Press Releases

The 2022 Forecourt Report, published today by the Association of Convenience Stores, has revealed the work that the UK’s 8,379 forecourts are doing to provide essential products and services to customers, and the investment that is going into making their businesses more energy efficient in the face of rising costs.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the Chancellor’s measures to stimulate growth and cut taxes in the short term, calling for longer term support on energy costs.

Measures announced by Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng MP in today’s mini-Budget include:

The Welsh Government has introduced a Bill which bans or restricts the sale of some of the most commonly littered single-use plastics in Wales, including a ban on plastic bags which are currently subject to a 5p charge.

ACS has called on the government to introduce a targeted package of measures to support the UK’s 48,000+ local shops.

Ahead of the planned fiscal event, or ‘mini-Budget’, on Friday September 23rd, ACS has called for the following measures to support retailers:

The 2022 Local Shop Report has revealed the enormous contribution that convenience stores in the UK make to people’s lives, not just as essential grocery businesses, but as job creators, community hubs and beacons of entrepreneurship.

This year’s report highlights the decisions being made in the UK’s 48,590 convenience stores in areas like investment, staffing, product mix, technology and service offerings, and delivery.

Today (8^th September) new Prime Minister Liz Truss announced the much-anticipated support plan to help households and businesses cope with spiralling energy costs.

Speaking to the House of Commons, Prime Minister Liz Truss said: “I recognise that people are struggling with their energy bills and that is why I have brought forward this debate as soon as possible to give people reassurance before this winter that energy bills will be affordable.”

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to a consultation launched by the Welsh Parliament’s Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee on reducing single-use plastics in Wales, calling for clarification on timescales for the proposals.

ACS has briefed MPs on the important role that local shops play in ensuring that their communities have access to healthy foods ahead of a Westminster Hall debate on the Healthy Start Scheme.

Healthy Start is a government scheme for those who are at least 10 weeks pregnant, parents, carers and young children in low-income families, to help them buy healthy food and milk and get free Healthy Start vitamins. It is a digital scheme that offers a prepaid card to those applying for Healthy Start instead of paper vouchers. 

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to the Welsh Government consultation on introducing restrictions on high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) products highlighting the impact on retailers and need for a consistent regulatory approach across the UK.

The consultation looks at HFSS products in terms of placement, promotions and defining what products are impacted. The Welsh Government’s proposals are similar to those being introduced in England on HFSS products, but there are some key differences:

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to a consultation reviewing the current law on selling in imperial and metric units, highlighting a number of issues that a move to dual pricing would have on businesses, consumers and the wider community.