Here’s your next Tip of the Week - and it’s an important one, because it deals with something every independent food retailer feels pressure around: price.

A lot of shop owners know their products are worth more, but still find themselves justifying, apologising, or discounting to keep customers happy.

Here’s the truth:

Customers can only be as confident in your prices as you are.

If you hesitate, explain nervously, or rush to justify, customers hear uncertainty - not value.

And this is where a key mindset shift helps:

Don’t sell from your own pocket.

Your team might look at a £6 pie and think, “I wouldn’t pay that,” but they’re not the customer.

Their income, tastes, habits, and priorities aren’t representative of the people walking through your door.

When we let our own spending habits influence how we sell, we unconsciously lower the value of what we offer.

Instead, when you confidently stand behind your products with calm, matter-of-fact language, you send a very different message:

“We take pride in what we make, and we price it fairly for the quality we deliver.”

A quick win for this week:

Listen to the words you use when discussing price.

Are you defending yourself?

Or calmly communicating value?

Premium pricing isn’t just about numbers, it’s about posture and belief.

And remember, many retailers talk passionately about quality, but the moment they start discounting or apologising, they silently undermine their own story.

Have a great week,

Mark