During lockdown, the price of fuel hit a four-year low but new analysis from Which? has found that drivers were being overcharged at the pumps as sellers failed to pass on savings.
Rather than passing on the full reduction in wholesale prices, the consumer champion found that sellers were pumping up their own margins, which rose from 10p a litre to 18p – an increase of around 80 per cent – in the weeks after lockdown was introduced.
Despite a noticeable fall in the cost of unleaded petrol at forecourts across Britain, Which?’s study of fuel prices during lockdown suggests that drivers were actually still overpaying to fill up their cars as inflating margins allowed some fuel companies to pocket a proportion of the savings for themselves.
In March and April prices hovered between £1.02 and £1.04 a litre at supermarkets. In May, the price finally dropped below £1 at Morrisons, Asda and Tesco, while Sainsbury’s brought its prices down to the £1 mark. Independent petrol stations also followed suit but many remained several pence per litre more expensive.
Despite these noticeable savings, in the week that lockdown was announced in the UK, the average retail margin, which includes the cost of overheads and profit for suppliers and retailers, jumped from around 10p a litre to nearly 18p based on data supplied by the AA – by far the biggest jump of any week in 2019 and 2020.
For the same week in 2019, the margin was just 8p a litre and as little as 5p in April 2019.
The increase in margin may have been necessary for smaller independent petrol stations to survive the pandemic crisis, but some bigger independent petrol station groups – such as Motor Fuel Group, which has around 900 stations – are responsible for around 30 per cent of the market, and some will have made savings of millions of pounds during lockdown.
While this was partially due to financial measures introduced by the UK government, such as the business rate holidays, it raises questions about how high margins, such as those seen during the coronavirus pandemic, are set.
Currently, there are no established rules on the margins retailers can apply to pump prices, and, crucially, there’s not an independent fuel watchdog to monitor that these costs are fairly calculated.
Motorway services, which are privately owned, are able to charge large premiums for fuel compared with other forecourts. This also applies to the cost of items for sale in their service stations, meaning customers could be charged different prices for a cup of coffee if they stopped multiple times on a journey.
Which? found that sellers setting their own margins also have a role in regional differences and in the first week of lockdown, the difference in price between Northern Ireland and the South East of England was as much as 8p a litre for petrol and 6p a litre for diesel. Drivers in Northern Ireland get the best deal, because there is a proportionally high number of forecourts and therefore increased competition to keep prices low.
Which?’s own data also revealed that petrol is generally cheaper in towns and cities than in rural locations. But supermarket fuel forecourts, even in the countryside, are still cheaper than oil-company-owned petrol stations in cities.
Supermarkets sell 45 per cent of all fuel, benefiting from lower delivery costs due to the volumes they buy and sell, and bringing in footfall to their stores along with lower pump prices. In areas where there is less competition, particularly from large supermarket stores, drivers will get less value for money as independent fuel forecourts will be able to maintain higher margins with less impact on custom.
However, even supermarkets – which often reflect changes to the wholesale price more quickly than independent or oil-company-owned forecourts – sometimes choose to pass on any savings due to falling wholesale prices to customers through money-off vouchers instead of lowering prices.
In a survey, nearly half (45%) of respondents said that they use supermarket vouchers to reduce their fuel costs. However, the often high minimum spend requirements may mean that this is not a good value for money as it might seem, as those who can’t afford the minimum spend, or who don’t want to spend it, miss out on the savings on petrol.
The retail margin has already started to drop closer to pre-lockdown levels as demand returns to normal, but the pandemic has highlighted serious issues with the uncapped margins being set by fuel retailers, and the lack of an independent regulatory body to monitor these.
Which? believes drops in wholesale prices must be fairly reflected at the pumps and savings passed on to drivers, no matter where they buy their fuel.
Harry Rose, Editor of Which? said:“While there may have been fair cause for some fuel sellers to increase retail margins in order to survive lockdown, there really is no excuse for some larger retailers to be keeping savings for themselves during the pandemic. For customers to be charged fairly at the pumps wholesale savings must be passed on.
“If you want to save money on fuel, buy an economical car and fill it up at a supermarket. Although if you have a local and convenient garage that you like using, do continue to give it your support.”
The Scottish Government created a support package for businesses in Scotland affected by Covid 19 and enterprise agencies worked at pace with VisitScotland and Creative Scotland to design and deliver two short-term funds:
The Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund for vulnerable Scottish SMEs deemed vital to local, regional and national economies and the Creative, Tourism & Hospitality Enterprises Hardship Fund for tourism, hospitality and creative industry businesses that experienced hardship due to Covid 19.
Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise Steve Dunlop (above) said: “It is not an easy time for many businesses and Scottish Enterprise is working hard to provide funding, advice and resources to ensure businesses not only survive, but thrive now and in future.
“The support from the Hardship and Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Funds has allowed companies across a range of industries to continue to trade. We will continue to work alongside Scottish Government and partners to focus on a fair, sustainable and jobs-focused recovery and play a critical role in rebuilding Scotland’s economy.”
Precision engineering company Almond Engineering is based in Livingston and received £100,000 from the Pivotal Enterprise Fund and has remained in production throughout the pandemic by undertaking safety precautions.
The business has also manufactured face shields to donate to the NHS as well as creating test equipment for ventilator manufacturers.
Managing director of Almond Engineering Michelle Quinn said: “The support from Scottish Enterprise has been so important for us. We have always really valued the help and support and in times like this it is doubly valuable.
“The coronavirus has really impacted our orders at Almond and at times such as these when you don’t know how long the crisis will last nor how deep the recession will be, the government and Scottish Enterprise support allows time for the economy to start recovering and ensure that businesses such as ours are here once the world reopens.”
Edinburgh based interior and graphic design firm 442 Design specialises in venue design, creating memorable customer experiences that challenge the conventions of traditional Food, Drink and Retail spaces. Their clients include Arsenal Football Club, Amazon, SSE Hydro, BBC Scotland, Adidas and Aramark.
442 Design received £50,000 from the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund, which was welcomed by Managing director David Dunn who said: “Our business relies heavily on crowds and entertainment whether through eating and drinking out, football matches or live gigs.
“The banning of crowd activity had a massively detrimental impact on our client businesses. Our business practically stopped with lockdown with all projects put on hold.
“PERF has kept the company afloat during a time of forced abandonment of all projects, saved jobs and allowed 442 to reposition for the future. We’re now developing a different Covid-aware approach to designing spaces that can deliver both commercial return for client and ensure a great experience for our customers.”
Arrayjet is a biotech company based in Roslin, Midlothian, supplying inkjet bio-printing instruments and also manufactures Covid 19 testing and research products.
Iain McWilliam Chief Executive Officer of Arrayjet said: “The PERF grant helped support our cashflow during a critical period when revenue collection and generation was extremely difficult.
“Many of our customers had to cease operations temporarily, and the restrictions on travel prevented us from installing new instruments, look after our installation base, or to visit prospective clients.
“A large proportion of the Arrayjet team were already on the furlough scheme, but the PERF grant allowed us to continue some limited economic activity, to support our key local supply chain, to bring some staff back sooner and accelerate our recovery.
“The PERF grant helped to stabilise our cashflow and gave our board the confidence to bring members of the Arrayjet team off furlough earlier than planned. As a result, we have been able to develop and market products and services related to Covid 19 research and diagnosis.”
Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information following an armed robbery in the city centre.
The incident happened around 2.45am yesterday (Thursday, 6 August, 2020) when a man entered the Costcutter Store on Lothian Road and threatened a member of staff with a knife.
He then demanded money from the till drawer before leaving on foot in the direction of Princes Street with a small quantity of cash.
The suspect is described as a white man, around 5ft 8in tall and of a slim build. At the time of the incident he was wearing a black hooded top, black tracksuit bottoms, grey woollen gloves and his face was covered with black sunglasses and a red scarf.
Detective Sergeant Keith Taylor, of Edinburgh CID, said: “Thankfully nobody has been injured as a result of this incident but the member of staff has been left evidently shaken.
“Although this happened in the early hours of the morning, I would ask that if anyone noticed a man matching this description or anyone acting suspicious in the area to get in contact with police.
“I would also ask if anyone has any dashcam or CCTV footage of the surrounding area and may have information that could assist with our investigation to come forward.
“Police can be contacted on 101 quoting incident number 0400 of Thursday, 6 August, 2020. Alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Thursday 6 August):
Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us. I want to start with the usual update on the Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.
An additional 67 positive cases were confirmed yesterday. That is 1.2% of the people who were newly tested yesterday, and it takes the total number of cases in Scotland to 18,847.
Just as point of clarity, today’s 67 cases is actually a net increase of 66, as one of yesterday’s cases has since been denotified.
A full health board breakdown will be available later, as usual, but the provisional information I have is that 39 of the 67 cases are in the Grampian health board area. It is not yet clear how many are connected to the ongoing outbreak in Aberdeen and I will say a bit more about that outbreak shortly.
A further 17 are in Greater Glasgow & Clyde and we are examining these very carefully to see if there are any patterns – there was a relatively large number in Glasgow yesterday – to see if there is any cause for concern.
A total of 270 patients are currently in hospital who have been confirmed as having the virus. That is an increase of 3 since yesterday.
A total of 4 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed Covid-19. That is an increase of 1 since yesterday.
I am glad to say that yet again during the last 24 hours, no deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test in the previous 28 days as having Covid-19. The total number of deaths, under this particular measure, therefore remains 2,491.
However the total number of deaths is still a reminder of the awful impact of this virus. I want to extend my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one.
We will also today publish updated information about the prevalence of the virus in Scotland.
Our modelling suggests that the R number – the average number of people infected by one other infectious person – is between 0.6 and 1. That is a slight increase on the last estimate, which was 0.6 and 0.9. However, as I’ve said before, the R number becomes a less reliable indicator when the prevalence of the virus remains very low.
The modelling also shows that the number of people in Scotland with the virus has continued to fall. Our central estimate for last week is that 275 people in Scotland were infectious.
These figures show – once again – the sustained progress that we’ve made, over the past few months. And I want to thank everybody who has contributed to that.
I particularly want to thank our health and care workers – who continue to do an incredible job.
However, I want to warn again against any complacency.
We have seen an increase in cases in recent days that may not yet be reflected in this modelling – many of these cases, but not all, are linked to outbreaks such as the one in Aberdeen and the one in Inverclyde last week. But it’s important to say that not all of these cases are linked to outbreaks, so we really must be on our guard and recognise what these figures are telling us, which is that this virus is still very much out there and circulating in Scotland.
I now want to provide an update on the situation in Aberdeen, and you will appreciate that this is an active outbreak that is being managed and this information will be changing regularly at the moment.
I can confirm that – as of now – a total of 79 cases have been confirmed as associated with that cluster. That is an increase of 25 on the position reported yesterday. A further 30 cases are under investigation as possibly linked to the outbreak. And a total of 233 close contacts have already been identified, although we expect that number to rise over the course of today.
As I said yesterday, many of those positive cases and contacts have been linked to a number of licensed premises, in Aberdeen. And a list of those places is now available on the Scottish Government’s website.
To be clear, it’s not that one particular person in this cluster has visited all these premises. It is that someone who has tested positive has been in each location, but it will be different people in each of these locations.
Now, we’ve been asked why members of the public who have visited these premises have not all been contact traced. The answer is that they may not have been there at the same time as a person who has tested positive – or they might not have come within 2 metres of them for the requisite period. Contact Tracers are professionals, they are highly trained experts at what they do and they assess who should be traced.
However, if you have been to any of these premises, even if Test and Protect hasn’t been in touch with you, we are still asking you to be extra vigilant for symptoms – and to follow the FACTS at all times.
And if you are contacted by Test and Protect in Aberdeen, please comply with their advice. In fact, if you are contacted by Test and Protect anywhere in Scotland, I appeal to you to please comply fully with their advice, particularly, in relation to self-isolation. If they advise you are a close contact and that you must self isolate for 14 days it is absolutely essential that you do that and for the full 14 days.
The further growth of this cluster which I’ve reported today – and I expect to be standing here tomorrow reporting a growth beyond the numbers today – is a reminder of how easily this virus can spread. It also underlines why we needed to take decisive action, to keep it under control.
Today is – of course – the first full day that the restrictions in Aberdeen have been in place. So I want take this opportunity to set out – again – what the restrictions are. However, I should say that guidance – on all of this – is available on the Scottish Government’s website.
Firstly, we are advising people in Aberdeen not to travel more than 5 miles for leisure or recreational purposes. That does not apply, however, if you’re travelling for work, education or medical treatment.
One of the questions we’ve been asked about is holidays. And our advice to people in Aberdeen is that you should not be going on holiday right now – either to other parts of Scotland, or other parts of the UK. And as those of you who watch these briefings regularly will know, we advise against overseas holidays in general at the moment for people right across Scotland.
We’re also advising people outside of Aberdeen, not to travel to the city for leisure purposes – or to visit friends and family.
Some people in Aberdeenshire have asked if they can travel into the city for work. The answer is yes, you can – but please follow all guidance. But you should not be travelling into Aberdeen from Aberdeenshire for leisure or recreational purposes or to visit family.
If you are currently visiting Aberdeen, you can stay – but again, please follow all of the guidance while you are there. And take extra care when you return home.
Secondly, we are advising that people in Aberdeen should not go into each other’s houses. Extended household groups are not included in that – but the restriction applies to everyone else.
There are also new restrictions on indoor visits to hospitals in Aberdeen – with only essential visits permitted. And care home visiting remains restricted to outdoor visits only, in line with the current guidance.
Finally, we have put in place regulations, which require all indoor and outdoor hospitality in the city to close. So all bars, restaurants, cafes, and pubs must now be closed. They were required to close by 5pm yesterday.
Takeaway services in Aberdeen can continue. And hotel restaurants can continue to provide food for residents. But hotel bars must also close.
Now, everything I’ve seen – so far – suggests that businesses are complying the regulations. And I want thank all of them, for their help and cooperation.
In fact, I want to thank everyone in Aberdeen for being so understand of why this action is necessary and for sticking to the new guidance. I know how tough that will be, it’s a blow to the city and all of us regret that we’ve had to take this decision.
But, I believe people do know why it is necessary.
There are just too many uncertainties about this outbreak, right now. So we were not able to be confident that we could keep it under control without these additional measures.
Allowing this virus to run free is not an option – at any time, in my view, given how dangerous it is – but particularly as we prepare for the reopening of schools from next week.
We have therefore taken a precautionary approach. For the moment, it means that one part of the country has had to go into reverse. But ultimately, we hope it will allow all of Scotland to continue the progress that we’ve achieved over these past months.
But of course, it’s not just people in Aberdeen who have a part to play here. All of us must be on our guard – now more than ever.
The further we get from lockdown, the more opportunities there are for the virus to spread. As i said before – when we locked ourselves down we locked it down too, so when we let ourselves out, we let it out as well. So as we come out of lockdown we all need to be extra careful – in everything that we do.
We – all of us – are the first line of defence against this virus. But we are only as strong as our weakest link.
Every time one us forgets to follow the advice, we risk letting the virus slip through our defence.
And as soon as that happens, we are fire fighting as we see in Aberdeen right now. Test and Protect is doing a fantastic job in Aberdeen but we all have a responsibility to ensure those fires don’t start in the first place.
So we must all recognise our individual responsibility to the overall wellbeing of the country.
Any time we fail to abide by the health guidance, we give Covid-19 an opportunity to come back. And as we see from Aberdeen – this virus will take any opportunity it can get. One of the things we know about Covid-19 is that it is infectious.
That’s why it’s so vital to follow the 5 rules golden rules of the FACTS campaign.
F – you must wear them in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport.
A – Avoid crowded places.
C – Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
T – Two metre distancing remains the rule.
and S – Self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms.
By complying with these rules we can continue to play our part in suppressing this virus. We are also giving Test and Protect the best chance to deal with the outbreaks when they do occur, as they inevitably will on some occasions and of course we are protecting our front line health and social care staff as well.
My very strong encouragement and my plea to everyone is to please follow all of these rules.
TODAY (Thursday 6th August is national Cycle to Work day. Whether you currently work from home or commute to work, getting out on your bike during the working day can help you to maintain a healthy weight and keep your heart healthy.
Adults should aim to do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (e.g. brisk walking or cycling), or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity (e.g. running or playing football). Adding in some cycling during the working week could get you nearer to meeting this goal. This week’s tip is all about how to start cycling to and from work, or how to incorporate cycling into your working day if you work from home.
Finding an affordable bike
If you don’t own a bike, but would like to buy one, you may be able to get some financial support from your employer through the cycle to work scheme. Speak to your employer to find out whether they offer this scheme. Alternatively, you can pick up a second-hand bike online or from a bike shop, often for a very reasonable price.
Start small
If you don’t yet feel confident or fit enough for a long bike ride, why not start small by going on some shorter bike rides with friends or family. This can increase your confidence and fitness before you tackle a longer route.
Practice your route:
It may be a good idea to practice your pre-work bike ride so you know how long it will take, ensuring you are not going to be late for work. You should allow some extra time to allow for any repairs that may be needed along the way, such as a puncture repair.
Freshening up after your pre-work cycle
Check whether your workplace provides shower facilities so you can freshen up after pedalling hard! If you can shower at work, keep toiletries, such as shower gel and shampoo at work, so you don’t have to carry them in each day.
Prepare for the worst
Carry a puncture repair kit and tools to fix your bike if needed. Try to learn how to do some basic bicycle maintenance by searching for support online. Check the weather forecast before setting off on your bike and make sure you have waterproofs if needed.
Fluid is key
To be able to perform well at work, you need to stay well hydrated. Avoid becoming dehydrated before the start of your working day by taking a bottle of water on your bike ride. Remember to refill your water bottle if you are cycling home at the end of the day.
Stay safe
To stay safe when cycling, you should always wear a helmet and have some decent lights.
You can check out some more safety tips from Cycling UK :
Edinburgh Napier and Sustrans team up for project funded by Road Safety Trust
A new report has found that school street closures[1] can improve the number of children walking, cycling and wheeling to school without creating road safety problems.
An increase in school street closures would also not result in traffic displacement causing road safety issues in neighbouring streets, the findings show.
The new report – led by Dr Adrian Davis, professor of transport and health at Edinburgh Napier University – sets out the findings of a review of existing literature on the impact of school street closures designed to create safer spaces for walking, cycling or street play.
A total of 16 studies – including three from Scottish authorities in Edinburgh, Perth and Kinross and East Lothian – were used to evidence the report.
The findings of these 16 studies have been supplemented by semi-structured telephone interviews with relevant officers responsible for local authority school street closure schemes.
Alongside increasing active travel, the findings also suggest that in almost all cases, the total number of motor vehicles across school street closures and neighbouring streets reduced.
There is also consistent evidence that motor traffic displacement does not cause road safety issues of any significance and that mitigating measures, where needed, have been applied successfully by local authorities.
The report also suggests that school street closures are supported by the majority of parents and residents living on the closed and neighbouring streets and that their support increases after any trial period.
The literature review is the first to provide an assessment of the impacts of school street closures published in the English language.
The Road Safety Trust, a charity dedicated to making the UK’s roads the safest in the world, awarded funding to Sustrans to evaluate the impact of school streets on the safety of surrounding roads.
The literature review is part of this ongoing wider project to investigate the impact of school streets – streets that are open to pedestrians and people on cycles but closed to cars at drop-off and pick-up times – for children’s safety.
Dr Adrian Davis, professor of transport and health at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “It is noteworthy that such a simple intervention can have really positive impacts in terms of increasing children physical activity levels and with this the associated improvements in wellbeing.
“School street closures looks to be a win-win for residents, schools and children and their families.”
John Lauder, deputy CEO Sustrans, said: “With the growth in numbers of family groups discovering the joy of cycling, walking, and scootering during lockdown, and with many parents and guardians continuing to work at home, the return to school is a crucial moment. We want it to be easy and sensible for as many children as possible to get to and from school actively.
“This research shows clearly how school street closures make the streets around schools safer, cleaner and healthier. It also shows that school streets help increase active travel to school, making it easier for children to start the school day awake and alert. We call on local authorities to give this consideration.”
Sally Lines, chief executive of Road Safety Trust, said: “We want to make the roads safer for all users in particular vulnerable road users which includes children, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, and the results from the literature review are a welcome step towards this.
“It’s great to see the funding we provided to Sustrans showing these early results in the form of the literature review and that the results can inform best practice across the UK.”
The City of Edinburgh Council has already trialled a number of school street closures within the city, including around Leith Primary, St Mary’s in Leith and Gilmerton Primary earlier this year.
A host of other measures, including street widening and traffic limits, have also been implemented across the city to help people socially distance while travelling and exercising.
The full literature review relating to school street closures can be found here.
For many people their right to live in their own home goes along with a responsibility to make all relevant payments to a landlord (by way of rent) or a lender (in respect of mortgage repayments).
What may seem like a (possibly just about) manageable amount to pay in good times can quickly become unmanageable and frightening when rapid, unplanned changes lead to reduced income. Although these are challenging circumstances, help is available from different services covering issues likely to relevant, including:
Issues affecting both tenants and mortgage holders:
reviewing the household budget to establish how income is spent and how it could or should be spent;
looking at the whole picture and how to prioritise debts and spending;
getting a benefit check to make all relevant benefits are in payment at the right amount and identifying those for new claims;
developing a manageable budget including (re)payment plan;
assisting/guiding in communication and negotiation with lenders and creditors;
making claims on any relevant insurance policies;
assisting with the urgent emergency as it occurs;
looking at housing options and interaction with benefits;
identifying special legislative provision arising from Covid-19 which enhances individual protection such as extension of time periods for giving of notice to tenants and moratium.
Tenants in Scotland
gaining advice and support through repossession and eviction processes;
helping to understand letters, contracts and other documents;
awareness of relevant legislation including temporary changes that extend most periods of notice to be given to the tenant during the Covid 19 emergency;
assessment of reasons for a fair end of tenancy;
representation in Housing Tribunal or Sheriffs Court.
Mortgage payers in Scotland
requesting a mortgage payment holiday (usually a voluntary arrangement of up to 3 months with those mortgage arrears accrued during the holiday repaid at a later date) and checking if any impact on credit history;
accessing Support for Mortgage Interest (a loan to help pay mortgage interest if you have been claiming income related jobseekers,income based employment and support allowance or income support for at least 39 weeks or universal credit after 9 payments. Also accessible for those on pension credit from first day of claim.
considering a formal debt management approach (specialist service) or revision to existing agreements where these exist;
seek money and/or financial advice – especially urgent if repossession process threatened/started.
If you are struggling to deal with issues like these, seek help straight away.
Granton Information Centre offers free, professional, independent advice. To find out about how Granton Information Centre can help you, telephone 0131 551 2459, 0131 552 0458 or email info@gic.org.uk
Edinburgh residents are being asked to share their views on a scheme that requires people who have committed offences to carry out unpaid work in the community as part of their sentence.
Community Payback Orders can be imposed on people who have committed offences by the courts as an alternative to a short term prison sentence, and can last between six months and three years. They give those involved the chance to address their behaviour and also to repay communities by carrying out unpaid work.
The Council administers the scheme in the city and is seeking the views of the public on people who have committed offences working in communities and the effectiveness of community payback as a way to reduce re-offending.
Examples of unpaid work carried out by the scheme include:
repairing and reinstating headstones in local cemeteries
developing and maintaining children’s play areas
recycling projects including bicycles and outdoor furniture
As well as using the questionnaire to comment on the community payback scheme, participants can also recommend groups, residents, organisations or projects that may benefit from unpaid work through the online suggestion form.
Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, Vice Convener of Culture and Communities said: “We’re really keen to hear what people think about Community Payback Orders, and the work carried out by the people subject to them.
“One of the aims of the consultation is also to identify more opportunities in Edinburgh for unpaid community work to be carried out. This work could include repainting community centres, community clear ups or recycling projects including bicycles and outdoor furniture. They are an excellent way for organisations such as charities to get practical help, and they give people who commit offences the chance to repay communities for their offences.
“The information we collect will help us to improve how we work with communities and help to increase understanding of CPOs and their importance in helping people reintegrate into society and reduce the likelihood of them reoffending.”
The UK’s biggest cat charity has issued a warning about the risk of online sellers capitalising on the COVID-19 pandemic to sell poorly-bred kittens.
Cats Protection says that demand for new ‘lockdown pets’ may make it easier for unscrupulous vendors to sell kittens which may be sick or too young to be parted from their mothers.
With figures from the Government’s Petfished campaign showing a huge 125% increase in adverts posted across online marketplaces during lockdown for puppies, kittens, dogs and cats, the charity says buyers need to be more vigilant than ever[i].
Cats Protection’s Head of Advocacy & Government Relations Jacqui Cuff said: “With so many people now working from home for the foreseeable future, it’s understandable that many would want to bring a new pet cat into their household. But buyers must be aware that this demand creates the ideal conditions for unscrupulous sellers who put profit before welfare.
“These profit-driven sellers may be selling kittens which are sick or too young to be separated from their mothers, which can lead to high vet bills. Sadly, some kittens bred in poor conditions may not survive, which can be incredibly distressing for their new owner.
“Unscrupulous sellers have always existed, but the COVID-19 restrictions can give them an extra layer of invisibility. Before the lockdown, buyers may have heard alarm bells if a seller offered to deliver a kitten to them, or said it was not possible to view the kitten with its mother. But the guidelines and restrictions on visiting other households means it is now very difficult to be sure of a kitten’s background.
“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we may have been seeing moggies selling for around £50, but nowadays a quick scan of online adverts will find moggies for sale for hundreds of pounds. It is clear to us that there are individuals out there who are intent on putting profit before welfare”.
Cat lover and former keyboardist of progressive rock band Yes, Rick Wakeman, backed Cats Protection’s call for buyers to be vigilant and urged them instead to consider adopting a rescue cat.
He said: “I’d urge anyone thinking of getting a kitten to get in touch with a reputable rehoming charity like Cats Protection. Adopting from Cats Protection gives you the peace of mind of knowing your new pet has had all the necessary veterinary checks, and helps give a cat in need a second chance in life. And by adopting a rescue cat, you’ll help to reduce the demand which encourages unscrupulous sellers from trading in kittens.”
To make adopting from a charity safe and easy, Cats Protection’s Hands-free Homing scheme ensures cats and kittens can be rehomed following social distancing measures.
Cats Protection’s warning follows the Government’s Petfished campaign to help the public research pet sellers thoroughly online before buying a new pet.
Cats Protection advises buyers to think carefully before purchasing a kitten from an online advert and refer closely to its Kitten Checklist.
Cats Protection is the UK’s largest cat charity, helping around 200,000 cats every year through a network of around 230 volunteer-run branches and 37 centres.
Children 1st responding to concerns of anxious parents
Children 1st Parentline offering new service to support parents as schools restart
Tips and advice, and webchat for online now available on Children 1st website
PARENTS worried about their child returning to or starting school have a new dedicated support service for practical help and advice.
Children 1st’s Parentline have launched the new service before Scotland’s schools re-open next week after receiving an increasing number of calls from anxious parents and carers who have worries about children back to school.
Parentline, which is staffed by a highly skilled team from Children 1st, will offer parents and carers specific help and advice about how best to support children with practical and emotional issues as schools reopen.
Mary Glasgow, the Chief Executive of Children 1st, (above) said: “As a parent, I know how tough it has been over the last few months with the schools being closed and all the challenges that has brought.
“Despite everything, children and families come through that and now the next challenge for many parents is the first day of school.
“Over the last few weeks, lots of parents and carers have been coming to us with worries about their children’s return to school. This includes parents with children starting P1 and S1 who have particular concerns about whether their children will cope.
“That is why we have set up this new service so parents and carers can talk through any worries or fears they have and get advice on how best to support their children. Children 1st Parentline is there for every family. Please do get in contact over the phone, online or through webchat if you think a chat might help. ”
Children 1st Parentline has been offering support to families for over 20 years. It has supported hundreds of families throughout lockdown as calls soared and traffic to the charity’s webpages quadrupled, when compared to the same period last year. Now, the charity is hearing more worries from parents about what the return to school will mean, especially for the many children who have struggled to cope emotionally during lockdown.
Parentline can be contacted over the phone on 08000 28 22 33 or via webchat at www.children1st.org.uk/parentline. A wide range of additional resources for parents and carers can also be found on the website.
Ann Jarvis, from Children 1st Parentline, put together some of her top tips to help make the first day back at school go as smoothly as possible. She said: “By just sitting with your child and listening to any concerns and worries your child may have can make all the difference.
“Allow them to tell their story and really listen to what they’re saying.
“Bear in mind that none of us really like change – but change is much easier when we know what’s coming and can talk through our feelings.
“Talking and listening to your child about what they expect on their first day is a great way to prepare. Meanwhile, it’s important for parents to give themselves a break and accept that everyone is learning.”
Ann also says it’s important to be prepared.
She added: “There’s plenty of advice and information from schools about practical preparations: uniform, shoes, bag, lunch, labels on clothes.
“Perhaps ask your child if they would like to help you pack their school bag so they know exactly where everything is and will also help them get into a routine.
“Talking and listening to your child about what they expect on their first day is also a great way to prepare. ”
In addition, routines help children to feel secure and settled so Ann would encourage parents to talk through the basics and perhaps do a trial run before their first day.
