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Three finalists of Raj Aggarwal Award announced

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has announced the finalists of the Raj Aggarwal Award, a new trophy marking the legacy of independent retailer Raj Aggarwal.

Aggarwal, a leading figure championing the cause of independents, succumbed to Covid-19 in April last year.


The finalists for the award that recognises retailers who have been exceptional in community retailing and helping their fellow retailers include:

  • Nico Ali, Tasa Shop Jarrow
  • Linda & Sophie Williams, Broadway Convenience
  • Julie Kaur Duhra, Premier Jules Convenience

Nico Ali is the joint-winner of the 2020 Spirit of the Community Award at the Asian Trader Awards.

ACS said the entries were judged by Sunita Aggarwal, Raj’s wife and owner of SPAR Wigston; Jonathan James, managing director of James Convenience Retail; Avtar Sidhu, owner of Budgens Kenilworth; and James Lowman, ACS chief executive.

Lowman said: “Raj was the epitome of a community-minded retailer and greatest supporter of fellow community retailers and we were delighted to receive so many entries from fantastic retailers for the first year of this award marking his legacy.

“We look forward to hearing from the finalists and announcing the overall winner at our Heart of the Community reception.”

The ultimate winner will be announced at an exclusive parliamentary reception celebrating the positive impact of community retailing as part of the ACS’ Heart of the Community conference this month.

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Scottish finance secretary Shona Robison presents the government's budget at Scottish Parliament building on December 4, 2024 in Edinburgh.
Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Indies call for Scottish government to extend 40 per cent rates relief

Independent retailers are urging the Scottish government to rethink its plans to exclude them from business rates relief support announced in last month’s Budget.

Finance secretary Shona Robison announced on December 4 that 40 per cent relief towards business rates bills would only be given to the hospitality sector in Scotland.

Now, Mo Razzaq, the National President of the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed), has written to her, urging her to follow the UK government and grant business rates relief support to retail businesses. This decision was taken by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her budget on October 30.

Mr Razzaq said: “The Scottish government appears to have the numbers in Parliament to ensure that its budget proceeds next month. However, we appeal to ministers to review their proposal that small shops are excluded from the 40 per cent rates relief the UK government is awarding. This is because small independent shops are more vulnerable to closure.

“Shona Robison, the finance secretary in Scotland, has the money in identified funds flowing from the UK budget but is choosing not to spend it in this way. It is a bizarre decision as small shops in Scotland experience the same tough trading conditions as shops elsewhere."

In the letter, Mr Razzaq welcomed the government’s acknowledgement that retail crime was of major concern and that extra funds were required to tackle it. However, the proposed £3million was insufficient “to combat this issue which impacts on the safety and sustainability of small independent shops.” He urged Ms Robison to review it.

Rapper duo to launch world food store in south London

Image from LinkedIN/ Cayso Johnson

Rapper duo to launch world food store in south London

Rappers Krept (Cayso Johnson) and Konan, in collaboration with entrepreneur Kayson Ali, are set to open a new halal and world foods store in south London in a bid to better serve the local community.

Saveways Supermarket will officially open on Feb 1 in the duo’s hometown of Croydon, a 15,000 sq ft. retail site close to Asda.

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AG Barr welcomes Dino Labbate as new Chief Commercial Officer

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Dino takes up the role from today, 20 January 2025, having spent seven years at Britvic plc, most recently as GB Commercial Director for Hospitality. With previous experience at Kraft Heinz, Burton’s Biscuits and Northern Foods, Dino brings a wealth of FMCG insight and experience across all channels of the food and drink industry.

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Brits are increasingly leaning towards cooking from scratch and are ditching ultra processed food, thus embracing a much simpler approach to their diet, a recent report has stated.
According to a recent report from John Lewis Partnership released on Friday (17), supermarket Waitrose has reported that it’s back to basics for many in 2025 due to a growing awareness around ultra processed foods, with many turning away from low-fat, highly processed products in favour of less-processed, whole food ingredients.
Whole milk and full-fat Greek yogurt sales are up 11 per cent and 21 per cent compared to skimmed milk and Greek style yoghurt a year ago.
Block butter sales are up by +20 per cent as compared to dairy spreads while brown rice is seeing +7 per cent more sales as compared to white rice.
The report adds that sourdough bread sales are up by +20 per cent as compared to white bread while full fat Greek yoghurt recorded +21 per cent more sales than Greek style yoghurt.
Over the past 30 days, searches on Waitrose website whole food searches soared with ‘full fat milk’ and ‘full fat yoghurt’ skyrocketing 417 per cent and 233 per cent.
The shfit reflects the wider growing awareness of effects of ultra-processed foods, thanks in no small part to Dr Chris van Tulleken’s bestselling book Ultra-Processed People and its continued momentum in 2024 and into 2025.
His eye-opening, rigorously researched account of ultra-processed foods and their effect on our health turned many people towards cooking from scratch, with unprocessed or minimally processed ingredients.

Maddy Wilson, Director of Waitrose Own Brand comments, “There’s been a lot of bad press around so-called ‘healthy’ products which aren’t nutritious and don’t taste great, however the growing awareness of ultra processed food in our diets has seen many customers seeking the basics and embracing a much simpler approach to their diet.”

Waitrose Food & Drink report released last year highlighted that 54 per cent of those surveyed proactively avoid processed foods.

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Hinckley c-store ordered to close down

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A convenience store in Hinckley, which sold illegal cigarettes to undercover Trading Standards officers on eight occasions and had more than 1,800 packets of illegal tobacco seized during four enforcement visits, has been closed down for three months.

As informed by Leicestershire County Council, Easy Shop in Regent Street has been ordered to remain closed until April 15 by Leicester Magistrates Court, following a joint operation by Leicestershire County Council’s Trading Standards service and Leicestershire Police. The orders were issues last week.

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