Newsagents “baffled”

NEWSPAPER distributor Menzies has defended its charging structure, following accusations that its new prices had left retailers “baffled”. The National Federation of Retail Newsagents (NFRN)...
August provided further disappointment for Scotland’s food retailers, with like-for-like sales down by 3.5%. However, the gap between the decline in Scotland and that in the UK has narrowed again.

Summer food sales slide

SCOTLAND’S food retailers have continued to see a fall in sales, according to the Scottish Retail Consortium and accountant KPMG. Figures for August show food...
The tobacco display ban is six months away. The tobacco giants are beginning work on their gantry alteration programmes.

Set for dark days

THE UK’s largest tobacco companies are stepping up efforts to prepare c-stores for the dark market. With six months left till the introduction of the...
Spar UK managing director Debbie Robinson speaking to Scottish retailers at the Spar Scotland Tradeshow last month. The Spar chief said supermarkets were facing major problems and discounters were showing incredible growth but the flexibility of entrepreneurial c-store owners was a major strength.

Better than the mults

Spar MD praises the group’s caring, passionate retailers but warns that competition is fierce SPAR has the best retailers in the UK and on its...
Irn-bru

Bru firm takes on Snapple

IRN-BRU owner AG Barr will add a new brand to its portfolio after signing a 10-year deal to distribute Snapple products in the UK...

Birthday group goes on screen

WHOLESALE giant Booker has celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Premier symbol group with the launch of a year-long TV advertising campaign. The campaign –...
Londis

Londis push plans weekly six of the best

SYMBOL group Londis has launched Super Six, a new campaign giving its retailers access to six products at what it says are industry-leading prices...

McIntosh top of the chills

SCOTTISH food brand, McIntosh won the Best Chilled Food Manufacturer award at The Food Awards Scotland 2014 last month. The award is decided by public...
Freddy and Bobby Nield in their Kingussie Costcutter shortly before they retired after 37 years in the business. The store will now become a Co-op.

End of an era

by John McNee INDEPENDENT Highland grocer Murchie’s of Kingussie has closed its doors and signalled the end of an era after the retirement of two...
Tesco

Pressure piles up on Tesco

UK’s biggest grocer sees sales fall and share price slumps after profit overstatement SUPERMARKET giant Tesco’s market share fell below 29% in Kantar Worldpanel’s latest...
Richard Pennycook

Pennycook confirmed at Co-op

RICHARD Pennycook has been announced as the new group chief executive of the Co-operative Group. He was previously interim group chief executive. The news came as...

Cracking the launch code

One, two, three, four and you have a brand breakthrough claims research giant THREE of every four new fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) products fail...

Drinks sales move off and up

THE value of British drinks sales has grown by 1% according to the Drinks Market Summary Overview, which uses off-trade data supplied by Nielsen...

The tracks of your life

Name: Asim Sarwar Job Title: Managing Director, United Wholesale (Scotland) Ltd How long have you been a retailer? I have been involved in wholesale for my...
Mark Thomson

Scots catching up

The long alcoholic drinks market has become very interesting in recent years. Off-trade growth has been decent in the last 12 months and craft...
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Young at heart

As Scotland’s students return for a new term and other young adults settle down for the party season we look at some key alcohol...