Girish Jeeva (R), of Premier Barmulloch, Glasgow, and his fiancée Tharsika, with the Asian Trader Vape Convenience Retailer of the Year award Supported by BAT at the Asian Trader Awards 2022 held at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in London (Photo: Edward Lloyd/Alpha Press)
Vape has changed a lot for the convenience channel in a positive way, and Girish Jeeva, who runs the Premier Barmulloch store in Glasgow, is a trailblazing young retailer who has immersed himself in the world of vape.
After an extensive refurbishment, his store now showcases its vape offering in a beautifully merchandised three-metre display. His vape fixture was especially commended for its hygienic presentation and its flawless merchandising, winning him the Vape Convenience Retailer of the Year 2022 honour at the 34th Asian Trader Awards.
Girish is still just 29 years old, but he says that “the young bring strength, passion and drive”. He caught the retail bug at the age of 18, starting at his uncle’s forecourt. And, after working for around five years with his uncle, the entrepreneurial instinct surfaced, the urge to “start something on my own”.
He would not take the plunge immediately; instead, he went and worked for other businesses, car companies and all, to expand his knowledge. “And then at 25, I felt like it's time for me to start my own business. So I bought my first store, which is a small shop in London Road in Glasgow,” he says.
Premier Barmulloch, Glasgow
It was a run-down site, and had been closed for two years before he took over. “After taking a toll for the first year, we turned it around, and I was doing good sales, and I built my business from there.”
After three years, he expanded, buying the Barmulloch store in November 2021, which was, again, a run-down site! However, Girish sensed a lot of potential there. “At that point, I decided that I want to do a full refit, and bring in new lines, things that the shop never had before,” he explains. They managed to double the weekly sales after the refit, and one year on, the sales have further increased, settling at £55,000 to £60,000 a week.
His dad, Mohan, takes care of his first shop, as full focus is now at the Barmulloch store. “We still got potential awards to win this year,” he laughs. And, he is ably supported by his fiancée, Tharsika. “She has been part of it since the start,” he says” “She handles all the paperwork and accounts and stuff like that.”
Award sales boost
As he went on with the refit, vape was, and still is, a hot category, and he ensured the store would realise the full potential of it.
“We decided to give a three metre floor display where customers could come and have a close up, you know, feel the range,” he explains. “We have obviously been keeping the top brands, such as Elf Bars, the new Crystal Bars and Lost Marys and so on. We try to give the customer the full flavor, and always try and keep the stock level high.”
The result is that they get customers coming from really far. His promotions also help in this regard. But, he thinks winning the Vape Convenience Retailer of the Year award really clinched it for the shop.
“Before we took over the store, I think the old owner was only doing about £200 to £300 a week on the vape sales. After we changed the display, in the beginning, we were only doing about £3,000 to £4,000 sales per week. At this present time, we are now hitting – especially after winning the award – about £8,000 a week on just the vape. So, that's been a really solid increase for us,” he says.
“I personally think the award has made a difference, because obviously a lot of people recognise us for winning the award, and from last November (when the Asian Trader Awards were announced nationally) to now, our sales increased by over £4,000.”
That is a 100 per cent increase, and all the more reason to enter the Awards!
In addition to the Awards boost, Girish also benefits greatly from Asian Trader and Vape Business magazines, along with the others, to stay up to date in the ever-evolving category.
“And what we tend to do is, we always try and stock up the range that we feel like will bring customers in. So, with that massive display, we try and provide everything for all sorts of customers. And by keeping on top of it, and always talking about the trends, that helps us continue increasing the sales,” he notes.
His merchandising in-store is backed up by a comprehensive social media presence. “We have got a really active social media page where we always update prices, make customers aware of any changes and what could possibly come in and always updating product availability and so on. We do a lot of promotions and stuff like that on social media,” he adds.
‘Don’t ban display’
Vaping has attracted a lot of negative publicity of late, particularly disposables. In Scotland, the government has launched a review on single-use vapes, with a ban under consideration. The Local Government Association has called for cigarette like display restrictions and plain packaging for vapes, and health charity ASH is campaigning for a tax on disposables. Girish is understandably worried.
“To be honest, if they bring in the rules banning it or even closing the curtains on them, just like how they're doing with cigarettes, I feel like it will have a big impact, because especially, as I mentioned, what brings and what drives the sales for us, is the display that we have on the shop floor,” he explains.
“Having to sacrifice that, and closing vape like cigarettes, will obviously decrease the sales for us. It will be very difficult to handle.”
Girish says he completely disagrees with the proposals to ban disposable vapes, and even suspects it as a means to shore up the tax revenues from cigarettes.
“Don't get me wrong, there are some negative factors in terms of kids coming into vapes, because they think it's cool to just vape even though they are not smokers, I get that. But I think government is just using that reason, so they can make the money again on cigarettes,” he asserts.
Community-orientated
Girish stresses that they are community-oriented business, which he thinks is the main reason people continue to come to the store even after the pandemic, when the local stores across the country witnessed increased custom.
“We do a lot of activities with communities, and we give back a lot. Just last year, in December, we donated £400 to our local disabled children in need, who can't have a normal Christmas like everybody else,” he says.
“We want to support the community. We do events, prizes and stuff like that, and donations like this. We are part of six or seven different charity groups, which you do regular donations, and support them. So, a lot of customers see what we do. It actually drives more of them to come and support us back. We are supporting the locals, so they are supporting the local business. So obviously, that does help us a lot.”
This is especially relevant amid the cost-of-living crisis, which has been present for some time now, putting great financial stress on both consumers and businesses.
“[The crisis] has had quite a bit of impact on us,” he reveals. “Customers who find it difficult to buy the everyday essentials, because the cost is really high, they are struggling.”
And, Girish is responding by taking a margin cut. “What we have done to help them and support them is we have tried to keep the margins as low as possible,” he explains.
“Before the pandemic or before the crisis, 28 to 30 per cent margin is what we were achieving. But now I have cut that down to 25 per cent. So we have taken a hit on our margins just to support the customers. Hopefully, if it ever gets resolved, then they will see what we have done for them, and they will continue to shop with us. So yeah, try to do things like that,” he adds.
It’s a big question mark, resolving the cost-of-living crisis, but the newfound appreciation for local businesses, strengthened by the experience of the pandemic, is sure to hold him in good stead. But the immediate concern is the rising overhead costs.
“Business cost is very difficult,” he says “Electricity is the main thing, and then the staff wages are increasing. It's another impact because all the prices are going up, margins are going down, where do we find the extra money to keep up with them.”
“But then again, if we can't keep up to minimum wages, then we lose a lot of staff. Staffing is already an issue right now, let alone when the minimum wage goes up. We enjoy doing everything in the business, but things like these, in terms of business expenses and stuff is really, really unmanageable at the moment,” he admits.
Future-proofing
Girish has a thriving home-delivery offer, making use of the Snappy Shopper platform, and he says it all comes down to what sort of experience you give to customers.
“We keep the prices up to date on Snappy Shopper. We always call a customer if there is an availability issue. We always offer substitutes. My staff are trained to make sure that they give a call to every single customer to make sure that they know that they are not going to receive something or if they would like to be paid for something else. We are always doing different sort of offers to engage customers to order more from us. So the delivery side of things has helped us a lot,” he explains.
“But again, it all comes down to how well you maintain the customer service. Because any store could offer the service, but it's up to us to make sure that customers are coming back and reordering from us.”
Social media is a key part of growing the business to the next stage. “Because once you maximise the area you are in, you are going to get more customers coming in,” he notes.
He says retailers need to treat social media just the way they treat their store. “If you're in the store, how much it is important for you to have your shelves full, your fridges full, social media is just as important. If you put the time into thinking, this is part of what you should be doing, that will drive the sales a lot more,” he says.
And, finally, he emphasises that partial measures are no help if you are looking to take your store to the next level.
“The one recommendation I'll give anyone is, if you are planning to do a refit, you have to go all out, you have to do the full launch, you can't say I'm going to do just the vape category or the refresh category, you need to do a full refit for you to see a return in your investment and for a change in your sales,” he says.
“If someone feels like they don't want to go all out, I’d recommend them not to do the refit at all, because if you decide you are only going to invest £50,000 where you are supposed to invest like £100,000, you are going to see no change at all. So you either spend £100,000 or not spend anything at all.”
It’s a bold approach, but one that has served Girish well.
The UK retail sector is bracing for a challenging but opportunity-filled 2025, according to Jacqui Baker, head of retail at RSM UK. While the industry grapples with rising costs and heightened crime, advancements in artificial intelligence and a revival of the high street offer potential pathways to growth, she said.
The latest Budget delivered a tough blow to the retail sector, exacerbating existing financial pressures. Retailers, who already shoulder a significant portion of business rates and rely heavily on a large workforce, face increased costs from rising employers’ National Insurance Contributions.
“Higher costs will also eat into available funds for future pay rises, benefits or pension contributions – hitting retailers’ cashflow in the short term and employees’ remuneration in the longer term,” Baker said.
“Retailers must get creative to manage their margins and attract footfall and spend, plus think outside the box to incentivise employees if they’re to hold onto talented staff.”
On the brighter side, falling inflation and lower interest rates could ease operational costs and restore consumer confidence, potentially driving retail spending upward.
High street resurgence
Consumers’ shopping habits are evolving, with a hybrid approach blending online and in-store purchases. According to RSM UK’s Consumer Outlook, 46 per cent of consumers prefer in-store shopping for weekly purchases, compared to 29 per cent for online, but the preference shifts to 47 per cent for online shopping for monthly buys and to 29 per cent for in-store. The most important in-store aspect for consumers was ease of finding products (59%), versus convenience (37%) for online.
“Tactile shopping experiences remain an integral part of the purchase journey for shoppers, so retailers need to prioritise convenience and the opportunity for discovery to bring consumers back to the high street,” Baker noted.
The government’s initiative to auction empty shops is expected to make brick-and-mortar stores more accessible to smaller, independent retailers, further boosting high street revival, she added.
A security guard stands in the doorway of a store in the Oxford Street retail area on December 13, 2024 in London, EnglandPhoto by Leon Neal/Getty Images
Meanwhile, retail crime, exacerbated by cost-of-living pressures, remains a significant concern, with shoplifting incidents reaching record highs. From organised social media-driven thefts to fraudulent delivery claims, the methods are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
“Crime has a knock-on effect on both margins and staff morale, so while the government is cracking down on retail crime, retailers also have a part to play by investing in data to prevent and detect theft,” Baker said.
“Data is extremely powerful in minimising losses and improving the overall operational efficiency of the business.”
AI as a game-changer
Artificial intelligence is emerging as a transformative force for the retail sector. From personalised product recommendations and inventory optimisation to immersive augmented reality experiences, AI is reshaping the shopping landscape.
“AI will undoubtedly become even more sophisticated over time, creating immersive and interactive experiences that bridge the gap between online and in-store. Emerging trends include hyper-personalisation throughout the entire shopping journey, autonomous stores and checkouts, and enhanced augmented reality experiences to “try” products before buying,” she said, adding that AI will be a “transformative investment” that determines the long-term viability of retail businesses.
The Amazon Fresh store in Ealing, LondonPhoto: Amazon
As financial pressures ease, sustainability is climbing up the consumer agenda. RSM’s Consumer Outlook found 46 per cent would pay more for products that are sustainably sourced, up from 28 per cent last year; while 44 per cent would pay more for products with environmentally friendly packaging, compared to 36 per cent last year.
“However, ESG concerns vary depending on age and income, holding greater importance among high earners and millennials. With financial pressures expected to continue easing next year, we anticipate a renewal of sustainability and environmentally conscious spending habits,” Baker noted.
“Retailers ought to tap into this by understanding the preferences of different demographics and most importantly, their target market.”
Southend-on-Sea City Council officials have secured food condemnation orders from Chelmsford Magistrates Court, resulting in the seizure and destruction of 1,100 unauthorised soft drinks.
The condemned drinks, including Mountain Dew, 7-UP, Mirinda, and G Fuel energy drinks, were found during routine inspections of food businesses across Southend by the council’s environmental health officers.
Council said these products contained either banned additives like Calcium Disodium EDTA or unauthorised novel ingredients such as Potassium Beta-hydroxybutyrate.
Calcium Disodium EDTA has been linked to potential reproductive and developmental effects and may contribute to colon cancer, according to some studies. Potassium Beta-hydroxybutyrate has not undergone safety assessments, making its inclusion in food products unlawful.
Independent analysis certified that the drinks failed to meet UK food safety standards. Magistrates ordered their destruction and ruled that the council's costs, expected to total close to £2,000, be recovered from the businesses involved.
“These products, clearly marketed towards children, contain banned or unauthorised ingredients. Southend-on-Sea City Council will always take action to protect the public, using enforcement powers to ensure unsafe products are removed from sale,” Cllr Kevin Robinson, cabinet member for regeneration, major projects, and regulatory services, said.
“As Christmas approaches, we hope this sends a strong message to businesses importing or selling such products: they risk significant costs and possible prosecution.”
The council urged residents to check labels when purchasing imported sweets and drinks, ensuring they include English-language details and a UK importer's address.
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A customer browses clothes inside Charity Super.Mkt at Brent Cross Shopping centre in north London on, December 17, 2024
Bursting with customers one afternoon the week before Christmas, a second-hand charity shop in London's Marylebone High Street looked even busier than the upscale retailers surrounding it.
One man grabbed two puzzle sets and a giant plush toy as a present for friends, another picked out a notebook for his wife.
“Since the end of September, we've seen a huge uplift in people coming to our shops and shopping pre-loved,” said Ollie Mead, who oversees the shop displays - currently glittering with Christmas decorations - for Oxfam charity stores around London.
At the chain of second-hand stores run by the British charity, shoppers can find used, or "pre-loved", toys, books, bric-a-brac and clothes for a fraction of the price of new items.
Popular for personal shopping, charity stores and online second-hand retailers are seeing an unlikely surge in interest for Christmas gifts, a time of year often criticised for promoting consumerism and generating waste.
A report last month by second-hand retail platform Vinted and consultants RetailEconomics found UK customers were set to spend £2 billion on second-hand Christmas gifts this year, around 10 per cent of the £20 billion Christmas gift market.
A woman browses some of the Christmas gift ideas in a store on December 13, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images
In an Oxfam survey last year, 33 per cent were going to buy second-hand gifts for Christmas, up from 25 percent in 2021.
“This shift is evident on Vinted,” Adam Jay, Vinted's marketplace CEO, told AFP.
“We've observed an increase in UK members searching for 'gift' between October and December compared to the same period last year.”
According to Mead, who has gifted second-hand items for the last three Christmas seasons, sustainability concerns and cost-of-living pressures are “huge factors”.
Skimming the racks at the central London store, doctor Ed Burdett found a keychain and notebook for his wife.
“We're saving up at the moment, and she likes to give things another life. So it'll be the perfect thing for her,” Burdett, 50, told AFP.
“It's nice to spend less, and to know that it goes to a good place rather than to a high street shop.”
'Quirky, weird
Wayne Hemingway, designer and co-founder of Charity Super.Mkt, a brand which aims to put charity shops in empty shopping centres and high street spaces, has himself given second-hand Christmas gifts for “many, many years”.
“When I first started doing it, it was classed as quirky and weird,” he said, adding it was now going more “mainstream”.
Similarly, when he first started selling second-hand clothes over 40 years ago, “at Christmas your sales always nosedive(d) because everybody wanted new”.
Now, however, “we are seeing an increase at Christmas sales just like a new shop would”, Hemingway told AFP.
“Last weekend sales were crazy, the shop was mobbed,” he said, adding all his stores had seen a 20-percent higher than expected rise in sales in the weeks before Christmas.
“Things are changing for the better... It's gone from second-hand not being what you do at Christmas, to part of what you do.”
Young people are driving the trend by making more conscious fashion choices, and with a commitment to a “circular economy” and to “the idea of giving back (in) a society that is being more generous and fair,” he said.
At the store till, 56-year-old Jennifer Odibo was unconvinced.
Buying herself a striking orange jacket, she said she “loves vintage”.
But for most people, she confessed she would not get a used gift. “Christmas is special, it needs to be something they would cherish, something new,” said Odibo.
“For Christmas, I'll go and buy something nice, either at Selfridges or Fenwick,” she added, listing two iconic British department stores.
Hemingway conceded some shoppers “feel that people expect something new” at Christmas.
“We're on a journey. The world is on a journey, but it's got a long way to go,” he added.
According to Tetyana Solovey, a sociology researcher at the University of Manchester, “for some people, it could be a bit weird to celebrate it (Christmas) with reusing.”
“But it could be a shift in consciousness if we might be able to celebrate the new year by giving a second life to something,” Solovey told AFP.
“That could be a very sustainable approach to Christmas, which I think is quite wonderful.”
Lancashire Mind’s 11th Mental Elf fun run was its biggest and best yet – a sell-out event with more than 400 people running and walking in aid of the mental charity, plus dozens more volunteering to make the day a huge success.
The winter sun shone on Worden Park in Leyland as families gathered for either a 5K course, a 2K run, or a Challenge Yours’Elf distance which saw many people running 10K with the usual running gear replaced with jazzy elf leggings, tinsel and Christmas hats.
And now the pennies have been counted, Lancashire Mind has announced that the event raised a fantastic £17,000.
This amount of money allows Lancashire Mind to deliver, for example, its 10-week Bounce Forward resilience programme in eight schools, reaching more than 240 children with skills and strategies that they can carry with them throughout their lives, making them more likely to ‘bounce forward’ through tough times.
The event was headline sponsored by SPAR for a third year through its association with James Hall & Co. Ltd, SPAR UK’s primary retailer, wholesaler, and distributor for the North of England.
“On behalf of the entire team at Lancashire Mind, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the 400+ incredible participants who joined us for Mental Elf 2024!” said Organiser Nicola Tomkins, Community and Events Fundraiser at Lancashire Mind.
“Your support, energy and commitment to raising awareness for mental health makes all the difference. Together, we've taken another important step towards breaking the stigma around mental health and promoting wellbeing for all in our community. We couldn't have done it without you!”
Worden Hall became the hub of the event where people could enjoy music from the Worldwise Samba Drummers and BBC stars Jasmine and Gabriella T, plus lots of family friendly activities and a chance to meet Father Christmas. Pets also got in on the act in the best dressed dog competition.
Lancashire Mind CEO David Dunwell said: “It was heart-warming day, full of community spirit and festive cheer, but with a serious aim to raise funds for mental health.
“We are so grateful to everyone who bought a ticket and fundraised or donated to help us smash our target. The money raised goes directly to supporting Lancashire Mind’s life-changing mental health services. These funds help provide wellbeing coaching, support groups, and educational programmes to individuals and families in need of mental health support in our community.”
The concept of Mental Elf was created by Lancashire Mind and news of the event has spread right across the country in recent years, with around 40 other local Mind charities hosting a similar event in 2024.
Lancashire schools were also encouraged to host their own Mental Elf-themed event this year, whether that was a run, bake sale or dress up day, and raised more than £1,000 in total.
Philippa Harrington, Marketing Manager at James Hall & Co. Ltd, said: “There was a lovely festive feel in the air at Mental Elf and we were delighted to see even more individuals, families, and canine companions taking part in its new home of Worden Park.
“We are also very pleased to see the uptake that Mental Elf has had in schools, and congratulations go to the Lancashire Mind team for taking it to new participants and for raising a fantastic amount of money for an important cause.”
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A woman walks past a window display promoting an ongoing sale, on December 13, 2024 in London, England.
UK retail sales rose less than expected in the runup to Christmas, according to official data Friday that deals a fresh blow to government hopes of growing the economy.
Separate figures revealed a temporary reprieve for prime minister Keir Starmer, however, as public borrowing fell sharply in November.
The updates follow news this week of higher inflation in Britain - an outcome that caused the Bank of England on Thursday to leave interest rates unchanged.
Retail sales by volume grew 0.2 per cent in November after a drop of 0.7 per cent in October, the Office for National Statistics said Friday.
That was less than analysts' consensus for a 0.5-percent gain.
"It is critical delayed spending materialises this Christmas to mitigate the poor start to retail's all-important festive season," noted Nicholas Found, senior consultant at Retail Economics.
"However, cautiousness lingers, slowing momentum in the economy. Households continue to adjust to higher prices (and) elevated interest rates."
He added that consumers were focused on buying "carefully timed promotions and essentials, while deferring bigger purchases".
The ONS reported that supermarkets benefited from higher food sales.
"Clothing stores sales dipped sharply once again, as retailers reported tough trading conditions," said Hannah Finselbach, senior statistician at the ONS.
Retail sales rose 0.2% in November 2024, following a fall of 0.7% in October 2024.
Growth in supermarkets and other non-food stores was partly offset by a fall in clothing retailers.
The Labour government's net borrowing meanwhile dropped to £11.2 billion last month, the lowest November figure in three years on higher tax receipts and lower debt-interest, the ONS added.
The figure had been £18.2 billion in October.
"Borrowing remains subject to upside risks... due to sticky interest rates, driven by markets repricing for fewer cuts in 2025," forecast Elliott Jordan-Doak, senior UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.
Jacqui Baker, head of retail at RSM UK and chair of ICAEW’s Retail Group, commented that the later than usual Black Friday weekend meant November’s retail sales figures saw only a slight uptick as cost-conscious consumers held off to bag a bargain.
“Despite many retailers launching Black Friday offers early, November trade got off to a slow start which dragged on for most of the month. This was driven by clothing which fell to its lowest level since January 2022. The only saving grace was half-term and Halloween spending helped to slightly offset disappointing sales throughout November,” Baker said.
“As consumer confidence continues to build and shoppers return to the high street, this should translate into more retail spending next year. However, there are big challenges coming down the track for the sector, so retailers will be banking on a consumer-led recovery to come to fruition so they can combat a surge in costs.”
Thomas Pugh, economist at RSM UK, added: “The tick up in retail sales volumes in November suggests that the stagnation which has gripped the UK economy since the summer continued into the final months of the year.
“While the recent strong pay growth numbers may make the Bank of England uncomfortable, it means that real incomes are growing at just under 3 per cent, which suggests consumer spending should gradually rise next year. However, consumers remain extremely cautious. The very sharp drop in clothing sales in particular could suggest that consumers are cutting back on non-essential purchases.
“We still expect a rise in consumer spending next year, due to strong wage growth and a gradual decline in the saving rate, to help drive an acceleration in GDP growth. But the risks are clearly building that cautious consumers choose to save rather than spend increases in income, raising the risk of weaker growth continuing through the first half of next year.”