A passionate journalist with about a decade of experience, Pooja has developed a strong hold on the UK grocery retail sector. From exploring legislative changes, supply chain shifts, consumer buying habits, trends to retail crime, her work is driven by a deep belief in investigating, finding the truth and telling authentic unbiased stories.
Be it convenience pathbreakers, wholesale trendsetters or Post Office Horizon scandal victims, Pooja has an equal flair for deciphering industries as well as human complexities. At Asian Trader, she aims to bridge the gap between policy, trade, and the shop floor, always keeping a finger on the pulse of what matters most to retailers.
Colleagues at A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd, a food retail, wholesale and distribution company based in the Midlands and Wales have chosen the UK’s leading end of life charity, Marie Curie, to be the official charity partner across the whole business for the first time ever.
The new company-wide partnership aims to raise £250,000 throughout their SPAR retail stores, logistics warehouses, Philpotts stores and their head office support services team.
A.F. Blakemore owns 248 SPAR stores and is the largest SPAR wholesaler in England and Wales.
Colleagues across the different parts of the business will take on several fundraising activities including Marie Curie’s Blooming Great Tea Party in July, ‘Scare to Show you Care’ in October, SPARkle Christmas campaign in December, as well as promoting Marie Curie’s annual flagship fundraiser, the Great Daffodil Appeal in March.
A. F. Blakemore has supported Marie Curie for seven years, through joint fundraising activities with SPAR UK. Since 2017 the partnership has raised over £3.4million.
Caoire Blakemore, A.F. Blakemore’s Responsible Business Director, said, “I am delighted that our colleagues chose to raise funds for Marie Curie, their vision of ensuring everyone gets the best possible care and support at the end of life is a cause we look forward to championing.
”Our team are incredibly motivated and driven by raising funds for charity and their local community and it brings a lot of fun to our stores and workplaces.
“This is the first time ever that the whole business has been committed to raising money for Marie Curie, and our colleagues are really excited about the plans we have to kick off the partnership and we cannot wait to see what they will get up to raise vital funds for Marie Curie.”
Marie Curie is the UK’s largest end of life charity, providing care and support to people at the end of life and their loved ones in their own homes, or at one of its hospices, including West Midlands/Cardiff & The Vale hospice. The charity also provides information and support relating to end of life and bereavement.
“The partnership will help fund Marie Curie services in the Midlands and across the UK, including our overnight hospice care at home services, which are so important for people at the end of life living in their own homes.
Kim Fowler, Marie Curie Clinical Nurse Specialist, said, “Now, more than ever, charities are having to rely on fundraising and donations from local supporters and businesses, and we are delighted A.F. Blakemore staff have voted for Marie Curie to be their charity partner.
“The money they hope to raise means Marie Curie could deliver nearly 11,000 hours of expert nursing care to people with any illness they are likely to die from including Alzheimer's (and other forms of dementia), heart, liver, kidney and lung disease, motor neurone disease, Parkinson's, and advanced cancer.”
Active police response was seen across the country in the past couple of days , resulting in the arrest of alleged thieves targeting convenience stores.
According to local reports, a man has been charged after three convenience stores in Norwich were raided with a crowbar.
The incidents happened at shops in Poringland, Stoke Holy Cross and Sandy Lane, near Trowse in Norwich between Feb 26 and March 19.
Money was stolen in each raid, with a crowbar being wielded. Some of the convenience stores were broken into overnight while others were targeted during working hours.
Jamie Curtis, 31, of Saxlingham Nethergate, has been charged with two counts of robbery and one count of burglary.
He appeared at Norwich Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday and was remanded into custody. Curtis is due to appear at Norwich Crown Court on April 23.
Meanwhile in Colchester, a man has been arrested after being tracked by a police dog from the scene of a knifepoint robbery in Colchester.
Essex Police were alerted to an incident at Johnson Newsagents, a convenience shop in London Road, Lexden, shortly after 11.30am on Tuesday (25).
A man threatened the female cashier with a knife and demanded money from the till. He then left, taking about £200.
Officers were quickly sent to the scene and took a detailed description of the man. The police dog picked up the trail leading officers to arrest the suspect.
A knife was found nearby and was seized. The suspect remains in custody for questioning.
The investigation will now be led by Colchester CID.
Detective Inspector Tim Coyles said, “No one should face the threat of violence whilst simply going to work – and any report made to us concerning this will see a really robust response.
“Officers got there very quickly after the report was made, which meant we were able to very quickly identify a person of interest and ultimately make a key arrest.”
Hamesh Patel, owner of the Johnson Newsagents, said that the cashier was "scared and afraid".
Patel called the response by police "fantastic" and added, "The local community all came together in the search with police within minutes.
"The police sent numerous uniformed police, CID and forensics were on the scene in minutes. I have never seen the police act so fast and they were so brilliant.”
GroceryAid’s D&I in Grocery LIVE! has announces that award-winning journalist and broadcaster Steph McGovern will host this year’s event on 26 September 2025.
Award-winning presenter, journalist, content creator, speaker and disability activist, Lucy Edwards, will also join Steph on stage as the keynote speaker, offering an immersive and experiential session which brings to life the commercial value of D&I alongside its role in shaping culture.
McGovern is a passionate advocate for inclusion, using her platform as a broadcaster to promote diversity and acceptance, particularly around social mobility and women in business.
Steph McGovern
She is also involved in community and education projects outside of broadcasting, mentoring young people in her native Teesside and supporting initiatives that empower disadvantaged children through her patronage of the charity Rubies.
Having lost her sight at the age of 17 due to Incontinentia Pigmenti, Edwards has dedicated her career to raising awareness around the challenges faced by the blind and visually impaired community and promoting a more inclusive society.
She is a leading voice in the global diversity, equity and inclusion space, and consults for a variety of businesses. By focusing on the commercial value that D&I can bring organisations, GroceryAid said her keynote will be unlike anything delivered at previous events.
Lucy Edwards
“Steph and Lucy are both passionate and dedicated to diversity and inclusion and will be invaluable additions to this year’s event – we are absolutely delighted that they will join us to inspire the industry further by bringing their own perspective and experiences to the day,” Felicity Bexton, category buying manager at Tesco and chair of the D&I in Grocery LIVE! steering group, commented.
“Our recently launched D&I in Grocery 2024 Impact Report and 2025 Maturity Model results have shown the great progress our industry is making, and yet never has it been more important to work together to ensure we stay on the right path. This event is a fantastic opportunity to bring everyone together to drive real change within the industry.”
This year, the event will scale up its customer-focused approach, to support D&I in the currently challenging climate, and highlight the commercial value it can offer in driving business success. Content on the day will be shaped by the results of the Maturity Model launched last year to track and measure annual D&I progress within the industry.
This year will also see the return of the popular Topic Hacks which were launched in 2024. Bringing together a broad range of perspectives, skill sets and experiences, these sessions offer an innovative and collaborative approach to tackling key issues impacting D&I in the grocery industry.
D&I in Grocery LIVE! takes place on 26 September 2025 at the InterContinental London - The O2.
Over half of adults in Britain (55%) would support options other than a total ban on the legal sale of tobacco to future generations of adults, a new poll has found.
According to the survey by the smokers’ rights group Forest, a quarter (24%) would support keeping the legal age of sale at 18, with 31 per cent in favour of raising it to 21.
Less than two in five respondents (39%) said they would support a generational ban which will raise the age of sale of tobacco by one year every year so future generations of adults will never legally be sold tobacco.
Among 18-24 year-olds, two-thirds (66%) would support options other than a generational ban, nearly a third (30%) would keep the legal age of sale at 18, while 36 per cent would raise it from 18 to 21.
Given a choice of options, only 28 per cent of 18-24 year-olds would support a ban on the sale of tobacco to future generations of adults, the survey of 2,000 adults, conducted by Yonder Consulting on 17-18 March, found.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which proposes to increase the legal age for tobacco sales by one year every year, starting in 2027, has been passed by the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Parfetts has unveiled a major update to its app to enable retailers to purchase more efficiently and benefit from improved management information.
The update brings a completely refreshed look and feel, ensuring the app remains a cutting-edge tool for retailers.
The new features include an enhanced accounts section to give retailers greater control over spending and transactions. It now includes the Parfetts card, a dynamic spend target infographic, and a personalised spending chart, all aimed at helping users manage their budgets more effectively.
Additionally, retailers can create shopping lists, review previously ordered items for a seamless reordering experience, and easily make online payments.
Melanie Clayton, digital marketing manager at Parfetts, said, “The app provides an elevated level of functionality that enables retailers to work more efficiently and make informed purchasing decisions.
"Dedicated advertising space within the app also allows suppliers to engage more effectively with retailers, ensuring key promotional messages are brought to life and reach the right audience at the right time.”
One of the standout new features of the updated app is a more user-friendly browsing experience. This, combined with a new and improved search functionality, ensures that retailers can swiftly locate relevant products and offers, optimising the efficiency of their ordering process.
A new brand hub has been added, providing a dedicated space where retailers can explore category brands and their respective product listings in a streamlined, easy-to-use way.
Parfetts continues to focus on promotions to help retailers maximise margins.
The company’s promotional calendar is now available in the app. Retailers can take advantage of daily deals, supplier takeovers, Big Ticket activations, Go Local promotions, and regular trade weeks.
A further enhancement is a new services area, which centralises key resources for retailers. It provides information about Parfetts’ new Shop & Go forecourt fascia, a POS creator, and links to an extensive resource library, equipping retailers with valuable tools to support their businesses.
Suppliers can also use this space to showcase their services, ensuring retailers have direct access to additional business solutions that drive efficiency and profitability.
An upgraded barcode scanner offers improved accuracy and speed. By refining this feature, Parfetts has made it even easier for retailers to scan products, check prices, and manage stock levels without delays.
Melanie Clayton added: “With this latest investment in digital technology, Parfetts is reaffirming its position as a wholesaler that prioritises retailer success. The enhancements introduced through the app reflect the company’s dedication to providing innovative, user-friendly solutions that streamline operations and help retailers stay competitive.
“We have invested in our digital platforms to add real value to the retailer experience online and at the depots.
"We will continue strengthening our digital offer to ensure retailers benefit from the latest features, specifically designed to make business operations more efficient and profitable.
"Parfetts remains committed to ensuring that independent retailers have the digital tools and resources they need to help their business thrive.”
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Single-use disposable vapes are displayed for sale on October 27, 2024 in London, England
Around 2 million UK vapers (35%) say they would either buy illicit single-use vapes, return to smoking, or increase tobacco use if the government places restrictions on vape flavours, display and packaging – on top of the already confirmed single-use vape ban, set to take effect from 1 June, according to new research from leading vape brand Elfbar.
Among single-use vape users, this figure rises to 50 per cent.
The study, conducted by Opinium in December 2024, surveyed over 6,000 UK adult vapers and smokers. It found that 68 per cent of adult vapers believe a range of flavours helps to stop them from going back to smoking tobacco, with nearly half (48%) using fruit or sweet flavours most often.
The study also shows that 21per cent of adults quit smoking over the past five years, of which 45 per cent used vapes as part of their successful quit journey.
According to national statistics, there are still around six million UK adult smokers. Alarmingly, the research reveals that 42 per cent of adults who smoke mistakenly believe that vapes are equally or more harmful than smoking.
The findings align with the government’s own impact assessment on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which found that 33 per cent of smokers stated that they would not quit and/or smoke more if flavours were not available.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which has passed the House of Commons on Wednesday, includes powers to further regulate the vape sector beyond the single-use vape ban.
Elfbar said the research underscores the importance of balanced regulation that understands the critical role that vapes and particularly flavours play in smoking cessation.
“Vaping products are an effective and proven smoking cessation tool. As such, it is vital that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and subsequent secondary legislation recognises the importance of vape flavours to smokers and ex-smokers,” Eve Peters, director of government affairs for Elfbar in the UK, said.
“We support a range of measures to strengthen the regulatory regime in the UK, including the introduction of a vape tax, retail licensing system and a ban on vending machines, but there is a clear risk of overregulation as confirmed by these findings.
“The single-use ban will disrupt more than 60 per cent of the market and potentially increase smoking rates, therefore, a full public health impact assessment following the ban is needed before the UK government rushes to introduce additional measures, including potentially restricting flavours, that could undermine its smokefree ambition.”