RETAILERS and suppliers met together in Edinburgh last month to get updates on political and lobbying work being carried out by the Scottish Grocers’ Federation and discuss medium and long-term issues, threats and opportunities.
It was the second of SGF’s special Round Table events, designed to bring retailer and corporate members of the organisation together.
As well as SGF president Abdul Majid, retailers taking part included Mo Razzaq of Premier and Family Shopper in Blantyre, Scott Graham of McLeish in Inverurie, Saleem Sadiq of Spar Renfrew, Iain Wilson who has Nisa Stores in Dundee and Broughty Ferry, Dennis Williams of the Premier outlet Broadway Convenience Store in Edinburgh’s Oxgangs and Chris Gallacher, retail operations manager of Scotfresh, the fast-growing independent group of c-stores with outlets in Glasgow, Ayrshire and Stirlingshire.
Suppliers at the meeting included Harry Bennett, regional development manager of United Biscuits looking after Scotland and the north of England and Lyn Orman, field sales of manager for Mars Chocolate.
The Round Table heard of successes in recent SGF events and collaborations at the Scottish Parliament and of work currently underway to set up a cross party group on convenience stores at Holyrood.
And the Round Table participants went on to discuss the SGF Healthy Living Programme, health activist pressure group campaigns, political party manifestos and media management.
