Leading wholesalers’ body, representing countries food and drink wholesalers, has called on the government to grant b2b exemption to allow retailers to purchase tobacco from their wholesalers as Tobacco and Vapes Bill aiming to create a “smoke-free generation”, inches closer to becoming law. Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to create a “smoke-free generation” by preventing children born after January 1, 2009 from ever being able to legally buy tobacco. The bill will increase the legal age of sale by one year each year, starting in 2027, until it is illegal for the entire population to buy cigarette ..read more

Charity offers financial aid to families of UK convenience, grocery workers and pharmacists, for school, university or college The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust (LTCT), which provides financial aid for the families of those working in the convenience, grocery, and pharmacy trades, has announced a renewed focused on educational-specific support for 2024. An independent charity, the LTCT’s purpose for this year and beyond will be supporting the families of convenience, pharmacists, grocery workers* and commercial teams within food and drink manufacturers** by contributing to the educational c ..read more

Arla and Nestlé have announced they will donate the equivalent of 1.25 million breakfasts to food charity FareShare, to support families and communities in need across the UK. Arla and Nestlé are both part of the Coronation Food Project, which was launched in November 2023. This partnership supports FareShare’s goal to bring together businesses from across the food industry to collaborate on new ways to address food insecurity and reduce food waste.  Arla will be providing Cravendale milk and Nestlé will be providing cereal, including Shreddies, to contribute towards breakfasts for organi ..read more

A good majority all wholesale and retail premises in England and Wales were a victim of crime during the previous 12 months, states a recent report, naming theft, burglary and vandalism among the most prevalent crimes and food and grocery among most stolen items. According to findings from the 2023 Commercial Victimisation Survey (CVS), released on Thursday (9), which examines the extent of crime against businesses in England and Wales, 26 per cent (409,000) of all business premises, in England and Wales, were crime victim. Premises in the wholesale and retail sector had a higher prevalence of ..read more

Members of the House of Lords will discuss the primary objectives of the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill on Monday (13). The Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill will quash the convictions of postmasters and others in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who were charged with theft, fraud and related offences as a consequence of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal. During second reading, members will discuss the main topics in the bill and draw attention to specific concerns or areas where they think amendments (changes) are needed. Expected contributing ..read more

Capri-Sun has unveiled new limited edition packs, offering families across the UK carefree moments of fun with free sports sessions for children. To celebrate 2024’s ‘Summer of Sport’, from May to August, shoppers purchasing selected packs of Capri-Sun will be able to claim a free sports session in their local area, for children aged 5-16. A series of limited-edition sports characters, brought to life on-pack and through engaging online content, will highlight the range of sports that families can choose to take part in. From netball to swimming, Taekwondo to football, there are over 30 sports ..read more

Britain’s economy grew by the most in nearly in three years in the first quarter of 2024, ending the shallow recession it entered in the second half of last year and delivering a boost to prime minister Rishi Sunak ahead of an election. The Office for National Statistics said gross domestic product expanded by 0.6 per cent in the three months to March, the strongest expansion since the fourth quarter of 2021 when it grew by 1.5 per cent. A Reuters poll of economists had pointed to a 0.4 per cent expansion of gross domestic product in the January-to-March period, after GDP shrank by 0.3 per cen ..read more

Alcoholic slushies are set to be the nation’s hottest trending drink this summer, with one in four Brits (24 per cent) naming the refreshing twist on classic cocktails as their number one boozy beverage for the coming months.  The study, conducted by Paragon Brands, revealed a whopping one-third of the nation (34 per cent) would now opt for a frozen cocktail over a traditional alternative, with more than six in ten (61 per cent) saying a frozen alternative is more refreshing than a normal cockta ..read more

The alcohol industry’s Independent Complaints Panel (ICP) is delighted to announce the appointment of three new members, further strengthening and enhancing the Panel’s expertise and diversity. Following a rigorous recruitment process which saw an unprecedented amount of applications received, Evans Omondi, Amanda Bridgewater, and Hayden Taylor have been appointed as new Panel members and will sit on their first Panel meeting on 9 May. The Panel is chaired by Rachel Childs and new members are carefully recruited in order to represent a cross section of society with a balance of experience and ..read more

Plant-based beverages brand Alpro is breathing new life into the category this spring with the launch of two best-selling variants, Creamy Oat & Almond No-Sugars Milk Alternatives, in a new 500ml pack size. The new formats will be rolling out into convenience stores this month. “The cost-of-living crisis has had a significant impact on the plant-based beverage category, and while shoppers have had to make some cutbacks when it comes to their shopping basket, we know the appetite for Alpro remains high,” said Tom Kerr, Head of Category Management Plant Based at Danone. “We want shoppers to ..read more