Rural stores 'undercut by smugglers'

Rural shops are losing trade to smugglers to such an extent that many are in danger of going out of business.

Bootleg alcohol and cigarettes flooding in from the continent have had a major impact on the profitability of corner-shops across the UK, with the average small store having lost #20,000 in revenue in the past year.

The fall in sales of what have always been staple commodities for local shops has coincided with a dramatic increase in the cost of insurance, according to small retailers.