- 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
Community Retailer will go to a 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.
Employee of the Year
The Employee of the Year award will recognise a member of staff whose dedication, ideas and hard work are the lifeblood of the store and the community they serve.
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.
Impulse Retailer of the Year
The Impulse Retailer of the Year award will recognise a retailer who shows knowledge and dedication in growing impulse sales through display, siting and range.
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.
Sustainability Champion
This award goes to a store who 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.
Vaping Retailer of the Year
Vaping Retailer of the Year will recognise a retailer with a comprehensive product range and in depth market knowledge of the vaping category and it’s emerging trends.
In association with Topps Match Attax
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 has introduced new fixtures and equipment. Scottish c-stores that opened or relaunched between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024 are eligible to enter.
Entrants will be asked:
In association with 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 will be asked:
- 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 innovation and promotions, including cross-category deals?
- How do your displays make an impact and make it easy for customers to find what they want?
In association with 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.
Entrants will be asked:
- 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?
In association with Scottish Grocer
Employee of the Year
Judging Criteria
Staff are the lifeblood of any business. Without their skills, determination and quality, achieving business targets would be almost impossible. Your staff provide something special and here is the chance to thank someone for their dedication, ideas, and hard work.
Entrants will be asked:
- Tell us your employee’s full name, role in the business and history in the store.
- What are your reasons for the nomination? Tell us what makes your employee special.
- Give us examples of their enthusiasm, dedication and hard work for the job, the business, and the customers it serves.
In association with JTI
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 and JTI are 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 will be asked:
- 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.
In association with Scottish Grocer
Impulse Retailer of the Year
Judging Criteria
Attracting impulse buys is a major part of most convenience retailers’ armoury and there is a real skill to tempting shoppers into splashing out on a spur-of-the-moment purchase. This award recognises the dedication of Scottish retailers to grow impulse sales through display, siting and range.
Entrants will be asked:
- How do you optimise your displays to ensure customers are more likely to make unplanned purchases?
- What do you do to site your impulse buys in a way that will increase overall basket spend?
- What do you consider when it comes to building the impulse range and how does this reflect customer demand or encourage a trade-up?
In association with Booker
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 will be asked:
- How have you developed your store and service in recent years to face up to your rivals?
- What do you do to develop and train your staff and so create employee loyalty?
- What community activities are you involved in and how do you get your message across to the local community?
In association with Swan 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 influences on the sector are the people who play their part in it – as owners and entrepreneurs, managers and educators, activists and innovators.
Entrants will be asked:
- 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?
In association with Black Bottle
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 will be asked:
- 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?
In association with 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 will be asked:
- 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?
In association with Barr Soft Drinks
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 is split into two categories: Single store operator & Multiple stores operator
Entrants will be asked:
- 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?
In association with 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 will be asked:
- 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?
In association with 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 will be asked:
- 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?
In association with BAT United Kingdom
Vaping Retailer of the Year
Judging Criteria
Vaping has been a runaway success for many Scottish convenience stores, as retailers tap into the high margin opportunity that this category provides. As more and more adult smokers make the switch to vaping, the category is set to grow in importance for Scotland’s retailers.
Entrants will be asked:
- How does your range reflect customer demands and the latest category trends?
- What have you done to create an eye-catching, easily navigable display of vaping products?
- How do you engage with customers and demonstrate your product knowledge with consumers?
