Talking Retail Grocery and product news for independent retailers
The event was well attended and delegates seemed genuinely happy to be mixing freely with their peers once again after the various disruptions of the past two-and-a-half years.
Retailers I spoke to were upbeat about current trading, which didn’t seem to be hit too hard by the cost-of-living crisis just yet. At the same time, they were apprehensive about what was coming down the line, especially the deposit return scheme that is set to come into force in August 2023.
The mood among speakers at the conference was similarly schizophrenic, with some warning of the various headwinds facing the sector – rising energy costs, petrol prices, wage costs, food price inflation – and others emphasising the potential opportunities for independent retailers.
These include the fact that consumers may well choose to do more of their socialising at home as the cost of living rises, and that the sector often benefits during recession as more shoppers choose to pick up their groceries ‘little and often’ in order to help them budget more easily.
The divide was summed up nicely by Simon Hannah, chief executive of Glasgow-based wholesaler JW Filshill, whose speech to conference laid out both the optimist’s and the pessimist’s view of the current situation, albeit with the suggestion that the sector should take the positive approach and look to seize those opportunities that are available.
It’s a fine line to walk, though, and to suggest that all is rosy would be to ignore the fact that the sector still needs urgent, practical and tangible support from government if it is to weather the storm – especially when it comes to help with soaring energy bills beyond the current six-month period.
Yes, the sector is resilient – but it’s not indestructible.
David Shrimpton | Editor
