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.
Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has responded to the Department of Health and Social Care’s consultation on tobacco and vaping restrictions, highlighting the need for a tighter regulatory framework around the vaping market to prevent youth access and encourage recycling.
The submission outlines ACS’ position on two key areas being looked at by the Government – the introduction of a generational tobacco ban that would make it an offence for anyone born on or after 1st January 2009 to purchase tobacco products; and the consideration of a wide range of interventions in the vaping/e-cigarette market to address concerns about youth access and environmental impact.
On the general tobacco ban, ACS has set out a number of concerns about the practical implications of the policy, including the potential for growth in the illicit tobacco trade as a result, the need for consistent and effective government communication about the ban and the required associated age verification policies for retailers, and the risk of abuse directed at shop workers by people who are being asked for proof of age when attempting to purchase tobacco products.
On the future of the vaping market in the UK, ACS has made it clear that it supports the government’s core objectives to prevent young people from accessing vaping products and to reduce the environmental impact of disposable devices. ACS has called on the government to take an ‘enforcement first’ approach, meaning prioritising more funding for agencies like Trading Standards and not introducing policies that will be difficult to enforce.
The submission states that ACS does not support a ban on disposable vapes, which would create an immediate boom for the illicit market and do little to stop those already trading illegitimately. ACS has called for the government to drastically increase the availability of and education around recycling infrastructure to avoid so called ‘disposable’ vapes being thrown away.
There is also support in the submission for tighter rules on the kinds of packaging and vape flavour descriptors that are available. Any products that directly appeal to children should be banned, but it’s important that a range of flavours remain available to adult consumers, which is a key reason why smokers make the switch from tobacco to vapes.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said, “The government has set out its intention to press ahead with a generational tobacco ban, but it must consider all of the implications and risks to ensure that the retailers and colleagues on the front line of enforcing such a ban are properly equipped to do so. Our members have a proud record of preventing underage sales through the widespread adoption of Challenge25 as an in-store age verification policy, but these rules will require a separate approach that all colleagues will need to be trained to implement.
“The purpose of consulting on the future of vaping should be that we end up with a properly regulated, sustainable and responsible market that continues to help people quit smoking, but that is not accessible to young people. An outright ban on disposable vapes would be a step too far and bolster the dangerous illicit trade, so we must work to ensure that vape recycling, flavours, and proof of age policies are being addressed through targeted regulation and enforcement, delivered by Trading Standards at a local level.”
The full submission is available in the submissions section of the ACS website.
Two shops in Cornwall have been ordered to close for three months for selling illegal tobacco.
Truro Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (25) granted the closure orders for Saltash Smoke Point, Fore Street, Saltash and Zabka, Commercial Street, Camborne.
Devon and Cornwall Police submitted two closure order applications to the court after Cornwall Council’s Trading Standards team supplied evidence of illegal tobacco sales at both premises.
The application was supported by intelligence from members of the public that both shops had been selling illegal vapes, and supplying vapes to under 18s.
The application also included information about the public health risks of illegal tobacco, as well as the potential harm vapes can cause when used by children.
Elizabeth Kirk, team manager at Cornwall Council’s Trading Standards, said: “I’m delighted that we have been able to disrupt the illegal activity taking place at these premises.
“This is a brilliant example of how we work with our partners to target businesses that are not complying with the law and I’d like to thank Devon and Cornwall Police for all their work in securing these orders from the court.
“We will not tolerate people putting our communities at harm and will take action when there is evidence that shops or individuals are supplying illegal products.”
Ruth Goldstein, Assistant Director of Public Health at Cornwall Council, said, “Smoking is responsible for almost 1,000 deaths in Cornwall each year and the sale of cheaper illegal tobacco can cause serious harm to public health because it reduces smokers’ motivation to quit.
Sophie Curtis, Partnership Inspector for Cornwall at Devon and Cornwall Police, said, “I’m pleased at the outcome of these closure orders which send a message that the illegal sale of tobacco products or of illegal, unregulated vape paraphernalia won’t be tolerated in Cornwall.
"The same goes for the sale of vape products, regardless of their provenance, to children. All of these things bring harm to our communities.
“This is one example of effective partnership working. Sara Young, the Vulnerability Lawyer for Devon and Cornwall Police in Cornwall worked closely with Cornwall Council to put together the closure orders based on the work undertaken by Cornwall Trading Standards and the intelligence submitted by members of the public."
WHSmith has on Friday announced the sale of its UK high street business to Modella Capital, in a move to concentrate on its higher-growth travel retail markets.
The deal, which values the high street business at £76 million on a cash and debt-free basis, will see WHSmith receive gross cash proceeds of £52 million.
The sale marks a significant strategic shift for WHSmith, allowing the management to focus on the substantial growth opportunities within its key travel markets. Over the past decade, WHSmith has increasingly focused on its travel business, which in the last financial year, accounted for 75 per cent of the group's revenue and 85 per cent of its trading profit.
“As we continue to deliver on our strategic ambition to become the leading global travel retailer, this is a pivotal moment for WHSmith as we become a business exclusively focused on travel,” Carl Cowling, group chief executive, commented
The travel business operates across 32 countries and includes major airport locations, hospitals, and rail stations, both in the UK and internationally. The company will continue to trade under its historic 233-year-old brand name within its travel divisions.
“high street is a good business; it is profitable and cash generative with an experienced and high-performing management team. However, given our rapid international growth, now is the right time for a new owner to take the high street business forward and for the WHSmith leadership team to focus exclusively on our travel business," said Cowling.
Under the new ownership, the high street business will be led by Sean Toal, the current CEO of the high street business, and will eventually rebrand as TGJones, following a short transitional period operating under the WHSmith brand. All stores, colleagues, assets, and liabilities of the high street business will transfer to Modella Capital as part of the transaction.
Retailers association welcomes new chapter for WHSmith high street stores
The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has welcomed the announcement, while expressing cautious optimism for the future of these important retail spaces.
“The sale of WHSmith's high street business to Modella Capital represents a significant change for the UK retail landscape, but importantly, it appears these stores will continue to operate under new ownership rather than close entirely,” Andrew Goodacre, Bira CEO, said.
“We welcome Modella Capital's investment in these high street locations and hope this will secure the future of these stores, protect valuable jobs, and maintain essential services like Post Office counters that many communities rely upon.
“As champions of retail diversity and vibrant high streets, Bira sees potential in this transition. We hope Modella Capital will bring fresh ideas and renewed investment to these locations.
"The high street continues to face significant challenges, but this acquisition shows there is still value and opportunity in town centre retail when approached with the right business model and investment.”
The Co-op Group has today (28) re-affirmed its commitment to the independent retail sector through the launch of Co-op Wholesale, with its fascia brand being fully retained as part of the suite of services available to Co-op’s independent partners.
Drawing on over 160 years of wholesale heritage, this move re-enforces the Co-op Group’s commitment to drive increased value for independent retailers, whilst fuelling expansion ambitions into broader corporate business to business markets, and vision to deliver the best of Co-op to its trusted partners.
Marking a pivotal milestone in the growth trajectory for the business, Katie Secretan, has also been appointed as the Managing Director for Co-op Wholesale.
Joining Nisa in January 2024, previously holding the position of Retail & Sales Director, Katie has been instrumental in unlocking growth opportunities for both current retailers and prospects, as well as new corporate partnerships and building the foundations to support the businesses ambitious growth targets.
Jerome Saint-Marc, Managing Director for B2B and Growth at Co-op, said, “Our commitment to all our partners remains as strong as ever, to ensure their businesses drive profitable growth now and for generations to come.
"Our move to Co-op Wholesale is a strategic step forward for us and one we’re immensely proud of. It’ll allow us to deliver expansive growth and operational excellence for our B2B partners, bringing them the products they need, at the right price, when they need them.
“With a new leadership team, strategy and vision, we have one clear goal and that is to drive growth by bringing the best of Co-op to our partners. And following the expertise, drive and passion we’ve witnessed from Katie in the last year, I am delighted that she will be stepping into her role to power the business forward.”
Co-op Group launches Co-op Wholesale
Co-op Group
Katie Secretan, Managing Director for Co-op Wholesale, said, “We’re clear that this is more than just a supply relationship. Co-op Wholesale is backed by a business built on purpose and we’ll use our platforms to champion what matters most to our diverse partner base, as we know that we can make greater impact when we work together.
“Under Co-op Wholesale, we’re already making significant growth opportunities through corporate accounts as well as traditional retailers, and we’re looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together.”
Despite the current economic and social headwinds facing the retail sector, the Co-op Group remains committed to and excited by the longer-term prospects for the convenience market and the vital role played by independent retailers within the sector.
With significant buying power, industry-leading quality own-brand products, and a supply chain built for convenience, Co-op Wholesale can deliver an unrivalled proposition that will power growth for both independent retailers and corporate partners alike, in today's fiercely competitive market.
Co-op prides itself on delivering best in class products and its own brand range remains a key differentiator for its B2B proposition.
The brand will continue to innovate in its range, to help its partners stand out from competition and drive greater loyalty with shoppers.
Working in parallel with insight-driven recommendations and category leadership for key convenience missions, this partnership will optimise every store location for maximum impact to drive sustainable growth.
The adaptable model from Co-op Wholesale can help any partner scale and drive sustainable growth, with the flexibility to operate their store to grow, their way.
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Pedestrians carry shopping bags from Selfridges and CANVVS as they walk past shops in central London on March 14, 2025.
British retail sales unexpectedly rose in February, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed on Friday, defying most forecasts from analysts who had predicted a fall against a backdrop of weak overall growth in the economy.
Sales volumes increased by a monthly 1.0 per cent, driven by non-food sales although supermarkets saw a drop after a surge in business in January, the Office for National Statistics said.
A Reuters poll of economists had pointed to a monthly fall of 0.4 per cent in sales volumes. The ONS revised January's month-on-month increase to 1.4 per cent from an initial 1.7 per cent.
“It was a positive month for household goods stores with their largest rise since April 2021, driven by hardware store sales,” ONS senior statistician Hannah Finselbach said, adding clothing sales also picked up due to widespread discounting.
Separate ONS data showed British households saved more money as a proportion of their income at the end of 2024 than at any point in nearly 15 years, apart from during the COVID pandemic.
The household savings ratio rose to 12 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024, up from 10.3 per cent in the third quarter.
That bank of savings - and the possibility it could be unlocked - is one reason why some economists think tepid economic growth can pick up later in the year.
The ONS on Friday confirmed the economy expanded by 0.1 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Retail sales volumes for the three months to February rose by 0.3 per cent, the first increase by that measure since the three months to November.
How the economy fares after the imposition of tax hikes on employers, higher regulated energy bills and a raised minimum wage - all taking place next month - is a key question for policymakers.
"Food inflation remains high, meaning consumers are buying less, and retailers will be feeling cautious in the build up to changes to wage costs next week," said Oliver Vernon-Harcourt, head of retail at Deloitte.
Retail sales were 2.2 per cent higher than a year earlier, compared with the median poll forecast for 0.5 per cent annual growth.
This week, clothing retailer Next raised its profit outlook after better than expected trading. But home improvement retailer Kingfisher said consumer sentiment had been dented by measures in the government's budget last October.
The ONS data highlighted a stark contrast between food and non-food sectors, with the latter seeing 3.1 per cent increase in sales volumes. In contrast, food sales volumes fell by 2.0 per cent. Clothing sales showed a rebound, increasing by 2.3 per cent after a previous month's drop.
“Retail sales volumes came in better than expected in February. The trends from last month effectively reversed with food sales falling after a very strong January and non-food categories rebounding following last month's weakness,” Charlie Huggins, manager of the quality shares portfolio at Wealth Club, observed.
“These figures, along with yesterday's better-than-expected results from retail bellwether Next, indicate that consumers are still feeling confident enough to spend despite the gloomy economic headlines.”
However, he cautioned that “retailers are having to work harder than ever before” through “increased levels of discounting,” which could impact profit margins.
Consumer confidence improving
Jacqui Baker, head of retail at RSM UK and chair of ICAEW’s Retail Group, echoed this sentiment, stating, “Resilient retailers have dusted themselves off after a challenging December and seen incremental growth at the start of the year. Consumer confidence is improving and widespread discounting has tempted consumers to spend – renovating homes and gardens, bagging the latest iPhone or hitting the sales to update their wardrobes.”
She also pointed to a “20 per cent annual jump in sales” for jewellers, potentially linked to “a gold rush due to rising inflation and economic uncertainty.”
Thomas Pugh, economist at RSM UK, added: “There are finally some signs that the UK consumer is starting to come back to life. Consumer confidence ticked up again in March and the services PMI jumped higher, partly because of strong demand from consumers.”
He anticipates that “strong real household income growth should continue to drive a gradual increase in retail sales this year, even if overall economic growth remains relatively subdued.”
Despite the positive figures, concerns remain about the broader economic landscape. Silvia Rindone, EY UK&I Retail Lead, commented that the February’s retail sales figures continue to reflect a challenging landscape for retailers.
“Despite real wages continuing to grow at a fast pace, this increase has not yet translated into higher consumer confidence, which remains subdued. Ongoing geopolitical tensions and rising wage costs has meant retailers are continuing to navigate an uncertain trading environment,” she said.
However, she expressed optimism for “Easter and school holidays on the horizon” as potential sales boosters, while advising retailers to “remain agile and focused on customer-centric strategies” to navigate the ongoing economic uncertainties.
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x-hoppers debuts new AI upgrades built for retail’s frontlines, boosting security, team flow and in-store efficiency
x-hoppers, the leading AI-powered in-store communication platform, has announced new features to its connected store suite, designed to strengthen loss prevention, boost team productivity and automate key retail tasks, all in a single, unified system.
By combining hands-free headsets, AI-powered theft detection and real-time automation tools, x-hoppers helps retailers cut shrink, improve team coordination and deliver faster, safer in-store experiences. Built for the pace of frontline work, it replaces disconnected tools with one seamless solution, supporting associates and elevating the customer journey, from stockroom to checkout.
Retailers attending the Retail Technology Show (April 2-3, ExCeL London, Booth C40) will be the first to experience these innovations, already proven to reduce shrink by 60 per cent and detect up to 26 theft incidents per store daily, all before they escalate.
“Retail doesn’t slow down and neither can technology,” said Graham Dixon, chief technology officer, x-hoppers. “That’s why our team pushes continuous updates across AI, automation and usability. x-hoppers isn’t just a product, it’s a growing ecosystem designed to meet the changing pace of store life. Every feature we add is tested in real-world environments to ensure it works for retailers, not the other way around.”
Latest enhancements
The newest release reflects x-hoppers’ commitment to solving store-level pain points with practical, intelligent tools that scale.
1. AI-Powered Security & Theft Prevention
Enhanced AI Theft Detection with AIVA (AI Video Alerts): x-hoppers’ proprietary AI-powered security solution now builds on its proven success with upgraded gesture recognition technology, offering greater precision in detecting suspicious behaviour and identifying high-risk theft periods.
StaffSafe Integration: Theft-deterrent announcements help de-escalate incidents before they happen, while live alerts connect teams with remote intervention units for immediate response.
2. Workforce Optimisation
AI Assistant 2.0: Employees can now log in via voice authentication, receive real-time task recommendations and access multi-language training.
Intelligent Voice and Chat Agents: These digital agents bridge the gap between online and in-store operations, resolving customer queries, assigning tasks, and escalating alerts, all without manual input.
Dedicated Mobile App: The new channel offers greater flexibility, featuring push-to-talk, theft alerts and real-time notifications.
Customisable AI-Driven Smart Headsets: Designed for the dynamics of frontline work, now available in various styles for retail associates, security personnel and managers.
3. Task & Store Automation
MOOS Smart Shelf Integration: AI-driven restocking alerts, high-value item tracking and automated inventory replenishment, transforming stores into self-optimising environments.
Trello Integration: The new integration bridges task management and in-store execution by sending card assignments directly to the corresponding associate’s headset, turning digital workflows into immediate frontline action.
Proven at Scale
Since launching in April 2024, x-hoppers has already driven measurable results, with clients reporting:
60% reduction in shrink, detecting an average of 26 theft incidents per day before escalation.
35% increase in sales through faster, more personal customer service.
50% faster employee onboarding with real-time AI training and support.
3+ hours saved per employee per day through automation and hands-free communication.