Independent drinks wholesaler LWC has recently launched a set of ambitious environment commitments, unveiling a significant acceleration in its sustainability drive.
Centred around five key pillars - "Climate, Facilities, Operations, Marketing & Communications, and People" - these new commitments provide a clear roadmap for how LWC intends to reduce its environmental impact, operate more responsibly, and drive sustainability across the drinks industry.
Notable commitments include:
25 per cent reduction in Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions by 2030
Engagement with top 20 suppliers to reduce Scope 3 GHG emissions by 25 per cent by 2035
Accreditation achieved by 2026
Pilot HVO at key depots with bunded tanks by 2026
Electrify all warehouse equipment by 2030
2 per cent of annual profit donated to charity partners
Alongside its Headline Commitments, LWC has also unveiled a Green Ambassador Programme, the launch of a new internal ‘Sustainability & ESG Hub,’ plus the appointment of a new Sustainability Lead.
These developments follow the continued roll out of solar arrays across LWC sites, its road mile reduction partnership with Asahi, and the formation of its Sustainability Committee in 2024.
Ebrahim Mukadam, Managing Director for LWC commented, "Although we have been making progress in this space for some time, the announcement of our Headline Commitments alongside the launch of our green initiatives really underscores a strategic step change in pace for us.
“We have set our goals, supported them with robust action plans and are formally holding ourselves to account. We want to lead by example, by being transparent and taking responsibility for our own footprint, but also supporting our customers, partners, and suppliers to also make more sustainable choices.
“Sustainability isn’t just about business; it’s about people, communities, and the future we leave behind. By making these commitments now, we’re ensuring that LWC plays its part in protecting the planet for generations to come.”
With growing regulatory and consumer pressure for businesses to operate more sustainably, LWC is proactively positioning itself at the forefront of industry change.
By embedding sustainability into its business model and culture, the company is committed to not just making pledges, but delivering real, measurable impact.
Fulfilling a key request from those impacted by Post Office Horizon scandal, Department for Business and Trade today (3) announced that those who have had their convictions overturned will now have their conviction claims administered by the government, completely taking them out of the hands of the Post Office.
The Post Office will cease to be involved in the redress for postmasters with overturned convictions.
After a three-month transitional period, the Department for Business and Trade’s Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS) will broaden its scope to take on responsibility for redress for postmasters who have had their convictions overturned by the Courts.
These are currently dealt with by the Post Office through their Overturned Convictions scheme. This is something that postmasters, campaigners, and Parliamentarians, including the Business and Trade Select Committee, have all called for.
Stating that the victims have "suffered a huge amount", the department stated that while the government can’t fully put right what they have been through, it can make sure the compensation process "works better for them by listening to their grievances and acting upon them where possible to ensure postmasters are treated with dignity and respect".
"Today, this means ending the difficulty of dealing with the organisation which upended so many of their lives," stated the department.
The delivery of redress for victims of the Post office Horizon scandal is a key government manifesto commitment, with a commitment of £1.8 billion to ensure all postmasters receive the justice and financial redress they deserve.
Post Office Minister Gareth Thomas said, "My priority upon coming into office was to speed up the delivery of compensation to the victims of the Horizon scandal.
"We have made significant progress, and we are now moving to ensure there is a quick transfer of schemes from the Post Office to the Department.
"In the meantime, I encourage all those eligible to apply for redress under the Overturned Convictions scheme and continue to progress their claims with the Post Office until the transfer date."
The Department for Business and Trade will formally take over on June 3 2025. The three-month transitional period between now and then will allow for the smooth transfer of active claims from one scheme to the other, ensuring there is no gap in service for postmasters who have claims in the system.
As of 31 January, approximately £663 million has been paid to over 4,300 claimants, which has more than doubled since the end of June 2024.
Today’s announcement is the latest in a series of government actions to address the Post Office Horizon Scandal, including:
launching the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS) for postmasters whose horizon-related convictions were quashed by Parliament. This scheme has made 364 interim payments to eligible claimants and has fully settled 208 claims, paying out a total of £156 million.
on the HCRS, committing to provide first offers on receipt of detailed claims within 40 working days in 90 per cent of cases.
beginning payments of a £75,000 fixed offer for those postmasters in the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) who want to accept it: approximately £171 million has been paid in award top-ups and £75,000 awards.
publishing our response to the consultant’s report into the Post Office Capture software (predecessor to Horizon) and have committed to offering redress to all non-convicted postmasters who fell victim to flaws in Capture software.
announcing an independent appeals process for the HSS to provide individuals with a chance to have their claims reassessed through a DBT-run process. We expect the first cases will be ready for submission in the Spring.
confirmed the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board in place.
Retailers should stock well on protein-rich natural food and ingredients in the stores as recent surveys' findings indicate rise in demand for protein-laden ingredients majorly driven by social media-influenced Gen Z and millennial buyers.
According to a recent report from online grocer Ocado, nearly half of UK adults increased their protein intake in the past year. This figure rises to two-thirds for people aged 16 to 34.
The increase in popularity was largely driven by social media, with nearly 50 per cent of Gen Z using Instagram and TikTok for inspiration, compared to a third (35 per cent) of millennials and just 5 per cent for boomers.
Ocado said that searches on its website for high-protein food have doubled since 2023.
Demand for the low-fat, high-protein dairy product cottage cheese has increased by 97 per cent while demand for greek yoghurt is also up by 56 per cent.
Consumers are favouring natural protein sources, such as dairy and lean meat and turning away from the highly processed protein bars or protein shakes, which were in fashion a decade ago.
Searches for chicken breast are up 43 per cent, steak searches are up 39 per cent, tuna searches have risen by 35 per cent, and searches for egg whites are up 27 per cent.
Searchers for plant-based protein sources have also risen, with a 27 per cent increase in searches for chickpeas and an 18 per cent increase for lentils.
Nicola Waller, buying director at Ocado Retail, said, “Protein was once seen as the reserve of bodybuilders, but today, it’s a staple for anyone looking to eat well and feel their best. Consumers are becoming more conscious of where their protein comes from, favouring natural, whole-food options over ultra-processed alternatives.”
A nationally representative survey of 2,205 UK adults, conducted by Savanta, shows attitudes to protein have shifted in the past year.
Half of those surveyed said they eat more protein to increase their energy levels and to stay fuller for longer. Four in ten said a high protein intake helps them manage their weight.
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Birmingham Convenience Store License Revoked Over Illegal Sales
A convenience store owner in Wembley has been slapped with a six month custodial sentence and a nearly £2,000 fine including prosecution costs for selling illegal tobacco once again.
Retailer Jaydeep Bharat Thakkar, who owns Sangit Paan House on High Road in Wembley, has been prosecuted five times for selling smuggled tobacco products.
Brent Council on Friday (28) informed that Thakkar who owns Sangit Paan House on the High Road in Wembley has been been given a six month custodial sentence.
This is the fifth time in recent years that he has been prosecuted for selling illegal tobacco products which have been smuggled into the country, stated the council.
Brent Council’s Trading Standards Team raided the business owners premises after a tip-off on Thakkar's final day of his previous eight week suspended sentence.
The team not only found thousands of illegal products that Thakkar was planning to sell, but also found a new storage unit that he was using to hoard a large amount of illegal tobacco.
The products were found in the additional unit that the business had recently purchased, this is despite the business owner suggesting after his fourth sentence that he would be selling his shop and business.
Councillor Krupa Sheth, Cabinet Member for Environment and Enforcement, said, “I am thankful for this judgement as the business owner has been shown to repeatedly ignore or learn after previous sentences.
“It is so important as we enter a smoke free generation, that tobacco controls are complied with and I am so happy with the Trading Standards team for making sure that these illegal cigarettes are not being sold in Brent.
"The Council’s Trading Standards team are committed to tackling the illicit tobacco trade in Brent and will continue with targeted enforcement operations and may prosecute those involved in this illegal activity."
Councils have been doubling down on businesses selling illegal cigarette, vapes and other fake products.
Earlier this year, calls were raised to "name and shame" the businesses which have been prosecuted for selling illegal tobacco or vapes.
West Yorkshire Joint Services, which runs Trading Standards, told members of Bradford Council's Corporate Scrutiny Committee that court fines were often limited and not a deterrent and publicising businesses and people involved in criminal activities could be a more effective punishment than any fine handed out by the courts.
Nisa Local store in Cambridgeshire, Ash's Shop, owned and run by retailer Amit Puntambekar was recently visited by a local MP as he heard about the retailer's issues and contribution.
The store visit took place on Thursday (27), where Ian Sollom MP visited Nisa Local in the village Fenstanto to discuss store owner Puntambekar’s experience with retail crime and his invaluable community work.
The visit began with an introductory chat as well as a store tour, before an in-depth discussion of the following areas:
Operational costs and challenges
Ongoing incidents of shop theft and violence
The importance of investing time into developing staff
The importance of relationship building with regular customers
Over the past few months, convenience store body Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has been encouraging retailers to meet with members of parliament by inviting them to visit local shops, highlighting the important work they do for their communities and sharing what support they need from the government.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said, “We are glad to see MPs engaging with our retailers to listen to their concerns and show their interest in local issues affecting the convenience sector.
"We strongly encourage everyone to continue to conduct these store visits, as it is important to show real-life examples of local issues that affect your business so you can get the support you need."
Puntambekar has been vocal against rising cases of violent crime and abuse, challenging the general perception that shop theft is "victimless", detailing the intensity and effects of such crimes.
Earlier this year, he was left badly injured in a violent incident when he was punched in the face by a shoplifter.
Puntambekar revealed to Asian Trader at the time, "I was punched in the face by a shoplifter. I then had to detain him for 20-25 minutes until the police came out," said the retailer.
Calling for safety for retail work force, Puntambekar stated, "Shop theft is not harmless.
“It causes major psychological damage and anxiety to retail teams. More worryingly, the physical violence is abhorrent. Nobody should have to think about going to work and being attacked.”
A lifeline for more than 3,400 people of Fenstanton in Cambridgeshire, Ash’s Shop has been serving the community since 1988.
Second generation retailer Amit Puntambekar has been running the store since 2017 after taking the charge from his parents and has plans to take it to new heights.
Almost a third of online deliveries from big supermarkets such as Tesco and Aldi included a swapped item, many of which were deemed as "completely inappropriate” by the shoppers, shows a recent poll.
According to a survey by Which? 29 per cent of online grocery shoppers said they received a substitution in their most recent order, with some stating that they had received some unexpected replacements like receiving fish steaks instead of cupcakes, and sanitary towels in place of sandwich wraps.
Among the supermarkets goofing up, Asda ranks the highest with almost half of Asda shoppers receiving a replacement product in their last order, the survey suggests, and they gave the supermarket just two stars out of five for its choice of substitute items.
One customer reported receiving bananas instead of pizza, another found a roasting tin in place of roast potatoes and a third said they had been given micellar water facial cleanser instead of drinking water.
The poll found a third of Sainsbury’s customers (32 per cent) found a substitution in their latest shop, although the grocer received three stars for its selections, suggesting they were generally well-received.
Among the more bizarre examples reported to Which? were beef dog treats instead of beef steaks and leeks instead of flowers.
Among the 31 per cent of Morrisons customers sent replacement items was one who said they found sanitary towels instead of sandwich wraps and another who received fish steaks in place of lemon cupcakes.
Unlike most independent convenience stores who try to reach out to the shopper before making a swap, supermarkets tend to consider computer-generated options based on factors such as brand similarity, the price and availability.
Retailer Biren Patel, owner of Budgens Berrymoor, and Natalie Lightfoot, owner of Lodis Solo Convenience store in Scotland, are among the retailers who make sure to call the customer if he finds an item from online order out of stock.
In a recent conversation with Asian Trader, Patel explained, “We take extra care with delivery customers, like if we get an order and we don’t have one thing, we call and ask for replacements rather than removing it from list or adding something from our side.
He also added that since most of the time, such online orders are immediate need-based, he makes sure not to miss any item as it might be "a necessary ingredient of a family meal preparation".
Such personalised service is often not present at the bigger chains.
While many saw the funny side of substitutions, Which? heard from several customers who complained about receiving meat or dairy instead of vegetarian or vegan alternatives.
Some supermarkets allow customers to opt out of receiving replacement items altogether, but most will notify customers about substitutions beforehand via email or text and allow them to refuse the new item if they do not want it.
All the supermarkets in Which?’s survey allow customers to hand back unwanted substitutions to the delivery driver, or when they pick up a click and collect, and receive a refund.