SPAR UK has delivered a landmark one million pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to Marie Curie nurses, as part of their innovative ‘PPE Click & Collect Service’.
As Marie Curie nurses have relied on PPE to continue delivering vital care to terminally ill people throughout the pandemic, SPAR UK has helped its national charity partner by transporting PPE around the UK and enabling staff to pick it up from their local SPAR store.
Across the South West and North of England, Marie Curie nurses use an average of 118,000 pieces of PPE a week.
Thanks to the support provided by SPAR wholesalers James Hall & Co. and Appleby Westward, Marie Curie nurses have been able to collect their PPE, including face masks, aprons, gloves, visors, goggles, and hand sanitiser from their local SPAR store.
Flora Snape, Marie Curie Healthcare Assistant, has worked for the charity for eight years and can travel anything up to 25 miles one way from home. Flora said: “It’s a real privilege to care for people at the end of life and support families during a very difficult time. PPE is vital for us to continue delivering vital care during the pandemic.”
“I’m so happy that I could pop into my local SPAR and pick up my PPE, rather than waiting for it to arrive in the post. I’ve been able to do a bit of shopping at the same time, which is very convenient for me and my colleagues. At a time when coronavirus has had, and continues to have, a devastating impact on our fundraising and income, this initiative from SPAR UK has helped the charity save vital funds. So, on behalf of the nursing service, I would like to say a big thank-you to SPAR for making this possible.”
Peter Dodding, sales and marketing director for SPAR’s wholesaler James Hall & Co in the North of England, said: “We feel incredibly privileged to be partnered with Marie Curie and to have played a small part in helping their community nurses continue such essential care during this difficult time. Thank you to our independent SPAR retailers and company owned SPAR stories for making this possible.”
Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service on Friday (14) issued an advisory for retailers to act now in advance of the ban on disposable vapes that comes into force from June this year.
Retailers should now consider stopping buying new stocks of single use vapes and sell any existing stocks before June 1.
Warwickshire County Councillor Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said,“Disposable vapes, also known as single use vapes, are a wasteful use of valuable resources.
"They are frequently discarded, instead of being properly recycled, leading to harmful substances entering the soil and water courses and causing harm to plant and wildlife”.
“Many single use vapes also end up in landfill or are incinerated, which can cause fires. I strongly urge Warwickshire retailers to read our guidance and act now.”
The council stated that from June 1, retailers must stop selling or offering for sale single use vapes (whether or not they contain nicotine), remove them from their store (including online stores) and arrange for them to be collected by a registered vape recycling service.
Retailers who fail to follow the law and continue to sell disposable vapes after the ban face having these products seized by Trading Standards and could be fined £200. Repeat offenders could be prosecuted.
Retailers can continue to sell reusable vapes.
Reusable vapes must have a battery users can recharge and be refillable with vape liquid, either by filling up the tank or cartridge with e-liquid or inserting new pre-filled pods. Refills (pods or vape liquid refill bottles) should be separately available for users to buy.
If the vape has a coil, it must be one that can be replaced by an average user, either by removing and replacing it or removing and replacing a pod or tank that contains it.
The coil (whether part of a replacement pod or tank, or not) should be separately available to buy.
Retailers will need to be able to demonstrate that an average user can separately buy individual refill items (including pods or e-liquid refill bottles) for the vaping items they stock. An easy way of doing this is by providing these items in the shop or online store.
A convenience store owner in Stoke-on-Trent has been sentenced following a crackdown on illegal tobacco by the partnership working between Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Trading Standards team and Staffordshire Police.
Ismail Mohammed, who ran Waterloo Stores at 80 Waterloo Road, Burslem, received a nine-month suspended sentence, 100 hours of unpaid work, and had his tobacco and cash seized.
The sentencing took place last week at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, following Mohammed’s conviction in July last year.
He pleaded guilty to the possession of criminal property (£6,310 in cash) and to entering into an arrangement to acquire, use, or control criminal property – in this case counterfeit and non-duty-paid tobacco.
It follows a successful investigation which began in 2019, into illegal tobacco sales at the shop, leading to a raid on residential properties in Hanley.
Officers seized 1,390 packs of illegal cigarettes and £17,000 in cash. Undercover test purchases also confirmed illegal tobacco sales at the Waterloo Road store.
Councillor Amjid Wazir OBE, cabinet member for city pride, enforcement and sustainability at Stoke-on-Trent City Council said, “This case is another great example of partnership work making Stoke-on-Trent a safer place.
"The work carried out by our Trading Standards team sends a clear message—illegal tobacco sales will not be tolerated. Those involved in the storage, distribution, or sale of illicit tobacco will face serious consequences.
“The trade in illegal tobacco harms legitimate businesses, provides a cheap source of cigarettes for children and young people, and undermines efforts to reduce smoking rates. Illegal tobacco sales are also often linked to wider criminal activity.
“Our message is clear, those engaging in crime will be held accountable. We are committed to making Stoke-on-Trent a greener, fairer, cleaner, and safer city for all.”
Inspector Victoria Ison, from the Stoke North local policing team, said: “We are pleased to support the local authority and Trading Standards in their work to disrupt the sale of illegal tobacco and cigarettes.
“These items not only risk public health, but also have a significant impact on legitimate sellers and local businesses who are operating within the law.
“We hope the outcome reassures the community we are committed to working with partners to tackle this issue and associated criminality.”
Mohammed had previously been prosecuted for selling counterfeit cigarettes at another Stoke-on-Trent shop, where he was fined.
Children in Year Four at Ashton Primary School in Preston have baked heart-shaped shortbreads dipped in chocolate and have donated them to residents at Abraham House, Marina View, and Swansea Terrace.
The tasty treats were well received by residents and the project has supported the children to develop new skills and broaden their awareness of the community around them.
Ingredients were supplied by James Hall & Co. Ltd, together with a SPAR recipe card, which was put together with help from the University of Central Lancashire’s Dietetics department.
The initiative is part of a longer-term project with multiple partners working together across the academic year which is aiming to support Ashton Primary School in a range of areas.
These including knowledge development with children and families, supporting the school to become more self-sufficient with food supply, and increasing the connection between the school and the community around them.
“Baking shortbread has been a labour of love," said Michelle Harrison-Baines, Year Four teacher at Ashton Primary School. "The children adored the process of donning aprons and getting out the mixing bowls and rolling pins to produce the heart shaped biscuits.
“It was a lovely opportunity to coincide with Valentine’s Day, and it was brilliant for the children to see the smiles on the faces of the residents when we arrived at each of the homes.”
Katie Atherton, Trading Manager at James Hall & Co. Ltd, said: “We have enjoyed every one of the opportunities we have done supporting Ashton Primary School this academic year, but I think the Valentine’s Day baking session has been the most heart-warming yet.
“As a proud Preston-based family business with family values, we are pleased to be supporting skills development within children and helping the school build a connection with the community, which is what we do at SPAR.”
A good majority of Brits likes to support small businesses all the year round, shows a recent survey, suggesting affection for the UK’s small businesses remains strong.
According to a recent from American Express based on the survey of 2,000 adults, two-thirds (63 per cent) of consumers believe it is important to support small independent businesses all year round, and not just during seasonal peaks like Small Business Saturday, which in 2024 saw a collective £634m spent in-store and online.
Consumers highlighted various reasons why they would continue shopping small, including how these businesses boost the appeal of their local high street (53 per cent); the personalised experience they enjoy when shopping (50 per cent); and a desire to support their local community (43 per cent).
Brits will be taking an increasingly savvy approach to their spending, the research found.
Half (50 per cent) of all respondents say they will buy from alternative retailers if they feel they can get a better deal elsewhere, with a third (33 per cent) stating they would be encouraged to do so by specific offers.
Shoppers plan to lean into ways of achieving greater value for money this year, compared to last; buying pre-loved items, maximising seasonal sales, and using payment cards that offer rewards and points on their purchases were among the top ranked tactics.
Furthermore, Gen Z and Millennial shoppers ranked as the most thorough when it comes to their research before spending, particularly if planning to purchase big ticket items like furniture. Almost three quarters (73 per cent) of this age group said they either always or sometimes seek recommendations in advance.
Dan Edelman, UK general manager, merchant services at American Express, said, “The one guarantee with retail is that it never stands still, and it’s the retailers who best meet ever-evolving customer expectations that will succeed.
"Our research identifies some distinct priorities that are likely to influence consumer spending behaviour in the months ahead.
“For small businesses, it’s hugely positive to see continued recognition of, and affinity for, shopping small highlighted by the research.
"Small businesses pride themselves on the unique experiences and service they offer, something that clearly appeals to consumers.”
Plants, a UK-based health-food brand and business set up by Deliciously Ella founder Ella Mills, has acquired the Allplants assets from administration.
According to a statement signed off my Mills and her husband Matthew, Plants has bought Allplants “name and associated brand assets”.
London-based Allplants was put into the hands of advisory firm Interpath in November, resulting in 65 staff losing their jobs.
At the time, Interpath said, “In common with a number of other companies across the plant-based food sector, the company had faced trading headwinds in recent years, including rising food, transport and energy costs and the impact of fragile consumer confidence in the wake of the cost-of-living crisis.
“After a period of sustained losses, the directors sought to explore their strategic options, including exploring the possibility of a sale or refinancing. However, when a solvent solution could not be found, they took the difficult decision to seek the appointment of administrators.”
Financial terms of the asset transfer to Plants have not been disclosed.
In the same statement, Natasha Harbinson, a director at Interpath who led the transaction, said, “The Allplants brand had grown to become synonymous with ethically-produced, healthy, plant-based nutrition, so we’re pleased to have concluded this transaction which will enable it to continue under the direction of the experienced Plants’ team.”
Founded in 2016 by Jonathan Petrides, Allplants produced frozen vegan meals, mainly sold online but also in select independent retailers.
Plants, meanwhile, offers pasta, pasta sauces and salad dressings, which are selectively sold in Waitrose and online with Ocado..
“We will bring together Plants and Allplants to create something truly special - a new, natural, plant-based powerhouse,” the Mills duo said.
“We have long admired the Allplants brand, and the brand name has remarkable consumer awareness across the UK.
“We are pleased to have signed an agreement to specifically acquire the brand name and associated brand assets, and we’re so excited to build an exciting future for this brand with such enormous promise.”
The Mills family no longer owns Deliciously Ella. It was sold in September to the Hero Group, a Swiss manufacturer of health-focused baby foods, snack bars and spreads, for an undisclosed sum, but Mills remains its CEO.