The ACS Responsible Retailing Forum offers members an invaluable opportunity to hear from policy makers, retailers and enforcement officers about the latest compliance issues affecting them on a daily basis in the convenience sector.
The forum, taking place on the 20th May at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, will focus on the future of alcohol policy, the tobacco display ban, ACS Assured Advice and upcoming issues including carrier bags, e-cigarettes and energy drinks.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Retail is a fast-paced industry where policy and compliance regulations change rapidly causing confusion for retailers about what they can and can’t do. The ACS Responsible Retailing Forum provides our members with the perfect platform to hear about current hot topics from key representatives, including spokespeople from the Home Office, Trading Standards, and the Competition and Markets Authority.”
The day will be split into three sections, covering the most important and current topics in responsible retailing: ‘Compliance’, ‘Alcohol’ and ‘Emerging Issues’. Anna Dawson from the Drugs and Alcohol Unit at the Home Office will be speaking to the forum, providing an update on alcohol policy, including changes to the Section 182 guidance and the impending changes from the Deregulation Bill.
Grahame Horgan, Project Director, from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), will also be at the forum unveiling the newly developed guidance from CMA to support retailers in managing locally led alcohol initiatives and the potential competition risks. Head of Carrier Bag Policy at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Laura Denison, will be revealing DEFRA’s retailer guidance for the upcoming carrier bag charge in October 2015.
Other speakers include: Brandon Cook, Trading Standard Manager at Staffordshire County Council; Win Morgan, Independent Retailer; Philip LeShirley, Surrey County Council; Anne-Marie Canham, Training Manager for James Hall; Gavin Partington, Director General, British Soft Drinks Association; Edward Woodall, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at ACS; and more still to be announced.
The ACS Responsible Retailing forum is free to all ACS members. To book your place, visit the ACS website: http://www.acs.org.uk/acs-events/responsible-retailing-forum-2/, or contact Julie Byers on 01252 533 008, or e-mail: [email protected]
