Retail Industry Leadership Group meeting minutes: April 2025

Attendees and apologies

ILG members attending 

• Lucy Brown (LB), Central Operations Director, John Lewis Partnership, and Retail ILG Industry Co-Chair 
• David Lonsdale (DL), Director, Scottish Retail Consortium 
• Mo Razzaq (MR), National (UK) Deputy Vice President - National Federation of Independent Retailers 
• Mark Millar (MM), Director of Stores – Scotland, Boots 
• Graeme Thomson (GT), Director of Business Development, One O One Convenience Stores 
• Laura McCormack (LMcC), Head of Policy & Public Affairs, Booksellers Association 
• Colin Smith (CS), Chief Executive, Scottish Wholesale Association

Guests 

• Luke McGarty (LMcG), Head of Policy & Public Affairs, Scottish Grocers’ Federation 
• DSU Neil McDonald, Police Scotland 
• DCI Jackie Knight, Police Scotland 

Apologies

• Kyron Keogh, Co-founder and Managing Director, ROX - Diamonds and Thrills
• Laura Mitchell,  Head of Retail, Greggs
• Andrew McRae, Policy Chair, Federation of Small Business 
• John McCartney, Scotland Organiser, GMB Union
• Debbie Harding, Chief Corporate Office, Chair of SRC, Dobbies
• Sonya Harper (SH), Central Operations Director, CJ Lang & Son

Scottish Government

• Tom Arthur (TA), Minister for Employment and Investment
• Siobhan Brown (SB), Minister for Victims and Community Safety 
• Gary Cox, Deputy Director for Business Strategy and Tourism 
• Allan Clifford (AC), Retail Team Leader, Scottish Government
• Celeste Wilson, Senior Retail Policy Advisor, Scottish Government
• Ross Sayers, Retail Policy Officer, Scottish Government
• Stuart Lewis, Head of Strategy and Sponsorship, Police Division, Scottish Government

Secretariat

• Erin Stewart, Retail Policy Officer, Scottish Government
   

Items and actions

Welcome and actions from previous meeting

• TA welcomed members to the 10th Retail ILG meeting and thanked Lucy for taking on the role as Industry Co-chair. TA thanked retailers who have already facilitated visits and emphasised his enthusiasm to attend more visits out with the ILG  
• LB told members she is delighted to be co-chairing the ILG, is keen to work on pragmatic actions and discuss topics which have not yet been discussed at ILG

Update from Police Scotland 

DSU Neil McDonald (NM) provided an update on the early stages of the £3m retail crime funding:

• the retail crime taskforce launched in March, and there was good media coverage of this, while the implementation of the plan began April 2025
• statistics show there has been a continued rise in the number of shoplifting crimes and violent crimes against shopworkers
• for the retail taskforce, all internal police resources are in place, but external recruitment is ongoing. Expected to be 17 posts in total in the taskforce
• there has been additional resource across Edinburgh and Glasgow to target a known organised group of shoplifters, this is known as Operation Dynos 
• emphasised that the Retail ILG is a good tool to work together on these issues and welcomed members to raise any questions

The following topics were raised by members:

Funding duration 

The funding from the Scottish Government has been secured for 1 year. Police Scotland are aware it may take longer to see results from the new implementations and will look to subsidise year 2 if successful.  

Retailer engagement 

• Police Scotland aim to have a universal system in place which allows small and large retailers alike to report crimes directly to Police Scotland – creating a whole new system would likely not be cost effective and would seek input from retailers on the effectiveness of systems which they already use
• retail crime is underreported which may make historical figures inaccurate, and if reporting rises, figures will rise in the short term. Police Scotland and members are in agreement that better communication is needed which could encourage reporting 

Collaboration and communication

• Police Scotland look to ILG members to help with amplifying the message that retail crime is not victimless
• members are interested to know how Police Scotland will communicate results from the taskforce. Various suggestions from members including a national campaign from Police Scotland rather than divisional. Social media is a big communication channel, members suggested short relatable videos. Members highlighted the communication channels they already have and showed willingness to distribute any materials provided by Police Scotland, a clear open communication channel would be beneficial to both workers and members of the community
• the need for consistent language was highlighted; public perception on what retail crime is should be changed. Members stressed the importance of sharing regular successes, visibility and clear communication to improve employee confidence and public trust. The effectiveness of the funding will need to be made clear to members and the public. Members welcome any communications from Police Scotland regarding updates on the success of the funding 

Hot Topics 

• LMcG raised the issue of employment costs. The cost of employment is rising and retailers are facing potential regulatory burdens from restrictions on high fat sugar and salt (HFSS), and alcohol advertising and promotions. He also explained that retailers were currently preparing for the forthcoming disposable vapes ban due to take effect from 1st June 2025 
• DL highlighted 3 main concerns in the retail sector; crime, costs, and consumer spending
• GT raised compliance disparity, concerned that those retailers already compliant are facing the most pressure. He also raised concerns over apprenticeship levy
• MR suggested that the illicit trade group could be a future agenda item due to interest in counterfeit vapes and new vaping legislation. TA and LB in agreement that this could be a topic to explore in future meetings 
• MM shares the concern over employment costs, whilst understanding National Insurance is not a devolved power, the costs for employers are continuing to build up
• CS shared employment costs concerns, informed that wholesalers are choosing to increase costs or reduce staff. The skills workforce is becoming a problem within the wholesale sector, they are struggling to recruit young people in full time or driving roles which may be due to cost and complexity 

AOB

• LB highlighted that there are 2 scheduled ILG meetings left this year and encouraged members to suggest sites in which they could be held 
• LB requested that members submit fair work case studies to the secretariat, an update on this will be provided at the next meeting
• AC provided an update on Skills. Retail policy colleagues are in discussions with Local Employability Teams in Edinburgh and North Lanarkshire to develop pilot delivery of bespoke retail training which will test some priority areas of the plan. ILG members will be invited to input to the course content to ensure alignment with current industry requirements
• members requested an update on HFSS and alcohol pricing. TA let members know that independent analysis on this will be published in due course. When an update is available SG will feed this back to members

Action points

• retail members to share their experience and reporting tools with Police Scotland
• Police Scotland will report on outcomes and measures of taskforce, and share good outcomes, milestones and successes with retailers at the appropriate time
• officials to enquire about upcoming new restrictions/ban on sale of single use vapes and any public facing communications
• ILG members to consider Fair Work document at next meeting
• officials to find out latest information re: in store restrictions on alcohol marketing and HFSS and report back to members
• co-chairs to consider illicit trading as a future agenda item
• LB to share information with members re: Peer Works event in June
• retail officials to provide members with an update on the skills action (when available) on developing pilot delivery of bespoke retail training