ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has again called on the Government to take meaningful action on energy support for local shops in response to a damning Public Accounts Committee report on the operation of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme and Energy Bill Discount Scheme.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has briefed parliamentarians ahead of a Ten Minute Motion Bill led by Emma Lewell-Buck MP proposing to create a law so those eligible for the Healthy Start scheme are automatically signed up, to stop them from missing out on vital support.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has called for a cautious approach to the setting of future National Living Wage (NLW) rates in a submission to the Low Pay Commission.
In the submission, ACS has urged the Low Pay Commission to recognise the unique challenges faced by businesses, including local shops, as a result of the cost of living crisis and increased operating costs.
In April 2023, the National Living Wage increased by 9.7% from £9.50 per hour to £10.42, in line with the Government’s target to reach two-thirds of median earnings by 2024.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed an announcement from the Government on plans to introduce a range of measures to tackle underage vaping.
Announced today (30th May), the measures include:
The Government has published guidance to help businesses prepare for the ban on single-use plastics which is due to come into force in October.
From 1st October 2023, retailers will not be able supply, sell or offer the following single-use plastic items:
Retailers are advised to sell through existing stock before October, source alternative single-use materials and consider offering more reusable items.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed a new plan launched by the Welsh Government and Wales Retail Forum, which has been developed to build a more resilient retail sector in Wales.
Published today (19th May) the Together for Retail: a Wales Retail Forum Action Plan highlights a number of key actions, including:
Today (18th April) Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf MSP announced that there will be a delay to the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), as part of a speech on his priorities for government over the next three years.
The Scottish Deposit Return Scheme was due to go live on 16th August but will now be delayed until 1st March 2024. England, Wales and Northern Ireland have also announced plans for a Deposit Return Scheme, coming into force in 2025.
ACS has welcomed the introduction of new legislation to reform the business rates system to improve the accuracy of business rates bills for local shops.
Introduced to Parliament on 29th March, the Non-Domestic Rates Bill aims to deliver on the government’s long standing commitments to increase the frequency of revaluations and make the process of business rates valuations more transparent.
New figures from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) have revealed that almost half (47%) of Scottish independent retailers do not know how they will approach the deposit return scheme which is due to go live on 16th August.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ proposed approach to updating the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to make the planning system work better for communities.
