SGF Chief Executive Pete Cheema urged retailers to “follow the money” yesterday (April 26), as he launched the Federation’s mini-summit on food-to-go, forecourts and technology.
Cheema was referring to the £250,000 available in matched funding from the Scottish Government to develop in-store food-to-go solutions.
He also revealed that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will deliver the keynote speech at the SGF Conference in October.
Steve Appolinari, of specialty chilled foods supplier Fife Creamery, also advised retailers to make the most of the food-to-go opportunity. He said stores had to adapt, invest and innovate if they wanted to survive, while David Dewhurst from Rollover said meal deals were the key to success.
The meal deal mantra was repeated by SGF President Dennis Williams as he told of the “massive challenge” his Premier Broadway store faced when an Aldi opened nearby last November. “We had to get coffee and food to go,” he said. “That is a must for every convenience store nowadays.”
The summit moved on to forecourts, with Ramsay MacDonald from the Petrol Retailers Association delivering a whistle-stop tour of the sector before predicting a long-term future for filling stations despite a ban on new petrol- and diesel-engined vehicles after 2040.
Retail crime is a hot topic just now, and Kevin Eastwood shone a light on the specific challenges forecourt operators face from fuel theft and what the British Oil Security Syndicate is doing to prevent it.
The session was rounded off by Michael McDougall, Specialist Licensing Solicitor from TLT, who gave some valuable insights on applying for a filling station alcohol licence in the face of “poorly drafted legislation”.
With new data protection laws imminent, Simon Bishop of GDPR Systems, got the innovation and technology seminar underway with a summary of the impact the General Data Protection Regulation will have on the convenience sector and what needs to be done in preparation. The audience was surprised to discover just how much data the average store holds and will have to be accountable for on May 25.
Kent-based retailer and Epos evangelist Harry Goraya urged retailers not to fall into the “I know my business better than a machine” trap, before Stuart Shepherd from Shopper Anonymous explained the many benefits of mystery shoppers.
The SGF’s John Lee brought the day to a close with a call for applications for the Federation’s new Community Heroes Awards. The awards recognise, celebrate and will hopefully encourage industry engagement with local communities. There are two categories – one for co-ops and multiples, and one for independent retailers – with a £1,000 prize for both.
Mars Wrigley Confectionery sponsors the awards, and the company’s Brian Condie said it was “absolutely delighted” to be involved.
The mini-summit, held at the McDonald Inchyra Hotel in Falkirk, also featured a sold-out trade exhibition.
