Retail software company Torex Retail insists it is "business as usual", despite being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).
Thousands of small store operators use its software for cash registers and stock rooms, but were told not to worry after bosses' houses were raided,
Chief executive Neil Mitchell and finance director Marcus Leek led a group of Torex whistleblowers who took their concerns about the company to the Financial Services Authority and the London Stock Exchange. The SFO then searched the houses of chairman Chris Moore, former executive chairman Rob Loosemore and associate Mark Woodbridge last week. Torex Retail recently announced a profit warning and net debt of £203m, just eight days after it won £80m-worth of contracts.
Richard Quarmby, managing director of the UK petroleum and convenience division, would not comment on the investigation, but said: "From an operational perspective, it's business as usual."
However, Budgens retailer Jonathan James, who has stores in Soham, Cambridgeshire, has concerns. "I've been told nothing apart from what's been in the papers," he said.