AT 971

The Voice of Independent Retailers

News Feature

Licence to sell

14th November to 11th December 2025

Volume 37 No. 971

Me & My Brand

KP Snacks

Asian Trader Awards

Here now

Winter Remedies

Bless you!

SALTED CARAMEL

IT’S

SEASON

A V A I L A B L E N O W AT

L E A R N M O R E : U B B S P O U C H E S . C O M

Despite ban, more than

one-third vapes illegal

Asian Trader Awards 2025

Winter Remedies

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4 NEWS

Leader: The road ahead

Despite ban, more than one-third vapes illegal

Shoplifting soars with almost 530,000 incidents

reported

Growing popularity of private labels

challenges big names

Biffa sues Scottish gov over failed bottle return

scheme

UK convenience market to hit ‘£56.2 billion by

2030’

Surge in illicit tobacco consumption in past

year

Guest column: Don’t fear the bad review -

how customer feedback can transform your

business

Guest column: Value vs premium: what

shoppers will still pay for

12 NEWS FEATURE: Licence to

sell, not to suffer

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill could clean up the

market or completely misfire, depending on

whether Westminster listens, retailers say

14 “NOT” TWITTER

The best observations and comments from

retailers (and friends) on the ground

16 MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Keeping up with the latest industry moves and

promotions

18 RETAIL CORNER

42-year-old family store is reborn in North-

East Lincolnshire, blending cutting-edge

innovation and mother’s soulfully cooked food

20 WORLD OF WHOLESALE

A regular round-up of news, views and what’s

happening in the wholesale sector

22 DATA CART

Your at-a-glance and graphic guide to the big

issues in the sector

24 OUT AND ABOUT

See what’s been happening in Grocery Land

this month – plus gossip and rumours

27 ASIAN TRADER

AWARDS 2025

The Asian Trader Awards are here – we look at

what is on the menu of events for the big night

and hear from our sponsors

34 FEATURE: SUSTAINABILITY

With consumers demanding change and

brands reinventing packaging, sustainability

is fast becoming the backbone of Britain’s local

retail conscience

40 FEATURE: FESTIVE DRINKS

See how independent convenience retailers

can cash in harder than the supermarkets this

Christmas – if they move now

50/54 ME AND MY BRAND –

HEINEKEN

Brand Manager Lauren Wylie explains the

enduring appeal of this long-standing and

best-selling brand of beer, and reveals how it is

boosting sales and revenue for indies

Rachel Horrell, Senior Brand Manager at KP

Nuts, explains how retailers can score big with

the nation’s favourite nuts – as darts champion

Luke Littler partners the brand

52 MUST STOCK

The latest product news

57 FEATURE: FESTIVE

TOBACCO

Retailers should take advantage of the seasonal

surge in lighting up, with cigars at the centre of

the festive display

64 ME AND MY BRAND – ÜBBS

Steve McGeough, Managing Director of übbs,

tells the story of this growing challenger brand

in the lively nicotine pouch category – leading

the way with samplings, partnerships and

brand activations

65 FEATURE: WINTER

REMEDIES

Your OTC remedies shelf could be a

destination point for shoppers with health

concerns and bring in a winter footfall bonus

14th November to 11th December 2025

THE VOICE OF INDEPENDENT RETAILERS

VOLUME 37 NUMBER 971

NEWS

4 ASIAN TRADER 14 NOVEMBER 2025

Royal Mail will double its

network of out-of-home parcel

points – including shops, lockers

and parcel postboxes – to 45,000

locations by 2030, as it aims to

make parcel collection, sending

and returns more convenient

for customers.

The expansion is designed to

ensure that customers in urban

areas are within a five-minute

walk of a Royal Mail parcel

point, with targets of five and

15 minutes’ maximum

drivetime in suburban and rural

areas respectively.

The rollout will build on

Royal Mail’s existing infra

structure, which includes

115,000 postboxes and 3,500

“postboxes of the future” being

upgraded to handle shoe-box

size parcels.

To reach its 2030 goal, Royal

Mail plans to accelerate locker

installations in high-footfall

areas, grow the Royal Mail Shop

brand – with nearly 8,000

convenience stores now

offering over-the-counter

postal services – and maintain

access through its 11,500 Post

Office branches and delivery

offices. The company is also

exploring innovations such as

self-service kiosks, retailer

partnerships and wider use of

parcel dropboxes.

Royal Mail to double parcel

points to 45,000 by 2030

The road ahead

e keep hearing about the cost-of-living crisis,

which began (roughly) when the Covid lock-

down subsidies ended and subsequent supply

chain issues led to a spike in inflation. But it was already a

thing at least since the great financial crisis of 2007-8, when

the Western economy nearly imploded. That crisis itself – a

credit crisis or rather a liquidity crisis that sent myriads of

individuals and companies to the wall – was partly the result

of previously hidden inflation – chiefly in house prices –

that had been heating up since the late 1990s, as burden

some mortgage costs stripped consumers of disposable

income and left big winners and sore losers in its wake.

With that history in mind, perhaps it is time to cease

discussion of a cost-of-living crisis. What we have now is

permanent, and so “crisis” is not the correct term. Instead,

this is a long grind down, with each year seeing two con

stants: inflation still above target rate and wage increases

below the rate of inflation. Ordinary people have less spare

cash each year and must either cut back or fall further into

arrears with credit cards, overdrafts, loans and so on, with

no real expectation of getting free. People fear the deaden

ing effect of AI on the jobs market, but in truth the debt

overhang, which has increased suddenly and to a previously

unimaginable extent since the turn of the century, is the

real problem, because it demands ever-higher levels of

taxation, and therefore depresses investment and growth,

leading firms to lower their hiring rates – and to offer jobs at

lower salaries than otherwise.

Usually, inflation erodes the value of debts, but this time

is increasing it – because the level of government debt and

deficit is so huge a part of the economic equation, and

because the government cannot escape its commitments

even if it wanted to.

Not to be grim about it, but we can expect the situation to

continue indefinitely, so long as the state stays the same

size. Mentioning the “crisis” now is to the point because

near the end of this month Rachel Reeves’s Budget will

show us the way forward – which looks to be almost a

nailed-on certainty of continuance on the current path. She

has no option of side roads or U-turns, with government

spending commitments being what they are, and which are

growing rapidly.

But people still need to eat. A country, they say, is only

ever three meals away from revolution, and this sombre

picture is the landscape where the future of convenience

will be determined. The auguries are good. Less cash to

splash means fewer big box multiple trips and more living

locally. That’s what the statisticians are predicting, with the

sector growing healthily until at least 2030, when revenues

will hit £56.2 billion.

That figure might be suspiciously too accurate, but the

directionality is believable and understandable. Conveni

ence is set to prosper and become even more vital – so enjoy

the Awards if you are with us at the Westminster Park Plaza;

and if not – be there next year!

Disposable vapes were

officially banned in the UK

in June 2025, and at the

time, industry experts

warned that this could

lead to a rise in black

market activity. There

have been reports of a

rapidly growing black

market for disposable

vapes and Trading

Standards have been regularly

making seizures of the now illegal

product. Newly-released data

indicate the ban is not working

and uncovers the true scale of the

black market in disposable vape

bans.

According to the research

(Haypp), a huge 62.5% of vapers

are still using disposable vapes.

This figure is significantly higher

for those aged 25-34, with 82%

saying they are still using the

banned devices.

More alarmingly, 35 per cent

of disposable vape users say they

are still buying disposable vapes.

While it’s not illegal to have

possession of disposable vapes, it

is illegal for disposable vapes to be

sold. The challenge for the

authorities is that with so many

vapers reporting that they are still

able to purchase the banned

devices, it indicates a thriving

black market and huge numbers

of unscrupulous retailers.

The latest data shows vapers

purchase black market dispos

ables mainly in local corner shops

(55%), specialist vape shops

(37%), supermarkets (34%),

online retailers (28%), market

stalls (18%), social media pedlars

(14%), via friends/ family (12%)

and car boot sales (10%).

Corner shops and vape stores

remain the main sources of the

problem. Unfortunately, this

trend is set to continue, as 14%

admitted they plan to continue in

the future.

New report uncovers the real scale of the black market

Despite ban, more than

one-third vapes illegal

NEWS

14 NOVEMBER 2025 ASIAN TRADER 5

The number of shop thefts

recorded by the police in

England and Wales has reached

a new high, with 529.994

incidents tallied by the Office

for National Statistics over the

12 months to June 2025.

The latest Crime Survey for

England and Wales shows that

in the 12 months to June 2025,

there were 529,994 recorded

shoplifting offences compared

to 469,698 in the previous

year. This is an increase of 13%.

However, leading retailers’

association Bira’s crime survey

shows the vast majority of

crimes now go unreported

which is 91 per cent of physical

abuse incidents and 47% of

thefts because retailers have

lost faith in police response.

When incidents are

reported, only 16.7% lead to

prosecution. This means that

Bira believes the true scale of

retail crime is far greater than

even the official ONS figures

suggest, with repeat offenders

accounting for nearly 70% of

incidents.

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of

Bira, said, “We welcome the

Government’s commitment

to 3,000 additional neigh

bourhood officers by March

2026 and the Crime and

Policing Bill measures,

including ending the £200

theft loophole and creating a

new offence for assaulting

retail workers.

“However, we urge swift im

plementation of the Govern

ment’s Winter of Action - the

renewed focus on tackling shop

theft in town centres following

the summer crime blitz - and

call for consistent police

response standards across all

forces.

“We would also like to see

greater use of community

behaviour orders (CBOs) in

order to deal with the perennial

offenders. Independent

retailers are the backbone of

our high streets and need

visible support.”

Post-Covid ‘Criminal nation’ trend shows no sign of slowing

Shoplifting soars with almost

530,000 incidents reported

Shopworkers’ union

Usdaw has called on the

Government to include

home delivery drivers

in a new standalone

offence for assaulting

retail workers under

the Crime and Policing

Bill.

The union has

submitted evidence to

support the call, and

many retail employers

are also backing this.

The bill has passed all stages in

the House of Commons and is

now timetabled for its first

debate in the House of Lords,

with a second reading.

Usdaw has surveyed over

300 retail home delivery

drivers working mainly in the

grocery sector and employed

by a range of companies

including Tesco, Sainsbury’s,

Ocado, Asda, Morri

sons and Iceland.

The results show

that in the last 12

months 77% had been

a victim of abuse, 13%

were assaulted and

26% had refused a

delivery due to fear for

their own personal

safety.

Delivery drivers are

required to obtain

proof of age for a

number of products or liable

for prosecution – resulting in

a heavy fine and/or discipli

nary action from the employ

er.

Calls for home delivery driver

cover under Crime Bill

Parfetts opens first Go

Local Extra in Portsmouth

Parfetts’ first Portsmouth Go Local

Extra store in Portsmouth is with

experienced independent retailer

Jose Santiapillai, marking another

significant milestone in the wholesal

er’s ongoing expansion across the

south of England.

Pompey Foods, situated directly

under student accommodation and

next to Portsmouth University, has

already delivered impressive results

since converting to the Go Local Extra

fascia in September.

“Since switching to Go Local Extra,

the store’s gone from strength to

strength,” said. Jose. “We used to rely

mostly on students and people

passing by, but now we’re seeing more

local residents.”

PayPoint strengthens

NoteMachine partnership

PayPoint has expanded its partner

ship with NoteMachine – a Brink’s

Company – to provide full engineer

ing support across its estate of more

than 3,000 ATMs across the UK.

The collaboration, which builds

on a relationship first established in

2024, will see NoteMachine deliver

both first- and second-line engineer

ing support, covering everything

from diagnostics to field mainte

nance. The move is aimed at

ensuring consistent uptime and

reliability for PayPoint’s national

ATM network, which plays a vital role

in providing access to cash for

communities and local retailers.

Carlsberg Britvic new

investment at Rugby

factory

The drinks giant is investing £20

million in a canning line and building

extension at its Rugby factory,

creating more than 30 new jobs and

bringing total investment in the site

over the past five years to more than

£60 million. It will significantly

increase production capacity, taking

the factory’s total number up to 10

lines, allowing production to increase

from 560,000 canned soft drinks an

hour to 610,000.The expansion will

enable the production of some of the

UK’s favourite soft drinks, including

Tango and Pepsi MAX.

NEWS

6 ASIAN TRADER 14 NOVEMBER 2025

A customer review arrives. Your

heart sinks as you spot the

three-star rating. It’s a natural

reaction – nobody enjoys

criticism. Yet that moment of

discomfort might be the catalyst

your business needs.

In a recent episode of Bira’s

“High Street Matters” podcast,

Alicia Skubick, Chief Customer

Officer at Trustpilot, shared a

perspective that should change

how every independent retailer

views feedback: “We talk about a

bad review being the start of a

better business because it gives

you a chance to interact with

your customers

and look

how you can improve the

service you offer.”

This isn’t mere consolation

– it’s evidenced reality. As

independent retailers, we

possess a distinct advantage over

larger chains when it comes to

customer feedback. We can

respond personally, implement

changes quickly, and demon

strate that every customer voice

matters. This agility is our

superpower – use it. Independ

ent retailers can truly work on

customer relationships and

become integral parts of their

communities. That local

knowledge and ability to

connect distinguishes us from

faceless chains.

The influence of customer

reviews on purchasing decisions

cannot be overstated. UK

customers are up to six times

more likely to click an online

advertisement featuring

Trustpilot ratings than the

same advertisement

without them. Reviews

build trust and drive

sales – particularly for independ

ents where personal reputation

is everything.

Getting started needn’t be

complicated. Claim your profile

on review platforms, customise

it to reflect your brand, then

begin asking for reviews at

natural moments in the

customer journey. QR codes at

the checkout, follow-up emails

after purchase, or simply verbal

requests all work effectively. The

key is consistency.

When negative reviews

arrive – and they will – respond

professionally and promptly.

Acknowledge the concern,

apologise where appropriate,

and explain what you’re

doing to address the

issue. Future customers

reading that exchange

won’t just see the

complaint; they’ll see

a business owner who

cares and takes

responsibility. That

authenticity builds

trust.

Remember,

though, that incentivis

This month, the CEO of Bira, Andrew Goodacre,

talks about turning negatives into positives, and

using customer criticism as a springboard to

prosperity and customer satisfaction

Don’t fear the bad review -

how customer feedback can

transform your business

By Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira

(British Independent Retailers Association)

ing reviews with discounts violates

platform policies and compromises

authenticity. Reviews must be

genuine to hold value. Focus instead

on creating experiences worth

reviewing positively, and trust that

satisfied customers will share their

experiences.

Customer feedback represents a

free consultancy service – direct

insight into what you’re doing well and

where you can improve. Every review

is an opportunity to strengthen your

business, refine your offering, and

deepen customer relationships.

The independent retailers who

thrive are those who listen, adapt,

and demonstrate that customer

voices genuinely shape their

businesses. Don’t fear the bad review

– embrace it as the beginning of

something better.

GUEST COMMENT

NEWS

14 NOVEMBER 2025 ASIAN TRADER 7

The convenience market has

continued to show quiet

resilience in early 2025, growing

1.0% despite retail headwinds,

with IGD projecting the market

to reach £56.2bn by 2030.

IGD forecasts that the

convenience channel will grow

to £56.2 billion by 2030,

representing a projected

five-year growth rate of 2.7%

(CAGR).

Mainstream retailers are

expected to maintain a strong

focus on convenience expan

sion, underpinned by new store

development and ongoing sector

specialisation.

Chilled foods and soft drinks

led category value gains in H1,

each achieving uplifts of

approximately £150 million.

Fresh fruit and vegetables,

frozen food, sandwiches and

wraps, and non-food all

registered percentage growth

rates of above 10%.

The largest shift in category

share was seen in tobacco,

e-cigs, and vaping, whose share

dropped below 17 per cent of

channel sales in H1 2025,

though it remains the single

largest component.

Alcohol, the second largest

category, also experienced

continued share decline, now

representing 15 per cent of sales,

while chilled foods and soft

drinks are consolidating their

positions as the third and fourth

largest categories, respectively.

When tobacco and vape are

excluded, category channel

sales were up, suggesting that

wider channel growth will be

notably more buoyant to 2030

as the sector adapts to changing

consumer behaviours and

regulatory pressures.

However, the decline in

tobacco and vape sales will

remain a restraint on perfor

mance, reinforcing the impor

tance of diversification and

innovation within the sector.

Multiples emerged as the

fastest-growing segment, now

accounting for a 25.4% share of

the channel, fuelled by new store

development and continued

investment in store improve

ments.

Optimism and growth key revenue drivers for sector

UK convenience market to

hit ‘£56.2 billion by 2030’

Sales of legal cigarettes and

hand-rolling tobacco are in

freefall (down 42% and 48%

respectively since the

pandemic) and are being

replaced by much cheaper

illicit tobacco products.

This is no surprise. With the

average RRP for a 20-pack of

king-size cigarettes at £16.60

and 50-grams of rolling

tobacco at £40.09, except for

Australia and New Zealand,

the UK has the most expensive

tobacco prices anywhere in the

world.

According to

Tobacco

Manufactur

ers’ Associa

tion (TMA)

research

conducted from June-Au

gust 2025 (canvassing the

views of 6,000 UK smokers),

the typical price of a 20-pack of

illicit cigarettes obtained by

those surveyed was £3.00-

£6.00, while the typical price

of 50g of illicit hand-rolling

tobacco was £5.00-£8.00.

“Another year, another

illicit tobacco survey, and what

is most dispiriting is the

fact that the

Government is

still burying

its head in

the sand

and

refusing to

listen to

the

legiti

mate

views and

reservations

of those UK

citizens concerned

about the impact of illicit

tobacco and the impact that it

has upon their lives and their

local communities,” said

Rupert Lewis, Director of the

TMA.

Surge in illicit tobacco

consumption in past year

Claudia Winkleman

new Natl Lottery

‘Ambassador-in-Chief’

Allwyn, operator of The National

Lottery, has engaged Claudia

Winkleman as the first “Ambassa

dor-in-Chief” of The National

Lottery. Curating a series of short

films titled “Because of You”, the

TV presenter is travelling the UK

to reveal the difference made to

people’s lives through Good

Causes when someone buys a

National Lottery ticket.

“Everyone plays to be in with a

chance of winning a life-changing

prize, but we are revealing the

unwritten story of the difference it

makes in every community in

every corner of the country,” said

Winkleman.

Sussex Police fits

monitoring tags to

prolific shoplifters

Sussex Police has become the first

force in the country to fit tags to

shoplifters. Repeat shoplifting

offenders will be issued with

Buddi tags – discreet GPS ankle

devices. The tags allow police to

monitor offenders’ movements in

real time, deterring further

offences and enabling swift action

if breaches or tampering occur.

Chief Superintendent Katy

Woolford said: “Shoplifting has an

enormous impact on businesses

and the wider community.

“We will use all of the tools at

our disposal to support business

es and ensure that prolific

offenders are brought to justice.

NEWS

8 ASIAN TRADER 14 NOVEMBER 2025

InPost UK has apologised for

recent delays, citing a

“software integration issue”,

after second-hand shopping

app users complained on social

media, thus giving host

convenience stores clarity on

the situation.

Several users were revealed

outrage in Facebook posts

discussing the delays in the

parcel

services by

InPost UK,

particular

ly after the

merger

with Yodel.

Some

claimed that

drivers had struck,

hence the delays. One wrote,

“They have merged and I have

been informed by my local Spar

that they were told by current

and previous drivers that some

drivers have walked out over

contracts.

“I have messaged Inpost to

ask if this information is true

but they have chosen to stay

silent/ignore my message.

Either way parcels are not

being collected from lockers (I

have 2 waiting currently in my

area

which

have

been

there for 4

days!).

“The Spar that

takes parcels near me told

me that when they reach

capacity, parcels are removed

from store but they can’t

promise when delivery will be

made.”

The post had more than 100

comments with different

users sharing their delay

stories.

Nestle to cut 16,000

jobs worldwide

Nestle will eliminate 16,000 jobs

worldwide over the next two

years, said its new CEO.

“The world is changing, and

Nestle needs to change faster,”

Philipp Navratil, who took the

reins of the multinational in

early September, stated.

The Swiss food giant, which

owns more than 2,000 brands

- including Kit Kat chocolate

bars and Purina dog food - ex

perienced a turbulent Septem

ber, with the dismissal of its

previous CEO over an office

relationship.

That was followed by the

earlier-than-expected depar

ture of its chairman.

Co-op doubles paid

leave for pregnancy

loss

Co-op has doubled the amount

of paid leave available to

colleagues affected by pregnan

cy loss, reinforcing its commit

ment to support colleagues

through bereavement and grief.

Under the updated policy,

employees will now be entitled

to 10 days’ paid bereavement

leave, up from five, alongside a

range of practical and emotional

support measures.

The move follows a parlia

mentary reception in the House

of Commons, organised by the

Miscarriage Association and

sponsored by Co-op, to mark

progress toward introducing

statutory bereavement leave for

pregnancy loss through the

Employment Rights Bill.

Let’s be blunt: value is under

the microscope. Shoppers are

counting pennies, retailers are

watching margins, and

“premiumisation” has lost

some of its gloss as a buzzword.

But here’s the thing: consum

ers haven’t abandoned

premium. They’ve just become

more selective about where

and when they’ll pay for it.

Budgets are tighter and

people are going out less but

that hasn’t killed premium, it’s

moved it home. The rise of the

Big Night In means shoppers

remain willing to trade up

when there’s a reward at the

end of it.

A £35 bottle of spiced rum or

gin is easier to justify when it

makes staying in feel like a real

treat. The same customer who

pays for premium cocktails in

bars or picks up a gift-worthy

bottle in the supermarket is

the one walking into your store

looking for something special.

In supermarkets, overall

volumes may be soft, but

premium and craft

spirits continue to

punch above their

weight. Seasonal

peaks and gifting

occasions are when

shoppers loosen the

purse strings. A

bottle of craft gin or a

single malt whisky

feels like a justifiable spend. It

says “special,” whether that’s

for Christmas, birthdays, or

celebrations at home. That’s

why retailers keep

expanding premi

um ranges even as

they manage

tighter space

and slower

volumes.

A laddered

range works

best: PMP

value lines

to reassure

price-sensi

tive shoppers,

alongside one or

two premium SKUs foe

those looking for something

better. Stocking simple cocktail

staples – mixers, soda, even

fresh garnish, can also elevate

the Big Night In and drive

basket spend. Premium does

not replace value but comple

ments it. Shoppers want both,

depending on mood and

moment.

And let’s not forget retailer

benefit. A £35 spiced rum or

gin delivers more margin than

a £15 PMP vodka, without

taking up any extra shelf space.

In a channel where every

square foot counts, premium is

not just about shopper choice,

it is about making the fixture

work harder.

For suppliers

and retailers

alike, the

job is to

stop

treating

premiumisa

tion as a buzzword

and start treating it as a

tool. Premium needs context:

an occasion, an experience, a

reason. Get that right and

shoppers will still pay for it,

even in a cost-of-living squeeze.

So, whether you are running a

convenience store, symbol

group outlet, or forecourt, the

opportunity is the same:

balance value that reassures

with premium that excites. Do

that well, and you will win the

everyday shopper on a budget

and capture the ones looking to

trade up for the weekend.

Value vs premium: what

shoppers will still pay for

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, he weighs up

the issues between shoppers’ appetite

for premium and the need to watch

their spend

NEWS/COMMENT

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NEWS

10 ASIAN TRADER 14 NOVEMBER 2025

Lidl goes ahead with

expansion as profit

jumps

Lidl GB, the UK arm of the German

discount supermarket chain, reported

a near fourfold jump in profit for its

2024/25 year and said it would press

ahead with expansion, including the

opening of 40 new stores in its current

year.

Britain’s sixth largest grocer made

a pretax profit of £156.8m February 28

2025, versus a profit of £43.6 million in

2023/24, driven by a 7.9% increase in

revenue to £11.7 billion, giving it a

market share of 8.2%, just 0.1% behind

number five player Morrisons.

MFG completes rollout

of Morrisons rapid EV

chargers

Motor Fuel Group (MFG), the leading

independent forecourt operator, has

completed the rollout of more than

580 rapid electric vehicle (EV)

charging bays across the Morrisons

supermarket network.

The move means EV Power, MFG’s

charging brand, is now represented at

nearly 300 Morrisons stores nation

wide, making the retailer the UK’s

number one supermarket for EV

charging facilities.

The new chargers provide enough

power for an average weekly driving

range in around 45 minutes – allowing

shoppers to recharge their cars while

doing their grocery shop.

Armed robbery at

Aughnacloy Spar

forecourt

Retail NI has strongly condemned the

ATM robbery that took place at a Spar

store in a forecourt in Aughnacloy,

County Tyrone.

The robbery happened at 6.40am

on Wednesday (8 October) outside

the service station store as the cash

machine was being filled with money.

Reports have suggested that the

robbers might have got away with £1m

from the machine and the security van

used to transport cash.

Police said the men made off in a

dark-coloured Audi Q7 with a

significant sum of money. No-one was

injured.

More than half of

global consumers are

now buying more

private label products

than ever before, finds

a new report, high

lighting how mount

ing challenges are

reshaping the land

scape for brands.

In an era of intense

competition and

shifting shopper

behaviours, brands

face unprecedented challeng

es in maintaining growth and

loyalty. IGD’s latest report,

‘How brands can drive growth

in challenging times’, delivers

actionable insights and

successful brand examples

from across the globe.

Private labels are rapidly

widening the price gap, with

an 86 per cent difference

reported in 2025, and more

than half of global consumers

(53 per cent) are now buying

more private label products

than ever before.

As these alternatives

improve their design and

features, the differentiation

between brands and private

labels becomes increasingly

blurred in the eyes of shoppers.

Compounding this, diluted

share of voice and the preva

lence of brand and category

switching mean that brands

must work harder than ever to

stand out and drive volume in a

highly fragmented market

place.

Despite these

hurdles, brands have

reasons to be hopeful.

“The battle for

shopper choice is

fiercely competitive,

but brands are fighting

from a position of

strength. And it’s by

playing to their

strengths that brands

can secure lasting

victory,” said Michaela

Jay, Insights Manager at

IGD.

Consistency in shopper

perception and trust remains

high, ensuring that brands

continue to drive product

choice across most categories.

Loyalty towards brands

remains robust, particularly

when quality and dependability

are paramount, such as when

purchasing for families or

special occasions with visibility,

innovation and emotive

connection being the key

drivers.

Value trumps name recognition as own-brands stage shelf takeover

Growing popularity of private

labels challenges big names

Waste management firm Biffa

has accused the Scottish

government of giving it

“unequivocal assurances”

that the country’s Deposit

Return Scheme (DRS) would

go ahead, as it seeks £166

million in damages over the

project’s collapse.

Speaking at the Court of

Session in Edinburgh, Biffa

chief executive Michael

Topham said a 2022 letter

from then circular economy

minister Lorna Slater had

provided “certainty” that the

scheme would proceed,

prompting the firm to commit

tens of millions to the project.

Biffa was

contracted by

Circularity Scotland

Limited (CSL) to han

dle the logistics for

the Scottish DRS,

including the

collection and

processing of bottles

and cans. The

company invested

around £51 million in

infrastructure such as sorting

equipment, expecting to

make more than £114 million

in profits over a decade.

However, the scheme was

put on hold in 2023 after the

UK government ruled that

including glass bottles would

breach the Internal Market

Act, a decision that led to CSL

entering administration and

Biffa’s contract being

terminated.

A UK-wide DRS is now

planned but is not expected to

launch before October 2027.

Biffa sues Scottish gov over

failed bottle return scheme

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NEWS FEATURE

12 ASIAN TRADER 14 NOVEMBER 2025

ritish convenience retailers support

licensing in principle but warn that

unless it’s fair, practical and properly

enforced, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will

punish the compliant and let offenders slip

through. And when it comes to the proposed

generational smoking ban, scepticism runs

even deeper.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is

working its way through Parlia

ment.

The Bill would bring-in

government sweeping new

changes – phasing out the sale of

tobacco products over time

through a generational smoking

ban, creating vape- and heated-

tobacco-free zones, curbing the

marketing of nicotine products to

children, and introducing a

comprehensive licensing scheme across

England, Wales and Northern Ireland for

selling tobacco, vape and nicotine products.

As part of the latest consultation, which

opened in early October, the government is

now seeking evidence on ingredients and

flavourings used in vapes and nicotine

products and the levels of nicotine permitted

in such items.

Testimony is also being sought on a new

national licensing scheme for retailers in

England, Wales and Northern Ireland,

alongside a product registration system that

would require manufacturers to declare

details before items reach the UK market.

With the recent call for evidence in

reference to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the

debate on provisions contained in the bill has

once again heated up.

For small store owners already battling

tight margins, patchy enforcement and rising

costs, some of the proposals strike at the heart

of their survival.

License to sell

The licensing scheme for the retail sale of

tobacco was one of the main recommenda

tions from the 2022 Khan review as a means

of supporting legitimate businesses and

tackling illicit sales.

Most retailers Asian Trader talked to

agreed that illicit market must be tackled,

although questions were raised over whether

Whitehall truly grasps the realities of life

behind the counter.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill could clean up the market

or completely misfire, depending on whether

Westminster listens, retailers tell Pooja Shrivastava

shops, barber shops, since at the moment

there’s no licensing and anyone can sell

tobacco and vapes.”

The licensing, he said, will “allow genuine

community retailers to flourish”.

Pandya insists that no retailer should be

exempt.

“Every trader, big or small, should be

brought under an accountable system,”

Pandya said.

Meanwhile in Gloucestershire, multi-site

operator and retailer Mos Patel echoed the

optimism of tackling illicit traders through

the proposed licensing system.

“If handled correctly, a solid licensing

framework would significantly reduce illicit

trade, level the playing field, and rebuild

public trust in legitimate retailers,” Mos told

Asian Trader.

“There is no real control or accountability

in place at the moment. No one should be

allowed to sell tobacco or vape products

without a premises license.

“This would bring stricter control and

fairness to those of us who follow the law and

pay our dues, while closing the gap for those

who exploit loopholes.”

However, Mos also warned that the

licensing scheme should not turn into a

“money-making exercise for authorities” or a

means to “penalise compliant retailers”.

Meanwhile, Salford-based retailer Priyesh

Vekaria stresses on precision of the licensing

system.

For him, what the convenience sector

needs is a smarter, digital system that rewards

good operators rather than drowning them in

forms.

He is calling for the creation

of a national digital licensing

portal that allows “one form,

one login, and one payment,

with automatic data sharing to

local authorities”.

“Retailers can only comply

with what they understand

and can realistically execute.

The goal should be one digital

licence per store, not multiple

fragmented permissions.

Licence to sell, not to suffer

Truro-based retailer Judith Smitham

summed up decades of frustration over her

battle with illicit traders.

“Illicit tobacco has been around forever,

and we retailers have learned to live with it

as it ebbs and flows with supply.

“Sale of illicit vapes, however, emerged

lately in plain sight and is more complex,”

Smitham told Asian Trader.

Faced with hundreds of brands

and flavours, she said, even

responsible sellers and customers

can’t always tell what is legitimate

and what is not.

Licensing, she argued, could

enable the authorities to chase and

close up illegal traders.

On licensing criteria, Smitham

believes in keeping things simple

and straightforward.

She said, “If a store has been granted an

alcohol licence, it implies that its operator has

been a responsible retailer – those criteria

should be an automatic grant of licence for

tobacco and vapes.

“If there have been issues with underage

sales of any age restricted product, the licence

should not be granted.”

Regarding the proximity criteria, Smitham

raised a very valid question:

“It shouldn’t matter if two or three stores

are close to each other. Are they going to stop

Sainsbury’s and Tesco within half a mile of

each other from having a licence? Probably

not,” Smitham shrugged.

Fees, she suggested, should be pegged to

business rates, similar to alcohol licensing,

not inflated through bureaucracy.

In the village of Kislingbury, young retailer

Vidur Pandya agrees.

He believes tobacco licensing should be

tied directly to existing alcohol licensing,

bringing the two “under one umbrella licence

to sell age-restricted

products”.

“This would make it easier

for retailers who already sell

alcohol to just have an

add-on,” he explained,

“rather than face a complete

ly new bureaucracy.

“Such a licensing system

will also help in filtering out

illegal traders in the form of

pop-up shops, mobile repair

Judith Smitham

Mos Patel

NEWS FEATURE

14 NOVEMBER 2025 ASIAN TRADER 13

“Allow instant transfer of

licences when a compliant retailer

purchases a business. This avoids

unnecessary downtime and

protects jobs,” suggested Vekaria.

Vekaria also proposed a “Retail

Responsibility Scorecard”,

automatically generated through

Trading Standards and enforce

ment data and heat-map of risk for

deciding to whom to grant the licence.

“Retailers like us sit on the frontline of

public health, compliance, and community

safety. Any licensing or generational restric

tion that affects tobacco and vape sales must

be pragmatic, enforceable, and designed to

target the real problem, which is the illicit

market and not the legitimate, tax-paying

retailers who already operate within one of

the most tightly regulated frameworks in

retail,” he said.

Echoing Smitham’s views, Vekaria too sees

no issue in a “cluster of compliant stores”,

saying there is no reason to restrict licences

purely by proximity.

“Right now, retailers who follow the rules

are paying the price for those who do not. That

is a moral and operational imbalance that

must be corrected,” Vekaria told Asian Trader.

Generational ban

If licensing inspires rays of optimism and

collaboration from convenience retailers, the

generational smoking ban inspires collective

cry of disbelief. After all, the government

seems adamant in its will to bring this ban

into effect despite vehement opposition from

the retailers on the ground who will be

burdened with implementing it.

The proposed ban will make it illegal to sell

tobacco products to anyone born on or after

January 1, 2009.

Retailers fear such a phased ban will be

unworkable, divisive, and destructive to

legitimate trade.

Smitham believes the ban will be disas

trous.

“I am against the generational ban as it will

be impossible to implement and will further

drive the sale of illicit tobacco and vapes.

“In 2022 New Zealand passed its bill for a

generational ban and a year later repealed it

citing the further emergence of the black

market and to protect small business,”

Smitham pointed out.

Mos agreed, calling the proposed ban

“overly restrictive and unrealistic in practice”.

Enforcement, he warned, “will be

extremely difficult” and likely to increase

black-market activity: “Exactly what the

government is trying to stop.”

“Retailers like us support public health

goals, but policy needs to be practical, not

performative. The focus should be on

education, licensing enforcement, and

cracking down on illegal sales rather than

blanket bans that are impossible

to police,” Mos said.

Pandya believes “people should

be free to decide if they want to

smoke or not” and that it should

not be up to the government to

dictate what they should do.

“Additionally, the onus is on

the retailer. There’s no responsibil

ity for the manufacturers,

wholesaler, not even on customers.

“Proxy sales will happen, like a

friend buying in bulk for his (a

couple of months younger!)

friends. Or someone buying in bulk

to sell in ‘black’ to others,” Pandya

shared with Asian Trader.

Vekaria went further, describ

ing the generational smoking ban

as “noble in intent but flawed in

execution.”

Painting a vivid picture of chaos

at the counter, Vekaria explained,

“Each year, staff will face the

impossible task of explaining to one 28-year-

old why they can buy a pack and to a 27-year-

old why they cannot.

“This is a conflict waiting to happen, and

for what outcome?”

Instead, Vekaria advocates a clear,

consistent smoking age of 21, integrated with

digital ID verification at tills.

“We cannot build a smoke-free generation

on a foundation that criminalises legitimate

retailers while illicit traders flourish un

checked,” he said.

“Retailers are willing to support public

health goals. We already do it through

Challenge 25 and digital verification, but

policy must reflect real-world operations.

“Legislation without enforcement is

theatre. Enforcement without clarity is

chaos.”

For West Midlands-based multi-site owner

and retailer Kay Patel, a meaningful solution

lies in shared responsibility.

“Retailers are also increasingly expected to

act as frontline enforcers, often facing abuse

and anti-social behaviour in the process, yet

we receive minimal practical support or

protection from authorities.

“For the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to succeed,

it must go beyond point-of-sale enforcement

and must put responsibility back on

manufacturers, rather than just

retailers.

“A truly effective solution will

require collaboration across the

entire supply chain, incorporating

manufacturer-level safeguards,

smarter age-verification point of

use technology, and meaningful

support for retailers. Only with

comprehensive, joined-up action

can we protect young people while

ensuring fair and safe trading

conditions for legitimate businesses,” Kay

said.

Clarion call from shop floor

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill could redefine

retail regulation in the UK, but its success will

depend on whether it targets the real

offenders rather than overburdening those

who already play by the rules.

Clearly, convenience retailers are not

rejecting reform; they are simply asking for it

to make sense. But will the collective voice of

convenience retailers ever reach the lawmak

ers?

Time will tell whether Tobacco and Vapes

Bill go down in history as a milestone in

modern British retail regulation or a caution

ary tale of good intentions gone absurd.

Priyesh Vekaria

Vidur Pandya

Licence to sell

Croydon-based retailer Benedict Selvaratnam, also a

co-founder and chairman of the Croydon Business

Association, a body representingmore than 350 South

London businesses, echoes the voice of convenience

retailers around the licensing scheme:

Decision factors: Prioritise a retailer’s compliance track record with age-restricted sales and

Trading Standards over location/density caps. Keep criteria clear, national, and consistent.

Avoiding red tape: Make the process digital and simple (single portal, minimal fields).

Breaches: Minor breaches should trigger mandatory retraining before suspension.

Fee structure: Low, flat annual fee (ideally <£100) to avoid enalizing compliant

independents already facing high costs (wages, energy, rates). If fees/process are heavy,

legitimate sellers might exit and the black market will boom.

Exemptions: Outlets already registered with HMRC for tobacco and low-volume, compliant

sellers should not face duplicate licensing.

Illicit trade:Enforcement should target illegal supply chains and online illicit sellers, not legit

operators.

SOCIAL MEDIA

14 ASIAN TRADER 14 NOVEMBER 2025

‘“More people forced to cut back on

groceries to keep up with water bills,

charity says. More than a fifth of those who

struggled to pay their water bills found

themselves falling into debt with their

supplier.’”

Feargal Sharkey (@Feargal_Sharkey)

“I’m all for the legalisation of cannabis,

but having walked for a mile around

Schiphol Airport to collect my bags, I don’t

think it should extend to architects.”

Rory Sutherland (@rorysutherland)

“Boredom is critical. Learn to be bored.”

Robert Greene @RobertGreene)

“But which meal deal does your Pret

have? +£2 for crisps and a drink is only

Birmingham, Islington and Hackney. It’s

+£2.50 in Stratford. £7 in total for all three

items in Bristol, Bath, Lewisham and Canary

Wharf; or £6 in Manchester.”

Kien Tan (@kientan74)

“Just had a big Tesco delivery and I’m

******* livid about the substitutions.”

Napoleon (@moanaparte)

“I think there is a whole business model

of selling really crap things online

knowing nobody will return them because

they are too cheap or too big to send back.”

Tom Goodwin (@tomfgoodwin)

“It’s that time of year when everyone in

Britain has a cough.”

VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish)

“If I’m going based on conversations

with people in real life: The consumer is

pretty tapped out. People stretched pretty

thin.”

Jeff Feldman (@JeffFeldman_ )

“Increasingly I find most AI tools far

more transformative for people who

can’t have been very good at their jobs. It’s

not that hard to write an email or summarize

a meeting or instinctively know what to

prioritize.”

Tom Goodwin (@tomfgoodwin)

“If UK wages had gone up by as much as

house prices, the average salary would

be around £100,000.”

Merryn Somerset Webb (@MerrynSW)

“No one ever said: ‘all this playing the

violin / lifting weights / horse riding,

gardening / wood cutting / foraging has made

me depressed.’

Wrath Of Gnon (@wrathofgnon)

“‘Make fish fingers more expensive, for a

happier Britain.’ Why do these people

hate us so much?”

Sunday Sport (@thesundaysport)

“a month ago we were being warned

that AI was going to take every job in the

next six months. reality? AI adoption will

take years, and in many cases it will augment

jobs rather than replacing them. will the

insane valuations survive this reality?”

Gary Marcus (@GaryMarcus)

“Pubs could stay open longer under

Starmer plan to revive British night out.

Who will provide extra police, staff, public

services? Nights out restricted due to

cost-of-living crisis. Govt can help hospitality

industry by cutting energy/water bills, rents.”

Prem Sikka (@premnsikka)

“One of the wildest local genetic

adaptation I’ve come across is in the

people of San Antonio de los Cobres in

Argentina, who had selection for a variant of

AS3MT gene that boosts resistance to arsenic

poisoning due to living in a toxic environ

ment for 11k years.”

David Sun (@arcticinstincts)

“The UK has Net Zero. The Chinese are

stockpiling oil.”

Merryn Somerset Webb (@MerrynSW)

“I don’t understand why ad agencies are

trying to get AI to replace their creative

people. AI is desperate to please, makes

things up on the fly and tells everyone what

they want to hear. That seems a lot more like

client service to me.”

Rory Sutherland (@rorysutherland)

“SHOCKING!! A Senior Fujitsu Exec

caught on tape dismissing Vol 1 of Sir

Wyn Williams’s Inquiry findings as ‘NOT

THAT BAD’ - despite Report linking com

pany’s Horizon software to 13 Suicides.”

Monsieur Cholet (@stugoo17)

“Good quote about the ‘two economies’

– tech, where everything gets cheaper,

and anything regulated by governments

(health, education, construction), where

everything gets more expensive: ‘If you have

a hole in your wall, it’s cheaper to cover it

with a flat-screen TV than to hire a contractor

to fix it.’”

Chris Anderson (@chr1sa)

“You cannot repress anger or love, or

avoid feeling them, and you should not

try.”

Robert Greene (@RobertGreene)

“The word ‘steaming’ for being drunk

stems from when people in Scotland

used to circumvent Sunday licensing laws by

taking to the water. Public houses were

closed, but steamships weren’t. To be

‘steaming drunk’ made its way into public

parlance.”

Iain Cameron (@theiaincameron)

‘“Just accidentally went down a

YouTube rabbit hole of Americans

realising how profoundly awful their plugs

and power outlets are. Lads, at what point did

you fail to notice that you basically access

electricity by sticking a barely-insulated

paper clip into the wall?”

Paul Fanning (@trivet1806)

‘“They should put more wine in a bottle

so there’s enough for two people.”

Dr Helen Ingram (@drhingram)

‘“Appalling team of extremely well-paid

lawyers and #PostOfficeScandal

apologists who can cynically offer a victim

15% of a closely argued claim should be

required to identify themselves and be

openly accountable at a public tribunal to

expose their ‘deny until they die’ tactics.”

Fred Wubbington (@MaaleeshHabibi)

Asian Trader has rounded up some comments from

our Twitter feed to give a vivid picture of retailers

and friends under inflationary conditions …

X: The World According

to “Not” Twitter

@NoContextBrits

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

16 ASIAN TRADER 14 NOVEMBER 2025

CJ Antal Smith new COO at

AF Blakemore

Keeping up with the latest industry

moves and promotions

Movers and Shakers

Philip Morris Limited has

appointed Paul Dufourne as

Commercial Operations

Director.

Initially joining PML almost

three years ago, Paul previously

served as Philip Morris Internati

ponal’s Global Head Future

Portfolio, Partnership &

Strategy eVapor. He

brings commercial

insight and strategic

acumen, and also a deep

understanding of PML

and the wider smoke-free

category.

In his new role, Dufourne will

focus on accelerating PML’s

growth in the UK, working

closely with teams and trade

partners to strengthen market

presence and deliver against

ambitious goals. His leadership

will be key in shaping commercial

priorities, driving executional

excellence, and unlocking new

opportunities in a fast-evolving

landscape.

Dufourne takes over the role

from John Rennie, who has made

a significant impact as Commer

cial Operations Director in recent

years. His leadership has

delivered consistent

success and set a strong

foundation for the next

phase of growth as he

moves on to a new

opportunity within PMI.

“This is an exciting

moment for PML as we continue

to accelerate our smoke-free

ambitions in the UK,” said

Dufourne. “In my new role as

Commercial Operations

Director, I will be leading the

charge to strengthen our

commercial performance and

deepen our partnerships with

trade customers.

PML names new

commercial ops director

AF Blakemore & Son Ltd has

appointed CJ Antal Smith as its

new Chief Commercial Officer.

She will accelerate AF

Blakemore’s customer-led

strategy leading the Commer

cial and Marketing teams to

strengthen relationships with

shoppers, retailers,

suppliers and stake

holders.

CJ joins AF

Blakemore from

Poundland & Dealz,

where she has been

leading the Commer

cial, Marketing and Digital

functions through a successful

sale process. She brings

extensive experience in food

and convenience retail, having

previously held senior commer

cial roles at Co-op, Halfords,

Nando’s and Asda.

Recent months have seen a

rapid acceleration of AF

Blakemore’s customer-led

strategy. In April, the company

began supplying more than 80

EG On the Move SPAR stores,

and in June it launched Blake

more Trade Partners Plus – a

£4.5 million investment

package delivering lower prices,

up to 8% rebates and tailored

support to help independent

retailers thrive in a

changing market. AF

Blakemore has also

partnered with

Iceland on frozen

food, enhancing its

‘tonight’s tea’

proposition with

innovation and value.

“CJ’s track record in

commercial leadership, as well

as her deep understanding of the

customer in the convenience

retail space makes her a

powerful addition to our

business,” said Carol Welch, AF

Blakemore CEO.

Antal Smith said, “It’s a very

exciting time to be joining AF

Blakemore.”

Ex-Nisa boss to join Morrisons

to overlook convenience arm

Former Nisa managing director

Peter Batt has joined Morrisons

as its new Operations Director for

the company owned convenience

business.

Batt has left Nisa (now known

as Co-op Wholesale) unex

pectedly in December last

year. Batt, who had joined

Co-op in April 2015, was at

the helm since September

2022, when he took over

from fellow Co-op appoin

tee Michael Fletcher.

Before taking the reins at Nisa,

he had spent seven-and-a-half

years as a divisional managing

director within the Co-op, a period

that laid the groundwork for the

influence he would later wield.

He also sat on the boards of the

Association of Convenience Stores

and the Federation of Wholesale

Distributors.

The first 20 years of his career

were at Sainsbury’s, where he held

senior roles in operations, com

mercial, and convenience.

Batt is the second high-

profile ex-Nisa official to

join Morrisons in a span of

months.

Earlier in June this year,

Victoria Lockie joined the

supermarket group as its

new head of wholesale - strategic

projects and acquisitions.

Before spending about six

months at buying group Unitas,

Lockie had spent more than 12

years at Nisa (now known as Co-op

Wholesale).

Booker Wholesale

appoints new COO

Booker has promoted Stuart Hys

lop to the role of Chief Operations

Officer, recognising his three dec

ades of service and strong track

record in driving catering growth.

Hyslop, who joined the busi

ness as a checkout

assistant in 1993,

has steadily risen

through the com

pany, holding posi

tions from branch

manager to area

controller, regional

director and sales

director. He led the

turnaround of Makro after its

acquisition in 2014, before taking

on the role of Managing Director,

Catering & Small Businesses in

2015.

In that post, Hyslop oversaw

£2.5bn in sales to more than

940,000 catering and small busi

ness customers across 190 Booker

and Makro branches.

Under his leadership, Booker’s

catering arm delivered consistent

growth: sales rose 25.2 per cent

to £2.11bn in 2022-23, climbed a

further 10.2 per cent in

2023-24, and notched

2.1 per cent like-for-

like growth in 2024/25

despite wider market

pressures.

Karen Poole, head

of own brand and

product at Booker,

said, “This is an

exciting evolution for us as we’re

embarking on a journey to re

fresh, reinvigorate and reposition

our own-brand ranges under our

three new Chef’s brands, with a

bold packaging refresh to deliver

clear product differentiation and

brand recognition.

or email: [email protected]

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18 ASIAN TRADER 14 NOVEMBER 2025

n 1983, a young Punjabi couple bought a

small corner shop in Immingham, a

quiet port settlement in Northeast

Lincolnshire, taking over from the

English owners who had probably run it since

the 1970s.

42 years later, that same shop is still

feeding the town. Under the next-generation

retailer Manraj Sidhu, the store now has a

brand-new identity but is still firmly and

proudly attached to its roots.

Speaking with Asian Trader, Sidhu delved

in detail into the store’s evolution to its

current state and his plans ahead.

“This store was bought by my parents back

in 1983. My father and his brother had a

partnership.

“As the years went by, us children came

along. After working together for more than a

decade, my father and my uncle decided to go

separate ways. My father kept the store alive.

“I have been actively involved in the

business for the last 20 years, starting by

helping my father with day-to-day running.

For the last five years, I have taken complete

control of everything.”

Sidhu’s store was a part of Today’s fascia for

a good long run of 20 years. However, earlier

this year, when the opportunity came

knocking to be the “poster boy” and a concept

store of a fairly new symbol group Select &

Save, Sidhu decided to take the leap.

After an extensive refurbishment, the

store now stands revamped and ready for the

future.

Today, Sidhu’s store is Select & Save’s first

“Drinks Lab” concept store. The Drinks Lab

itself is an enclosed 400 sq

ft chilled room that houses

alcohol, soft drinks, and

mixers in one area of the

store, holding up to 500

SKUs. It aims to create

in-store theatre to offer a

bigger range of drinks to

consumers wanting

immediate consumption,

while also helping retailers

reduce their energy bills.

“Our chiller is now one

of our biggest strengths,”

Sidhu says with pride.

“Footfall jumped within

weeks. Alcohol sales over

A 42-year-old family store is reborn in North-

East Lincolnshire, blending cutting-edge

innovation and mother’s soulfully cooked food,

finds Pooja Shrivastava

the opening weekend alone were 35 per cent

up compared to the weekend before the refit,

and this will only grow even more.

“Especially during heatwaves seen this

year, customers loved it. They spend more

time in it, buy more, make impulse deci

sions.”

Under the new fascia, the store has also

debuted an extensive drinks-to-go offer,

including a Smokin’ Bean coffee machine,

Slush Puppy, and Reece’s Hot Chocolate

machine. It also features food-to-go ma

chines, such as Rollover Hot Dog.

Since Select & Save switched its supply

deal from Bestway to Booker earlier this year,

Sidhu now has access to Booker’s 1,600 fresh

and chilled lines, an extensive frozen

category, and its Euroshopper and Jack’s

own-label brands.

But despite all the innovation, automa

tion, and new technology, the most powerful

feature – and what, seemingly, is the store’s

USP – is still the oldest, which is hot food

cooked under the supervision of none other

than Sidhu’s mother.

From sandwiches and sausage rolls to

Punjabi hot dishes and now Korean street-

food specials, the store’s food-to-go defines its

character.

“In our area, people are fond of her

cooking. Locals come just for it,” he says. “Her

Korean food, especially, has become really

popular lately.

“I feel it is my mother’s food that adds to

the store’s uniqueness and brings us loyal

customers more than anything,” he said.

Although Sidhu has chosen Select & Save

for the second innings for

his store, he still has fond

memories and huge respect

for Dee Bee Wholesale.

“I still use its cash and

carry as it is quite close to

my store. The company has

been a huge part of our

business for a long time.

They had supported my

father over all the years, and

he always had a very good

working relationship with

the Today’s people,” Sidhu

said.

Sidhu has been running

the store for two decades

but has no interest in being a “comfortable”

retailer.

“Home delivery and hot food are two

realms in which I see major growth,” he says.

“That’s why I joined Snappy Shopper recently.

“My mother currently cooks from

lunchtime onward. I want to bring someone

in for breakfast so that we can offer bacon,

eggs, and sausage in the morning. There’s big

opportunity there.”

At the same time, he is laser-focused on

perfecting the basics.

“I am currently fine-tuning every zone,

even the basic grocery aisle as well, right

brands, right sizes, right quantities. Essentials

have to be absolutely correct and to the

point,” he said.

The refit also marks a recommitment to

local ties. The store already sponsors local

football teams and is now planning deeper

partnerships with food banks and commu

nity organisations.

“This store is only here because of the

community. There are a few things in the

pipeline in this regard and I am determined to

get more involved with local activities,” he

said.

With the second lease of life, Sidhu is now

brimming with hope for the coming years,

though he is also concerned over the legisla

tive obstacles along the way.

The rise of illegal vapes and illicit tobacco is

something he is deeply concerned about.

“For instance, three shady-looking stores

opened in my area in the last seven-eight

weeks, which has been detrimental to my

sales.

“They open almost overnight and keep

some soft drinks, crisps and chocolates as a

cover up. But their real business is illegal vapes

and fake cigarettes which they keep either

under the counter or hidden nearby.

“This problem needs to be nipped in the

bud because it is only getting worse,” he said.

For a store that began with two immigrant

brothers seeking a foothold in Britain, this

new chapter feels fitting.

A heritage-built store, now competing on

innovation, this Sidhu’s story proves that

legacy and modern retail can powerfully

coexist and win as well.

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WHOLESALE

20 ASIAN TRADER 14 NOVEMBER 2025

xpansion, digitalisation and collabora

tion are rewriting the rules of

engagement in the UK’s food and

drink wholesale sector, as economic

headwinds, policy uncertainty and rising costs

test even the strongest players.

The spotlight often rests on wholesale giant

Booker, which is not the kind of company to

take its dominant position for granted.

Most recently, Booker has refreshed its offer

with the Autumn 2025 NPD Guide, a develop

ment guide spotlighting over 120 new lines and

12 group exclusives.

The guide offers retailers the chance to capi

talise on the latest consumer trends across key

categories including impulse, grocery, alcohol,

and fresh – all designed to drive sales and footfall

during the autumn months.

The guide presents a valuable opportunity to

differentiate from competitors and respond to

seasonal shopper needs.

According to Booker retail managing director

Colm Johnson, the guide is “packed with new

and exclusive lines” that will help independents

“stand out with exceptional choice, value and

innovation”.

The new launches are a timely reminder that,

in a volatile market, innovation remains the sur

est route to differentiation.

Meanwhile, employee-owned wholesaler

Parfetts continues to tighten its grip on the UK

wholesale map, with its southern expansion

gathering remarkable momentum. The opening

of its first Go Local Extra store in Portsmouth

comes as a new milestone for the wholesaler’s

growth strategy.

Since beginning to trade under the Go Lo

cal Extra fascia, the store sales have surged by

£1,000 a day, with food-to-go anchors such as

Lavazza Coffee, Rollover Hot Dogs and Tango

Ice Blast drawing footfall from students and

residents alike.

The success of the Portsmouth store follows

the opening of Parfetts’ 113,000 sq ft Southamp

Digital expansion, collaboration and reform

calls lead the conversation as the wholesale

sector shows resilience in the face of rising costs

and political inertia

ton depot, which underpins the wholesaler’s

push across the South of England.

As joint managing director Guy Swindell

noted, the southern rollout “underlines the

strength of the Parfetts model and our ambition

to be a truly national wholesaler.”

And the model keeps proving itself. From

sales growth to food-to-go innovation, Parfetts’

momentum now looks less like a regional

expansion and more like a national retail revolu

tion.

If Parfetts’ depot strategy is building reach,

its digital evolution is redefining reach. While

Parfetts scales new heights, others in the sector

are pursuing strength through scale.

Online orders now account for over half of

all sales, with its app alone driving 60 per cent of

digital transactions.

Downloads have passed 30,000, and time

spent on the app has risen by 20 per cent, while

orders placed through it are up 10 per cent, with

40 per cent of users active each week.

Sunday has now overtaken Monday as the

top trading day online, a quiet revolution in how

independent retailers plan their week.

“The platform gives retailers real-time access

to data on stock, spend targets and promotions,”

said Melanie Clayton, Parfetts’ digital marketing

manager. “Our goal is to make

ordering as easy and intel

ligent as possible.”

From record footfall at

Parfest (12,500 customers) to

a six-year turnover rise of 110

per cent, Parfetts continues

to show that employee

ownership and tech-led agil

ity can co-exist and thrive in

wholesale.

Elsewhere, the newly formed buying outfit

The Wholesale Group has wasted no time in

making a mark of its own.

The UK’s largest delivered wholesale buying

group is now leading the industry with its latest

technology innovation which will be transfor

mational for its members, supplier partners and

team.

At its conference in Tenerife earlier this

month, the group revealed how its groundbreak

ing “Jake by ShopAI”, believed to be world’s first

email-native business intelligence platform with

ephemeral analytical workspaces, can transform

email inboxes into analytical environments

without the need to install software.

This innovation is now being deployed across

the group to provide members, suppliers and

staff with unified access to business intelligence

through email, web and video conferencing.

In fact, the group’s very first conference

turned out to be a huge success in itself.

At its first conference, held in Tenerife, the

group’s wholesale members and suppliers took

part in more than 645 business development

meetings to cement plans for collaborative

working for the rest of 2025 and 2026.

Incoming Chairman Mark Aylwin hailed just

how quickly the group has “gelled” and is already

trading ahead of the market just nine months in.

With 225 members, 398 suppliers, and

27,000 local jobs supported, The Wholesale

Group is now established as the UK’s largest

delivered buying group, foodservice buying

group and second largest retail buying group,

representing 14 per cent of the UK wholesale

industry.

In the news, Co-op Wholesale set the alarm

bells ringing when it claimed earlier this month

that 60,000 small shops and 150,000 jobs are at

risk if the government does not bring in business

rate reforms in the upcoming Autumn Budget.

In a stark warning, the wholesaler called on

the government to deliver maximum relief for

small retailers.

According to Co-op data,

77 per cent of small shop own

ers say business rates reform is

essential for survival. Nearly

half (44 per cent) would

struggle to grow without pro

tections; 36 per cent would

freeze pay rises while 26 per

cent would halt hiring.

The wholesaler operates

2,300 Co-op shops across the UK and a whole

sale network supporting 8,000 more, over

4,000 which are smaller independent retailers.

According to CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq, “lo

cal shops aren’t just businesses; they’re part of

the social fabric of Britain. For some, a visit to a

local store is one of the few chances they have to

chat to someone and feel connected.”

From Parfetts’ hybrid growth to the Whole

sale Group’s collaboration model, to Booker’s

category, the sector is showing resilience

through reinvention.

Clearly, wholesalers are leading the conversa

tion on what is fair and on what modern retail

support should look like.

Wholesale Round-Up

FLIPZ THE SWITCH

ON SNACKING SALES

* NIQ RSV Tot Cov to 30.08.25

**NIQ RSV Tot impulse to 30.08.25

A £17.8M

BRAND

GROWING

+30%

IN IMPULSE