News
INBRIEF DRS OPERATOR SECURES £9M
Circularity Scotland, the organisation that will administer the country’s deposit return scheme (DRS), has received £9m in funding from the Scottish National Investment Bank. The cash will be used to
HFSS multibuy deals postponed Rules banning multibuy deals on foods and drinks high in fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) and restrictions on free refills for soft drinks are being delayed for a year. The government said the delay will enable it to review and monitor the impact of the restrictions on the cost-of-living in light of an unprecedented global economic situation. However, restrictions on the placement of less healthy products will still come into force in October 2022 as planned. These will mean that affected products can no longer be promoted in key locations, such as checkouts, store entrances, and aisle ends. The restrictions banning HFSS adverts on TV before 9pm and paid-for adverts online will also be paused for a year, meaning they come into force in January 2024. Association of Convenience Stores Chief Executive, James Lowman, said: “The
government’s insistence on pushing ahead with costly and confusing regulations at a time when consumers and retailers are facing significant financial pressure is nothing short of astonishing. While everyone else is trying to navigate the worst cost-of-living and cost-of-business crisis in memory, the government is regulating to send officials round to shops with tape measures to make sure yoghurt and pizza aren’t displayed too close to the door or on the end of an aisle. “Going ahead with the location restrictions in October this year, costing thousands of pounds per store, will have a huge impact on thousands of small businesses that are already struggling to make ends meet.” The ACS offers a comprehensive set of FAQs and updated Assured Advice on the upcoming HFSS regulations. Please visit www.acs.org.uk/ advice/hfss-regulations for more info.
fund the development of Circularity Scotland and also to help ensure a further £9m from Bank of Scotland. Together the
Food-to-go a ‘huge opportunity’
investments will fund the startup costs of the DRS, which will go live in August 2023. The news has been welcomed by the NFRN. National President, Narinder Randhawa, said: “This investment is a show of confidence and support for all the work being done to deliver the anticipated increase in recycling rates from August next year. “As responsible retailers, the Fed’s members in Scotland will be on the frontline of the deposit return scheme. Unless exempted, they will form the backbone of the network of return points, where customers will bring their bottles and cans for the refund of the deposits.”
Wholesale data and insight specialists TWC and food-togo and out-of-home tracking programme MealTrak have reported that the food-to-go market has grown by 9% yearon-year in value in independent convenience stores in the 12 weeks to 19 May. The total market across all channels has grown by 31% over the same period with grocery outlets growing even
faster at 51%. TWC said this represents a “huge opportunity” for the sector to drive footfall, sales and profits in a high margin category. Tom Fender, Development Director at TWC, commented: “It was understandable that many retailers opted to scale back their food-to-go offer [during the pandemic] as consumers weren’t commuting or getting out and about
very much, rather they were preparing most of their meals at home. But what we have seen in the last few months is the rapid return of consumers eating food-to-go again. “This is the ideal time for independent retailers to review their food-to-go range in line with what’s happening in the market to maximise this opportunity. Now is the time to grab food-to-go sales.”
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