Fruit and veg plan concern
INDEPENDENT shopkeepers on Teesside have broadly welcomed a Government plan to encourage more people to buy fruit and veg through their corner store - but say the idea needs thinking through.
On Wednesday, the Government announced that it was to target 120 “Arkwright-style” stores in the North-east in an attempt to get poorer families to eat five-a-day. Nationally, £800,000 would be made available for shelving, chiller cabinets and promotional material while a project coordinator would help shop owners “maximise profits and minimise waste”.
But local store owners say it failed to take floorspace into account and issues to do with handling short-shelf life products.
Lakhwinder Singh, of Southview Stores in Laburnum Avenue, Middlesbrough, said he was delighted the Government was at last offering practical help to small shopkeepers who were under the kosh from supermarkets, but said he would have to convert a store room to stock fresh produce.
“We should all be health conscious and promoting fruit and veg, but my concern is that I’m only a small shop. A lot of retailers would love to do it, but would there be a grant towards a store room?”
Lifelong greengrocer Tony Wilson, of Wilson’s in Marton, said the scheme could boost independent grocers’ income. “They could stay competitive and get a much higher margin than on existing goods,” he said. “We try to get 100% on costs and 50% on turnover, but the ROP on hard groceries is terrible.
“Anything that draws attention to healthy eating is good, but it’s difficult to get people to change their habits.”
Colin Stratton, North-east regional chairman for the Federation of Small Businesses, said the scheme could help small businesses compete with supermarkets who were constantly able to undercut them. “Corner shops, grocers and greengrocers work very hard and deserve recognition for the high quality job carried out and the added strength their bring to the North-east economy,” he said.
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