News

The Association of Convenience Stores has announced the appointment of SPAR Managing Director Louise Hoste as its new chair from November, with award winning independent retailer Ramesh Shingadia continuing in the role of vice chair.

Louise Hoste will succeed Central England Co-Operative Chief Executive Debbie Robinson as chair of the board. Debbie has served as chair since November 2019 and will remain on the ACS board.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has launched new guidance for the convenience sector to provide retailers with practical advice on how to support wellbeing for themselves and their colleagues.

Launched today (31^st August) the Wellbeing Guide has been developed in collaboration with the What Works Centre for Wellbeing (WWCW) to provide guidance for retailers of all sizes about practical steps to take on the shop floor to improve staff retention and customer service via a healthy, engaged workforce.

Bookings are now open for the ACS’ Power, Mobility and Convenience conference, taking place virtually on 14th September.

This year’s conference will explore the future of power and mobility and will provide the opportunity for delegates to hear from expert speakers as they discuss the issues currently affecting forecourt retailers and issues they may face in the future.

ACS is encouraging convenience retailers operating in Scotland to sign up with Circularity Scotland to stay up to date with information surrounding the introduction of a deposit return scheme.

Circularity Scotland is the appointed scheme administrator for the deposit return scheme, currently scheduled to come into effect in summer 2022.

Unless exempt, all retailers in Scotland will be required to take back containers once the scheme comes into force. All retailers will be required to charge the 20p deposit on eligible containers.

ACS has responded to a HM Treasury consultation on business rates, welcoming the proposed move to more frequent revaluations and using the business rates system to better incentivise investment.

In its submission, ACS welcomes the planned move to three yearly revaluations, as it would act as a better indication of how rateable values are tracking against the property market. Currently, business rates are reviewed every five years unless they’re delayed by Government.

ACS has welcomed the introduction of a new statutory offence in Scotland for assaulting, threatening or abusing a retail worker.

The Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-Restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Act, initially proposed by Daniel Johnson MSP, was backed unanimously by MSPs in January and comes into force today. ACS has supported colleagues at the shopworkers union Usdaw and the Scottish Grocers Federation who have led the campaign for this legislation.

The following has been provided by ACS supplier member Pepsico: 

Walkers is celebrating loved local restaurants with the launch of new limited-edition Local Taste Icons flavours – delicious crunch-sized versions of the most-loved local restaurant dishes. Rolling out from mid-August, the line-up has been inspired by four standout local restuarants and includes:

There’s just over a week to go until the rollout of the E10 fuel grade, which is being introduced part of the Government’s Transportation Decarbonisation Plan. 

From 1st September 2021, E10 petrol will be introduced as the UK-wide standard petrol grade at pumps. ACS is reminding all fuel retailers to ensure that they are prepared for this change, have briefed their staff and communicated the change to their customers to avoid confusion.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is delighted to announce that WRS Systems, a supplier of POS systems, has joined ACS as a new Connect member.

WRS has expanded over the past to become a significant supplier of POS systems to the hospitality and retail market, in the UK, Ireland and Europe.

The company has expanded in a manner that has enabled it to ensure the levels of support and development are maintained across its portfolio, but also understands that any solution provided to a client now must be ‘future-proof’.

Content supplied by Herbert Group: 

Stores from opposite ends of the UK are to benefit from cutting edge technology with SoluM electronic shelf labels being rolled out to stores across two regional co-operatives.

Cambridge based technology integrator, Herbert Retail, is supplying and installing the electronic shelf labels (ESLs) to stores run by Scotmid Co-op and Southern Co-op. Initial trials have already seen increased store efficiency, improved pricing and product information compliance, reduced paper wastage and an enhanced store team morale.