The Scottish Government has given its approval for the roll-out of phase 3 of the SGF Go Local Programme, which helps convenience stores across the country provide dedicated, long-term display space for locally-sourced Scottish products.
The third year of the programme – which as with previous phases will be delivered in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink – has been allocated £190k and will see the selection of a minimum of 21 geographically, and demographically diverse stores, to secure increased display space for Scottish products. They will also use available Scottish supplier databases to increase the number of suppliers and the number of lines available to consumers to fill the secured space.
The application process for phase 3 will open on 1 March 2022 and close at midnight on the 31 May 2022.
Of the stores participating in “Go Local”, an average increase in the Local Multiplier of £159k per annum on the healthier products was recorded, with a further 7.6% improvement in sales achieved following the deployment of the marketing assets. Work will also continue with the recruited stores from previous phases of the programme to develop their Scottish proposition further, audit the stores regularly for compliance, and continue to use the retailer data to measure the effectiveness of the product ranges, to improve the performance of existing and new stores to the programme.
There will be a virtual ‘Meet the Convenience Retailer’ event organised by our programme partners, Scotland Food & Drink, to provide retailers with the opportunity to meet new suppliers and enhance their Scottish range. This will take place on 3 March 2022.
Rural Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Mairi Gougeon, said: “The Scottish Government is committed to supporting local convenience stores and Scottish food and drink producers, who play a vital role in the local economy and the communities in which they operate.”
SGF chief executive, Pete Cheema, added: “The SGF Go Local programme has been an outstanding success to date and we are delighted that in recognition of this that the Scottish Government has given its approval for the third phase to commence. It’s clear to see that convenience stores throughout Scotland are playing a key role in the economic recovery and in supporting local suppliers to find a new route to market. In addition, retailers are able to develop their proposition by offering their customers a high quality, locally sourced, fresh and healthier food offering. Everyone benefits.”
