February 2019

ACS: Minister for Crime Plans to Protect Shopworkers from Violence

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed commitments from Home Office Minister Victoria Atkins MP, to examine options for providing further protections for shopworkers from violence and abuse.

The call for evidence is intended to help strengthen the evidence base by understanding retailers’ experience of crime and to look at all options for addressing these crimes.

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Book Your Place at Summit19, the Definitive Convenience Sector Event!

Tickets are now available for Summit19, the definitive convenience event of the year.

Summit19 is an unmissable conference, bringing together leading figures in the convenience sector with industry experts from around the world to take part in a discussion about the opportunities for retailers and suppliers in convenience, both now and in the future. This year’s conference will address two critical questions facing the sector, in two business sessions:

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Still No End in Sight for Tobacco Track and Trace Delays

ACS has reiterated its calls to Government to publish details of how retailers can apply for the codes that they will need to comply with the upcoming track and trace regulations after HMRC launched a further consultation on the details of the regulations.

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Book Your Place at the 2019 Crime Seminar!

The ACS Crime Seminar is an exclusive and insightful day split into three sessions on tackling violence, protecting cash in-store and sharing best practice. The sessions are designed to provide practical approaches to managing crime in your business.

Taking place on 26th March at Church House in Westminster, the event provides retailers with the opportunity to ask the panels of leading industry experts about how to tackle crime in their stores.

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ACS: Government Publishes EU Exit Guidance for Retail Sector

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have published new guidance for the Retail Sector on Preparing for EU Exit. The guidance includes information on importing and exporting, regulations and standards and employing EU workers.

The new guidance suggests that retailers should contact the organisation responsible for moving their goods, such as a haulage firm. The guidance also signposts to the government tool, Prepare for EU Exit, which provides more detailed guidance on policy changes.

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Government Rejects Calls to Delay Making Tax Digital

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has criticised the Government for rejecting the recommendation of the House of Lords Economic Affairs Finance Bill Sub-Committee to delay the mandatory introduction of Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT by one year to April 2020. 

MTD reforms will require VAT registered businesses to submit their VAT records digitally using compatible software. The policy reforms aim to reduce the tax gap and help businesses have a more accurate overview of their tax affairs.

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ACS Welcomes Treasury Committee Inquiry on Business Rates

ACS has welcomed the launch of a new inquiry into business rates, calling on the Treasury to look closely into how rates affect essential services like petrol forecourts and free to use cash machines. 

The Treasury Select Committee has launched the inquiry into business rates to scrutinise how Government policy has impacted business. The Committee will examine how Business Rates policy has changed, including Business Rates retention, alternatives to property-based taxes, such as the proposed digital services tax, and how changes to Business Rates could impact businesses.

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ACS Highlight the Impact of Shop Theft in C-Stores

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to figures obtained by the Press Association (PA) about the incidents of shop theft in the UK. According to the figures, Police from forces in England and Wales investigated 78,110 incidents of shop theft in UK supermarkets 2017, an almost 8% increase from 72,423 in 2014.

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