‘We need thousands of indie food retailers – so, how do we get there?’
Independent food retailers account for just 5% of total food sales in Britain. Indie retailers passionately want to grow that share, not least because the dominant and highly centralised supermarket retail model is so intrinsically unsustainable. But how? That was the question up for discussion at an absorbing and candid conversation at last week’s Oxford Real […]
Christmas 2024 – how was it for you?
We’ve been getting some early reports in from Health Store UK Committee Members on how their businesses performed over the 2024 Christmas selling season, with generally encouraging and positive feedback. But we’d like to get a more comprehensive picture of how well the festive period delivered for our Members. So, we’d love to hear about […]
Health Stores UK 2024 Round-up: The year’s stand-out moments
2024 was an action-packed year for Health Stores UK. Here, we dip into our news archives and highlight some of the year’s stand-out moments. January Better Food’s Phil Haughton receives MBEPhil Haughton, founder of multiple award-winning organic retailer Better Food, was made an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List for services to sustainable food […]
Scotland’s small retailers denied rates relief in ‘bitterly disappointing’ Budget
Business owners and trade groups in Scotland have expressed frustration that small retailers will be denied the 40% rates discount that similar business continue to receive in England and Wales. Business groups and individual traders had lobbied the SNP-led Scottish Government ahead of last week’s Budget, stressing that funds had been made available specifically for […]
Gen Z most likely to appreciate ‘uniqueness’ of indie retailers
New research commissioned by online marketplace Faire has found that 74% of Gen Z shoppers prefer shopping at independent retailers, with 62% willing to pay more at indie shops. The poll of 2,000 adults shows that a majority of people aged 18-27 prefer the ‘personal touch’ of an independent store, with 40% of the Gen Z […]
Acting on impulse: How to prompt your customers into making unplanned purchases
Optimising your store for impulse buys should be an essential part of your retail strategy. That’s because around 40% of shoppers will spend more than they planned, when the strategy is implemented effectively. That striking observation came early on in Health Stores UK’s latest Shop Talk discussion, hosted this time by business coach Dave Christie […]
Case for folic acid supplementation remains despite mandatory fortification of flour, says HFMA
As the Government regulation for the fortification of non-wholemeal flour with folic acid, came into force on 14 November along with extensive press coverage of the story, the Health Food Manufacturers’ Association (HFMA) says it will continue to push the message that women planning a pregnancy or recently becoming pregnant should continue to use a […]
Indies urged to get behind Small Business Saturday event
Health store retailers are being urged to join other indie stores in spreading the word about Small Business Saturday, which celebrates the contribution of small UK businesses to their communities. The national event, run by Small Business Britain and now in its twelfth year, takes place in December and has seen billions of pounds spent […]
The top food, health and wellness trends to look out for in 2025
It’s late November and the annual festival of industry trend spotting is in full swing. Everyone from market analysts to big name retailers, brand agencies to wellness companies are keen to tell you what they are sure will be big in the food, health and wellness sectors in 2025. We’ve has been unpacking this year’s […]
Black Friday alternative urges indies to get colourful!
The countdown to this year’s Colour Friday promotion, the Black Friday alternative that encourages people to “shop though their values”, has begun. The event which takes place on 29 November is now in its fourth year and is urging indie retailers to get involved again. The organiser – Holly & Co – has created a Colour Friday […]
