Scotland stores to close if new regulations enforced, SGF warns

Trade body, Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF), has hit back at ‘deluge of new regulation’ expected to land on convenience retailers this year, warning it will cause businesses to shut down.  

There are six new regulations anticipated between this year and next in Scotland:

• Restrictions to placement and marketing of alcohol, and an minimum unit pricing (MUP) place on alcohol products too
• Restrictions of promotion and location of HFSS items
• Potential restrictions on visibility and sale of vaping products
• Generational ban on tobacco
• Requirements to meet net-zero targets – Circular Economy Bill and WEEE regulations
• UK-wide DRS

OPINION: We need actions, not promises this election year – Pete Cheema, chief executive, SGF

SGF has also called for ministers to create an emergency plan following research revealing that retail crime is costing the average Scottish convenience store £12,000 per year.

 Dr Pete Cheema OBE, SGF chief executive, said the government is doing “everything [it] can to sink thousands of essential local businesses across Scotland”, and the current plans for legislation will have stores closing down.

“We are warning ministers now, this direction of travel will result in stores that are lifelines for their communities turning off the lights for good,” he said.  

“Regulations and restrictions always fall hardest on smaller businesses, most of whom just don’t have the capacity or resource to cope with change after change. Moreover, it fails to account for the devastating impact of external factors such as inflation, energy prices and the cost-of-living crisis.

  “SGF believes in responsible community retailing, and we want to help make our country a better place to live. Instead of attacking well-meaning businesses, ministers need to think again and come up with a joined-up and workable approach to introducing new regulation.

  “It’s the easy road for ministers to place ban after ban on our sector, but what will remain once the dust has settled?”

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