48
Business rate bill to surge by
‘over 140 per cent’ in April
Ramadan
Big Night In
21
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4 NEWS
Leader: What’s in store
Business rate bill to surge by ‘over 140 per
cent’ in April
Christmas beats Dry January for zero-beer
sales
Deposit Return Scheme plans advance in
Parliament
PMQs: Starmer vows to tackle rising retail crime
Government publishes guidelines on
disposable vape ban
Highstreet chain sees drop in crime with body
cameras
Report shows ‘£17.5bn sales to independent
retailers’
Alarm sounded over rise in illegal nicotine
pouches
Guest column: Trending tipples in 2025 –
here’s what to expect
Guest column: Shop theft podcast reveals
disturbing trends
10 NEWS FEATURE:
Convenience in crisis?
Amid reports of declining sales, mindful
strategies could reignite the convenience
sector’s spark, finds Pooja Shrivastava
12 DATA CART
Your at-a-glance guide to the big issues in the
sector
13 TRIBUTE: DUDLEY
RAMSDEN
Asian Trader pays a heartfelt tribute to a true
pioneer of the UK’s convenience retail and
wholesale sector
14 MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Keeping up with the latest industry moves
and promotions
15 “NOT” TWITTER
The best observations and comments from
retailers (and friends) on the ground
16 AWARD-WINNER
INTERVIEW
Amarjit Singh Rakhra had added space and
peace of mind for the community as part of his
retail offer, revolutionising what indies can
provide
18 RETAIL CORNER: Small
store with a big heart
Pooja Shrivastava finds a tucked-away
convenience store Newcastle suburb which is
doing something no other store in the country
does
19 WORLD OF WHOLESALE
A regular round-up of news and views in the
wholesale sector
21 FEATURE: RAMADAN
Ramadan isn’t just a sales opportunity – it’s a
chance for retailers to show up, stand out, and
win hearts
30 FEATURE: SPORTS AND
PROTEIN PRODUCTS
Protein is bursting out of the gym and flexing its
muscles on the shelves of c-stores as the nation
decides that dense nutrients are where it’s at
39 ME AND MY BRAND:
INPOST
Network Director Paul Selvey explains how a
revolution in online delivery is taking place –
earning indies rent from lockers and boosting
customer footfall
40 MUST STOCK
The latest product news
43 FEATURE: DAIRY AND
ALTERNATIVES
The UK still loves dairy, but its tastes appear
to be moving away from traditional, towards
newer – and value-added – product
48 FEATURE: BIG NIGHT IN
With the right mix of food, snacks, sweets and
drinks, convenience stores can corner the Big
Night In market
7th February to 6th March 2025
THE VOICE OF INDEPENDENT RETAILERS
VOLUME 37 NUMBER 958