The Macdonald Inchyra Hotel in Falkirk will be opening its doors tomorrow (18 May) at 9:30 am for the annual Mini-Summit hosted by the Scottish Grocers Federation (SGF). The event will address critical issues impacting the entire retail industry such as potential restrictions on alcohol advertising, vaping products, and High in Fat, Sugar & Salt (HFSS) foods.
Delegates and retailers can expect to gain direct access to leading spokespeople and receive the most up-to-date information on each subject. The event will also feature several question and answer sessions with top Scottish government officials on HFSS, the chief executive of Scotland Food & Drink, the director general of UKVIA on vaping, and the head of licensing for TLT Solicitors on alcohol, among others.
Dr Pete Cheema OBE, the chief executive of SGF, expressed his enthusiasm for hosting colleagues from all over Scotland at the Macdonald Inchyra, highlighting the sector’s relevance to the Scottish economy and its crucial role in building resilience into the communities it serves.
However, the current trading environment poses significant challenges for many stores, including high levels of food inflation, energy costs, and a cost-of-living crisis, which is bearing down on struggling households. Dr Cheema emphasizes that governments and institutions must recognize that implementing new regulations comes at a cost at a time when convenience retailers and their communities need support and investment for the future.
The Mini-Summit will also witness the launch of SGF’s flagship Retailer Guides on Vaping and Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), which will feature a foreword from the minister. The event will provide hard copies of the guides for all attendees.
To sum up, the Mini-Summit represents an excellent opportunity for retailers and delegates to stay abreast of the latest developments in the retail industry directly and receive expert insights from leading spokespeople. Despite the challenges faced by many stores today, the event demonstrates the sector’s strength in stimulating economic growth and building resilience in the communities it serves.
