ACS has launched new versions of its industry leading Assured Advice guides, backed by Surrey and Bucks Trading Standards.
Thousands of ACS members already benefit from Assured Advice, with many more referring to ACS Assured Advice guides as best practice to help them and their colleagues in store. To date, the guides have been downloaded over 100,000 times.
Some of the notable updates to Assured Advice in the latest versions of the guides include:
- Detailed guidance for retailers on the upcoming menthol ban on May 20th, including clarification on the sale of flavoured filters, papers or capsules with tobacco products. The guide provides clarity that it is only cigarettes/RYO tobacco packaged together with flavoured filters or papers that will be banned from May 20th. Selling cigarettes/RYO tobacco in the same transaction as flavoured filters or papers will still be permitted.
- Guidance for retailers on the sale of products containing CBD and the information that retailers can give to customers about the products.
- Advice on how to provide water refills safely for customers, as well as other commercial considerations around providing water refills.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Assured Advice allows retailers to get on with running their business instead of worrying about intervention from local enforcement officers. In the last few months alone we’ve provided important clarifications on areas like the upcoming menthol ban, ways to provide water refills, requirements under the new fuel labelling regulations, and the sale of CBD products. This the most comprehensive assured advice scheme available anywhere for convenience retailers, and it’s free to ACS members.”
Assured Advice covers all aspects of regulatory compliance, split into the following areas:
- Preventing underage sales
- Selling tobacco (including guidance on track and trace, and the upcoming menthol ban)
- Managing fire safety
- Storing and selling fuel
- Selling fireworks
- Food safety and hygiene (including guidance on providing a water refill service)
- Fair trading
- Managing health and safety
- Product safety
- Weights and measures
By signing up to the ACS Assured Advice scheme and following our guidelines, the procedures in store will be respected by ALL local enforcement officers in England and Wales including environmental health and Trading Standards officers.
All of the latest Assured Advice guide are available to download free at www.acs.org.uk/advice
