NEWS Ministers must do more to support retailers, argues off-trade chief


Gimme shelter: Imperial Tobacco’s Amal Pramanik with Bristol Airport’s Jason Wescott.


Cig firm shelters smokers


IMPERIAL Tobacco has embarked on a national campaign to improve facilities for smokers across the UK.


The ‘smoking allowed’ activity will see the company provide high quality smoking pavilions at various locations across the country. The first of these was installed at Bristol Airport earlier this month.


“It is important and


appropriate for us to initially work with our hometown airport – Bristol Airport – as over one million passengers who use the airport each year are adult smokers,” said Amal Pramanik, general manager of Imperial Tobacco in the UK. “Going forward Imperial Tobacco is committed to working with many locations to provide high-quality facilities for smokers.” The Bristol Airport pavilion offers heating, lighting, shelter,


ventilation, hand gel and litter solutions.


The smoking allowed campaign is supported by a website – www. smokingallowed.co.uk.


Pubco offers energy tips TENANTS of Scottish &


Newcastle Pub Company can now tap into free advice to help them get the best energy deals on the market.


The deal with Power for Pubs will see independent consultants visit pubs to assess their energy requirements and find out if they are on the right tariff and being billed correctly. Lessees can call a free helpline if they feel they are paying too much.


4 - SLTN - November 24, 2011


Put cost rises on hold, calls SGF


A GROUP representing the in- dependent off-trade has called on the Scottish Government to do more to help the sector through the continuing eco- nomic malaise.


The Scottish Grocers’ Fed-


eration spoke out after new figures showed retail sales had fallen on a like-for-like basis in Scotland for the fifth time in six months.


The Scottish Retail Sales Monitor, from the Scottish Re- tail Consortium, showed that like-for-like sales had declined by 1.5% in the four weeks to October 29 – indicating that the sector had yet to benefit from the Christmas shopping effect. Total sales were down 0.1%


over the period compared to October 2010, when they had increased by 1.4%. It was said to have been the third total sales decline in Scotland in the last six months. The SGF, which represents


convenience stores, said the survey showed the continuing effects of the squeeze on house- hold incomes, suggesting that consumer confidence in Scot- land was lower than elsewhere


time, we also believe that gov- ernment – both UK and Scot- tish – could be doing more to help. “Action on rising energy costs,


Drummond wants the UK government to freeze the National Minimum Wage.


in the UK. He called on the gov- ernments at Westminster and Holyrood to do more to help retailers survive the crisis. “Retailers, like households, are not immune from the dual


pressures of contracting in- comes and rising overhead costs,” he said. “Whilst we accept that the economic outlook will con- tinue to remain bleak for some


Brewer toasts impact made by cider


BREWING giant AB InBev re- ported its satisfaction with the progress made by its new cider brand in the UK as it posted its third quarter and nine month trading update this month. The firm’s UK president, Stu-


art MacFarlane, said Stella Artois Cidre, a 4.5% ABV Bel- gian cider available in the on and off-trades, “continues to exceed expectations”. “Stella Artois Cidre has taken a 16% share of the off-trade premium cider market after just six months despite difficult economic conditions and poor summer weather,” he said. AB InBev, which also makes Beck’s and Budweiser, report- ed revenue growth of 3.6% in


its third quarter, with growth running at 4.2% over the nine month period. In the UK, its market share dipped slightly in the third quarter as volumes fell by 0.2%. “Overall UK beer performance remains strong despite a chal- lenging quarter and tough comparable to the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” MacFarlane said. Meanwhile, fellow brewer SAB Miller has reported profit before tax of $2.04bn for the six months to September 30. The firm behind Peroni Nas- tro Azzurro said the figures were driven by developing markets in Latin America, Af- rica and Asia as conditions re- mained tough in the UK.


freezing the National Minimum Wage for 2012, holding back planned rises in the business rates bill for next April and reducing the regulatory and legislative burden would all go a long way to help retailers weather this storm.” The SRC, whose members in- clude supermarkets, said the figures on food and drink sales showed that shoppers contin- ued to take advantage of pro- motions in the pursuit of val- ue and stretching household budgets further. Its analysis of the October fig- ures also suggested that people put off some purchases to focus on their immediate needs only. “Retailers are still hoping for some festive magic but these gloomy figures are not a good start to the festive build-up,” said SRC director Ian Shearer.


Ministers grilled over tax


OPPOSITION is growing to the Scottish Government’s plan to levy a business rates supplement on the major supermarkets, according to the SRC. The shops group said the government was due to face a question in parliament as to why it had yet to carry out an assessment into the impact the public health levy would have as SLTN went to press. The government estimates the so-called ‘son of Tesco tax’ will raise around £110m over the next three years, but retailers are bitterly opposed to the move. The SLTA say it would


reduce the price gulf between the on and off- trades.


Cider on song: new Stella Artois Cidre.


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