Spar Scotland has pledged to support local suppliers as many areas in convenience retail are experiencing changes in shopping patterns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Customers are re-discovering the importance of shopping from and supporting local suppliers, the retailer said, which prompted the Spar to help local Scottish markets to retain their order volumes.
CEO of Spar Scotland, Colin McLean, explained, "We have worked with them [local bakers] to adapt and reduce their product ranges to our stores – this has allowed them to focus on core lines like local bread and rolls whilst increasing volumes and adhering to the strict two-metre distancing rules.
“The majority of products are coming through our central distribution centre in Dundee – this gives us the opportunity to deliver across all Spar stores in Scotland, ensuring equity of supply.”
Discussion With Suppliers
The retailer also spoke to its existing local suppliers, with a special focus on those involved in the catering industry, to understand their concerns and needs.
"Many local bakers have closed their retail units and where possible we have stepped in and increased volumes of local bread, morning rolls, pastries, and pies,” McLean added.
The director of Scotland Food & Drink UK Market Development, Lucy Husband, added that the convenience sector is rising to the challenge of meeting the upturn in demand as people explore local products.
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
