The Voice of Independent Retailers
C-store future
RaceTrack
Mo Razzaq
Vapes rethink
Festive tipples
Cheers!
29th November to 12th December 2024
Volume 36 No. 955
Dairy rules
Alternatives, too
Christmas
Cigar time
46
Badenoch blames civil
servants for Horizon scandal
Festive Snacks
Festive Alcohol
28
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4 NEWS
Leader: Post-budget blues
Badenoch blames civil servants for Horizon
scandal
Ministers under pressure to tax unhealthy
foods
Leeds: undercover op highlights illicit vape
and tobacco crisis
Grocery sales hit 2024 high in October
‘Cash payment option is key for customer
satisfaction’
EG Group completes divestment of forecourts
to Zuber Issa
Reeves’ budget is ‘big burden for retail
industry to carry’
‘Over two-thirds in retail suffer abuse from
customers’
Guest column: Boozy flavours – worth the
hype and shelf space?
Guest column: Unwrapping opportunities –
maximising Christmas trade
10 NEWS FEATURE: Despair
in the air over Tobacco &
Vapes Bill
If Labour is really serious about a healthier
UK, it must support and collaborate with
convenience sector to craft a balanced
workable bill, retailers report
12 RETAIL CORNER: Young
and fun
This is not just a store, says Pooja
Shrivastava, it’s the face of modern
convenience retail and a vision of what the
future can be
13 MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Keeping up with the latest industry moves
and promotions
15 FEATURE – FESTIVE CHOC
& CONFECTIONERY
The festive season and Christmas is the prime
sales period for all sorts of chocs and candy
– even beating Easter – so make the most of
your own Winter Wonderland
23 MUST STOCK
The latest product news
27 WORLD OF WHOLESALE
A regular round-up of news and views in the
wholesale sector
28 FEATURE – FESTIVE
SNACKS
As Santa brings the gifts, it’s the perfect let
these little bites bring cheer to your store, so
stock up on seasonal specials for Christmas
36 “NOT” TWITTER
The best observations and comments from
retailers (and friends) on the ground
37 VAPE BUSINESS SECTION
45 OPINION: A ban is not
the best option
NFRN National President Mo Razzaq argues
that the upcoming disposable vapes legislation
needs a rethink
46 FEATURE – FESTIVE
ALCOHOL
As the bells start jingling and the tills
start ringing, Christmas presents a golden
opportunity for convenience store owners to
sparkle
58 FEATURE – FESTIVE
TOBACCO
Tobacco remains a welcome gift for smokers
at Christmas, and rising prices mean they are
well-appreciated, whether it’s cigars, tobacco
or something next gen
66 CLASSIFIED
68 GUJARATI
29th November to 12th December 2024
THE VOICE OF INDEPENDENT RETAILERS
VOLUME 36 NUMBER 955
NEWS
4 ASIAN TRADER 29 NOVEMBER 2024
Ministers are being urged to
impose taxes on packaged
foods containing high salt and
sugar.
In a plea addressed to the
chancellor, Rachel Reeves, and
the health secretary, Wes
Streeting, representing 35
health groups, Anna Taylor, the
executive of the Food Founda-
tion, among others, highlight-
ed that taxing unhealthy foods
such as cakes, sweets, biscuits,
crisps and savoury snacks
would generate billions of
pounds for the Treasury and cut
the number of people becom-
ing ill as a result of a bad diet.
She said, “The damage the
food industry is doing to
children’s health is the biggest
threat to our nation’s wellbeing
and future productivity and this
needs to be reined in – urgently.
“Voluntary reformulation
programmes for sugar, salt and
calories are not proving
efective enough, achieving
only a 3.5% reduction in sugar
levels of key product catego-
ries, compared to the mandato-
ry soft drinks industry levy
(sugar tax), which has achieved
a reduction in total sales of
34.4% between 2015 and
2020.”
Ministers under pressure
to tax unhealthy foods
Post-budget blues
he nation has now had almost a month to digest the
effects of Rachel Reeves’s autumn budget state-
ment, and instead of the depressing effects wearing
off, as is normal, it appears that many and varied groups are
becoming more dissatisfied and angrier as time passes and
the consequences sink in. For the convenience channel, it
is the estimated £660 million that it will have to cough up
through higher wages and lower National Insurance
thresholds to satisfy the appetites of Whitehall.
But it is all businesses that are feeling the pain, with a
certain multiple claiming that the new measures will cost it
£1 billion over the lifetime of the government (assuming it
lasts its full term). A generation-rent crisis looks to be in the
offing after landlords were put to the sword, and revolution
is brewing among farmers – headed by a broom-wielding,
bucket-helmeted Jeremy Clarkson, perhaps.
The newspapers are peppered with stories about
companies that are already being forced to close down, and
that’s before the PM’s recent announcement that Council
Tax will be going up over 5% next year, or nearly three
times the rate of inflation – if you believe the inflation
figures.
Inheritance tax means that those with serious pension
pots feel they need to spend it now instead of pouring their
life-savings into the NHS to meet an infinitely growing and
ever-more-expensive demand for treatment. What’s
worse, that “spend-now-or-lose-the-lot” attitude could
easily lead to further inflationary pressure as demand
spikes and imports grow, destroying the UK’s already
shaky balance of payments.
Analysts are now saying that increasing taxes so steeply
is going to stifle investment and therefore growth, making
our debts even more onerous, and relying on Ed Miliband’s
windmills will make our electricity – already the most
expensive of any advanced economy and fully twice the
cost of America’s – even dearer.
And that’s before we attempt to thaw out the pension-
ers whose winter fuel payments were turned off.
Meanwhile, as the UK spins its way towards the event
horizon in a doom-loop of taxing and spending, President
Trump is headed back to the Whitehouse on a clean sweep
of Congress, promising to light fires under the US economy
and cut taxes in a dash for growth.
In convenience, we have particularly to fear the Tobacco
and Vapes Bill (announced on 5 November, and even more
draconian than the Conservatives’ version that had been
pending). In this issue, our intrepid reporter Pooja Shrivas-
tava talks to independent retailers across the country, to
canvas their opinion of the upcoming legislation, and to
hear why they do not think it will be useful or kind to
storeowners.
This is not a party-political rant; it is more that legisla-
tion from any political party seems to be growing more
ideological and less tolerant of real-world conditions and
the hardships to which their high-flown principles subject
ordinary people. It is almost as if, moving from university
to think-tank to Westminster, the political class is growing
out of touch with the people ...
The government let bureaucra-
cy get in the way of redress for
wronged sub postmasters,
former business secretary Kemi
Badenoch told the Post Ofce
Inquiry.
She said that during her time
as business secretary, she and
former postal afairs minister
Kevin Hollinrake “wanted to
get the money out there” but
were constantly given reasons
why they could not by ofcials.
Questioned by Jason Beer
KC about who allowed bureau-
cracy to get in the way, Baden-
och replied: “Well, the govern-
ment machine. I think I
remember asking a question
like, ‘Why can’t we just give
them the money?’”
Badenoch also told the
inquiry that she had been
determined to speed up the
whole process of compensa-
tion.
“What I was seeing, the way
the Department [of Business
and Trade] and the Post Ofce
was going on we’d never get to
the end of it. I had my own
objective of making sure we did
right by the sub-postmasters.”
Badenoch added that the
Post Ofce would have “disap-
peared in its current form long
ago” if it was a private organisa-
tion, adding that it is a
“20th-century organisation
that is struggling to evolve in a
21st-century world.”
Badenoch also stated that it
was “extremely disappointing”
that it took an ITV drama about
the Post Ofce scandal to get the
government to accelerate
compensation for wrongly
convicted postmasters.
“I was not expecting the doc-
umentary [Mr Bates vs the Post
Ofce] in January, which helped
speed things along. It turned
from a value-for-money to a
public perception question.”
Tory leader says compensation delays fault of Whitehall
Badenoch blames civil
Badenoch blames civil
servants for Horizon scandal
servants for Horizon scandal
NEWS
29 NOVEMBER 2024 ASIAN TRADER 5
Take-home sales at the
grocers increased by 2.3% over
the four weeks to 3 November
to reach £11.6 billion, making
this the biggest month of the
year so far according to the
latest Kantar data .
Take-home sales rise
coincided with a jump in the
number of shopping trips
made by households, hitting
a four-year high at 480
million.
“October was the busiest
month for the supermarkets
since March 2020, when
people were preparing for the
first national lockdown,” said
Fraser McKevitt, head of
retail and consumer insight
at Kantar.
“Trip numbers have been
going up gradually, but this
steady march hasn’t reached
pre-covid levels of shopping
frequency just yet. The
average for each household is
slightly over four trips per
week.”
Halloween played a part
and there are signs that some
consumers are looking ahead
in the calendar, starting their
Christmas shopping early,
McKevitt noted.
Some 3.2 million house-
holds bought at least one
pumpkin, and confectionery
spending got a boost to £525
million in October as sales of
chocolates and sweets both
went up, climbing by 13% and
7% each.
Grocery sales hit 2024 high in
October
Worth the hype and shelf
Worth the hype and shelf
space – boozy flavours to
space – boozy flavours to
take note of
take note of
Nick Gillett is
Co-founder and
Managing
Director of
successful spirits
distributor Mangrove Global, as
well as an industry expert and
commentator. In his column for
this issue, Nick explains why
stepping up the flavours on your
liquor section can prove to be a
tasty move
Space on your booze shelf is precious.
So, the idea of introducing flavoured
spirits into the mix might be daunting,
depending on the size of your range.
Nonetheless, they’re a great way to add
interest for your customers and show
you keep up with the trends.
Before you go on to find the right
flavours for your store, it’s important to
note the two distinct camps in flavoured
products. The first is the novelty camp:
fun flavours, often synthetically made,
that appeal to a younger drinker. These
might sit at the lower and mid-point of
the market. The second is a more
sophisticated flavour range – the
flavours themselves might be more
subtle, unusual, and could tend to veer
away from being really sweet or
synthetically composed. Often these
come with a premium price point.
Both make great additions to your
shelf, so long as they suit your custom-
ers. So, look at the price point of your
customers’ bottle spend to decipher
where to start looking.
Once you know, you can read up on
what’s popular for the season. This year,
it’s all about spicy flavours and dessert
flavours. Think jalapeño and chilies, or
more traditional spices like cinnamon
and anise. For dessert-inspired tipples,
look at cofee, hazelnut, and chocolate
infusions – especially around the festive
season. Don’t just look at vodka and gin
– all categories are now widening out to
include flavoured varieties, even tequila,
rum, and whisky, so don’t be afraid to
explore.
Above all else, know your customer.
And if they fit a demographic that’s up
for exploring, do your best to give them
something new and exciting. There are
plenty of great bottles out there!
Reflecting the national
situation, an undercover
operation conducted by Japan
Tobacco International (JTI) in
Leeds has revealed the
abundant presence of illicit
tobacco and vapes in the
region, with 43 illegal
products found across 18
stores.
The exercise, which
involved multiple test
purchases across the city,
highlighted how rife illicit
tobacco and vape products are
in the area. Of the 18 stores
visited, all had illicit tobacco or
vapes available, with 12 in the
Labour Chancellor’s constitu-
ency of Leeds West and
Pudsey.
Operatives on the ground
had no difculties purchasing
contraband vapes, with eight
products obtained, including
one vape boasting a puf count
of 15,000 – 25 times over the
legal limit.
Nine of the 18 stores visited
are known to be repeat
ofenders, having sold illegal
tobacco to operatives during
previous operations last year.
Since the start of 2022, JTI has
identified 59 retailers selling
illegal tobacco or vapes in
Leeds.
All evidence and informa-
tion gathered has been made
available to Trading Standards
in the anticipation that it will
support their eforts to enforce
and prosecute anyone found to
be selling illegal products.
“Once more, our undercov-
er operations have exposed the
stark reality of the illicit
tobacco and vape trade in the
UK,” said Ian Howell, Public
Afairs Manager at JTI UK. “The
vast availability of illicit
products is a crisis on our
streets and is increasingly
happening in the open.
The typical price for illicit
RMC on the day was £5, with
the most expensive purchase
being £7. For comparison, the
RRP of JTI’s lowest price RMC
product is £12.75.
JTI sting finds stores selling vapes 14,400 puffs over legal limit
Leeds: undercover op highlights
Leeds: undercover op highlights
illicit vape and tobacco crisis
illicit vape and tobacco crisis
NEWS/COMMENT
NEWS
6 ASIAN TRADER 29 NOVEMBER 2024
A vast majority of consumers
still feel cash is their most widely
used payment method, shows a
recent survey.
According to “Why Won’t
Cash Just Die?!!”, a new research
report from PayComplete,
surveying 5,000 consumers
from the UK, US, Germany,
France, Italy, and Spain, 89% of
consumers surveyed consider
the ability to pay in cash as
important for their customer
satisfaction. 90% of consumers
surveyed said that they use cash
the most.
One of the strongest drivers
for cash use is its close associa-
tion with the community, from
protecting favourite shops to
education and social inclusivity,
states the survey report. Cash
continues to be a beacon of
reliability in difcult situations
with over two-thirds (69%) of
consumers surveyed carrying
cash in case of an emergency.
More than three-quarters
(81%) say they use cash to
minimise data sharing while
over a third (34%) of those
surveyed prefer using cash to
manage their spending.
The report warns that
organisations that tell custom-
ers that they can’t pay with cash
are igniting negative emotions.
These feelings range from
disappointment (31%) to
frustration (21%), and even
anger (17%).
One in three (33%) cash users
fall within the 25-44 age range,
and nearly two-thirds (60%)
belong to the mid-range income
brackets, earning between
£19,000 and £63,999.
“All the noise around the
death of cash is just that. While
digital and electronic payment
providers have been quick to kill
and downplay the importance of
cash in consumers’ lives, our
research shows it continues to
hold a significant place in the
payment ecosystem,” said
Simon James, CEO of PayCom-
plete.
Customers declare that ‘Wad is God’ remains true for most
‘Cash payment option is key
‘Cash payment option is key
for customer satisfaction’
for customer satisfaction’
Forecourt operator EG
Group has completed
the sale of its UK
forecourt business and
certain foodservice
locations to co-founder
Zuber Issa.
The group said the
transaction proceeds
will be used to repay
debt.
EG Group last year
sold most of its UK and
Ireland business to
supermarket group Asda, but
retained 32 sites in the UK.
As previously announced,
following completion of the
transaction, Zuber has now
stepped down from his
executive leadership
capacity at EG Group,
becoming a non-executive
director.
His brother and co-found-
er Mohsin Issa will lead the
group as sole chief executive.
EG Group has in June
announced the sale of
the remaining UK
business for £228
million to Zuber, who
will focus on leading
and growing a new UK
petrol forecourt and
convenience retail
business, including
food service, to be
branded “EG on the
Move”.
“Mohsin and I have
realised and surpassed
our own expectations, and
the group is a UK success
story on a global stage,” Zuber
said. “I am very proud of what
we have built together and
look forward to its continued
success.”
EG Group completes divestment
of forecourts to Zuber Issa
Select & Save rolls out
Select & Save rolls out
rebranding of UK estate
rebranding of UK estate
Select & Save, which claims to be the
UK’s sole independent symbol group,
is rolling out a new identity across its
UK estate. Over the past year, the
group has invested in its brand to
distinguish itself in “an increasingly
bland and static market”.
Boasting the youngest manage-
ment team among symbol groups, the
group’s retailer package includes
rebates of up to 5.5% and other
incentives. Notably, Select & Save
ofers a Relief Manager service at no
cost, allowing retailers to take well-de-
served breaks — a first in the industry.
Co-op to install 300
Co-op to install 300
digital media screens
digital media screens
The Co-op said it will install 300 new
front-of-store digital media screens
to turbo-charge its retail media
ofering, taking the total number of
screens to over 9,000 across its
store estate.
In partnership with retail media
operator SMG, the move will enable
FMCG brands to deepen their
engagement across Co-op’s
convenience stores.
The rollout will see digital screens
introduced to 300 of Co-op’s
highest footfall, urban locations,
including Greater London (12%),
Greater Manchester (5%) and North
Yorkshire (2.5%), with 24 stores
planned to go live each week until
January 2025.
NewstrAid rounds of
NewstrAid rounds of
185th year with carol
185th year with carol
concert
concert
Industry charity NewstrAid will be
rounding of their 185th Birthday
celebrations with aCarol Concert at St
Bride’s Church, Fleet Street on
Monday 2 December, 6.45pm.
This festive event, which has been
made possible thanks to support from
over 20 newspaper and magazine
businesses, will include music from
the St Bride’s choir and festive
readings from industry colleagues.
The concert is the last event to take
place in celebration of NewstrAid’s
anniversary with events during 2024,
including a scavenger hunt, a special
lunch for the charity’s volunteers and
a summer rafe.
NEWS
29 NOVEMBER 2024 ASIAN TRADER 7
NEWS
The past year has seen signifi-
cant changes in the UK’s
political and economic
landscape.
With a new Labour government
at the helm and ongoing eforts
to stabilise the economy,
retailers face both challenges
and opportunities. Whilst
consumer confidence has
shown signs of improvement,
it’s clear that shoppers remain
cautious.
However, as seasoned
retailers, we’ve weathered
storms before, navigated
recessions, interest rate
fluctuations, and shifts in
consumer behaviour. Resilience
and adaptability have always
been our strengths, and this
year is no exception.
The key to success this
Christmas lies in understanding
and anticipating customer
behaviour. We expect to see a
continuation of last-minute
shopping trends, with many
consumers delaying their
purchases until closer to the
festive season. This presents a
golden opportunity for
independent retailers to
capture late sales.
For this, it’s crucial to
improve your communications.
Utilise every channel at your
disposal – from eye-catching
window displays to engaging
social media content and email
campaigns. Your message
should highlight what makes
your oferings unique and why
customers should choose your
shop for their festive purchases.
Whilst many independents
may shy away from Black
Friday-style promotions,
consider creating your own
unique ofers or events. These
needn’t be deep discounts but
could be exclusive products,
personalised services, or
in-store experiences that set
you apart from mass-market
retailers.
As we move into December,
focus on honing your skills.
Excellent customer service,
product knowledge, and a
welcoming atmosphere make
all the diference. Remember,
you’re not just selling products,
you’re creating a festive
shopping experience that can’t
be replicated online.
The new government has
pledged support for high
streets, and there’s still strong
public sentiment for shopping
locally. Tap into this by empha-
sising your role in the communi-
ty. Consider collaborating with
other local businesses for joint
promotions or events.
Sustainability continues to
be important to many consum-
ers, so highlight any eco-friend-
ly or locally-sourced products in
your range.
Be prepared for potential
last-minute changes in
shopping patterns. Stay flexible
with your stock levels and
stafng. Consider extending
your opening hours in the final
weeks before Christmas.
Finally, don’t forget digital.
Whilst your shop is your
primary asset, ensure your
online presence is up to date.
Many customers research
online before visiting stores, so
tweak your website or social
media profiles to reflect your
current stock and special ofers.
In this festive season, let’s
remember that the spirit of
independent retail – personal-
ised service, unique products,
and community connection - is
what many customers are
seeking. By playing to these
strengths and adapting to the
current economic climate, we
can turn the challenges of 2024
into opportunities for success.
Here at Bira, we’re optimis-
tic about the potential of this
Christmas trading period. We’re
here to support you every step
of the way and wish all our mem-
bers a prosperous, joyful, and
successful festive season..
As we approach the festive season, Bira’s CEO Andrew Goodacre
shares insights on how independent retailers can make the most of
the crucial Christmas period
Unwrapping opportunities –
Unwrapping opportunities –
maximising Christmas trade in 2024
maximising Christmas trade in 2024
Jisp targets
Jisp targets
sustainable growth
sustainable growth
Retail technology company Jisp,
which recently celebrated the
three-year anniversary of its Scan
& Save app, said that following a
strategic review it has launched a
new long-term growth plan to
enable it to scale sustainably for
the future.
The plan details how to develop
the business around five pillars of
growth: Scan & Save, Scan & Win,
White Label, Data & Insights and
Direct to Retailer.
To support the plan a new
management and business
structure has also been designed
and implemented.
Canned beans
Canned beans
sales let rip
sales let rip
Sales of canned beans are soaring,
particularly among the middle
class, reflecting a growing
awareness of the ingredient’s
versatility and health benefits as
well as afordability.
YOY sales of canned beans
are +122%. The supermarket chain
says demand for butter beans has
risen 79% while sales of chick-
peas have soared +400%.
Sainsbury’s has also had big rises
in demand.
Sales are being driven by social
media, and #beans has nearly 4m
posts on Instagram while a video
for a caramelised onion butter
bean recipe has 4.5m views.
Kestrel Foods
Kestrel Foods
buys Indie Bay
buys Indie Bay
Snack manufacturer Kestrel Foods
has acquired Indie Bay Snacks
from Nurture Brands. The brand
will join Kestrel Foods’ portfolio of
Forest Feast, ACTI-SNACK and
Just Live a Little, continuing its
trajectory to become a leading
player in the snacking category.
Indie Bay Snacks ofers
consumers tasty and healthier
savoury snacks within the grocery,
travel and DTC channels. Its pretzel
thins are a lighter, fun way to enjoy
pretzels, with 70% less fat than
crisps.
Kestrel Foods’ own flagship
brand, Forest Feast, has grown
over 30% in the last year.
By Andrew
Goodacre, CEO
of Bira (British
Independent
Retailers
Association)
NEWS
8 ASIAN TRADER 29 NOVEMBER 2024
Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s
budget is expected to prove
to be “a big burden for the
retail industry to carry”, Asda
chair Stuart Rose said,
warning that the “conse-
quences” of the budget will
lead to price increases.
Rose said the increase in
employers’ NICs and changes
to tax thresholds would have
“consequences” and meant it
could not rule out upward
price-tags.
“If you get presented with
a bill unexpectedly for
around £100m, even if you’re
a business as big as us, that
takes some digestion. So
we’re looking at the conse-
quences of that, but you
cannot rule out the fact there
will be some inflation,” said
Lord Rose.
He added that the changes
in the budget were “a big
burden for the retail industry
to carry” and meant that Asda
would “have to look hard at
every piece of expenditure”,
including the annual pay
increase for staf, and may
limit how many workers it
hires.
“We’ve seen an increase
in national minimum wage,”
he added. “We want to
attract good staf, but we
have to look very, very hard
to afordability.”
It comes after Asda
released its gloomy numbers
the slide in total revenues,
excluding fuel, by 2.5% to
£5.3bn in the three months
to the end of September,
while like-for-like sales were
4.8% lower than the same
quarter in 2023.
Asda’s warning about the
cost of budget measures
comes only days after it
announced hundreds of head
ofce job cuts and a restructur-
ing in an attempt to turn
around the business.
Asda CEO Rose says that prices will need to go up - again
Reeves’ budget is ‘big burden
Reeves’ budget is ‘big burden
for retail industry to carry’
for retail industry to carry’
A good majority (69%) of
retail staf experienced
verbal abuse with most
incidents triggered by
shoplifting, said retail trade
union Usdaw in a report.
According to interim
results based on over 4,000
retail staf responses, in the
last twelve months, over two
thirds experienced verbal
abuse while 45% were
threatened by a customer.
17% were assaulted, with 70%
of incidents triggered by
shoplifting – with most
linked to addiction.
Commenting on the
report’s findings, Usdaw
General Secretary Paddy
Lillissaid it has become
increasingly common for
retail stores to be targeted by
organised crime gangs
stealing to order amid a retail
crime epidemic.
“Our survey demonstrates
that theft from shops is not a
victimless crime, with
incidents regularly being a
major flashpoint for violence
and abuse against shop
workers. Having to deal with
repeated and persistent theft
can cause issues like anxiety,
fear and in some cases physical
harm to retail workers. Our
members are reporting that
they are often faced with
hardened career criminals in
their stores [or] those who are
stealing to sell goods on, often
to fund an addiction.”
‘Over two-thirds in retail
sufer abuse from customers’
Carlsberg shifts focus to
Carlsberg shifts focus to
cheaper beers
cheaper beers
Carlsberg is shifting some of its
marketing focus to cheaper brands
as consumers in major markets
selected non-premium – and in
reduced quantities.
The maker of Kronenbourg 1664,
Tuborg and Somersby said beer sales
volumes fell by 1.3% in the third
quarter, noting declines in China,
France and the UK. Premium sales fell
0.5% in the quarter.
For years, brewers have relied on
a strategy of developing and
promoting their more expensive
premium brands to ofset an overall
decline in drinking. Carlsberg said it
remained confident in the long-term
growth potential of premium beer.
New benefits scheme
New benefits scheme
for Fed members
for Fed members
The Federation of Independent
Retailers (The Fed) has launched an
exclusive benefits scheme, FedPlus,
ofering a range of discounts goods
and activities, from everyday
purchases to luxury products.
Fed members will have access to
a range of money-saving benefits
covering a wide variety of areas –
from health, food and drink and
well-being to home, car, fashion,
tech, entertainment and travel and
experiences. A Savings Calculator
will show how much has been saved,
based on spending, and will generate
a personal savings total and provide
links to the individual deals.
One Stop Christmas
One Stop Christmas
campaign ofers
campaign ofers
weekly prizes
weekly prizes
One Stop has announced its 2024
Christmas campaign, giving custom-
ers a chance to win weekly prizes
including a high-end tech bundle.
Until 31 December, customers can
take part in One Stop’s Scratch to
Win weekly advent online game and
also take advantage of the conveni-
ence retailer’s weekly deals by
visiting the One Stop website, where
they will be directed to the Scratch to
Win game page. Customers can try
their luck every Wednesday. Behind
the window each week, customers
will also be able to see the retailer’s
must-have deal.
EARN RENT
DELIGHT CUSTOMERS
INCREASE FOOTFALL
Host an InPost Locker and join our network of
thousands of locations across the UK.
Why should you become
an InPost Locker Host?
Footfall is driven
to your store –
54% of InPost
users make a
purchase in store*
There’s no parcel
management or
extra hassle for
you with self-
servicing lockers
You will earn
a guaranteed
base rent for the
locker space
There is no
cost for you.
Not even set up
fees, ZERO!
Get in touch today
info.inpost.co.uk/host-a-locker-asiantrader
*Based on a survey of 2,116 InPost Locker users
NEWS FEATURE
TOBACCO & VAPING BILL
10 ASIAN TRADER 29 NOVEMBER 2024
s the Tobacco and Vapes Bill makes
its way into parliament with
promises of a healthier, smoke-
free UK, convenience retailers
across the country are anxious, fearing an
impending storm of challenges on the
horizon, finds Asian Trader.
Ignoring the outcry from
small business owners and
consumer freedom advocates
alike, Labour introduced the
Tobacco and Vapes Bill in
parliament on November 5.
Reviving the bill from previous
Conservative government,
Labour has made the legislation
even more stifling with a
couple of additional measures,
such as looking into extending
smoke-free places and introducing a
licensing scheme for tobacco and vape
retailers.
The core of the bill is a ban on selling
“tobacco products, herbal smoking prod-
ucts, and cigarette papers to anyone born on
or after January 1, 2009”. Notably, the focus
is on selling here, thereby placing the entire
burden of enforcement on retailers with no
repercussions on the “under-age adult”
asking or rather coercing for a cigarette.
Touted as a world-leading idea, the bill’s
intentions are noble, but in practice, it is
expected to impose severe operational
challenges for store owners.
For example, in 2040 it will be still legal
to sell cigarettes to 32-year-olds but a
retailer will face a criminal
ofence for selling the same to
30-year-olds, and will probably
facing customers’ wrath when
they are denied what was asked
for.
Additionally, after January 1,
2027, each cigarette or tobacco
product purchase will require
the mandatory checking of
government-approved ID
(which are passport, UK driving
licence, a driving licence issued
If Labour is really serious about a healthier UK, it
must support and collaborate with convenience
sector to craft a balanced workable bill, retailers
tell Pooja Shrivastava
Elsewhere, in Croydon, Nisa retailer
Benedict Selvaratnam (also known as Ben)
is having similar concerns about this new
added layer of complexity. Sharing Godha-
nia’s concern, Ben also fears both customer
backlash as well as delays in service at the
till.
Ben said, “The added layer of complexity
will slow down transactions at the point of
sale, leading to potential delays, especially
in busy stores like ours where every minute
counts.”
Retailers like Bobby Singh, who
manages BB Nevison Superstore and Post
Ofce in Pontefract, fear these measures
force them into adversarial roles with
customers.
Sharing his apprehensions, Singh told
Asian Trader, “Through such laws, the
government is basically expecting us to
question grown adults on their choices. We
will be questioning grown-up responsible
adults on their freedom of choice and this is
just going to cause confrontation for me and
my teams.”
Across the border in
Wales, independent
retailer Trudy Davies,
who runs Woosnam and
Davies News in Llanid-
loes, is worried about
what she is going to do if
this bill becomes law. She
shares her apprehension
over the strain the law
would impose on her already overburdened
staf.
Davies told Asian Trader, “When adult
customers are asked for ID – it then becomes
a ‘flashpoint’ for disruptive purchasers
whom the store staf will have to deal with.
Their anxiety levels and stress with just
daily things they deal with is enough for
them.
“Now with more and more put onto
them, particularly ‘policing’ as part of their
job, it will be more worrisome for us
business owners. Moreover, it is unimagina-
ble how each cigarette or basic tobacco
product will require an ID check every
single time, putting other customers behind
in line waiting to be served.”
Despair in the air as Tobacco
and Vapes Bill Looms
by any of the Channel Islands or the Isle of
Man, European Union photo card driving
licence, or an identity card issued by the
Proof of Age Standards Scheme and bearing
its hologram) to make sure the buyer is
“born after 2009”, thus, majorly extending
transaction times at the till.
Asian Trader reached out to
some of the leading conveni-
ence retailers across the UK,
and the air was thick with
frustration and despair, majorly
over the fact that the govern-
ment is pressing ahead with the
bill, ignoring their pleas.
Highlighting the bill’s
daunting implications, retailer
Neil Godhania, who owns and
runs Neil’s Premier in Peterbor-
ough, heavily criticised the move, saying
that such a law, if it comes into efect, will
put a multi-level burden on retailers.
He said, “The ban requires that stores
verify each customer’s birth year to ensure
they’re not part of the restricted generation,
adding an extra layer of complexity to
existing age verification.”
This increased scrutiny will demand
rigorous staf training, higher operational
costs, and a heightened risk of penalties – all
of which erode the quality of customer
service and increase stress on staf, he
explained.
Not only are these restrictions impracti-
cal, but they also risk exacerbating an
already tense retail environment. According
to ACS 2024 Crime Report,
most colleagues (87 per cent) in
convenience stores have faced
verbal abuse over the last year
while enforcing the law on age
restricted sales has been named
among the top three triggers
for abuse.
With customer abuse cases
at record high levels, Godhania
fears that the bill’s require-
ments will only escalate
confrontations.
Benedict Selvaratnam
Neil Godhania
Trudy Davies