News

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is reminding convenience retailers about its EU Exit Readiness briefing for the convenience sector to help retailers consider how their business may be affected at the end of the transition period on 31st December 2020.

The EU-Exit Readiness Briefing covers three core elements for convenience retailers to consider: trading environment, workforce & people and regulations.

Content supplied by f'real: 

Luxurious milkshake brand f’real is celebrating a milestone with the installation of its 900th machine in the convenience sector. 

Every day a new retailer in the UK becomes a f’real stockist, installing one of the self-serve milkshake, smoothie and frappe machines and experiencing a fantastic boom in sales as a result.

With many out-of-home outlets closed in 2020 because of lockdown restrictions, dairy drink shoppers have turned to retail, with take home sales of dairy drinks up 8.4% in the past year .  

ACS has welcomed the extension of a ban on business evictions until the end of March 2021.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick MP announced the extension to protections from the threat of eviction, which will give landlords and tenants 3 months to come to an agreement on unpaid rent. The government has made it clear that where businesses can pay any or all of their rent, they should do so.

Launched today (8^th December) ACS’ 2021 Welsh Local Shop Report has revealed the vital role that convenience stores play in the lives of customers and communities across Wales, particularly to those who may be more isolated or vulnerable.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed today’s announcement that from next October, all National Lottery products can only be sold to customers aged 18 or over.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed a report from the Food Foundation which provides an overview of its Peas Please initiative, highlighting the vital role that retailers play in providing their customers with a healthy food provision.

The Peas Please initiative was launched in 2017 and aims to bring together farmers, retailers, and restaurant chains, caterers, processors and government departments with the goal of making it easier for everyone to access and eat veg.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is encouraging local shops to get involved with Small Business Saturday 2020, taking place this Saturday (December 4th).

Small Business Saturday UK is a grassroots campaign which actively encourages shoppers to ‘shop local’ and support the small businesses in their local communities. The campaign is now in its eighth year and aims to have a lasting impact on small businesses.

Highlights from last year’s campaign include:

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) and University of Surrey’s Department of Marketing and Retail Management have launched its 2021 Convenience Leadership Programme, building on the success of the first programme completed earlier this year.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has called on the Government to take action to protect the future of cash, highlighting the important role that cash plays in the lives of businesses and consumers.

ACS has briefed MPs ahead of today’s Westminster Hall debate on access to and acceptance of cash during the Covid-19 outbreak, making a number of key recommendations, including:

Book your place at the launch of ACS’ 2021 Welsh Local Shop Report, taking place online on 8^th December from 10am until 11am.

The launch event will provide a comprehensive overview of the convenience sector in Wales and explore the vital contribution that local shops make to the Welsh economy and the communities that they serve.

ACS research assistant Phoebe Clifford will present the findings of the 2021 Welsh Local Shop Report and explore how Welsh policymakers can support local shops in Wales.