OFT to probe Costcutter / P&H deal

THE deal between the Costcutter Supermarkets Group and wholesaler Palmer & Harvey which sees Mace Stores transfer into the Costcutter organisation is to...

Lidl diligence wins at appeal

A VICTORY, last month, for discount store operator Lidl in a Court of Session appeal could have major implications for the way Scottish licensing...

Bread brand wants your community ideas

KINGSMILL is launching a campaign to help retailers drive improvement in their local community. The bread brand will be asking retailers to provide details...

Supermarkets go into the dark

Trade bodies launch guide and app as small stores enter final two years of tobacco display SCOTLAND’S retail industry has begun its journey into the...

Trade groups slam raise in minimum wage

BODIES representing independent retailers north and south of the border have criticised the Westminster government’s decision to increase the minimum wage by 12p an...

Sweets firm opens in Dundee

CONFECTIONERY wholesaler Hancocks opened its 20th UK cash and carry last month in Dundee. It’s the company’s second Scottish cash and carry and the...

Booker given Makro OK

GIANT wholesaler Booker has been given the green light to take over the Makro operation in the UK. The news was confirmed last month by...

Warbies available online

WARBURTONS has launched a dedicated trade website for its convenience-channel customers. The firm says the new website offers retailers more control and flexibility over their...

5p – you’ve got to be kidding

Britain’s biggest-selling magazine TV Choice now in a price war with TV Pick, to the dismay of newsagents’ trade group the NFRN. THE chief of...

One stop to efficiency

THE Scottish Government’s new one-stop advisory service for businesses looking to become more resource-efficient has been officially launched. Resource Efficient Scotland provides a free online...

Iconic Glasgow building may host food giant

Iconic Glasgow building may host food giant RUMOURS are flying around the west end of Glasgow that high-end American retailer Whole Foods Market is moving...

Spar smashes charity target

SPAR’S big-hearted retailers, staff and customers have raised £567,000 for Childline over the past year. The amount smashed the symbol group’s target donation of...

Players brings on two subs

PLAYER’S has introduced two new lines in what brand owner Imperial Tobacco calls the “sub-economy sector”, which the firm estimates will account for 7.67%...

Loco scores its first 50

LOCO, Nisa’s symbol group for smaller c-stores, now has 50 branches across the UK including four in Scotland. One of the Scottish outlets is...

Food stars in sales jump

Easter chocolate treats lead the charge as Scottish retail fights off the big March freeze THE economy appears to be warming up at last, with...
Energy and functional drinks, such as market leader Red Bull, continue to boldly grow where others don’t. But summer is likely to be big this year for premixes and a hot summer will almost certainly mean significant increases in sales of bottled water and adult soft drinks.

PMP wings for energy leader

RED Bull hopes to give its energy drink range even more wings with four PMPs. “Price-marked products have always been popular,” said Red Bull’s Simon...