Tag Archives: Regulation

Should Large Retail Stores be Open or Closed on New Year’s Day (Ne’erday) in Scotland ?

Posted on August 2, 2021 by Leigh Sparks

Invitation to Respond to Consultation (closing date 24th August 2021) A Scottish Government consultation seeking the views of business, retailers and shop workers on New Year’s Day trading has been published. Running for 10 weeks until 24 August, the consultation … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Competition, Consumers, Employees, Employment, Internet shopping, New Years Day, Online Retailing, Opening Hours, Petitions, Regulation, Retailers, Retailing, Scotland, Scottish Government, Scottish Retail Consortium, Scottish Retailing, Sunday Trading, USDAW | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Essential vs Non-Essential Retailing

Posted on December 8, 2020 by Leigh Sparks

At the start of lockdown in March, there was a division of retailing into essential and non-essential retailing, with a secondary division into physical and online channels.  There was some grumbling from some retailers (Sports Direct, Waterstones) who felt they … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Closure, Essential Retailing, Government, Independents, Lockdown, Non-Essential Retailing, Non-food retailing, Online Retailing, Regulation, Scottish Government, Uncategorized, Wales | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

‘Writing the Rules of the Game’: Non-market Strategy, commercial interests and health policy

Posted on August 7, 2020 by Leigh Sparks

The UK Government has recently published a set of proposals and statements about restricting commercial activity as part of an approach to tackle obesity.  We have also seen the first stage of a ‘National’ Food Strategy be published.  In Scotland … Continue reading →

Posted in Academics, Alcohol, Consumers, Diet and Health, Food Retailing, Food Standards Scotland, Health, Healthcare Retail Standard, Hospital Shops, Large Store Levy, Markets, Non-market Strategy, Politicians, Profits, Promotion, Public Health, Public Health lev, Public Policy, Regulation, Retail Levy, Scottish Government, Sugar Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fighting Fit? Independent Convenience Stores and the Public Health Agenda

Posted on November 29, 2019 by Leigh Sparks

The last 2019 Cross Party Group for Independent Convenience Stores, held last week, was a cracker.  With all the excitement of the AGM (not really), it was almost too much to have three excellent presentations on retailing and the public … Continue reading →

Posted in Academics, Alcohol, Best Start Foods, Convenience stores, Cross Party Group, Deposit Return Scheme, Diet and Health, Food Retailing, Food Standards Scotland, Government, Healthcare Retail Standard, Healthy Living, Independents, Internet shopping, Legislation, Local Retailers, Politicians, Products, Regulation, Retail leadership, Retail Policy, Scotland, Scottish Government, Scottish Grocers Federation, Scottish Local Retailer, Scottish Retailing, Small Shops, Sugar Tax, Uncategorized, University of Stirling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Taxing Times: Tesco and Poland

Posted on April 21, 2017 by Leigh Sparks

The financial results for Tesco last week brought forward a lot of comment and some interesting thoughts, not least the looming pension deficit and the exceptional items booked into the accounts.  Oh, and the underlying performance, which was quite good. … Continue reading →

Posted in European Union, International Retailing, Large Store Levy, Poland, Profits, Public Health lev, Regulation, Retail Levy, Retail Policy, Tax, Tesco | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Retailing’s Unacceptable Faces

Posted on August 23, 2016 by Leigh Sparks

Of course, the week I was away on annual leave (and if you love rain, then my home country Wales, had it in buckets) the two House of Commons Select Committee investigations into those captains of industry, Sir Philip Green … Continue reading →

Posted in Agencies, BHS, Employment, Employment practices, Governance, Pensions, Retail Failure, Retail leadership, Select Committees, Sports Direct, Store Closures | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Trading with the Enemy

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Leigh Sparks

Irresistable isn’t it? It is difficult not to be cynical when the retail red tape challenge results, announced today by Vince Cable, produced the dramatic outcome that the Trading with the Enemy Act was redundant. So retailers are no longer … Continue reading →

Posted in Government, Red Tape, Regulation, Retail Policy | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The State of British Retailing. Discuss

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Leigh Sparks

Took a break from internal and external examining to attend to the British Retail Consortium’s Annual Symposium in London. I attended last year and thought it was a very strong programme of senior retail speakers and this year’s programme looked … Continue reading →

Posted in Brands, BRC, Food Retailing, Government, High Streets, Multichannel, Qualifications, Regulation, Retailers | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment