Why convenience retailers are seen as collateral damage

To paraphrase a well-known saying, the only thing harder than being a retailer in 2025 is being an independent retailer in 2025, and that’s particularly true of the convenience sector.

It’s no secret that the challenges faced by convenience stores have been ramping up over the past 12 months, with more bad news hitting the sector last week when delivery company Evri announced it was going to replace paper receipts with email receipts. Independent retailers were up in arms when they heard about the move, which is supposed to “improve the customer experience, reduce the number of paper receipt cards, and drive [Evri] towards its net zero target”.

While the transition from paper to digital seems like a minor change, the move has caused outrage among the sector over the additional staff time and labour they say it will take.

The chaos of convenience

Independent retailer Alex Kapadia found gathering email data from customers can take up to four times longer than the tried-and-tested traditional method, which involves scanning both parcel and tracking card, which is then marked with the customer’s initials. It’s a smooth and flawless process already – so why change it?

The sustainability benefit gained by reducing the number of paper slips is undeniably appealing, but claiming the change will “improve the customer experience” remains less convincing.

Firstly, there’s the privacy matter to consider. It is likely some customers won’t wish to give out their personal email address in public, which in itself could bring unwanted confrontation to shopworkers.

Secondly, the potential issues caused by staff making accidental spelling mistakes or failing to hear email addresses properly is likely to create longer queues and disgruntle customers, at a time when retailers really cannot afford to sacrifice productivity and damage their reputation.

All in all, the move will “cause chaos”, as one retailer describes it, and staff time and labour has never been more valuable. The sector is already facing an extra £666m in overhead costs as a result of the budget last year, including rises in staff wages and changes to National Insurance contributions. This unwarranted operational change by Evri will only add to their financial pressures. But, unfortunately, it doesn’t end there.

Collateral damage

Evri’s news was just the latest in a long line of detrimental changes convenience store owners have faced recently. But they’re not taking it lying down.

Costcutter retailer Paul Cheema’s ‘Protect Your Store, Have Your Say’ campaign is fighting back against the detrimental impact that the government’s generational ban on tobacco will have on the sector.

The Tobacco & Vapes Bill, which is expected to come into effect from 2027, clearly has good intentions. It aims to create a “smoke-free generation” by making it illegal to sell tobacco or vape products to individuals born on or after 1 January 2009. But the collateral damage it will have on the convenience sector cannot be ignored.

The biggest concern is staff welfare. As Cheema points out: “Abuse will increase by astronomical levels when those who are well into adulthood are denied their purchase.”

Retail crime is already rife and to put the burden of enforcement on retailers is simply wrong. Thankfully, there have been some positive strides in protecting the sector against crime, including the Crime & Policing Bill, which will make attacking a shopworker a standalone offence, as well as the new police unit in Opal that is targeting organised shoplifting gangs.

While these moves were welcomed, they were also a long time coming, making it particularly concerning to think this hard work could be thrown into disarray when a controversial law like the generational ban comes into force. Government must consider the risks against shopworkers as the legislation makes its way through parliament.

Aside from that, there will clearly be an impact on trade, with tobacco and vape products making up a significant proportion of convenience sales. It’ll drive more customers to shops selling illicit cigarettes and vapes instead, taking sales from hard-working, legitimate retailers into the hands of criminals.

It’s a sad and nonsensical picture. Convenience retailers contribute almost £50bn to the economy, according to the ACS, providing essential services to local communities. These disruptions to their business have long-term implications which must be considered before the sector faces even more job cuts and store closures as a result.