Shoppers continued to benefit from severe price competition between food and drink retailers but it meant like-for-like food sales in Scotland in June were down on the previous year.

Not a flaming June for food

Continuing discount promos and a cool start to the school holidays mean sales move down again FOOD sales in Scotland continued to struggle in June,...
Aldi

Discounters top brands charts

DEEP discounter, Aldi, has overtaken John Lewis, BBC iPlayer and Samsung as the UK’s favourite brand. Poll company YouGov’s mid-year list of the top...

How will we tax?

Continuing our look at issues of special interest to retailers as we approach 18 September’s momentous vote. SCOTLAND’S people will decide next month whether they...

Premium and promos lead

Almost 60% of branded spirits off-trade sales are made at specially reduced prices THE former First Drinks Brands, one of Britain’s main drinks distributors, has...
World Cup 2014

World Cup fails to set sales heather on fire

MANY top pundits agreed that the football in the recent World Cup, especially in the early matches, was excellent. But that didn’t seem to translate...

Counting on cash

ATM-using forecourt customers spend more than others and more than eight in 10 consumers plan shopping trips with ATM availability in mind, says new...
Colette Backwell

Industry vital to food safety

Whatever happens in September’s independence referendum Scotland will have a new body tasked with ensuring the safety of the country’s food. THE Food (Scotland)...
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Confectionery set to check out?

Holyrood invites stores to take sweets and drinks off the tills THE Scottish Government has again said it wants retailers to take all confectionery...

Plain packs back on the agenda

THE Westminster Government has begun its short consultation process on the possible introduction of standardised packaging for tobacco products. If it’s decided to proceed with...
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Kicking off

World Cup fever or not? Have the boys in Brazil put cash through the till? WITH bunting and flags festooning the shop, a display of...
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Science panel says cut sugar

Advisory committee tells Westminster Government that free sugars guideline should be halved CONSUMERS must slash their sugar intake to head off the UK’s obesity epidemic...
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Don’t price our industry out

Retail consortium’s budget wish list says reform business rates, restrict tax hikes, improve parking. PLEASE John Swinney, keep the cost of doing retail business in...
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Which way Scotland?

Scotland’s referendum on independence is only a few months away. Today we begin our look at points of the Scottish Government’s White Paper of...
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Tributes for Mackie’s chief

Ice-cream firm chairman who played major roles in farming, food manufacture, politics and education. MAITLAND Mackie, the patriarch of the Scottish ice cream dynasty,...
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Price cuts see food sales fall

Like-for-like totals slump by 3.7% in May as cost-slashing promotional deals take their toll. EXTENSIVE discounting plus poor weather added up to a disappointing...
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Lidl owner to be Euro tops

Analyst predicts discount group will overtake Carrefour in European food and drink retail and that UK and France will see major multiple convenience growth LIDL...