ACS

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores), which represents 33,000 local shops, has re-iterated its pledge to reduce carrier bag usage in the wake of Chancellor Alistair Darling’s first budget. Mr Darling stated that a levy on carrier bags would be introduced if further progress was not made towards cutting the environmental impact of carrier bags.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We have fully supported the Government’s targets to reduce the impact of carrier bags and there are countless excellent initiatives by independent retailers aimed at reducing bag use. A levy on carrier bags would, if introduced sensitively, hold no fears for convenience stores. We will continue to promote voluntary measures in this area and to work with Government on the detail of a levy if they decide this is the right way forward.

“The Chancellor has promised a reduction in red tape for small businesses, but this is a cheap soundbite we have heard many times before while the burden of red tape continues to grow. Sadly this Government is more apt to pander to the media by introducing knee-jerk policies than to consider the impact of new legislation on business. The culture of regulation needs to change in every Government department, rather than just one being assigned to conduct yet another review.

“The Chancellor has inherited his predecessors’ tendency to put the interests of criminal bootleggers ahead of the needs to of hard-working businesses. By putting up duty on tobacco and alcohol, Mr Darling is widening the differential between the prices in legitimate shops and those charged by illegal bootleggers who pay no tax and have no regard for the laws on responsible selling. This Budget does nothing to tackle this problem”