ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is calling on retailers to take part in its annual National Living Wage Survey.
ACS’ National Living Wage Survey will inform ACS’ submission to the Low Pay Commission’s consultation on future wage rates. The consultation is seeking views on:
the minimum wage rates to apply from April 2023 (projected at £10.32)
increasing the NLW to two-thirds of median earnings by 2024 (projected at £10.95)
reducing the age threshold for the NLW from 23 to 21 by 2024
The results gathered from the survey will also be used in ACS’ ongoing employment policy work across government.
"Convenience stores provide local, secure and flexible employment to hundreds of thousands of people across our communities. We know that retailers are already under a significant amount of pressure as a result of rising costs and employment costs are one of the biggest costs that retailers face," ACS chief executive James Lowman said.
“We are urging retailers to take part in our annual survey to ensure that we make an accurate representation of the real-life effects of wage increases on local shops in our submission to the Low Pay Commission.”
All responses will be kept anonymous and confidential. The deadline for responses is 6th May.
Consumer confidence dropped marginally in the last quarter of 2024, shows a recent industry report, suggesting concerns around disposable income and prices of essentials remain though consumer confidence is expected to recover in 2025.
According to the Deloitte consumer tracker released today (20), this is the first time since 2022 that confidence has stalled, although confidence varied in different areas examined by the survey.
Consumer sentiment towards personal debt rose by six percentage points, although this was not enough to compensate for falls in other measures. There was a four percentage point drop in confidence about household disposable income and a 14 percentage point drop in confidence about the UK economy.
Almost half (42 per cent) of consumers said they spent more on Christmas this year, but most (54 per cent) put this down to higher prices.
The Deloitte survey is based on responses from 3,200 UK consumers aged over 18 and was taken between 3 and 6 January.
Céline Fenech, consumer insight lead at Deloitte, said, “While many consumers appear to be feeling better about paying debts or borrowing following the cuts to interest rates, concerns around disposable income and prices of essentials remain.
“Consumers continue to look for value and make compromises following a once-in-a-generation surge in costs that has diminished consumers’ spending power.
“Many consumers continue to compare today’s higher prices to those of pre-pandemic, regardless of the rate of inflation falling.”
Fenech added that despite the fall in confidence overall, Deloitte expected consumer confidence to recover in 2025.
Ian Stewart, chief economist at Deloitte, said, “Despite a challenging start to the year, we expect to see growth coming back over the summer, with interest rate cuts, rising real incomes and buoyant government spending helping drive the recovery.
“For 2025 as a whole, we expect UK GDP growth to come in at around 1 per cent, a rather better outcome than last year.”
Among the survey’s findings were that two in five consumers (40 per cent) said they did their Christmas shopping before December, which could have been a tactic to spread the cost of the festive season.
Over a third agreed that they bought more gifts (37 per cent) on discount and more food (43 per cent) using promotions and loyalty cards discounts.
About 52 per cent of those surveyed greed they were generally more frugal and careful this Christmas, while half (50 per cent) agreed they consciously cut down on any luxuries.
Oliver Vernon-Harcourt, head of retail at Deloitte, said, “As many grapple with an inflation hangover, consumers likely need more time to digest the volatility and uncertainty of the last few years.
“Consumer recovery this year will depend on what happens with inflation, especially in the more essential categories like food.
“With our research showing that 80 per cent of consumers still expect prices to go up further in 2025, consumer demand is likely to remain subdued while things settle in the first half of the year.
“Beyond that, with factors such as the rise in the minimum living wage, more public spending, easing monetary and fiscal policies – combined with consumer confidence hopefully continuing to recover – we should see demand improving.”
A new convenience store is set to open in a month despite opposition from people in the area. This had been fuelled by concerns it could impact a similar store nearby as well as public safety despite assurances it would be “very well run.”
The current vacant premises at 86 Woodchurch Lane in Prenton was previously a hairdressers called Oscars Hairshop, but in a month it will become Tranmere’s Bodega. A licence to sell alcohol there was granted by Wirral Council at a licensing meeting on 15 January despite 133 people signing a petition against an application.
Ian Rushton from JL Licensing represented the applicant Saranjah Baskaran said it would be a general convenience store with alcohol being part of the overall business. He said Ms Baskaran already had a licence in Wallasey and experience in other areas meaning she was “more than capable of running the store well.”
He said the shop would be “very well run” and had tried to contact people living in the area to try and give reassurance. Mr Rushton said it was a brand new store, adding: “There seems to be a fear this shop will cause or increase antisocial behaviour if the application was granted today. There are clearly antisocial behaviour problems in many areas, it’s a general issue in our communities.”
However Sonya Bateman raised concerns about the impact on her children and said she was representing the people who signed the petition, adding: “Living nearby I can attest that even a small gathering outside similar premises cause significant noise and disruption to residents.”
She said the petition showed widespread opposition in the nearby area arguing they felt it would be harmful to the area, adding: “It will significantly disrupt the community jeopardising the peace and safety of residents.”
However it was confirmed the petition was linked to a nearby corner store and there was a feeling a new shop would be competition and take business away from that store with one person signing it who lived a mile away. Mrs Bateman said she had had no issues or reason to complain about the store that was currently open.
In reaching their decision, Cllr Andrew Hodson said the committee had been told people’s concerns were “based on fear and apprehension, not evidence that the granting of the application would undermine the licensing objectives.” While they considered the representations sent to them, councillors pointed out no responsible authorities had raised concerns including Merseyside Police and any decision must be evidence based.
Councillors allowed the off license to open Sunday to Saturday 7am to 11pm selling alcohol during these times and its owners said it expected to open in about a month. Deliveries cannot be made between 5pm and 8am.
(Local Democracy Reporting Service)
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The upcoming Cravings Land grocery and convenience store at the junction of Basingstoke Road and Buckland Avenue in Whitley.
Aldi is set to open nine stores in the capital this year as part of a £55 million investment within the M25.
Building on its promise to bring unbeatable value to even more Londoners, the supermarket has revealed four of the locations set to welcome new Aldi stores in the next 12 months.
Shoppers in Wimbledon, Fulham Broadway, Caterham and Orpington are all set to benefit from a new Aldi store in 2025.
The openings form part of Aldi’s £650 million investment in Britain in 2025.
The investment also includes upgrades at some of its existing locations within the M25, including an extension to its Colindale store.
Aldi has a long-term ambition to open another 100 stores in London, creating around 3,500 new jobs.
Jonathan Neale, managing director of National Real Estate at Aldi UK, said: “We strongly believe that everyone in Britain should have access to high quality food at our unbeatable Aldi prices. But we know that there are still thousands of shoppers in the capital that don’t yet have access to an Aldi nearby.
“We don’t think it’s fair that so many people still have to make do with big prices at other supermarkets, which is why London continues to be a real focus for us as we work to bring even more Aldi stores to shoppers across the capital.”
Aldi has been named by Which? as officially the UK’s cheapest supermarket of the year for 2024, the fourth year in a row the supermarket has picked up the title.
Co-op on Friday (17) launched its first new store of 2025 in Salford Quays as the convenience retailer embarks on plans to accelerate convenience growth.
The new Co-op convenience store is located in commercial retail space on the ground floor of the Anchorage Gateway, Salford Quays - a 29-story residential development located close to the area’s media, education and cultural hubs.
The launch of the new Salford Quays store comes after the retailer revealed ambitions to open up to 75 new stores this year, consisting of both Co-op estate stores and Franchise stores.
In addition, Co-op has plans for around 80 further stores to undertake major refurbishments in 2025 - transforming the stores to serve and support their communities and to maximise the potential of Co-op’s existing portfolio of properties.
The Salford Quays store offers an extensive range of fresh, healthy produce; food-to-go and meal deals, Fairtrade products, an in store bakery, hot food and award winning wines. Supporting UK farmers all of Co-op’s fresh meat – including in its ready meals, pies and sandwiches - is 100 per cent British.
Member prices create additional value for Co-op’s member-owners, with lower prices on the products shoppers buy most.
Added services include Costa Coffee Express, payment services via PayPoint and parcel collection and returns through an InPost locker.
The store will act as a fulfilment hub for Co-op’s leading Quick Commerce operation, with the online delivery of groceries becoming available shortly after launch via Co-op’s partners Just Eat, Uber Eats and Deliveroo. Orders are picked fresh in the local store, and delivered quickly and conveniently to homes and offices locally.
Soft plastic recycling is also available in the store, enabling consumers to return harder to recycle materials such as crisp packets and bread bags, lids from ready meals, biscuit wrappers and, pet food pouches.
Rachel Hargreaves, Director of Property, Development and Estates, Co-op, said, “I am delighted to see Co-op’s first new store of 2025 launch. We are working to acquire new retail space, both freehold and leasehold, and to maximise the potential of our existing estate as part of our convenience growth ambitions.
"Our stores are designed to be a destination locally, a community hub combining great quality products, value, deals and ethical retailing with quick online delivery services, community participation and additional customer services – we have a clear focus on growing our convenience business, and enhancing the value we create and deliver for our member-owners and their communities.”
Simon Williams, Co-op’s Salford Quays Store Manager, said, “The whole team is excited to launch Co-op’s newest store, and Co-op’s first new store of the year.
"We pride ourselves on being able to deliver the quality, choice, added services and value which can be enjoyed by everyone, and we are really looking forward to welcoming residents, office workers and, those visiting Salford Quays and all that it has to offer into Co-op’s new store. We’re here to contribute to local life and conveniently serve and support our community.”
Co-op’s Anchorage store opens between 7am-10pm daily. With other Co-op stores in Salford Quays including those in Media City which launched in 2022, and in Clippers Quay.