ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is the voice of over 33,500 local shops, supporting our members through effective lobbying, comprehensive advice and innovative networking opportunities.
Our membership includes a diverse range of convenience store retailers, from stand-alone family run independent stores to symbol groups to multiple convenience stores. These retailers operate in neighbourhoods, villages, on petrol forecourts and in city centres.
ACS’ core purpose is to lobby Government on the issues that make a difference to local shops. We represent the interests of retailers on a range of issues, including business rates, energy, regulation, planning, alcohol and many more. All of our submissions to Government can be found in the Lobbying section.
ACS also provides networking and events packages for suppliers. These leading companies are invaluable supporters of ACS and the wider convenience sector.
For media enquiries, please contact Chris Noice on 01252 533013 or email chris.noice@acs.org.uk
For membership enquiries, please contact Katie Noice on 01252 533006 or email Katie.noice@acs.org.uk
Association of Convenience Stores, Federation House, 17 Farnborough St, Farnborough, GU14 8AG
With a strong presence in the Southeast of the country and a rapidly expanding network of stations across the UK Applegreen is now conveniently closer to motorists than ever before. We’re looking after the needs of locals, commuters, long distance travellers, and tourists alike. Our customers know It’s all about the journey, Applegreen simply makes it better.
Conviviality Retail owns the UK’s largest franchised off-licence and convenience chain with over 600 franchisee-operated stores located throughout England, Wales and soon to be Scotland. Conviviality operates five fascias including Bargain Booze, Bargain Booze Select Convenience, BB’s Warehouse, Thoroughgoods, and Wine Rack. The Bargain Booze fascia was launched in 1988 and is the most prominent brand used by the company.
“Building business for the independents”, Bestway is the largest privately owned cash and carry operator in the UK. It operates in the convenience sector through the Best-One symbol. ‘Best-One is a company run by retailers with the know-how and resources to make your independent business more profitable, more attractive to your customer base, and quite simply the best on your area.’
“Building business for the independents”, Bestway is the largest privately owned cash and carry operator in the UK. It operates in the convenience sector through the Best-One symbol. ‘Best-One is a company run by retailers with the know-how and resources to make YOUR independent business more profitable, more attractive to your customer base, and quite simply the best on your area.’
Booker Retail Partners is a wholesaler supplying caterers, retailers and other businesses. On the high street, it operates under the Budgens, Londis and Premier symbol groups. Booker Retail Partners is committed to providing more choice, reducing prices and offering better service to all customers.
BP operates in locations along the entire length of the UK, from Sullom Voe in the Shetlands to Hamble on the South Coast of England. At more than 300 company-owned and franchise sites you can find BP Connect stores, alongside award winning Wild Bean Cafes, which provide hot and cold snacks and fresh coffee for motorists. You can also find Marks and Spencer Simply Food outlets at more than 100 BP service stations in Scotland and England.
Booker Retail Partners is a wholesaler supplying caterers, retailers and other businesses. On the high street, it operates under the Budgens, Londis and Premier symbol groups. Booker Retail Partners is committed to providing more choice, reducing prices and offering better service to all customers.
Based in Dorset and Hampshire, Central Convenience Stores is a rapidly expanding chain of shops. Its aim is to ‘Convenience – Allday – Everyday’ by selling the best national brands alongside locally sourced products.
Formed by the merger of Midlands and Anglia Co-operatives, Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retailers in the UK, with over 400 trading outlets, a family of around 8,600 colleagues and more than 330,000 regular trading members.
Central England Co-op is independent from The Co-operative Group, but is part of the wider co-operative movement, working together to provide all sorts of benefits for members and customers. Central England Co-operative trades across 16 counties from the Midlands to the East Coast through more than 250 foodstores.
Co-op is the UK’s largest mutual business, owned not by private shareholders but by over six million consumers. It is the UK’s fifth biggest food retailer, the leading convenience store operator and a major financial services provider. Among its other businesses are the number one funeral services provider and Britain’s largest farming operation. The Group operates 4,800 retail trading outlets, employs more than 106,000 people and has an annual turnover of more than £13bn.
Conviviality Retail owns the UK’s largest franchised off-licence and convenience chain with over 600 franchisee-operated stores located throughout England, Wales and soon to be Scotland. Conviviality operates five fascias including Bargain Booze, Bargain Booze Select Convenience, BB’s Warehouse, Thoroughgoods, and Wine Rack.
Costcutter currently have 1400 stores throughout the UK & Northern Ireland and has recently been listed in The Times newspaper as one of the top 100 fastest growing companies in the UK ( source: KPMG ). Despite massive competition from huge multiples moving into the convenience store sector, Costcutter continues to expand by offering a flexible style and attitude, coupled with a comprehensive trading and marketing format.
The East of England Co-operative Society is proud to be at the very heart of communities across England’s eastern counties, offering a range of services that help support local towns and villages in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
Family Shopper offers independent retailers a discount format for smaller stores.
Go Local Extra is Parfetts Cash & Carry's, industry leading Symbol Group. Go Local Extra provides a promotional solution for every format of independent convenience store. A promotion of hard hitting, key lines to drive footfall and sales to your store.
Heron Foods operates 240 stores throughout the North of England and the Midlands, and employs 2,500 people. Based in East Riding, Yorkshire, Heron is a family owned food retailer dedicated to bringing customers great value in frozen, chilled and grocery products. The company operates from a 270,000sq ft purpose built facility in Melton, East Yorkshire. Heron Foods has been ranked 13th by turnover in The Grocer magazine’s survey of the top 50 independent grocery retailers.
H.K.S. Motors, established in 1984, is a leading competitor in the retail fuel sector. The company first formed in 1984, began through the operation of the first filling station at Ashby Road, Coalville. Today they have now greatly expanded from this and now own and operate a number of sites, proving a strong presence primarily across The Midlands.
MRH has become the UK’s leading independent service station owner and operator. In 2004 it acquired the operations of Kuwait Petroleum GB followed by large acquisitions from Texaco, BP and Esso. MRH now has over 370 company owned service stations in its extensive portfolio the majority of which are branded Esso, BP, Texaco and Jet. MRH has its head office in Epping, Essex and a smaller office in Egham, Surrey .The Company owns a number of brands including its new shop concept called Hursts and the commercial business on the Isle of Wight branded as Isle of Wight Fuels Ltd, with Roberts Garages Ltd in Jersey and Matrix (Highlands) Ltd in the North of Scotland.
The James Retail Group is a leading, independently owned neighbourhood retailer operating around 110 convenience and newsagent stores. It operates Select Convenience branded convenience stores as well as newsagents branded GT News & Supernews which can be found in locations varying including major shopping centres, transport interchanges, local neighbourhoods and hospitals across the central belt of the country.
Keystore is run by JW Filshill Ltd based in Hillington, near Glasgow. They have won Scottish Wholesale Association’s prestigious Champion of Champions awards more times than any of our competitors. They are widely recognised as a driving force in the retail convenience market. Despite the success and industry accolades, they never forget what made, and continues to make them, so great – their retailers.
Costcutter is part of Costcutter Supermarkets Group, consisting of Costcutter, Mace, Supershop, and Simply Fresh, throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Landmark Wholsesale is one of the largest buying groups in the UK. The 29-strong members are located nationwide in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and consist of Cash & Carry and Delivered Wholesalers serving over 122,000 live retail, catering and foodservice customers.
Lincolnshire Co-operative is one of the most successful independent consumer co operatives in the UK, and offer a wide range of services from their divisions. Owned by their members, the people of Lincolnshire and Newark, and has been for more than 150 years. All profits are recycled locally and many of their 2,700 staff get involved with the community by volunteering their time or expertise to local groups or by raising money for their Charity of the Year.
Booker Retail Partners is a wholesaler supplying caterers, retailers and other businesses. On the high street, it operates under the Budgens, Londis and Premier symbol groups. Booker Retail Partners is committed to providing more choice, reducing prices and offering better service to all customers.
Mace is part of Costcutter Supermarkets Group which is a predominantly franchise business with over 2,500 convenience stores, trading under Costcutter, Mace, kwiksave and Supershop, throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Malcolm’s has been run by the Cheema family for 31 years and was started by the founders, Malcolm and Baljit Cheema. Malcolm's operates three different models, a convenience store, a discount format and the latest addition, a forecourt.
McColl’s is the UK’s leading neighbourhood retailing group with over 1,250 stores trading throughout England, Scotland and Wales. They are comprised of over 500 convenience stores with over 400 stores having a Post Office.
The recently expanded Motor Fuel Group (MFG) is now the second largest independent forecourt operator in the UK. It has 374 stations operating under the BP, Shell, Texaco and JET fuel brands. It offers its customers premium fuel brands coupled with an attractive, competitive and expanding forecourt shop offer for today’s cost conscious consumers.
MRH has become the UK’s leading independent service station owner and operator. In 2004 it acquired the operations of Kuwait Petroleum GB followed by large acquisitions from Texaco, BP and Esso. MRH now has over 370 company owned service stations in its extensive portfolio the majority of which are branded Esso, BP, Texaco and Jet. MRH has its head office in Epping, Essex and a smaller office in Egham, Surrey .The Company owns a number of brands including its new shop concept called Hursts and the commercial business on the Isle of Wight branded as Isle of Wight Fuels Ltd, with Roberts Garages Ltd in Jersey and Matrix (Highlands) Ltd in the North of Scotland.
The Murco brand was established in 1960 and since then it has grown to become a familiar forecourt name throughout the UK. Over the past 55 years, the brand’s recognition has grown hugely with consumers and from strength to strength with dealers despite fundamental changes in the UK forecourt market.
Nisa is the UK’s leading member-owned organisation, providing benefits to independent retailers and wholesalers in food and drink markets.
One Stop is a retail convenience business with over 750 stores across England and Wales. In addition to operating company owned stores, One Stop has recently developed a franchise model which allows independent retailers to benefit from affiliation with the group.
A.G. Parfett & Sons Ltd is a family run wholesale cash and carry business operating across the North West of England, selling food, drink and tobacco goods to independent retailers and caterers.
Park Garage Group are a family run business whose success and ethos is driven by being customer centric.
Booker Retail Partners is a wholesaler supplying caterers, retailers and other businesses. On the high street, it operates under the Budgens, Londis and Premier symbol groups. Booker Retail Partners is committed to providing more choice, reducing prices and offering better service to all customers.
Rontec is one of the leading companies in the independent fuel retailing sector, predominantly using the Total brand on their forecourts. Their service stations network delivers high quality fuels, extensive convenience shop ranges and offers top quality car washes.
Scotmid Co-operative operates 350 retail outlets across Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North of England. Our businesses include Scotmid Food, Semichem, The Fragrance House, Funeral Directors, Post Offices and a property division.
Select & Save was formed in 1997 by two entrepreneurs. Since its launch this convenience store symbol group for independent retailers has grown from 2 stores to over 100 across the UK, and is still growing. Select & Save retailers are supported by our two regional offices based in the Midlands and the North-East.
Each store is run by local, friendly, customer focused people, who are always on hand to deliver our promise of good value, quality products and services, tailored to the needs of our local communities. Wherever we can, we partner up with local suppliers and stock our shelves with great local produce ensuring we keep the local £ local.
Our constant strive for excellence has received national and international acclaim. Sewell is currently ranked as a one of the region’s Fastest Growing 50 companies and was voted as a top ten retailer at the NACS International Convenience Conference 2013.
Rontec’s own shop brand offering an exciting retail format connected to the forecourt operation. Using a simple concept that aims to make our ever increasing lives easier by providing a place where customers can shop for everyday essentials or weekend treats when other shops are shut.
Simply Fresh has a supply agreement with Costcutter and benefits from group trading terms. The model requires retailers to invest in high levels of fresh and chilled food, typically 20m of chilled food and 3m of fruit & veg. As a condition of membership, every store has to be affiliated to a local charity, offer in-store carrier bag recycling facilities and use local produce suppliers where appropriate.
SimplyFresh is an upmarket grocery store concept focusing on local and best of British products anchored by an organic healthy range of food. The stores also include a core range of branded grocery lines so we can cater for all types of consumers.
SPAR is the world’s largest international food retail chain with nearly 16,000 stores in 34 countries. With 2,600 stores SPAR is also the UK’s leading convenience store group.
The Guild of Fine Food is the UK trade association for anyone making or selling top quality local, regional and speciality food and drink. Its 1,300-plus members include delicatessens, fine food halls and farm shops, speciality food producers, from cheese-makers to chocolatiers, importers and distributors of gourmet foods from around the world and suppliers of equipment and services to support the fine food sector.
The Midcounties Co-operative is the largest independent co-operative in the UK. They have almost 9,000 colleagues spread across 450 sites, as well as over 245,000 members who enjoy a share in their profits, as well as knowing they are funding ethical activities and initiatives locally and around the world.
The Southern Co-operative is a regional Co-operative Society based in southern England. They operate around 150 community stores, covering the following counties: Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Somerset, Surrey, Sussex and Wiltshire.
The Today’s Group is proudly the largest independent buying group in the UK, with a turnover in excess of £5 billion, serving their wholesale members and their retailers.
Today’s Group is a mutal oganisation that is owned by their members with all profits either being reinvested back into the business or returned directly to members.
SSP UK operates 21 Whistlestop stores at train stations throughout the UK, providing convenience retailing with fast paced service. Key product categories are alcohol, soft drinks, tobacco, confectionery and snacks. The depth of range within each category appeals to commuters and travellers with a diverse range of needs and features a balance of must stock convenience brands with a more interesting mix of lesser known products from small British producers.
Conviviality Retail owns the UK’s largest franchised off-licence and convenience chain with over 600 franchisee-operated stores located throughout England, Wales and soon to be Scotland. Conviviality operates five fascias including Bargain Booze, Bargain Booze Select Convenience, BB’s Warehouse, Thoroughgoods, and Wine Rack.
