SGF Launches Election Manifesto

The next Scottish government and the Scottish Parliament have key roles to play in ensuring Scotland’s convenience stores sustain their recovery from the pandemic. That is the key message in Scottish Grocers Federation’s Scottish Election manifesto, which is launched today. Developed in collaboration with the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), the manifesto lists five key areas and interventions across government and parliament. The first of these is to maintain the Small Business Bonus Scheme for the lifetime of the next parliament. The SBBS ensures that local stores can stay in business, support employment and investment.

Additionally, the manifesto calls for a moratorium on any new legislation impacting on the sector, dedicated funding to ensure that convenience stores can promote Scottish products, business impact assessments to ensure that traffic management and road redesign do not restrict deliveries or customer access to stores. The document also contains an urgent call for the Scottish government to begin to collect robust data on retail crime. Remarkably no data on retail crime is currently recorded in Scotland.

SGF chief executive Pete Cheema commented,

“Convenience stores have played a vital role in supporting customers and communities through the pandemic. It is vital that we build on this and ensure the long-term sustainability of local,  community-based stores. Our manifesto sets out tangible, practically-focused measures which are all achievable within the lifetime of the next parliament. We will work closely with new Scottish government and with MSPs from across all the political parties to ensure a thriving convenience store sector in Scotland.”

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We need the next Scottish Government to recognise the important role of local shops in delivering essential goods and services in communities. As a sector we are committed to helping the Government meet the complex environmental and social challenges, but we also need a balanced regulatory and tax environment to trade competitively.”