Big ban theory pushed by the Guardian

Celebrating the fifth anniversary of the ban on smoking in public places, the Guardian published a well written leader celebrating this policy as almost cost-free and that could save untold numbers of lives. This neatly encapsulates the seductive power of anti-smoking measures in the minds of MPs. The second claim - saving lives - could perhaps be better stated as prolonging lives.

Moving swiftly on, the newspaper says that it took 60 years for a "smoking ban" to be introduced. The Guardian has a reputation for grammatical errors. Perhaps this is shorthand for "smoking in public places ban".

However, it goes on to discuss how single-issue campaigns on things like seatbelts and lead-free petrol worked. Professional awareness, campaigns for public awareness, industry reaction, then finally government action.

What is next? Alcohol and obesity, the Guardian says. The government, it says, is trying to avoid taking action by passing responsibility to local government and the industry. This won't work, it says. It wants action now, not in 60 years time.

The person who wrote this never invested their own money in setting up a local business. They have no sympathy for the impact that excessive regulation makes on local shops. They are writing for the public health lobby. It exists.

What is interesting is the response that the comment generated. "So all the people warning first they'll come for your fags, then they'll come for your booze weren't wrong" starts the first one, and on it goes. Perhaps the Guardian should research its readers a little more closely. Perhaps they are not all in the public health lobby.

It is true that public health policy in the first half of the 20th century made a huge impact on the well-being of society. People who learned skills in their 20s stayed economically active until they were 65 and this benefited all society. However, extending the average lifespan of people from 70 something to 90 something, if that is what is projected is unlikely to have a similar benefit.

Local traders need to be vigilant. The risk of regulation hurting their businesses is very real.

The launch of the 2009 IAA

We are launching the 2009 Independent Achievers Academy tomorrow in London with a group of retailers and suppliers. The marketing team have come up with a great practical exercise to help us relive the Academy experience. At its heart, the IAA has a simple concept: set a goal, plan to hit it and celebrate the outcome. I hope to learn lots from participants and will pass this learning on to you.

What do shoppers see

I read a good post (http://www.newsagencyblog.com.au/2009/08/28/what-do-newsagents-charge-for-faxing.html) asking what price local shops charge for providing a fax service. The blogger had attached a photograph of his sign with his prices on it. What struck me was the message on the sign. "You drop, we fax," it said. "Pressed for time, drop your documents with us and we'll do it for you at no extra charge." That is a message that will persuade most shoppers that you want to give them good value, even if they stay to do the copying or faxing themselves.

Local advantage? Sainsbury's boss argues it is from his stores.

Online businesses don't pay local taxes, Sainsbury's boss Justin King argues in a big CityAM interview spread. Unlike the web retail businesses, Sainsbury's "pay business rates at a local level" and "employ people locally" and "pay people locally" and "they spend their earnings locally". "If we are seeing a shift in consumer behaviour towards purchasing online rather than their local store then the government will have to address that the tax system is being usurped by a change in behaviour," he adds. The point to notice here is that connection of Sainsbury's with "local shop". It is spin. But very effective spin. As any independent retailers who have talked to their MPs about competition from multiples will know, the grocers are very successful at projecting the "local" benefits that they will bring. Perhaps 10 years ago this was true. But supported by a better supply chain, independent...

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