HFSS, MUP and alcohol-display ban: legislation ‘deluge’ feared by local shops

Local shops in Scotland have warned that the Scottish government’s deluge of policy proposals impacting retail could force many to close.

Speaking to the BBC and in the Fed’s formal submission to the Scottish government over proposed alcohol-display bans, leading Scottish Fed member and Levenhall Village Store owner Ferhan Ashiq said a deluge of retail legislation has left many feeling like “public enemy number one” of the Scottish government.

Alongside confirmed upcoming policies such as DRS and further ‘junk food’ promotions bans, the Scottish government is considering a ‘tobacco-style’ alcohol-display ban, increasing alcohol minimum-unit pricing and banning disposable vape devices.

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Discussing the potential alcohol-display ban, Ashiq said: “How realistic is all this in a small shop with little space for stock? Sometimes, I feel like handing my keys to politicians and asking them to try running my shop.”

Though a decision on the policy is yet to be decided, shop equipment providers are already taking steps to prepare for an alcohol-display ban.

Trishan Satyadheva, managing director of Nabco UK, told Better Retailing: “We already have equipment lined up to provide to supermarkets.”