July 2018

Jul 31

Enter the 2018 Best Small Shops Competition

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is supporting the Best Small Shops competition (BSSC), celebrating the creativity of UK independent retailers and the key role that they play on the high street and in their local communities.

The BSSC, managed by the Independent Retailers Confederation, is open to UK independent retailers and will look at their entrepreneurial skills, community values and customer service. Retailers can enter by submitting details of their business via the online application form.

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Jul 27

ACS Encourages Small Retailers to Introduce Voluntary Charge for Plastic Bags

Following the latest figures from the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs on the number of single-use plastic bags sold in England, ACS is encouraging small retailers to introduce a voluntary charge for plastic bags.

Latest figures suggest that there has been a 86% drop in the number of plastic bags sold in the 7 largest supermarkets in England since the plastic bag charge was introduced in 2015.

The figures also revealed that the 5p plastic bag sales have contributed nearly £60m toward charities and other good causes.

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Jul 26

Book Now for Heart of the Community 2018!

Bookings are now open for ACS’ unmissable political event, The Heart of the Community Conference 2018, which will offer retailers key insights into how the latest political agenda could impact their businesses.   

The conference has moved to a new venue at the heart of Westminster, 1 Birdcage Walk, taking place on 16th October. The conference will bring together retailers from across the country to address the policy issues that really matter for the sector, focusing on tackling retail crime, acting on the environment and the future of work in the sector.

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Jul 24

Payment Systems Regulator Launches Market Review into Card Payment Fees

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the publication of terms of reference for a market review into the supply of card payment services from the Payment Systems Regulator.

The review will look at the fees that are charged to merchants (retailers) by acquirers such as WorldPay, Barclaycard and others. This fee, known as the merchant service charge rate, includes the interchange fee (capped by EU regulations), profit for the acquirer, and card scheme fees which are currently unregulated.

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Jul 20

C-Sector Bodies Give Evidence to Low Pay Commission on Impact of Wage Increases

Trade associations representing the UK convenience sector have given oral evidence to the Low Pay Commission, detailing how retailers have responded to recent increases in the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage.

The evidence session featured the Association of Convenience Stores, the Scottish Grocers Federation and Retail NI providing information to the Commission on how wage increases have impacted productivity in the sector, the impact on employment practices, and how wage increases have affected other areas of the business such as the price of goods.

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Jul 19

ONS Figures Reveal 3% Increase In Shop Theft over Last Year

The Office for National Statistics has released figures on crime in England and Wales for the year ending March 2018, reporting a 3% increase in the number of shop theft offences to 382,100 over the last year.

Regionally, London has seen the biggest decrease in shop theft incidents with a fall of 2%, while the North East has seen the biggest increase, with 12% more shop theft incidents than the previous year.

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Jul 18

ACS Welcomes APPG Recommendations on New Illicit Trade Group

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed a new report from the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Illicit Trade, which recommends the creation of a dedicated UK Anti-Illicit Trade Group.

The UK Anti-Illicit Trade Group would include representatives from law enforcement, government, trade associations and other industry groups with the aim of preventing the illicit trade, raising awareness of the dangers of illicit products, and ensuring that enforcement against the illicit trade is effective.

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