ACS

The ACS Responsible Retailing forum took place yesterday at the Madejski Stadium in Reading.

The forum is a day long event and gives retailers the opportunity to discuss the big issues they are facing with other retailers and industry experts.

Key presentations came from Mike Wild, Health and Safety Training Director for James Hall & Co and Jen Mills from the Mills Group.

Southport-based James Hall & Co manage 429 Spar convenience stores and was awarded the Responsible Drinks Retailing prize for best retail chain in 2008 for their comprehensive package of responsible retailing measures. At the forum Mike explained how they target their training to individual members of staff and focus on interacting with customers in a variety of different situations related to under age sale. They also train staff on the consequences of failure to retail responsibly.

The Mills Group is made up of 27 CTN’s and 46 Convenience stores selling additional goods such as alcohol, fresh and chilled and grocery products. Jen Mills talked to the forum about their successful ‘Think 30’ policy and the broad range of training measures they adopt to suit each member of staff.

Also present at the forum were representatives from the Department of Health and the Home Office.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “ACS forums provide an excellent opportunity for retailers to share best practice among themselves. We also get good feedback from both the Government and retailers when they are able to speak directly to each other in this type of environment.”