Many of UK's supermarket chains like Waitrose, Morrisons and Co-op, have been turning down their lights and upgrading their freezer section in an effort to bring down soaring energy bills, stated recent reports.
As energy bill relief scheme approaches its end, supermarkets across the country as seen leaving no store unturned to reduce their energy bill. According to a report by Daily Mail, Waitrose is upgrading its fridges to make them 40 per cent more efficient while Aldi is fitting see-through doors to fridges to maintain low temperatures with the minimum energy costs.
Some shops are achieving lower energy use by upgrading to LED lighting. By using them instead of traditional fluorescent lightstrips and bulbs, electricity use can be cut by 80 per cent.
Sainsbury’s has switched to LED lights in its stores, and also uses smart sensors to adjust their brightness depending on the level of natural light coming in. They are also turned off at night when they’re not needed.
Most Halfords stores now have LED lights and Superdrug is moving that way, too. Moreover, local councils are turning to LED street lights to economise.
Somerset County Council, for example, changed 20,000 lights, saving an estimated £160,000 a year in energy costs.
Bigger supermarkets, where such doors on fridges often do not work, are using blinds that keep the cold air in overnight. Morrisons is already using this measure while Waitrose is considering it.
Supermarkets alone use three per cent of all electricity in the UK. Iceland, which specialises in frozen food, has already warned that its power bill is set to double.
In its recent effort in the battle for the middle-class grocery shopper, supermarket Waitrose is once again is bringing back free hot
coffee to entice shoppers into its stores.
After outrage over the withdrawal of the offer during the pandemic, the company told the 9 million members on its My Waitrose loyalty scheme that they would again be entitled to a complimentary americano, cappuccino, latte or tea once a day regardless of whether they bought anything – as long as they have their own reusable cup.
"“Some of our My Waitrose members like to have the free coffee before they shop or during the shop, rather than afterwards, so we are just offering a bit of flexibility in response to customer feedback," stated the supermarket.
When Waitrose introduced the perk in 2013, there were queues at coffee stations and complaints from customers that the offer was attracting the “wrong type of shopper”.
In 2017, the supermarket tweaked the policy by making it compulsory for shoppers to buy something before pouring themselves a free hot drink. A year later, the supermarket stopped providing disposable cups, requiring customers to bring in their own reusable ones.
The scheme was scrapped during the Covid crisis, but reintroduced in November 2022 – again for customers making a purchases.
Waitrose also offered hot drinks to the police "as part of an initiative to cut down on shoplifting".
When it was introduced in August 2023, West Mercia Police Federation secretary Pete Nightingale said, "It makes sense from a business perspective because any police presence is bound to have an impact - either as a reassurance for shoppers or a deterrent for shoplifters."
The move is seen as a power grab by the retailer – which has more than 400 stores across the UK – after it lost ground to M&S. Waitrose has been overtaken by M&S for the first time outside Christmas trading, according to the latest market share data from Kantar.
In the last four weeks to 3 November, M&S increased its market share to 4.03% of the grocery market, compared with 3.76 per cent a year earlier.
Waitrose’s share fell from 4.02 per cent to 3.91 per cent. It also enjoyed the biggest jump in sales among all the big supermarket groups during the period.
A Leeds criminal, who robbed a convenience shop in Armley at knife point to raise money to pay off his girlfriend's drug debts, has been jailed.
According to recent reports, Lance Mace has been made the subject of an extended sentence following the robbery in Armley in November last year.
His Honour Simon Batiste made Mace the subject of an extended sentence made up of four years in custody and an extended licence period of two years.
Leeds Crown Court heard on Tuesday (21) that Mace had been in earlier in the day to try and sell stolen items to the shop assistant he later robbed.
Prosecutor Philip Adams told Leeds Crown Court, "The shop theft took place at a pharmacy in Armley. He entered with another man and he went to a display of cold and flu remedies and pain relief and entered the contents into a bag for life and then did the same at the cosmetics shelf.
"Another man was doing the same. They were challenged by staff but they left. He was recognised by a staff member at the time as he had done the same thing before.
"He produced a small kitchen knife and demanded bank notes from the till. The man backed away and the defendant came around and held the knife towards him while repeating his demands.
"The complainant said he couldn't open the till or refused to and the defendant took bottles of alcohol of the value of £37 before leaving the shop.
"In a victim personal statement dated the 24th November, he [the victim] said he as shocked at the time. He says he is ok living and working in the area but he would feel anxious if he was to see him [Mace] again.
"The defendant was recognised by officers on security footage at the shop."
Adams said the 36-year-old had previous convictions on his record for wounding, battery, burglary, threatening behaviour, assault by penetration and attempted rape.
A leading Nisa retailer, who was left badly injured in a recent violent shoplifting incident in his store, has issued a passionate plea for greater protection and support for retail staff, shedding light on the grim reality faced by retail workers across the UK.
Retailer Amit Puntambekar who owns and runs Ash's Shop Nisa Local in Fenstanton in Cambridgeshire has challenged the general perception that shop theft is "victimless", detailing the intensity and effects of such crimes.
Puntambekar revealed to Asian Trader that a shoplifter recently targeted his store. On being confronted, the man became aggressive and punched him in the face, leaving him with a laceration below his eye.
"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.
Despite the injury, the retailer returned to work the same day to monitor CCTV and ensure his team’s safety.
Calling for safety for retail work force, Puntambekar shared on social media, "Shop theft is not harmless,” he wrote.
“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.”
The retailer highlighted the growing boldness of shoplifters since the pandemic, citing lax enforcement and a sense of impunity as contributing factors.
“These criminals are habitual offenders, they do not care about the law. What has become more common to retail workers is abuse, and violence. As shop theft doesn’t get tended to, these criminals are pushing the boundaries.,” he explained.
"18 per cent of retail workers have faced assault, a number I fear, is significantly higher than being reported. 70 per cent of my retail colleagues across the country faced verbal abuse, again a number I believe is probably much higher."
Puntambekar further added that his concerns about the psychological and physical toll on retail workers, emphasising the need for a cultural shift in how shop theft is perceived.
It’s time to change the narrative on these criminals, they are not innocent. They are willing to commit a level of violence which the average person cannot comprehend.
"Retail and service workers need more protection urgently, they need support across different industries to drive this change. The first item that needs to change is the perception that shop theft is victimless.
Despite his ordeal, the retailer reaffirmed his love for his job and the positive impact his business has on the community.
His store supports Special Educational Needs (SEN) groups, social clubs for the elderly, local sports teams, and schools. As a parish council member, he is deeply invested in giving back.
“Retailers across the country do incredible things every day. Their teams work hard every day. They deserve a safe space to work. We shouldn’t wake up knowing that we could be attacked,” he concluded.
The post has sparked conversations across the retail community, with many calling for urgent action to better protect retail and service workers.
Nisa Local Torridon Road in South London has seen a remarkable 30% increase in chilled sales, thanks to the addition of Co-op ready meals to its range.
The store’s owner, Kaual Patel, credits the uplift of £6,000 per week in chilled product sales to the quality and appeal of the Co-op range and the store’s recent refurbishment.
Kaual said, “In November 2022, we refurbished the store and added significant chiller space, which allowed us to take full advantage of the Co-op ready-meal range.
"Since then, we’ve seen an uplift in sales of at least 25% to 30%, amounting to around £6,000 a week.“
The chillers are now our biggest department, stocked with everything from fresh soups to pizzas, curries, and takeaway-style meals. This has made a huge impact, allowing us to compete against larger chains in a way we couldn’t before.
“Our customers are drawn to the quality of the ready meals, with multi-buy offers like two-for-one pizzas being especially popular. The chilled range has even overtaken alcohol and tobacco sales, which is great for our margins.”
Convenience plays a major role in the success of this category.
“Many of our customers lead busy lives and appreciate being able to grab a fresh, high-quality meal they can prepare in minutes. The Co-op brand is iconic and trusted, offering a variety of seasonal and Fairtrade products that inspire consumer confidence,” Kaual added.
The success of Co-op ready meals is evident across the Nisa network, with 54% of retailers now stocking the range. Co-op own branded products are not only high-quality and made with 100% British meat, but are also ethically sourced, supporting Fairtrade and sustainable farming practices, ensuring customers can enjoy their meals with confidence in the quality and integrity of every product.
Jayne Brown, Co-op Brand Planning and Comms Manager at Nisa, commented: “Kaual’s story demonstrates the incredible potential of the Co-op ready meal range. The products are not only high-quality but also meet the evolving needs of today’s consumers for convenience and variety."
Seeing Kaual’s chilled section outperform traditional categories like alcohol and tobacco is a testament to the power of great branding and strong margins.”
With its ability to drive footfall, increase sales, and deliver outstanding customer satisfaction, the Co-op ready meal range is proving to be a game-changer for retailers like Nisa Local Torridon Road.
Premier Foods reported robust sales of its host of well-known brands during the Christmas period and is now forecasting that its annual profit will come in at the upper end of analysts’ expectations.
During its third quarter to 28 December, the group saw its total sales grow by 3.1 per cent, driven by branded sales that increased by 4.6 per cent. After recent investments in innovation and promotional pricing, its performance was driven by volume growth, which was 7 per cent for its branded lines.
The group’s Grocery division saw overall sales increase by 2.2 per cent after branded growth of 3.5 per cent offset a 9.3 per cent fall in non-branded.
Premier Foods noted that its premium Ambrosia Deluxe and Bisto Best ranges performed well as consumers traded up over the Christmas period, while its Loyd Grossman cooking sauces delivered sales growth after benefitting from the roll-out of new lines.
The group’s recently acquired brands grew double-digit, helped by new product launches by The Spice Tailor and FUEL10K.
Meanwhile, Premier Foods said that non-branded sales had declined mainly due to the exit of some lower-margin contracts.
The group’s Sweet Treats division reported strong volume-led branded revenue growth of 8.9 per cent , with both its Mr Kipling and Cadbury ranges said to have grown faster than the market. Non-branded Sweet Treats sales were in line with the same period a year ago.
Premier Foods overseas businesses enjoyed another strong quarter, with sales climbing 29 per cent after its brands saw double-digit growth in all target regions.
“We are pleased to report another very good quarter of volume-led branded revenue growth, accompanied by further market share gains, as our branded growth model continues to deliver well for us,” said Chief Executive Alex Whitehouse.
He noted that the business had benefitted from consumers trading up and treating themselves in recent months after cost of living pressures started to ease for some people.
Whitehouse concluded, “Having delivered very good volume led, branded revenue growth in our key third quarter, we’re now guiding trading profit to the upper end of expectations for this financial year.
As we look to the rest of FY24-25 and to the medium term, we expect to deliver further progress as we continue to execute against our five pillar growth strategy.”