News

The Association of Convenience Stores has called on the Government to ensure that there is a level playing field for the UK’s 16,944 rural convenience stores which allows them to keep pace with new technology and continue providing essential services to local people.

The 2019 Rural Shop Report reveals that rural convenience stores provide flexible jobs for almost 140,000 people, have invested over £271m in improving their businesses, and are providing a wider range of services despite being hampered by slower than average broadband speeds and unreliable mobile connectivity.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is encouraging retailers to get involved with GroceryAid’s first awareness day, taking place today (26^th February).

This annual event aims to ensure that colleagues working in the grocery industry know that they have a place to turn to if they are in need of help and support.

GroceryAid is a national charity offering emotional, financial and practical advice and support on a range of issues for all grocery colleagues and their immediate families.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed Government proposals to extend the plastic bag charge in England to all retailers, as long as there are no additional reporting requirements on small businesses.

The Government is currently consulting on the extension of the plastic bag charge in England to businesses with fewer than 250 employees. A 5p charge for plastic bags has been in place for large businesses in England since 2015, with supermarkets reporting that plastic bag sales have fallen by 86% after the introduction of the charge.

With less than six weeks to go until the introduction of Making Tax Digital rules, only one in four convenience store retailers know what they need to do comply with the changes.

From 1^st April 2019, all businesses with a taxable turnover above the VAT threshold (currently £85,000) must keep their VAT records digitally and use Making Tax Digital (MTD) compatible software to submit their VAT returns.

ACS is calling on people working in convenience stores to complete the 2019 Colleague Survey, with five shopping vouchers worth £100 each up for grabs in a prize draw for those who take part in the survey.

The findings of the Colleague Survey will inform ACS’ research projects and engagements with Government. The survey will provide data on staff recruitment, job satisfaction, personal commitments, training and development and more.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the findings of a new report published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on the future of high streets and town centres.

In three months (20th May 2019), the tobacco ‘track and trace’ regulations will come into effect. ACS has compiled what is known so far about the regulations and how retailers will be required to comply. This information is available on ACS’ website at: https://www.acs.org.uk/track-and-trace

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to the publication of a new consultation from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, calling on the Government to ensure that a manually administered deposit return scheme does not form part of its plan to encourage people to recycle more.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed comments made during an evidence session with the Payment Systems Regulator about the future of the UK’s ATM network.

During an evidence session held by the Treasury Committee with the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), Chair of the PSR Charles Randell said that the whole system of access to cash needs to be reviewed and that the PSR board will look at the entire infrastructure of cash provision.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed commitments from Home Office Minister Victoria Atkins MP, to examine options for providing further protections for shopworkers from violence and abuse.

The call for evidence is intended to help strengthen the evidence base by understanding retailers’ experience of crime and to look at all options for addressing these crimes.