Scottish wholesalers praised in Parliament for economic contribution

By James Bayley

Published: 30 September, 2024

Scotland’s food and drink wholesalers, alongside the Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA), were recognised in the Scottish Parliament for their vital role in supporting the economy and communities nationwide.

Politicians from various parties commended the industry’s contributions during a debate led by Edinburgh Pentlands MSP Gordon MacDonald, who emphasised the often overlooked yet crucial part wholesalers play in the supply chain.

“The Scottish wholesale sector provides a vital service, ensuring our food and drink supply chain runs smoothly, supporting retail and hospitality businesses,” said MacDonald (centre). “Without the support of the wholesale sector, many of our small convenience stores would struggle to survive.”

Read more: Hospitality faces financial struggles as national debt hits record high

David Torrance, SNP MSP for Kirkcaldy, acknowledged the importance of wholesalers in Fife, mentioning local company Fife Creamery. “I take this moment to express my appreciation for the Scottish wholesaling sector and highlight the success of wholesalers in my constituency,” he said. “We would all be worse off if the sector were not as strong as it is.”

Brian Whittle, Scottish Conservative MSP for South Scotland, noted: “Without wholesalers, the supply chain would collapse. They are the unseen and perhaps unheralded link between producers and retailers.” Foysol Choudhury, Scottish Labour MSP for Lothian, added: “The wholesale sector has shown much resilience in recent years, responding to challenges from the pandemic and navigating inflationary pressures.”

The debate stemmed from ongoing collaboration between the SWA and MacDonald, who recently visited Mark Murphy Foodservice, part of Dole UK, in his constituency. He highlighted the sector’s struggles, including competition from supermarkets, restructuring of the grocery market, Amazon’s entry into grocery sales, wholesale bypass and Brexit-related regulations. “This is happening at the same time as the wholesale sector faces low margins, recruitment issues and rising food costs,” he noted.

In response, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity Jim Fairlie MSP said: “It is a good debate to have because the wholesale sector is a good news story… It is an unsung, unrecognised hero of our fabulous food and drink sector.”

SWA chief executive Colin Smith (right) welcomed the cross-party support, stating: “This debate and the vocal cross-party support it has received underscore the significance of our sector and demonstrate the powerful voice of the SWA in raising the profile of wholesale.”

The discussion highlighted the SWA’s initiatives, backed by Scottish government investment, aimed at increasing opportunities for Scottish producers and strengthening the supply chain through programmes such as Delivering Growth Through Wholesale and the Scottish Wholesale Local Food and Drink Growth Fund.

Printer friendly version