News

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stor

ACS has written to sustainability minister Llyr Gruffydd MS, raising serious concerns about a lack of progress on the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme in Wales, and urging the Welsh Government to exclude glass from the scheme to ensure it remains workable for local shops.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed renewed calls from the influential Business and Trade Committee, urging the government to look again at ways to support small businesses.

The select committee had been tasked with conducting an inquiry into the government’s Small Business Strategy, which ACS provided evidence to. The committee’s report, published in February 2026, made over 60 recommendations to the Government, including:

ACS has welcomed proposals from Andy Burnham on changes to the business rates system to support independent retailers.

In interviews since becoming MP for Makerfield, Mr Burnham has suggested that if he were to become the next prime minister, he would increase the threshold at which small business rate relief applies from £12,000 currently to £18,000 rateable value, with an increase in the tapered thresholds up to £21,000 (currently £15,000).

ACS is reminding retailers about the introduction of new duty rates on vaping products, coming into force on October 1^st 2026. 

The new rules will impose the following additional costs and requirements on vaping products as part of the Vaping Product Duty and Stamp Scheme:

ACS has welcomed progress on a change in the law that would allow digital ID to be used for the sale of alcohol for the first time.

Digital ID has been growing and developing in recent years, with a number of providers offering solutions for retailers to support them with their responsibility to prevent underage sales. However, to date, digital ID solutions have not been permitted for use when approving the sale of alcohol.

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ACS has responded to new data from HM Revenue and Customs on the prevalence of non-duty paid and illicit products in the UK, reiterating its calls for action to stop rogue traders.

Figures published today (23rd June) show that the tax gap (duty and VAT combined) driven by illicit cigarettes and tobacco stands at £1.3bn in 2024 to 2025, with the alcohol tax gap sitting at £0.8bn. There are no official estimates from HM Revenue and Customs of the VAT lost on vaping products, although a due on vaping products will be introduced in October this year.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to a consultation on the future application of the nutrient profiling model (NPM), raising concerns about how changes would impact retailers already dealing with HFSS regulations. 

The Association of Convenience Stores has warned the Home Affairs Select Committee that organised gangs are operating in plain sight in communities, stealing from shops on a massive scale and running dodgy shops with illicit products as part of a network of wider serious criminal activity.