Village shops have hit out at a grocery wholesaler after being told they’ll need to spend £1,000 to have stock delivered.
Small community stores fear they could be driven out of business unless Booker Wholesale drops the minimum spending threshold – which does not take into account orders for tobacco.
Although not a new rule, Booker staff previously had discretion when applying it – but that option “now seems to be removed”.
The change will cause problems for stores in rural communities which would be forced to go to the nearest branch in Dumfries to pick up goods.
Palnackie Village Shop Ltd chairman Susan Black said: “We are a mix of part-time volunteers and part-time paid. It is a 36-mile round trip so you are probably looking at three paid hours to go there, buy it and load the car up and that eats into our margins.
“Our volunteers are elderly and would need a big car to do it.
“Our normal order is around £300 to £400 a week excluding cigarettes and tobacco which we don’t need much profit on.
“We have been a regular customer for many years.
“We have a weekly delivery. Many other businesses are in a similar position to ours.
She added: “We have many older people in our customer base and it is vital to the health and wellbeing of them and the village that the shop remains available for essential supplies and social interaction.”
Mrs Black has written to Booker expressing concern at the situation and has also contacted MSPs Emma Harper and Finlay Carson seeking their help.
Both politicians called on the wholesaler, which was taken over by Tesco in 2018, to help community stores on the issue.
Ms Harper said: “Booker have had the minimum £1,000 delivery policy in place for a number of years. However, store managers were granted discretion to allow delivery of goods valued up to £1,000.
“The manager’s ability to apply this discretion was in place previously for community shops.
“This managerial discretion – which now seems to be removed - has allowed many small and community shops to receive their weekly deliveries without having to spend as much as £1,000.
“I am urging Booker to work with small and rural community shops to reach an agreement which works in the interest of these shops.
“These local shops have been so vital during the pandemic and are vital for many communities.”
Mr Carson wrote to Booker expressing his “disappointment”, saying: “Given the increased importance of rural retailers and community shops to the local supply chain, not to mention the need for many people to have the ability to shop local during Covid-19, I am concerned that you have not considered that imposing such a criteria has a detrimental effect on many rural communities.
“I sincerely hope that the company will reconsider their decision as a matter of urgency as it could have an enormous impact across the whole of rural Scotland.”
Balmaclellan Stores is another outlet that’s likely to be affected.
Owner Debbie Murdoch said: “It means we’re going to have to spend a lot more money.
“If it included cigarettes we would be fine.
“We go to the Dumfries branch on a Friday anyway but we need a delivery on a Wednesday.”
A spokesman for Booker Wholesale said: “The minimum order level of £1,000 for regular retail deliveries has been place for a number of years and is not something new.”
