Jo Hamilton criticises govt at TV Awards; urges continued support for sub-postmasters
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Jo Hamilton and cast and crew accept the Impact Award for “Mr Bates vs The Post Office” on stage during the NTAs 2024 at The O2 Arena on September 11, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Lia Toby/Getty Images for the NTA's)
Jo Hamilton, one of the sub-postmasters affected by the Post Office IT scandal, used her platform at the National Television Awards (NTA) to call for renewed public support for those still awaiting compensation.
Speaking alongside fellow sub-postmasters and the cast and crew of the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, Hamilton accepted the Impact Award, which recognised the real-world effects of the show that brought widespread attention to the scandal.
Despite the government’s promises, Hamilton expressed frustration with the lack of progress in securing full compensation for the victims.
“What I want you to know is that I went to Westminster a couple of weeks back and saw the new minister. And trust me, nothing has changed,” she told the audience at the O2 arena in London, drawing boos from the crowd aimed at those in power.
Hamilton revealed that over 300 of the 555 sub-postmasters who won a landmark civil case in 2019, including campaign leader Sir Alan Bates, have yet to receive their full compensation. "He has a plan," she said, “when he comes back to the nation for help, please be there to support him."
The compensation scheme for litigant postmasters, launched under the previous Conservative government, offers a fixed payment of £75,000, but many victims have rejected it, pushing for higher sums. As of 30 August, £87m has been paid under the scheme, including interim payments.
On 9 September, Labour announced a new scheme which has a target of making an offer to 90 per cent of sub-postmasters who have submitted a full claim within 40 days.
Responding to Hamilton’s speech, a Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: “We recognise the immeasurable suffering postmasters have endured and that they have waited too long to receive redress.
“That's why we are working tirelessly across government to bring them some relief with full, fair and swift redress.”
The government has Monday announced a new independent appeals process for postmasters in the Horizon Shortfall Scheme. To date, 2,280 individuals have reached an agreement with the Post Office to settle their claim under the scheme, with £144m in compensation paid out,.
As of 30 August 2024, approximately £289m has been paid to over 2,800 Horizon claimants across four schemes.
At the Awards, Toby Jones, who played Alan Bates in the drama, won the Drama Performance title, while the show took home the award for New Drama.
PayPoint and Northern Ireland electricity supplier, Share Energy, have announced a new partnership that will provide pre-payment customers with convenient payment solutions available immediately at PayPoint locations.
The partnership means all pre-payment Share Energy customers can now top-up their electricity meters in any one of PayPoint’s 1,167 stores in Northern Ireland.
Share Energy brings an innovative, customer-first approach to the energy market, with its attractive profit-share revenue model poised to drive rapid, large-scale customer growth. The partnership with PayPoint ensures that robust payment services and infrastructure are in place to support this anticipated demand.
The partnership further demonstrates Share Energy’s commitment to enhancing customer experience, complemented by PayPoint’s dedication to leveraging technology to improve payment services and the end-user experience.
“We’re proud to be supporting Share Energy through the provision of an accessible and convenient payment service for its customers," said PayPoint Head of Business Development, Ian Ranger. "As we enter the colder months topping up energy meters will become an essential task for many. Through our network of retailers in Northern Ireland we’re pleased to provide a close and easy payment solution with this partnership. Our network allows customers to combine daily errands at a store close to home and experience a quick and streamlined payment service.”
Damian Wilson, Share Energy CEO, added: “We are excited to partner with PayPoint, as this collaboration strengthens our commitment to delivering a seamless, customer-focused experience.
“With PayPoint’s advanced payment solutions, we are well positioned to support our rapid growth and provide our customers with reliable, convenient options that enhance their experience with us.”
Shoppers' spending on FMCG saw a rise in the third quarter of this year, shows a latest industry data, revealing a narrowing gap between own-label and branded products as the growth rates indicate shoppers are now starting to treat themselves to small indulgences again.
According to latest NIQ Retail Spend Barometer, value growth in the FMCG sector was driven by an uptick in the personal care (+10.7 per cent), homecare (+8.7 per cent), fresh food (+5.8 per cent), and snacking (+5.1 per cent) categories. Beverages returned to growth (+2.1 per cent), from a decline of 0.9 per cent in Q2. Meanwhile, the biggest declines were experienced in tobacco (-7.9 per cent) and paper products (-4.1 per cent).
NIQ attributed the rebound largely to the sales boost from the Euros and Olympics, which took place in July and August, and slightly sunnier weather compared to last year. Despite improved consumer confidence in Q2, this stalled in Q3 as economic and financial uncertainty continued to impact consumers. However, within FMCG, lower inflation is now leading to better volume growth.
The NIQ data also reveals a narrowing gap between own-label and branded products as the growth rates indicate shoppers are now starting to treat themselves to small indulgences again. In Q1 of this year, FMCG branded unit growth was recorded at 0.7 per cent compared to 3.1 per cent for own-label. However, in Q3 branded unit growth sits at 1.1 per cent versus 1.7 per cent for own-label.
Ben Morrison, Retail Services Director UK & IRE at NIQ, said: “The first eight months of the year so far have been more optimistic compared to 2023, but shoppers remain cautious. We are seeing more considered purchasing, particularly within T&D as consumers opt to replace products when they must rather than upgrade a working one.
"This also plays to the desire for more sustainable living – beyond just energy efficiency – which is adding to the decision process. When it comes to upgrades, credit schemes offer immediate gratification and are used more often by those on higher incomes to enable upgrades for non-essential big-ticket items”.
“As for FMCG, retailers will be pleased to see a slight increase in the rate of growth in the sector in Q3, largely boosted by the big sporting events over the summer. With the gap closing between branded and own-label items, shoppers are open to spending on certain items.
"However, building financial resilience remains a challenge for consumers. According to GfK’s Consumer Confidence Barometer, a quarter of consumers reported they were ‘just managing’ at the end of Q3 and 1 in 3 said they were unlikely to be able to save in the year ahead. Shoppers, therefore, remain cautious, so as we enter the golden quarter, promotions across retailers are going to be key in persuading savvy shoppers to trade up.”
Halloween combined with Diwali celebrations and early fireworks events proved a blessing for retailers as the two boosted footfall across all UK destinations for the second consecutive week.
MRI Software data shows that footfall rose by +6.9 per cent last week compared to the week before in all UK retail destinations; high streets drove much of this rise with an +8 per cent rise in footfall recorded, followed closely by shopping centres (+7.9 per cent). Retail parks also witnessed a week on week rise however this was much more modest at +3.3 per cent.
A strong start to the week paved the way for a fruitful half-term for retailers as footfall rose by +16.1 per cent in all UK retail destinations on Sunday, compared to the week prior. Shopping centres and high streets averaged a rise of +12 per cent and +11.7 per cent, respectively, from Sunday to Friday. Retail parks, however, saw a much more modest rise of +4.8 per cent for the same time period.
According to Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, a "spooktacular" half-term week saw a week-on-week boost in footfall across all UK retail destinations for the second consecutive week, highlighting the impact of the school holidays and events on driving visitors and shoppers to retail destinations.
However, for context, it’s worth noting that in the same week last year, footfall had declined during the same period as schools had already reopened nationwide.
Matthews said, “From Sunday to Friday, high streets saw the strongest daily gains compared to the week before with shopping centres following a similar trend. Retail parks also witnessed daily week on week rises however these were much more modest and may be due to half-term events taking place in shopping centres and high streets driving much of the footfall to these destinations.
“All town types experienced substantial rises in footfall both year on year and compared to last week which is an indicator of the shift in the school half-term holidays. Coastal towns experienced the greatest rise suggesting many continued to getaway for what may be the final time this year before Christmas. Despite forecasted tube strikes for the end of the week, which were called off at the eleventh hour, footfall in the capital also remained strong particularly in office dense areas."
Regionally, Wales and Greater London saw strong performance week on week however the East of England saw double digit growth compared to 2023. The trends seen in Wales and Eastern parts of England may also align with the strong trends seen in coastal towns.
Coastal towns were the clear winners last week as footfall rose by +10.5 per cent from the week before but by almost a fifth compared to 2023 highlighting the impact of the school holidays on footfall in towns and cities across the UK. Historic and market towns also witnessed significant year on year rises of +13.1 per cent and +10.5 per cent, respectively. Footfall in Central London remained +7.4 per cent higher week on week and +18.6 per cent higher compared to last year despite the threat of tube strikes which were called off at the last minute.
Müller Yogurt & Desserts said it is converting its iconic Corner yogurt pots from white to clear plastic, as the business works to halve the environmental impact of its packaging by 2030.
The majority of Müller Corner and Müller Bliss Corner yogurt pots have already converted, with the remaining volume taking place by the end of 2024.
The introduction of fully recyclable clear pots facilitates the retention of the material for reuse again within the food sector.
As the business targets a ‘closed loop system’, by converting almost 50 per cent of Müller’s branded yogurts to clear PET, the move could boost the availability of rPET in the UK by over 3,000 tonnes per annum, further reducing industry requirements for ‘virgin’ plastic.
“The foods we eat can have a major impact on our planet and the people in it. As one of the most chosen FMCG brands in Great Britain, we have the scale to deliver meaningful change towards a circular economy,” Richard Williams, chief executive at Müller Yogurt & Desserts, said.
“By making this change, the industry could benefit from increased availability of rPET, while reducing the demand for additional virgin plastic.”
Müller UK & Ireland targets on average 30 per cent recycled content in its plastic packaging by 2025, and the business has also confirmed that it is aiming to add recycled content into its clear corner yogurt pots by the end of 2025.
With Müller Corner seeing 11 per cent value growth year on year, and 78 per cent of shoppers preferring a clear Müller Corner pot to a white pot, the move is expected to drive further category growth.
The move follows the launch of Müller’s redesigned branded yogurt and desserts packaging, created to make it more distinctive, cohesive and easy to find and buy.
Müller has also recently completed a project to switch all of its coloured milk bottle caps to clear, increasing the availability of rHDPE (Recycled High Density Polyethylene) on the market by 1560 tonnes.
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A view of Zoa Energy Drinks during the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival on October 14, 2023 in New York City
Molson Coors Beverage Company on Thursday announced that it is taking a majority ownership stake in Zoa, the better-for-you energy brand co-founded by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Dany Garcia, Dave Rienzi and John Shulman.
Molson Coors said taking a majority stake will allow it to lead the entirety of Zoa’s marketing, retail and direct-to-consumer sales and development. The deal represents one piece of Molson Coors’ strategic ambition to expand its total beverage portfolio.
Molson Coors and Zoa first struck a partnership when the brand launched in 2021, and Molson Coors increased its stake in Zoa last September while also assuming a presence on Zoa’s board of directors.
“We’re building a winning portfolio that offers consumers choices across a wide range of occasions, and non-alc is a key part of that strategy,” said Molson Coors chief commercial officer Michelle St. Jacques.
“Zoa opens the door for us to participate in more parts of the day and incremental opportunities beyond our core business. We’ve built a strong foundation with Zoa over the past three years and we see a ton of opportunity for this brand to achieve its next stage of growth and scale.”
Zoa boasts a repeat purchase rate of 50 per cent and attracts new consumers to the energy category, with 30 per cent of Zoa buyers new to this space. The brand’s direct-to-consumer business is also a significant driver of sales and consumer visibility, including the brand’s position as a top 10 energy drink brand on Amazon.
As Zoa enters its next phase, Johnson will remain a visible face of the brand through the ‘Big Dwayne Energy’ campaign, social media amplification and more.
“Since day one, Molson Coors has shared our passion for Zoa Energy, and as a partner, they’ve been pivotal to bringing new consumers into the energy space with Zoa and keeping them coming back,” said Johnson.
“Zoa is all about crafting drinks that help our loyal and growing consumers show up as their best selves every day, and Molson Coors’ commitment to the brand will give it an enormous amount of firepower in the next phase of growth.”