ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is encouraging retailers to enter their local area into the Great British High Street Awards (GBHS) 2018. Run by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, the awards recognise and celebrate the local achievements of the nation’s high streets.
August 2018
Science and Technology Committee: E-Cigarettes “Should Not be Treated in the Same Way” as Tobacco
ACS has welcomed a new report from the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee on e-cigarettes, which urges the Government to maintain a separate approach to taxation for e-cigarettes and tobacco products due to the significantly lower risk that e-cigarettes pose to health.
The report claims that while e-cigarettes are estimated as being 95% less harmful than conventional cigarettes, they are often overlooked by the NHS as a tool to help people stop smoking.
Recommendations from the Science and Technology Committee report include:
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.
ACS Raises Concerns over Personal Licence Renewal Fees in Scotland
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the introduction of a fee for renewing a personal alcohol licence, raising concerns about the implications that it would have for Scottish convenience retailers.
4 Weeks Until the 2018 Local Shop Report Launch!
We are just 4 weeks away from the 2018 Local Shop Report Launch, taking place on 11th September at the National Space Centre in Leicester. ACS’ flagship report will provide a detailed look at the convenience sector and the innovative services and features offered by stores to their local communities.
Government Launches New Product Safety Strategy
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has published a new strategy, aimed at upgrading the UK’s product safety regime as part of the government’s wider modern Industrial Strategy.
The strategy focuses on strengthening ‘the UK’s world-leading product safety regime, helping to keep consumers safe and enforce the UK’s strict safety laws’. Measures included in the strategy include:
Convenience Stores Call on PCCs to Pledge Support for Tackling Shop Theft
ACS is calling on all Police and Crime Commissioners to pledge to ensure that police forces take shop theft and abuse of staff seriously, and that they respond to incidents where they’re reported.
The pledges that PCCs are being asked to sign up to include:
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, 12-4pm. 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.
Book Your Free Place at the 2018 Local Shop Report Launch
Tickets are available for this year’s Local Shop Report launch, taking place on 11th September at the National Space Centre in Leicester. ACS’ flagship report will provide a detailed look at the convenience sector and the innovative services and features offered by stores to their local communities.
Convenience Stores Call on PCCs to Pledge Support for Tackling Shop Theft
ACS is calling on all Police and Crime Commissioners to pledge to ensure that police forces take shop theft and abuse of staff seriously, and that they respond to incidents where they’re reported.
The pledges that PCCs are being asked to sign up to include: