- How did you work effectively with others over the planning, project management and design of the new store?
- What were your original goals and targets in terms of providing an enhanced shopping experience and ensuring an efficient, effective store set-up?
- What fresh ideas have you introduced that makes your new store stand out from its more established competitors?
Award Categories
With a range of award categories designed to cover every aspect of independent and convenience retailing, the Scottish Grocer Awards give the industry the opportunity to celebrate enterprise, innovation and success. Discover the full list of awards below and find out what the judging panel will be looking for to prepare your entry submission.
Best New Store of the Year
This award recognises the best new-build c-stores and the best major refurbishments that have changed an existing store and have introduced new fixtures and equipment.
Best Soft Drinks Retailer of the Year
Judges will be looking for stores that score highly on getting the range right, running impactful promotions and merchandising their soft drinks effectively.
Community Retailer of the Year
This award is split into two categories: city store operators and rural store operators and will go to the businesses that can clearly demonstrate how they engage with, empower and support their local community.
Entrepreneur Award
This award goes to an outstanding individual in Scottish independent retailing who shows entrepreneurial qualities, seeks new opportunities, works to achieve bold goals and delivers success.
Independent Retailer of the Year
This award recognises retail businesses where the owner is directly involved in the day-to-day operation and management of the store(s) and is, ultimately, the main decision maker.
Industry Achievement Award
The Industry Achievement Award will recognise an individual who has made his or her mark and achieved outstanding success in Scotland’s convenience retail trade, for the benefit of all.
Licensed Retailer of the Year
Off-trade is a category that needs careful attention. The Licensed Retailer award goes to a retailer who provides a great off-trade service and who markets this creatively and responsibly.
Smokeless Alternatives Retailer of the Year
This award will recognise a retailer with a comprehensive range and in-depth knowledge of the latest nicotine offerings such as pouches, vapes and heat-not-burn devices.
Sustainability Champion
This award goes to a store that has taken steps to reduce their carbon footprint, cut back on waste, inform shoppers on sustainability and encourage recycling in their community.
Symbol Store of the Year
This award is split into two categories: Single Store Operator and Multiple Stores Operator and is awarded to retailers who encompass the strengths of their symbol while creating unique selling points for their customers.
The Innovation Award
This award goes to a store that has shown new thinking and an imaginative application of technology, improving the service offered to it's customers and boosting commercial results.
Tobacco Retailer of the Year
The Tobacco Retailer of the Year award goes to a retailer who demonstrates outstanding tobacco product knowledge and responsible marketing initiatives in their store.
Best New Store of the Year
Judging Criteria
This award recognises the best new-build c-stores (including transformations of buildings previously used for other purposes) and the best major refurbishments that have changed all or most of an existing store and have introduced new fixtures and equipment. Scottish c-stores that opened or relaunched between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 are eligible to enter.
Entrants should answer the following:
Supported by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Best Soft Drinks Retailer of the Year
Judging Criteria
Soft drinks are integral to modern convenience retailing operations due to the diverse range of shoppers they appeal to and relevance to different consumptions occasions. Judges will be looking for stores that score highly on getting the range right, running impactful promotions and merchandising their soft drinks effectively.
Entrants should answer the following:
- How does your range cater for current trends, like the growth of zero sugar options, and provide shoppers with a wide choice of soft drinks?
- What do you do in store to alert shoppers to the presence of soft drinks, latest innovations and promotions, including cross-category deals?
- How do your displays make an impact and make it easy for customers to find what they want?
Supported by Hovis
Community Retailer of the Year
Judging Criteria
Awards judges are looking for a retail business that can clearly demonstrate how it engages with, empowers and supports its community, making an especially strong and effective contribution to its local area. This award has two prizes, one for city store operators and one for rural store operators.
Entrants should answer the following:
- How have you supported or participated in local activities, projects and groups, particularly in areas such as wellbeing, social cohesion, culture and the environment?
- How have you introduced your local community to wider industry programmes from which they can benefit (such as the Healthy Living Programme)?
- Can you provide examples of how you have given time, expertise and advice to community projects and activities?
Entrepreneur Award
Judging Criteria
Entrepreneurs see opportunities and follow them through. They have vision, show initiative, work with confidence and they are the driving forces of their industry. Scottish Grocer is looking for an individual running a business or businesses in Scottish independent retailing who shows those qualities, seeks new opportunities, works to achieve bold goals and delivers success.
Entrants should answer the following:
- Explain why you think you have outstanding market knowledge and consumer insight.
- Demonstrate how you have a forward-looking attitude to commercial risk and have been willing to invest in your ideas.
- Tell us what makes you a great leader, motivator and decision-maker with the flexibility to re-evaluate situations when necessary.
Supported by Bestway
Independent Retailer of the Year
Judging Criteria
Many independent retailers now work in conjunction with symbol groups, food-to-go brands, fuel companies and more. For this award, we view an independent retailer as a business such as a c-store or forecourt store – operating up to three stores – where the owner is directly involved in the day-to-day operation and management of the store(s) and is, ultimately, the main decision maker. The store(s) may operate under their own name or under a symbol or fascia.
Entrants should answer the following:
- How have you developed your store and service in recent years to compete with your rivals?
- What do you do to develop and train your staff to ensure employee loyalty?
- What community activities are you involved in and how do you get your message across to the local community?
Supported by OCB by Republic Technologies UK
Industry Achievement Award
Judging Criteria
This is an award for an individual who has made his or her mark on Scotland’s independent trade, for the benefit of all. With Scotland’s convenience retailing trade constantly evolving to rise to new challenges, the most important influencers on the sector are the people who play their part in it – as owners and entrepreneurs, managers and educators, activists and innovators.
Entrants should answer the following:
- Explain how you have achieved substantial commercial success in the wider business world through exceptional vision and business understanding.
- Give us evidence of how you have provided valuable insight and growth throughout the industry and have demonstrated outstanding commitment to relationships with others in the convenience sector.
- What innovative approach have you taken that has either radically changed an established practice, or introduced a new practice, for the benefit of the industry as a whole?
Licensed Retailer of the Year
Judging Criteria
Beer, wines, spirits and other drinks play a major role in many Scottish local stores. However, off-trade is a category that needs careful attention. We’re looking for a retailer who provides a great off-trade service and who does so creatively and responsibly.
Entrants should answer the following:
- What makes your range and display of alcohol stand out and meet customer needs?
- How do you make use of promotional activity throughout the year?
- How do you keep on top of market developments, staff training and compliance?
Supported by VELO
Smokeless Alternatives Retailer of the Year
Judging Criteria
Alternatives to traditional tobacco products have become a runaway success for many Scottish convenience stores, as retailers tap into the high adult consumer demand for these newer forms of nicotine use. As more and more adult smokers make the switch to nicotine pouches, vapes and heat-not-burn devices, the smokeless alternative category is set to grow in importance for Scotland’s retailers.
Entrants should answer the following:
- How does your range reflect customer demands, the latest category trends and full compliance with new legislation?
- What have you done to create an eye-catching, easily navigable display of smokeless alternative products?
- How do you engage with customers and demonstrate your product knowledge with consumers?
Supported by Carlsberg Britvic
Sustainability Champion
Judging Criteria
Sustainability is now a key consideration for shoppers. It’s also high on the agenda for all forward-thinking retailers, as sustainable practices help to safeguard our future both ecologically and economically. By taking steps to reduce carbon footprint, cut back on waste, and tackle litter, many of Scotland’s convenience retailers play a valuable role in their community.
Entrants should answer the following:
- What action have you taken to become a more eco-friendly business?
- What have you done to educate yourselves, staff and customers about the latest sustainability practices?
- What evidence can you provide to show that your sustainability efforts are bringing benefits to both your business and/or the environment?
Supported by AG Barr
Symbol Store of the Year
Judging Criteria
Running a symbol store is an exciting and rewarding opportunity, with agreed standards to implement as a manager while retaining individual ownership or accountability for the store. This award has two prizes, one for single store operators and one for multiple store operators.
Entrants should answer the following:
- What have you done to ensure you consistently meet the standards expected by the symbol group, including staff training?
- How do you use new technology and promotions to target convenience/top-up shopper missions?
- What marketing and communication activity do you carry out to make sure your offering is tailored to suit local needs?
Supported by IQOS by Philip Morris
The Innovation Award
Judging Criteria
This award recognises that innovation is crucial to community retailing and that Scotland has some remarkably innovative convenience retailers. This award will be presented to a store, retailer or retailing company that has shown new thinking and/or imaginative application of existing best practice to improve the service offered to customers and improve commercial performance.
Entrants should answer the following:
- What new ideas, products, services, training, working practices or customer engagement have you introduced?
- How have you made good use of equipment and materials, including technology?
- What have been the positive results for your business because of your effective new thinking and changes?
Supported by Imperial Brands
Tobacco Retailer of the Year
Judging Criteria
The UK tobacco category continues to be a significant element of the Scottish retail mix. Tobacco shoppers visit more frequently, therefore, tobacco remains a catalyst for impulse purchases from other categories, such as snacks and drinks.
Entrants should answer the following:
- What steps have you taken to ensure your range always meets the latest trends and needs of your local adult smokers?
- What have you done to ensure availability of tobacco products is maintained at all times and properly merchandised in store?
- How have you used your category knowledge to grow your tobacco sales?
- What actions have you taken to ensure you and your staff understand the legislation and compliance aspects around selling tobacco?
