ACS Advice

The Association of Convenience Stores has launched new guidance for retailers ahead of the introduction of the deposit return scheme in October 2027.

The Association of Convenience Stores has launched a new awareness campaign to help retailers, colleagues and consumers with incoming rules on age verification for tobacco products.

The Decline09 campaign, backed by leading retailers and the Chartered Institute for Trading Standards is launching today at ACS’ Safe and Responsible Retailing Conference in Birmingham. It has been developed in consultation with the Department for Health and Social Care.

The Scottish Government has today (31st October) laid regulations confirming the introduction of restrictions on HFSS products from 1st October 2026.

ACS is reminding retailers that from 1st October 2025, new regulations will take effect in England to restrict the promotion of products high in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS).

Under the new rules, volume-based promotions on HFSS products will be banned, meaning affected retailers will no longer be able to display the following promotions:

It has now been one month since the introduction of the ban on disposable vapes, which came into effect on June 1st. Since its implementation, it has been illegal for retailers to sell, offer to sell, or have in their possession for sale disposable vaping products in their shop or online.