The British convenience sector is in mourning following the passing of leading retailer Sue Nithyanandan, owner of the Costcutter store in Epsom, Surrey, on Saturday (Nov 8).
Nithyanandan, who had been unwell for the past few months, was one of the most respected figures in independent retailing, celebrated for her decades of hard work, leadership, and innovation.
Last year, she was named Businesswoman of the Year at the Asian Trader Awards 2024, a recognition of her outstanding contribution to the sector.
Having dedicated around 45 years to the convenience retail industry, Sue often said, “I loved retail from the day I got involved.”
A multi-award-winning retailer and a passionate advocate for responsible retailing, Sue was a trailblazer who broke barriers for women in business and inspired a new generation of female leaders.
Her store was widely recognised as being “at the heart of the community,” a sentiment echoed when she won the Symbol Retailer of the Year title at the Asian Trader Awards in 2022 as well.
Beyond her business achievements, Sue was admired for her ethics and community spirit. Known as a responsible retailer, she implemented rigorous processes on age-restricted sales, working closely with local authorities to ensure compliance across all categories — including alcohol, tobacco, vaping, lottery, and sharp objects.
Her commitment to responsibility went so far that she refused to stock products she felt could not be sold ethically.
Her store was also a signatory to the Women’s Night Safety Charter for London, and her team received Bystander Intervention Training to help tackle harassment, reflecting her belief that a local shop should be both safe and welcoming.
A strong advocate of healthy living, Sue championed fresh and wholesome food, often sponsoring after-school cooking lessons, community cooking workshops, and berry-planting projects at local schools.
She remained an active industry voice until recently, speaking at the SME4Labour Drinks Reception with Asian Trader in October last year, where she passionately discussed shopworker safety and the potential implications of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill on independent retailers.
Tributes have poured in from across the retail community. Leading retailer Sunita Aggarwal wrote on LinkedIn:
“You were a true inspiration to us all. There are not many people you can say have a heart of gold — you were definitely one of them.”
Fellow retailers Julie Kaur and Bobby Singh also expressed their condolences, calling her passing a “huge loss to the industry.”
Sue Nithyanandan’s legacy, as a pioneering retailer, a voice of integrity, and a mentor to many, will continue to inspire the convenience community for years to come.
Expressing his grief, Dawood Pervez, Managing Director, Bestway Wholesale, said, “Everyone at Bestway and across the Costcutter family is deeply saddened by the news that Sue Nithyanandan, one of our industry’s well known and much-loved retailers, has passed. Her loss is felt profoundly across the convenience sector.
"Sue was the very best of convenience retail: principled, innovative and endlessly community and colleague minded.
"Together with her husband, Nithy, they built firstly a fabulous business within the Costcutter/Murco network in Coulsdon, before developing their own Costcutter site in Epsom into a true benchmark store, excelling in every area from gold-standard compliance and colleague care to leading merchandising and relentless continuous improvement.
"A store that was recognised throughout the industry and was multiple award winning.
"A passionate advocate for safer, more responsible retailing, Sue also gave so much back, mentoring others, sharing best practice, engaging with fellow retailers and suppliers and supporting local schools and community causes. Her leadership and generosity made a lasting difference to everyone around her.
2Her outstanding contribution was most recently recognised at the Asian Trader Awards 2024, where she was named Businesswoman of the Year, and she made history as the first woman appointed to Partners for Growth’s independent retailer panel. Sue has been, and will remain, an inspiration to women in business and to retailers across the UK.
"Sue’s professionalism was matched only by her kindness. While the industry rightly celebrated her excellence, what mattered most to Sue was serving her customers and helping people grow. Sue was not only a fantastic retailer, but a genuine friend and huge supporter of the Bestway and Costcutter business and for this we are forever grateful.
"Our heartfelt condolences go to Nithy, the family and all that had the very good fortune to know Sue.”