ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is calling on retailers to write to the MPs ahead of the Budget to highlight the impact that rising energy costs are having on their businesses.
In a submission ahead of the Budget on 15th March, ACS has made a number of key recommendations on how the Chancellor can support local shops through the energy crisis. The recommendations are:
- Increase the level of discount available under the Energy Bill Discount Scheme so businesses receive meaningful support to manage their energy costs
- Better target discounts at the most vulnerable businesses that renegotiated their contracts when the wholesale energy prices were at their highest in 2022
- Put pressure on energy companies to allow the most vulnerable businesses to negotiate new contracts to better reflect lower wholesale prices
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We have repeatedly warned the Government that there are many convenience stores who simply cannot afford the increases that they are seeing in their energy costs and without additional support they will may be forced to close their doors for good.
“Local shops play a crucial role in their communities, providing access to essential services and acting as a lifeline for their customers. Now is the time for us to come together and make sure that our voice is heard and we are calling on retailers to write to their MPs to make sure that they understand the stark reality that our sector is facing.”
Retailers can write to their MPs by putting their store postcode into our online tool here: https://www.acs.org.uk/campaigns
