in three seconds. “It’s been a game changer for us and MHouse has been able to allow us to do this.” He claims that training staff with MPOS devices has been “very easy because it is very user friendly”.

MHouse also has an app where Girish can view live transactions. “It’s a cool app to have. If you are on holiday or away from the store, you can keep up to date.”

The firm is now enabling Girish to have his store managed remotely – from India!

“We had a manager who has been working with us for three years. She is now moving back to India, and she is now going to manage the store remotely. MHouse has allowed us to do that,” he says. “The re-ordering system that we’ve been using, auto-ordering, stock management – this has all helped us to run the store remotely without myself or my manager being in store.”

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THEFT DETERRENT GETS RESULTS

Morrisons Daily Tonbridge in Kent has seen a notable reduction in crime thanks to Chirp Protect anti-shoplifting tags.

“Since installing the Chirp Protect alarm tagging system, we’ve seen an incredible turnaround in theft prevention – virtually zero losses on high-risk items like beer, wine, and steaks,” says team leader David. “Previously, we were regularly targeted, with 12-packs of beer, boxed wines, and bottles of wine being stolen. Shoplifters would simply pick up a case of beer and walk straight out.”

If a would-be shoplifter attempts to take tagged products to the store exit without paying for them, an alarm is activated. “Now, our wine is secured two deep with tamper-proof bottle tags, beer packs are protected with wrap tags, and boxed wines have adhesive tags,” says David. “These tags are not only visible deterrents – they’re also highly effective, alarming if tampered with or if someone tries to exit the store without deactivation.”

As soon as a tag is deactivated at the till, it is promptly returned to the shop floor and reattached to new stock. “The system has restored our confidence,” says David. “Staff feel safer and more in control, and I can finally fully stock the shelves without worrying about losses. It’s made a significant difference to how we operate.”

says Hepburn. He claims that retailers are “really excited” about getting screens in store.

Day-Today Anniesland in the West End of Glasgow is one of the rst retailers to get screens installed. “We normally run all the Day-Today promotions anyway quite aggressively and it’s a very good thing to see them on screens,” says owner Adeel Iqbal. “I’m con dent it will have a positive impact.”

NEAT PACKAGE

Another piece of kit making waves in retail is parcel lockers.

“Consumer demand for out-of-home delivery has skyrocketed and the rise of delivery lockers is revolutionising the way we send and receive parcels,” says Paul Selvey, Network Director at InPost UK. “ ere’s a massive opportunity for retailers to capitalise on this trend, drive shopper footfall and increase their income with InPost Lockers.

“Today’s shoppers crave convenience and as a result, we’re seeing huge demand for InPost Lockers which o er a low-cost way for consumers to collect, send and return parcels 24/7, securely, quickly and with ease.”

Over half of UK consumers have used lockers for online purchases, rising to 71% for Gen Zs and 68% for Millennials, according to InPost’s research carried out in partnership with Retail Economics. “Nearly two-thirds of InPost Locker users (64%) say their visit to a convenience store was more convenient thanks to the locker, so it’s no big surprise that this is the top reason for choosing a locker,” notes Selvey. “ ese convenience-loving locker users are more a uent too, with 31% having an income over £50,000 and 39% shopping once a week or more – they spend more and shop more, making them a valuable audience to attract.”

e gures show that 98% of InPost users visit a convenience store because the locker

is there, and over half say it made them more likely to return. Also, nearly three in four go into a nearby store before or a er using a locker, with a third spending up to £15 during their visit. “So, not only do InPost Lockers help retailers attract new shoppers and drive footfall, but they can also boost store sales too,” says Selvey.

e self-service aspect of InPost Lockers means parcels can be safely collected and sent by consumers 24/7 without the need for sta intervention.

Bay Bashir, Owner of Belle Vue Stores North East in Middlesborough has been reaping the bene ts of lockers. “To be a successful retailer and stay competitive, it’s all about looking for game changing, innovative ideas that will make your store a destination,” he says. “You need to attract new business and customers to the location, and to the store, and that was exactly why I installed InPost Lockers.”

DAISY HILL HOSPITAL SHOP BLOOMS WITH EDGEPOS

Daisy Hill Hospital Shop.

The Mulkern family has run Daisy Hill since the mid-1980s and they were keen to see whether Henderson Technology could help improve the store with its EDGEPos selfcheckout system.

“Daisy Hill is a very small footprint; one customer can walk around in single file,” observes Mulkerns Group Director, Terry Mulkerns. “Previously, two checkouts took up nearly a quarter of the space.”

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the store temporarily closed, providing an opportunity to rethink its operations. Mulkerns considered a fully automated, 24-hour, camera-monitored solution, but ultimately opted for a more balanced approach.

The store transitioned entirely to selfcheckouts, removing traditional counters and freeing up valuable floor space. “We now run it with just one member of staff, where before we needed two,” says Mulkerns. “Their role is to supervise checkouts, restock, and merchandise, making overall operations much more efficient.”

Store Manager Michelle McGuigan, also highlights the positive impact of EDGEPoS self-checkouts. “The EDGEPoS self-checkouts give me time to restock as it is very busy being placed in a hospital,” she says. “Everyone is happy to use them and any elderly who are hesitant have me there to educate them when it is needed.”

Top Northern Irish retailer, Mulkerns Group, has been a key player in the convenience retail sector since the 70s. The business has grown over the years and now includes Mulkerns Eurospar, Spar Jonesborough and

HUNGER FOR HEALTH

A28% OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO INCREASE HOW MUCH FRESH PRODUCE THEY EAT.

Source: IGD Shopper Vista

s August nears, retailers need to be ready to capitalise on the Back to School period. Ensuring that you have a range of child and adult packed lunch solutions is a sure re way to make the most of the opportunity. But what trends are in uencing lunch purchases? Back in 2018, Scotland set a national ambition to halve childhood obesity prevalence to 7% by 2030. Despite this, childhood obesity in Scotland is growing “alarmingly,” according to an October 2024 brie ng by Obesity Action Scotland, which reports almost a h of children (18%) are at risk of obesity, and when combined with overweight, a third of children (33%) are at risk.

e Scottish Health Survey 2023 results, published in November 2024, show that adults

With consumers and the Scottish Government pushing for healthier lifestyles, we explore which lunchbox additions can grow sales whilst providing consumers with a nutritional boost.

are also struggling to maintain healthy diets, with almost a third (32%) living with obesity, the highest level recorded and an increase from 24% in 2003.

It’s a dire situation, but with growing awareness around the issue, attitudes are changing. In Food Standards’ Scotland’s latest Food In Scotland Consumer Tracker Survey, 72% of consumers had concerns about the healthiness of people’s diets in general, while 74% agreed with the statement ‘I know I need to do something to eat more healthily’.

In addition, almost 70% of UK parents are worried about what their children are eating and want their

children to consume more healthy food, and this has translated to more than half (54%) of primary school children taking packed lunches to school [Sustain Children’s Food Campaign Parent Polling Report April 2024].

What’s more, the Scottish Government has put plans in place to create a healthier Scotland, and small businesses are part of the change. e HFSS regulations, which are set to be put before the Scottish parliament in the autumn, involve promotional and location restrictions on products High in Fat, Sugar and Salt. So why not get ahead of the game and support adults in creating healthier packed lunches for themselves and their kids?

Attitudes to Health and Ethics Oct 2024

“Children’s health in the UK is facing a crisis at the moment,” says Ewa Moxham, UK Head of Marketing at Yoplait. “Since the pandemic, we have seen an unfortunate trend towards children swapping nutrient-rich foods, such as kids’ yogurts, for more indulgent and nutrientpoor snacks like biscuits, chocolate and crisps.”

She claims that Yoplait’s portfolio, which includes Petit Filous, Frubes, Wildlife and Yop, contains key nutrients, such as vitamin D and calcium. Frubes has been given a new pack design, calling out the use of natural avours and featuring a reassurance message focusing on forti cation critical for kids’ bone development.

HOVIS RISES TO THE CHALLENGE

As white bread continues to dominate the category, Hovis has unlocked an opportunity for a premium, but affordable alternative.

The Farmhouse Batch was developed following months of research and development. Research conducted with over 2,000 current bread buyers, revealed that shoppers are looking for inspiration and a premium alternative from standard, everyday white loaves – but with an accessible price point.

Baked using a traditional starter dough, Hovis Farmhouse Batch comes in 400g and 800g loaves. The inclusion of a starter dough, which is allowed at least 24 hours to fully develop, helps to create a “creamy” taste and soft texture when the loaves are batch-baked. Featuring a deeper flavour than traditional white bread, the new recipe also offers thick slices, a flavoursome, flourdusted crust, and domed top.

“With busy schedules and increasing pressure on household budgets ... convenient yet nutritious options have never been more important,” says Moxham.

KP Snacks highlights big opportunities for healthier bagged snacks.

“Bagged snacks are a staple in children’s lunchboxes and a popular lunchtime and food to go choice for university students, making the ‘back to routine’ occasion a critical opportunity for retailers to drive CSN sales,” says Stuart Graham, Head of Convenience and Impulse, KP Snacks.

“Consumer health continues to be a key focus, with families actively looking for betterfor-you alternatives for packed lunches and snacking occasions. KP Snacks addresses this need through our extensive range of avourful and compliant snack products, featuring more than 100 non-HFSS lines. We understand that snacking is part of everyday life, and we’re dedicated to creating products that combine great taste with nutritional responsibility.”

Within KP’s non-HFSS portfolio is Hula Hoops Pu , worth £11m [Nielsen IQ, Total Coverage, Total Value, 22.03.25]. With just 72 calories per portion, the rm claims Hula Hoops Pu delivers an ideal lighter choice for lunchbox inclusion.

Alistair Gaunt, Commercial Director at Hovis says: “Our new Hovis Farmhouse Batch is the culmination of months of consumer insight analysis, followed by recipe and product development work with our expert bakers and cross-functional teams. We have worked diligently to ensure we’re offering shoppers a more premium yet accessible, everyday alternative when they may be looking for something different to the standard soft white loaves they know and love.”

The Farmhouse Batch builds on the success of Hovis’ artisan-inspired Half Cobs and Rustic Bloomers, which have driven the success of its artisan-inspired range with a growth of +18% vs YA [NIQ Scantrack, total coverage, incl. discounters, Hovis ‘1886’ range, value sales, MAT to 18/05/24 vs previous year].

also has HFSS-compliant o erings with its Tikka and Roasted Chicken snacks. One in ve UK households already buys Peperami products, such as its Lunchbox Minis, but there’s still signi cant room for growth, claims the £140m brand [Nielsen MAT April 2025]. Each 45g chicken pack contains just 95 kcal and comes in a £1 price-marked pack.

two years and now worth over £165m – and 84% of these sales are incremental, states the rm. Chicken snack brand, Fridge Raiders, is also spicing things up with its Chicken Grills range featuring Tandoori and Roast Chicken Mini Fillets.

category with the launch of our new £1 PMP Chicken Bites. As the UK’s number

delivering bold, high-protein snacks that resonate with today’s

retailers a strong opportunity to drive incremental sales and

Shaun Whelan, Convenience/Wholesale and OOH Controller at Jack Link’s, explains: “Peperami is bringing its protein-packed snacking expertise and iconic brand into the chicken category with the launch of our new £1 PMP Chicken Bites. As the UK’s number one chilled meat brand, we’re delivering bold, high-protein snacks that resonate with today’s convenience shoppers, o ering retailers a strong opportunity to drive incremental sales and margins.”

HFSS-compliant Chicken Grills o er an impressive 23g of protein per 100g and each portion contains less than 50 kcal per mini llet. e Chicken Grills range is tailored speci cally for health-conscious snackers and achieved an 81% purchase intent in consumer testing. e launch is being supported by a £2.7m marketing campaign running until October, covering the new Chicken Grills range and the brand’s established Chicken Bites.

THE POWER OF PROTEIN

e chilled chicken snacking market is up 21% over the past

Beef jerky is another lunchboxfriendly snack bene tting from the popularity of protein.

Peperami

GRATE EXPECTATIONS

Cheese has long been a household staple and continues to feature in lunchboxes across Scotland.

“When it comes to children’s meals, cheese is a much-loved key ingredient with family households containing children highly likely to consume cheese multiple times per week,” says Nicola BlackmoreSquires, Marketing Director of Ornua Foods UK, the owners of Pilgrims Choice. “Indeed, 23% of those aged 35-54 with kids are using cheese 4-6 times a week and 15% of younger families with children are consuming cheese every day [Mintel, Cheese Report: UK 2024].”

She claims that branded cheeses, such as Pilgrims Choice, over index when it comes to being used for sandwich occasions at 33%, up +1.6pp versus a year ago [Kantar Worldpanel UsageĐ 52 w/e 29th December 2024ĐTotal Occasions].

“This reflects the trust people place in brands and that consumers still see value for money as being linked to high quality and flavour not simply price,” she adds.

She encourages retailers to stock a variety of different formats. “Pilgrims Choice’s sliced and grated Cheddars are ideal for preparing school lunchboxes. They not only offer great taste, quality and versatility but also the speed and simplicity that many parents look for when making up their children’s school lunch boxes.

“Stocking packs of sliced and grated Cheddar, alongside traditional blocks, offers a great opportunity for independents and convenience stores looking to provide their shoppers with simple and convenient lunchbox solutions. Pilgrims Choice’s range of block, sliced and grated Cheddars are now available in the brand’s new, vibrantly colourful pack designs.”

e jerky and biltong category is one of the fastest growing segments within crisps, nuts, and bagged snacks, now worth over £40m RSV and continuing to expand in both value and volume, states Jack Link’s. “As consumer demand for high protein, lower calorie alternatives rises, meat snacks are becoming an increasingly relevant choice for those seeking a satisfying and tasty yet healthier option,” says Whelan.

“With fewer than one in 10 households currently purchasing jerky, there is signi cant opportunity for further category expansion. As a natural alternative to traditional crisps and snacks, jerky o ers a balance of health, convenience, and avour variety, catering to a broad range of shopper needs.”

Flavour innovation remains key to driving engagement, and Jack Link’s claims to have seen a strong appetite for spicy and bold avours.

“Our Sweet & Hot and Teriyaki varieties have been particularly popular – o ering a balance of heat and indulgence with notes of soy, ginger, and sweetness,” says Whelan. He claims that the avours cater to evolving consumer preferences for global and adventurous tastes.

“Merchandising with other savoury bagged snacks, crisps and nuts is fundamental, as ambient protein meat snacks o er a healthier alternative snack for shoppers, who

have become more health conscious and are seeking out a high protein, low calorie brand that tastes great,” he adds.

Müller Yogurt & Desserts has also tapped into the protein trend, partnering with MyProtein to create a range of products. e HFSS-compliant range has recently expanded with new yogurt and protein shake SKUs.

e ready-to-drink protein shake packs 25g of protein per 385ml serving, while the Müller x Myprotein Crunch yogurt contains 20g of protein per 180g pot.

Richard Williams, CEO of Müller Yogurt & Desserts, says: “Together [with MyProtein], we’ve driven further growth within the dairy protein category by appealing to healthconscious consumers looking to support healthy lifestyles with products which are tasty and credible.”

Profusion’s new protein-packed snacking range could be another winner for adults looking to add interest to their lunch, whilst staying healthy.

Supplied by Windmill Organics, the new range includes two nut mixes alongside two protein cakes.

43% OF CONSUMERS HAVE INCREASED THEIR PROTEIN INTAKE OVER THE PAST YEAR

e two new ProFusion nut crunch mixes are available in ‘Roasted & Salted’ and ‘Roasted Tamari’ avours, and combine soybeans, cashews, and almonds, to deliver a powerful source of plant-based protein, healthy fats, and essential nutrients. Both contain 12g of protein per pack.

e Lentil Cakes provide 25% more protein and nearly four times more bre per serving than traditional rice cakes, while the Chickpea Cakes deliver nearly twice the protein and over two and a half times the bre of rice cakes.

Carmen Ferguson, Brand Manager at parent company Windmill Organic,

Source: Ocado Retail

comments: “ e protein category is currently witnessing signi cant shi s, particularly towards less processed, plant-based and healthoriented products, and our ProFusion brand is at the forefront of this growing demand.”

GOING GREEN

Arguably, the healthiest lunch box addition of all is the humble salad. “Parents and guardians looking for a quick, convenient, cost-e ective way to add healthier ingredients to children’s lunchboxes are increasingly turning to fresh salads, and to all-natural Florette in particular,” claims the brand.

Florette is outperforming the total prepared salads market, with annual sales worth £25m, an increase of more than 19% on the previous year [Nielsen IQ Florette Prepared Salads Total Market 52 we 22.03.25].

“Many parents will acknowledge that healthy ingredients aren’t always the rst thing they think of when they’re preparing a children’s lunchbox, but easy-to-include fresh salads, which are naturally low in fat, salt and sugar, provide the healthy content they’re looking for and complement many children’s

lunchbox favourites,” says Martin Purdy, Commercial and Marketing Director at Florette.

“What’s more, fresh salads add natural texture, vibrancy and colour to lunchboxes and we’re making it really easy for parents to add this healthier element to what is one of children’s most important meals of the day.”

Florette Crispy is the biggestselling product in the impulse channel and seeing strong growth at +30% [Nielsen IQ Total Market Florette Crispy and Florette Mixed Unit Sales 52 w/e 22.03.25] and Florette Mixed salad (125g), the second-biggest product in the impulse channel +48% [ibid].

By thinking outside of the (lunch) box and providing shoppers with convenient and healthier options, retailers can maximise the packed lunch opportunity, with the added bonus of helping consumers to improve their diets.

DRAM GOOD WORK

Under The Counter doesn’t usually bother with job ads but he slouched a little less at his desk when he saw Laphroaig was looking for a new Global Brand Director.

Now, the Auld Boy loves drinking whisky – especially if someone else is on the bell –so this sounded like a career opportunity that was right up his ancient alley.

Skipping past the corporate eyewash about “transforming experiences” and “the timeless DNA of the brand,” UTC jumped – as much as his arthritic frame would permit – straight to the qualifications and competencies.

International experience?

UTC has been a proud Scotland supporter since 1873 and has belted out ‘We’ll be coming’ at many an international fixture. Experience within premium spirits? Plenty experience of premium spirits within him, but aye, whatever.

DRIVING BAN

Under The Counter was shocked to discover that Mars Wrigley has been given a metaphorical three points on its licence from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

University educated? The Auld Boy is the proud owner of a BSc, garnering a Bronze Swimming Certificate as a pyjama-clad lad – after heroically retrieving a rubber brick from the deep end of his local council pool.

Proven experience in managing multi-dimensional projects? He once assembled a flatpack Ikea bookcase over the course of an exceptionally long weekend. There is no proof, however, since the bookcase dismantled itself over a much shorter timescale as soon as Mrs UTC tried to house her Catherine Cookson novels in it.

A frankly delusional Auld Boy believes Laphroaig won’t find a more uniquely qualified candidate. However, unlike his rubber brick rescues, we advise him not to hold his breath.

A WAFER GOODNESS SAKE

When you’re as old and decrepit as Under The Counter, there aren’t too many reasons to be cheerful. That’s why the Auld Boy is always on the lookout for something new to celebrate.

So he was thrilled to discover that 3 July is National Chocolate Wafer Day.

Under The Counter was apprised of this information by leading curator of the world’s more niche celebrations, daysoftheyear.com.

Controversially – in UTC’s opinion, at any rate – the aforementioned website proposes that the Kit Kat is the world’s foremost example of a chocolate wafer biscuit.

It turns out that the confectionery giant’s latest Twix advert has been taken off the road, and indeed TV screens, for encouraging unsafe driving.

The ad depicts one of those long-haired good-looking young whippersnappers that the Auld Boy detests –because he is everything UTC is not – taking part in a car chase that ends with two identical vehicles stuck one on top of the other. Kind of like the two bars of a Twix, albeit with wheels.

A whopping five people took time out of their otherwise meaningless existences to moan to the advertising watchdog that the advert was irresponsible.

In its defence, Mars Wrigley said the ad was set in a “world that was absurd, fantastical and removed from reality”.

Under The Counter’s colleagues were of the opinion that the Auld Boy should have been called as an expert witness, given that he too lives in a fantasy land somewhere on the far side of Planet Janet.

However, the ASA put its foot down (in a safe and responsible manner, after checking the rearview mirror) and banned the ad in its current form as it “condoned unsafe driving”. Handbrake turns aside, the ASA highlighted an “emphasis on speed” and the “fast-paced beat and music”.

It was also at pains to point out that the road was left with “visible skid marks”. It seems, once again, that the Auld Boy has missed his day in court.

Now, any true Scot with full-fat Irn Bru dribbling through their sclerotic veins can see where this is going: straight to Uddingston, home of the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer.

Much copied but never bettered, Tunnock’s makes more than six million caramel wafers every week, with roughly half of these purchased by UTC and his SLR colleagues. And the Auld Boy disnae care how many Kit Kats are kicking about; he sticks two chocolatecoated fingers up to Nestlé’s bifurcated biscuit. Anyway, according to daysoftheyear.com, celebrating National Chocolate Wafer Day is

both easy and delicious:

“You just have to consume your favourite treat that has chocolate wafers in it!”

That’s a no-brainer for UTC. His favourite treat that has chocolate wafers in it is a Tunnock’s shelf-ready outer of 48. And he looks forward to consuming an entire one come 3 July.