Improving staff skills and working conditions are key parts of a newly published strategy to support retailers.
Getting the Right Change: A Retail Strategy for Scotland outlines how the Scottish Government, business leaders and trade unions can work together to unlock opportunities to grow businesses and the economy, improve wellbeing and address inequality, and support progress towards our ambitious climate change targets.
Actions outlined include:
developing and promoting a Fair Work Agreement that retailers can voluntarily sign up to, to improve fair work conditions across the sector and contribute to reduction of in-work poverty
working with Skills Development Scotland and other partners on a Skills Audit and Action Plan, to support retail reskilling or upskilling as jobs change, for example due to technology like self-scan checkouts and online ordering systems
developing a Just Transition Plan for Retail to protect jobs and contribute to net zero emissions by 2045 through developing local supply chains, reuse of materials and sustainable travel choices by staff and customers
promoting town and city centres and local businesses while supporting ways to repurpose vacant retail units
harnessing opportunities in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation that will directly support the retail sector, like actions to grow businesses, boost productivity and support entrepreneurship
A new Industry Leadership Group will be established to drive delivery of the retail strategy, co-chaired by Public Finance Minister Tom Arthur.
Mr Arthur said: “As we have seen during the pandemic, our retailers have played and continue to play a vital role in creatively supporting our communities.
“Our retail strategy sets out actions to support the sector to rebuild from the effects of the pandemic, address longer-term challenges and maximise opportunities to fulfil its potential. It has been developed in collaboration with business, trade unions, academia and the public sector.
“It builds on the National Strategy for Economic Transformation and Covid Recovery Strategy – setting out a shared vision for retail to achieve inclusive economic growth and play its part in creating a fairer, greener Scotland.
“The retail strategy builds on the strengths of the sector – so that it is successful, resilient, sustainable and profitable to the benefit of all of Scotland.
“We want to support innovation and entrepreneurship, and seize opportunities from new technology and markets, to boost productivity and grow businesses.
“In this way, our retailers can benefit from and contribute to the bold programme of actions that will transform our economy over the next decade.”
Chairman of the Scottish Retail Consortium John Brodie MBE said: “Scotland’s retailers have shown tremendous fortitude and resilience to come through the tribulations of the past few years, a period of profound transformation for the industry which was accelerated by the Covid pandemic.
“The Scottish Retail Consortium is delighted to have partnered with government to develop this strategy which recognises the enormous economic and social contribution that retailers make and outlines a shared approach to sustainably grow the industry.
“Retail is Scotland’s largest private sector employer and this more strategic and collaborative approach to supporting and nurturing the growth of the industry should help it flourish and fulfil its potential over the decade ahead.
“This will benefit retailers and the millions of customers they serve in Scotland, as well as the supply chain and broader economic ecosystem that retail touches, and help drive forward Scotland’s economy.”
Further measures to help stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and limit non-essential contact will be introduced this weekend.
Nobody who lives in a Level 4 area should leave or remain outside their home except for essential purposes.
Working from home arrangements will be strengthened through updated statutory guidance. Working from home should now be the default position for all businesses and services, and only those who cannot do their job from home should be asked to go to the workplace.
From Saturday non-essential click and collect retail services will be prohibited in Level 4 areas and further changes will be put in place to how services open for essential purposes operate.
Timeslots will be required for collection and people should not enter a store to collect an item.
Businesses providing takeaway food will also operate on a ‘non-entry’ basis only, meaning customers cannot enter the premises when placing or collecting orders.
Restrictions banning the consumption of alcohol in public places will also be introduced.
In a statement to Parliament, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The situation we face in relation to the virus remains extremely serious.
“We must continue to do everything possible to reduce case numbers – this is essential to relieve the pressure on our NHS and to save lives.
“Both individually and collectively, these additional measures – in further reducing the interactions that allow the virus to spread – will help our essential efforts to suppress it.
“At this critical and dangerous moment, please: Stay Home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.”
The new regulations apply to all parts of Scotland currently in lockdown and will come into effect at 00.01 on Saturday
Responding to the latest announcements, David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: “The situation with the pandemic is fast moving and we fully recognise government wants people to stay home. However these further revenue-crushing restrictions and the fresh complexity they bring, together with constant chopping and changing to the Covid Strategic Framework, are disconcerting and come at an incredibly difficult time for retail.
“Firms operating click and collect or food-to-go takeaway have taken every reasonable step to make their operations as safe as possible, complying with every twist and turn to government guidance and often at pitifully short notice. They have demonstrated they can operate safely and have invested significantly to make their premises Covid-secure, and it appears no evidence to the contrary has accompanied this announcement.
“The businesses affected – who have already lost much of their income during the crisis – are trying to make the best fist possible of the current severely curtailed trading conditions, and that just got even harder as a result of this decision which will add to their cash flow woes.
“The blunt reality is that the taxpayer-funded grant support on offer won’t make up for lost sales and firms’ mounting bills and debt during this pandemic. Even when we eventually emerge from lockdown shops will be unable to trade at capacity due to physical distancing and caps on numbers in stores, while the threat of a return to full business rates liability in April still looms. Decisive action is urgently required to extend rates relief into 2021-22 and avoid April’s reverse cliff edge which will see 100% reinstatement of business rates.”
“It’s vital shoppers continue to play their part, by shopping considerately, where possible alone, wearing face coverings, and following in-store signage. These are incredibly difficult times and it’s up to everyone to follow the rules to keep us safe and the virus at bay.”
Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:“Today’s announcement will be very disappointing to those who have carefully adapted their businesses to be COVID safe and continue the trading that has kept them afloat up to this point.
“The lack of any certainty over when currently closed shops would be allowed to re-open added to the importance of Click and Collect services propping up many small and independent retailers.
“The Scottish Government must provide detailed evidence on how these new measures will support public health restrictions and urgently provide sufficient finance to support Scottish businesses if they are to get through yet more rules suddenly imposed upon them without prior consultation.
“Otherwise, it will only add to the growing desperation of businesses who have put finance and time aside to make their business COVID compliant, only to have to close anyway, with no clear route back to reopening.’’
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer has voiced union frustration at the absence of definitive new restrictions to meet the upsurge in infection risk and new virus strain.
She condemned the refusal to require closure of non-essential manufacturing and construction. The STUC welcomed the pledge to strengthen the obligation on employers to allow their staff to work from home whenever possible but said it would seek urgent engagement on how this will be implemented.
Roz Foyer said: “It is becoming increasingly clear that the Government has a blind-spot in some sectors when it comes to introducing similar safeguards to last year’s first lockdown. This is causing confusion for workers and, in too many cases, allowing employers to play fast and loose with government advice.
“We have been contacted with a wide range of worker concerns about employers who are choosing to interpret the government’s position to allow them to stay open and/or require staff to attend work rather than operate from home.
“We will be urgently seeking details on how the Government intends to legislate for employers to default to home working.”
CAMRA’s Scotland Director Joe Crawford said: “Pubs are a force for good in our communities and they deserve to be supported through these latest restrictions, which have dealt another devastating blow to trade for hospitality businesses. When this nightmare is over, pubs and social clubs will be vital to the nation’s healing process – so long as they are still standing.
“Whilst no one wants to see irresponsible drinking in the streets during a lockdown, it is good that the Scottish Government is allowing pubs and breweries to continue selling alcohol in sealed containers for people to take home. This helps pubs, clubs and brewers to compete with the large supermarkets, and means that people can still get cask beer, which is under threat due to months of forced pub closures.
“I’d encourage everyone to safely and responsibly support their local breweries, clubs and pubs where they are still able to act as an off-licence and sell beer and cider to enjoy at home.”
Industry representatives wrote to the Scottish Government on Tuesday, insistingtakeaways should remain permitted. Some had feared the worst, so yesterday’s announcement offers at least some respite.
Ten representative organisations from across Scotland’s Food and Drink industry wrote a joint letter to the Scottish Government’s Rural Economy Secretary, Fergus Ewing MSP, to request that food and drink takeaway services be permitted to continue.
The letter stated:-
“Dear Mr Ewing,
Potential Restrictions on Food and Drink Takeaway
Last Thursday the First Minister stated she wanted takeaway businesses to switch to delivery where possible, and we understand from subsequent media reports Ministers are considering prohibiting food takeaway activity from taking place.
Food and drink, hospitality, and catering businesses are concerned at the move away from the transparency and certainty which the Government was able to provide in the final months of last year through the Strategic Framework.
It is worrying we appear to be returning to a less considered approach – one which doesn’t effectively engage affected businesses in advance – which is less likely to provide the benefits of consultation and rounded decision making provided by the earlier approach.
It goes without saying food and drink businesses are facing an incredibly difficult time. The desired outcome of the current restrictions, with people broadly staying at home, means footfall for businesses has collapsed.
The inability to offer sit-in facilities should hopefully help prevent the spread of Covid – but it comes at a very high economic price. In the context of a very uncertain economic outlook, these are very challenging trading conditions.
One of the few chinks of light in this dim outlook has been the ability for food and drink businesses to provide takeaway and click/telephone and collect services to customers. These services allow local businesses and suppliers to keep colleagues employed, provides a service to people – many of whom now are essential workers doing vital tasks – and of course are easy for smaller businesses to operate and establish. Limiting trade to home delivery only will force some businesses to close – and also ensure customers are more likely to purchase food and drink from grocers – ensuring more people are congregating in a smaller number of places.
Beyond this we are concerned at how any measures would be implemented into legislation. From our point of view how you would distinguish between a sandwich or sausage roll or hot or cold drink sold from a pub, bakery, café, restaurant, carry-out, newsagent, petrol station, or grocery store seems impossible to ascertain, but all are providing fundamentally the same service. The same applies across hundreds of product categories and thousands of businesses.
With these points in mind we remain very concerned at the suggestion this commercial activity could be suspended – especially as there is no indication when these businesses will be able to return to normal trading. Our members undertaking these services have complied with every change to government guidance and put in place many mitigation measures and invested significantly to keep shoppers and workers as safe as possible. They are providing an important service in difficult circumstances, helping to support key workers as well as the Scottish food and drink industry.
Of course, we all support every effort to tackle Covid. If there is clear and unequivocal evidence measures in this area will proportionately suppress the virus we would recognise that. However, we haven’t been sighted on any data or public health evidence as to why takeaway services are a risk. As such, forced closure seems somewhat arbitrary and marginal in terms of contributing to the suppression of the virus – not least as the new ‘stay at home’ order has just come into effect and is substantially reducing footfall.
Finally, it is only a week since the First Minister announced the new stay at home restrictions, which explicitly allowed takeaway businesses to trade. It’s very difficult for businesses to plan in any sense when government announcements emerge without warning, providing a metaphorical damoclean sword above any business trading right now.
These are very difficult circumstances for government. We want to work with you and your officials to continue to develop and deliver the proportionate measures which will suppress Covid and keep everyone safe. We hope you will look to engage constructively with us over the next few months.
Yours sincerely
Alasdair Smith, Chief Executive, Scottish Bakers
Colin Wilkinson, Managing Director; Scottish Licensed Trade Association
Ewan MacDonald-Russell, Head of Policy; Scottish Retail Consortium Jim Winship, Director; The British Sandwich & Food to Go Association
Jim Winship, Director; The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association
Marc Crothall, Chief Executive; Scottish Tourism Alliance
Paul Togneri, Senior Policy Manager; Scottish Beer & Pub Association
Dr Pete Cheema OBE, Chief Executive; Scottish Grocers’ Federation Stuart Reddish, National President; NFRN
Willie Macleod, Executive Director, Scotland; UK Hospitality
Scotland woke up to tougher restrictions this morning
The STUC has strongly welcomed the extension of blended learning in schools and extra lockdown requirements but is disappointed at failure to protect all non-essential workers.
STUC position on shielding workers has now been heeded
STUC calling on all employers to offer furlough to all working parents affected by school closures, who are not classed as keyworkers
Measures are short of a full lockdown as many non-essential workplaces in sectors like manufacturing and construction will still remain open
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “By the government’s own admission the situation is now more serious than it has been at any other point, we are literally in a race to save lives, yet the measures set out are still less stringent than the lockdown last year.
“We welcome the decision to move to blended learning in schools until at least February. It is absolutely vital in the period ahead that education workers are listened to, and that a precautionary approach is maintained. Further changes to the plan for staggered return to universities also seems to be inevitable.
“We are also pleased our position has been heeded that shielding workers should not be required to attend work.
“However, we are deeply disappointed that, despite the severe circumstances, the First Minister, appears to be prepared to allow a range of non-essential workplaces such as construction and manufacturing to remain open.
“As well as posing increased transmission risks. this is a recipe for confusion and will place many workers in an invidious position, particularly those who have caring responsibilities. We intend to raise this as a matter of urgency with the Government.”
Responding to the latest announcements, David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: “We recognise the situation with the pandemic is fast moving and are behind the government’s efforts to get on top of the virus.
“Nonetheless these further restrictions are unsettling and come at an incredibly difficult time for the retail industry. Non-food retail as a whole has been thwacked hard by the onslaught of coronavirus, and even before the latest lockdown came into effect was trading almost a quarter down compared to the same period last year.
“Even when stores are eventually permitted to re-emerge from this enforced hibernation, it is likely many will continue to suffer from lower shopper footfall. Prior to the current lockdown footfall was down by a third.
“Whilst a return to trading is crucial, it will not be a panacea for the industry. That’s why we hope to see a recovery plan from government to get retail moving once again, including visibility on the route out of lockdown, early clarity over continued rates relief for the coming financial year, and short term stimulus to boost consumer confidence and spending once shops can re-open perhaps through a high street voucher scheme.”
Police Scotland issued the following statement:
Responding to the First Minister’s announcement of a new lockdown, Director for CAMRA Scotland Joe Crawford said: “Tighter restrictions under the new national lockdown means that the light at the end of the tunnel still seems months away for Scotland’s beleaguered pubs and breweries.
“With pubs having missed out on any money through the tills over Christmas – which would have been their busiest time of year – and no prospect of re-opening on the immediate horizon, it is clear that the existing financial support on offer won’t be enough to save our pubs and breweries from permanent closure.
“The Scottish Government must recognise that local pubs are a force for good, bringing communities together and playing a key role in tackling loneliness and social isolation.
“They deserve a new, long-term, sector-specific financial support plan to make sure that they can survive the next few weeks and months and are still around to open their doors again once restrictions start to be lifted.”
The EIS has expressed its support for the decision to keep schools on a remote learning platform for at least the month of January, as part of the lockdown announced the Scottish Government.
Commenting on the decision, EIS General Secretary, Larry Flanagan said: “There was already heightened concern from teachers in Level 4 areas around school safety and the surge in infection levels, driven by the new variant, will have compounded those concerns especially as it seems clear that children can be as easily infected as anyone by the new strain, with subsequent transmission also occurring.
“Given that social distancing amongst pupils is physically impossible in crowded classrooms, moving to remote learning is the correct decision, therefore, if we are to successfully drive down community infection levels. Suppressing the virus is key to school buildings safely reopening.”
He added, “Whilst the education system is better prepared to deliver education remotely than during the first lockdown, challenges remain and we need to ensure that all pupils, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can access learning on an equitable basis.”
Mr Flanagan concluded: “We have raised with the Scottish Government the question of prioritising vaccination of school staff as a mechanism to allow school buildings to reopen for all pupils.”
Retail trade union Usdaw has responded to yesterday’s tightening of the Covid-19 restrictions, by the Scottish Government, with a call for respect for shop workers.
From this weekend, shops across Scotland are to return to 2 metre physical distancing and reintroduce safety measures put in place earlier in the pandemic.
Usdaw is reminding customers of the five simple steps to encourage considerate shopping, that were agreed with the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) and the Scottish Government, urging the public to play their part in creating a safe and enjoyable retail environment for other customers and retail staff:
1. Queue considerately.
2. Maintain social distancing.
3. Follow instructions inside and outside shops.
4. Follow all necessary hygiene measures.
5. Be respectful to shop staff.
Tracy Gilbert – Usdaw’s Scottish Deputy Divisional Officer said: “Unfortunately the early part of the Covid-19 crisis saw instances of abuse towards shop workers double and we are absolutely clear that ‘abuse is not part of the job’.
“With infections rising we understand why the Scottish Government wants to return to the original safety guidance for shops, that we developed with the SRC, to provide staff and customers with a safer shopping experience.
“Customers need to play their part and be patient, observe social distancing and show respect to shop workers. Retail staff are key workers delivering essential services and that role must be valued and respected.”
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.”
