The benefits to retailers from selling The National Lottery and operator Allwyn’s plans to help Scotland’s high streets were set out by renowned retailer and Allwyn Chair, Justin King CBE. He was joined by CEO of the Scottish Grocers’ Federation, Dr Pete Cheema OBE; Allwyn’s Director of Commercial Partnerships and Retail Sales, Alison Acquaye-Acford; and retailers at a breakfast at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, part of the National Museums Scotland which have benefited from £38m of National Lottery funding.

Mr King thanked retailers for playing their part in raising huge sums for National Lottery Good Causes through selling National Lottery tickets over the past 30 years. The National Lottery has distributed over £4.1bn to more than 81,000 projects in Scotland since 1994. This includes £43m to the Kelpies and Helix in Falkirk, £15m to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and £19.1m in funding to the V&A Dundee Scotland, as well as funding to vital grassroots projects in every postcode district.  

He said Allwyn planned to increase returns to Good Causes, through telling The National Lottery story better, including the role that buying a ticket plays in funding local Good Cause projects.  

Mr King added that The National Lottery was found to be a proven driver of increased footfall in stores – increasing further during special jackpot draws – and most players claim their winnings in the same store they buy their tickets from and are likely to reinvest some of the winnings in stores, for example on wider groceries available in the store.

Shops stocking The National Lottery range from small corner shops to supermarkets, with independents making up the majority. The operator of The National Lottery has consistently championed independent retail in Scotland and the role retailers play in their communities.  

Justin King said, “We’re here today to celebrate business in Scotland and the independent shopkeepers who are such an important part of our high streets. Retail is at the heart of our plans to transform The National Lottery over the next 10 years and, with over 4,800 retailers selling The National Lottery in Scotland, we’re grateful for their ongoing support. Among all the other positive things they do for our local areas, I’d also like to thank them for the role they play in raising money for National Lottery Good Causes by selling tickets. They help make projects like the Kelpies and the V&A Scotland possible, as well as countless grassroots projects that make local communities in Scotland better.”

Alison Acquaye-Acford commented, “Today is about the independent retailers who make our high streets great and the important role they’re playing in helping Allwyn restore the magic to The National Lottery. As the backbone of The National Lottery, we are wholeheartedly grateful for everything our retail partners in Scotland are doing to support our transformation plans while helping to raise £30m every week for Good Causes by selling tickets.”

Dr Pete Cheema said: “It’s remarkable to reflect on the past three decades and all our fantastic achievements, working hand in hand to deliver for our communities. Together, The National Lottery and convenience retailers across Scotland help provide a ‘full basket’ for their customers and offer the opportunity for shoppers to give a little back to Good Causes, support their local store, and potentially win big. I am very proud of the role the Scottish convenience sector has played in supporting that, and it is exciting to see what the future holds next for the National Lottery.”

Also attending the breakfast event were National Lottery retailers, Natalie and Martin Lightfoot, who run Londis Solo Convenience in Glasgow. They were crowned national winners at Allwyn’s first ever Local Retail Champions awards in December, an initiative that recognised retailers who go above and beyond in their local communities. The Lightfoots were nominated for the award by their customers for a host of community-focused work, such as organising charity fundraising events and local litter-picking activities, as well as providing a home delivery service for those in need.   

Allwyn awarded Natalie and Martin with a £5,000 cash prize and a £20,000 Social Value store makeover, which has begun with the installation of six new colleague headsets to improve security at the store, as well as new CCTV equipment. The headsets enhance communication between store staff, increasing safety for both customers and staff and enabling colleagues to respond quickly to assistance requests.  

Allwyn spent two days in Scotland celebrating The National Lottery’s 30th Birthday. The group was led by Chair Justin King CBE. During the visit, he repeated Allwyn’s pledge to double weekly returns to National Lottery Good Causes from £30m to £60m per week by the end of the 10-year licence in 2034.  

Notes to Editors  

About Allwyn and The National Lottery  

Allwyn is the licensed operator of The National Lottery® and is committed to raising money for National Lottery-funded projects designated by Parliament. Allwyn is not responsible for distributing or awarding these funds.    

The National Lottery generates, on average, more than £30m each week for National Lottery-funded projects. In total, over £50bn has now been raised, with hundreds of lottery grants in every postcode district, most people will have benefited from a National Lottery-funded project at some point.    

The National Lottery has awarded over £95bn in prizes and created more than 7,400 millionaires or multi-millionaires since its launch in 1994.  

For further information on Allwyn, The National Lottery and its games, please visit: www.allwyn.co.uk and www.national-lottery.co.uk  

Players of all National Lottery games must be aged 18 or over.

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