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THIS WEEK'S NEWS
HELEN LYONS AND DAVID REES JOIN SLR TEAM
SCOTTISH LOCAL RETAILER MAGAZINE HAS ANNOUNCED THEAPPOINTMENT OF TWO OF BEST-KNOWN AND MOST EXPERIENCEDCONVENIENCE RETAILING EXPERTS IN THE INDUSTRY.
SLR had made two major new appointments to strengthen its commercial and editorial teams. Helen Lyons has been named Sales & Marketing Director of SLR publisher 55 North while David Rees joins to head up the company’s editorial team, with direct responsibility for its client publishing division as well as SLR.
Helen Lyons is the former Publishing Director of Independent Retail News (IRN) and TalkingRetail.com. She also managed the Retail Industry Awards and the Quality Food Awards at Emap. David Rees worked at William Reed Business Media for 20 years, spending the last 15 years as Editor of Convenience Store magazine before the magazine was taken online last year.
Together, Helen and David have around 50 years’ experience in the local retailing industry and bring unrivalled expertise to SLR.
INDIES UP 20.9% IN LAST QUARTER
KANTAR DATA SHOWS THE LOCAL RETAILING SECTOR CONTINUESTO FLOURISH WITH SALES UP BY A FIFTH IN THREE MONTHS.
Kantar data reveals that sales through the independent and symbol channel grew by 20.9% in the last 12 weeks with the channel now accounting for 1.7% of the entire market over the period.
Total grocery sales grew by 12.2% in the last quarter, ending 24 January, thanks in part to the latest set of lockdown restrictions.
Alcohol sales soared 29% YOY while no-alcohol beer rose 12%.
British families spent £50 more on average on groceries in January compared to the same period last year.
WAITROSE TOPS UP HEALTHY START VOUCHERS
Waitrose has announced that it will begin ‘topping up’ the value of the Government’s Healthy Start Vouchers with an additional voluntary commitment of £1.50, taking the value of each voucher from £3.10 to £4.60.
The vouchers are provided to pregnant women and low income families with children under the age of four and can be spent on designated ‘healthy’ foods.
COSTCUTTER HOOKS UP WITH APPY SHOP
Costcutter has partnered with online shopping platform Appy Shop to offer home delivery and click-andcollect to its independent retailers.
Appy Shop can be used as a standalone service by store owners. The cloud-based platform can be accessed via PCs, mobile devices or tills and retailers have the flexibility to make as much of their range available
to shoppers online as they want.
Shoppers can place orders for home delivery or click-and-collect, either for immediate delivery or collection, or for a future time slot. An order history function is available for repeat orders and a shopper favourites option enables quick and repeat orders. Charging is completed at the point of picking.
IGD REBRANDS
Grocery industry educationand training charity IGD hasunveiled a new brand andpurpose, featuring a new visualidentity. The new brand hasbeen used to strengthen theidentity and understanding ofthe organisation’s two halves.Its Trading Company has beenrebranded to CommercialInsight, while the Charity willnow be known for its SocialImpact.
NEW JAMES HALL STORE
James Hall & Co, Sparwholesaler for the north ofEngland, has launched anew company-owned storein Maryport, Cumbria. The 24hour, 3,000sq ft store and Shellfuel pumps are now open.Full forecourt services will beavailable once the previousstore has been demolished byApril 2021.
COLLECTIVE GROWTH
C-Store Collective, the panelof associate consultantssupported by convenienceindustry experts, has unveiledretail technology company,NearSt, as its 19th partnercompany.
BEZOS STEPS DOWN
Jeff Bezos is to step downfrom his position of ChiefExecutive of Amazon andbecome Executive Chairmanof the business in the thirdquarter of 2021. He is beingsucceeded by Andy Jassy, thecurrent leader of Amazon WebServices.
ACS APPOINTMENTS
The Association ofConvenience Stores hasappointed two new directorsas new representatives fromthe Co-op and from BP. HannaHofer, Vice President of BP’sUK operations and dealerbusiness is taking over astheir representative from DaveNewton. Ali Jones, CustomerDirector at the Co-op, is alsojoining the board, replacingDavid Roberts who has movedto become MD of Co-opPower.
TELEGRAPH TROUBLE
The price of the Saturdayedition of the Daily Telegraphis rising by 20p from Friday, butthe publisher will be keepingback the improved retailmargin for six months.
