32
Vapers start to quit
vaping for cigarettes
Business Services
and Technology
Babies, Toddlers and Kids
24
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020 7654 7728
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Asian Trade Publications Ltd 2025
ISSN 0961-7132
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4 NEWS
Leader: Up in smoke
Big trolley shop resurges as Brits return to office
Retailers concerned over disposable vape ban
disaster
Horizon victim to sue Post Office, Fujitsu
‘Majority of snacks fail health criteria’ – report
Employment Rights Bill passed by House of
Commons
Call raised to bring-in soft drink-like sugar tax
universally
Fruity beer emerges as biggest trend since
craft boom
Guest column: Make your spirits shelf work
harder
Guest column: Going Green Isn’t Just Good
for the Planet ...
10 NEWS FEATURE:
Convenience cracking
under crime
As criminals grow more aggressive,
convenience teeters on the edge, grasping at
grassroots solutions and legislative reforms
12 RETAIL CORNER:
Standing the test of time
Discover a 90-year-old convenience store that
has always landed on its feet, whatever the
challenges were
13 WORLD OF WHOLESALE
A regular round-up of news and views in the
wholesale sector
14 “NOT” TWITTER
The best observations and comments from
retailers (and friends) on the ground
15 MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Keeping up with the latest industry moves
and promotions
16 ME AND MY BRAND
Upuli Ambawatta, Brand Manager at Empire
Bespoke Foods, tells us about its Master Cook
range of world food meal kits and more
19 THE ASIAN TRADER
AWARDS 2025
The best and brightest of the independent
grocery sector will have their achievements
recognised at this November’s Awards
extravaganza
22 AWARD-WINNER
INTERVIEW
The 2024 Asian Trader Tobacco Retailer of the
Year, Suresh Arulanantham, is setting light to
sales at his Rye, Sussex, forecourt, and filling
up on profit
24 FEATURE: BUSINESS
SERVICES AND TECHNOLOGY
There is so much help now available for
retailers in the business services area, and
so much of it cheap or even free, that a great
digital transformation is on the way
28 MUST STOCK
The latest product news
32 FEATURE: BABIES,
TODDLERS AND KIDS
It’s a vital category because, when babies are
calling the shots, your store needs to have all
the answers ready
36 FEATURE: SCOTLAND
SUPPLEMENT
Scottish retailers battle harsh conditions and
crime as a fresh slew of legislation is about to
hit – but it’s not all gloom
44 FEATURE: PETCARE
The human birthrate might be declining in
the UK, but pet ownership is on the up as the
nation redefines parenthood
49 CLASSIFIED
4th April to 17th April 2025
THE VOICE OF INDEPENDENT RETAILERS
VOLUME 37 NUMBER 961