Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Wholesalers respond to King's Speech, want more clarification

Wholesalers respond to King's Speech, want more clarification
iStock image
Getty Images

A leading wholesalers association has welcomed the bills and policies proposed in the King's Speech today (17), expressing further clarification on some issues.

According to Federation of Wholesale Distributors, some of the announcements will directly affect the wholesale sector, not least the Crime and Policing Bill, Growth and Skills Levy and smoking ban.


Reacting on the announcement, FWD CEO James Bielby shared his thoughts, "FWD welcomes the announcement of a Crime and Policing Bill which will give the police more powers to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. FWD calls on the government to ensure that the standalone offence for assaulting or abusing a shop worker extends to wholesale workers. We look forward to working closely with the government on this.”

On smoking ban, Bielby stated thatfurther details are still awaited on the government’s generational smoking ban and FWD will be seeking to ensure that the Bill works for wholesale with an "exemption for business-to-business sales to allow retailer workers to purchase tobacco from their wholesalers, whatever their age".

Bielby further welcomed commitment from the government to introduce a Skills England Bill which will reform the Apprenticeship Levy into a wider Growth and Skills Levy.

He said, "At present, limitations are restricting businesses like ours from using funds for a broad spectrum of training initiatives aligned to the requirements of our workforce. We look forward to working with Skills England – the new body that will manage the Levy – to ensure the needs of the wholesale sector are taken forward.”

In reference to Net zero announcements, Bielby stated that FWD members are committed to achieving net zero by 2040, a whole decade ahead of the government’s targets.

"We’ve already seen movement in the right direction with the removal of the onshore wind ban, and we welcome Labour’s intention to create Great British Energy. Our sector has shown that we are prepared to lead the net zero transition if the government is prepared to create a supportive environment to unlock private investment and bolster our ambition," he said.

On workers’ rights, Bielby welcomed the government’s decision to consult with business on their wide-ranging proposals.

"The wholesale sector is the backbone of the UK’s food and drink sector, employing 70,000 people directly, and investing in skills and jobs. We welcome the government’s decision to consult with business on their wide-ranging proposals, and will be making the case that they need to carefully evaluate the extensive range of business costs affecting the wholesale sector, including the escalating costs of labour, energy, food, and regulatory compliance when introducing new employment legislation.”

Regarding energy drinks ban, Bielby stated that FWD will be carefully analysing the detail of the proposals on the restriction on sales of high caffeine energy drinks to children and will work with the government to protect against the potential knock-on effects on the supply chain if a blanket ban is introduced.

More for you

Over £100,000 of illicit tobacco products seized during Stoptober in North East Lincolnshire

Image from North East Lincolnshire Council

Over £100,000 of illicit tobacco products seized during Stoptober in North East Lincolnshire

North East Lincolnshire Council Trading Standards team have seized over £100,000 of illicit tobacco products during operations throughout Stoptober, the council stated on Wednesday (13).

The team and partner organisations such as Humberside Police uncovered 28,120 cigarettes, 12.45 kilos of tobacco and 3133 illegal disposable vapes in a number of shops during the four week operation. The products have an estimated value of over £100,000.

Keep ReadingShow less
Strong growth for Premier Foods

Strong growth for Premier Foods

Britain's Premier Foods reported a 4.6 per cent rise in half-year revenue, driven by continued growth in its grocery business and brands such as Mr Kipling, Nissin and The Spice Tailor, shows the results reported today (14).

As UK inflation eased during the first half of the year, consumers who had been cautious about non-essential spending began to loosen their purse strings. That bodes well for food manufacturers who aggressively hiked prices at the peak of a cost of living crisis over the past few years.

Keep ReadingShow less
Third of UK vapers will defy flavour restrictions – We Vape poll
Eco Vape partners Aspire to launch new hybrid vape product with 3500 puffs
Eco Vape partners Aspire to launch new hybrid vape product with 3500 puffs

Third of UK vapers will defy flavour restrictions – We Vape poll

Over a third of UK of vapers will defy any new flavour restrictions brought in under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, a poll by campaign group We Vape has found.

Commissioned after the bill's first reading in parliament, the poll showed 35 per cent of a 601-strong sample group of vapers across the UK would continue to buy flavoured vapes online, abroad or elsewhere if flavours were limited to only "tobacco", "menthol", and "fruit'.

Keep ReadingShow less
iStock 1137402716
iStock image

Shoppers save on grocery essentials ahead of Christmas

Shoppers are saving on grocery essentials to be able to afford treats and indulgences during Christmas while the festive time is expected to see a boost in sales of premium private label food and drink as more people "dine at home" , shows recent industry data.

According to total till data from NIQ, sales growth in UK stores stores slowed to 4.0 per cent in the four weeks ending 2nd November, down from a 4.7 per cent rise in the previous month. The research firm suggested that this is likely due to shoppers holding back their spending in anticipation of Black Friday at the end of the month and the upcoming Christmas festivities.

Keep ReadingShow less
Walkers Chocolates switches to new kerbside recyclable paper wrapper

Walkers Chocolates switches to new kerbside recyclable paper wrapper

Walkers Chocolates said it is switching its popular own brand Turkish Delight and Mint Cream chocolate bars into EvoPak RCM, a 100% recyclable paper wrapper.

The bars will begin rolling out to selected Premier and Asda stores this month.

Keep ReadingShow less