Taking place on 16th June at the Midland Hotel in Manchester, Activation LIVE! is our brand-new event for 2026 where leading retailers will have the chance to engage with some of the biggest brands in convenience to collaborate on plans for the second half of 2026.
Our dynamic brand briefing sessions will feature: General Mills, Danone, Optimum Nutrition, Fox’s Burton’s Companies and Takis.
Do you have a new product or service that could transform a retailer's business? Is there a new flavour or variation of your product coming soon that will have customers coming back into store again and again? Enter this year's Innovation and NPD Showcase and you could be one of the six companies shortlisted to present on the day.
The Association of Convenience Stores has recognised the incredible contribution of six convenience industry legends at the 2026 Community Dinner, held in Birmingham on 14th April 2026.
Following the success of ACS' 30th anniversary celebrations in 2025 where 30 people that have made a positive difference to ACS were recognised, the 2026 Community Dinner identified six people who have been longstanding supporters and advocates of ACS activity.
The people recognised at the 2026 Community Dinner were:
New CEO Ed Woodall Pledges Support for Next Generation of Retailers
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has set out a renewed commitment to be a stronger voice for local shops to government, alongside a clear ambition to support and grow the next generation of convenience retailers.
Speaking at ACS Conference26 in Birmingham, recently appointed chief executive Ed Woodall outlined the organisation’s campaigning priorities for the year ahead, rooted in the real pressures facing local shops.
The countdown is on – there’s just two weeks to go until Conference26, our biggest event of the year, bringing together over 500 retailers, suppliers and industry experts from around the UK and beyond.
There’s less than three weeks to go until Conference26, our biggest event of the year, bringing together over 500 retailers, suppliers and industry experts from around the UK and beyond.
Taking place on 14th April at the Vox in Birmingham, this year’s event is set to be the biggest yet and there’s still time for you to secure your place so that you can be part of the conversation. Conference26 will be exploring change outside the business with exclusive insight on how to adapt for the future, as well as how to make changes in the business that you can implement straight away.
We're now just a week away from the 2026 Safe and Responsible Retailing Conference, taking place at the Birmingham Rep on 18th March 2026.
This unmissable event brings together retailers, policy experts and industry partners to explore the major regulatory and operational changes shaping the year ahead. The event is designed to give convenience retailers clear, practical guidance on what’s coming next and how to prepare.
We're now just a few weeks away from the
We're now just a few weeks away from the 2026 Safe and Responsible Retailing Conference, taking place at the Birmingham Rep on 18th March 2026.
This unmissable event brings together retailers, policy experts and industry partners to explore the major regulatory and operational changes shaping the year ahead. The event is designed to give convenience retailers clear, practical guidance on what’s coming next and how to prepare.
Book your place at Conference26, the main event of the convenience calendar, taking place on 14th April at The Vox, Birmingham.
This event brings together over 500 retailers, suppliers, and industry experts to shape the future of our sector. Conference26 will explore change outside the business with exclusive insight on how to adapt for the future, as well as how to make changes in the business that you can implement straight away.
Confirmed speakers and panellists include:
