Scottish Election Party Manifesto's: key points for the convenience sector
SGF has compiled this table summarising the key points for the convenience sector set out in the 2026 Scottish Parliament election manifestos of the nation’s six largest political parties.
The election will take place on 7th May 2026.
You can access each party’s full manifesto by clicking on their name within the table.
Reform UK Scotland
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Scottish Conservatives
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Scottish Green Party
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Scottish Labour
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Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Scottish National Party
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | Intend to direct police to prioritise the shoplifting epidemic. | Increase prison capacity, end early release, introduce tougher sentences for repeat offenders and shoplifters, and strengthen proceeds of crime powers. | Increase funding for rehabilitative alternatives to custody and review the effectiveness of Hate Crime legislation. | Return officers to the frontline, cut non-police work, expand the Retail Crime Taskforce, modernise courts and reduce delays. | Increase investment in the Retail Crime Taskforce, strengthen community policing and support youth intervention and mentorship. | Provide £10 million over three years for retail crime through Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce and reduce police court time. |
| Non-Domestic Rates | Reverse the April 2026 business rates revaluation and phase out rates over time into a single Annual Property Tax. | Reduce taxes for retail, hospitality and leisure and increase relief for smaller premises. | Reform business rates and the Small Business Bonus Scheme, with possible extra charges on larger retailers, online warehouses and out-of-town retail. | Introduce lower rates for smaller retail, hospitality and leisure businesses and freeze rates for some upgrades. | Replace business rates with a local business levy and ensure online retailers and warehouses pay more fairly. | Reform business rates to prevent unfair bills and steep hikes, maintain the Small Business Bonus and rebalance the burden towards large online retailers. |
| Public Taxes | Align Scotland’s income tax bands with the rest of the UK, cut rates over time and cancel planned council tax rises. | Introduce a Taxpayer Savings Act. | Retain a redistributive income tax system and avoid raising rates during the Parliament. | Lift tax thresholds in line with inflation and begin closing the tax differential with England. | Do not increase the number of bands or rates over the Parliament. | No specific additional major tax change stated here beyond maintaining the current structure. |
| Public Health | No specific public health measures likely to directly affect the convenience sector. | Oppose alcohol advertising restrictions, scrap Minimum Unit Pricing and support the disposable vape ban. | Apply extra charges to large retailers selling alcohol and tobacco, license vape sellers and increase Minimum Unit Pricing with inflation. | Introduce licensing for vaping premises and restrict nicotine advertising and promotion. | Link Minimum Unit Pricing to inflation and ban outdoor alcohol advertising and advertising in public spaces. | Introduce a vape display ban and reduce the visibility and promotion of vapes and nicotine pouches. |
| Local Authorities and High Streets | Devolve more power to councils, invest in local services and support town centre regeneration. | Increase council budgets to improve planning turnaround times and strengthen planning hubs. | Broaden local licensing considerations, including public health, and review the impact of vape shops on high streets. | Work with business and councils on a local levy to replace business rates and better support town centres. | Invest in town centre regeneration and Business Improvement Districts. | Support local growth and town centre resilience through broader regeneration measures. |
| Energy and Environment | Scrap Net Zero policies and subsidies and expand oil and gas with the aim of reducing energy costs. | Scrap the 2045 net zero target. | Extend producer responsibility schemes and introduce a single-use cups charge. | Reduce energy bills through insulation and renewables and provide a stable roadmap to net zero. | End Scotland’s contribution to climate change by 2045 in a just and fair way. | Deliver the £500 million Just Transition Fund and pursue the 2045 climate target. |
| Other | Abolish ULEZ-style policy and reduce anti-business regulation. | Expand Fair Work First, discourage zero-hours contracts, fund road maintenance and support high street businesses. | Establish statutory price ceilings on a basket of essential food items at large supermarkets. | Explore support for fair work in small businesses. | Encourage adoption of fair work through targeted support. | Broader support for fairer business practices and resilience. |
Crime
Reform UK Scotland
Intend to direct police to prioritise the shoplifting epidemic.
Scottish Conservatives
Increase prison capacity, end early release, introduce tougher sentences for repeat offenders and shoplifters, and strengthen proceeds of crime powers.
Scottish Green Party
Increase funding for rehabilitative alternatives to custody and review the effectiveness of Hate Crime legislation.
Scottish Labour
Return officers to the frontline, cut non-police work, expand the Retail Crime Taskforce, modernise courts and reduce delays.
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Increase investment in the Retail Crime Taskforce, strengthen community policing and support youth intervention and mentorship.
Scottish National Party
Provide £10 million over three years for retail crime through Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce and reduce police court time.
Non-Domestic Rates
Reform UK Scotland
Reverse the April 2026 business rates revaluation and phase out rates over time into a single Annual Property Tax.
Scottish Conservatives
Reduce taxes for retail, hospitality and leisure and increase relief for smaller premises.
Scottish Green Party
Reform business rates and the Small Business Bonus Scheme, with possible extra charges on larger retailers, online warehouses and out-of-town retail.
Scottish Labour
Introduce lower rates for smaller retail, hospitality and leisure businesses and freeze rates for some upgrades.
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Replace business rates with a local business levy and ensure online retailers and warehouses pay more fairly.
Scottish National Party
Reform business rates to prevent unfair bills and steep hikes, maintain the Small Business Bonus and rebalance the burden towards large online retailers.
Public Taxes
Reform UK Scotland
Align Scotland’s income tax bands with the rest of the UK, cut rates over time and cancel planned council tax rises.
Scottish Conservatives
Introduce a Taxpayer Savings Act.
Scottish Green Party
Maintain a redistributive income tax system and avoid raising rates during the Parliament.
Scottish Labour
Lift tax thresholds in line with inflation and begin closing the tax differential with England.
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Do not increase the number of bands or rates over the Parliament.
Scottish National Party
No specific additional major tax change stated here beyond maintaining the current structure.
Public Health
Reform UK Scotland
No specific public health measures likely to directly affect the convenience sector.
Scottish Conservatives
Oppose alcohol advertising restrictions, scrap Minimum Unit Pricing and support the disposable vape ban.
Scottish Green Party
Apply extra charges to large retailers selling alcohol and tobacco, license vape sellers and increase Minimum Unit Pricing with inflation.
Scottish Labour
Introduce licensing for vaping premises and restrict nicotine advertising and promotion.
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Link Minimum Unit Pricing to inflation and ban outdoor alcohol advertising and advertising in public spaces.
Scottish National Party
Introduce a vape display ban and reduce the visibility and promotion of vapes and nicotine pouches.
Local Authorities and High Streets
Reform UK Scotland
Devolve more power to councils, invest in local services and support town centre regeneration.
Scottish Conservatives
Increase council budgets to improve planning turnaround times and strengthen planning hubs.
Scottish Green Party
Broaden local licensing considerations, including public health, and review the impact of vape shops on high streets.
Scottish Labour
Work with business and councils on a local levy to replace business rates and better support town centres.
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Invest in town centre regeneration and Business Improvement Districts.
Scottish National Party
Support local growth and town centre resilience through broader regeneration measures.
Energy and Environment
Reform UK Scotland
Scrap Net Zero policies and subsidies and expand oil and gas with the aim of reducing energy costs.
Scottish Conservatives
Scrap the 2045 net zero target.
Scottish Green Party
Extend producer responsibility schemes and introduce a single-use cups charge.
Scottish Labour
Reduce energy bills through insulation and renewables and provide a stable roadmap to net zero.
Scottish Liberal Democrats
End Scotland’s contribution to climate change by 2045 in a just and fair way.
Scottish National Party
Deliver the £500 million Just Transition Fund and pursue the 2045 climate target.
Other
Reform UK Scotland
Abolish ULEZ-style policy and reduce anti-business regulation.
Scottish Conservatives
Expand Fair Work First, discourage zero-hours contracts, fund road maintenance and support high street businesses.
Scottish Green Party
Establish statutory price ceilings on a basket of essential food items at large supermarkets.
Scottish Labour
Explore support for fair work in small businesses.
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Encourage adoption of fair work through targeted support.
Scottish National Party
Broader support for fairer business practices and resilience.