Crime

ACS has responded to new data from HM Revenue and Customs on the prevalence of non-duty paid and illicit products in the UK, reiterating its calls for action to stop rogue traders.

Figures published today (23rd June) show that the tax gap (duty and VAT combined) driven by illicit cigarettes and tobacco stands at £1.3bn in 2024 to 2025, with the alcohol tax gap sitting at £0.8bn. There are no official estimates from HM Revenue and Customs of the VAT lost on vaping products, although a due on vaping products will be introduced in October this year.

The Association of Convenience Stores has warned the Home Affairs Select Committee that organised gangs are operating in plain sight in communities, stealing from shops on a massive scale and running dodgy shops with illicit products as part of a network of wider serious criminal activity.

ACS has welcomed a significant victory in the battle against the illicit trade today as the Government announced 12 month closure orders for businesses found to be selling illicit products. 

Existing powers allow premises to be closed for up to six months, but the Government note that businesses can often reopen before investigations have concluded, allowing criminal activity to resume and creating additional burdens for local authorities, police forces and the courts. 

The Association of Convenience Stores has launched a new campaign aimed at getting tougher sanctions for rogue traders.

The ‘Stop Rogue Traders’ campaign highlights the scale of the problem facing communities, signposts existing resources for reporting illicit activity, and calls for action from Government to get rogue traders off the streets.

As part of the campaign, ACS is calling for key changes to policy, further funding and stronger powers to help Trading Standards tackle the problem, including:

The Association of Convenience Stores has launched a new campaign aimed at getting tougher sanctions for rogue traders.

The ‘Stop Rogue Traders’ campaign highlights the scale of the problem facing communities, signposts existing resources for reporting illicit activity, and calls for action from Government to get rogue traders off the streets.

As part of the campaign, ACS is calling for key changes to policy, further funding and stronger powers to help Trading Standards tackle the problem, including: