BHF Scotland ready to welcome customers back to its shops
British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland is preparing to welcome customers back to its stores across the country, as lockdown restrictions continue to ease.
The nation’s heart charity will be reopening its high street shops and will be able to accept donations in store again next Monday 26th April. The BHF’s home stores reopened in Scotland earlier this month. BHF shops in England and Wales reopened last week and saw their busiest day ever, recording £1million in sales in a single day.
James Jopling, Head of BHF Scotland, said: “It goes without saying how excited we are to get all our shops back up and running in Scotland and we cannot wait to see our loyal customers, staff and volunteers once again. The coronavirus crisis has had a seismic impact on the income of the BHF and the last 12 months have been the hardest in our 60-year history.
“Our shops play a huge role in funding vital research into heart and circulatory diseases and run purely on the support of the public, which is why we never take for granted a camera, book or sofa that’s donated to us. Every item donated and sold can help us to support the 700,000 people living with heart and circulatory diseases across Scotland and aid our recovery from the devastating impact of the pandemic.”
As well as raising funds for life saving research, the BHF’s network of shops across the country also provide a wider benefit to society. Last year alone, BHF shops and stores saved 71,000 tonnes of items from ending up in landfill. That includes around 200,000 sofas, as well as other furniture, electrical items, books, toys and 14,000 tonnes of clothing.
Customers who’ve taken time during lockdown to declutter are being urged to donate preloved items, and there are plenty of bargains and finds for those looking for a Spring makeover too.
Jane Flannery, Senior Regional Director at the BHF, said: “Our teams have been working tirelessly to ensure everything is ready for reopening. Our number one priority will be ensuring the safety of everyone who shops, works and volunteers with us and we have made it easier for people to donate either in store, by post or through our free collection service.
“We’re so fortunate to have such loyal supporters across Scotland and many of them have already been contacting our shops telling us how much they are looking forward to coming back in or donating items to us. We’ve really missed them too.”
In line with Scottish Government guidelines and to ensure the safety of all those accessing the BHF’s shops, a number of changes have been made in the last year, including perspex screens at till points, hand sanitiser points throughout shops, limiting the number of people in each shop at any one time, enhanced cleaning schedules, social distancing on the shop floor and people will be asked to wear masks unless exempt.
Customers will also be encouraged to pay by card or contactless payment where possible.
For those not ready to hit the high street, smaller items such as branded clothing, jewellery, vinyl records and cameras, can be donated using the BHF’s freepost donation service.
Customers will larger items to donate can arrange a Covid-secure home collection online or via their local store and have their items picked up free of charge. Goods such as sofas, beds, bookcases, table and chairs, homewares, TVs and other electricals in working order would be welcomed.
To find your local BHF shop and full details on how you can help support us, visit www.bhf.org.uk
Customers won’t face any fruitless trips to Aldi from this weekend as punnets of the first Scottish strawberries hit stores across Scotland today. Aldi is the first retailer to offer punnets of delicious Scottish strawberries to their customers this year.
The first crop of Scottish strawberries to arrive on Aldi’s shelves have been grown by Tim Stockwell at his farm in Fife for Angus Soft Fruits. Berry specialists Angus Soft Fruits supply Aldi stores across Scotland with fresh berries from a select group of 18 growers based across Tayside and Fife, the heart of the traditional Scottish berry growing region.
Aldi, who currently stock over 450 products from 90 Scottish suppliers, aims to increase the number of Scottish products available in its stores to over 500 in the next two years and has been working with Angus Soft Fruits to ensure shelves are fully stocked with their delicious berries for the warmer months ahead.
Tim Stockwell, owner of Barnsmuir Farm in Fife, commented:“I am really glad that we are able to supply Aldi with the first Scottish strawberries again this year.
“The last 12 months certainly haven’t been without their challenges, but it’s great to see that Aldi remains committed to supporting local, quality produce.”
Graham Nicolson, Group Buyer Director, Aldi Scotland, said:“We’re very pleased to be the first supermarket to offer the first Scottish strawberries of the season once again.
“The Scottish strawberry season is always eagerly anticipated by our customers, and we hope that this first crop of strawberries, grown locally in Fife, give them a sweet taste of summer in the months to come.”
Aldi’s stores in Scotland will be stocking the first pick Scottish strawberries from today (Friday 16 April), with availability increasing throughout spring.
Which? is calling on the government and businesses to make the new costs of buying from EU-based retailers clear and increase the public’s awareness of these changes so consumers are not left with unexpected fees or scammed into paying unnecessary charges.
For many consumers, import charges and confusing returns policies have made shopping with EU retailers after Brexit much more difficult than it used to be.
According to a Which? survey of more than 2,000 members of the public, two in five (42%) people who ordered products online between the end of the Brexit transition period on 1 January and 16 February experienced some issues.
While delays were the most common issue cited by those who ordered products online – with one in four people (24%) experiencing delays – the consumer champion’s research revealed that one in ten people (11%) have been asked to pay additional handling or delivery fees.
Which?’s survey showed the average charge was £41, with some people paying up to £300.
A lack of clear, accessible and well signposted information on how online shopping has been affected since the end of the Brexit transition period means many of these new charges and processes haven’t been communicated clearly and have come as a shock to consumers.
Which? is calling on the government and businesses to make these new costs clear to consumers so they are not left out of pocket.
The government must work to make the processes for how these costs are charged as simple as possible for both businesses and consumers. Businesses must also be upfront about whether the item is being imported from outside the EU and the charges consumers will have to pay if this is the case.
Which? has received multiple queries from consumers on this issue and has regularly published the most up to date information available on the charges consumers can expect when shopping from the EU.
Currently, UK shoppers are charged VAT at 20 per cent, which is applied to most goods. If the total cost of the order is more than £135 or a gift is over £39, VAT is often collected at point of delivery.
Online shoppers who buy items from the EU which originate from further afield – for example, from a seller based in China on an EU platform – and cost more than £135 will also have to pay additional customs duties. This is because the product originates from outside the EU, so the zero-tariff preference between the UK and EU does not apply.
The rules differ for shoppers in Northern Ireland due to its unique position of remaining within the EU’s Single Market, meaning it remains aligned with EU VAT rules for goods.
UK consumers can also be charged additional delivery fees for items from the EU. Each courier has a different policy on what they charge and how they ask you to pay.
Simon Potthast, a musician and producer, ordered a software and hardware package costing £603 from music production company Ableton for work. He then got an email from UPS when the parcel reached the UK port of entry saying there were import fees due for £112.55.
Ableton, who are based in Germany, added a message to the checkout on their website on 16th February 2021 warning that their physical products do not include VAT for UK consumers and that there may be a small paperwork fee on delivery. These fees would also apply to products brought from other companies in the EU.
However, when Simon placed his order on 18th March, he didn’t realise his order was being shipped from Germany or that he would incur additional charges.
He said: “I’ll be more careful now. If I’d known about the charges I would have found a UK distributor for the items so all the charges would have been included when I paid.”
There is also a risk that without clarity around the charges consumers should expect when shopping from the EU, people could be misled or scammed into paying extra costs.
A recent surge in ‘Royal Mail’ scam texts claiming that a parcel is being held due to an unpaid shipping fee shows that fraudsters are taking advantage of consumers’ uncertainty over post-Brexit import charges.
If in any doubt over texts or emails from courier services, consumers should not enter any personal details and should contact the delivery firm directly to confirm if it is genuine. Suspicious texts or emails can be reported to the courier and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
Some shoppers have also experienced difficulties when returning items to the EU. Which?’s research found an overwhelming nine in ten (87%) people who have returned items between 1 January and 16 February have experienced issues such as delays, unexpected paperwork or extra charges.
To make a return to the EU, consumers now need to complete a customs declaration form and to include the item’s description, weight and value. The customs charge is paid for by the recipient upon delivery.
However, this new process has not been made clear by all retailers, leaving some consumers unsure of how to send items back.
Daniele from Worthing had a frustrating experience with Footlocker EU, based in the Netherlands, after trying to return a pair of trainers that were initially delayed at customs.
UPS told him to fill out a returns form but he couldn’t find one on Footlocker’s website. He found a form on UPS’ website but was still unclear how to fill it out.
Eventually, he received help from UPS, but Daniele was disappointed with Footlocker’s service: “Retailers really need to have something in place to assist us – did I really need to go through all of this just to return something?”
Brexit has affected many aspects of how UK consumers interact with EU merchants. For example, if consumers have an issue with a product bought from an EU-based business – because it’s faulty or the pricing was misleading – they are very unlikely to be able to enforce their consumer rights through the UK courts as was previously the case. They may need to pursue the issue with consumer protection authorities or through the courts in the country where the business is based.
UK authorities will also no longer be able to take part in coordinated enforcement activities against companies who breach the law in multiple markets or have access to the same level of intelligence from the EU.
In Which?’s Beyond the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement: Priorities for consumers paper, the consumer champion details what the Trade and Cooperation Agreement means for UK consumers in a number of key areas and how the government should prioritise consumer interests.
Adam French, Which? Consumer Rights Expert said: “Many consumers across the UK could have been surprised to learn how often they buy from EU based retailers. After Brexit, many were caught off-guard by the new delivery charges and returns policies for parcels from the EU – and left footing unexpected bills.
“Which? is calling on the government to make these charges clear for consumers so they are not surprised by the costs or, more concerningly, misled or scammed into paying extra charges. Businesses must also be up front about any extra charges so consumers can continue to shop across the border without any unnecessary complications.”
Customers urged by Usdaw to respect shopworkers as shops start to reopen
Retail trade union Usdaw is calling on customers to follow the rules and respect shopworkers, as stores in Scotland start to gradually reopen with ‘click and collect’ services next Monday 5 April.
Stewart Forrest – Usdaw Divisional Officer for Scotland says: “The gradual reopening of stores on Monday, with ‘click and collect’ services, offers a lifeline for many retailers. That is good news in terms of helping to safeguard jobs, but the virus is still out there.
“We expect employers to ensure that robust safety measures are in place and that customers are fully aware of the restrictions. Shoppers need to play their part in helping to limit the spread of the virus and avoid further lockdowns by following the rules and respecting staff.
“Regrettably, throughout this appalling pandemic, incidents of abuse towards shopworkers doubled. It should never be just a part of the job and shopworkers must be respected. Retail staff are working with the public every day and are not only facing increased abuse, but also a higher chance of catching Covid-19.”
Corstorphine and Wester Hailes stores set to close
Health and household goods retailer Semichem is consulting on the closure of up to 22 stores across Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North East of England.EdinburghSemichem stores at Corstorphine and Wester Hailes are among those earmarked for closure.
Stores in Musselburgh and Dalkeith also face closure.
The closures have been prompted by ongoing challenges to high street trading, which have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The business, which is owned by community retailer Scotmid Co-operative, is in talks with landlords in several locations and will make a final decision on a small number of the 22 stores in the coming months.
A total of 140 Semichem staff have now entered a formal consultation process. Management at Scotmid are exploring opportunities to redeploy as many as possible within its wider business.
Karen Scott, Head of Semichem, said: “The high street was already struggling to adapt to the pace of change in shopping habits, including out-of-town developments and the rise of internet shopping.
“That change has undoubtedly been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Sadly, we have reached the point where it is no longer viable to keep some of our stores open.
“We are grateful for both Scotmid and subsequent government support, which has undoubtedly prolonged the life of many stores.
“Our priority now is to support affected colleagues at this difficult time. We are already looking for redeployment opportunities within the Scotmid group and will help all our staff both personally and professionally.”
Semichem was founded in 1980 and became part of Scotmid Co-operative in 1995. It currently operates 86 stores in shopping centres and on high streets across Northern Ireland, Scotland and the North East of England. Over the last three years, Semichem has invested £2.2 million in refitting stores and trialling a range of new retail concepts.
Karen Scott added: “The remaining stores in our Semichem portfolio are trading satisfactorily given the current circumstances.
“Like many other retailers, we are hopeful that, as restrictions ease, footfall will return to our high streets. I am also pleased to say that our investment programme will resume in the summer.”
● St James Quarter will open its first phase on June 24th
● The opening has been carefully planned to work within the city’s framework for a safe easing out of lockdown restrictions
● John Lewis & Partners will also reopen in May following complete refurbishment of the shop
Following five years of construction, St James Quarter will officially open its first phase on Thursday, 24th June 2021 – bringing a new lifestyle district to the Scottish capital.
The long-anticipated opening has been carefully planned to fit in with the wider plans for a safe reopening of the city, with St James Quarter designed to provide a safe, convenient, and fun environment for shoppers to enjoy as the city begins to ease out of lockdown.
It includes natural ventilation throughout, easily accessible public routes and connectivity from key surrounding streets, covered car parking on site and an integrated plan with the city’s events programme for upcoming celebrations.
The phase one opening line-up of one of the most significant UK city centre transformations undertaken in the last few years will bring together brands from global to local, combining convenience and luxury with an offering that includes: Zara, Mango, Pull & Bear, Rituals, H&M, Kurt Geiger, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, as well as Dune, Bross Bagels and Salerno Pizza, ensuring there is something for everyone to enjoy.
The centre will also see many exciting brands making their Scotland debuts with; Peloton, Bonnie & Wild, & Other Stories, Bershka and Stradivarius offering their exciting products in Edinburgh for the first time.
In advance of the retail launch, Edinburgh’s John Lewis & Partners shop will also reopen on 14 May, following a multi million-pound refurbishment.
It will be accessible on the corner of Leith Street and Little Kings Street, ahead of its entrance within St James Quarter becoming accessible in June.
Still to come in the latter phases of the development over the next 18 months will be an enticing mix of more shops, restaurants and bars, a W Edinburgh, a boutique Everyman Cinema, a Roomzzz Aparthotel, 152 New Eidyn residential apartments, and an unrivalled guest experience providing customers with an enviable events programme in a range of new and attractive public spaces.
Martin Perry, Director of Development at Edinburgh St James, said: “We are extremely excited to be opening the first phase of the Quarter to the public. After a very long and challenging year, it’s a moment many of us have been waiting for.
“This is a significant moment in Edinburgh’s history, and we can’t wait to share what lies behind the quarter with the people of Edinburgh and beyond. A new normal demands a new kind of destination – a development that can respond to an ever-changing situation we are living with, one that serves the needs of its community as well as visitors to the city.
“We are working closely with the Scottish Government to ensure we create a safe space for shoppers to escape and enjoy. Our team is working tirelessly to ensure the appropriate safety measures will be in place and ensure we create a destination that can be truly enjoyed for generations to come.”
Hospitality entrepreneur BRADLEY GOUGH believes the high street isn’t dying, instead it is in state of transition, and pictures a new high street reinvigorated by hospitality and cultural experiences:
Spending habits in the UK have transformed significantly and the high street has been particularly hard hit in 2020. There are no signs of this downward trend slowing, after a year of city-wide lockdowns and non-essential retailers being closed.
Bradley Gough, is the founder of Groubook, and his team had spent months planning the launch of their new app that helps friends to organise and book group events, only to have their plans put on hold due to Covid-19. He is hoping that the hospitality sector will have a massive resurgence in the future and has some interesting ideas on how this will happen.
Chains and big brands have shifted away from physical stores and many businesses have been unable to reopen – leaving the question of what to do with all the empty space in the hearts of our communities.
Bradley Gough said: “I am hopeful about the future of our high streets, we would love to see hospitality and culture could play a major part in reinvigorating these areas.
“The departure of high street favourites like Debenhams, Top Shop, Burtons and Dorothy Perkins has led to thousands of job losses and a gaping hole in the high streets offering.
“But the high street isn’t dying, instead it is in state of transition away from the traditional one we have had for the last 50 years. Even before the pandemic, there was closures and a declining demand for retail space. Shopping online has been steadily on the rise for a decade, but lockdown has accelerated our use of it.
“We would like to see the disused retail spaces transformed into something new, ready for all of the fun to be had post-pandemic. Throughout history, high streets have been the centres of communities, playing important roles in commerce, business but also for social gatherings and events.”
The office buildings that have been forced to close could become revolutionary socially distanced, flexible working spaces. Easy to convert quickly and cheaply, they could become a haven for those sick of working from home as our attitudes towards flexible employee options evolve in the future.
The future high street might be a slightly different scape, but many have already seen an influx of independent businesses including bars, restaurants, community businesses and cultural venues.
Local people will still need access to service-led industries like the dry cleaners, key cutters, nail bar, bank and even the Post Office, but the high street could become dictated by the local populations requirements, their lifestyle patterns, and choices for recreation.
Bradley can picture the high street reinvigorated post-pandemic by hospitality and recreational experiences. Empty department stores could be transformed into hubs for leisure, a bowling alley on one floor, adult soft play on another and a laser tag course in the basement.
Despite the growth of an ‘armchair economy’ due to the pandemic, people will be keen to get out as soon as it is safe, ready to have fun and make new memories with their friends and family.
The next craze to sweep the nation could be a boozy ball pit-based night out, or themed restaurants which emerge you in beach or rainforest surroundings, from the comfort of your town centre.
The shops you spent hours looking around for your parents as a kid, could become city centre mazes instead. Bars could be tucked away, hidden in the basement of retail units, whilst the stores above become experience centres, where customers browse and try products on, before ordering online for delivery to their door.
Technology is the main tool to enhance a community hub and create a high street that meets a range of different consumer needs. A shift towards free Wi-Fi in shared spaces, improvements in eco transport links and more electric car charging points could drive people to their centres and high street to enjoy the post pandemic climate.
Groubook lets groups book, organise and arrange nights out online and take advantage of a wide range of discounts and rewards. Bradley believes the app can give independent bars and restaurants a head start when they’re finally able to open for business and help them recoup some of the losses from the pandemic.
The app was launched in Nottingham in August just after the first lockdown restrictions began to ease and saw rapid initial take-up with numbers growing by 250% in the first six weeks.
Bradley said: “Our plans for growth are ambitious and despite everything that’s happened this year, we’re confident we’ll achieve them.
“Once restrictions begin to ease, we’re ready to go full steam ahead and support the hospitality sector as it starts to rebuild.”
Aldi, the UK’s lowest priced supermarket, is to invest more than £6.7 million in two new stores in Edinburgh and Midlothian this year, creating 42 jobs.
The supermarket will open a new store at Hermiston Gait in Edinburgh and Thornybank Industrial Estate in Dalkeith before the end of the year.
Aldi continues to lead the way on championing great quality Scottish produce with twenty five percent of its range now locally sourced in Scotland. The supermarket now has 96 stores throughout Scotland and is set to reach its 100th store milestone by the end of the year. This investment is part of the supermarket’s long-term target to reach 1,200 stores in the UK by 2025.
Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer, Aldi UK and Ireland, said:“With shoppers increasingly looking to make sure they get unbeatable prices on their weekly shop without compromising on quality, our stores are becoming ever more popular.
“This investment in Aldi stores over the course of this year will help make the UK’s lowest-priced supermarket more accessible to even more people, and bring us closer to our long-term goal of having 1,200 stores across the UK by 2025.”
“We have been investing in Britain for more than 30 years now, but we know that there are still areas that either don’t have an Aldi at all, or that need another store to meet customer demand.
Last summer, Aldi announced it was looking for new store locations in 19 towns and cities across Scotland – including Stonehaven, Castle Douglas, and Peebles – as part of its longer-term expansion plans.
Aldi has recently increased its minimum hourly rates, paying a minimum hourly rate of £9.55 nationally, up from £9.40. Store colleagues will now be able to earn up to £10.57 after three years nationally and £11.32 after two years in London. The new rates of pay are also boosted by the fact Aldi is still one of the only UK supermarkets to pay for breaks taken during shifts, which means Aldi colleagues remain the best-paid in the sector.
The supermarket, which opened new stores in Livingston and Stewarton during 2020, has also announced plans to increase the amount of food and drink it buys from British suppliers by £3.5bn a year by 2025, as it continues its rapid expansion across the UK.
Aldi is widely recognised as the biggest supporter of local suppliers and has already put plans in place to expand its Scottish range to hit 500 locally sourced product lines in the next two years.
Aldi is also investing £500m in new and upgraded stores, distribution centres and its supply chain in 2021, which will create over 4,000 jobs as well as new opportunities for British food and drink producers.
Use of Snappy Shopper increased 43% during previous Tier 4 lockdown
Shoppers are turning to convenience stores to plug gaps in their shopping deliveries during lockdown, according to a Scottish national retailer.
Scotmid has seen a 43% increase in orders using its Snappy Shopper service during the first lockdown and has been working hard to respond to the continued growth in demand for the service at a time when full lockdown restrictions are back in place.
The rise in use of the Snappy Shopper service – which delivers to customers from as little as 30 minutes – comes at a time when consumers are increasingly switching their shopping habits from in store to online – and finding delivery slots from the bigger supermarkets have been booked up sometimes weeks in advance.
Since launching online delivery through the Snappy Shopper app in Edinburgh last year, the service has benefited many individuals during the COVID-19 crisis, including those considered high-risk and having to shield.
Kevin Plant, Head of Food at Scotmid said: “With competition for online shopping slots fierce, Snappy Shopper is filling a much-needed gap for many residents in Edinburgh.
“Feedback from the community has shown us how important this service is – especially for people who are shielding – and we’re pleased to expand our service in the community, especially as Tier 4 restrictions are taking hold.”
The first delivery for every customer is free when they sign up on the app*, with subsequent deliveries in Edinburgh costing just £3.50.
There is a £10 minimum basket spend with a limit of 25 products per delivery.** Deliveries are available to order between 10am and 8pm, with the last delivery at 9pm.
I have spent a lot of time in our stores over the past few days and I need to ask for your help with two key issues to keep you and all my colleagues safe.
When shopping in our stores, you must wear a mask or visor unless you have a medical exemption. And you should also shop on your own. Thank you for your support.
Security guards will support our colleagues at the front of store and will challenge customers who are not wearing masks or who are shopping in groups. I know you’ll understand and support what we are trying to do.
We have also significantly reduced the number of customers allowed in our stores at any one time to ensure social distancing is maintained at all times.
Together, these steps will go a long way to keep everyone safe, whether you are shopping or working with us.
Please wear a mask or visor and please shop alone in our stores. Thank you for helping us to keep everyone safe.
