Half of shoppers are eating more sandwiches Quality and freshness are driving growth Demand is spreading beyond lunchtimeSandwiches are tightening their grip on Brits' appetite, with new research revealing rising consumption, broader daypart appeal and a clear shift towards quality-led purchasing. According to report titled "Prove It: The Trends Driving Sandwich Consumption in 2026" by Délifrance, half of UK consumers now say they are eating sandwiches more often than a year ago, underlining renewed momentum in a category that remains a staple across convenience retail. This growth is being driven not just by habit, but by improving perceptions around quality, with 46 per cent of shoppers citing better quality as the main reason for increased consumption. The category is expanding across the day, with 67 per cent of consumers now buying sandwiches as a snack between meals and 62 per cent occasionally opting for them at dinner. This ... Continue Reading »
Costa Coffee is turning up the flavour this summer with the launch of its first co-branded Ready-To-Drink product in Great Britain: the new Costa Coffee McVitie’s Jaffa Cake Frappé, inspired by the iconic taste of McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes. Available in Costa Coffee shops nationwide from today, with a rollout into selected national retailers planned across the summer, the new drink blends Costa’s signature coffee with zesty orange and rich chocolate notes, creating a refreshingly indulgent treat for on-the-go moments.The Costa Coffee McVitie’s Jaffa Cake Frappé 250ml launches as ready-to-drink iced coffee continues to rise in popularity across the UK. Whether you’re resetting between meetings or cooling off on a sunny day, it’s a chilled, convenient way to enjoy a bold, flavour-packed coffee wherever you are.Tapping into the nation’s long-standing love of chocolate and orange, this limited-edition Frappé brings together two much-loved favourites in one irresistibly sippable drink. By combining Costa ... Continue Reading »
Finsbury Food Group, one of the UK’s leading speciality bakery manufacturers, said on Thursday that it has acquired Flower & White Ltd, a better-for-you snacking brand, as it continues to expand its presence in high-growth bakery categories.Based in Telford, Flower & White produces a range of light sweet treats and lower-calorie snack bars across direct-to-consumer, retail and foodservice channels. The business is currently growing at around 30 per cent and employs approximately 46 people.Flower & White’s founders, Leanne and Brian Crowther, will remain in place to support the integration and ensure ongoing momentum. The business will continue to operate from its Telford site.Finsbury Food Group said the deal strengthens its position in the direct-to-consumer market and offers a differentiated lighter snacking proposition to its roster of premium, baked goods. Adding Flower & White to the Group is expected to create opportunities for innovation and cross-selling across Finsbury’s many brands and ... Continue Reading »
Walsall Council’s Trading Standards team has seized nearly one million illegal cigarettes in what is the largest tobacco haul ever recorded in the borough.The seizure took place on Tuesday 22 April following an investigation into a break-in at a storage unit in Walsall. Officers uncovered a large container within the unit packed with boxes of illicit tobacco. A total of 950,880 cigarettes were recovered, with an estimated retail value of £760,000. Goods seized will be held while investigations continue.A spokesperson for Walsall Council said, “This seizure highlights the scale of illegal tobacco activity and the need for continued enforcement. Removing these products from circulation protects both public health and legitimate businesses. Work is ongoing to identify those responsible.” Illegal tobacco poses significant risks to public health, as its ingredients are not known or regulated and may contain higher levels of harmful chemicals. As part of Walsall’s Tobacco Control Plan, the ... Continue Reading »
Primula Cheese, the original squeezy cheese brand, is back on TV, with a new campaign. Enlisting a social media star to bring the new creative to life, "the art of the squeeze" puts Primula's real cheese in every squeeze message front and centre through fun storytelling and humour. “We've been proudly made with real cheese for over 100 years and landing that message was key for us. We think the new ad has brought that message to life in a way that’s seriously unserious and genuinely memorable, which is very Primula.,” said Lisa Thornton, Head of Marketing at Kavli, owners of Primula Cheese, commented on the new advert:“The new TVC also marks an exciting moment for the brand, as it kicks off a broader integrated campaign which puts real cheese front and centre across multiple channels, designed to bring new shoppers into the brand.” Primula will return to ITV1, expanding ... Continue Reading »
The government's announcement of £319 million for high street revitalisation is, on the face of it, good news. And I mean that sincerely. After years of watching town centres hollowed out, it is genuinely encouraging to see a government putting serious money behind the idea that high streets matter. The Pride in Place strategy, with its High Streets Innovation Partnerships and vision of town centres reimagined as mixed-use community spaces, shows at least an understanding that these places are worth fighting for.But I have been in this industry long enough to know that investment alone does not revive a high street. Footfall initiatives and regeneration funds can do a great deal – and I hope they do – yet they cannot paper over structural problems that are pushing independent retailers to the brink.The cost of running a shop in Britain today is for many simply unsustainable. Business rates remain the ... Continue Reading »
Pukka unveils colourful new packaging across its popular handheld range, designed to maximise standout on shelf and simplify flavour navigation for shoppersNew seasonal Cheese & Pickle Slice joins the line-up, inspired by classic British flavours and bringing a fresh Spring/Summer twistRelaunched range combines core favourites with world-inspired and seasonal innovation to drive category excitement and attract younger, incremental shoppersPie brand Pukka has relaunched its chilled handheld range with colourful new packaging designed to drive stronger standout in fixture, while improving shopability through clearer flavour cues and easier navigation.The new packaging comes alongside a more considered range, making it easier for shoppers to find the products they know and love, while still offering plenty of choice across a variety of recipes. Joining the existing favourites as a limited edition is the new Cheese & Pickle Slice, inspired by the classic British flavour pairing and bringing a fresh Spring/Summer twist to the ... Continue Reading »
Britain’s independent convenience sector is facing renewed pressure, with total channel sales falling and shopper behaviour increasingly tilting towards larger supermarket formats, according to the latest Early Channel Track findings from TWC.Sales across independent convenience stores declined by 3.8 per cent in the year to March 22, 2026, a drop that deepens to 4.7 per cent when excluding commission-based income such as National Lottery and payment services, as well as non-barcoded sales. The data also points to a gradual erosion of the sector’s role in everyday shopping missions. Independent convenience has lost 0.4 percentage points of total grocery transactions, as shoppers increase their visits to supermarkets, particularly larger format stores, which are driving most of the growth within the multiples.Despite this shift, the channel remains vast in scale and deeply embedded in UK shopping habits. Independent convenience stores still account for around 3.5 billion visits annually across Great Britain, generating ... Continue Reading »
The charity Retail Trust and global retail crime intelligence platform Auror have launched a new partnership urging retailers to work together to uncover the severity of violent and organised retail crime and improve the safety of workers through easier and consistent reporting methods.The partnership will call on retailers to explore crime-reporting technology that helps staff record abuse and theft quickly and securely, and enables retailers to identify repeat offenders across stores, to support the Crime and Policing Act’s crackdown on retail attacks and theft.The new Act is making assaulting a shop worker a standalone offence, ending the £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifting and introducing Respect Orders to ban repeat offenders from public spaces, but there are fears many offences could still go unreported. One in four (24%) workers have told the Retail Trust they don’t report incidents to their managers or the police, even as 77% of retail workers ... Continue Reading »
A shopkeeper in South Gloucestershire has been the victim of a religiously aggravated assault after his turban was knocked from his head during an incident at a convenience store, prompting a police appeal for information.Avon and Somerset Police said the attack took place at around 4.30pm on Sunday 19 April on Filton Avenue, where two men entered the store and an altercation occurred with the retailer.Officers have released CCTV images of two individuals they would like to speak to as part of their investigation. According to the force, one of the men is described as white, in his early 20s, with short curly black hair, wearing a white T-shirt, black shorts and black and white trainers. The second is also described as white, in his early 20s, with short brown hair, wearing a grey tracksuit and black trainers.House-to-house enquiries, CCTV reviews and intelligence checks have been carried out, and officers ... Continue Reading »
Three million UK households are being forced to skip meals and cut family visits amid cost-of-living pressures and collapsing consumer confidence, according to a survey.Which?’s latest Consumer Insight Tracker found consumer confidence fell to minus 62 this month, its lowest level since the height of the cost-of-living crisis in 2022.Some 71% of UK adults believe the UK economy will worsen over the next 12 months while just 9% think it will improve, the poll suggests.Which? found 85% of UK adults are now worried about food prices – up from 83% in February.This concern was forcing lifestyle changes as two thirds of households (67%) have made at least one adjustment to their shopping or eating habits in the last month to reduce how much they spend on food.The most common adjustments were buying cheaper products (43%), buying more supermarket budget own-range items (37%), and buying extra items when on promotion (31%).The ... Continue Reading »
Co-op is trailing a new way to tackle shoplifting by marking commonly stolen items with invisible “forensic spray” to track them, state recent reports.The supermarket has tested the technique in Manchester and London since last year and aims to use it across the country. The spray, which helps the Co-op identify where stolen items are being resold and report it to the police, contains a unique forensic code for a particular location where the items were sold.The items being marked include sweets, alcohol and launry deteregents.Police can then identify which Co-op store the items originated from when investigating physical shops or online stores suspected of reselling stolen goods.The technique is part of a raft of measures which the Co-op said had helped it cut crime in its stores by a fifth last year. It said physical attacks on its staff fell by almost a third year-on-year.Paul Gerrard, policy director at ... Continue Reading »
Serious and organised crime (SOC) is now embedded across UK high streets, with convenience stores, vape shops and mini-marts among the sectors most exposed, according to a major new report from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) and the Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG).The report, Hidden in Plain Sight, warns that criminal networks are increasingly using seemingly legitimate retail premises to sell illicit goods, launder money and fund wider offences, creating a growing threat for local retailers and communities.Trading Standards professionals have identified organised crime as the number one threat facing the profession, with 96 per cent reporting encounters with organised crime groups (OCGs) and 97 per cent aware of suspected criminal activity operating from high street shops.The findings underline mounting pressure on convenience retailers from rogue operators able to undercut legitimate businesses by avoiding taxes and regulations.Convenience sector in the spotlightThe report highlights convenience stores and vape retailers as key areas ... Continue Reading »
The UK’s landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill has officially received Royal Assent on April 29, paving the way for one of the most radical shifts in smoking policy in decades, but triggering sharp divisions across the industry over its likely impact on retailers, consumers and the illicit market.At the heart of the legislation is the controversial “generational ban”, which will make it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, effectively phasing out smoking over time. The law also introduces tighter controls on vaping products, including restrictions on marketing, packaging and flavours, alongside stronger enforcement powers.Industry leaders broadly agree on the need for tighter regulation, particularly around youth access, but warn the framework risks undermining harm reduction efforts if not implemented carefully.Asli Ertonguc, Head of BAT UK & Western Europe said: "The Tobacco and Vapes Act should have accelerated progress towards a smoke-free UK, but ... Continue Reading »
Unilever's first-quarter underlying sales growth beat expectations on Thursday, driven by a return to volume-led growth in emerging markets and strong demand for its "power brands" including Dove and Vaseline as it wins back customers.The London-listed consumer goods giant, with a market valuation of more than $120 billion (£89bn), kept its 2026 sales and profit margin forecast unchanged, indicating the firm hopes to weather the impact of "heightened macroeconomic uncertainty".Consumer goods companies are navigating one of the most challenging cost environments in years due to surging commodity costs and supply chain disruptions from the Iran war. "We have started the year well with volume-led growth driven by our Power Brands and a positive performance across all Business Groups," CEO Fernando Fernandez said in a statement.Fernandez is reshaping Unilever to focus on personal care and beauty after spinning off its ice cream business last year and announcing plans last month to ... Continue Reading »
Half of shoppers are eating more sandwiches Quality and freshness are driving growth Demand is spreading beyond lunchtimeSandwiches are tightening their grip on Brits' appetite, with new research revealing rising consumption, broader daypart appeal and a clear shift towards quality-led purchasing. According to report titled "Prove It: The Trends Driving Sandwich Consumption in 2026" by Délifrance, half of UK consumers now say they are eating sandwiches more often than a year ago, underlining renewed momentum in a category that remains a staple across convenience retail. This growth is being driven not just by habit, but by improving perceptions around quality, with 46 per cent of shoppers citing better quality as the main reason for increased consumption. The category is expanding across the day, with 67 per cent of consumers now buying sandwiches as a snack between meals and 62 per cent occasionally opting for them at dinner. This ... 
Costa Coffee is turning up the flavour this summer with the launch of its first co-branded Ready-To-Drink product in Great Britain: the new Costa Coffee McVitie’s Jaffa Cake Frappé, inspired by the iconic taste of McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes. Available in Costa Coffee shops nationwide from today, with a rollout into selected national retailers planned across the summer, the new drink blends Costa’s signature coffee with zesty orange and rich chocolate notes, creating a refreshingly indulgent treat for on-the-go moments.The Costa Coffee McVitie’s Jaffa Cake Frappé 250ml launches as ready-to-drink iced coffee continues to rise in popularity across the UK. Whether you’re resetting between meetings or cooling off on a sunny day, it’s a chilled, convenient way to enjoy a bold, flavour-packed coffee wherever you are.Tapping into the nation’s long-standing love of chocolate and orange, this limited-edition Frappé brings together two much-loved favourites in one irresistibly sippable drink. By combining Costa ... 
Finsbury Food Group, one of the UK’s leading speciality bakery manufacturers, said on Thursday that it has acquired Flower & White Ltd, a better-for-you snacking brand, as it continues to expand its presence in high-growth bakery categories.Based in Telford, Flower & White produces a range of light sweet treats and lower-calorie snack bars across direct-to-consumer, retail and foodservice channels. The business is currently growing at around 30 per cent and employs approximately 46 people.Flower & White’s founders, Leanne and Brian Crowther, will remain in place to support the integration and ensure ongoing momentum. The business will continue to operate from its Telford site.Finsbury Food Group said the deal strengthens its position in the direct-to-consumer market and offers a differentiated lighter snacking proposition to its roster of premium, baked goods. Adding Flower & White to the Group is expected to create opportunities for innovation and cross-selling across Finsbury’s many brands and ... 
Walsall Council’s Trading Standards team has seized nearly one million illegal cigarettes in what is the largest tobacco haul ever recorded in the borough.The seizure took place on Tuesday 22 April following an investigation into a break-in at a storage unit in Walsall. Officers uncovered a large container within the unit packed with boxes of illicit tobacco. A total of 950,880 cigarettes were recovered, with an estimated retail value of £760,000. Goods seized will be held while investigations continue.A spokesperson for Walsall Council said, “This seizure highlights the scale of illegal tobacco activity and the need for continued enforcement. Removing these products from circulation protects both public health and legitimate businesses. Work is ongoing to identify those responsible.” Illegal tobacco poses significant risks to public health, as its ingredients are not known or regulated and may contain higher levels of harmful chemicals. As part of Walsall’s Tobacco Control Plan, the ... 
Primula Cheese, the original squeezy cheese brand, is back on TV, with a new campaign. Enlisting a social media star to bring the new creative to life, "the art of the squeeze" puts Primula's real cheese in every squeeze message front and centre through fun storytelling and humour. “We've been proudly made with real cheese for over 100 years and landing that message was key for us. We think the new ad has brought that message to life in a way that’s seriously unserious and genuinely memorable, which is very Primula.,” said Lisa Thornton, Head of Marketing at Kavli, owners of Primula Cheese, commented on the new advert:“The new TVC also marks an exciting moment for the brand, as it kicks off a broader integrated campaign which puts real cheese front and centre across multiple channels, designed to bring new shoppers into the brand.” Primula will return to ITV1, expanding ... 
The government's announcement of £319 million for high street revitalisation is, on the face of it, good news. And I mean that sincerely. After years of watching town centres hollowed out, it is genuinely encouraging to see a government putting serious money behind the idea that high streets matter. The Pride in Place strategy, with its High Streets Innovation Partnerships and vision of town centres reimagined as mixed-use community spaces, shows at least an understanding that these places are worth fighting for.But I have been in this industry long enough to know that investment alone does not revive a high street. Footfall initiatives and regeneration funds can do a great deal – and I hope they do – yet they cannot paper over structural problems that are pushing independent retailers to the brink.The cost of running a shop in Britain today is for many simply unsustainable. Business rates remain the ... 
Pukka unveils colourful new packaging across its popular handheld range, designed to maximise standout on shelf and simplify flavour navigation for shoppersNew seasonal Cheese & Pickle Slice joins the line-up, inspired by classic British flavours and bringing a fresh Spring/Summer twistRelaunched range combines core favourites with world-inspired and seasonal innovation to drive category excitement and attract younger, incremental shoppersPie brand Pukka has relaunched its chilled handheld range with colourful new packaging designed to drive stronger standout in fixture, while improving shopability through clearer flavour cues and easier navigation.The new packaging comes alongside a more considered range, making it easier for shoppers to find the products they know and love, while still offering plenty of choice across a variety of recipes. Joining the existing favourites as a limited edition is the new Cheese & Pickle Slice, inspired by the classic British flavour pairing and bringing a fresh Spring/Summer twist to the ... 
Britain’s independent convenience sector is facing renewed pressure, with total channel sales falling and shopper behaviour increasingly tilting towards larger supermarket formats, according to the latest Early Channel Track findings from TWC.Sales across independent convenience stores declined by 3.8 per cent in the year to March 22, 2026, a drop that deepens to 4.7 per cent when excluding commission-based income such as National Lottery and payment services, as well as non-barcoded sales. The data also points to a gradual erosion of the sector’s role in everyday shopping missions. Independent convenience has lost 0.4 percentage points of total grocery transactions, as shoppers increase their visits to supermarkets, particularly larger format stores, which are driving most of the growth within the multiples.Despite this shift, the channel remains vast in scale and deeply embedded in UK shopping habits. Independent convenience stores still account for around 3.5 billion visits annually across Great Britain, generating ... 
The charity Retail Trust and global retail crime intelligence platform Auror have launched a new partnership urging retailers to work together to uncover the severity of violent and organised retail crime and improve the safety of workers through easier and consistent reporting methods.The partnership will call on retailers to explore crime-reporting technology that helps staff record abuse and theft quickly and securely, and enables retailers to identify repeat offenders across stores, to support the Crime and Policing Act’s crackdown on retail attacks and theft.The new Act is making assaulting a shop worker a standalone offence, ending the £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifting and introducing Respect Orders to ban repeat offenders from public spaces, but there are fears many offences could still go unreported. One in four (24%) workers have told the Retail Trust they don’t report incidents to their managers or the police, even as 77% of retail workers ... 
A shopkeeper in South Gloucestershire has been the victim of a religiously aggravated assault after his turban was knocked from his head during an incident at a convenience store, prompting a police appeal for information.Avon and Somerset Police said the attack took place at around 4.30pm on Sunday 19 April on Filton Avenue, where two men entered the store and an altercation occurred with the retailer.Officers have released CCTV images of two individuals they would like to speak to as part of their investigation. According to the force, one of the men is described as white, in his early 20s, with short curly black hair, wearing a white T-shirt, black shorts and black and white trainers. The second is also described as white, in his early 20s, with short brown hair, wearing a grey tracksuit and black trainers.House-to-house enquiries, CCTV reviews and intelligence checks have been carried out, and officers ... 
Three million UK households are being forced to skip meals and cut family visits amid cost-of-living pressures and collapsing consumer confidence, according to a survey.Which?’s latest Consumer Insight Tracker found consumer confidence fell to minus 62 this month, its lowest level since the height of the cost-of-living crisis in 2022.Some 71% of UK adults believe the UK economy will worsen over the next 12 months while just 9% think it will improve, the poll suggests.Which? found 85% of UK adults are now worried about food prices – up from 83% in February.This concern was forcing lifestyle changes as two thirds of households (67%) have made at least one adjustment to their shopping or eating habits in the last month to reduce how much they spend on food.The most common adjustments were buying cheaper products (43%), buying more supermarket budget own-range items (37%), and buying extra items when on promotion (31%).The ... 
Co-op is trailing a new way to tackle shoplifting by marking commonly stolen items with invisible “forensic spray” to track them, state recent reports.The supermarket has tested the technique in Manchester and London since last year and aims to use it across the country. The spray, which helps the Co-op identify where stolen items are being resold and report it to the police, contains a unique forensic code for a particular location where the items were sold.The items being marked include sweets, alcohol and launry deteregents.Police can then identify which Co-op store the items originated from when investigating physical shops or online stores suspected of reselling stolen goods.The technique is part of a raft of measures which the Co-op said had helped it cut crime in its stores by a fifth last year. It said physical attacks on its staff fell by almost a third year-on-year.Paul Gerrard, policy director at ... 
Serious and organised crime (SOC) is now embedded across UK high streets, with convenience stores, vape shops and mini-marts among the sectors most exposed, according to a major new report from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) and the Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG).The report, Hidden in Plain Sight, warns that criminal networks are increasingly using seemingly legitimate retail premises to sell illicit goods, launder money and fund wider offences, creating a growing threat for local retailers and communities.Trading Standards professionals have identified organised crime as the number one threat facing the profession, with 96 per cent reporting encounters with organised crime groups (OCGs) and 97 per cent aware of suspected criminal activity operating from high street shops.The findings underline mounting pressure on convenience retailers from rogue operators able to undercut legitimate businesses by avoiding taxes and regulations.Convenience sector in the spotlightThe report highlights convenience stores and vape retailers as key areas ... 
The UK’s landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill has officially received Royal Assent on April 29, paving the way for one of the most radical shifts in smoking policy in decades, but triggering sharp divisions across the industry over its likely impact on retailers, consumers and the illicit market.At the heart of the legislation is the controversial “generational ban”, which will make it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, effectively phasing out smoking over time. The law also introduces tighter controls on vaping products, including restrictions on marketing, packaging and flavours, alongside stronger enforcement powers.Industry leaders broadly agree on the need for tighter regulation, particularly around youth access, but warn the framework risks undermining harm reduction efforts if not implemented carefully.Asli Ertonguc, Head of BAT UK & Western Europe said: "The Tobacco and Vapes Act should have accelerated progress towards a smoke-free UK, but ... 
Unilever's first-quarter underlying sales growth beat expectations on Thursday, driven by a return to volume-led growth in emerging markets and strong demand for its "power brands" including Dove and Vaseline as it wins back customers.The London-listed consumer goods giant, with a market valuation of more than $120 billion (£89bn), kept its 2026 sales and profit margin forecast unchanged, indicating the firm hopes to weather the impact of "heightened macroeconomic uncertainty".Consumer goods companies are navigating one of the most challenging cost environments in years due to surging commodity costs and supply chain disruptions from the Iran war. "We have started the year well with volume-led growth driven by our Power Brands and a positive performance across all Business Groups," CEO Fernando Fernandez said in a statement.Fernandez is reshaping Unilever to focus on personal care and beauty after spinning off its ice cream business last year and announcing plans last month to ...