48
Govt announces age
restrictions on Energy drinks
Sport & Protein products
Student Opportunities
30
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4 NEWS
Leader: Last of the summer whine
Govt announces age restrictions on Energy drinks
Co-op Wholesale and Costcutter sign new
agreement
Snappy Shopper launches 24/7 delivery
nationwide
Snappy Shopper integrates with Google
Merchant Center
Food prices in UK to rise as manufacturing
costs soar
Guest column: Spice, cream & rum: autumn’s
winning spirits
Guest column: Keeping the high street unique
– your time to shine
10 NEWS FEATURE: Always on:
remotely restless vacations
Unlike most Brits, independent retailers’
holidays are less about rest and more about trust
12 Out and About
See what’s been happening in Grocery Land
this month – plus gossip and rumours
13 DATA CART
Your at-a-glance and graphic guide to the big
issues in the sector
14 MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Keeping up with the latest industry moves and
promotions
15 RETAIL CORNER: Lighting
up the community
For this convenience store in Salford, the
business is lighting up its community, whether
through new launches on the shelves or
literally, with fireworks in the sky
16“NOT” TWITTER
The best observations and comments from
retailers (and friends) on the ground
17 WORLD OF WHOLESALE
A regular round-up of news, views and what’s
happening in the wholesale sector
18 AWARD-WINNER
INTERVIEW:
For ex-policeman Priyesh Vekaria, looking
after his store, staff and shoppers is second
nature, and he succeeds wonderfully at putting
community welfare front and centre
20 FEATURE: BIG NIGHT IN
Big nights in mean big business, and as the
nights draw in and Britain settles back for a
stay-at home season it’s time to buckle up and
cash in with all the goodies required
30 FEATURE: SPORTS AND
PROTEIN PRODUCTS
Great changes are occurring in the functional
and performance categories, from drinks to
dairy to snacks – with reformulations tailored
to changing consumer demands
37 FEATURE: NICOTINE POUCHES
A new product with a long history, nicotine
pouches have shed the ‘tobacco-plug’ image
of cowboys and sailors to emerge as the ‘clean
nicotine’ option for Next Gen
44 ME AND MY BRAND – PML
Anthony Loinsard explains the technology,
flavour-forward portfolio and nicotine
experience that have made IQOS the world’s
number-one tobacco heating system
45 MUST STOCK
The latest product news
48 FEATURE: STUDENT
OPPORTUNITIES
The sign of autumn is not falling leaves but
students lugging cases to their new lodgings as
another academic year begins – and they are
all in need of nourishment and good times
55 SYMBOL, FASCIA &
FRANCHISE SUPPLEMENT
Our latest look at the variety and role of
symbol groups that are currently available,
performance, conditions, terms and their offers
to retailers
19th September to 16th October 2025
THE VOICE OF INDEPENDENT RETAILERS
VOLUME 37 NUMBER 969