News

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is supporting International Plastic Bag Free Day (3^rd July) and is celebrating the work that convenience retailers have done to reduce the number of plastic bags being given out to customers.

The Government published their Resources and Waste Strategy which proposed to extend the current plastic bag charge to require all retailers to charge for single-use plastic bags.

ACS has given evidence to a committee of MPs on the appropriateness of the current regulatory framework surrounding the sale, storage and use of fireworks, highlighting the work that retailers are doing to prevent underage sales.

The evidence session is part of the Petitions Committee’s inquiry into fireworks, following up on a petition that has been signed by nearly 300,000 people calling for a ban on the sale of fireworks to the public and for fireworks displays to be restricted to licenced venues.

A group of businesses and trade bodies representing the retail sector have written to the Home Secretary and other Ministers, calling for more to be done to tackle widespread violence and abuse against shopworkers.

The trade associations for the convenience retailing and wholesale sectors have teamed up with their members and major suppliers to launch a new Charter, defining and promoting standards of behaviour between individuals from different companies working together.  

The ’Dignity at Work’ Charter is a positive statement of high behaviour standards that companies can include in their own company policies and that businesses can sign up to.

The Charter sets out the following commitments for businesses to sign up to:

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is reminding retailers about the upcoming F-Gas service ban on the launch of first ever World Refrigeration Day (26^th June).

The World Refrigeration Day initiative aims to raise awareness about the contribution that refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps make globally across many aspects of modern life.

The government has announced today (25th June) plans to introduce a new law requiring food businesses to include full ingredients labelling on foods prepacked for direct sale.

Defra defines prepacked food for direct sale as applying to, “foods that have been packed on the same premises from which they are being sold. These might include a packaged salad or baguette from a shop that was made by staff earlier in the day, packaged in the kitchen and then placed on a shelf for customers to purchase.”

ACS has given evidence to the Non-Domestic Rating Bill Committee, welcoming the move to more frequent revaluations on business rates.

The evidence session comes after the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government confirmed changes to the frequency of business rates valuations earlier this month. The next revaluation, previously scheduled for 2022, will be brought forward to 2021, with revaluations taking place every three years thereafter instead of the current five year period.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is urging retailers to fill in an online template to help them respond to the Home Office’s call for evidence on violence and abuse against shop staff. The call for evidence is closing on Friday 28^th June and retailers can contact ACS if they need help with their response.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is encouraging retailers to get involved with this year’s Great Get Together, taking place this weekend (21st-23rd June).

The Great Get Together celebrates people and businesses taking part in community activities together. This could include a range of activities from hosting coffee mornings, being part of a village fete to putting on a barbecue or any other local community activity.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to the publication of HM Revenue and Customs’ report on the prevalence of non-duty paid alcohol and illicit tobacco in the UK. ACS is reiterating calls for targeted action at a local level to reduce the impact of the illicit trade on responsible retailers.