‘That’s a business trying to be a good citizen’

Deirdie Brock MP visits Sainsbury’s Blackhall

Deidre Brock, local MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, visited Sainsbury’s Blackhall on Monday where she met staff and local customers (writes GAIL WILSON).

The MP was welcomed by store manager, George Paton and taken on a tour of the 71,000 sq ft store on Craigleith Road.

Ms Brock learned about the store’s new Local Charity Partner, Meningitis Research Foundation. The charity has a vision of a world free from meningitis and septicaemia and was chosen by customers in July.

She also had a chance to hear about the store’s Food Donation Partner, Fareshare, who Sainsbury’s are teamed up with to make use of surplus food and Granton Baptist Church food bank, who they support with in-store collections.

Ms Brock, who was elected to represent Edinburgh North and Leith May’s general election, said: “I was delighted to hear about the work that Sainsbury’s staff do to reach out into the community, the support they and the store’s customers give to a local foodbank and to Crisis Fareshare. That’s a business trying to be a good citizen.

“The store is also a zero waste store recycling all of its packaging as well as providing recycling facilities for customers in the car park. It’s the first time I’ve seen an oil recycling bank in a supermarket car park and I’m looking forward to coming back soon to see how it works out.”

Store Manager George Paton said: “It has been great having Ms Brock in to our store, and introduce her to our customers and colleagues. I’m incredibly proud of our team, our store and the impact we have on the community. ”

Deirdie Brock MP is pictured with Sainsbury Blackhall PR Ambassador Gail Wilson

Over £1 million in the bag!

Monday (20 April) is the six month anniversary of the single-use carrier bag charge

Scotland’s Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead has announced that four retailers have donated more than £1 million to good causes as a result of the single-use carrier bag charge, which came into effect almost six months ago.

The indicative figure has been revealed following retailer reports that single-use carrier bag usage has been reduced by more than 80 per cent since the charge was introduced on October 20, 2014.

Nationwide retailers that signed up to Zero Waste Scotland’s Carrier Bag Commitment – an agreement to disclose information on the charge, and donations made, to a central publicly available portal – are reporting that various charities up and down the country have also benefited from funds raised by the charge.

Mr Lochhead made the announcement at an Asda store in Elgin. Over the coming months, Zero Waste Scotland will collect data on carrier bag use and funds raised for good causes ahead of the first official figures being released later this year.

Presently, Asda is indicating a more than 90 per cent reduction in single-use carrier bag use, while raising £350,000 for two social enterprise charities – Social Investment Scotland and Foundation Scotland. The Co-operative Food has used the 5p charge to raise £375,000 for community projects across Scotland, reporting a usage reduction of 80 per cent.

Marks & Spencer has raised £214,374 for good causes, with £88,446 going to the Marine Conservation Society, £88,446 going to WWF, including the Orkney sustainable Fishery Improvement Programme, and a further £37,482 going to a range of local Scottish charities. The retailer is reporting an overall usage reduction of around 50 per cent in the past six months, which is significant as it comes in addition to the reductions already achieved by the introduction of a 5p charge on larger food bags in 2008.

Morrisons has also reported an 80 per cent reduction, and funds raised for the Morrisons Foundation – which will donate to good causes in Scotland – in line with the levels reported by the other retailers.

Other founding signatories include:

Scottish branches of national retailers such as McDonalds, Premier Stores, Waitrose, Argos, Austin Reed, Papyrus, Jaegar, Ted Baker, Adidas, Mango and T. M. Lewin & Sons
Local businesses including McEwen’s of Perth, EUSA Potter Shop, the Highland Soap Company, J&G Coia Sweetshop in Edinburgh, Taylors of Banchory, Pentland Foods, Andersons of Inverurie, and R&K Stenhouse in Clackmannanshire.
Top tourist destinations such as Gleneagles, The Green Welly Stop, Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura & World of Illusions, Kilmartin Museum and all sites run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

Mr Lochhead said: “I’m delighted that in just six months the carrier bag charge is already making such a big impact in Scotland.

“I very much welcome the dramatic reductions in carrier bag use being reported by these major retailers. It suggests that many consumers are now in the habit of reusing bags, which should reduce the amount of litter that blights our communities and natural environment, and costs a fortune to clean up.

“This primary purpose of this legislation is to clean up our streets and beaches by cutting carrier bag use. But it’s also fantastic that the charge has already raised so much money for worthy causes from just these four retailers alone. This is just the tip of the iceberg and I am looking forward to seeing fuller figures later in the year – but in the meantime I encourage all retailers to sign up to the Carrier Bag Commitment to ensure that shoppers can have full transparency over where the money being raised from the charge is going.”

Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Over the past six months, we’ve seen an incredible change to shopping habits in Scotland. Shoppers have embraced the 5p charge and rapidly reduced their consumption of single-use carrier bags more readily than we ever hoped.

“I’d like to thank all the founding signatories published today, to our Carrier Bag Commitment, and urge more retailers to join them. Initial feedback from signatories suggests that more than £1 million has been raised for good causes in Scotland and by embracing the 5p single-use bag charge, businesses and shoppers are helping reduce waste and repair the damage already done. We can all be proud of that.”

By signing up to the Carrier Bag Commitment, signatories can gain access to Zero Waste Scotland’s reporting portal which is an easy way of meeting the legal obligation to record data on the number of bags sold, amount raised and how the proceeds were used, which applies to retailers employing 10 or more full-time equivalent staff.

Asda’s Senior Director for Scotland Kevin McBride said: “At Asda, we want the carrier bag charge to have long-term social – as well as environmental – benefits. By working with our partners, Social Investment Scotland and Foundation Scotland, we have the opportunity to invest innovatively in our local communities, helping to grow the social enterprise sector and supporting local projects in every Asda mile.

“By working in partnership in this way, we can ensure that the carrier bag charge delivers meaningful, sustainable benefits for Scotland, helping to drive growth, create jobs and regenerate communities for the long-term.”

Old hat? Tackle Edinburgh’s (nearly) new Vintage Trail!

Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be!

Fans of vintage goods will be able to track down their favourite vinyl, 50s dress and retro food and drink using a new Vintage Trail guide produced by the City of Edinburgh Council.

The guide, which takes you on a trip down memory lane, is packed with over 100 businesses. It includes retailers selling clothes, books, music, food and drink, clubs and markets, and was inspired by the number of high quality vintage outets in Edinburgh.

Cllr Frank Ross, Convener of the Economy Committee, said: “We’ve kept our definition of vintage as inclusive as possible and all of the entries are individual and unusual. The guide is also well indexed with handy maps to help you get around. It is one of many Council projects to help build stronger town centres and includes some areas out with the city centre.

You can create your own vintage trail whether you are heading for the beach at Portobello and South Queensferry or the hidden gems in Stockbridge, Leith and the Grassmarket.”

Robert Mullin of The Gently Mad on the trail, said: “The Gently Mad is a father and son business and we are passionate about, if not obsessed with, antiquarian and vintage books and have a particular interest in bookbinding and book restoration.

“Our bookshelves are crammed with hundreds of wonderful volumes specialising in children’s illustrated, natural history, and Scottish interest. Our small working bindery is on view to the public and we are always happy to discuss the traditional processes involved in repairing and making books.

“We are delighted to be included in the Edinburgh Vintage Trail 2015 brochure and hope that its readers will see that Edinburgh as a city has a lot to offer those with an interest in all things vintage.”

Last gasp for tobacco displays

Ban on displaying tobacco in small shops comes into force today

A ban on displaying tobacco in small shops and convenience stores comes into force today. The display of tobacco products has been illegal for large stores and supermarkets since 2012 but smaller retailers were given more time to implement the legislation.

From today, the display of tobacco products is prohibited in all premises and the ban has been welcomed by public health campaigners.

Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) says the ban is an ‘important step forward’. Welcoming the ban, Hazel Cheeseman, director of policy at Ash, said: “Two-thirds of smokers start before the age of 18, so it is vital that everything is done to put tobacco out of sight to protect future generations.

“The display ban in small shops will work hand in hand with standardised packs, which will be introduced in May 2016, to further protect children from glitzy tobacco packaging.”

Retailers’ organisations say the ban is unnecessary and that there is not enough proof that it will have a real effect on child smoking rates. There also believe there are other more effective means of stopping children from taking up smoking.

The Tobacco Retailers’ Alliance, said: “The introduction of the display ban into larger shops hasn’t even been evaluated, so how do we know it will work in smaller shops? Of course retailers will need to comply with the law but this is a further unnecessary measure that will hit small businesses.

“There will be real difficulties around its application, including longer transaction times, and the costs of implementation such as the installation of new gantries. Coming on top of plain packaging, it is an unnecessary burden on shops already struggling with red tape.”

The organisation says tobacco represents about a third of the average newsagent’s turnover and says the Government should crack down harder on the tobacco black market and increase resources to enforce the existing law on the prohibition of sales to young people.

Cancer Research UK’s director of cancer prevention, Alison Cox, said: “Smoking kills 100,000 people every year in the UK. It’s great that tobacco will no longer be in plain view of children and young people every time they go into a shop.

“Research shows that children exposed to tobacco displays are more likely to start smoking and removing these eye-catching, colourful walls of cigarettes will protect them from tobacco marketing.”

Free customer service training

A joint Venture by “The Edinburgh Partnership” – “Joined up for Jobs” and “Connected” will deliver Free Service Training for the Retail Sector at Muirhouse Millennium (Community) Centre. We have just received confirmation from “Connected” that the “FREE CUSTOMER TRAINING” will take place on Wednesday 12th March running from 11am – 2,00pm. This will run for one day only, but should be of a great advantage to young and older people alike. At the end of the session attendees will be given a proof of attendance certificate.
If you have an interest, phone Peter Airlie at the centre(0131-467-3578) or Gwen on 0131-557-7913 to book a place.

Good causes to benefit from carrier bag levy

The Scottish government will introduce a 5p levy on plastic bags from October 2014. Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said the charge should reduce bag use in Scotland and raise £5m a year for good causes.

Mr Lochhead said: “Discarded carrier bags highlight our throwaway society. We use more carrier bags per head in Scotland than any other part of the UK and this is unsustainable. They are a highly visible aspect of litter and we are taking decisive action to decrease their number. By reducing the amount being carelessly discarded we can cut litter and its impact on our environment and economy. A small charge should also encourage us all to stop and think about what we discard and what can be re-used. This charge is not a tax but will see retailers donating the proceeds to charity – this could be up to £5m per year after retailers have covered their costs.”

Iain Gulland, the director of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “We can all reduce the impact of carrier bags by making sure that when we must take one, we re-use it over and over again as many times as possible and then recycle it at the end of its life.”

Retailers have expressed concerns over the introduction of the charge, however.

A CBI Scotland spokesman said: “Modest economic growth coupled with a continuing shift to internet shopping is making conditions challenging for the high street, which is already feeling the ill-effects of the Scottish government’s £95m retail rates surcharge and its £36m rates levy on empty shops and other premises. The plans for costly additional red tape in the form of an environmental levy on carrier bags, after significant success recently in reducing the use of plastic bags by voluntary means, will only make a difficult situation even tougher for retail businesses.”

The Scottish Retail Consortium says that carrier bag use has already fallen by 40% and there is a need to concentrate on bigger issues. SRC Director Fiona Moriarty said: “The Scottish government has decided that it wants further and faster reductions and the only way it can achieve this is through legislation.

“However, it is our view that if we focus solely on plastic bags we are in danger of being distracted from much larger and more important issues around waste. The SRC will be working with the Scottish government to ensure that the legislation is proportionate and as far as possible consistent across the UK to avoid confusion for customers and businesses.”

Greens urge government to ensure school leavers can cook

Green MSP Alison Johnstone has urged the government to respond to a survey which shows a strong appetite among Scots for the Government to set a target to ensure all school leavers are able to cook a basic meal from scratch.

By contrast the major supermarkets, who already control three-quarters of our grocery spending, are encouraging the growth of the ready meals sector through advertising campaigns, broadcasts and billboards. The UK ready meal market, which has been at the centre of the horsemeat scandal, continues to grow at five per cent a year and is now worth £1 billion a year.

The Panelbase survey for the Scottish Greens shows 79 per cent of 1,000 Scots agreed with the need for a target for school leavers, while only 7 per cent disagreed.

Other research suggests the majority of 18-25 year olds leave home without the ability to cook a simple recipe such as Spaghetti Bolognese, with many relying on ready meals and takeaways.

Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian and spokesperson on food and education for the Scottish Greens (pictured below), said: “We have a growing problem with obesity and ready meals are nutritionally haphazard. It’s time the Scottish Government challenged the big manufacturers and retailers. The inconvenient truth about many convenience foods is they make big firms big profits while public health pays dearly.

“Curriculum for Excellence has great potential and I would urge the government to recognise the appetite there is for ensuring school leavers are able to cook. As more people question what’s in the food they’re buying due to the horsemeat scandal it’s important we establish a balanced food culture from the start.”

The survey, carried out online by Panelbase in March, asked:

How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The Scottish Government should set a target to ensure all school leavers are able to cook a basic meal from scratch.

The results were:

Agree Strongly 48%
Agree Slightly 31%
Neither Agree/Disagree 15%
Disagree Slightly 4%
Disagree Strongly 3%

Scots shops still in doldrums despite slight UK recovery

Scotland is lagging behind the UK as a whole in the number of shoppers being attracted to retail outlets, according to a new report. Scottish Retail Consortium says that February’s total retail footfall was down 2.5% in Scotland compared to last year, while the UK as a whole managed an average increase of 0.8% over the same period.

Only North England and Yorkshire (down 2.7%) fared worse than Scotland in the survey, and Scottish Retail Consortium director Fiona Moriarty believes that the disappointing Scottish figures reflect low levels of consumer confidence and lower levels of sales growth.

“Although February’s sales figures showed some encouraging signs of improvement, we are reminded that the economic and trading environment remains fragile,” she said. “Scottish retailers will be hoping that the arrival of spring and seasonal lifts from Mother’s Day and Easter help to elevate this underwhelming figure into more positive territory in the coming months.”

The report confirms the tough conditions faced by retailers across the country. Recent research by PwC and the Local Data Company revealed that the number of stores closed by retail chains soared over the past twelve months, with major chains shutting an average of twenty shops a day last year. That figure increased in the last three months of 2012 as a spate of big household names went into administration.

The face of the High Street is changing – shops selling products like CDs and computer games, cards and clothes are closing, often being replaced by payday loan providers, pawnbrokers and pound stores. The PwC survey found a reduction of nearly 1,800 shops over 2012, a ten-fold increase on the year before – and more High Street chains fell into insolvency last year than ever before.

Latest figures estimate that as many as one in ten shops in Scotland is currently lying empty; just one more statistic for the Chancellor to consider as he puts the finishing touches to tomorrow’s Budget statement.