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Government considers new tax on vape liquids: report

Government considers new tax on vape liquids: report
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The government is planning to introduce new tax on vape liquids, The Sunday Mirror has reported.

The proposed tax, set to introduced in the budget in March, will raise the prices by a least a quarter, the report added.


The paper said the ministers “keen to push ahead with the tax” to prevent children buying vapes.

The government has recently consulted on plans to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children, proposing restrictions on the sale of disposable vapes, "child-friendly" vape flavours and packaging and the display in retail outlets.

The consultation also included plans to introduce a new law to stop children who turn 14 this year and younger from ever legally being sold cigarettes in England.

The government has said it wants to encourage people who smoke cigarettes to switch to vaping, whilst discouraging non-smokers – particularly children – from starting vaping.

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Government publishes guidelines on disposable vape ban
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Government publishes guidelines on disposable vape ban

DEFRA (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) today (20) has published more detail on the definitions of single-use or disposable vapes, the penalties for selling them after the introduction of the ban on June 1st this year, and what to do if you have stock of single use vapes.

DEFRA's new guidance confirms that from 1 June 2025, it will be illegal for businesses to sell, offer to sell or have in their possession for sale all single-use or ‘disposable’ vapes. This applies to sales online and in shops and to all vapes whether or not they contain nicotine.

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Shona Robison
Scottish finance secretary Shona Robison presents the government's budget at Scottish Parliament building on December 4, 2024 in Edinburgh.
Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Indies call for Scottish government to extend 40 per cent rates relief

Independent retailers are urging the Scottish government to rethink its plans to exclude them from business rates relief support announced in last month’s Budget.

Finance secretary Shona Robison announced on December 4 that 40 per cent relief towards business rates bills would only be given to the hospitality sector in Scotland.

Now, Mo Razzaq, the National President of the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed), has written to her, urging her to follow the UK government and grant business rates relief support to retail businesses. This decision was taken by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her budget on October 30.

Mr Razzaq said: “The Scottish government appears to have the numbers in Parliament to ensure that its budget proceeds next month. However, we appeal to ministers to review their proposal that small shops are excluded from the 40 per cent rates relief the UK government is awarding. This is because small independent shops are more vulnerable to closure.

“Shona Robison, the finance secretary in Scotland, has the money in identified funds flowing from the UK budget but is choosing not to spend it in this way. It is a bizarre decision as small shops in Scotland experience the same tough trading conditions as shops elsewhere."

In the letter, Mr Razzaq welcomed the government’s acknowledgement that retail crime was of major concern and that extra funds were required to tackle it. However, the proposed £3million was insufficient “to combat this issue which impacts on the safety and sustainability of small independent shops.” He urged Ms Robison to review it.

Rapper duo to launch world food store in south London

Image from LinkedIN/ Cayso Johnson

Rapper duo to launch world food store in south London

Rappers Krept (Cayso Johnson) and Konan, in collaboration with entrepreneur Kayson Ali, are set to open a new halal and world foods store in south London in a bid to better serve the local community.

Saveways Supermarket will officially open on Feb 1 in the duo’s hometown of Croydon, a 15,000 sq ft. retail site close to Asda.

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AG Barr welcomes Dino Labbate as new Chief Commercial Officer

AG Barr welcomes Dino Labbate as new Chief Commercial Officer

Dino Labbate has been announced as the new Chief Commercial Officer at A.G. BARR plc, the branded multi-beverage business with a portfolio of market-leading UK brands, including IRN-BRU, Rubicon, FUNKIN and Boost.

Dino takes up the role from today, 20 January 2025, having spent seven years at Britvic plc, most recently as GB Commercial Director for Hospitality. With previous experience at Kraft Heinz, Burton’s Biscuits and Northern Foods, Dino brings a wealth of FMCG insight and experience across all channels of the food and drink industry.

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Surge recorded in whole food sales

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Surge recorded in whole food sales

Brits are increasingly leaning towards cooking from scratch and are ditching ultra processed food, thus embracing a much simpler approach to their diet, a recent report has stated.
According to a recent report from John Lewis Partnership released on Friday (17), supermarket Waitrose has reported that it’s back to basics for many in 2025 due to a growing awareness around ultra processed foods, with many turning away from low-fat, highly processed products in favour of less-processed, whole food ingredients.
Whole milk and full-fat Greek yogurt sales are up 11 per cent and 21 per cent compared to skimmed milk and Greek style yoghurt a year ago.
Block butter sales are up by +20 per cent as compared to dairy spreads while brown rice is seeing +7 per cent more sales as compared to white rice.
The report adds that sourdough bread sales are up by +20 per cent as compared to white bread while full fat Greek yoghurt recorded +21 per cent more sales than Greek style yoghurt.
Over the past 30 days, searches on Waitrose website whole food searches soared with ‘full fat milk’ and ‘full fat yoghurt’ skyrocketing 417 per cent and 233 per cent.
The shfit reflects the wider growing awareness of effects of ultra-processed foods, thanks in no small part to Dr Chris van Tulleken’s bestselling book Ultra-Processed People and its continued momentum in 2024 and into 2025.
His eye-opening, rigorously researched account of ultra-processed foods and their effect on our health turned many people towards cooking from scratch, with unprocessed or minimally processed ingredients.

Maddy Wilson, Director of Waitrose Own Brand comments, “There’s been a lot of bad press around so-called ‘healthy’ products which aren’t nutritious and don’t taste great, however the growing awareness of ultra processed food in our diets has seen many customers seeking the basics and embracing a much simpler approach to their diet.”

Waitrose Food & Drink report released last year highlighted that 54 per cent of those surveyed proactively avoid processed foods.

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