NEWS
4 ASIAN TRADER 7 MARCH 2025
Taking aim at self checkouts in
stores, Bridgwater Senior
Citizens’ Forum recently stated
that such automation is
replacing workers and damag-
ing customer service.
“More and more supermar-
kets are replacing staf with
machines, and we must help to
reverse the trend,” BBC quoted
Forum chairman Ken Jones as
saying.
“The knowledge and advice
of retail staf is invaluable, but
we also value human interac-
tion above machines and
artificial intelligence.
“Just saying hello to
someone makes you come back,
especially in dark days of winter.
The feelgood factor, you can’t
put a price on it can you?”
Self-checkouts are present in
96% of grocery stores worldwide.
In the UK’s convenience
channel, about 17% of conveni-
ence stores have a self-service
till, states the ACS in its “Local
Shop Report”, signifying a
significant portion of the
country’s convenience stores
ofer self-checkout options.
C-stores often see self-check-
out tills as an asset as they save
time and queues at the counter
in case of staf shortage.
Community group calls to boycott
‘anti-social’ self-checkouts
Up and down like
Tower Bridge
nflation is up to 3%, but if you think we have it bad in the
UK, a dozen eggs are now $8 in the USA. That’s down to
bird flu, though, and some wise folks are now suggesting
that instead of slaughtering the entire flock as soon as one
case is confirmed, perhaps keep the hens that don’t fall ill
and use those germ-resistant birds as breed stock.
Well, it’s an idea, and perhaps the government should
apply it to the UK economy as a whole: instead of enacting all
the planned budget measures in April, and killing the entire
retail sector, perhaps give certain vital, proven sectors (we are
thinking of convenience retailers, here) a bit of a break, so that
their energy and entrepreneurialism can survive and thrive in
the future, instead of culling entirely what used to be UK plc.
It has been announced that film studios are going to get
40% relief on gross business rates bills until 2034 (worth
nearly £50 million a year), so perhaps running a fascia at
Shepperton or Pinewood is the way forward. Some interest-
ing priorities from the Chancellor, there!
On the other hand, the battered and browbeaten UK
consumers, whose confidence is ever lower – so we are daily
informed – has surprisingly bucked the trend by going
shopping more, so far this year.
January is usually the quiet time after Christmas, but in
2025, according to the ONS (see story opposite), the trend –
like bond yields? – has inverted, with people spending more
money in the new year. But here’s the catch: it is defensive
spending, money going on relatively cheaper goods to take
advantage of economical alternatives to previous spending
patterns. Splashing out on good ingredients and meals
cooked and consumed at home is defensive (saving money
on restaurants). Tasty treats are an alternative to more
expensive options such as going to the movies or a theme
park, or buying a new outfit. All are defensive decisions.
People are clever; this is how they are dealing with what
they see in the economy (and the economy is always best
seen on the street, not in the news programmes).
“The jump in headline inflation to 3% in January adds to
evidence that the UK is heading for ‘stagflation’ – a nasty
combination of stagnating economic activity, rising infla-
tion, and increasing job insecurity,” says Julian Jessop,
Economics Fellow at the free-market think tank the
Institute of Economic Afairs.
The problem is that as inflation goes up (not a lot, it has to
be said, even though it is already 50% higher than the bank of
England’s target), UK productivity is going down – not
necessarily because people are lazy or there are too many
unemployed or on benefits, but more that there is not
enough investment, because government policies are
proving to be disincentive.
Jessop believes that what we are in for on 2025 (the up and
down, if you like), will be “mild by past standards, and so best
described as ‘stagflation-lite’.
So there’s that.
Following a disappointing
“Golden Quarter”, retailers
had a strong start to the new
year, as latest data shows rise
in total UK retail sales
volumes with a particular
considerable rise in food
stores sales volume, prompt-
ed by more people eating at
home.
According to Ofce for
National Statistics (ONS)
retail sales figures for
January, retail sales volumes
are estimated to have risen
by 1.7% in January 2025,
following a fall of 0.6% in
December 2024.
ONS figure shows that
food stores sales volumes
rose by 5.6% on the month.
This is the largest rise since
March 2020, putting index
levels at their highest since
June 2023.
This follows four consecu-
tive falls on the month,
ending in December 2024
when index levels were their
lowest since April 2013.
Supermarkets, specialist
food stores like butchers and
bakers, and alcohol and
tobacco stores all rose over
the month. Retailers
suggested that the increase
was because of more people
eating at home in January.
Non-store retailers’ sales
volumes rose 2.4% on the
month, partially rebounding
from a 3.4% fall in December
2024. Retailers in this sector
reported post-Christmas
sales remaining strong.
Non-food stores – the
total of department, cloth-
ing, household and other
non-food stores – fell 1.3%
over the month. Clothing
retailers and household
goods stores suggested the
fall was because of reduced
consumer confidence.
Despite gloom, public enjoys eating at home
Strong start of 2025 for
Strong start of 2025 for
retailers as food sales up
retailers as food sales up