Industry News
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Health Stores UK aims for business growth
Health Stores UK has welcomed Dave Christie as its new Head of Business Development, a brand new role created by the association to drive future growth and development.
A highly experienced business mentor with a deep knowledge and experience of the independent health food channel, Dave takes on the new role with immediate effect.
Welcoming him to his new role, Health Stores UK chair, Len Glenville, said: "We are delighted that Dave is joining us in this exciting new role. Dave's business Take on Goliath is already a Partner of the Association, and he has made a fantastic contribution over the last 18 months hosting webinars, offering unique 'insider' advice to members and helping us out at key trade shows. As Head of Business Development, I am confident Dave will bring new energy and insight to Health Stores UK, helping us build new partnerships and strengthening our influence with key industry stakeholders."
Commenting on his appointment, Dave said: "For me personally this is a great opportunity as I am so passionate about helping independent businesses. More than anything it's an opportunity to help those businesses rise up, to protect our high streets – both the retailers and the specialist brands who work tirelessly to give this fantastic offering to our customers – and support them more effectively and credibly, so we can grow our businesses together".
The Kids' Food and Drink Collective brand owners
New collective challenges what we feed our kids
A new cohort of brands has set out to challenge the pervasive junk food culture that dominates the children's food sector.
It's a revolutionary move for a group of brands who would normally be competitors, but members of the new Kids' Food and Drink Collective (KDFC) have come together to "challenge and change our children's food culture" by campaigning for improved access to healthier children's food and raising the profile of innovative businesses who are driving change.
Children's food languishes in the doldrums – a sea of highly processed, sugary or salty products made by huge corporations with even bigger budgets.
Eight members of KFDC are on a mission to promote the work of the businesses who are doing things differently and engage directly with industry buyers, retailers and distributors about the urgent need for improved access to healthier, less processed children's food and drink across the UK retail and food service sectors.
"We know consumer behaviour is changing, and the demand for something better is growing" says Jess Mackenzie, founder of the children's meal brand Jess Cooks and the KFDC.
Indie reaction to proposed changes to employment law
The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira), of which Health Stores UK is a member, has responded to the government's proposed changes to the Employment Rights Bill, expressing cautious optimism about the consultation process while emphasising the need for careful consideration of the independent retail sector's unique challenges.
The bill, set to overhaul significant aspects of UK employment law, includes provisions for extended parental leave, changes to flexible working rights, new protections for workers in the gig economy, and alterations to the rules governing zero-hours contracts.
These sweeping reforms could have far-reaching implications for independent retailers across the country, potentially affecting staffing structures, operational costs, and overall business models.
Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira, said: "We are pleased that the proposed changes will go through a process of consultation. It is vital that the government works with independent retailers to implement the changes with the least possible disruption to the businesses. While we support measures that enhance workers' rights, we must ensure that these changes don't disproportionately burden small independent retailers who often operate on tight margins.
"The consultation process will be crucial in striking the right balance between protecting workers and maintaining the viability of our high streets. We urge the government to consider the unique position of independent retailers, who may lack the resources of larger corporations to easily absorb significant changes to employment practices," he added.
Bira, which works with over 6,000 independent businesses of all sizes across the UK, emphasised the importance of a nuanced approach to implementing new employment regulations.
Mr Goodacre added: "Independent retailers often have close-knit teams and more flexible working arrangements, which could be impacted by one-size-fits-all legislation."
Health Food Institute Award winners now moving on up
All four Health Food Institute training awards winners are planning to use what they have learned to move on to further studies and improve their prospects in the industry.
Keziah Blake-Mizen (pictured above left) at The Natural Store, Falmouth, who won the Ian Martin Award for the top mark in the diploma course part one, is now training to be a fully-fledged medical herbalist with the Heartwood Foundation.
Victoria Ritchie (pictured above second from left) of Highland Health Store in Perth picked up the HFMA Roger Lane Scholarship Award and now moves on to the diploma part two.
Olivia Cooke (pictured above second from right), working at The Whole Health Centre in Ballybrack, Dublin – which is also a pharmacy – won the Teddie Marston Award for showing exceptional understanding of the principles of health food and natural healing in her diploma parts one and two. She's now moving on to study for an MSc in dietetics.
Jenna Marshall (pictured above right) of Hansa Wholefood, Guernsey, a previous winner of the Ian Martin Award, has now bagged the HFMA Jimmy Lee Richardson Award 2024 for achieving the most marks in the diploma of health food retailing. She now plans to move to the next stage in studying nutrition, homoeopathic remedies and herbal medicine.
Horan's on the 18th
Irish health food retailer Horan's Healthstores Group has opened its 18th store in the seaside town of Cobh, County Cork. Health Stores Ireland Chair Leroy Smith said, "After a number of months where the fall-out from a high-profile chain closure in Ireland had been dominating headlines and meetings, it is refreshing that one of our most progressive and ambitious members continues to see opportunities to widen the reach of family-run independent stores."
Gluten-free in the spotlight
Advances in treating coeliac disease and the challenges of diagnosis were the focus of a debate at the 20th International Coeliac Disease Symposium (ICDS) in Sheffield in early September.
Global experts discussed the advances and challenges in diagnosing and treating the disease, with a major focus on gluten-free diet.
In the UK, it takes an average of 13 years to diagnose coeliac disease, a condition affecting one in 100 people, yet only 36% of cases are currently diagnosed.
Key facts to emerge included:
• Diagnosis Challenges: In the UK almost half a million people remain undiagnosed, partly due to a lack of awareness of the common symptoms of the disease, which are frequently varied in nature and often mimic those of more common disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome.
• Gluten-Free Diet as Treatment: The only effective treatment for coeliac disease is a lifelong gluten-free diet. While most patients see significant improvements in quality of life, adherence to the diet varies widely and can impact overall health and wellbeing.
• Nutritional Myths and Risks: The gluten-free diet is often stigmatised, with misconceptions about its nutritional adequacy. Discussions at the symposium addressed concerns about the diet's impact on metabolic health, including the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
• Product Development: Advances in the quality and nutritional value of gluten-free products are being made through the use of alternative grains like quinoa and buckwheat. These improvements help patients maintain a balanced diet and align with healthy eating guidelines.
• Empowering Patients: Health literacy and personalised nutrition advice are essential for patients with coeliac disease in order to make informed dietary choices, support their overall health, and enhance their quality of life, particularly in social and cultural contexts.
"Decades of research and clinical practice have demonstrated that a gluten-free diet is currently the only effective treatment for coeliac disease," said Nick Trott, Specialist Coeliac Dietitian at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield. "After diagnosis and initiation of a gluten-free diet, most patients experience a significant improvement in their quality of life.
"Health professionals should not assume that patients with coeliac disease will automatically gain weight, but they should monitor their dietary habits. Anyone who requires a medically necessitated gluten-free diet should be offered support and personalised nutrition advice to ensure they can maintain this dietary approach within the context of established healthy eating guidelines."
Dismantling plant-based barriers
Next year's Veganuary is on a mission to dismantle the hurdles that put consumers off choosing plant-based food.
Inviting producers, suppliers and retailers to roll up sleeves, Veganuary's organisers have listed a three-point plan to make a difference.
These, with quotes by International Head of Communications Toni Vernelli, are:
• TASTE – "We need plant-based options to taste the same if not BETTER than the animal alternative so that even the most dedicated of meat-eaters will enjoy them."
• AVAILABILITY – "We want the products to be accessible and available – not hiding in the corner. All demographics need to be able to find the products – especially meat-reducers."
• PRICE – "We need to entice new shoppers with promotions and lower prices overall. We don't want a tax on climate-friendly choices; prices need to be on par with animal-based versions."
Veganuary 2024 was by far the biggest and best yet, with roughly 25m people participating worldwide.
"With climate change making headlines more frequently than ever, we expect more and more people to take part in Veganuary as they work to reduce their meat and dairy consumption," says Vernelli. "Veganuary can help businesses capitalise on this switch."
Veganuary is the ideal opportunity for brands, retailers and restaurants to improve, expand and promote their plant-based offerings to a bigger audience.
Most people (consistently over 80% when surveyed) plan to permanently reduce their consumption of animal products by at least 50% after their Veganuary pledge. This is one of the biggest drivers in the market for plant-based products.
Veganuary's 2024 participant survey revealed:
- The majority of those who took part (52%) ate meat and/or fish when they started their one-month pledge while 29% were vegetarian.
- More than 82% who were not already vegan when they took part in Veganuary planned to permanently change their diet after participating by either staying vegan or at least halving their intake of animal products.
- Taste was the number one motivator cited for choosing a plant-based product, followed by price and then health credentials.
- Cheese was the product they missed the most, followed by eggs and seafood.
A business support toolkit can be downloaded from veganuary.com/get-involved/corporate-collaborations. This includes details and examples of marketing activity, key messages, ways to support and extend the campaign on social media including assets and content to share with your audience.
Blood bond
Julie Goodwin's Natural Health store in Hertford has teamed up with a customer who, after a successful stem cell transplant, is now living life to the fullest with an old-fashioned apple orchard in Epping Green. He's fundraising for Blood Cancer Research by selling pure apple juice at just £4 a bottle which all goes to the cause.
Your shop window
What does your store front say about you and your business? Is it attracting potential new customers or could it – gasp! – be putting them off?
These were among the questions tackled in a recent Health Stores UK Mastermind Forum discussion. Session host Cheryl Thallon (owner of Sheaf Street Health Store, Daventry) had prepared a punchy presentation, packed with tips and insights. From thoughts on "welcoming windows" and inviting colour schemes, to suggestions on making your store more approachable – there was something for everybody to take away and put straight into action.
Implementing ways to encourage shoppers to stop, look and enter your store ought to pay good dividends. As Cheryl put it, since just 5% of the public shop in independent health stores there is a massive opportunity to STOP the other 95% walking past!
Health Stores UK runs the Mastermind Forum on the last Wednesday of each month. Join at healthstores.uk
Soil Association responds to BMJ report
The BMJ recently issued a release highlighting that more than half of UK government nutrition advisors are paid by food companies. The Soil Association has issued the following comment:
Soil Association Head of Policy Rob Percival said: "The influence of the ultra-processed food industry over nutrition and health policy has been well established. This influence is coordinated, systematic, pervasive, and results in commercial interests being prioritised over public health. This is the view of the World Health Organization and UNICEF, as well as public health actors globally.
"The challenge is systemic. It extends from industry's funding and framing of research agendas, through to its influence over policymaking and regulation, achieved via lobbying and the threat of litigation. Action is needed on multiple fronts to enable more ethical enterprise and re-position food businesses as part of the solution.
"With respect to conflicts of interest, the Soil Association believes the challenge needs to be properly understood: the primary issue is not that industry funding and engagement is 'corrupting' for individual scientists or civil society organisations. The greater issue arises when the UPF industry levers these relationships to 'health-wash' their image and bolster their influence over policymaking.
"We understand that the challenge is systemic, requiring greater public investment in research, a stricter approach to conflicts that goes beyond declaration, and a more rigorous approach to due diligence among civil society organisations. Conflicts of interest on government advisory committees such as SACN are of legitimate concern and the BMJ's investigation is therefore welcome."
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