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Stoke Convenience Store in Aylesbury
Photo via LDRS
Vodka and vape sales ‘to children’ sees Bucks shop lose licence
Jan 18, 2025
A shop accused of selling vodka, vapes and tobacco to children has had its licence revoked by Buckinghamshire Council.
At least 65 complaints have been made about the Stoke Convenience Store at 59 Stoke Road, Aylesbury since 2022.
Most of these relate to underage sales, according to Trading Standards, which successfully obtained a closure order against the shop last month through High Wycombe Magistrates Court.
A review of the licence was then carried out by councillors on the council’s sub-licensing committee on 9 January.
During the meeting, shopkeeper Sivagnanam Pakeerathan ‘pleaded’ with members to let the business keep its licence, which was held by Mr Suthakaran Krishnapillai, the shop’s owner.
Speaking through a translator, he denied the shop had frequently made underage sales, but said it had ‘made mistakes’ and that his wife had sold a vape to an underage person on one occasion.
However, Cllr Phil Gomm told the meeting the shop had ignored warnings.
He said: “You asked us to treat you kindly, maybe not to revoke the licence. But you are asking us to trust you to not do what you have been doing.”
The meeting was presented with dozens of pages of complaints and witness statements about the shop serving minors and selling counterfeit goods, which were compiled by the council, Trading Standards and Thames Valley Police.
They include a police complaint that a bottle of vodka was sold to two boys in October 2024, as well as a mum’s harrowing account of seeing her daughter being stretchered into an ambulance in June last year after allegedly drinking vodka from the shop and collapsing outside McDonald’s.
Mr Pakeerathan ‘took over the shop’ in 2021 and said he was ‘deceived big time’ by the person who sold the store as he realised its daily takings were only around £300 – lower than he expected.
He told the meeting customers would request certain brands of illegal vapes and cigarettes.
Despite popular demand for the illicit goods, he claimed the Stoke Convenience Store ‘did not sell these items for the next year’.
However, he said this resulted in customers ‘deserting’ the business, resulting in ‘many problems’ and the Stoke Convenience Store being ‘unable to pay its bills’.
Mr Pakeerathan said the shop’s takings had since increased, but that the business had spent £100,000 on buying the shop and around £30,000 on refurbishing the premises.
He told meeting they therefore felt ‘trapped in the wrong place’.
(Local Democracy Reporting Service)Keep ReadingShow less
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Rubicon unveils new Spring Vits range
Jan 18, 2025
Leading sparkling flavoured water brand Rubicon Spring is set to shake up the functional water game in 2025 with the launch of its new Rubicon Spring Vits still range, hitting shelves in March.
Crafted with refreshing spring water, real fruit juice, and natural flavours, the product is available in three variants: Black Cherry Pomegranate, Mango Passion, and Strawberry Watermelon, all delivering a burst of essential vitamins to boost energy and immunity.
“78 per cent of shoppers are still choosing drinks for enjoyment, but aiming to drink more water. Taste remains the top driver but 69 per cent are interested in added benefits such as energy and immunity,” Lisa McKenna, head of brand for Rubicon, said.
“We know consumers want to make smarter soft drink choices without compromising on taste so offering a great tasting product with added health benefits will bring more consumers into the functional water category.
“There is a perfect gap in the market for a trusted and established brand like Rubicon Spring to boost this category and help retailers tap into its full potential. Rubicon Spring has more than three times the brand awareness of the leading functional water brand and the new Spring Vits range contains 100 per cent of the consumer’s recommended daily vitamin intake of a multivitamin blend, which is unlike any other brand on the market, as well as being full of the tasty fruit flavours that Rubicon is known for.”
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Trust in UK-produced food reaches highest level in three years
Jan 17, 2025
Trust in UK-produced food has reached its highest level since 2021 following three years of falling confidence in standards.
Most (75 per cent) adults now say they trust food produced in the UK. This is a rise from 71 per cent in 2023, although still below the level of trust felt by shoppers in 2021 (81 per cent).
The figure rises to 91 per cent when consumers are asked whether they trust food "exclusively produced" within the UK.
Significantly, more people now say they trust UK food more than NHS care, water from the tap, or any other core service or utility.
A clear majority (85 per cent) of respondents to the survey say they trust the country's farmers, compared to just 9 per cent of whom express distrust.
Animal welfare remains the most important aspect of food production for consumers, and 72 per cent of adults say farmers follow good animal welfare standards.
And a majority of respondents (72 per cent) say that assurance labels were a reason to trust food, while 77 per cent say that labels showing where food comes from helps build trust.
The findings, which draw on research from over 3,000 UK consumers, form part of Red Tractor’s annual Trust in Food Index. First produced in 2021, it is designed to provide the most comprehensive assessment of consumer attitudes to food in the UK.
Jim Moseley, CEO of Red Tractor, said the past four years had been 'brutal' for the food and farming industry. Farmers have particularly faced a series of challenges, such as severe weather events, poor harvests, and the prospect of rising taxes on the horizon.
"Not since the foot-and-mouth crisis over 20 years ago has the food industry had so much to contend with," he said.
But this year’s findings will likely give a boost following years of rising costs and higher prices for consumers.
Meanwhile, the importance of the Red Tractor logo when choosing food has risen to its highest level in the four years since the Trust in Food Index began.
Moseley concluded, "It should be a source of huge pride to everyone involved in food production in the UK that food is now more trusted than water or any other basic service we rely on every day
"Despite the extremely challenging environment, farmers’ efforts to work to some of the highest standards in the world has played a significant role in driving a resurgence of consumer trust in UK food."
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Unlock incremental functional water sales with Rubicon Spring Vits
Jan 17, 2025
From 11 March, Rubicon Spring sparkling flavoured water is set to disrupt the functional water category with its brand-new Rubicon Spring Vits still range.
Available in plain and £1.29 PMP options, Rubicon Spring Vits is launching in three flavours: Black Cherry Pomegranate, Mango Passion and Strawberry Watermelon. Packed with essential vitamins to support energy and immunity and made with spring water, fruit juice and natural flavours, each format is just 15 calories and fully HFSS compliant.
“78 per cent of shoppers are still choosing drinks for enjoyment, but aiming to drink more water," said Lisa McKenna, Head of Brand for Rubicon. "Taste remains the top driver but 69 per cent are interested in added benefits such as energy and immunity.
“We know consumers want to make smarter soft drink choices without compromising on taste so offering a great tasting product with added health benefits will bring more consumers into the functional water category.
“There is a perfect gap in the market for a trusted and established brand like Rubicon Spring to boost this category and help retailers tap into its full potential. Rubicon Spring has more than three times the brand awareness of the leading functional water brand and the new Spring Vits range contains 100 per cent of the consumer’s recommended daily vitamin intake of a multivitamin blend, which is unlike any other brand on the market, as well as being full of the tasty fruit flavours that Rubicon is known for.”
The launch will be backed by £2 million brand investment to drive trial and awareness including national out of home advertising, social media and sampling.
In consumer testing, 78 per cent of shoppers said they would buy, so retailers can maximise their sales by using Rubicon's vibrant, attention-grabbing PoS materials to create in-store theatre, ensuring that shoppers can’t miss them on shelf. Stock in the chiller next to your other flavoured water brands as this is where shoppers will look for them.
500ml x 12 plain and £1.29 PMP PET bottles
RRP: PMP £1.29, plain pack £1.50
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STG UK launches Signature Action Mix cigarillos
Jan 17, 2025
Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK has announced the launch of Signature Action Mix cigarillos, which are available to retailers now.
Signature Action Mix cigarillos contain two capsules combining the flavours of Berry and Mint in ten-packs with an RRP of just £5.85 which is lower than competitor brands, but still with an attractive margin for retailers. The new Action Mix cigarillos will be a key focus for STG UK’s growing sales force, who will be targeting over 10,000 convenience stores in the coming months to talk to them about the launch, as well as offering them branded merchandise. There will also be promotions in the wholesale channel of both Action and Action Mix, as well as a significant trade comms campaign to support the launch, too.
The Cigarillo category only started five years ago in the UK and is now worth nearly £150m in annual sales, accounting for over 56 per cent of all cigar volume. STG UK launched the original Signature Action brand in the same year, with sales now really taking off, growing by over 50 per cent year on year.
“We know many adult smokers continue to look for features they used to enjoy with cigarettes such as flavour, click filters and smaller pack sizes, so these new Signature Action Mix cigarillos should really hit the spot," said STG’s UK Head of Marketing, Prianka Jhingan. "The continued positive performance of the cigarillos category is showing no sign of slowing, so we’d urge retailers to get behind this exciting launch and enjoy those profitable sales.”
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