ACS has welcomed new laws being laid in parliament which aim to make it easier to repurpose commercial and retail space.
Jul
22
July 2020
Jul
21
ACS: Business Rates Reform Must Encourage Retailers to Invest
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the publication of the long-awaited call for evidence on reform of the business rates system.
The call for evidence, which will be open to submissions until 31st October, considers several areas of the business rates system and calls for views on how the system can be reformed, including whether:
Jul
21
ACS Launches New Poster to Help Retailers Communicate Face Covering Exemptions
ACS has launched a new poster for retailers to help communicate the new rules on face coverings that come into force later this week.
From Friday July 24th, wearing a face covering will be compulsory in shops in England. The rules do not extend to colleagues in stores, although the Government strongly recommends that colleagues wear a face covering where possible.
There are a number of exemptions for people who are not able to wear a face covering, which are detailed on the poster. These include:
Jul
20
ACS: Local Shops Offer Local, Flexible and Secure Employment
In its evidence to the Low Pay Commission, ACS has outlined convenience retailers’ concerns about the impact that rising wage costs will have on the local, flexible and secure jobs offered by the convenience sector.
Jul
19
Chief Executive's Blog: Revisiting the Obesity Debate and the Impact on Local Shops
I’m not the first person to note that the Covid-19 crisis has shaken up politics. After the December 2019 election, we were expecting to be dealing with a government populated by libertarians and putting great faith in the free market and personal responsibility. The one thing we didn’t expect Boris Johnson to be accused of was operating a nanny state, but that’s exactly the charge being levelled by some now.
Jul
17
ACS: Action Needed to Secure Long-Term Access to Cash
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed an update from the Joint Authorities Cash Strategy (JACS) Group on safeguarding the UK’s cash infrastructure, highlighting the importance of cash to businesses and consumers.
The Joint Authorities Cash Strategy (JACS) Group brings together the Bank of England, Payments Systems Regulator (PSR) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure comprehensive oversight of the overall cash infrastructure across the UK.
Jul
17
Supplier News: LocoSoco Introduce Sustainable Products and Services into Communities
Content supplied by LocoSoco:
LocoSoco Group Plc introduce sustainable products and services into communities in a way that shares revenue and equity with community partners.
During this pandemic, LocoSoco supported over 300 communities in making hand sanitisers and cleaning products affordable and accessible with their refill model, delivering over 40 tonnes of Hand Sanitiser nationally.
Jul
16
Supplier News: SECOM Covid-19 Response Solutions Webinars
Content supplied by SECOM:
We are running a series of 30 minute webinars to demonstrate the benefits of our Covid-19 response solutions, helping to protect customers and staff.
SECOM Capacity Control: Occupancy and social distancing management
Prominent local visual alerts and warnings suggesting when occupancy limits are breached or when it is safe to enter.
Jul
15
Temporary VAT Cut on Eat-In and Takeaway Food Now in Effect
From today (15th July) the rate of VAT on eat-in or hot takeaway food has been cut from 20% to 5% until 12th January 2021.
The temporary VAT cut was announced as part of the Summer Statement as an urgent response to the coronavirus pandemic as part of the effort to support businesses impacted by forced closures and social distancing measures.
Last week, ACS received clarification that any vendor providing food and drink for consumption on the premises, or hot takeaway food or drinks are eligible for the reduced rate, including local shops.
Jul
14
Trade Bodies Raise Newspaper Supply Chain Concerns to Minister
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) and NFRN (the Federation of Independent Retailers) raised concerns about the future of the newspaper supply chain in a joint letter to the Minister of State for Media and Data, John Whittingdale MP.
Recently, newspaper publishers and wholesaler representatives called for a competition wavier to bring the industry together to discuss the future of the supply chain. The Covid crisis has changed many dynamics in the news industry, which presents an opportunity for the industry to think about its future.
