Nisa retailer TYS Retail Fletton, a leading convenience retailer in the Peterborough area, has donated £500 to local junior football team Hampton FC Royals Under 9s through Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally (MADL) charity.
The donation will be used to purchase essential kits, balls, and portable goals for the club’s talented squad.
"We are so grateful for the support of TYS Retail Fletton," said Head Coach Daniel Bobie of Hampton FC Royals Under 9s. "This donation will make a huge difference to our team, and we are excited to be able to purchase the new kits, balls, and goals we need."
TYS Retail Fletton said it is committed to supporting the local community, adding that the donation to Hampton FC Royals Under 9s is just one example of its ongoing community efforts.
"We are delighted to be able to support Hampton FC Royals Under 9s with this donation," said Leon Swanwick, store manager at TYS Retail Fletton. "The team's dedication to football is inspiring, and we are proud to help them with the essential equipment they need to continue playing.”
MADL is part of Nisa’s commitment to giving back to the communities it serves. Since its inception, the initiative has donated over £16 million to local charities and community organisations.
"We are delighted to be able to support Hampton FC Royals with this donation," said Kate Carroll, Nisa’s head of charity. "We believe that it is important to support local communities and we are proud to be able support a Nisa retailer to make a difference to the lives of young people in Fletton."
Nisa Local Fletton is a convenience store located near Peterborough and has been a Nisa retailer for over four years. The store offers a wide variety of groceries, household items, and other convenience products. TYS retail is committed to supporting its local community and has so far donated over £3,700 into the community through MADL.
MADL raises funds in Nisa partner stores from sales of all Co-op and Heritage own-label products, with a percentage going into a virtual fund for retailers to donate. Additional funds can also be raised via in-store collecting tins and clothing banks.
Retailers across Britain have warned of potential price increases and store closures following a bleak Christmas trading period, as consumers grapple with relentless cost-of-living pressures.
Fresh data from Rendle Intelligence and Insights paints a challenging picture for UK retail in the lead-up to Christmas. Footfall in the final full week of trading was down by a significant 11.4 per cent compared to the same period last year.
“Super Saturday,” traditionally the year's busiest shopping day, offered little relief.
Footfall on the day was only 4.1 per cent higher than the previous Saturday and a mere 0.9 per cent higher than the equivalent day in 2023.
These lukewarm figures follow a Black Friday that saw a modest 5.5 per cent uplift in footfall year-on-year, as shoppers appeared to prioritise discounted deals over last-minute festive spending.
Diane Wehrle, CEO of Rendle, highlighted the stark reality, “The disappointing results, coinciding with news that the UK economy showed no growth between July and September, underscore the severe cost pressures faced by households amid prolonged high inflation.
“It appears this Christmas has been disastrous for retail, and a bad omen for 2025.”
Official data also showed that retail sales in the UK fell short of expectations in November despite shops starting to cut prices early as part of Black Friday discounting.
Sales volumes rose by a weaker-than-expected 0.2 per cent month-on-month in November, having fallen by 0.7 per cent in October, new data from the Office for National Statistics shows.
Early retail sales data for December showed little sign of improvement.
Meanwhile, retailers body British Retail Consortium (BRC) has also warned of “spending squeeze” in January 2025.
BRC-Opinium figures released on Monday (23) suggest that public confidence in the state of the economy nosedived in December, falling eight points to minus 27.
The public’s spending intentions, both in retail and beyond, dropped six points, with expectations of spending in nearly every retail category falling.
Helen Dickinson, the BRC’s chief executive, stated, "The weak spending intentions could pave the way for a challenging year for retailers, who face being buffeted by low consumer demand and £7 billion of new costs from the budget set to hit the industry in 2025.
“With sales growth unable to keep pace, retailers will have no choice but to raise prices or cut costs, closing stores and freezing recruitment.”
November’s sharp rise in inflation is expected to dampen festive spirits and restrict spending despite household’s being better off compared with last year, warned a recent report.
November marked a second consecutive month of faster price rises according to the latest figures from Asda’s Income Tracker published on Monday (23), with families across the UK continuing to face rising inflationary pressures.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) accelerated to 2.6 per cent in November – up from 1.7 per cent in September and 2.3 per cent in October – driven by the transport sector and higher clothing and footwear prices.
CEBR, who produce the Income Tracker on behalf of Asda, has forecast that inflation is set to remain above the 2.0 per cent target in the coming months, with energy prices and wage growth responsible for driving further higher essential costs.
Despite inflationary pressures, household spending power continues to improve year-on-year. Average household disposable incomes grew by 10.5 per cent in November, marking six consecutive months of double-digit increases.
The average UK household was £23.74 per week better off in November compared to a year earlier and had £249 per week to spend after paying bills and essentials, providing some relief for families as they get ready for the big day.
Reacting to this month’s Income Tracker, Sam Miley, Managing Economist and Forecasting Lead at CEBR, said, “The Income Tracker saw a slowdown in growth in November, driven by accelerating inflation.
"That said, spending power has continued to increase, with the Tracker having exhibited double-digit growth for sixth consecutive months.
“Spending power amongst households has seen a gradual improvement throughout the year, which is welcomed ahead of the festive period.
"Nevertheless, consumer expenditure over Christmas is still expected to be held back relative to pre-pandemic levels amidst elevated inflation and the lingering effects of the cost-of-living crisis.”
A shop owner found with £5,620 worth of illegal tobacco products on his premises has received a suspended prison sentence and has been left more than £1,000 out of pocket.
As stated by Durham County Council on Monday (23), officers from community protection special investigations team executed a warrant of entry at Flavour Vapes in Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland, after the business failed two test purchases operations.
Magistrates in Newton Aycliffe heard that during the first test purchase operation, an employee of the shop was seen showing customers a range of five electronic cigarettes.
The undercover officer observed that the vessel size of the vapes contravened the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 and issued a warning.
The following month, a follow-up test purchase was conducted, and illegal cigarettes were purchased, leading to the warrant being executed.
Hardy Hassan, owner of Flavour Vapes, which has ceased trading, pleaded guilty to presenting for sale nicotine containing liquid within a disposable electronic cigarette in a volume exceeding 2ml, selling or distributing cigarettes and tobacco products bearing a sign identical to, or likely to be mistaken for, a registered trademark, supplying tobacco products which contravened packaging colour requirements and supplying tobacco products which contravened health warning requirements.
Hassan apologised and told the court he did not know the products were counterfeit. He was sentenced to a total of six months in custody, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay costs of £1,010.10 and a £154 victim surcharge.
Gary Carr, our strategic regulation manager, said: "The sale of illegal tobacco is a serious crime that causes significant harm to our communities. Not only does it have an adverse impact on the sales of law-abiding retailers, but it can attract other forms of criminality into local neighbourhoods.
"It also makes it easier for children to smoke due to the lower prices charged, and it robs the public purse of tax revenues that support vital services.
"Mr Hassan has left court with a prison sentence hanging over him. If he is caught trading in counterfeit goods again within the next 12 months, he will go to jail, and I hope this serves as a warning to others who flout the flaw."
Retailers could find themselves facing a New Year spending squeeze as public confidence in the state of the economy took a nosedive, show recent industry data.
According to BRC-Opinium data released today (23), consumer expectations over the next three months of their personal financial situation remained at -3 in December, the same as in November.
Confidence in state of the economy worsened to -27 in December, down from -19 in November. Confidence on personal spending on retail also fell while confidence in personal spending overall dropped to +11 in December, down from +17 in November.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said,“Public confidence in the state of the economy took a nosedive, falling 8pts to -27.
"This created a widening gap between expectations of the economy and of people’s own finances, which remained unchanged. Perceptions were heavily skewed by age, with 18 to 35 year olds considerably more upbeat than older generations on both questions.
"The public’s spending intentions – both in retail and beyond – dropped 6pts, with expectations of spending in nearly every retail category falling. If these expectations are realised, retailers could find themselves facing a New Year spending squeeze just as they unveil their January sales.
“The weak spending intentions could pave the way for a challenging year for retailers, who face being buffeted by low consumer demand and £7bn of new costs from the Budget set to hit the industry in 2025."
Dickinson added that with sales growth unable to keep pace, retailers will have no choice but to raise prices or cut costs – closing stores and freezing recruitment.
"To mitigate the impact this will have on growth, Government must ensure that its proposed business rates reform does not result in any shops paying higher rates than they already do," she said.
Bestway Group is turning to a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) to exit about 35 vacant shops which previously traded as Bargain Booze and Wine Rack off-licences, stated recent reports.
According to Sky News, Bestway Group has informed landlords about plans for a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) for its Bestway Retail arm as it wanted to exit dozens of leases tied to shops which lie vacant within its retail estate.
Reports stated that about 35 shops which were not currently trading would be compromised in full under the plan. Roughly 10 further sites would seek rent reductions from landlords.
The CVA is being overseen by PricewaterhouseCoopers, stated Sky News citing a source.
Bestway's retail arm is said to comprise about 200 stores, largely operating under the Bargain Booze and Wine Rack brands.
Bestway also comprises operations in food wholesaling, the Well pharmacy chain, cement, real estate and United Bank, one of Pakistan's biggest lenders.
Meanwhile, Bestway Retail continues to strengthen its business. Most recently, it bolstered its senior leadership team with three new senior hires in the form of Nick Russell, Steve Moore and Rodney Tucker.
Russell, who previously worked for Costcutter until 2021, is now leading the independent Best-one and Costcutter estates. Moore, who also previously worked for Costcutter, will lead the Midlands and South Wales team from January 2025 as regional controller for Costcutter and Best-one.
Tucker has also rejoined the organisation in the new business and acquisitions team where he will drive the recruitment of new business in the Southwest and South Wales territories.