Shamly Sud, who runs the Premier Racetrack forecourt store in Glasgow, has been named as the Food to Go Retailer of the Year at the 2021 Asian Trader Awards.
The 33rd edition of the awards, which celebrates excellence in the UK’s convenience stores, was held on Tuesday 30 November at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London hosted by noted impressionist Rory Bremner.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has graced the event as chief guest, with leading politicians and captains of industry joining in to herald independent retailers, convenience store and symbol operators, shopkeepers, off-license owners and newsagents from across the UK.
Delivering his keynote speech, Kwarteng said: “I have to say to the companies and business leaders represented here tonight that you have shown a spirit of sacrifice, and huge amounts of real leadership in your communities. And that's why I wouldn't miss this event for the world.
“It was retailers, day in day out, who were bearing the brunt of the risk, who were working, in many cases 20 hours a day, to keep people going and to make sure that essential goods and services were provided. And my only word is thank you. You probably don’t hear that too often from government ministers.
“But from the bottom of my heart that is the most sincere, heartfelt message, because it's been a terrible time, for so many people in lots of different communities, and without your support, without your unstinting effort, things would have been a lot worse. So thank you very much on behalf of everybody in this country.”
Winners of Asian Trader Awards 2021
The Asian Trader Food to Go Retailer Award recognises the fast-paced nature of current developments in the convenience sector, and identifies an innovator who has adapted best to the changing tastes and needs of their customers with delicious ready-to-eat foods and meals.
Shamly’s store offers an unforgettable shopping experience by blending a varied range with unique in-store design, use of technology and a lot of theatre.
The standout features include Nitro Lab liquid nitrogen ice cream parlour, over 80 flavours of slush, Cuban cigar humidor, beer cave, 20m Tubbies dessert bar, seated diner area and more than 60 digital screens. A refit this summer has seen them increasing food to go and coffee option further, and introducing a new brand - Hoagies – as well as sandwiches and salads made in their sister store.
Commenting on the store, a member of the Judging Panel said: “Very occasionally I get a wee buzz in my stomach when I approach a store, and this from every angle gave me that buzz, and the inside did not disappoint!”
The full list of the winners:
Ram Solanki Lifetime Achievement Award: Sir David Amess MP (posthumous)
Wholesale Depot of the Year Award: Time Cash & Carry Rainham
Responsible Retailer of the Year supported by JTI: Lewis Prager, Best One Preens, Wakefield West Yorkshire and Jonathan James, James Convenience Retail Ltd, Derby
Convenience Chain of the Year Award supported by Dr Beckmann: Pete (Kalpesh) Patel, Zola Ltd (Costcutter) Southborough
Local Hero Award supported by Walkers Sensations: Asif Akhtar, Premier Smeaton Stores, Kirkcaldy
Bakery Retailer of the Year Award supported by Warburtons: Mike Humphreys, Premier Kenninghall Stores and Post Office Norwich
Independent Retailer of the Year Award supported by Booker: Pete Saleem, Premier Broadway Circle, Blythe, Northumberland
Food To Go Retailer of the Year Award: Shamly Sud, Premier Racetrack, Glasgow
Tobacco Retailer of the Year Award supported by Imperial Tobacco: Amit Puntambekar, Ash’s Store, Fenstanton, Cambridgeshire
Impulse Retailer of the Year Award supported by State Bank of India: Mos Patel Family Shopper Ashton Under Lyne (Both Shops)
Symbol Convenience Retailer of the Year Award supported by Bestway: Kopi Kalanathan, Costcutter, Doncaster
Next Gen Award supported by pladis: Nishi Patel, Londis Bexley Park, Dartford
Vape Convenience Retailer of the Year Award supported by British American Tobacco: Aman Uppal, One Stop Mount Nod, Coventry
Spirit of the Community Award supported by Mondelez: Julie Kaur, Premier Jules Convenience Store, Telford
Asian Trader of the Year: Mandeep Singh, Premier Singh’s Shirecliffe, Sheffield
Product Awards:
Convenience Snacks Brand of the Year: McCoy's Fire Pit, KP Snacks
Convenience Soft Drink Brand of the Year: Monster Nitro, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Convenience Confectionery Brand of the Year: Cadbury Twirl Orange by Mondelēz International
Convenience Vape & Next Gen Product of the Year: Ploom by JTI
The UK’s transition away from cash continues to accelerate, nearly five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report released today by LINK, the UK's cash access and ATM network.
While the trend towards a low-cash society is clear, the pace of this shift varies significantly across the country, indicating a complex and evolving payment landscape.
Over the past 20 years, there has been a shift away from cash with more customers choosing to pay for things digitally or with contactless cards. According to the most recent industry statistics, cash represented 12 per cent of all payments, down from around one-quarter in 2020, and 60 per cent back in 2008.
LINK’s latest analysis shows that the total value of cash withdrawn from cash machines in every single constituency of the UK has seen a significant fall since COVID. In 2019, £116 billion was withdrawn from ATMs compared to £80bn in 2024, a 31 per cent fall.
This means UK banking customers are withdrawing £100 million less from ATMs every day compared to before the pandemic.
As customers use less cash, total ATM transaction numbers, which includes balance enquires, have also fallen significantly. In 2019, there were 1.73 billion transactions compared to 921 million in 2024, a 47 per cent drop.
However, LINK data shows that the average withdrawal value has increased from £65 to £85 over the same time period. Consumers are visiting ATMs less, but when they do they take out more cash.
Assessing the level of decline in transactions across the parliamentary constituencies reveals significant geographic differences. Over the five years, we can see which parts of the country have moved away from cash more quickly and slowly. The data shows:
The total cash withdrawn from ATMs has fallen in every single constituency across the UK with the average constituency withdrawing £1m less every week.
The fastest move away from cash has been in city centres and more affluent constituencies with Bristol Central, Edinburgh North & Leith and Westminster seeing the biggest shift
Areas with higher levels of deprivation and digital exclusion are moving away from cash more slowly
The top 50 constituencies where people have moved away from cash the fastest are dominated by English and Scottish constituencies
Northern Ireland is the ‘cash heaviest’ part of the UK with the average adult still withdrawing £2,274 in 2024, compared to the national average of £1,424.
Yet cash is still critical to every high street. Even in the quietest and most remote constituencies, over £400,000 was still withdrawn from LINK ATMs every month last year. In total, £79.5bn was withdrawn across the country, and surveys show around five million people still depend on cash.
LINK runs a national financial inclusion programme ensuring that, despite changing consumer behaviour, people can still access cash for free. Some 93.6 per cent of people live within one mile of access to cash.
“COVID changed how we live, how we work, and for many people, how we manage our cash,” John Howells, LINK chief executive, commented.
“Cash use remains popular – we still withdrew £250m a day in 2024. The fact that areas which are more deprived are moving away from cash more slowly is a timely reminder that we cannot afford to leave anyone behind, and that we need to focus more on digital inclusion as part of how technology is rolled out across the UK.”
20 areas with fastest declines in ATM withdrawals*
20 areas with slowest declines in ATM withdrawals*
Constituency
Decline
Constituency
Decline
Bristol Central
-67%
Weald of Kent
-22%
Edinburgh North and Leith
-67%
Leicester East
-27%
Cities of London and Westminster
-66%
West Tyrone
-28%
Edinburgh South
-65%
Knowsley
-28%
Holborn and St Pancras
-65%
Bradford South
-29%
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
-64%
Mid Ulster
-29%
Glasgow North
-64%
Kingston upon Hull East
-30%
Sheffield Central
-64%
Birmingham Yardley
-30%
York Central
-64%
Wolverhampton South East
-31%
Leeds Central and Headingley
-63%
Belfast West
-31%
Oxford West and Abingdon
-62%
Hartlepool
-31%
Islington South and Finsbury
-61%
Bradford East
-32%
Edinburgh West
-61%
Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare
-32%
Wimbledon
-61%
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
-32%
Brighton Pavilion
-61%
Easington
-32%
Winchester
-60%
Fermanagh and South Tyrone
-32%
Bath
-60%
Birmingham Perry Barr
-33%
Edinburgh South West
-60%
Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North
-33%
Cardiff South and Penarth
-60%
Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney
-33%
Nottingham East
-60%
North Durham
-33%
* Volume of cash withdrawals from LINK ATMs, 2019 vs. 2024. ATMs within the 2024 constituency boundaries used for comparison in both 2019 and 2024.
Warnings have been issued against slush ice drinks by medical researchers, saying that poor transparency around slush ice drink glycerol concentration makes estimating a safe dose tricky.
Public health advice on the safe consumption of glycerol-containing slush ice drinks, also known as slushees, may need revising, stated medical researchers after carrying out a detailed review of the medical notes of 21 children who became acutely unwell shortly after drinking one of these products.
Brightly coloured slush ice drinks are designed to appeal to children, note the researchers. Slush machines are becoming a common fixture in convenience stores as retailers are increasingly recognising the potential for increased foot traffic and profits.
The findings, published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, show that in each case the child became acutely unwell with a cluster of symptoms soon after drinking a slush ice drink, which the researchers refer to as glycerol intoxication syndrome.
The clinical and biochemical features were similar in all of these children and included reduced consciousness, a sudden sharp drop in blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), and a build-up of acid in the blood (metabolic acidosis).
Such symptoms, when they occur together, can indicate poisoning or inherited metabolic disorders, prompting further investigations.
While the ingredients vary, most of those available in the UK and Ireland are ‘no added sugar’ or ‘sugar free’ products and contain glycerol (E422, also known as glycerin), they add.
Glycerol stops the ice from fully freezing, so maintaining the slush effect in the absence of a high sugar content, they explain.
With a view to informing public health policy and guidance for parents, the researchers scrutinised the medical notes of 21 children who had become acutely unwell after consuming a slush ice drink and had initially been diagnosed with hypoglycaemia after their arrival in emergency care.
According to the study, 93 per cent of the children became ill within 60 minutes while one child had a seizure.
Twenty children had documented hypoglycaemia (blood glucose 2.6 mmol/l or below); but in 13 (65 per cent) this was even lower, indicating severe hypoglycaemia.
All the children recovered quickly after initial resuscitation and stabilisation of their blood glucose and were discharged with advice to avoid slush ice drinks.
Based on some of the cases in this series, the UK Food Standards Agency recommended that young children (4 and under) shouldn’t be given slush ice drinks containing glycerol, and that those aged 10 or younger should not have more than one.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) followed suit with similar guidance in 2024.
But the researchers believe that these recommendations may no longer be enough.
“There is poor transparency around slush ice drink glycerol concentration; estimating a safe dose is therefore not easy.
"It is also likely that speed and dose of ingestion, along with other aspects, such as whether the drink is consumed alongside a meal or during a fasting state, or consumed after high-intensity exercise, may be contributing factors,” they write.
“Food Standards Scotland and the FSAI suggested that 125 mg/kg of body weight per hour is the lowest dose that is associated with negative health effects.
"For a toddler this may equate to 50–220 ml of a slush ice drink. The standard size drink sold in the UK and Ireland is 500 ml,” they point out.
Given that these drinks don’t confer any nutritional or health benefits, “recommendations on their safe consumption therefore need to be weighted towards safety,” they suggest.
“To ensure safe population-level recommendations can be easily interpreted at the individual parental level, and given the variability across an age cohort of weight, we suggest that recommendations should be based on weight rather than age.
"Alternatively, the recommended age threshold may need to be higher (8 years), to ensure the dose per weight would not be exceeded, given normal population variation in weight," mentions the report.
Retail crime is on the rise and the impact on staff, businesses and communities can be overwhelming, shows a Scottish retail industry's report released today (13), prompting calls from retailers for urgent support.
Figures published in the SGF Crime Report & Safer Business Guide 2024/25, reveal the appalling escalation in retail crime in recent years is only getting worse, while the sector continues to call for urgent action from government.
Findings gathered from convenience retailers all over Scotland by the trade association show that almost two thirds of stores (62.5 per cent) now have at least one member of staff who has experienced mental health and wellbeing issues as a result retail crime.
While 83.5 per cent of those surveyed report an increase in violence toward shop workers.
Adding to that, the average cost of retail crime skyrocketed to £19,673 per store in 2024-25 (up 38 per cent from the previous year).
Scaling up the sample to represent all 5,220 convenience stores in Scotland, this accounts for an annual cost of approximately £102.7 million which is crippling the sector.
Information gathered for the report and published during the SGF annual Crime Seminar, being held at Doubletree by Hilton, Edinburgh, shows that almost all (99.8 per cent) convenience retailers agree that shoplifting has increased in the past year, while 99.5 per cent say that shoplifting is now a daily occurrence.
More than eight out of every ten stores report that Hate Crime occurs once a month, while almost all say that violence against staff occurs at least once a month (83.3 per cent and 99.6 per cent respectively).
Likewise, almost all (98.8 per cent) of respondents also report experiencing weekly incidents of abuse when refusing a sale or when asking for proof of age.
SGF Chief Executive, Dr Pete Cheema OBE, said, “The reality for many shop workers across Scotland is that each time they go to work, they risk being assaulted, stabbed, spat on, threatened, or abused.
"Our latest Crime Report which has been published at the SGF Crime Seminar in Edinburgh today, shows the true extent of crime devastating the Scottish convenience sector.
“Across every metric, retail crime is on the rise and the impact on staff, businesses and communities can be overwhelming. That is why we have named our event today ‘Retail Crime - A Threat We Can’t Ignore!’, and our question to the government is, what will it take for decision makers to act?
“Retailers desperately need urgent support, now. The police and courts can’t cope, and many crimes are going unreported because retailers don’t believe the authorities will respond.
"Offenders know they’re unlikely to face any consequences for their crimes and even if they are arrested, many will spend years awaiting conviction.
“Finally, I want to thank everyone who helped make today’s event a reality, we have some wonderful speakers from the likes of Police Scotland, Facewatch and Holyrood. Without their support and the support of our members and sponsors, SGF would not have the impact we do.”
Analysis of the data also reveals a fall in confidence in the Scottish Justice System to tackle the growing problem of retail crime. With, for example, almost half (48.2 per cent) of respondents saying they are either unlikely or very unlikely to report shoplifting incidents to the police.
As the government has confirmed that it will abolish the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) as part of its drive to cut red tape and boost economic growth, payments platform Ecommpay voiced concerns over the potential risks of dismantling a dedicated regulator at a time of heightened scrutiny in the payments sector.
Willem Wellinghoff, chief compliance officer and UK chair of Ecommpay, acknowledged the government’s commitment to "streamlining regulation, simplifying the amount of regulators that companies have to manage, and fostering economic growth through its deregulatory agenda."
However, he warned that eliminating the PSR may not be "the most opportune course of action" given the industry's ongoing focus on payment system resilience and fraud risk management.
“The payments industry is evolving rapidly, and with increased scrutiny on payment services and electronic money providers, maintaining a robust and dedicated regulatory framework is critical to ensuring stability, innovation, and consumer protection in support of the National Payments Vision,” Wellinghoff said.
The government's announcement positions the abolition of the PSR as a means to reduce regulatory burdens, particularly for businesses facing the challenge of navigating multiple regulatory bodies. The regulator's responsibilities will be largely transferred to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), a move intended to make compliance easier for firms.
“For too long, the previous government hid behind regulators – deferring decisions and allowing regulations to bloat and block meaningful growth in this country,” prime minister Keir Starmer said, announcing the decision on Tuesday.
“And it has been working people who pay the price of this stagnation. This is the latest step in our efforts to kickstart economic growth, which is the only way we can fundamentally drive up living standards and get more money in people’s pockets.”
Chancellor Rachel Reeves echoed these sentiments, arguing that an overly complex regulatory system has been “choking off innovation, investment and growth.”
“We will free businesses from that stranglehold, delivering on our Plan for Change to kickstart economic growth and put more money into working people’s pockets,” she added.
Despite the Government’s assurances, Ecommpay remains cautious about the transition, particularly regarding the FCA’s capacity to absorb the PSR’s responsibilities without disrupting the sector.
“We express concern that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) already operates under significant pressures. Absorbing the PSR’s responsibilities into the FCA risks adding further complexity to an already demanding agenda, potentially disrupting the ongoing development and supervision of the UK payments ecosystem with a view to kickstart growth,” Wellinghoff noted.
Ecommpay urged the government, the FCA, the Bank of England, and the PSR to ensure that the transition leads to "a more harmonised and effective approach to regulating payment systems and services that will not erode trust in the UK payments ecosystem."
Meanwhile, the PSR acknowledged the government’s decision as "a pragmatic next step in simplifying and clarifying payments regulation."
In its response, the regulator highlighted its achievements in fostering competition, innovation, and fraud protection and pledged to work closely with stakeholders to facilitate a smooth transition of its duties to the FCA.
“Legislation will take time, but we do not need to wait to realise the benefits of an even more streamlined regulatory approach. Doing so builds on recent work bringing the PSR and FCA closer together,” the PSR said, noting that the managing director of the PSR role has already been joined with that of executive director of payments and digital finance at the FCA.
The announcement does not result in any immediate changes to the PSR’s remit or ongoing programme of work. The regulator will continue to have access to its statutory powers until legislation is passed by the parliament to enact these changes.
While digital payments dominate, with digital wallets set to rise to 33 per cent of in-store spending by 2030, traditional methods continue to hold ground in a fragmented UK market, shows a recent report mapping the UK’s payment landscape over the past decade.
According to the 10th edition of the Worldpay Global Payments Report (GPR),, the UK has witnessed a significant decline in cash use over the past decade, with its share of point-of-sale (POS) spending dropping from 32 per cent to 10 per cent between 2014 and 2024, accounting for £128 billion of in-store transactions.
This trend was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which hastened a shift toward digital payment methods.
Despite this, the rate of cash’s decline has stabilised. It remains a vital part of the UK payments landscape and is projected to account for £109 billion (8%) of in-store spending by 2030.
Digital payments have surged in the UK, largely driven by the rise of digital wallets. From 2014 to 2024, the value of e-commerce transactions conducted via digital wallets quadrupled, accounting for £108 billion in spending last year.
This rapid adoption has positioned the UK as the third, behind Denmark and Norway in Europe for online digital wallet use. At POS, digital wallets have seen remarkable growth, increasing from just 1 per cent to 18 per cent of spend during the same period.
This trajectory is set to continue, with projections indicating a rise to 33 per cent by 2030, when £447 billion of in-store spending is likely to be made via digital wallets.
Complementing this trend is the rapid expansion of buy now, pay later (BNPL), which has grown from under 1 per cent of online spend in 2014 to account for 7 per cent of online spend in 2024. It is projected that by 2030 £33bn of UK online spend will be made via BNPL.
This reflects a broader shift in consumer purchasing behaviour toward more flexible and digital payment solutions.
Pete Wickes, general manager, EMEA at Worldpay, said, “In an era where consumer choice is king, the UK’s payment landscape has become a sophisticated network of diverse options, reflecting the nuanced demands of its users.
"It reflects a society that values the security and familiarity of traditional payment methods, while simultaneously embracing the efficiency and enhanced experience offered by emerging technologies.”
Despite the rise of digital alternatives, UK consumers remain loyal to cards. £1 trillion of total in-store and online spending was conducted using cards in 2024.
Additionally, Worldpay’s Global Payments Report survey reveals that 63 per cent of digital wallets in the UK are funded by cards, underscoring their continued role in the UK’s payment infrastructure, despite the growth of digital methods.
The popularity of debit cards persists in the UK, particularly amid ongoing economic challenges. Consumers are spending within their means, with almost a quarter of UK consumers indicating that budgeting was a motivator for using debit cards in store, rising to almost a third for online use.
In 2024, the share of in-store spending via debit and prepaid cards was almost double that of credit cards, at 46 per cent compared to 24 per cent at POS.
Wickes added: “Worldpay champions a diverse and dynamic payments landscape, recognising that payment choice enhances the customer journey, supports merchant growth, and powers commerce.
"As we witness the convergence of the old and the new, merchants should be prepared to leverage this dynamic ecosystem by offering payment options that are both responsive to and anticipatory of their customers’ behaviours and preferences.”