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THIS WEEK'S NEWS
SCOTLAND’S DRS SCHEME ADMINISTRATOR CREATED
THE ORGANISATION THAT WILL BE IN CHARGE OF RUNNING THEDEPOSIT RETURN SCHEME IN SCOTLAND HAS BEEN FORMED.
Drinks producers, retailers and trade associations have united to form Circularity Scotland, a not-for-profit scheme administrator for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).
If approved by the Scottish Government, the company will seek to work with companies throughout the supply chain – producers, retailers, hospitality and wholesalers – to help deliver a scheme that is ultimately expected to collect more than 90% of drinks containers in Scotland.
The scheme is scheduled to go live on 1 July 2022.
LOTTERY DEBATE REKINDLED
The National Lottery needs to be “dragged into the digital age,” according to the Chairman of a company bidding to take over from current operator Camelot in 2023. Sir Keith Mills, of Sazka, also claimed the money raised for good causes has plateaued and said he worried that “unless the National Lottery is reinvigorated it will go into a decline”.
Camelot, which has run the National Lottery since its inception in 1994, has disputed this, noting that it runs Europe’s largest online lottery by revenue. Since a restructuring in 2014 it has increased contributions to good causes by 14%.
Mills, inventor of the Air Miles and Nectar Card loyalty schemes, also headed up London’s successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Responding to his comments, NFRN National President Stuart Reddish said: “Taking the Lottery online makes no sense at a time when the British public have been rediscovering the benefits of shopping at their local convenience stores.”
BESTWAY COMPLETES COSTCUTTER DEAL
DAWOOD PERVEZ WELCOMES COSTCUTTER INTO THE BESTWAYFAMILY AFTER REGULATOR GIVES TAKEOVER THUMBS-UP.
Bestway Wholesale has completed the acquisition of Costcutter Supermarkets Group (CSG) from Bibby Line Group, following FCA approval. The business is now being run by Bestway Wholesale MD Dawood Pervez following the departure of CSG CEO Darcy Willson- Rymer last week.
Pervez commented: “It is with immense pleasure that we can formally welcome CSG into the Bestway family and we are delighted that the expected FCA approval has come through so quickly.”
The integration of the two businesses will be led by Naser Khan, COO of Bestway Wholesale (pictured).
The acquisition takes Bestway Wholesale’s annual turnover to almost £3bn.
NISA EXPECTS 500 SNAPPY RETAILERS IN 2021
Nisa has announced that more than 50 Nisa stores have signed up with Snappy Shopper since the symbol group formed a partnership with the home shopping app last September. Nisa expects a further 250 to 500 stores will be using the app by end of 2021.
Close collaboration between the two businesses has enabled Snappy Shopper to quickly identify suitable Nisa stores.
“We have been working with Nisa to identify stores with the potential to succeed with the Snappy Shopper app,” said Andy Batt, Head of Group Development at Snappy Shopper. “We have also taken the Nisa team through the onboarding process, so retailers are supported in every way through the process.”
Every Nisa store joining Snappy Shopper benefits from an onboarding, launch and sales ramp up process, which sees operations and marketing teams working hand-in-hand to ensure stores reach their full sales potential as quickly as possible.
BOOKER RECALL
Booker is recalling its Discoverthe Choice Chicken TikkaMasala with Pilau Rice 450gproduct as a small number ofthe packs have been foundto contain Chicken Kormainstead, a recipe containingalmonds, a common allergen.The affected packs have 4March use by dates. Returnaffected packs to Booker orMakro for a full refund.
JACKPOT WEEK
More than £190m is up forgrabs this week in the NationalLottery with yesterday’sEuroMillons jackpot worth£180m, the biggest everjackpot, and a further £13.4m‘Most Be Won’ Lotto drawtoday.
CRIMINAL SPEAKER
Minister for Crime and PolicingKit Malthouse has beenconfirmed as a speaker at theACS 2021 Crime Seminar,taking place virtually between10 and 11.15am on 23 March.The event will feature thelaunch of the 2021 CrimeReport and provide theopportunity to hear about bestpractice from industry experts.To book your place click here.
UNITAS FOCUSES
Unitas Wholesale has teamed up with PepsiCo and Mars Wrigley to publish the latest editions of its Plan for Profit ‘Focus On’ mini category guides. The latest guides focus on the Snacks and Gum & Mints categories. All are available for free at participating Unitas member wholesalers and on the Plan for Profit website and app.
£30K GIVEAWAY
Spar Scotland is launching its second Community Cashback campaign next month to give away a further £30k to groups and charities who provide a variety of worthwhile services to communities around the country. Twenty four charities benefitted from the first Community Cashback campaign held last October.
FESTIVE CHEER
Coventry Nisa retailer Rav Sandhu has donated a wide range of unsold Christmas confectionery to his local hospital and a number of local schools. University Hospital Coventry and Sidney Stringer Academy Secondary School were among those to benefit from the donation.
